Triggered P2P with QOS characteristics

Abstract

An access point (AP) in a wireless network includes a memory and a processor coupled to the memory, the processor configured to receive a first frame from a station (STA), the first frame requesting assistance of peer-to-peer (P2P) communication and including quality of service (QoS) information for P2P communication, and to transmit a second frame to the STA, the second frame being a trigger frame that allocates a transmission opportunity (TXOP) to the STA to transmit P2P communication with another STA.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure generally relates to wireless communication systems, and more specifically to, for example, but not limited to, triggered peer-to-peer (P2P) communication with QoS characteristics. Background Technology

[0002] Since the late 1990s, Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) technology has evolved towards increasing data rates and continues to grow in various markets such as homes, businesses, and hotspots. WLAN allows devices to access the Internet in the 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, 6 GHz, or 60 GHz frequency bands. WLAN is based on the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standard. The IEEE 802.11 standard family aims to improve speed and reliability and extend the operational range of wireless networks.

[0003] WLAN devices increasingly need to support a variety of latency-sensitive or real-time applications, such as augmented reality (AR), robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, and autonomous vehicles. To achieve the extremely low latency and extremely high throughput required for such applications, Multi-Link Operation (MLO) has been proposed for WLANs. A WLAN is formed by WLAN devices within a limited area such as a home, school, apartment, or office building. Each WLAN device can have one or more Stations (STAs), such as Access Point (AP) STAs and Non-Access Point (Non-AP) STAs.

[0004] MLO enables non-AP multi-link devices (MLDs) to establish multiple links with AP MLDs. Each of these links can independently enable channel access and frame switching between the non-AP MLD and the AP MLD, which can reduce latency and increase throughput.

[0005] The descriptions set forth in the Background section should not be assumed to be prior art simply because they are set forth in the Background section. The Background section may describe aspects or embodiments of this disclosure. Summary of the Invention

[0006] One aspect of this disclosure provides an access point (AP) in a wireless network. The AP includes a memory and a processor coupled to the memory. The processor is configured to receive a first frame from a slave station (STA), the first frame requesting assistance for peer-to-peer (P2P) communication and including Quality of Service (QoS) information for the P2P communication. The processor is configured to send a second frame to the STA, the second frame being a trigger frame for allocating a Transmission Opportunity (TXOP) to the STA to send P2P communication with another STA.

[0007] In some examples, the first frame is a Flow Classification Service (SCS) request frame that includes QoS feature elements.

[0008] In some examples, the direction subfield in the QoS feature element is set to direct link, and the link is indicated in which the STA intends to send P2P frames.

[0009] In some examples, the second frame is a TXOP Share (TXS) triggered frame triggered by a Multi-User Request Send (MU-RTS).

[0010] In some examples, the AP is attached to an AP multilink device (MLD).

[0011] In some examples, QoS information includes service-specific parameters, minimum data rates, or latency limits, which latency-sensitive P2P services need to be transmitted within.

[0012] One aspect of this disclosure provides a first station (STA) in a wireless network. The first STA includes a memory and a processor coupled to the memory. The processor is configured to form a peer-to-peer (P2P) link with a second STA for P2P communication. The processor is configured to send a first frame to an access point (AP), the first frame requesting assistance for P2P communication and including Quality of Service (QoS) information for the P2P communication. The processor is configured to receive a second frame from the AP, the second frame being a trigger frame for allocating a Transmission Opportunity (TXOP) to the first STA for P2P communication with the second STA. The processor is configured to use the allocated TXOP to perform P2P communication with the second STA.

[0013] In some examples, the first frame is a Flow Classification Service (SCS) request frame that includes QoS feature elements.

[0014] In some examples, the direction subfield in the QoS feature element is set to direct link, and the link is indicated in which the STA intends to send P2P frames.

[0015] In some examples, the second frame is a TXOP Share (TXS) triggered frame triggered by a Multi-User Request Send (MU-RTS).

[0016] In some examples, the first STA is attached to a non-AP multi-link device (MLD).

[0017] In some examples, QoS information includes service-specific parameters, minimum data rates, or latency limits, which latency-sensitive P2P services need to be transmitted within.

[0018] In some examples, the processor is further configured to determine that there is no pending physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU) for P2P communication with the second STA, and to return the TXOP to the AP.

[0019] In some examples, the processor is further configured to send PPDUs for P2P communication using a contention-based method of Enhanced Distributed Channel Access (EDCA).

[0020] In some examples, the PPDU sent using the EDCA-based contention method is sent with lower-priority EDCA parameters.

[0021] One aspect of this disclosure provides a computer-implemented method for peer-to-peer (P2P) communication at a first station (STA) in a wireless network. The method includes establishing a P2P link with a second STA for P2P communication. The method includes sending a first frame to an access point (AP), the first frame requesting assistance for P2P communication and including Quality of Service (QoS) information for the P2P communication. The method includes receiving a second frame from the AP, the second frame being a trigger frame for allocating a Transmission Opportunity (TXOP) to the first STA for P2P communication with the second STA. The method includes using the allocated TXOP to perform P2P communication with the second STA.

[0022] In some examples, the first frame is a Flow Classification Service (SCS) request frame that includes QoS feature elements.

[0023] In some examples, the direction subfield in the QoS feature element is set to direct link, and the link is indicated in which the STA intends to send P2P frames.

[0024] In some examples, the second frame is a TXOP Share (TXS) triggered frame triggered by a Multi-User Request Send (MU-RTS).

[0025] In some examples, the first STA is attached to a non-AP multi-link device (MLD). Attached Figure Description

[0026] Figure 1 An example of a wireless network according to an embodiment is illustrated.

[0027] Figure 2a An example of an AP according to an embodiment is illustrated.

[0028] Figure 2b An example of a STA according to an embodiment is illustrated.

[0029] Figure 3 An example of multi-link communication operation according to an embodiment is illustrated.

[0030] Figure 4 The illustration depicts a network with different types of services according to an embodiment.

[0031] Figure 5The illustration depicts an environment with a latency-sensitive P2P service according to an embodiment.

[0032] Figure 6a The illustration shows an SCS request frame according to an embodiment.

[0033] Figure 6b The illustration shows QoS feature elements according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] Figure 6c The diagram illustrates the structure of the control information field of a QoS feature element according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] Figure 7 The illustration shows P2P communication (including QoS feature elements) triggered with the SCS process according to an embodiment.

[0036] Figure 8 The illustration shows a flowchart of an example STA-side process for triggering P2P with QoS characteristics according to an embodiment.

[0037] Figure 9 The illustration shows a flowchart of an example AP-side process for triggering P2P with QoS characteristics according to an embodiment.

[0038] In one or more embodiments, not all components depicted in each figure are necessary, and one or more embodiments may include additional components not shown in the figures. Variations in the arrangement and type of components may be made without departing from the scope of this subject matter disclosure. Additional components, different components, or fewer components may be utilized within the scope of this subject matter disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0039] The detailed description set forth below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings is intended to describe various embodiments and is not intended to represent the only embodiments in which the subject matter can be practiced. Rather, this detailed description includes specific details to provide a thorough understanding of the subject matter of the invention. As those skilled in the art will recognize, the described embodiments can be modified in various ways without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Therefore, the drawings and description are to be considered illustrative rather than restrictive in nature. The same reference numerals denote the same elements.

[0040] The following description pertains to certain implementations for the purpose of describing the innovative aspects of this disclosure. However, those skilled in the art will readily recognize that the teachings herein can be applied in a variety of different ways. The examples in this disclosure are based on WLAN communication in accordance with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standard, including the IEEE 802.11be standard and any future revisions to the IEEE 802.11 standard. However, the described embodiments can be implemented in any device, system, or network capable of transmitting and receiving radio frequency (RF) signals according to the IEEE 802.11 standard, Bluetooth standard, Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), GSM / General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Enhanced Data GSM Environment (EDGE), Terrestrial Trunking Radio (TETRA), Wideband CDMA (W-CDMA), Evolved Data Optimized (EV-DO), 1xEV-DO, EV-DO Rev A, EV-DO Rev B, High-Speed ​​Packet Access (HSPA), High-Speed ​​Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), High-Speed ​​Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA), Evolved High-Speed ​​Packet Access (HSPA+), Long Term Evolution (LTE), 5G NR (New Radio), AMPS, or other known signals used for communication within wireless, cellular, or Internet of Things (IoT) networks, such as systems utilizing 3G, 4G, 5G, 6G, or further implementations thereof.

[0041] Depending on the network type, other well-known terms may be used instead of "access point" or "AP," such as "router" or "gateway." For convenience, the term "AP" is used in this disclosure to refer to a network infrastructure component that provides wireless access to remote terminals. In a WLAN, assuming that the AP also contends for the wireless channel, the AP may also be referred to as a STA. Furthermore, depending on the network type, other well-known terms may be used instead of "station" or "STA," such as "mobile station," "subscriber station," "remote terminal," "user equipment," "wireless terminal," or "user device." For convenience, the terms "station" and "STA" are used in this disclosure to refer to a remote wireless device that wirelessly accesses an AP or contends for a wireless channel in a WLAN, whether the STA is a mobile device (such as a mobile phone or smartphone) or is generally considered a fixed device (such as a desktop computer, AP, media player, fixed sensor, television, etc.).

[0042] Multilink Operation (MLO) is a key feature currently being developed by the standards body for next-generation Ultra High Throughput (EHT) Wi-Fi systems in IEEE 802.11be. Wi-Fi devices that support MLO are called Multilink Devices (MLDs). Using MLO, a non-AP MLD can discover, authenticate, associate, and establish multiple links with an AP MLD. Channel access and frame switching can occur on each link between the AP MLD and non-AP MLDs.

[0043] Figure 1 An example of a wireless network 100 according to an embodiment is shown. Figure 1 The illustrated embodiment of the wireless network 100 is for illustrative purposes only. Other embodiments of the wireless network 100 may be used without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0044] like Figure 1 As shown, wireless network 100 may include multiple wireless communication devices. Each wireless communication device may include one or more stations (STAs). An STA may be a logical entity that is a separate addressable instance of an interface to the Media Access Control (MAC) layer and Physical (PHY) layer of the wireless medium. STAs may be classified as Access Point (AP) STAs and Non-Access Point (Non-AP) STAs. An AP STA may be an entity that provides access to distribution system services to an associated STA via the wireless medium. A Non-AP STA may be a STA that is not included within an AP-STA. For simplicity, an AP STA may be referred to as an AP, and a Non-AP STA may be referred to as a STA. Figure 1 In the example, APs 101 and 103 are wireless communication devices, each of which may include one or more AP STAs. In such an embodiment, APs 101 and 103 may be AP multilink devices (MLDs). Similarly, STAs 111-114 are wireless communication devices, each of which may include one or more non-AP STAs. In such an embodiment, STAs 111-114 may be non-AP MLDs.

[0045] APs 101 and 103 communicate with at least one network 130, such as the Internet, a proprietary Internet Protocol (IP) network, or other data network. AP 101 provides wireless access to network 130 to multiple stations 111-114 in the coverage area 120 of AP 101. APs 101 and 103 can communicate with each other and with STAs using Wi-Fi or other WLAN communication technologies.

[0046] Depending on the network type, other well-known terms may be used instead of "access point" or "AP," such as "router" or "gateway." For convenience, the term "AP" is used in this disclosure to refer to a network infrastructure component that provides wireless access to remote terminals. In a WLAN, assuming that the AP also contends for the wireless channel, the AP may also be referred to as a STA. Furthermore, depending on the network type, other well-known terms may be used instead of "station" or "STA," such as "mobile station," "subscriber station," "remote terminal," "user equipment," "wireless terminal," or "user device." For convenience, the terms "station" and "STA" are used in this disclosure to refer to a remote wireless device that wirelessly accesses an AP or contends for a wireless channel in a WLAN, whether the STA is a mobile device (such as a mobile phone or smartphone) or is generally considered a fixed device (such as a desktop computer, AP, media player, fixed sensor, television, etc.).

[0047] exist Figure 1 In the diagram, the dashed lines indicate the approximate extent of the coverage areas 120 and 125 of APs 101 and 103, which are shown as approximately circular for illustrative and explanatory purposes. It should be clearly understood that, depending on the configuration of the APs, the coverage areas associated with the APs (such as coverage areas 120 and 125) may have other shapes, including irregular shapes.

[0048] As described in more detail below, one or more APs in an AP may include circuitry and / or programming for the management of MU-MIMO and OFDMA channel detection in a WLAN. Although Figure 1 An example of a wireless network 100 is shown, but more details can be found on other wireless networks. Figure 1 Various modifications can be made. For example, wireless network 100 can include any number of APs and any number of STAs in any suitable arrangement. Furthermore, AP 101 can communicate directly with any number of STAs and provide these STAs with wireless broadband access to network 130. Similarly, each AP 101 and 103 can communicate directly with network 130 and provide STAs with direct wireless broadband access to network 130. Additionally, APs 101 and / or 103 can provide access to other or additional external networks, such as external telephone networks or other types of data networks.

[0049] Figure 2a An example of AP 101 according to an embodiment is shown. Figure 2a The embodiment of AP 101 shown is for illustrative purposes, and Figure 1 AP 103 can have the same or similar configuration. However, APs have a wide variety of configurations, and Figure 2a This disclosure is not intended to limit the scope to any particular implementation of AP.

[0050] like Figure 2a As shown, AP 101 may include multiple antennas 204a-204n, multiple radio frequency (RF) transceivers 209a-209n, transmit (TX) processing circuitry 214, and receive (RX) processing circuitry 219. AP 101 may also include a controller / processor 224, a memory 229, and a backhaul or network interface 234. RF transceivers 209a-209n receive incoming RF signals from antennas 204a-204n, such as signals transmitted by STAs in network 100. RF transceivers 209a-209n down-convert the incoming RF signals to generate intermediate (IF) or baseband signals. The IF or baseband signals are sent to RX processing circuitry 219, which generates processed baseband signals by filtering, decoding, and / or digitizing the baseband or IF signals. RX processing circuitry 219 sends the processed baseband signals to controller / processor 224 for further processing.

[0051] TX processing circuit 214 receives analog or digital data (such as voice data, web data, email, or interactive video game data) from controller / processor 224. TX processing circuit 214 encodes, multiplexes, and / or digitizes the outgoing baseband data to generate a processed baseband or IF signal. RF transceivers 209a-209n receive the outgoing processed baseband or IF signal from TX processing circuit 214 and up-convert the baseband or IF signal into an RF signal transmitted via antennas 204a-204n.

[0052] The controller / processor 224 may include one or more processors or other processing devices that control the overall operation of AP 101. For example, the controller / processor 224 may control the RF transceivers 209a-209n, the RX processing circuit 219, and the TX processing circuit 214 to receive uplink signals and transmit downlink signals according to well-known principles. The controller / processor 224 may also support additional functions, such as more advanced wireless communication functions. For example, the controller / processor 224 may support beamforming or directional routing operations, in which outgoing signals from multiple antennas 204a-204n are weighted differently to effectively guide the outgoing signals to a desired direction. The controller / processor 224 may also support OFDMA operations, in which outgoing signals are assigned to different subsets of subcarriers for different receivers (e.g., different STAs 111-114). The controller / processor 224 can support various other functions in AP 101, including combining DL MU-MIMO and OFDMA in the same transmission opportunity. In some embodiments, the controller / processor 224 may include at least one microprocessor or microcontroller. The controller / processor 224 is also capable of executing programs and other processes, such as an operating system, residing in memory 229. The controller / processor 224 is capable of moving data into or out of memory 229 as needed for the execution process.

[0053] The controller / processor 224 is also coupled to a backhaul or network interface 234. The backhaul or network interface 234 allows the AP 101 to communicate with other devices or systems via a backhaul connection or over a network. Interface 234 can support communication via any suitable wired or wireless connection. For example, interface 234 can allow the AP 101 to communicate with a larger network (such as the Internet) via a wired or wireless local area network or via a wired or wireless connection. Interface 234 can include any suitable structure that supports communication via a wired or wireless connection, such as an Ethernet or RF transceiver. Memory 229 is coupled to the controller / processor 224. A portion of memory 229 can include RAM, and another portion of memory 229 can include flash memory or other ROM.

[0054] As described in more detail below, AP 101 may include circuitry and / or programming for managing channel detection procedures in a WLAN. Although Figure 2a An example of AP 101 is shown, but it is possible to compare it with other versions. Figure 2a Various changes can be made. For example, AP101 can include any number of... Figure 2aEach component shown. As a specific example, the AP may include multiple interfaces 234, and the controller / processor 224 may support routing functionality to route data between different network addresses. As another example, although shown as a single instance including TX processing circuitry 214 and a single instance including RX processing circuitry 219, AP 101 may include multiple instances of each (such as one per RF transceiver). Alternatively, only one antenna and RF transceiver path may be included, as in a conventional AP. Moreover, Figure 2a The various components can be combined, further subdivided, or omitted, and additional components can be added as needed.

[0055] like Figure 2a As shown, in some embodiments, AP 101 may be an AP MLD comprising multiple APs 202a-202n. Each AP 202a-202n is attached to AP MLD 101 and includes multiple antennas 204a-204n, multiple radio frequency (RF) transceivers 209a-209n, transmit (TX) processing circuitry 214, and receive (RX) processing circuitry 219. Each AP 202a-202n may communicate independently with the controller / processor 224 and other components of AP MLD 101. Figure 2a The diagram shows that each AP 202a-202n has multiple antennas individually, but each AP 202a-202n can share multiple antennas 204a-204n without requiring separate multiple antennas. Each AP 202a-202n can represent the physical (PHY) layer and the lower media access control (MAC) layer.

[0056] Figure 2b An example of STA 111 according to an embodiment is shown. Figure 2b The embodiment of STA 111 shown is for illustrative purposes, and Figure 1 STAs 111-114 can have the same or similar configurations. However, STAs appear in a wide variety of configurations, and Figure 2b This disclosure is not intended to limit the scope of any particular implementation of STA.

[0057] like Figure 2b As shown, STA 111 may include an antenna 205, an RF transceiver 210, a TX processing circuit 215, a microphone 220, and an RX processing circuit 225. STA 111 may also include a speaker 230, a controller / processor 240, an input / output (I / O) interface (IF) 245, a touchscreen 250, a display 255, and a memory 260. The memory 260 may include an operating system (OS) 261 and one or more applications 262.

[0058] RF transceiver 210 receives incoming RF signals transmitted by the AP of network 100 from antenna 205. RF transceiver 210 down-converts the incoming RF signals to generate IF or baseband signals. The IF or baseband signals are sent to RX processing circuitry 225, which filters, decodes, and / or digitizes the baseband or IF signals to generate processed baseband signals. RX processing circuitry 225 sends the processed baseband signals to speaker 230 (e.g., for voice data) or to controller / processor 240 for further processing (e.g., for web browsing data).

[0059] TX processing circuitry 215 receives analog or digital voice data from microphone 220, or other outgoing baseband data (such as web data, email, or interactive video game data) from controller / processor 240. TX processing circuitry 215 encodes, multiplexes, and / or digitizes the outgoing baseband data to generate a processed baseband or IF signal. RF transceiver 210 receives the outgoing processed baseband or IF signal from TX processing circuitry 215 and up-converts the baseband or IF signal into an RF signal transmitted via antenna 205.

[0060] The controller / processor 240 may include one or more processors and execute a basic OS program 261 stored in memory 260 to control the overall operation of STA 111. In one such operation, the controller / processor 240 controls the RF transceiver 210, RX processing circuitry 225, and TX processing circuitry 215 to receive downlink signals and transmit uplink signals according to well-known principles. The controller / processor 240 may also include processing circuitry configured to provide management of channel sounding procedures in a WLAN. In some embodiments, the controller / processor 240 may include at least one microprocessor or microcontroller.

[0061] The controller / processor 240 is also capable of executing other processes and programs residing in the memory 260, such as operations for managing channel sounding procedures in the WLAN. The controller / processor 240 is capable of moving data into or out of the memory 260 as needed for the execution process. In some embodiments, the controller / processor 240 is configured to execute multiple applications 262, such as applications for channel sounding, including feedback calculations based on received Null Data Packet Advertisements (NDPA) and Null Data Packets (NDP), and sending beamforming feedback reports in response to trigger frames (TF). The controller / processor 240 is capable of operating the multiple applications 262 based on the OS program 261 or in response to signals received from the AP. The controller / processor 240 is also coupled to an I / O interface 245, which provides the STA 111 with the ability to connect to other devices such as laptops and handheld computers. The I / O interface 245 is the communication path between these accessories and the main controller / processor 240.

[0062] The controller / processor 240 is also coupled to input 250 (such as a touchscreen) and display 255. An operator of STA 111 can use input 250 to input data into STA 111. Display 255 may be a liquid crystal display, a light-emitting diode display, or other display capable of displaying text and / or at least limited graphics (such as from a website). Memory 260 is coupled to the controller / processor 240. A portion of memory 260 may include random access memory (RAM), and another portion of memory 260 may include flash memory or other read-only memory (ROM).

[0063] although Figure 2b An example of STA 111 is shown, but it is possible to compare it with other models. Figure 2b Make various changes. For example, Figure 2b The various components can be combined, further subdivided, or omitted, and additional components can be added as needed. In a specific example, STA 111 may include any number of antennas 205 for MIMO communication with AP 101. In another example, STA 111 may not include voice communication, or the controller / processor 240 may be divided into multiple processors, such as one or more central processing units (CPUs) and one or more graphics processing units (GPUs). Furthermore, although... Figure 2b The STA 111 is shown configured as a mobile phone or smartphone, but the STA can be configured to operate as other types of mobile or fixed devices.

[0064] like Figure 2bAs shown, in some embodiments, STA 111 may be a non-AP MLD comprising multiple STAs 203a-203n. Each STA 203a-203n is attached to the non-AP MLD 111 and includes an antenna 205, an RF transceiver 210, a TX processing circuit 215, and an RX processing circuit 225. Each STA 203a-203n may independently communicate with the controller / processor 240 and other components of the non-AP MLD 111. Figure 2b It is shown that each STA 203a-203n has a separate antenna, but each STA 203a-203n can share antenna 205 without requiring a separate antenna. Each STA 203a-203n can represent the physical (PHY) layer and the lower medium access control (MAC) layer.

[0065] Figure 3 An example of multi-link communication operation according to an embodiment is shown. Multi-link communication operation can be used in the IEEE 802.11be standard and any future revisions of the IEEE 802.11 standard. Figure 3 In the middle, AP MLD 310 can be Figure 1 Wireless communication devices 101 and 103 are included, and the non-AP MLD 220 can be... Figure 1 One of the wireless communication devices 111-114 in the series.

[0066] like Figure 3 As shown, AP MLD 310 may include multiple auxiliary APs, such as AP 1, AP 2, and AP 3. Each auxiliary AP may include a PHY interface to the wireless medium (Link 1, Link 2, or Link 3). AP MLD 310 may include a single MAC Service Access Point (SAP) 318 through which the auxiliary APs of AP MLD 310 communicate with higher layers (Layer 3 or network layer). Each auxiliary AP of AP MLD 310 may have a different MAC address (lower MAC address) than any other auxiliary AP of AP MLD 310. AP MLD 310 may have an MLD MAC address (higher MAC address), and the auxiliary APs share the single MAC SAP 318 to Layer 3. Therefore, the auxiliary APs share a single IP address, and Layer 3 identifies AP MLD 310 by assigning this single IP address.

[0067] A non-AP MLD 320 may include multiple affiliated STAs, such as STA 1, STA 2, and STA 3. Each affiliated STA may include a PHY interface to the wireless medium (Link 1, Link 2, or Link 3). A non-AP MLD 320 may include a single MAC SAP 328, through which affiliated STAs communicate with higher layers (Layer 3 or network layer). Each affiliated STA of a non-AP MLD 320 may have a different MAC address (lower MAC address) than any other affiliated STA of the non-AP MLD 320. A non-AP MLD 320 may have an MLD MAC address (higher MAC address), and the affiliated STAs share the single MAC SAP 328 to Layer 3. Therefore, the affiliated STAs share a single IP address, and Layer 3 identifies the non-AP MLD 320 by assigning this single IP address.

[0068] AP MLD 310 and non-AP MLD 320 can establish multiple links between their associated APs and STAs. In this example, AP 1 and STA 1 can establish Link 1, operating in the 2.4 GHz band. Similarly, AP 2 and STA 2 can establish Link 2, operating in the 5 GHz band, and AP 3 and STA 3 can establish Link 3, operating in the 6 GHz band. Each link can independently enable channel access and frame exchange between AP MLD 310 and non-AP MLD 320, which can increase data throughput and reduce latency. When associated with an AP MLD on a set of links (link establishment), each non-AP device is assigned a unique Association Identifier (AID).

[0069] The following documents are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety, as if fully set forth herein: i) IEEE 802.11-2020, “Wireless LAN Media Access Control (MAC) and Physical Layer (PHY) Specification”, ii) IEEE 802.11ax-2021, “Wireless LAN Media Access Control (MAC) and Physical Layer (PHY) Specification”, and iii) IEEE P802.11be / D3.0, “Wireless LAN Media Access Control (MAC) and Physical Layer (PHY) Specification”.

[0070] Next-generation WLAN systems can benefit from better support for low-latency applications. Specifically, it is not uncommon to observe many devices operating on the same network, with different devices having different latency requirements. Many of these devices may be latency-tolerant, but may still compete for the same time and frequency resources with devices having low-latency applications. In some cases, the access point (AP), acting as the network controller, may not have sufficient control over unregulated / unmanaged traffic competing with low-latency traffic within the Infrastructure Basic Services Set (BSS). Some unmanaged traffic interfering with the AP's BSS latency-sensitive traffic may originate from uplink (UL) / downlink (DL) or direct link communications within the infrastructure BSS managed by the AP. Other interference may be due to transmissions in adjacent infrastructure BSSs (OBSSs). Further interference may originate from adjacent independent BSSs or peer-to-peer (P2P) networks.

[0071] Figure 4 A network with different types of services according to an embodiment is illustrated. Specifically, Figure 4 The diagram illustrates a network with AP405 and numerous STAs, some of which (such as STA 401) are associated with the AP, as indicated by the keys in the diagram. Some STAs (such as STA 403) are not associated with the AP. Furthermore, as indicated by the keys, STAs associated with the AP may have UL / DL links to the AP, as shown by the solid lines connecting the STA to the AP. Some STAs may have direct links to other STAs, as indicated by the dashed lines.

[0072] As described in this article, P2P technologies such as Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi Aware, or TDLS enable devices to communicate with each other via a direct Wi-Fi interface without routing traffic through infrastructure access points (APs). P2P technologies may be well-suited for a variety of latency-sensitive use cases, such as X-Reality (XR) applications (e.g., data exchange between head-mounted displays (HMDs) and computing devices) or high-definition video applications (e.g., Miracast over Wi-Fi Direct or Wi-Fi Aware), and can provide an enhanced user experience by improving QoS parameters such as latency through the use of direct links.

[0073] Latency-sensitive applications (such as XR or video services) are typically periodic and have specific QoS characteristics. When the network is congested, P2P QoS may not be met due to severe channel contention between non-AP STAs and the AP. In some embodiments, to enhance support for P2P QoS, non-AP STAs can notify the AP of the QoS parameters required for latency-sensitive P2P services, such as service intervals, minimum data rates, latency limits, and other information. The AP can then facilitate P2P QoS implementation for non-AP STAs by appropriately sending trigger frames to them. Specifically, in WLAN systems with moderate or heavy traffic, STAs may not have the opportunity to deliver their peer-to-peer (P2P) services in a timely manner. If a STA has latency-sensitive services for another peer device, this may need to be delivered within given latency limits. Therefore, the inability to access the channel for P2P communication can disrupt latency-sensitive applications.

[0074] Figure 5 The illustration depicts an environment with a latency-sensitive P2P service according to an embodiment. Specifically, Figure 5 An example scenario is illustrated using P2P communication for augmented reality, virtual reality, extended reality, and mixed reality (AR / VR / XR / MR) communication with devices. A head-mounted display (HMD) 501 and its companion device 503 (laptop computer) can have latency-sensitive P2P services. An access point (AP) 505 can transmit downlink services to other nodes 507, and other nodes 507 can also transmit uplink services. Thus, the channel may be occupied, resulting in the inability to deliver latency-sensitive P2P services between the HMD 501 and the laptop device 503. Therefore, embodiments of this disclosure can provide one or more protocols to ensure the efficient delivery of time-sensitive P2P services. Efficient and effective P2P communication can be important for various applications. In the prior art, the AP essentially switches P2P communication within the network. Thus, in a congested network, this can inhibit the timely delivery of P2P services.

[0075] In some embodiments, when a latency-sensitive P2P application starts, the STA can notify the AP of the corresponding P2P QoS requirements. In some embodiments, the STA can send a QoS feature element to the AP in a Flow Classification Service (SCS) request frame. In some embodiments, the direction subfield in the QoS feature element can be set to "direct link".

[0076] Figure 6a The illustration shows an SCS request frame according to an embodiment. The frame may include a category field, a robust action field, a dialogue token field, and an SCS descriptor list field.

[0077] The Category field can be set to a value indicating the category of the SCS request frame that serves as the action frame. The Robust Action field can have a value associated with the SCS request frame format within a predefined Robust AV Stream category. When multiple concurrent action requests exist, the Dialogue Token field can be used to match action responses with action requests. The SCS Descriptor List field can include one or more SCS Descriptor elements.

[0078] Specifically, the SCS descriptor element can include an element ID field, a length field, a SCSID field, a request type field, an internal access class priority element field (optional), a TCLAS element field (optional), a TCLAS processing element field (optional), a QoS characteristic element field (optional), an element field with MAP coordination performance metrics (optional), and optional sub-element fields.

[0079] The Element ID field may include information identifying the type of the SCS descriptor element. The Length field may indicate the length of the SCS descriptor element. The SCSID field may include information for identifying the SCS descriptor element. The Request Type field may be set to indicate the request type of the SCS descriptor element (i.e., add, remove, and change). When the Request Type field is equal to "add" or "change," an Internal Access Class Priority element field may be present. The TCLAS element field may include information about service classification. The TCLAS Processing element field may include information about the method of processing services from the upper layer. The QoS Characteristics element field may include a set of parameters defining the characteristics of the service flow and QoS expectations. Elements with a MAP Coordination Performance Metric field may include information related to performance metrics that can be used for multi-AP coordination. Many embodiments are capable of including information in separate frames and / or other types of frames.

[0080] Figure 6b The QoS characteristic elements according to an embodiment of the present invention are illustrated. QoS characteristic elements may include an element ID field, a length field, an element ID extension field, a control information field, a minimum service interval field, a maximum service interval field, a minimum data rate field, a delay limit field, a maximum MAC Service Data Unit (MSDU) size field, a service start time field, a service start time link ID field, an average data rate field, a delay limit burst size field, an MSDU lifetime field, an MSDU transmission information field, and a media time field.

[0081] The element ID field provides an identifier for the element. The length field provides the element's length information. The element ID extension field provides an identifier extension for the element. The control information field provides control information for the element and may include several subfields. Figure 6cThe following fields are shown: Minimum Service Interval (MSDU) field provides the minimum service interval for the element. Minimum Data Rate (MSDU) field provides the minimum data rate for the element. Delay Limit (DSL) field provides delay information for the element, including the maximum amount of time required to transmit an MSDU belonging to the traffic flow described by the element. Maximum MSDU Size provides the maximum MSDU size information for the traffic flow described by the element. Service Start Time (MSDU) field provides service start time information for the element, including the expected time for the service to begin for the associated TID. Average Data Rate (ADR) field provides the average data rate for the element and can indicate the average data rate used to transmit MSDUs belonging to the traffic flow described by the element. MSDU Lifetime (MSDU) field provides MSDU lifetime information for the element and can specify the maximum amount of time since the MSDU arrived, beyond which the MSDU is useless even if received by the receiver. MSDU Delivery Information (MSDU) field provides MSDU delivery information for the element. Medium Time (MT) field provides medium time information for the element and can specify the medium time requested by the STA in units of 256 microseconds per second as the average medium time required per second.

[0082] Figure 6c The structure of the control information field of a QoS feature element according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. The control information field can include a direction field, a TID field, a user priority field, an existence bitmap of additional parameter fields, a link ID field, and a reserved field. The direction field can specify the direction of the element's data, and can include "0" for uplink, "1" for downlink, "2" for direct link, and "3" for reservation. The TID field can provide the TID value of the data frame described by the element. The user priority field can provide the user priority value of the data frame described by the element. The existence bitmap of the additional parameter fields can include a bitmap where the i-th entry of the bitmap is set to 1 if the i-th field, starting from the maximum MSDU size field, exists in the element. The link ID field can include a link identifier corresponding to the link where direct link transmission will occur. The reserved field can be reserved.

[0083] In some embodiments, the AP can successfully receive QoS feature elements from the STA in the SCS request frame. In some embodiments, if the AP accepts the SCS request, the AP can schedule a Multi-User Request Transmission (MU-RTS) triggered Transport Opportunity Sharing (TXS) (Mode 2) trigger frame to the STA that sent the SCS request frame. In some embodiments, for the MU-RTS TXS trigger frame, the Mode 1 transmission mode may only allow non-AP STAs to use the allocated TXOPs for uplink transmission, and the Mode 2 transmission mode may allow non-AP STAs to use the allocated TXOPs for both uplink and P2P transmission. In some embodiments, the MU-RTS TXS (Mode 2) trigger frame may satisfy the STA's P2P QoS requirements according to the QoS parameters specified in the QoS feature elements carried in the SCS request frame.

[0084] In some embodiments, after receiving a MU-RTS TXS (Mode-2) trigger frame, within the allocated transmission opportunity (TXOP) duration, if the STA has P2P physical layer protocol data units in its buffer, the STA can use the allocated TXOP to transmit to a peer STA. In some embodiments, if the STA does not have any pending PPDUs for any of its peer STAs, the STA can return the TXOP to the AP. In some embodiments, a STA that transmits an SCS and is able to receive subsequent TXOPs from the AP for P2P transmission can still use a contention-based method to transmit P2P PPDUs. For example, using contention based on Enhanced Distributed Channel Access (EDCA). In some embodiments, a STA that transmits an SCS and is able to receive subsequent TXOPs from the AP for P2P transmission can transmit P2P PPDUs without using a contention-based method (e.g., EDCA-based). In some embodiments, a STA that transmits an SCS and is able to receive subsequent TXOPs from the AP for P2P transmission can still use contention (e.g., the EDCA method) but utilize lower-priority EDCA parameters (e.g., using the MU-EDCA procedure) to transmit P2PPPDUs.

[0085] Figure 7 The illustration depicts P2P communication (including QoS feature elements) triggered according to an embodiment of the SCS process. Figure 7In this configuration, STA1 and STA2 form a P2P link. STA1 can be associated with an AP. STA1 notifies the AP of its P2P QoS requirements. In some embodiments, STA1 can send an SCS request frame 701 to the AP, including QoS feature elements, where the direction subfield is set to "direct link" configuration. In some embodiments, other parameters of the QoS feature elements can reflect STA1's P2P QoS requirements. The AP can evaluate the SCS request frame 701 and send an SCS response frame 703 to STA1 with an "accept" indication. Subsequently, the AP can send an MU-RTS TXS trigger frame (mode 2) 705 to STA1, thereby enabling STA1 to transmit its P2P service to its peer to meet the requirements according to the parameters in the QoS feature elements. STA1 can then receive a TXOP from the AP (by receiving the MU-RTS TXS trigger frame) and use the TXOP to transmit to its peer STA2. As shown, STA1 sends a clear transmission frame 707 to the AP. Then, STA1 sends PPDU 709 to STA2, and STA2 sends Block Acknowledgment (BA) 711 to STA1. Then, STA1 sends PPDU 713 to STA2, and STA2 sends BA 715 to STA1.

[0086] Figure 8 A flowchart illustrating an example STA-side process for triggering P2P with QoS characteristics according to an embodiment is shown. Although one or more operations are described or shown in a specific order, in other embodiments, the operations may be rearranged in a different order, which may include performing multiple operations in at least partially overlapping time periods. Figure 8 The flowchart depicted illustrates the operations performed by the STA.

[0087] In process 800, during operation 801, the first STA and the second STA form a P2P link.

[0088] In Operation 803, the first STA determines that the P2P link requires assistance from the infrastructure AP.

[0089] In operation 805, the first STA sends a request message with its P2P QoS requirements to its associated AP. In some embodiments, the first STA may send an SCS request frame including QoS feature elements to the AP. In some embodiments, the direction subfield of the QoS feature elements may be set to the "direct link" configuration.

[0090] In operation 807, the first STA receives a response message from the AP indicating acceptance of the request. In some embodiments, the response message is an SCS response frame indicating acceptance of the SCS request.

[0091] In operation 809, the first STA receives a trigger frame from the AP to allocate a TXOP to the first STA. In some embodiments, the trigger frame is a MU-RTS TXS trigger frame (mode-2) to allocate a TXOP to the first STA. In some embodiments, the TXOP can be based on parameters in the QoS feature element.

[0092] In operation 811, the first STA uses the received allocated TXOP to send to the second STA.

[0093] Figure 9 A flowchart illustrating an example AP-side procedure for triggering P2P with QoS characteristics according to an embodiment is shown. Although one or more operations are described or shown in a specific order, in other embodiments, the operations may be rearranged in a different order, which may include performing multiple operations in at least partially overlapping time periods. Figure 8 The flowchart depicted illustrates the operations performed by the AP.

[0094] In process 900, during operation 901, the AP receives a message from the first STA indicating the first STA's P2P QoS request. In some embodiments, the message may be an SCS request frame including QoS feature elements, wherein the direction subfield of the QoS feature elements is set to "direct link" configuration.

[0095] In operation 903, the AP evaluates the request and sends a response message to the first STA indicating acceptance of the request. In some embodiments, the response message may be an SCS response frame.

[0096] In operation 905, the AP sends a TXOP to the first STA using a trigger frame, enabling the first STA to meet its P2P QoS requirements. In some embodiments, the trigger frame may be a MU-RTS TXS trigger frame (mode-2).

[0097] In some embodiments, P2P QoS provisioning can be negotiated between an AP attached to an AP MLD and a STA attached to a non-AP MLD. In some embodiments, a STA attached to a non-AP MLD can indicate its support for P2P QoS provisioning features by using specific signaling in the EHT capability element it transmits.

[0098] In some embodiments, when a latency-sensitive P2P application starts, a STA attached to a non-AP MLD that supports P2P QoS provisioning features can notify the associated AP MLD of the corresponding P2P QoS requirement by sending a QoS feature element to the AP MLD in an SCS request frame. In some embodiments, the direction subfield of the QoS feature element should be set to 2 (e.g., direct link), which can be sent to the AP MLD if the associated AP attached to the AP MLD also supports the feature. In some embodiments, if the SCS request is accepted by the AP MLD, the STA will successfully process subsequent MU-RTSTXS (mode-2) trigger frames received from the AP MLD.

[0099] In some embodiments, if the STA has a P2P PPDU in its buffer, it transmits to its peer STA during the allocated TXOP duration indicated in the received MU-RTS TXS (Mode-2) trigger frame.

[0100] In some embodiments, an AP attached to an AP MLD indicates its support for P2P QoS provisioning features by using specific signaling in the EHT capability element it transmits. In some embodiments, an AP attached to an AP MLD that supports P2P QoS configuration should receive and process QoS feature elements from a STA attached to a non-AP MLD in an SCS request frame, wherein the direction subfield of the QoS feature element is set to 2 (direct link). In some embodiments, if the AP MLD accepts the SCS request, the AP should schedule a MU-RTS TXS (mode 2) trigger frame to the STA (according to the QoS parameters specified in the QoS feature element) to facilitate the satisfaction of the STA's P2P QoS requirements.

[0101] In some embodiments, P2P QoS provisioning can be negotiated between the AP MLD and non-AP MLD. In some embodiments, an AP attached to the AP MLD can indicate its support for P2P QoS provisioning features by using specific signaling in the transmitted EHT capability element. In some embodiments, the AP MLD indicates support for P2P QoS provisioning features via the attached AP by using specific signaling in the EHT capability element. In some embodiments, the AP MLD can process the QoS feature element in an SCS request frame received from a non-AP MLD, wherein the direction subfield of the QoS feature element is set to 2 (direct link) and indicates the link that the STA attached to the non-AP MLD operates with the AP. In some embodiments, if the AP MLD accepts the SCS request, the AP MLD should demonstrate that it is capable of scheduling MU-RTS TXS (mode 2) trigger frames to the STA (according to the QoS parameters specified in the QoS feature element) to facilitate the satisfaction of the STA's P2P QoS requirements.

[0102] In some embodiments, a STA attached to a non-AP MLD and operating on a link with an AP attached to the AP MLD indicates its support for P2P QoS configuration features by using specific signaling in the transmitter EHT capability element. In some embodiments, the non-AP MLD indicates its support for P2P QoS configuration features by using specific signaling in the EHT capability element sent to the AP MLD on the link from the attached STA to the attached AP. In some embodiments, when a latency-sensitive P2P application is initiated, the non-AP MLD can notify the associated AP MLD of the corresponding P2P QoS requirement and indicate the link on which the STA is operating by transmitting a QoS feature element (the direction subfield of the QoS feature element should be set to 2 (direct link)) to the AP MLD in an SCS request frame sent to the AP MLD, and indicate the link on which the STA is operating. In some embodiments, if the SCS request is accepted by the AP MLD, the STA will successfully process subsequent MU-RTS TXS (mode-2) trigger frames received from the AP attached to the AP MLD. In some embodiments, if the STA has a P2P frame in its buffer, it transmits to its peer STA during the allocated TXOP duration indicated in the received MU-RTS TXS (Mode-2) trigger frame.

[0103] In some embodiments, the AP MLD indicates support for P2P QoS provisioning features via the affiliated AP by using specific signaling in the EHT capability element for triggering TXOP sharing (Mode-2) and the associated SCS procedure. In some embodiments, the AP MLD should process the QoS feature element in an SCS request frame received from a non-AP MLD, where the direction subfield of the QoS feature element is set to 2 (direct link) and indicates the link on which the STA associated with the non-AP MLD intends to send P2P frames. In some embodiments, if the AP MLD accepts the SCS request, the AP MLD should demonstrate its ability to schedule MU-RTS TXS (Mode-2) trigger frames to the STA (according to the QoS parameters specified in the QoS feature element) to facilitate the satisfaction of the STA's P2P QoS requirements. In some embodiments, the non-AP MLD can indicate support for P2P QoS configuration features by using specific signaling in the EHT capability element for triggering TXOP sharing (Mode-2) and the associated SCS procedure, which is sent via the affiliated STA to the AP to which the AP MLD is attached.

[0104] In some embodiments, when a latency-sensitive P2P application starts, a non-AP MLD can notify the associated AP MLD of the corresponding P2P QoS requirement and indicate the link on which P2P transmission will occur by sending a QoS feature element (the direction subfield of the QoS feature element should be set to 2 (direct link)) to the AP MLD in an SCS request frame sent to the AP MLD. In some embodiments, if the SCS request is accepted by the AP MLD, the STA will successfully process subsequent MU-RTS TXS (mode-2) trigger frames received from the AP MLD on the indicated link.

[0105] Unless otherwise specified, references to singular elements are not intended to indicate one and only one, but rather one or more. For example, a “one” module can refer to one or more modules. In the absence of further constraints, elements preceded by “a,” “an,” “the,” or “the” do not preclude the presence of additional identical elements.

[0106] Titles and subtitles (if any) are used for convenience only and do not limit the invention. The terms "exemplary" are used to indicate that they are intended as examples or illustrations. Within the scope of the use of terms such as "comprising," "having," etc., such terms are intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term "comprising," as "comprising" is interpreted when used as a transitional word in the claims. Relational terms such as "first" and "second" may be used to distinguish one entity or action from another without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between these entities or actions.

[0107] Phrases such as aspect, that aspect, on the other hand, some aspects, one or more aspects, implementation, that implementation, another implementation, some implementations, one or more implementations, embodiment, that embodiment, another embodiment, some embodiments, one or more embodiments, configuration, that configuration, another configuration, some configurations, one or more configurations, subject matter, disclosure, this disclosure, other variations thereof, etc., are used for convenience and do not imply that disclosures associated with such phrases are essential to the subject matter, or that such disclosures apply to all configurations of the subject matter. Disclosures associated with such phrases may apply to all configurations or one or more configurations. Disclosures associated with such phrases may provide one or more examples. Phrases such as aspect or some aspects may refer to one or more aspects, and vice versa, and this similarly applies to other foregoing phrases.

[0108] The phrase "at least one" preceding a series of items, separated by the terms "and" or "or," modifies the list as a whole, rather than each member of the list. The phrase "at least one of..." does not require the selection of at least one item; rather, it allows for the inclusion of at least one of any one item, and / or at least one of any combination of items, and / or at least one of each item. For example, each of the phrases "at least one of A, B, and C" or "at least one of A, B, or C" refers to only A, only B, or only C; any combination of A, B, and C; and / or at least one of each of A, B, and C.

[0109] As described herein, any electronic device and / or part thereof according to any example embodiment may include, be included in, and / or be implemented by one or more processors and / or combinations of processors. A processor is a circuit that performs processing.

[0110] A processor may include processing circuitry, which may more specifically include, but is not limited to, a central processing unit (CPU), an MPU, a system-on-a-chip (SoC), an integrated circuit (IC), an arithmetic logic unit (ALU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), an application processor (AP), a digital signal processor (DSP), a microcomputer, a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) and programmable logic unit, a microprocessor, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a neural network processing unit (NPU), an electronic control unit (ECU), an image signal processor (ISP), etc. In some example embodiments, the processing circuitry may include: a non-transitory computer-readable storage device (e.g., memory), such as a DRAM device, storing a program of instructions; and a processor (e.g., a CPU) configured to execute the program of instructions to implement all or some of the functions and / or methods performed by any means, system, module, unit, controller, circuit, architecture, and / or portions thereof according to any example embodiment and / or any part of any example embodiment. Instructions may be stored in memory and / or partitioned among multiple memories.

[0111] Different processors can execute different functions and / or parts of functions. For example, processor 1 can execute functions A and B, and processor 2 can execute function C; or processor 1 can execute a portion of function A, while processor 2 can execute the remainder of function A, and also execute functions B and C. Different processors can be dynamically configured to execute different processes. For example, at one time, processor 1 can execute function A, and at another time, processor 2 can execute function A. Processors can reside on different processing circuits (e.g., client-side processors and server-side processors, device-side processors and cloud computing processors, etc.).

[0112] It should be understood that the specific order or hierarchy of the disclosed steps, operations, or processes is an explanation of exemplary methods. Unless otherwise expressly stated, it should be understood that the specific order or hierarchy of steps, operations, or processes may be performed in a different order. Some steps, operations, or processes may be performed simultaneously, or may be performed as part of one or more other steps, operations, or processes. The appended method claims (if any) present elements of various steps, operations, or processes in a sample order, but this does not imply limitation to the specific order or hierarchy presented. These may be performed serially, linearly, in parallel, or in different orders. It should be understood that the described instructions, operations, and systems can generally be integrated together in a single software / hardware product or packaged into multiple software / hardware products.

[0113] This disclosure is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the various aspects described herein. In some cases, well-known structures and components are shown in block diagram form to avoid obscuring the concept of the subject matter. This disclosure provides various examples of the subject matter, and the subject matter is not limited to these examples. Various modifications to these aspects will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the principles described herein can be applied to other aspects.

[0114] All structural and functional equivalents of the various aspects described herein, whether now or hereafter known to a person skilled in the art, are expressly incorporated herein by reference and are intended to be covered by the claims. Furthermore, nothing disclosed herein is intended to be made public, whether or not such disclosure is explicitly stated in the claims. Claim elements shall not be interpreted pursuant to 35 USC §112, paragraph 6, unless the phrase “for” is used explicitly in the case of a method claim.

[0115] The title, background information, description of the drawings, abstract, and figures are incorporated herein by reference and are provided as illustrative examples rather than as limiting descriptions. It should be understood at the time of filing that they are not intended to limit the scope or meaning of the claims. Furthermore, in the detailed description, it will become apparent that the description provides illustrative examples and that various features are combined in various embodiments for the purpose of simplifying the disclosure. The approach of this disclosure should not be construed as reflecting an intention to require more features than expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as reflected in the following claims, the inventive subject matter lies in all features of fewer than those in a single disclosure configuration or operation. The appended claims are incorporated herein by reference, wherein each claim is independently claimed as a separate subject matter.

[0116] The claims are not intended to be limited to the aspects described herein, but rather to conform to the full scope consistent with the language claims and to include all legal equivalents. Nevertheless, no claim is intended to include subject matter that does not meet the requirements of applicable patent law, nor should they be interpreted in this manner.

Claims

1. An access point (AP) (505) in a wireless network, the AP (505) comprising: Memory; The processor, coupled to the memory, is configured as follows: The slave station STA (501) receives the first frame, which requests assistance for peer-to-peer P2P communication and includes the quality of service (QoS) information for the P2P communication. Send a second frame to STA (501). The second frame is a trigger frame that allocates a transmission opportunity TXOP to STA (501) to send P2P communication with another STA (503).

2. The AP according to claim 1, wherein, The first frame is a Flow Classification Service (SCS) request frame that includes QoS feature elements.

3. The AP according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The direction subfield in the QoS feature element is set to direct link, and the link is indicated in which the STA (501) intends to send a P2P frame.

4. The AP according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The second frame is the TXOP shared TXS trigger frame triggered by multiple users requesting to send MU-RTS.

5. The AP according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The AP is attached to the AP multi-link device MLD.

6. The AP according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, QoS information includes service-specific parameters, minimum data rates, or latency limits. Latency-sensitive P2P services need to be transmitted within these latency limits.

7. A first STA (501) in a wireless network, the first STA (501) comprising: Memory; The processor, coupled to the memory, is configured as follows: A peer-to-peer P2P link is formed with the second STA (503) for P2P communication; Send a first frame to the access point AP (505), the first frame requesting assistance for P2P communication and including the quality of service (QoS) information for P2P communication; Receive the second frame from AP (505). The second frame is a trigger frame that allocates a transmission opportunity TXOP to the first STA (501) for P2P communication with the second STA (503). as well as Use the allocated TXOP to perform P2P communication with the second STA (503).

8. The first STA according to claim 7, wherein, The first frame is a Flow Classification Service (SCS) request frame that includes QoS feature elements.

9. The first STA according to claim 7 or 8, wherein, The direction subfield in the QoS feature element is set to direct link, and the link is indicated in which the first STA (501) intends to send a P2P frame.

10. The first STA according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein, The second frame is the TXOP shared TXS trigger frame triggered by multiple users requesting to send MU-RTS.

11. The first STA according to any one of claims 7 to 10, wherein, The first STA (501) is attached to the non-AP multi-link device MLD.

12. The first STA according to any one of claims 7 to 11, wherein, QoS information includes service-specific parameters, minimum data rates, or latency limits. Latency-sensitive P2P services need to be transmitted within these latency limits.

13. The first STA according to any one of claims 7 to 12, wherein, The processor is also configured as follows: It was determined that no pending physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU) was available for P2P communication with the second STA (503); and Return TXOP to AP (505).

14. The first STA according to any one of claims 7 to 13, wherein, The processor is also configured as follows: A contention-based method using Enhanced Distributed Channel Access (EDCA) is used to send PPDUs for P2P communication.

15. The first STA according to any one of claims 7 to 14, wherein, The PPDU sent using the EDCA-based contention method is sent with lower-priority EDCA parameters.

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