Communication device, control method, and program

Abstract

A communication apparatus capable of performing communication using a first channel access method using at least a primary channel in one link and a second channel access method using at least a secondary channel in one link in a busy state in which the primary channel is in a busy state. Using at least one non-primary channel different from the primary channel among the plurality of channels included in the link instead of using the primary channel; notifying another communication device having a function of performing communication using the second channel access method of first information, the first information being usable by the another communication device to determine whether or not communication using the second channel access method is allowed; and communicating with the other communication device that has received the first information.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to data communication technology for communication devices capable of communicating using communication links including multiple channels. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, with the increase in data communication volume, the development of Wireless Local Area Network (LAN) communication technology has been ongoing. The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standard series is known as the main communication standard for wireless LANs. The IEEE 802.11 standard series includes standards such as IEEE 802.11a / b / g / n / ac / ax / be. With the aim of further improving communication reliability, the development of the IEEE 802.11bn standard, the successor to the IEEE 802.11be standard, is underway. Within the IEEE 802.11WG (working group) that is establishing the IEEE 802.11bn standard, the UHR SG plans to define the purpose and scope of the standard, while the TGbn plans to define the specific technical content to be included in the standard. Note that UHR SG is an abbreviation for Ultra High Reliability Study Group. Furthermore, TGbn is an abbreviation for TaskGroup bn.

[0003] As one of the candidate technologies to be included in the IEEE 802.11bn standard, techniques for efficiently utilizing frequency resources in communication methods using communication links that include multiple channels are being researched. For example, using the techniques described in PTL 1, another channel can be used for communication when the primary channel used to obtain transmission rights is unavailable.

[0004] Citation List

[0005] Patent documents

[0006] PTL 1: US Patent No. 11696353 Summary of the Invention

[0007] Technical issues

[0008] This disclosure discloses techniques that enable more efficient use of frequency resources in communication systems using communication links that include multiple channels.

[0009] Solution to the problem

[0010] A communication device according to one aspect of this disclosure is capable of performing communication using a first channel access method and a second channel access method, wherein the first channel access method uses at least a primary channel in a link, and the second channel access method, when the primary channel is busy, uses at least one non-primary channel, which is different from the primary channel, among a plurality of channels in the link to replace the primary channel. The communication device includes: a notification component for notifying another communication device having the function of performing communication using the second channel access method of first information, the first information being usable by the other communication device to determine whether communication using the second channel access method is permitted; and a communication component for communicating with the other communication device that receives the first information.

[0011] Beneficial effects of the invention

[0012] According to this disclosure, frequency resources can be used more efficiently in communication systems that use communication links that include multiple channels.

[0013] Other features and advantages of the invention will become clear from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that throughout the drawings, the same reference numerals denote the same or similar components. Attached Figure Description

[0014] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

[0015] Figure 1 This is a diagram illustrating an example configuration of a wireless communication system.

[0016] Figure 2A This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a timeline when a communication device transmits data.

[0017] Figure 2B This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a timeline when a communication device transmits data.

[0018] Figure 3 This is a diagram illustrating an example of the process when the AP notifies the STA whether NPCH access can be performed.

[0019] Figure 4 This is an example diagram illustrating an NPCH Access element.

[0020] Figure 5 This is a diagram illustrating an example of the action field in an NPCH operation mode notification frame.

[0021] Figure 6 This is a diagram illustrating an example of the process when determining whether NPCH access can be performed.

[0022] Figure 7 The diagram illustrates an example of a flowchart indicating the process of channel access for a communication device.

[0023] Figure 8 An example of a sequence executed between communication devices is illustrated.

[0024] Figure 9 This is a diagram illustrating an example of the process when determining whether conditions allow for NPCH access.

[0025] Figure 10 This is a diagram illustrating an example of an NPCH access element.

[0026] Figure 11 The diagram illustrates an example of a flowchart indicating the process of channel access for a communication device.

[0027] Figure 12 This is a diagram illustrating an example of the process when determining whether NPCH access can be performed.

[0028] Figure 13 This is a diagram illustrating an example of the hardware configuration of a communication device.

[0029] Figure 14 This is a diagram illustrating an example of the functional configuration of a communication device. Detailed Implementation

[0030] In the following, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the following embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention. Multiple features are described in the embodiments, but the invention is not limited to claiming all of these features, and multiple such features may be suitably combined. Furthermore, in the drawings, the same reference numerals are given for the same or similar configurations, and redundant descriptions thereof are omitted.

[0031] System Configuration

[0032] Figure 1 The illustration shows a configuration example of a wireless communication system according to this embodiment. For example, the wireless communication system includes an access point (AP) 101 and a station (STA) 102. AP 101 and STA 102 are each communication devices capable of performing wireless communication conforming to the IEEE 802.11 standard family. In this embodiment, AP 101 and STA 102 can be collectively referred to as communication device 100. IEEE is an abbreviation for the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. Figure 1 The diagram illustrates the configuration where STA 102 joins network 103 established by AP 101. Network 103 can be referred to as a Basic Service Set (BSS). Figure 1 The diagram illustrates a configuration with one AP 101 and one STA 102, but multiple APs and STAs can exist. Furthermore, in this example, multiple STAs can connect to one AP, or one STA can connect to multiple APs. Note that... Figure 1 In this network, network 113, including AP 111 and STA 112, exists near network 103, including AP 101 and STA 102. AP 111 and STA 112 are communication devices capable of performing wireless communication conforming to the IEEE 802.11 standard family in a similar manner to AP 101 and STA 102. For AP 101 and STA 102, network 103 is the BSS to which each device is connected, and can be referred to as its own BSS. On the other hand, for AP 101 and STA 102, network 113 is a network that can interfere with its own BSS, and can be referred to as an Overlapping BSS (OBSS).

[0033] In this embodiment, AP 101 and STA 102 are configured to execute a communication method compliant with the IEEE 802.11bn standard. The IEEE 802.11bn standard is the successor to the IEEE 802.11be standard, aiming for a maximum transmission speed of 46.08 Gbps (gigabits per second). Key features of the IEEE 802.11bn standard include high reliability communication, low latency, and increased throughput during traffic congestion. The radio frames used in communication methods compliant with this standard can be referred to as Ultra-Reliable (UHR) PPDUs. PPDU stands for Protocol Data Unit, and PLCP stands for Physical Layer Convergence Protocol. It should be noted that after the standard was established, names such as UHR and IEEE 802.11bn may be changed to different names. Furthermore, it should be noted that the scope of this specification and the claims attached to it applies to any and all subsequent communication devices using the IEEE 802.11be standard. Additionally, communication device 100 may support at least any of the existing standards prior to the IEEE 802.11bn standard. Existing standards include, for example, IEEE 802.11a / b / g / n / ac / ax / be. Furthermore, communication device 100 may support other communication standards such as Bluetooth (registered trademark), NFC, UWB, ZigBee, MBOA, etc. Note that UWB is an abbreviation for Ultra Wideband, and MBOA is an abbreviation for MultiBand OFDM Alliance. Additionally, NFC is an abbreviation for Near Field Communication. UWB includes Wireless USB, Wireless 1394, WiNET, etc. Furthermore, communication device 100 may support wired LAN or similar communication standards. Examples of AP 101 include, but are not limited to, wireless LAN routers, personal computers (PCs), etc. AP 101 can be an information processing device, such as a radio chip capable of performing wireless communications supporting the IEEE 802.11bn standard. Examples of STA 102 include, but are not limited to, cameras, tablets, smartphones, PCs, mobile phones, camcorders, head-mounted devices, etc. STA 102 can be an information processing device, such as a radio chip capable of performing wireless communications supporting the IEEE 802.11bn standard.

[0034] Communication device 100 can communicate using wireless signals in frequency bands including 2.4 GHz, 3.6 GHz, 5 GHz, 6 GHz, or millimeter-wave bands such as 45 GHz and 60 GHz. The frequency bands used by communication device 100 are not limited to these examples and can be sub-1 GHz bands, etc. Furthermore, communication device 100 can communicate using bandwidths such as 20 MHz, 40 MHz, 80 MHz, 160 MHz, 320 MHz, 540 MHz, 640 MHz, 1080 MHz, and 2160 MHz. The bandwidth used by communication device 100 is not limited to these examples and can be, for example, 240 MHz, 4 MHz, etc. Note that in the IEEE 802.11 standard series, a frequency channel using a 20 MHz bandwidth is designated as the basic channel for 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, 6 GHz, and similar frequency bands. Furthermore, this standard defines multiple available channels for each frequency band (including the 2.4 GHz band, 5 GHz band, and 6 GHz band). Note that in this standard, communication device 100 can use a combination of one channel and another adjacent channel. Using a combination of one channel and another adjacent channel in this way can be called channel bonding. Furthermore, a bundle of channels formed by one, two, or more channels that are adjacent to each other can be called a communication link (link). In other words, a link formed by two channels with a bandwidth of 20 MHz can use a bandwidth of 40 MHz. In the IEEE 802.11be standard, 320 MHz is specified as the maximum bandwidth that can be used for a link. Furthermore, the signal transmitted within this bandwidth can be continuous or discontinuous on the frequency axis. Note that AP 101 and STA 102 can be AP multilink devices (MLDs) and STA MLDs, respectively, that support multiple links (where communication is performed using multiple links established simultaneously).

[0035] When transmitting a signal using a link established with another communication device, communication device 100 determines whether the signal can be transmitted by performing carrier sensing. Carrier sensing is the operation in which communication device 100 determines whether a signal exists on the channel that communication device 100 is attempting to use for transmission. For example, communication device 100 measures the strength of the signal received on the channel (received signal strength), and determines that a signal exists on the channel if the received signal strength is greater than a predetermined threshold (physical carrier sensing). Received signal strength can also be referred to as Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI). Furthermore, communication device 100 can determine the presence of a signal based on information such as a duration field contained in the signal received on the channel (virtual carrier sensing). For example, communication device 100 stores the time period indicated by the duration field contained in the received signal as a Network Allocation Vector (NAV). Communication device 100 can regard the stored NAV as a time period during which communication device 100 does not transmit. In this embodiment, the operation of setting the time period during which communication device 100 does not transmit based on information such as the duration field of the received signal of communication device 100 can be referred to as setting an NAV. In other words, the communication device 100 determines that a signal exists on the channel until the NAV set for that channel expires. In this way, the communication device 100 determines whether there is a signal on the channel based on the results of performing physical carrier sensing and virtual carrier sensing. If the communication device 100 determines that a signal exists on the channel, it can be determined that it is unavailable for transmission. The state of the channel in this situation can be referred to as a busy state. On the other hand, the state in which no signal is detected on the channel during carrier sensing and no NAV is set can be referred to as an idle state. The communication device 100 can determine that the channel is available for transmission even when it is in an idle state.

[0036] When communication device 100 uses, for example, a link with a bandwidth of 160 MHz for transmission, it can determine whether it can perform transmission using only the primary channel (PCH) with a bandwidth of 20 MHz included in the link. For example, as described in the IEEE 802.11 standard series, transmission can begin when communication device 100 determines that the PCH is available for transmission due to carrier sensing performed on it within a predetermined time period. This predetermined time period is determined by the inter-frame interval (IFS) set for each access category used to classify communication traffic types and a random number (backoff count value) randomly set from a predetermined range. In other words, if communication device 100 determines that the PCH is idle throughout the predetermined time period, communication device 100 acquires the right to transmit using that link. At this time, if channels other than the PCH are idle during the PIFS period prior to the start of transmission, communication device 100 can perform transmission using the idle channel and PCH via channel bonding. PIFS is an abbreviation for Priority Interframe Space. Furthermore, if the communication device 100 determines that it is unavailable for transmission due to the result of carrier sensing on the PCH, transmission can be postponed even if other channels included in the same link are idle. Note that each channel forming a link, other than the PCH, can be referred to as a secondary channel (SCH). Secondary channels can be referred to as non-primary channels (NPCH).

[0037] In communication device 100, when a signal is received in one channel and transmitted on another channel (e.g., an adjacent channel) at a frequency close to that channel, the received signal may not be properly received. Consider an example where communication device 100 can simultaneously perform transmission and reception processing using different channels. When communication device 100 is receiving on one channel and then transmitting on an adjacent channel, interference may occur in the received signal due to power leakage from the transmitted signal to the receiving channel. Typically, this power leakage from the transmitted signal is much greater than the received power, thus the received signal is not properly received. To avoid this, the IEEE 802.11 standard series provides a mechanism to ensure that no other communication device transmits a signal to a communication device using a channel adjacent to the PCH while the communication device is transmitting. In other words, it specifies that the PCH is provided as a common channel for determining whether transmission can be performed between communication devices, and when one communication device is using the PCH to perform transmission, the other communication device will not perform transmission even if the other channel is idle. Therefore, when a communication device is transmitting a signal and using the PCH, since another communication device does not use a channel adjacent to the PCH to transmit a signal, the situation where the communication device receives a signal on an adjacent channel will not occur. Thus, the interference problem caused by cross-channel power leakage as described above can be solved.

[0038] However, using other channels that are idle (NPCH) while the PCH is busy may hinder the efficient use of frequency resources across the entire link. Figure 2A The illustration shows an example of a timeline when STA 102 sends data to AP 101. Figure 2A In this configuration, after STA 102 performs carrier sensing on the PCH and confirms that the PCH is idle, STA 102 uses the PCH with a bandwidth of 20 MHz to transmit data. In this case, for example, even if the seven NPCHs other than the PCH are idle, other communication devices are not allowed to use these NPCHs for communication. Furthermore, Figure 2B The illustration shows another example of a timeline in the case of STA 102 sending data to AP 101. Figure 2B In this scenario, while STA 102 is performing carrier sensing on the PCH, the PCH is being monitored by another network geographically located near STA 102 (e.g., Figure 1Network 113 in the network is used. In this case, since the PCH is determined to be busy via carrier sensing by STA 102, for example, even if the seven NPCHs other than the PCH are idle, STA 102 is not allowed to use these NPCHs to communicate with AP 101. However, since AP 101 is not transmitting at this time, if STA 102 uses NPCHs to transmit to AP 101, then AP 101 can properly receive the signals transmitted by STA 102. In this way, for example, since the PCH with a bandwidth of 20 MHz is being used by another network, frequency resources cannot be used efficiently unless the remaining 140 MHz of idle NPCHs are used.

[0039] In view of these circumstances, this embodiment provides a function for performing communication between communication devices using a SCH (or NPCH) contained in the same link as the PCH instead of using the PCH, when the PCH is being used by another communication device. For example, when the PCH is busy, communication device 100 sets up a secondary primary channel (SPCH) to acquire the right to transmit using NPCH. The SPCH is one or more channels contained in the NPCH in the same link as the PCH. When communication device 100 determines that the PCH is being used by another communication device, communication device 100 then determines whether transmission can be performed using the SPCH. When communication device 100 determines that transmission can be performed using the SPCH, communication device 100 performs transmission using one or more NPCHs containing the SPCH. In this embodiment, the communication method of using one or more channels containing the SPCH instead of using the PCH for transmission is called NPCH access (non-primary channel access, NPCA). Note that this communication method can be referred to by different names. For example, this communication method can be called secondary channel access (SCA).

[0040] In this embodiment, AP 101 and STA 102 perform communication using a first communication method that uses one or more channels including a PCH and a second communication method (NPCH access) that does not include a PCH. For example, AP 101 and STA 102 are capable of performing both the first and second communication methods, and can perform communication using the first communication method when the PCH is available, and can perform communication using the second communication method when the PCH is unavailable. The PCH and NPCH can be referred to as the first channel and the second channel, respectively. Here, even when the PCH is unavailable, it is more efficient to postpone transmission until the PCH becomes available without performing NPCH access. For example, if the NPCH is congested, it is highly likely that communication using NPCH access will not be possible. In this case, performing energy-saving operations without attempting NPCH access is more efficient. In this embodiment, a technique is provided that enables dynamic control over whether communication is actually performed when AP 101 and STA 102 can perform communication using NPCH access.

[0041] Examples of processes performed in AP 101 and STA 102

[0042] The following will describe some examples of the process flow performed by AP 101 and STA 102 according to this embodiment.

[0043] Processing Example 1

[0044] Notification of information related to NPCH access

[0045] In this embodiment, AP 101 determines whether to perform NPCH access and notifies STA 102 of whether NPCH access can be performed based on the determination result. Then, AP 101 and STA 102 determine the communication method to be used in the communication based on the determination result. For example, if performing NPCH access can improve the overall system efficiency, AP 101 can send a notification that NPCH access can be performed. Otherwise, AP 101 can send a notification that NPCH access is not allowed. This prevents AP 101 and STA 102 from attempting NPCH access under inappropriate circumstances. Note that AP 101 can use various criteria to improve the overall system efficiency. For example, in the case of PCH and NPCH congestion, there is a possibility that even if NPCH access is attempted, the right to transmit cannot be obtained. In this case, in terms of energy consumption, it is more efficient to not attempt NPCH access and wait until the PCH is idle while performing energy-saving operations. On the other hand, when sending traffic corresponding to latency requirements, latency characteristics can be enhanced by actively attempting NPCH access. Furthermore, by disallowing NPCH access in traffic without latency requirements, the likelihood of conflicts between traffic corresponding to latency requirements can be reduced, and the probability of successful transmission of traffic corresponding to latency requirements can be increased. Additionally, to utilize NPCH access efficiently, it can be allowed only for communication terminals with high communication quality, increasing the overall success rate of NPCH access in the system. Furthermore, efficiency can be further improved by combining other functions such as multi-link communication. The criteria used to determine whether AP 101 can perform NPCH access are not limited to this, and this technique can be used in various applications where NPCH access can be dynamically switched. Note that in the example described below, AP 101 notifies STA 102 whether NPCH access can be performed, but in another example, STA 102 can notify AP 101. Furthermore, provided there is no contradiction, all processes described below as being performed by AP 101 can also be performed in STA 102.

[0046] Figure 3The diagram illustrates the flow when AP 101 notifies STA 102 whether NPCH access can be performed. First, AP 101 determines whether NPCH access is permitted (S301). Operations related to AP 101's determination of whether NPCH access is permitted will be described later. If NPCH access is permitted ("Yes" in S301), AP 101 notifies STA 102 of information indicating that NPCH access is permitted (described later) (S302). In this case, AP 101 and STA 102 perform communication using the PCH or communication using NPCH access based on the result of carrier sensing against the PCH. For example, if the PCH is idle ("Yes" in S303), AP 101 and STA 102 perform communication using the PCH (S306). On the other hand, if the PCH is not idle ("No" in S303), AP 101 and STA 102 perform communication using NPCH access (S304).

[0047] In S301, if NPCH access is not permitted (S301 indicates "No"), AP 101 notifies STA 102 that NPCH access is not permitted (S305). In this case, AP 101 and STA 102 perform communication using PCH (S306).

[0048] Figure 4The illustration shows an example of an information element used by AP 101 to notify STA 102 whether NPCH access can be performed. This information element may be referred to as an NPCH access element. This information element may be referred to by different names. For example, AP 101 stores the NPCH access element in a beacon frame and sends it to notify STA 102 whether NPCH access can be performed. By using a beacon frame to notify whether NPCH access can be performed, all STAs connected to AP 101 can be notified at once. The NPCH access element includes an Element ID field 401, a Length field 402, an Extended Element ID field 403, and an NPCH Access Control field 404. Additionally, the NPCH access element may optionally include an NPCH Access Parameter Update field 405. The element type is indicated by a combination of the Element ID field 401 and the Extended Element ID field 403. For example, the value 255 can be stored in the element ID field 401, and the value associated with the NPCH access element can be stored in the extended element ID field 403. The length field 402 indicates the length of the element.

[0049] The NPCH Access Control field 404 includes an NPCH Access Mode field 406 and an NPCH Access Parameter Update Control field 407. The NPCH Access Mode field 406 indicates whether NPCH access is permitted. For example, if AP 101 permits NPCH access, this field stores 1. Conversely, if AP 101 does not permit NPCH access, this field stores 0. For example, by obtaining the value of the NPCH Access Mode field 406 contained in the beacon frame, STA 102 can determine whether NPCH access is permitted or not. Note that the method for indicating whether NPCH access is permitted is not limited to this method. For example, by making the values ​​of fields related to NPCH access (such as the NPCH Access Parameter Update field 405 described below) non-zero, this can indicate that NPCH access is permitted. The NPCH Access Parameter Update Control field 407 indicates whether the NPCH Access Parameter Update field 405 is present. For example, if the NPCH access element includes the NPCH Access Parameter Update field 405, this field stores the value 1. On the other hand, if the NPCH access element does not include the NPCH access parameter update field 405, this field stores a value of 0.

[0050] The NPCH access parameter update field 405 includes a Secondary Primary Channel Number field 408 and an NPCH Access Transition Delay field 409. The Secondary Primary Channel Number field 408, when STA 102 performs NPCH access, indicates information about the NPCH (i.e., SPCH) to which carrier sensing will be performed. For example, the Secondary Primary Channel Number field 408 stores the channel number of the SPCH. By obtaining the value of the Secondary Primary Channel Number field 408, STA 102 can determine the channel to which it will perform carrier sensing when performing NPCH access. The method of specifying the SPCH is not limited to using the SPCH channel number, and can, for example, use information indicating the relative position of the SPCH on the frequency axis (using the PCH as a reference). Note that in the case of multiple SPCHs, AP 101 can provide multiple Secondary Primary Channel Number fields 408. In this case, AP 101 can inform the priority order assigned to each SPCH for performing carrier sensing. By notifying the priority order used for carrier sensing, NPCH access can be performed simultaneously between AP 101 and STA 102, even if multiple SPCHs are configured. Furthermore, AP 101 can provide a field for storing information indicating the priority order of each SPCH, and the placement of SPCH information can be set according to the priority order. For example, AP 101 can place information related to SPCHs with higher priority orders closer to the beginning of the field.

[0051] The NPCH access switching delay field 409 indicates the handover time required for AP 101 to switch the target channel for carrier sensing. For example, the NPCH access switching delay field 409 can be configured with 3 bits, and values ​​of 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 indicate handover times of 0, 16, 32, 64, 128, and 256 microseconds, respectively. STA 102 can obtain the value of the NPCH access switching delay field 409 contained in the beacon frame and switch the channel to which it will perform carrier sensing according to the operation of AP 101. For example, if STA 102 has detected that the PCH is busy, it can begin carrier sensing for the SPCH after the handover time has elapsed. In this way, when AP 101 indicates whether NPCH access can be performed, it also notifies STA 102 of the information to be used in NPCH access, and STA 102, determined to be capable of performing NPCH access, can quickly perform NPCH access. When the value of NPCH access mode field 406 is 0, the secondary / primary channel number field 408 and the NPCH access conversion delay field 409 can be omitted. Furthermore, if neither parameter needs to be updated, the field corresponding to that parameter can be omitted.

[0052] Furthermore, AP 101 can use action frames to notify STA 102 whether NPCH access is possible. By using action frames, AP 101 can notify STA 102 of the determination of whether NPCH access is possible at an appropriate time. Moreover, continuously notifying the determination results via periodically sent beacon frames is inefficient when the determination of whether NPCH access is possible is not performed frequently. By using action frames instead of beacon frames, transmission can be performed only when a determination has been made or when the determination of whether NPCH access is possible differs from a previous determination. Furthermore, by using action frames, the parameters to be used for NPCH access can be adjusted individually for each STA.

[0053] Figure 5 The illustration shows an example of an action field used to notify whether NPCH access can be performed. This field can also be referred to as the NPCH operation mode notification frame action field. This field can be referred to by various names. This field includes a Category field 501, a Protected UHR Action field 502, a Dialog Token field 503, and an NPCH access control field 404. Additionally, the NPCH operation mode notification frame action field may include an NPCH access parameter update field 405. Here, Figure 5 It has with Figure 4Fields with the same function are given the same reference number, and their descriptions are omitted. Category field 501 indicates the category of the action field. For example, category field 501 stores the identifier number corresponding to the protected UHR. Protected UHR Action field 502 indicates the identifier of the action field within the category of the protected UHR. For example, protected UHR Action field 502 stores the identifier number indicating the action field of the NPCH operation mode notification frame. Dialogue token field 503 indicates the identifier used to perform the information exchange sequence between AP 101 and STA 102. The identifier assigned by the requesting side communication device is stored in dialogue token field 503. The responding side communication device stores the value contained in the received dialogue token field 503 in the dialogue token field 503 of the response frame and sends it.

[0054] Note that STA 102 can send a request to AP 101 to allow NPCH access using action frames, etc. For example, the action frame used to notify of this request can be called a Non-primary Channel Access Request frame. Upon receiving a Non-primary Channel Access Request frame, AP 101 determines whether to allow NPCH access and notifies the sending source STA 102 of the determination result. The action frame used to notify of the determination result can be called a Non-primary Channel Access Response frame. By exchanging these action frames, STA 102 can obtain permission to perform NPCH access based on its own request. For example, if traffic corresponding to latency requirements has accumulated in STA 102's transmit buffer, STA 102 can proactively obtain permission to perform NPCH access along with this situation.

[0055] Determine whether to perform NPCH access.

[0056] As described above, AP 101 determines whether to perform NPCH access before sending NPCH access elements. Figure 6 The diagram illustrates an example of the operation flow when AP 101 determines whether NPCH access can be performed, according to this process. Note that this operation flow is handled by AP 101 through control unit 1302 via a communication process with STA 102, reading and executing a computer program stored in storage unit 1301, as described below.

[0057] First, AP 101 checks whether STA 102 has the capability to perform NPCH access via an association process with STA 102. For example, when a connection with STA 102 begins ("Yes" in S601), AP 101 obtains STA 102's capability information based on probe request frames, association request frames, etc., received from STA 102 (S602). For example, AP 101 can obtain STA 102's capability information based on the capabilities elements contained in these frames. Note that capability information related to newly specified functions in the IEEE 802.11bn standard can be designated as UHR capability elements. AP 101 determines whether STA 102 has the capability to perform NPCH access based on the capability information obtained from STA 102 (S603). If STA 102 does not have the capability to perform NPCH access ("No" in S603), AP 101 determines not to use NPCH access with STA 102 (S608). On the other hand, if STA 102 has the function of performing NPCH access ("Yes" in S603), AP 101 storage can perform NPCH access with STA 102.

[0058] Then, AP 101 determines whether to allow NPCH access. In the example described here, AP 101 determines whether to allow NPCH access based on the communication quality of the PCH and the communication quality of the NPCH, as well as the amount of communication traffic accumulated by AP 101 and STA 102. First, AP 101 determines whether the communication quality of the PCH is equal to or greater than a threshold (S604). For example, AP 101 measures the channel utilization of the PCH and compares it with a predetermined threshold. For example, if the measured channel utilization is greater than the predetermined threshold, AP 101 determines that the communication quality of the channel is less than the threshold. Channel utilization can be expressed as the percentage of time the channel is busy per unit time. If the communication quality of the PCH is equal to or greater than the threshold ("Yes" in S604), AP 101 determines not to allow NPCH access (S608). On the other hand, if the communication quality is less than the threshold ("Yes" in S604), AP 101 compares the communication quality of the NPCH with a predetermined threshold (S605). If the communication quality of NPCH access is less than the threshold ("No" in S605), AP 101 determines that NPCH access should not be performed (S608). On the other hand, if the communication quality of NPCH is equal to or greater than the threshold ("Yes" in S605), AP 101 determines the communication traffic buffer status of AP 101 and STA 102 (S606). For example, AP 101 can request STA 102 to send a notification of the buffer status to obtain the communication traffic buffer status of STA 102. Furthermore, if AP 101 periodically calculates the total or average amount of data accumulated by AP 101 and STA 102, and the change over time exceeds a predetermined threshold and increases, AP 101 can determine that the accumulated data amount is increasing. If the accumulated data amount is increasing ("Yes" in S606), AP 101 determines that NPCH access can be performed (S607). On the other hand, if the accumulated data does not increase ("No" in S606), AP 101 determines not to perform NPCH access (S608). AP 101 notifies STA 102 whether NPCH access can be performed. Then, AP 101 and STA 102 perform communication based on AP 101's determination.

[0059] The method used by AP 101 to determine whether NPCH access can be performed is not limited to this example. For example, in the above... Figure 6In the example shown, both PCH communication quality and NPCH communication quality are used. However, AP 101 can determine whether to perform NPCH access based on either PCH communication quality or NPCH communication quality. To evaluate channel communication quality, channel utilization is used, for example. In cases where PCH utilization is high due to the presence of multiple other wireless networks using the same PCH as network 103, even waiting until the busy PCH becomes idle does not guarantee the acquisition of transmission rights on the next opportunity. Therefore, in cases of high PCH utilization, AP 101 can determine to perform NPCH access. In cases of low PCH utilization, AP 101 can determine to wait until the PCH is idle. On the other hand, in cases of high NPCH utilization, the percentage of NPCHs in a busy state is high, and the probability of not being able to perform NPCH access is high. Therefore, AP 101 can determine to wait until the PCH is idle without performing NPCH access. Energy-saving operations can be performed while waiting. Furthermore, in cases of low NPCH utilization, AP 101 can determine to perform NPCH access. Performing NPCH access via AP 101 and STA 102 reduces transmission latency and data transmission delay. Note that channel communication quality can be measured by factors such as signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR), average throughput, or AP 101's average delay. Furthermore, the criteria AP 101 uses to determine whether to perform NPCH access are not limited to the communication quality of the PCH and NPCH. For example, the type of data (application, category, etc.) and the presence of another function such as multi-link can be used to determine whether NPCH access is feasible. AP 101 can use a combination of these channel communication quality metrics and other criteria to determine whether NPCH access is feasible.

[0060] When AP 101 determines whether NPCH access can be performed based on the communication quality of the channel, AP 101 performs processing to identify the communication quality of the PCH or NPCH. For example, AP 101 can identify PCH utilization based on the percentage of time during which signal power is detected to be greater than a predetermined threshold per unit time by monitoring the PCH. Furthermore, AP 101 can identify SINR based on the RSSI of the signal received from STA 102 communicating with AP 101 and the RSSI of another signal (in other words, an interfering signal). Similarly, AP 101 can identify the communication quality of each NPCH. Additionally, AP 101 can identify communication quality by having STA 102 measure the communication quality, obtaining the results, and performing analysis using the communication quality calculated by AP 101 and the communication quality obtained from STA 102. For example, AP 101 can request STA 102 to measure the communication quality of the SPCH. STA 102 can perform the measurement of the SPCH's communication quality based on AP 101's request and provide the measurement results to AP 101. For example, AP 101 can request STA 102 to perform a measurement using the Measurement Request element. The Measurement Request element can include information to identify the NPCH to be measured, the items to be measured, the measurement period (measurement start time, measurement end time, etc.), the number of measurements, the measurement cycle, etc. For example, if multiple SPCHs are set for an NPCH, AP 101 can specify whether to target all SPCHs, target a portion of the SPCHs, or target all NPCHs. For example, AP 101 can use a bitmap corresponding to each channel of the NPCH to specify the NPCH to be measured. In this case, the bit corresponding to the NPCH to be measured can be set to 1, and the bit corresponding to the NPCH not to be measured can be set to 0. Note that AP 101 can perform measurements on all NPCHs to be measured and can reset NPCHs with high communication quality to SPCHs. On the other hand, by limiting the measurement targets, the load on STA 102 performing the measurement is reduced. After the measurement is performed, for example, STA 102 can use the MeasurementReport element to notify AP 101 of the measurement results. For example, a measurement report may include information identifying the NPCH being measured, measurement results, measurement period, number of measurements, measurement cycle, etc. Measurement items and results may include channel utilization, SINR, etc. The methods by which AP 101 requests STA 102 to measure the communication quality of the NPCH and the methods for obtaining measurement results are not limited to these examples. Furthermore, AP 101 may request STA 102 to measure the communication quality of the PCH in a similar manner to measuring the communication quality of the NPCH.

[0061] AP 101 can request STA 102 to notify it of the buffer status of STA 102's communication traffic. AP 101 can determine whether to perform NPCH access based on the buffer status of each STA 102's communication traffic. For example, if the average cumulative communication traffic of each STA 102 is greater than a predetermined threshold, AP 101 can determine to perform NPCH access. By allowing communication via NPCH access, AP 101 can enable the early transmission of communication traffic accumulated by STA 102 and mitigate the degradation of latency characteristics. Furthermore, AP 101 can allow NPCH access only for STA 102 whose communication traffic exceeds the threshold. In this case, AP 101 can use an action frame to notify each STA 102 of the NPCH access element.

[0062] NPCH access via communication device

[0063] STA 102 determines whether NPCH access can be performed based on information received from AP 101 regarding whether NPCH access can be performed, and communicates with AP 101 using a first communication method or a second communication method. For example, STA 102 obtains the value of the NPCH access mode field 406 contained in a beacon frame or action frame received from AP 101. If the value is 1, STA 102 can determine that NPCH access is allowed, and if the value is 0, STA 102 can determine that NPCH access is not allowed. Furthermore, STA 102 obtains the values ​​of the secondary / primary channel number field 408 and the NPCH access conversion delay field 409 contained in beacon frames, etc. STA 102 sets the parameters to be used in NPCH access based on these values ​​and performs communication with AP 101. The operation of the communication device 100 according to this embodiment when transmitting data will be described below using STA 102 as an example. The operation is not limited to STA 102 and can also be applied to AP 101.

[0064] Figure 7The illustration shows an example of the flow of the communication device 100 transmitting data according to this embodiment. When STA 100 detects that data has accumulated in its own transmission queue (S701), STA 100 begins a channel access procedure in order to transmit the data. First, STA 102 performs carrier sensing on PCH (S702). STA 102 measures the backoff count value and determines whether PCH is in an idle state. If it is determined that PCH is in an idle state ("Yes" in S703), STA 102 transmits a signal using one or more channels including PCH (S704). Note that after determining that PCH is in an idle state, STA 102 can perform carrier sensing on NPCH for the entire predetermined time period. Furthermore, STA 102 can perform carrier sensing on NPCH in parallel with carrier sensing on PCH. STA 102 can determine the channel for transmission based on the result of performing carrier sensing on each of PCH and NPCH, and can transmit a signal. For example, STA 102 can transmit a signal using one or more NPCHs and PCHs that are determined to be in an idle state.

[0065] If STA 102 has detected a signal on the PCH via carrier sensing ("No" in S703), STA 102 sets the NAV for the PCH using the time period indicated in the Duration field contained in the received signal. Then, STA 102 checks whether NPCH access is permitted. For example, if NPCH access is not permitted ("No" in S705), STA 102 waits until the PCH is idle (S706). On the other hand, if NPCH access is permitted ("Yes" in S705), STA 102 determines whether the signal detected on the PCH is a signal transmitted from a communication device belonging to network 103. For example, STA 102 can determine whether the signal originates from its own BSS or from an OBSS based on whether the BSS Color field contained in the received signal matches the BSS Color of its own BSS. Furthermore, STA 102 can determine whether a signal originates from its own BSS or from an OBSS based on whether the values ​​stored in the destination field, source field, etc., contained in the received signal match the parameters of its own BSS. For example, if the signal detected on the PCH is from an OBSS ("Yes" in S707), STA 102 performs NPCH access. On the other hand, if the signal detected on the PCH is from its own BSS ("No" in S707), STA 102 determines not to perform NPCH access and waits until the PCH is idle (S706).

[0066] When performing NPCH access, STA 102 performs carrier sensing on the SPCH. If no signal is detected on the SPCH, STA 102 measures the backoff count in a manner similar to carrier sensing for the PCH and determines whether the SPCH is idle. If STA 102 determines that the SPCH is idle ("Yes" in S708), STA 102 transmits a signal using one or more NPCHs including the SPCH (S709). Note that after determining that the SPCH is idle, STA 102 can perform carrier sensing on another NPCH for the entire predetermined time period. STA 102 can determine the channel for transmission based on the result of performing carrier sensing on each of the SPCH and other NPCHs, and can transmit a signal. On the other hand, if STA 102 detects a signal on the SPCH ("No" in S708), STA 102 cancels NPCH access and postpones transmission until the NAV time period set for the PCH expires (S706). Note that when multiple SPCHs are set, STA 102 can continue the NPCH access process until all SPCHs are confirmed to be busy. When all SPCHs are busy, STA 102 postpones transmission until the NAV period set for the PCH expires. Note that even when NPCH access is permitted, STA 102 can postpone transmission until the PCH's NAV period expires without performing NPCH access. For example, if STA 102's remaining battery power is less than a threshold, or if NPCH access is set to not be performed via user input, STA 102 can postpone transmission until the PCH's NAV period expires without performing NPCH access. In this case, STA 102 can perform the minimum reception operations required for transmission using NPCH access that can be performed by AP 101. For example, STA 102 can only operate the processing circuitry that can detect the received signal for the SPCH, and perform energy-saving operations on other circuits.

[0067] Figure 8The illustration shows an example of the sequence between AP 101 and STA 102 according to this embodiment. First, AP 101 and STA 102 perform an association process (F801 and F802). For example, between the devices, they exchange association requests and association responses. Capability information related to NPCH access is shared via UHR capability elements included in the association request and association response, and then the connection process is completed (F803). AP 101 and STA 102 send and receive data based on the NPCH access capability information and a determination regarding whether NPCH access can be performed, obtained from notifications or from each other. For example, if NPCH access is not permitted, AP 101 and STA 102 perform communication via a first communication method including the PCH (F804 and F805). On the other hand, if NPCH access is permitted, AP 101 and STA 102 select either the first or second communication method depending on the status of the PCH and perform communication. For example, when NAV is set for PCH, communication is performed using NPCH access (second communication method) (F806 and F807).

[0068] In this manner, in this embodiment, when AP 101 and STA 102 can use NPCH access communication, AP 101 determines whether NPCH access can be performed and notifies STA 102 of the determination result. Based on the notification, AP 101 and STA 102 determine whether NPCH access can be performed and select a communication method to be used for communication. Therefore, depending on the radio environment, etc., it is possible to determine whether to perform NPCH access and use an appropriate communication method to perform communication efficiently in terms of frequency resources and power consumption.

[0069] Processing Example 2

[0070] In the method described in Processing Example 1 above, AP 101 determines whether NPCH access can be performed, and STA 102 determines the communication method to be used in the communication based on the determination result. In this processing example, AP 101 generates conditions that must be met when performing NPCH access and notifies STA 102 of these conditions. For example, AP 101 may use conditions such as the current communication traffic corresponding to a predetermined type, or the communication quality of the channel used in NPCH access being equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, as conditions that must be met when performing NPCH access.

[0071] Figure 9 The diagram illustrates the workflow when AP 101 generates the conditions to be met when performing NPCH access according to this processing example and notifies STA 102 of these conditions. Figure 9In the example shown, AP 101 can use communication traffic corresponding to predetermined latency requirements as a condition to perform NPCH access. In other words, for latency-required traffic such as audio data and image data, by allowing NPCH access, AP 101 performs control to ensure that the data latency requirements are met even in the event of PCH congestion. Note that latency-required traffic can include time-critical data for robot control, as well as data that affects user experience, such as print jobs and image sharing. Figure 9 In the operation process, with Figure 6 The shared operations are given the same reference number, and their descriptions are omitted. First, AP 101 executes procedures S601 to S603 and checks whether STA 102 has the capability to perform NPCH access. Then, AP 101 determines whether the traffic communicating with STA 102 contains traffic corresponding to a latency requirement (S901). For example, AP 101 can determine whether traffic corresponding to a latency requirement is included based on the identifier (TID) indicating the type of traffic assigned to the traffic communicating with STA 102, the access category, etc. Furthermore, AP 101 can determine whether a traffic latency requirement exists based on communication parameters exchanged via negotiation or other means performed with STA 102. If the communication with STA 102 contains traffic corresponding to a latency requirement ("Yes" in S901), AP 101 can notify STA 102 that NPCH access can be performed using the traffic as a condition (S902). On the other hand, if there is no traffic corresponding to the latency requirement ("No" in S901), AP 101 can notify STA 102 that NPCH access cannot be performed (S608).

[0072] For example, Figure 10 The illustration shows an example of an information element used to notify users of the conditions that must be met when performing NPCH access, generated in AP 101. This information element is another example of an element that can be referred to as an NPCH access element. Figure 10 In the NPCH access element, there are an element ID field 401, a length field 402, an extended element ID field 403, and an NPCH access control field 404. Additionally, the NPCH access element may optionally include an NPCH access parameter update field 405. Figure 10 It has with Figure 4 Fields with the same function are given the same reference number, and their descriptions are omitted. In other words, Figure 10 Information elements and Figure 4The difference between the information elements lies in the deployment of the NPCH Access Operation field 1001 instead of the NPCH Access Mode field 406. The NPCH Access Operation field 1001 indicates the conditions that must be met when performing NPCH access, generated in AP 101. For example, Figure 10 The illustration shows an application example where the correspondence between the communicated traffic and a predetermined type is a condition that must be met when performing NPCH access. Here, each bit constituting the NPCH access operation field 1001 can correspond to a specific Traffic Identifier (TID) used to identify the type of communicated traffic. The TID can be associated with each type of communication between AP 101 and STA 102 (audio traffic, image traffic, best-effort traffic, etc.). The TID can be associated with access category and individual applications (print jobs, image sharing, etc.). Furthermore, AP 101 can use different methods to classify the types of communicated traffic. In this case, the NPCH access operation field 1001 can be configured according to the classification method of AP 101. According to this embodiment, AP 101 determines whether NPCH access can be performed for each TID and sets the corresponding bit for each TID. For example, AP 101 sets the bit corresponding to the TID that allows NPCH access to be performed to 1 and sets the bit corresponding to the TID that does not allow NPCH access to be performed to 0. For example, by allowing NPCH access for traffic with set latency requirements (such as audio and video traffic), AP 101 can perform controls to ensure that such traffic is sent as early as possible even if PCH is unavailable. Furthermore, AP 101 can perform controls to allow NPCH access for traffic that impacts user experience (such as print jobs and image sharing).

[0073] Figure 11 The diagram illustrates an example of the flow when STA 102 sends data according to this processing example. Figure 11 In, with Figure 7Shared operations are given the same reference number, and their descriptions are omitted. When STA 102 detects that data has accumulated in STA 102, STA 102 performs carrier sensing on PCH and determines the signal detection status of PCH (S701 to S703). If PCH is busy, STA 102 determines whether the data to be transmitted meets the NPCH access execution conditions (S1101). For example, by receiving the NPCH access operation field 1001 contained in the beacon frame received from AP 101, STA 102 obtains the conditions to be met when performing NPCH access. Furthermore, for example, by determining whether the TID of the data accumulated in STA 102 is a TID that allows NPCH access, STA 102 determines whether the conditions to be met when performing NPCH access have been met. If STA 102 determines that the TID of the data accumulated in STA 102 is a TID that allows NPCH access ("Yes" in S1101), STA 102 can use NPCH access to send data (S707 to S709). On the other hand, if STA 102 determines that the NPCH access execution conditions are not met ("No" in S1101), STA 102 does not execute NPCH access (S706).

[0074] AP 101 can use conditions other than communication traffic corresponding to a predetermined delay requirement as conditions to be met when performing NPCH access. For example, AP 101 can set the communication quality of the channel used in NPCH access to be equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold as a condition to be met when performing NPCH access. For example, as parameters for determining the communication quality of the channel, AP 101 can set the RSSI of the signal received by STA 102 from AP 101, the SINR of STA 102, the packet error rate, the packet retransmission rate, and the channel utilization, etc. For example, if the RSSI or SINR is low, or if the packet error rate or the packet retransmission rate is high, the probability of communication failure is high if NPCH access is performed. By prioritizing NPCH access for STAs with a higher probability of communication success, frequency resources can be used effectively. AP 101 can store the thresholds for RSSI, SINR, packet error rate, packet retransmission rate, channel utilization, etc., in the NPCH access operation field 1001 and send them. By receiving the NPCH access operation field 1001, STA 102 acquires various types of thresholds as conditions to be met when performing NPCH access. STA 102 compares the RSSI of the signal received from AP 101, the SINR calculated using the RSSI of the interference signal, and these thresholds to determine whether the conditions for performing NPCH access are met. Furthermore, STA 102 can compare the error rate or retransmission rate measured for the signal transmitted by STA 102 using PCH or NPCH with these thresholds to determine whether the conditions for performing NPCH access are met. Note that STA 102 can measure the channel utilization of SPCH and compare it with the thresholds to determine whether the conditions for performing NPCH access are met. Note that since the signal that can be received via SPCH varies depending on the physical location of each communication device, there is a possibility that the channel utilization measured by each STA may differ. Control can be performed in such a way that thresholds are provided by AP 101 and each STA performs the determination individually, with STAs having a higher probability of success being given priority for NPCH access.

[0075] It should be noted that the conditions to be met when AP 101 performs NPCH access are not limited to the examples above. For example, AP 101 can use the buffer status of traffic in STA 102 as a condition. For example, as a condition to be met when performing NPCH access, AP 101 can notify STA 102 of thresholds for the amount of data accumulated in its transmit buffer, the number of data packets, etc. By implementing control to prioritize NPCH access by STAs that have accumulated a large amount of communication traffic, the accumulation of traffic in STAs can be resolved. In this case, AP 101 stores the thresholds for the amount of data accumulated in the buffer, the number of data packets, etc., in the NPCH access operation field 1001 and notifies STA 102 of this.

[0076] In this manner, in this embodiment, AP 101 generates the conditions to be met when performing NPCH access and notifies STA 102 of these conditions. STA 102 determines whether NPCH access can be performed by determining whether STA 102 or its traffic will meet the notified conditions. By enabling STAs that need to send data as early as possible and STAs with a relatively high probability of successful communication to perform NPCH access, frequency resources can be used efficiently. Note that combinations of the conditions to be met when performing NPCH access described above can be used. Furthermore, conditions other than those described above can be used. In this case, the number of fields in the NPCH access operation field 1001 can be equal to the number of conditions. Note that the NPCH access operation field 1001 can be used to perform transmission using action frames. In this case, in Figure 5 The NPCH access operation field 1001 is stored instead of the NPCH access mode field 406. When beacon frames are used periodically to notify the conditions to be met when performing NPCH access, this information is sent periodically even if the conditions are not updated. However, by using action frames, updates to the conditions can be notified only when they occur, allowing for efficient use of frequency resources. Furthermore, the NPCH access mode field 406 and the NPCH access operation field 1001 can be contained in a single element or field. In this case, the setting of the NPCH access operation field 1001 can be enabled when the NPCH access mode field 406 is set to 1. Since the STA 102 only analyzes the contents of the NPCH access operation field 1001 when the NPCH access mode field 406 is set to 1, the processing load is reduced.

[0077] Processing Example 3

[0078] The IEEE 802.11be standard specifies a communication method that uses multiple links in parallel, known as multilink operation (multilink communication). When communication device 100 can perform multilink communication in addition to NPCH access, it can use multilink communication and NPCH access in parallel. In this processing example, a function is provided to determine whether to use NPCH access based on whether AP 101 and STA 102 can perform multilink communication.

[0079] Figure 12This diagram illustrates an example of the process for determining whether NPCH access is suitable according to this processing example. This process can be executed, for example, in AP 101. Note that this process can also be executed by STA 102, or while AP 101 and STA 102 are communicating. In the example of this process described below, AP 101 executes this process. First, AP 101 determines whether STA 102 has the capability to perform NPCH access (S1201). For example, AP 101 can check whether STA 102 has the capability to perform NPCH access by exchanging capability elements, etc., during the process of establishing a link with STA 102. If STA 102 does not have the capability to perform NPCH access ("No" in S1201), AP 101 determines that NPCH access will not be used (S1206). On the other hand, if STA 102 has the capability to perform NPCH access ("Yes" in S1201), AP 101 determines whether a multi-link connection has been established with STA 102 (S1202). For example, AP 101 can determine whether a multi-link connection exists by checking whether multiple links have been established with STA 102 or only a single link has been established. If no multi-link connection is established ("No" in S1202), AP 101 determines that NPCH access is not used (S1206). If a multi-link connection is established ("Yes" in S1202), AP 101 determines whether communication using the STR method can be performed within the multi-link connection established with STA 102 (S1203). STR is an abbreviation for Simultaneous Transmit and Receive. The STR method is a communication method in which signals are independently transmitted and received simultaneously via multiple links that do not interfere with each other. In other words, if AP 101 can independently use the link used for NPCH access as well as another link different from that link, AP 101 can use that other link to communicate the information required for NPCH access control. If communication using the STR method cannot be performed via these links, communication via other links and NPCH access may interfere with or limit each other. If multi-link communication using the STR method cannot be performed ("No" in S1203), AP 101 determines not to use NPCH access (S1206). On the other hand, if multi-link communication using the STR method can be performed ("Yes" in S1203), AP 101 determines whether to further add links (S1204). For example, if further links are added, the new links enable the required communication to be performed without using NPCH access.For example, AP 101 can determine whether a new link can be added by checking whether it provides wireless processing functions that can be used to establish a new link, in addition to the wireless processing functions used in the multi-link communication already established with STA 102. If no further links are added ("Yes" in S1204), AP 101 determines to use NPCH access (S1207). If a further link is added ("Yes" in S1204), AP 101 determines whether the bandwidth of the link that can be added is narrower than the bandwidth of the existing link (S1205). If the bandwidth of the link that can be added is narrower than the bandwidth of the existing link, in some cases, using NPCH access may result in faster communication. If the bandwidth that can be added is narrower than the bandwidth of the existing link ("Yes" in S1205), AP 101 determines to use NPCH access (S1207). If the bandwidth that can be added is wider than the bandwidth of the existing link ("No" in S1205), AP 101 determines to use NPCH access (S1206).

[0080] In this processing example, when multi-link communication and NPCH access can be used in parallel between communication devices, the decision to use NPCH access is based on the interference between multi-link communication and NPCH access, as well as the bandwidth available to each. This avoids interference and limitations between multi-link communication and NPCH access, and also improves frequency utilization efficiency. The method for determining whether to use NPCH access when multi-link communication and NPCH access can be used in parallel between communication devices is not limited to this example. The decision on whether to perform each of the multi-link communication and NPCH access can be dynamically determined based on the communication quality, traffic conditions, etc., of each link in the multi-link system. Furthermore, for each link in the multi-link system, the decision to perform NPCH access can be switched.

[0081] Device configuration

[0082] Figure 13 The illustration shows an example hardware configuration of the communication device 100 (AP 101 and STA 102) according to this embodiment. For example, as an example of hardware configuration, the communication device 100 includes a storage unit 1301, a control unit 1302, a functional unit 1303, an input unit 1304, an output unit 1305, a communication unit 1306, and an antenna 1307. The communication device 100 may include multiple antennas.

[0083] Storage unit 1301 includes one or more memories containing ROM, RAM, etc., and can store various types of information, including control programs for the functional units constituting the communication device 100 to perform various types of operations, parameters for communication, etc. ROM is an abbreviation for "Read Only Memory," and RAM is an abbreviation for "Random Access Memory." In addition to memories such as ROM and RAM, storage unit 1301 can also be configured to include floppy disks, hard disks, optical disks, magneto-optical disks, CD-ROMs, CD-Rs, magnetic tapes, non-volatile memory cards, DVDs, and other similar storage media.

[0084] The control unit 1302 includes, for example, one or more processors including a CPU, MPU, etc., and controls the entire communication device 100 by executing a control program stored in the storage unit 1301. Note that the control unit 1302 can control the entire communication device 100 through cooperation between the control program stored in the storage unit 1301 and the operating system (OS). Note that CPU is an abbreviation for "Central Processing Unit," and MPU is an abbreviation for "Micro Processing Unit." When the control unit 1302 includes multiple processors that can be implemented using multi-core processors, the control unit 1302 can be configured such that the entire communication device 100 is controlled by these multiple processors.

[0085] Furthermore, the control unit 1302 controls the functional unit 1303 and performs predetermined processes such as communication, image capture, printing, and projection. The functional unit 1303 is hardware used by the communication device 100 to perform these predetermined processes. For example, if the device is a camera, the functional unit 1303 is an image capture unit that performs image capture processing. Furthermore, for example, if the device is a printer, the functional unit 1303 is a printing unit that performs printing processing. If the device is a projector, the functional unit 1303 is a projection unit and performs projection processing.

[0086] Input unit 1304 receives various types of operations from the user. Output unit 1305 outputs various types of output to the user, for example, via a monitor screen or a speaker. In this example, the output via output unit 1305 may correspond to displaying on a monitor screen, outputting audio via a speaker, outputting vibration, etc. Note that input unit 1304 and output unit 1305 can be implemented as a single module, such as in the case of a touch panel. Furthermore, input unit 1304 and output unit 1305 can each be an integral part of the communication device 100, or they can each be separate devices.

[0087] Communication unit 1306 performs control over wireless communication conforming to the IEEE 802.11bn standard. Furthermore, in addition to the IEEE 802.11bn standard, communication unit 1306 can perform control over wireless communication conforming to other older standards (such as other IEEE 802.11 standard families). Communication unit 1306 controls antenna 1307 and transmits and receives wireless communication signals generated by control unit 1302. Communication unit 1306 is a so-called radio chip and may be equipped with one or more processors and memories. Note that if communication device 100 supports NFC, Bluetooth, and similar wireless communication standards, as well as wired LAN and similar wired communications, in addition to the IEEE 802.11bn standard, communication unit 1306 can perform control over communications conforming to these communication standards. Furthermore, if communication device 100 can perform wireless communication conforming to multiple communication standards, communication device 100 may have a configuration in which communication units and antennas respectively support each communication standard. Communication device 100 communicates data with partner communication devices via communication unit 1306. Note that the antenna 1307 can be formed separately from the communication unit 1306, or it can be formed together with the communication unit 1306 as a single module. When the communication device 100 is configured to perform carrier sensing for multiple SPCHs simultaneously, the communication device 100 can be equipped with the required number of communication units 1306.

[0088] Antenna 1307 is, for example, an antenna capable of communication in the 2.4 GHz band, 5 GHz band, 6 GHz band, millimeter wave, etc. Figure 13 The communication device 100 shown in the diagram includes two antennas 1307, but the communication device 100 may include one, three, or more antennas, or may include one or more antennas for each frequency band usable by the device. Furthermore, if the communication device 100 includes multiple antennas, the communication device 100 may include a communication unit 1306 for each antenna.

[0089] Functional Configuration

[0090] Figure 14 An example of the functional configuration of the communication device 100 is illustrated. For example, the functional configuration according to this embodiment is an example of a functional configuration implemented by one or more processors executing a program stored in one or more memories. The communication device 100 includes a frame control unit 1401, an NAV detection unit 1402, a wireless communication control unit 1403, an NPCH access control unit 1404, an NPCH access condition determination unit 1405, and a frame analysis unit 1406.

[0091] Frame control unit 1401 generates signals (frames) when communicating with a partner communication device. For example, frame control unit 1401 generates a frame for AP 101 to notify STA 102 of information (first information) that can be used to determine whether NPCH access can be performed. For example, frame control unit 1401 generates a beacon frame including NPCH access elements for notifying whether NPCH access can be performed and the conditions to be met when performing NPCH access. Frame control unit 1401 can generate an action frame including an NPCH operation mode notification frame action field. Furthermore, frame control unit 1401 generates a frame for AP 101 to request information (second information) that can be used to determine whether NPCH access can be performed and to generate the conditions to be met when performing NPCH access. For example, frame control unit 1401 can generate an action frame including a measurement request element. On the other hand, frame control unit 1401 generates a frame for STA 102 to provide AP 101 with information that can be used to determine whether AP 101 can perform NPCH access and to generate the conditions to be met when performing NPCH access. For example, frame control unit 1401 can generate an action frame including a measurement report element.

[0092] The NAV detection unit 1402 sets the NAV of the PCH or SPCH based on the duration value extracted by the frame analysis unit 1406. The wireless communication control unit 1403 performs transmission processing for each frame generated by the frame control unit 1401. Furthermore, the wireless communication control unit 1403 notifies the frame analysis unit 1406 of frames received via the antenna 1307. For example, the wireless communication control unit 1403 can use a first communication method or a second communication method to perform data frame transmission or reception. For example, the wireless communication control unit 1403 performs carrier sensing on the PCH when transmitting data frames. If a signal has been detected on the PCH or the NAV has been set in the NAV detection unit 1402, the wireless communication control unit 1403 can perform carrier sensing on the SPCH based on the determination in the NPH access condition determination unit 1405 regarding whether NPH access can be performed. For example, if no signal is detected on the SPCH and the NAV detection unit 1402 has not set the NAV for the SPCH, the wireless communication control unit 1403 uses one or more NPHs including the SPCH to transmit data frames. SPCH control unit 1404 performs setup and control for performing NPCH access. SPCH control unit 1404 sets the SPCH channel number, carrier sensing priority, etc., based on parameters included in the NPCH access parameter update field 405, for example. Note that SPCH control unit 1404 can use setup information exchanged during link establishment between AP 101 and STA 102, required for performing NPCH access, to perform setup and control. NPCH access condition determination unit 1405 determines whether NPCH access can be performed. For example, NPCH access condition determination unit 1405 in AP 101 determines whether NPCH access can be performed and generates conditions to be met when performing NPCH access based on NPCH communication quality, buffer status of traffic in STA 102, etc. Furthermore, NPCH access condition determination unit 1405 requests second information from STA 102 required to determine whether NPCH access can be performed and to generate the conditions to be met when performing NPCH access. The NPCH access condition determination unit 1405 in STA 102 determines whether NPCH access can be performed based on first information extracted from NPCH access elements, etc. Furthermore, the NPCH access condition determination unit 1405 provides AP 101 with second information necessary for AP 101 to determine whether NPCH access can be performed and to generate the conditions to be met when performing NPCH access. The frame analysis unit 1406 can obtain information required for communication by analyzing frames received from the buddy communication device. For example, the frame analysis unit 1406 in STA 102 obtains information (first information) from beacon frames or action frames that can be used to determine whether NPCH access can be performed.Furthermore, the frame analysis unit 1406 in AP 101 obtains information (second information) from the action frame, which includes measurement report elements, that can be used to determine whether NPCH access can be performed. This second information can also be used to generate conditions that must be met when performing NPCH access. Note that the frame analysis unit 1406 can obtain a duration value by analyzing the received frame and notify the NAV detection unit 1402 of this value.

[0093] As described above, according to this embodiment, even when the PCH is unavailable, communication using NPCH can be performed based on carrier sensing for the SPCH. Therefore, link frequencies can be used efficiently, and the communication capacity provided by the wireless communication system is increased. Furthermore, according to this embodiment, whether to perform NPCH access is determined based on the communication quality of the PCH and NPCH, the buffer status of the communication device's traffic, etc. Therefore, NPCH access can be performed when the success rate of NPCH access is high and communication needs to be performed as early as possible. Otherwise, communication suitable for the situation can be performed, such as energy-saving operations. Note that in the embodiment described above, communication is performed between AP 101 and STA 102. However, this technology can also be applied to multiple STAs. Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, the communication method without using the PCH is referred to as NPCH access. However, this is not intended to be a limitation, and the communication method can be referred to, for example, as secondary primary channel access. In the embodiment described above, for convenience, the channel used to determine whether NPCH can be used for transmission is referred to as SPCH. However, this is not intended to be a limitation. Since this term refers to a high-priority channel (CH) used to determine whether transmission can be performed from among multiple auxiliary channels, it can be called a PSCH (Primary Auxiliary Channel). When using either term, "channel" means the channel used to determine whether transmission can be performed using NPCH. Furthermore, the names of the information elements and various types of fields according to this embodiment can be called different names. In the embodiment described above, whether NPCH access can be performed is determined based on the communication quality of the channel and the buffer status of the traffic in the communication device. However, whether NPCH access can be performed can be determined based on different information.

[0094] This invention can be implemented by providing a system or device with a program that implements one or more functions of the embodiments described above via a network or storage medium, and the program being read and executed by one or more processors in the computer of the system or device. Furthermore, this invention can be implemented by a circuit (e.g., an ASIC) that implements one or more functions.

[0095] This invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various changes and modifications can be made within the spirit and scope of this invention. Therefore, in order to inform the public of the scope of this invention, the following claims are made.

[0096] This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-178386, filed on October 16, 2023, which is hereby incorporated by reference.

Claims

1. A communication apparatus capable of performing communication using a first channel access method and a second channel access method, the first channel access method using at least a primary channel in a link, and the second channel access method, when the primary channel is busy, using at least one non-primary channel from a plurality of channels in the link that is different from the primary channel to replace the primary channel, the communication apparatus comprising: A notification component is used to notify another communication device having the function of performing communication using the second channel access method of first information, which can be used by the other communication device to determine whether communication using the second channel access method is permitted; as well as A communication component for communicating with the other communication device that receives the first information.

2. The communication device according to claim 1, characterized in that... The first channel access method is a main channel access method for accessing a channel based on the results of carrier sensing of the main channel, and The second channel access method is a non-master channel access method for accessing a channel based on the results of carrier sensing of the non-master channel.

3. The communication device according to claim 1, characterized in that... The primary channel is specified based on a standard in the IEEE 802.11 standard series, and The non-primary channel is a non-primary channel specified based on at least one standard in the IEEE 802.11 standard family.

4. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein The first information includes information indicating whether the other communication device is allowed or not allowed to perform communication using the second channel access method.

5. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein The first information includes information indicating the conditions to be met when the other communication device performs communication using the second channel access method.

6. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein The notification component periodically performs the notification of the first information using beacon frames specified in the IEEE 802.11 standard series.

7. The communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein The notification component uses an action frame specified in the IEEE 802.11 standard series to perform the notification of the first information.

8. The communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising: An acquisition component is used to acquire second information from the other communication device that can be used to generate the first information.

9. The communication device according to claim 8, wherein The second information includes information for identifying the communication quality of the non-master channel.

10. The communication device according to claim 8, wherein The second information includes information for identifying the buffer status of the communication traffic of the other communication device.

11. A communication apparatus capable of performing communication using a first channel access method and a second channel access method, the first channel access method using at least a primary channel in a link, and the second channel access method, when the primary channel is busy, using a non-primary channel from a plurality of channels in the link that is different from the primary channel to replace the primary channel, the communication apparatus comprising: An acquisition component is used to acquire first information from another communication device that can be used to determine whether communication is permitted using the second channel access method; A determining component is used to determine, using the first information, whether communication using the second channel access method is permitted; as well as A communication component for communicating data with the other communication device based on a determined result.

12. The communication device according to claim 11, characterized in that... The first channel access method is a main channel access method for accessing a channel based on the results of carrier sensing of the main channel, and The second channel access method is a non-master channel access method for accessing a channel based on the results of carrier sensing of the non-master channel.

13. The communication device according to claim 11, characterized in that... The primary channel is specified based on a standard in the IEEE 802.11 standard series, and The non-primary channel is a non-primary channel specified based on at least one standard in the IEEE 802.11 standard family.

14. The communication device according to claim 11, wherein The first information includes information indicating whether the communication device is allowed or not allowed to perform communication using the second channel access method.

15. The communication device according to claim 11, wherein The first information includes the conditions that must be met when the communication device performs communication using the first channel access method.

16. The communication apparatus according to any one of claims 11 to 15, wherein The acquisition component periodically acquires the first information from beacon frames specified in the IEEE 802.11 standard series.

17. The communication apparatus according to any one of claims 11 to 15, wherein The acquisition component acquires the first information from the action frames specified in the IEEE 802.11 standard series.

18. The communication apparatus according to any one of claims 11 to 17, further comprising: Provides a component for providing the other communication device with second information that can be used by the other communication device to generate the first information.

19. The communication device according to claim 18, wherein The second information includes information for identifying the communication quality of the non-master channel.

20. The communication device according to claim 18, wherein The second information includes information for identifying the buffer status of the communication traffic of the communication device.

21. A control method executed by a communication device, the communication device being capable of performing communication using a first channel access method and a second channel access method, the first channel access method using at least a primary channel in a link, and the second channel access method, when the primary channel is busy, using at least one non-primary channel from a plurality of channels in the link that is different from the primary channel to replace the primary channel, the control method comprising: The first information is notified to another communication device that has the function of performing communication using the second channel access method, and the first information can be used by the other communication device to determine whether communication using the second channel access method is permitted; as well as Communicate with the other communication device that received the first information.

22. A control method executed by a communication device, the communication device being capable of performing communication using a first channel access method and a second channel access method, the first channel access method using at least a primary channel in a link, and the second channel access method, when the primary channel is busy, using a non-primary channel different from the primary channel among a plurality of channels in the link instead of the primary channel, the control method comprising: Obtain first information from another communication device that can be used to determine whether communication is permitted using the second channel access method; The first information is used to determine whether communication using the second channel access method is permitted; as well as Based on the determined result, data is communicated with the other communication device.

23. A program to be executed by a computer disposed in a communication device, the communication device being capable of performing communication using a first channel access method and a second channel access method, the first channel access method using at least a primary channel in a link, and the second channel access method, when the primary channel is busy, using at least one non-primary channel, different from the primary channel, from a plurality of channels included in the link, instead of using the primary channel, the program causing the computer to: Notify another communication device having the capability to perform communication using the second channel access method of first information, the first information being usable by the other communication device to determine whether communication using the second channel access method is permitted; and Communicate with the other communication device that received the first information.

24. A program to be executed by a computer disposed in a communication device, the communication device being capable of performing communication using a first channel access method and a second channel access method, the first channel access method using at least a primary channel in a link, and the second channel access method, when the primary channel is busy, using a non-primary channel different from the primary channel among a plurality of channels included in the link instead of the primary channel, the program causing the computer to: Obtain first information from another communication device that can be used to determine whether communication is permitted using the second channel access method; The first information is used to determine whether communication using the second channel access method is permitted; as well as Based on the determined result, data is communicated with the other communication device.

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