Conflict resolution between beacon transmission and R-TWT SP

Abstract

This provides conflict resolution between beacon transmissions and Restricted Target Wake-Up Time (R-TWT) service periods (SPs) to enhance the IEEE 802.11 protocol, particularly for Ultra High Throughput (EHT) access points (APs). After determining whether a beacon will overlap with the start of a TXOP and whether a beacon or R-TWT SP transmission has higher priority, the AP resolves the conflict by, for example, initiating or continuing the R-TWT TID and embedding the beacon frame within the transmitted frame, or restricting the TXOP to provide beacon frame transmission at the appropriate timing.

Description

[0001] Cross-referencing related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to and benefit from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 594,990, filed November 1, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. This application claims priority to and benefit from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 564,630, filed March 13, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. This application claims priority to and benefit from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 18 / 816,241, filed August 27, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0003] Statement regarding federal funding, research, or development

[0004] not applicable

[0005] Notification of Copyrighted Materials

[0006] Certain materials in this patent document are protected under U.S. and other national copyright laws. The copyright holder does not object to any person faithfully reproducing the patent document or patent disclosure as it appears in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office publications or records, but otherwise retains all copyright. The copyright holder hereby does not waive any right to keep the patent document confidential, including but not limited to the rights enjoyed under 37 CFR § 1.14. Technical Field

[0007] The technology disclosed herein generally relates to wireless communication using Restricted Target Wake-up Time (R-TWT), and more specifically, to wireless communication under IEEE 802.11be, which addresses the priority issue between beacon frames and R-TWT service periods (SPs) and UL / DL R-TWT TID traffic transmission sequences. Background Technology

[0008] Limited Target Wake-Up Time (R-TWT) is a key feature of IEEE 802.11be (also known as Wi-Fi 7) used to prioritize low-latency traffic during the protected service period (SP) of R-TWT member STAs. Additionally, IEEE 802.11be provides the use of Multi-Link Operation (MLO). The IEEE 802.11be draft P802.11be_D4.0 specifies channel access rules for R-TWT SPs and for application-enabled and non-enabled triggering SPs. However, existing IEEE 802.11be protocols have issues regarding the priority of beacon frames and R-TWT SPs, which limits operational efficiency.

[0009] Therefore, an enhanced IEEE 802.11be protocol is needed to address the beacon and R-TWT SP priority issues. This disclosure meets this need and provides additional benefits beyond existing systems. Summary of the Invention

[0010] The existing IEEE 802.11be wireless protocol (WiFi 7) is enhanced to provide conflict resolution between beacon transmission and Restricted Target Wake-Up Time (R-TWT) channel access rules. Specifically, the Ultra-High Throughput (EHT) Access Point (AP), as a Transmission Opportunity (TXOP) holder, provides conflict resolution after determining that its transmitted beacon will overlap with the start point of the R-TWT SP. The EHT AP then determines whether beacon transmission or the R-TWT SP has higher priority and uses rules to resolve these priorities. Furthermore, the EHT AP, as a Transmission Opportunity (TXOP) holder, after determining that its transmitted beacon will overlap with the start point of the R-TWT SP with downlink (DL) or uplink (UL) transmission, decides whether to initiate or continue transmission satisfying the R-TWT TID and embed the beacon frame in the transmitted frame, or to restrict the TXOP to transmit the beacon frame at the appropriate timing.

[0011] Further aspects of the technology described herein will be set forth in the following sections of the specification, wherein the purpose of the detailed description is to fully disclose preferred embodiments of the technology without imposing limitations thereon. Attached Figure Description

[0012] The techniques described herein will be more fully understood by referring to the following figures, which are for illustrative purposes only:

[0013] Figure 1 This is a block diagram of communication station hardware according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0014] Figure 2 This is a block diagram of multi-link device (MLD) hardware according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0015] Figure 3 This is a topology diagram illustrating the interaction between an EHT AP and a non-AP STA within a BSS according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, to aid in the discussion.

[0016] Figure 4 This is a data field diagram of a traffic information control field according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0017] Figure 5 It is a data table that illustrates the mapping indicated by the DL TID subfield according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0018] Figure 6A and Figure 6B This is a flowchart of an EHT AP operation according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure for overcoming the priority problem between timely beacon frame transmission and transmission within R-TWT.

[0019] Figure 7 This is a communication diagram of Example 10.1 according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein at the start of the R-TWT SP, the priority of beacon transmission is higher than the priority of R-TWT scheduling.

[0020] Figure 8 This is a communication diagram of Example 10.2 according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein at the start of the R-TWT SP, the priority of beacon transmission is lower than the priority of R-TWT scheduling.

[0021] Figure 9 This is a communication diagram of Example 10.3 according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein the beacon is embedded in DL R-TWT TID traffic in an FDD manner.

[0022] Figure 10 This is a communication diagram of Example 10.4 according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein the beacon is embedded in the DL R-TWT TID traffic in a time-division duplex (TDD) manner.

[0023] Figure 11 This is a communication diagram of Example 10.5 according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein AP TXOP contraction is performed prior to beacon transmission. Detailed Implementation

[0024] 1. Introduction

[0025] R-TWT is a key feature designed in Wi-Fi 7 (IEEE 802.11be) to prioritize low-latency traffic from R-TWT member STAs during their Protected Service Period (SP). In 802.11be, EHT APs and their associated non-AP EHT STAs can negotiate R-TWT to transmit latency-sensitive UL / DL traffic with specific TIDs. A silent interval begins at the start of the R-TWT SP and prevents conventional non-AP STAs from accessing the medium within this protected interval. Non-AP EHT STAs granted R-TWT SP membership and the R-TWT-scheduling AP can compete for channel access and transmit UL / DL PPDUs or trigger UL-triggered (TB) PPDUs within this silent interval. Non-AP EHT STAs not granted R-TWT SP membership can follow the silent rules and therefore will not access the medium within this silent interval. In this scenario, the R-TWT SP prioritizes R-TWT member STAs by reducing contention from non-AP EHT STAs that follow a quiescent rule at the start of a partial R-TWT SP. This allows R-TWT member STAs prioritized by the R-TWT SP to easily transmit delay-sensitive traffic. Since non-AP EHT STAs can ignore any overlapping quiescent intervals at the start of the R-TWT SP, R-TWT scheduling has an additional rule: terminating the TXOP of the TXOP holder at the start of the R-TWT SP to further prioritize channel access for R-TWT APs and R-TWT member STAs.

[0026] Another key feature introduced in IEEE 802.11be is Multilink Operation (MLO). Devices supporting MLO are called Multilink Devices (MLDs), which have multiple affiliated STAs, each operating on one of the multiple links. R-TWT can be applied to non-AP EHT MLD STAs, supporting either Simultaneous Transmit and Receive (STR) mode or non-STR (NSTR) mode. STR mode allows the MLD to transmit on one link of an STR link pair while simultaneously receiving on the other. In contrast, NSTR mode does not support the MLD transmitting on one link of an NSTR link pair while simultaneously receiving on the other.

[0027] 2. Channel Access

[0028] The IEEE 802.11be draft P802.11be_D4.0 specifies the channel access rules for R-TWT SPs, and these rules apply to both trigger-enabled and non-trigger-enabled SPs. The R-TWT supporting STA, as the TXOP holder, must ensure that the TXOP ends before the start time of any active R-TWT SP advertised by its associated AP. The R-TWT scheduling AP, as the TXOP holder, must ensure that the TXOP ends before the start time of any active R-TWT SP advertised by itself, unless the remainder of the TXOP falls within the R-TWT SP for delivering a downlink (DL) frame for an R-TWT DL TID or for requesting an uplink (UL) frame for an R-TWT UL TID.

[0029] R-TWT allows the STA to check if there is sufficient time to complete frame switching before the R-TWT SP begins. If insufficient time is available, the STA can postpone transmission by selecting a random backoff counter using the current value of the contention window (CW) instead of advancing to the next value in the sequence. It should be noted that the QoS Short Retry Counter (QSRC) [AC] for MAC Service Data Units (MSDUs) or Aggregated MSDUs (A-MSDUs) is unaffected in the above case. When an R-TWT SP begins, the STA scheduled by R-TWT can pause decrementing the backoff counter for any Access Class (AC) to which no R-TWT TID is mapped until it has delivered all frames from the R-TWT TID, and resume decrementing thereafter or when the SP ends. To schedule a trigger-enabled R-TWT SP, the trigger-enabled parameter in the configurable R-TWT scheduling parameters should be set to a value of 1.

[0030] In addition to these channel access rules, the following rules shall also apply. When a scheduled trigger frame is transmitted, the R-TWT scheduling AP shall first trigger the R-TWT scheduled STA to deliver a Quality of Service (QoS) data frame for the R-TWT UL TID (if present). The triggered R-TWT scheduled STA shall first include, if present, a QoS data frame for the TID in the R-TWT UL TID in the Aggregated MAC Protocol Data Unit (MPDU). The triggered R-TWT scheduled STA may aggregate multiple TID MPDUs. The R-TWT scheduling AP shall schedule the trigger frame at the beginning of the R-TWT SP.

[0031] The IEEE 802.11be draft P802.11REVme_D4.0 specifies the beacon transmission rules for non-directional multi-gigabit (non-DMG) infrastructure networks. These rules have not been updated or modified in the IEEE 802.11be draft P802.11be_D4.0, meaning that these rules also apply to IEEE 802.11be. Specifically, beacon transmission is performed according to a series of Target Beacon Transmission Times (TBTTs), which describe the timing defined by the AP for the entire Basic Service Set (BSS) by transmitting beacon frames every 'dot11BeaconPeriod' time unit (TU). Time 0 is defined as the reference start time of the TBTT when the first beacon frame is expected to be transmitted. At each TBTT, the AP should schedule the beacon frame as the next frame to access the medium for transmission. However, due to Carrier Sense Multiple Access (CSMA) delays, beacon frame transmission may be delayed, and subsequent beacon frames are scheduled at nominal beacon intervals.

[0032] 3. Problem Statement

[0033] In IEEE 802.11be, conflicts between periodic beacon transmissions and data transmissions can cause problems.

[0034] (1) There is a conflict between the beacon frame transmission rules defined in sub-clause “11.1.3.2 Beacon generation in non-DMG infrastructure networks” of IEEE 802.11be draft P802.11REVme_D4.0 and the channel access rules for R-TWT SP defined in sub-clause “35.8.4.1 Rules for TXOP and backoff procedures for R-TWT SP” of IEEE 802.11be draft P802.11be_D4.0.

[0035] Within Sub-clause 11.1.3.2 Beacon Generation in Non-DMG Infrastructure Networks, the baseline specifies that “AP suspends any pending transmissions until a beacon is transmitted,” which grants the beacon frame the highest priority.

[0036] However, in sub-clause 35.8.4.1, which describes the rules for TXOP and backoff procedures for R-TWT SP, the specification states the following rules, which instead grant the highest priority to R-TWT scheduling: (a) For single-link and STR multi-link (ML) operations: it states that the EHT AP holding the TXOP, when the 'dot11RestrictedTWTOptionImplemented' setting is true, shall ensure that the TXOP ends before the start time of any activity R-TWT SP that it itself announces in accordance with 35.8.3 (R-TWT Announcement), unless the remainder of the TXOP falling within the R-TWT SP is used for a DL frame to deliver an R-TWT DL TID or a UL frame to request an R-TWT UL TID. (b) For NSTR operations, the specification states that "when a non-AP STA belonging to a non-AP MLD and operating on one of the links of an NSTR link pair, or on one of the EMLSR or EMLMR links, is a member of an R-TWT SP on the first link; if a second non-AP STA belonging to the same MLD is not a member of any other R-TWT SP overlapping with the first SP on the second link, then the second non-AP STA and its associated AP (referred to as the second AP) shall follow the following rules if their respective 'dot11RestrictedTWTOptionImplemented' is true."

[0037] (a) If the second non-AP STA is the corresponding TXOP responder or one of the responders, the second AP, as the TXOP holder on the second link, shall ensure that its frame exchange is no later than the end of the 'T' time amount before the start time of the R-TWT SP on the first link.

[0038] (b) The second non-AP STA, as the TXOP holder on the second link, shall ensure that its TXOP ends no later than the 'T' time amount before the start time of the R-TWT SP on the first link.

[0039] (2) During R-TWT SP, there is an interruption between beacon frame transmission and the corresponding frame exchange sequence of UL / DL traffic transmission (with R-TWT UL / DL TID). Following the baseline rules in draft P802.11REVme_D4.0, the AP is allowed to suspend any pending transmissions until the beacon is transmitted, which can cause delays in DL transmissions from the AP. Delayed DL data transmission may result in low channel utilization during R-TWT SP and / or priority loss during overlapping silent intervals, or allow non-AP STAs to gain channel access and further block beacon frame transmissions. Delayed DL control frames sent in response to received UL PPDUs may cause non-AP STAs that are the source of the UL PPDU to retransmit the UL PPDU after the response frame times out.

[0040] Other management frames may also experience collisions with the R-TWT SP start point, similar to those encountered with beacon frame transmissions. These collisions should also be resolved.

[0041] 4. Contributions of this disclosure

[0042] This disclosure provides several solutions to the conflict between the baseline rule in IEEE 802.11be draft P802.11REVme_D4.0 that prioritizes beacon transmission over R-TWT and the 11be specification rule in IEEE 802.11be draft P802.11be_D4.0 that prioritizes R-TWT scheduling at the R-TWT SP start point.

[0043] This disclosure further addresses the problem of beacon frames disrupting trigger-based (TB) UL / DL transmissions and corresponding frame exchange sequences during R-TWT SP, an area not addressed in the current IEEE 802.11be draft specification. Therefore, this disclosure further addresses the problem of management frames, and not just beacon frames as a form of management frame, causing disruptions at the start of R-TWT SP.

[0044] 5. Hardware Implementation Examples

[0045] 5.1 Communication Station (STA and MLD) Hardware

[0046] Figure 1An example embodiment 10 of STA hardware configured to execute the protocols of this disclosure is illustrated. An external I / O connection 14 is preferably coupled to an internal bus 16 of circuitry 12, on which a CPU 18 and a memory (e.g., RAM) 20 are connected for executing a program implementing the communication protocol. The host computer houses at least one modem 22 to support communication coupled to at least one RF module 24, 28, each RF module connected to one or more antennas 29, 26a, 26b, 26c to 26n. RF modules with multiple antennas (e.g., antenna arrays) allow beamforming to be performed during transmission and reception. In this way, the STA can transmit signals using multiple sets of beam patterns.

[0047] Bus 14 allows various devices to be connected to the CPU, such as sensors, actuators, etc. Instructions from memory 20 are executed on processor 18 to execute a program that implements the communication protocol. This program is executed to allow the STA to perform the functions of an access point (AP) site or a regular site (non-AP STA). It should also be understood that, depending on its role in the current communication protocol and context, the programming is configured to operate in different modes (TXOP holder, TXOP sharing participant, source, intermediary, destination, first AP, other APs, site associated with the first AP, site associated with other APs, coordinator, coordinator, AP in OBSS, STA in OBSS, etc.).

[0048] Therefore, the STA HW is shown configured with at least one modem and associated RF circuitry for providing communication in at least one frequency band. It should be understood that this disclosure may configure multiple modems 22, each coupled to any number of RF circuits. Generally, using a larger number of RF circuits will result in a wider coverage area in the antenna beam direction. It should be understood that the number of RF circuits and antennas utilized is determined by the hardware constraints of the specific device. When the STA determines that it does not need to communicate with neighboring STAs, some RF circuits and antennas may be disabled. In at least one embodiment, the RF circuitry includes a frequency converter, an array antenna controller, etc., and is connected to multiple antennas that are controlled to perform beamforming for transmission and reception. In this way, the STA can use multiple sets of beam patterns to transmit signals, each beam pattern direction being considered an antenna sector.

[0049] In addition, it should be noted that, as shown in the figure, multiple instances of station hardware can be combined into a multi-link device (MLD), which will typically have processors and memory for coordinating activities. However, it should be understood that these resources can be shared, as each STA within an MLD does not always require a separate CPU and memory.

[0050] Figure 2Example embodiment 40 of a multi-link device (MLD) hardware configuration is illustrated. It should be noted that a soft "AP MLD" consists of one or more auxiliary STAs operating as an AP. The soft AP MLD should support multiple radio operations, such as 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz. Among the multiple radios, the basic link set is a pair of links that satisfy the synchronous transmit and receive (STR) mode, such as a basic link set (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) or a basic link set (2.4 GHz and 6 GHz).

[0051] A conditional link is a link that forms an asynchronous transmit and receive (NSTR) link pair with one or more primary links. For example, when 5 GHz is the primary link, these link pairs may include a 6 GHz link as the conditional link corresponding to the 5 GHz link; when 6 GHz is the primary link, the 5 GHz link is the conditional link corresponding to the 6 GHz link. Soft APs are used in various scenarios, including Wi-Fi hotspots and network sharing.

[0052] Multiple STAs belong to the MLD, each operating on a link at a different frequency. The MLD has external I / O access to applications connected to an MLD management entity 48 with a CPU 62 and memory (e.g., RAM) 64, allowing the execution of programs that implement communication protocols at the MLD level. The MLD can distribute tasks to and collect information from each of its connected affiliated sites (STA 142, STA 2 44 to STA N 46 in this example), and share information among affiliated STAs.

[0053] In at least one embodiment, each STA of the MLD has its own CPU 50 and memory (RAM) 52, which are coupled via bus 58 to at least one modem 54, which is connected to at least one RF circuit 56 having one or more antennas. In this example, the RF circuit has multiple antennas 60a, 60b, 60c to 60n, such as in an antenna array. The modem, in conjunction with the RF circuit and associated antennas, transmits / receives data frames with adjacent STAs. In at least one embodiment, the RF module includes a frequency converter, an array antenna controller, and other circuitry for interfacing with its antennas.

[0054] It should be understood that each STA in an MLD does not necessarily need its own processor and memory, as STAs may share resources with each other and / or with the MLD management entity, depending on the specific MLD implementation. It should also be understood that the MLD diagram described above is given by way of example and not limitation, and this disclosure can be used with a wide range of MLD implementations.

[0055] 6. Topology

[0056] Figure 3 The illustration depicts an example topology 70 of two EHT devices in BSS1 72, including an EHT AP 74 and a non-AP EHT STA1 76. Depending on the specific description of each example, both the EHT AP and the non-AP EHT STA1 can be either single-link devices or MLDs. If the EHT AP is an MLD, it has AP1 and AP2 attached to it; AP1 operates on link 1, and AP2 operates on link 2. If the non-AP EHT STA is an MLD, it has STA1 and STA2 attached to it, and STA1 operates on link 1, and STA2 operates on link 2. Depending on the specific description of each example, link 1 and link 2 can belong to the same STR link pair or NSTR link pair. In the case of an NSTR, link 1 is the primary link, and link 2 is a non-primary link.

[0057] 7. Protocol Description

[0058] This disclosed protocol aims to address potential issues that may arise at different stages of the R-TWT SP. The disclosed protocol presents this design as follows.

[0059] Section 7.1 describes conflict resolution when the TXOP of a beacon or other management frame, such as an associated response frame, reassociated response frame, probe response frame, or authentication frame, overlaps with the start point of the R-TWT SP. This section describes the resolution of problems including the following situations. In Section 7.1.1, we can see the case where the transmission priority of beacon or other management frames, such as associated response frames, reassociated response frames, probe response frames, and authentication frames, is higher than the priority of the scheduled R-TWT. In Section 7.1.2, we can see the case where the transmission priority of beacon or other management frames, such as associated response frames, reassociated response frames, probe response frames, and authentication frames, is lower than the R-TWT scheduling priority. In Section 7.2, we describe conflict resolution when beacon or other management frames, such as associated response frames, reassociated response frames, probe response frames, and authentication frames, interrupt UL / DL traffic transmission during the R-TWT SP. In this section, we can see that this problem is resolved for both trigger-based UL and DL transmissions.

[0060] 7.1 Conflict resolution when the start point of a beacon or other management frame TXOP overlaps with the start point of an R-TWT SP

[0061] 7.1.1 Beacon transmissions and other management frames with higher priority than R-TWT scheduling

[0062] In this case, this disclosure modifies the operation described in draft P802.11be_D4.0 to allow the EHT AP, as the TXOP holder, to continue transmitting its beacon frames at the start of the R-TWT SP on the AP's operational link or on another link of the NSTR link pair of a non-AP MLD associated with the AP to which the AP belongs.

[0063] As an example, for single-link and STR ML operations, the specification rules for APs in draft P802.11be_D4.0 can be updated as follows.

[0064] (a) The section describing the following has been modified: “The EHT AP holding the TXOP, when ‘dot11RestrictedTWTOptionImplemented’ is set to true, shall ensure that the TXOP ends before the start time of any R-TWT SP activity it announces in accordance with 35.8.3 (R-TWT Announcement), unless the TXOP is used to transmit a beacon frame or the remainder of the TXOP falling within the R-TWT SP is used to deliver a DL frame for the R-TWT DL TID or a UL frame for requesting an R-TWT UL TID.” Specifically, the restriction that the TXOP can be used to transmit beacon frames has been removed, and this disclosure operates on both beacon frames and other management frames in this manner.

[0065] (b) Furthermore, the section describing the following: “dot11RestrictedTWTOptionImplemented set to true, a non-AP EHT STA holding a TXOP shall ensure that the TXOP ends before the start time of any active R-TWT SP notified by its associated AP that does not correspond to a BSSID that has not been transmitted” is modified in this disclosure to state that this will occur “unless the non-AP EHT STA is transmitting a management frame.”

[0066] For NSTR ML operations, the specification rules in draft P802.11be_D4.0 can be updated as follows:

[0067] (a) "When a non-AP STA belonging to a non-AP MLD and operating on one of the links of an NSTR link pair, or operating on one of the EMLSR or EMLMR links, is a member of an R-TWT SP on the first link; if a second non-AP STA belonging to the same MLD is not a member of any other R-TWT SP overlapping with the first SP on the second link, then the second non-AP STA and its associated AP (referred to as the second AP) shall follow the following rules if their respective 'dot11RestrictedTWTOptionImplemented' values ​​are true:

[0068] (i) If the second non-AP STA is the corresponding TXOP responder or one of the responders, the second AP, as the TXOP holder on the second link, shall ensure that its frame exchange is no later than the end of the T time amount before the start time of the R-TWT SP on the first link, unless the second AP is transmitting other management frames or beacon frames selected from the group of other management frames including associated response frames, re-associated response frames, probe response frames and authentication frames.

[0069] (ii) The second non-AP STA, as the TXOP holder on the second link, shall ensure that its TXOP ends no later than the T-time amount preceding the R-TWT SP start time on the first link, unless the second non-AP STA is transmitting a management frame selected from a group of other management frames, including beacon frames, association request frames, reassociation request frames, probe frames, and authentication frames.

[0070] In the above specification document, to which hierarchical letters (a), (i), and (ii) have been added, the following changes are supported by this disclosure. In element (a) and (i) above, a provision will be added at the end: “Unless the second AP is transmitting a beacon frame or other management frame, which is selected from the group of other management frames including beacon frames, association response frames, reassociation response frames, probe response frames, and authentication frames.” In element (a) and (ii) below, a provision from this disclosure will be added at the end: “Unless the second non-AP STA is transmitting a management frame such as a beacon frame, association request frame, reassociation request frame, probe request frame, or authentication frame.”

[0071] 7.1.2 The transmission priority of beacons or other management frames is lower than the priority of R-TWT scheduling.

[0072] In this scenario, one option is to follow the current channel access rules for the R-TWT SP as defined in draft P802.11be_D4.0. Above this baseline, several additional rules need to be defined for the transmission / termination of beacon frames or other management frames around the R-TWT SP initiation point. These rules are listed below:

[0073] As the holder of the TXOP, the EHT AP should not transmit other management frames or beacon frames such as association response frames, reassociation response frames, probe response frames, and authentication frames if the beacon frame or other management frame will overlap with the start point of the R-TWT SP on the AP's operational link or on another link of the NSTR link pair of the AP MLD to which the AP belongs.

[0074] The EHT AP suspends any pending transmissions until a beacon is transmitted, unless the beacon frame is delayed due to the channel access rules of the R-TWT SP as defined in draft P802.11be_D4.0.

[0075] After the R-TWT SP begins, the EHT AP can begin competing for channel access so that it can transmit other management frames or beacon frames such as associated response frames, reassociated response frames, probe response frames, and authentication frames. Other management frames or beacon frames are deferred because they support the TXOP termination rule at the start of the R-TWT SP.

[0076] In another option, the EHT AP may follow one or more of the following guidelines instead of allowing beacon or other management frame transmissions to be postponed indefinitely: (1) attempt to transmit it a limited number of times, and if it fails, it may need to wait until the next beacon frame interval or the start of the next management frame transmission; and / or (2) define a timer that starts counting from the start of R-TWT, after which the EHT AP may no longer be allowed to transmit beacon or other management frames.

[0077] 7.2 Collision resolution when beacon frames interrupt UL / DL traffic transmission during R-TWT SP

[0078] When an EHT AP, as the TXOP holder, has other management frames or beacon frames to transmit, such as association response frames, reassociation response frames, probe response frames, and authentication frames, and concurrently has DL / UL traffic to transmit with R-TWT DL / UL TID, or makes a request within an R-TWT SP, the EHT AP may apply one or more of the following options instead of suspending any pending transmissions until a beacon or other management frame has been transmitted.

[0079] (1) An EHT AP can start / continue a DL pending transmission by embedding other management frames or beacon frames, such as associated response frames, reassociated response frames, probe response frames and authentication frames, into the same DL frame as the pending transmission.

[0080] (a) An EHT AP may embed other management frames or beacon frames, such as associated response frames, reassociated response frames, probe response frames, and authentication frames, in either frequency domain division (FDD) or time domain division (TDD) configurations. It should be noted that FDD requires two independent wireless communication channels on separate frequencies, one for transmitting data and the other for receiving data.

[0081] (b) When using FDD mode, other management frames or beacon frames, such as association response frames, reassociation response frames, probe response frames and authentication frames, should be embedded as a primary channel occupying at least 20 MHz to ensure that each non-AP STA associated with this EHT AP can hear the beacon or other management frames.

[0082] (2) The EHT AP can initiate a limited TXOP for DL ​​pending transmissions and corresponding frame exchange sequences, in order to give way to the TXOP for beacon frames transmitted at TBTT.

[0083] (a) If the EHT AP completes the DL transmission just before the beacon frame or other management frame, the EHT AP can continue TXOP to transmit other management frames or beacon frames such as associated response frames, reassociated response frames, probe response frames and authentication frames without needing to contend for the channel.

[0084] (b) If the EHT AP has just completed the transmission of other management frames or beacons such as associated response frames, reassociated response frames, probe response frames and authentication frames, and there is no violation of the TXOP limit, the EHT AP may continue TXOP to transmit the remaining DL pending transmissions without needing to contend for the channel.

[0085] 8. Frame format

[0086] Figure 4 The diagram illustrates the IEEE 802.11be draft P802.11be_D4.0. Figure 9-7 Example embodiment 90 of the modified flow control field format in the restricted TWT flow information field of 65b, which initially reserved B2-B7. This element is shown as having a valid DL TID bitmap and a valid UL TID bitmap, and has been modified to have a new field management embedded DL TID valid, and has some remaining reserved bits (B4-B7).

[0087] Figure 5Example 110 of the subfield indication is illustrated, where B2-B3 are used to indicate how beacon frames or other management frames are embedded in DL TID traffic, as shown in the diagram. The beacon or other management frame embeds the DL TID valid subfield indication. The four possible states of the B2-B3 indication show the choice between allowing or disallowing beacon or other management frames to be embedded in DL R-TWT TID traffic in an FDD or TDD manner. It should be understood that the invention is not limited to the example order of the indications, the number of different indications included, or the specific encoding used to represent these indications, as modifications can be made to these by those skilled in the art without departing from the teachings of this disclosure.

[0088] The R-TWT scheduling AP and the R-TWT scheduling STA negotiate to determine, when setting up R-TWT scheduling, whether they will support embedding beacon frames or other management frames within DL R-TWT TID traffic.

[0089] 9. Flowchart

[0090] Figure 6A and Figure 6B The illustration shows an example embodiment 130 of the operation of an EHT AP to overcome the priority problem between timely beacon frame transmission and data transmission.

[0091] In check 132, determine whether the EHT AP, as the TXOP holder, has generated a beacon that will overlap with the starting point of the R-TWT SP on the current link or on another link of the same NSTR link pair of the current link.

[0092] If the conditions are met, check 134 to determine whether the EHT AP considers (already determined) the beacon frame transmission to have a higher priority than the channel access rule of the R-TWTSP. If the beacon frame transmission is considered to have a higher priority, the EHT AP ignores the TXOP termination rule at the start point of the R-TWTSP and continues to transmit beacon frames, and the process ends.

[0093] Otherwise, since the condition is not met, the EHT AP terminates the TXOP associated with the beacon frame at the R-TWT SP start point at block 138. Then, the EHT AP can immediately re-compete for channel 140 access after the R-TWT SP start point to retransmit the beacon frame, and the process ends.

[0094] Now let's go back and check if condition 132 is not met, where the process moves to... Figure 6B Check 142 in the process determines whether the EHT AP acting as the TXOP has generated a beacon that will overlap with the UL / DL R-TWT TID traffic transmission sequence during the R-TWT SP. If the condition is not met, the process is complete.

[0095] Otherwise, due to beacon overlap, the EHT AP must decide 144 and execute one of two options. It should be noted that options 1 and 2 are implementation-dependent. Figure 10 and Figure 11 Examples of options 1 and 2 are illustrated below. In option 1, block 146, the EHT AP begins or continues its DL pending transmission while embedding the beacon frame into the same DL frame, after which processing is complete. In option 2, block 148, the EHT AP restricts the TXOP for the DL pending transmission and the corresponding frame exchange sequence to yield to the TXOP for the transmission of the beacon frame at the TBTT, while processing is complete.

[0096] 10. Communication Example

[0097] 10.1 At the start of the R-TWT SP, the beacon transmission priority is higher than the R-TWT scheduling priority.

[0098] Figure 7 Example 10.1 illustrates a scenario where the beacon transmission priority is higher than the R-TWT scheduling priority at the start of the R-TWT SP. This example depicts communication between an EHT AP 214 as a single-link STA and a non-AP EHT STA1 215.

[0099] It should be noted that, Figures 7 to 11 In the diagram, the upper line and part of the figure show the TBTT timeline for reference. It should be noted that this TBTT timeline does not represent the actual transmission, but rather the timeline of the scheduled beacon transmission; this is because the AP is supposed to attempt to broadcast beacon frames periodically at each TBTT (Target Beacon Transmission Time). Whether the AP can perform this transmission depends on the channel conditions at the TBTT. For example, if the channel is busy and used by other STAs, the AP needs to hold the beacon frame until the current TXOP is complete, and the AP can attempt to access the channel to broadcast the beacon. The second line in the lower part of the figure, below the TBTT timeline, reflects the actual transmission and reception on the channel; therefore, in some diagrams, the planned beacon transmission time seen on the first line differs from the actual transmission time reflected on the second line.

[0100] In this figure, TBTT timeline 212 is shown as the scheduling timing of beacon 218, which in this example corresponds to the actual time of its transmission.

[0101] The transmission sequence is as follows. EHT AP 214 performs backoff (BO) 216, acquires TXOP 224, and transmits a beacon frame 220 overlapping with the start point 222 of R-TWTSP 224 and its silence interval 226. The EHT AP continues transmitting beacon frames at the start point of R-TWTSP until it completes beacon frame transmission 220. Then, the EHT AP re-contests for channel access 228 and transmits a trigger frame 230 requesting a UL TB PPDU 232 from the non-AP EHT STA1 215. The EHT AP then responds with an Ack or BlockAck frame 234.

[0102] 10.2 At the start of the R-TWT SP, the beacon transmission priority is lower than the R-TWT scheduling priority.

[0103] Figure 8 Example 10.2 illustrates a case where the beacon transmission priority is lower than the R-TWT scheduling priority at the R-TWT SP start point 310. This example depicts communication between an EHT AP 214 as a single-link STA and a non-AP EHT STA1 215. The TBTT timeline 212 is shown as an indication of the scheduling timing of beacon 218.

[0104] As shown in this example, EHT AP 214 generates a beacon frame near the start of the R-TWT SP, and the remaining time before the start of the R-TWT SP is insufficient for the EHT AP to complete the beacon transmission. Before the start of the R-TWT SP, the EHT AP acquires a TXOP and transmits a DL PPDU 314, then receives an Ack or BlockACK 316 from the non-AP EHT STA1 in response, instead of transmitting a beacon frame. After the start of the R-TWT SP, the EHT AP re-contests for channel 324 access and acquires a TXOP to transmit a beacon frame 326. The EHT AP then re-contests for channel 328 access and acquires a TXOP to transmit a trigger frame 330, which requests a UL TB PPDU 332 from the non-AP EHT STA1. The EHT AP then responds with an Ack or BlockAck frame 334.

[0105] 10.3 Beacons Embedded in DL R-TWT TID Traffic via FDD

[0106] Figure 9Example 10.3 illustrates a scenario where a beacon is embedded in DL R-TWT TID traffic in an FDD manner. This example depicts communication between EHT AP 414 and non-AP EHT STA1 415. TBTT timeline 412 is shown as an indication of the scheduling timing of beacon 428.

[0107] As shown in this example, the EHT AP and the non-AP EHT STA1 are single-link STAs, and the EHT AP performs backoff 422 to gain channel access in R-TWT SP 418 during the silent interval 420, and transmits a trigger frame 424 after the start of R-TWT SP. The trigger frame requests a UL TB PPDU 426 from the non-AP EHT STA1 415. The EHT AP has a beacon frame 430 generated at TBTT before responding with an Ack or BlockACK frame 432. The EHT AP continues to transmit Ack or BlockACK frames with the beacon frame embedded in the same frame, where the primary channel carries the beacon frame and the non-primary channel carries the Ack or BlockACK frame.

[0108] 10.4 Beacons for embedding DL R-TWT TID traffic in TDD mode

[0109] Figure 10 Example 10.4 illustrates a case 510 where a beacon embeds DL R-TWT TID traffic in Time Division Duplex (TDD) mode. This example depicts communication between EHT AP 514 and non-AP EHT STA1 515. TBTT timeline 512 is shown as an indicator of the scheduling timing of beacon 526.

[0110] As shown in this example, EHT AP 514 and non-AP EHT STA1 515 are single-link STAs. At the start of R-TWT SP 518 at 516, the EHT AP performs backoff 522, obtains TXOP 518, and transmits DL PPDU 524 frames after the start of R-TWT-SP and within a silent interval 520. While the EHT AP is transmitting DL PPDUs, it generates a beacon frame 528 at TBTT. The EHT AP pauses the transmission of DL PPDU 524, embeds the beacon frame 528 within the same frame, and resumes DL PPDU transmission 530 after the beacon frame. Then, the non-AP EHT STA1 sends an Ack or BlockACK 532 frame as a response to receiving the DL PPDU.

[0111] Therefore, in this example, the AP can obtain a TXOP at TBTT, and it transmits a DL PPDU instead of a beacon frame because, in this example, it is assumed that beacon transmission has a lower priority than the R-TWT scheduling priority, so the beacon TXOP should not exceed the start point of the R-TWT SP. The AP knows that if it were to transmit a beacon frame, the beacon frame transmission would not be completed before the start point of the R-TWT. Therefore, the AP can initiate a TXOP for the DL PPDU until the R-TWT SP begins, and then transmit its beacon within the R-TWT SP.

[0112] 10.5 AP TXOP Shrinkage Before Beacon Transmission

[0113] Figure 11 Example 610 illustrates an AP TXOP contraction occurring before beacon transmission. This example depicts communication between EHT AP 614 and non-AP EHT STA1 615. TBTT timeline 612 is shown as an indication of the scheduling timing of beacon 630.

[0114] As shown in this example, the EHT AP and the non-AP EHT STA1 are single-link STAs. In this example, at the start of R-TWT 618 at 616, the EHT AP competes for 622 and wins the TXOP after the start of R-TWT-SP. The EHT AP knows the next TBTT (as shown by the line at the top with beacon 630), and the duration from the current time to the next TBTT is insufficient for the EHT AP to complete the transmission of all buffered DL R-TWT TID traffic. In this example, the EHT AP transmits a portion of the buffered DL R-TWT TID traffic, DL 624, ensuring that the frame exchange sequence is completed before or at the next TBTT. After receiving an Ack / BA 626 from the non-AP EHT STA1 in response to a portion of DL 624, the EHT AP can be seen sending a beacon frame 628 without contention for channel access. After the beacon transmission, the EHT AP resumes the transmission of DL PPDU 632, taking into account the TXOP limitation. Then, the non-AP EHT STA1 sends an Ack or BlockACK frame 634 in response to receiving the DL PPDU.

[0115] 11. A brief summary of the publicly disclosed protocol elements

[0116] (1) dot11RestrictedTWTOptionImplemented If the EHT AP holding the TXOP has the next beacon frame generated or other management frame at TBTT that overlaps with the start point of the R-TWT SP, and should have a different process for processing the next beacon frame or other management frame depending on the priority of the beacon frame or other management frame transmission relative to the R-TWT scheduling priority.

[0117] (2) If the transmission of a beacon frame or other management frame has a higher priority than the R-TWT schedule, the following channel access rules defined in IEEE 802.11be draft P802.11be_D4.0 shall be updated with the highlighted portion: (a) If the EHT AP with dot11RestrictedTWTOptionImplemented set to true is the EHT AP and therefore the EHT AP is the TXOP holder, the EHT AP shall ensure that the TXOP ends before the start time of any active R-TWT SP it announces, unless the TXOP is used to transmit a beacon frame or other management frame, or the remainder of the TXOP falling within the R-TWT SP is used to deliver a DL frame for the R-TWT DL TID, or a UL frame for requesting an R-TWT UL TID.

[0118] (b) dot11RestrictedTWTOptionImplemented set to true: A non-AP EHT-STA holding a TXOP shall ensure that the TXOP ends before the start time of any R-TWT SP activity notified by its associated AP that does not correspond to a non-transmitting BSSID, unless the non-AP EHT-STA is transmitting a management frame.

[0119] (c) When a non-AP STA belonging to a non-AP MLD operates on one of the links of an NSTR link pair or one of the EMLSR or EMLMR links and is a member of an R-TWT SP on the first link; if a second non-AP STA belonging to the same MLD is not a member of any other R-TWT SP overlapping with the first SP on the second link, the second non-AP STA and its associated AP (referred to as the second AP) shall follow the following rules if their respective dot11RestrictedTWTOptionImplemented is true. (i) If the second non-AP STA is a responder or one of the responders of the corresponding TXOP, the second AP, as the TXOP holder on the second link, shall ensure that its frame exchange is no later than the end of the T-time amount prior to the start time of the R-TWT SP on the first link, unless the second AP is transmitting a beacon frame. (ii) The second non-AP STA, as the TXOP holder on the second link, shall ensure that its TXOP ends no later than the time T before the start time of the R-TWT SP on the first link, unless the second non-AP STA is transmitting a management frame, where T equals one of the following values: 0 if both non-AP STAs are operating on an NSTR link pair. It should be noted that the specification in IEEE 802.11be draft P802.11be_D4.0 describes T=0 as indicating that the MLD is operating on an NSTR link; and T!=0 as indicating that the MLD is operating on an EMLSR / EMLMR link. However, in the above case, only the NSTR link is described, so only one value can be assumed.

[0120] (3) If the priority of beacon frames or other management frames is lower than that of R-TWT scheduling, the current channel access rules for R-TWT SPs as defined in IEEE 802.11be draft P802.11be_D4.0 may be followed, and the following channel access rules shall apply: (a) If a beacon frame or other management frame would overlap with the start point of an R-TWT SP on the AP’s operational link or on another link of an NSTR link pair to which the AP is associated and to which the AP belongs, the EHT AP, as the TXOP holder, shall not transmit the beacon frame or other management frame. (b) Unless the beacon frame is deferred due to the channel access rules for R-TWT SPs as defined in IEEE 802.11be draft P802.11be_D4.0, the EHT AP shall suspend any pending transmissions until the beacon is transmitted. (c) After the start point of an R-TWT SP, the EHT AP may compete for channel access to transmit deferred beacon frames or other management frames to support TXOPs terminated at the start point of any R-TWT SP. (d) The EHT AP may follow one or more of the following guidelines instead of allowing beacon or other management frame transmissions to be postponed indefinitely: (i) attempt to transmit beacon or other management frames a limited number of times, and if unsuccessful, the EHT AP waits until the next beacon frame interval or the start of the next management frame transmission; (iii) define a timer that starts from the R-TWT start point, and when the timer expires, the EHT AP may no longer be allowed to transmit beacon or other management frames.

[0121] (4) During R-TWT SP, if dot11RestrictedTWTOptionImplemented is true, the EHT AP holding the TXOP can process the following options instead of suspending any pending transmissions until a beacon or other management frame is transmitted: (a) The EHT AP can embed a beacon frame or other management frame into the pending DL transmission in either Frequency Domain Division (FDD) or Time Domain Division (TDD) mode. (b) When transmitting in FDD mode, the beacon frame or other management frame should be embedded to occupy at least the primary 20MHz channel to ensure that every non-AP STA associated with this EHT AP can hear the beacon or other management frame. (c) The EHT AP can restrict the TXOP of the pending DL transmission and the corresponding frame exchange sequence to give way to the TXOP for transmitting a beacon frame or the next management frame at TBTT. (d) If the EHT AP has just completed a DL transmission before transmitting a beacon frame or other management frame, the EHT AP can continue the TXOP to transmit the beacon frame or other management frame in the absence of channel contention. (e) If the EHT AP has just completed the transmission of (embedded) beacon or other management frames and has not violated the TXOP limit, the EHT AP may continue TXOP to transmit the remaining DL pending transmissions without engaging in channel contention.

[0122] 12. General Scope of the Embodiments

[0123] This technical embodiment may be described herein with reference to flowchart illustrations of methods and systems according to technical embodiments, and / or descriptions of processes, algorithms, steps, operations, formulas, or other computational descriptions, which may also be implemented as a computer program product. In this regard, each block or step of the flowchart, and combinations of blocks (and / or steps) in the flowchart, and any description of a process, algorithm, step, operation, formula, or computation, may be implemented in various ways, such as hardware, firmware, and / or software including one or more computer program instructions embodied in computer-readable program code. As will be understood, any such computer program instructions may be executed by one or more computer processors (including, but not limited to, general-purpose or special-purpose computers) or other programmable processing means to produce a machine, such that the computer program instructions executing on the computer processor or other programmable processing means create components for implementing a specified function.

[0124] Therefore, the flowchart blocks described herein, as well as the process, algorithm, step, operation, formula, or calculation descriptions, support combinations of components for performing a specified function, combinations of steps for performing a specified function, and computer program instructions such as those embodied in computer-readable program code logic components for performing a specified function. It will also be understood that each block of the flowchart illustration, and any process, algorithm, step, operation, formula, or calculation description and its combination described herein, can be implemented by a hardware-based dedicated computer system, or a combination of dedicated hardware and computer-readable program code, that performs the specified function or step.

[0125] Furthermore, these computer program instructions, such as those embodied in computer-readable program code, may also be stored in one or more computer-readable storage devices that can instruct a computer processor or other programmable processing apparatus to operate in a particular manner, causing the instructions stored in the computer-readable storage device to produce an article of manufacture including instruction components that implement the functions specified in the flowchart blocks. The computer program instructions may also be executed by a computer processor or other programmable processing apparatus to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer processor or other programmable processing apparatus, thereby producing a computer-implemented process, such that the instructions executing on the computer processor or other programmable processing apparatus provide steps for implementing the functions specified in the flowchart blocks, process algorithms, steps, operations, formulas, or calculation descriptions.

[0126] It should also be understood that the terms "programming" or "executable program" as used herein refer to one or more instructions that can be executed by one or more computer processors to perform one or more functions described herein. Instructions may be embodied in software, firmware, or a combination of both. Instructions may be stored locally in the device on a non-transient medium, or remotely in a manner such as on a server, or all or some of the instructions may be stored locally and remotely. Remotely stored instructions may be downloaded (pushed) to the device by user initiation or automatically based on one or more factors.

[0127] It should also be understood that, as used herein, the terms processor, hardware processor, computer processor, central processing unit (CPU), and computer are used synonymously to refer to a device capable of executing instructions and communicating with input / output interfaces and / or peripheral devices, and the terms processor, hardware processor, computer processor, CPU, and computer are intended to include single or multiple devices, single-core and multi-core devices, and variations thereof.

[0128] As can be understood from the description herein, this disclosure includes various implementations of the technology, including but not limited to the following:

[0129] An apparatus for communication in a wireless network, the apparatus comprising: (a) a wireless station operating as a single site or as part of a multi-link device (MLD) having at least two sites, wherein each site has at least one modem coupled to at least one radio frequency (RF) circuit, and each RF circuit is connected to one or more antennas; (b) a processor for the wireless station; (c) a non-transient memory storing instructions executed by the processor for wireless communication with other wireless stations on an IEEE 802.11 wireless local area network (WLAN); and (d) wherein, when executed by the processor, the instructions perform steps of a wireless communication protocol that resolves a priority issue between beacon frames and restricted target wake-up time (R-TWT) service period (SP) scheduling, including: (d)(i) wherein the wireless station can operate as an access point (AP) site or a non-AP site; (d)(ii) determining that the wireless station operating as an AP, as a transmission opportunity (TXOP) holder, has scheduled beacon frames to be transmitted, the scheduled beacon frames being expected to be transmitted with any R-TWT. (d) If (iii) it is determined that the transmission of an upcoming beacon frame will overlap with the start point of an upcoming R-TWT SP on the current link or on another link of the same non-simultaneous transmit-receive (NSTR) link pair of the current link, then the AP resolves the conflict by: (A) determining that the beacon frame has a higher priority than the channel access rule of the R-TWT SP, ignoring the TXOP termination rule at the start point of the R-TWT SP, and continuing to transmit the beacon frame; or (B) determining that the beacon frame has a lower priority than the channel access rule of the R-TWT SP, and terminating the TXOP of the beacon frame at the start of the R-TWT SP, thereby enabling the AP to immediately re-compete for channel access to retransmit the beacon frame after the start point of the R-TWT SP; and (d) (iv) determining that the transmission of an upcoming beacon frame will overlap with the UL or DL ​​R-TWT during the upcoming R-TWT SP. If TID traffic transmission sequences overlap, the AP resolves the conflict by: (A) initiating or continuing the pending DL transmission by embedding a beacon frame within the DL transmission; or (B) limiting the length of the TXOP for the pending DL transmission and the corresponding exchange sequence to give way to the TXOP for transmitting a beacon frame within the next Target Beacon Transmission Time (TBTT).

[0130] An apparatus for communication in a wireless network, the apparatus comprising: (a) a wireless station operating as a single site or as part of a multi-link device (MLD) having at least two sites, wherein each site has at least one modem coupled to at least one radio frequency (RF) circuit, and each RF circuit is connected to one or more antennas; (b) a processor for the wireless station; (c) a non-transient memory storing instructions executed by the processor for wireless communication with other wireless stations on an IEEE 802.11 wireless local area network (WLAN); and (d) wherein, when executed by the processor, the instructions perform steps of a wireless communication protocol that resolves a priority issue between beacon frames and restricted target wake-up time (R-TWT) service period (SP) scheduling, including: (d)(i) wherein the wireless station can operate as an access point (AP) site or a non-AP site; (d)(ii) determining that the wireless station operating as an AP, as a transmission opportunity (TXOP) holder, has scheduled beacon frames to be transmitted, the scheduled beacon frames being expected to be transmitted with any R-TWT. The AP resolves the conflict if (d) (iii) the transmission of an upcoming beacon frame will overlap with the start point of an upcoming R-TWT SP on the current link or on another link of the same non-simultaneous transmit-receive (NSTR) link pair of the current link, including: (A) determining that the beacon frame has a higher priority than the channel access rule of the R-TWT SP, ignoring the TXOP termination rule at the start point of the R-TWT SP, and continuing to transmit the beacon frame; or (B) determining that the beacon frame has a lower priority than the channel access rule of the R-TWT SP, and terminating the TXOP of the beacon frame at the start of the R-TWT SP, thereby enabling the AP to immediately re-compete for channel access to retransmit the beacon frame after the start point of the R-TWT SP; and (d) (iv) determining that the transmission of an upcoming beacon frame will overlap with the start point of the upcoming R-TWT SP during the UL or DL ​​R-TWT. If TID traffic transmission sequences overlap, the AP resolves the conflict by: (A) initiating or continuing the pending DL transmission by embedding a beacon frame in frequency-domain partitioning (FDD) or time-domain partitioning (TDD) within the DL transmission; or (B) limiting the length of the pending DL transmission and the TXOP of the corresponding exchange sequence to give way to transmitting the TXOP of the beacon frame within the next target beacon transmission time (TBTT); and (d) (v) wherein the embedding of the beacon frame is controlled by bits in the R-TWT flow control field, the R-TWT flow control field indicating whether embedding is allowed, and whether embedding is applied in FDD or TDD mode.

[0131] A method for communicating in a wireless network, the apparatus comprising: (a) communicating between wireless stations on an IEEE 802.11 wireless local area network (WLAN), wherein each wireless station operates as a single station or is part of a multi-link device (MLD) having at least two stations; (b) performing a wireless communication protocol that resolves a priority issue between beacon frames and restricted target wake-up time (R-TWT) service period (SP) scheduling; (c) wherein the wireless stations can operate as access point (AP) stations or non-AP stations; (d) determining that the wireless station operating as an AP, as a transmission opportunity (TXOP) holder, has a scheduled beacon frame to transmit, the scheduled beacon frame being expected to overlap with the start point of any R-TWT SP; (e) determining that the transmission of an upcoming beacon frame will overlap with the start point of an upcoming R-TWT SP on the current link or on another link of the same non-simultaneous transmit-receive (NSTR) link pair of the current link, wherein the AP resolves the conflict, comprising: (A) determining that the beacon frame has a higher priority than the channel access rule of the R-TWT SP and ignoring the R-TWT. The AP resolves the conflict by: (A) terminating the TXOP rule at the start of the SP and continuing to transmit the beacon frame; or (B) determining that the beacon frame has a lower priority than the channel access rule of the R-TWT SP and terminating the TXOP of the beacon frame at the start of the R-TWT SP, thereby enabling the AP to re-compete for channel access immediately after the start of the R-TWT SP to retransmit the beacon frame; and (f) determining that the transmission of the upcoming beacon frame will overlap with the UL or DL ​​R-TWT TID traffic transmission sequence during the upcoming R-TWT SP, wherein the AP resolves the conflict by: (A) starting or continuing the pending DL transmission by embedding the beacon frame within the DL transmission; or (B) limiting the length of the TXOP for the pending DL transmission and the corresponding exchange sequence to give way to the TXOP for transmitting the beacon frame within the next Target Beacon Transmission Time (TBTT).

[0132] According to any of the aforementioned implementations of the apparatus or method, embedding a beacon frame within a DL transmission includes embedding the beacon frame in a frequency domain partitioning (FDD) manner or a time domain partitioning (TDD) manner.

[0133] According to any of the aforementioned implementations of the apparatus or method, wherein when a beacon frame is embedded in a DL transmission in an FDD manner, the beacon frame is embedded to occupy at least a primary 20MHz channel to allow non-AP sites associated with the AP to hear the beacon frame.

[0134] According to any of the aforementioned implementations of the apparatus or method, the embedding of the beacon frame is controlled by bits in the R-TWT flow control field, which indicates whether embedding is allowed and whether the application is to embed in FDD or TDD manner.

[0135] As used herein, the term “implementation” is intended to include, but is not limited to, embodiments, examples, or other forms of practice of the techniques described herein.

[0136] As used herein, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular terms “a,” “an,” and “the one” may include plural references. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, references to objects in the singular form are not intended to mean “one and only one,” but rather “one or more.”

[0137] The phrase structures in this disclosure, such as “A, B and / or C”, describe the presence of any one of A, B, or C, or any combination of items A, B, and C. Phrases following a set of elements, such as “at least one,” indicate the presence of at least one of these elements, including any possible combination of the listed elements where applicable.

[0138] References to the terms "embodiment," "at least one embodiment," or similar embodiments in this disclosure indicate that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the described embodiment is included in at least one specific embodiment of this disclosure. Therefore, these different embodiment phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor do they necessarily refer to a specific embodiment different from all other embodiments described. Embodiment phrases should be interpreted as meaning that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic of a given embodiment can be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments of the disclosed apparatus, system, or method.

[0139] As used in this article, the term "set" refers to a collection of one or more objects. Thus, for example, a set of objects may include a single object or multiple objects.

[0140] Relational terms such as first and second, top and bottom, upper and lower, left and right, etc., may be used only to distinguish one entity or action from another entity or action, without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between these entities or actions.

[0141] The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “has,” “having,” “includes,” “contains,” “containing,” or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, apparatus, or system that includes, has, contains, or contains a list of elements includes not only those elements but may also include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, apparatus, or system. An element beginning with “comprises…,” “has…,” “contains…,” or “containing…” does not, without further constraints, exclude the presence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, apparatus, or system that includes, has, contains, or contains that element.

[0142] As used herein, the terms “approximately,” “essentially,” “basically,” “substantially,” and “about,” or any other version thereof, are used to describe and explain small variations. When used in conjunction with an event or situation, these terms can refer to a situation where the event or situation occurs precisely or approximately. When used in conjunction with a numerical value, these terms can refer to a range of variations less than or equal to ±10%, such as less than or equal to ±5%, less than or equal to ±4%, less than or greater than ±3%, less than or equal to ±2%, less than or equal to ±1%, less than or equal to ±0.5%, less than or equal to ±0.1%, or less than or equal to ±0.05%. For example, “substantially” alignment can refer to a range of angular variations less than or equal to ±10°, such as less than or equal to ±5°, less than or equal to ±4°, less than or equal to ±3°, less than or equal to ±2°, less than or equal to ±1°, less than or equal to ±0.5°, less than or equal to ±0.1°, or less than or equal to ±0.05°.

[0143] Furthermore, quantities, ratios, and other numerical values ​​may sometimes be presented in range format throughout this document. It should be understood that this range format is used for convenience and brevity and should be flexibly interpreted to include not only the numerical values ​​explicitly specified as range limits, but also all individual numerical values ​​or subranges contained within that range, as if each numerical value and subrange were explicitly specified. For example, a ratio in the range of approximately 1 to approximately 200 should be understood to include the explicitly listed boundaries of approximately 1 and approximately 200, as well as individual ratios such as approximately 2, approximately 3, and approximately 4, and individual ratios such as subranges such as approximately 10 to approximately 50, approximately 20 to approximately 100, etc.

[0144] The term "coupling" as used in this article is defined as a connection, although it is not necessarily a direct connection or a mechanical connection. A device or structure that is "configured" in a certain way is configured at least in this way, but may also be configured in ways not listed.

[0145] Benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any elements that may cause or make any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more apparent shall not be construed as key, essential, or necessary features or elements of the technology described herein or any or all claims.

[0146] Furthermore, in the foregoing disclosure, various features may be combined in various embodiments for the purpose of simplification. This approach to disclosure should not be construed as reflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments require more features than expressly listed in each claim. The subject matter of the invention may lie in fewer than all features in a single disclosed embodiment.

[0147] An abstract of this disclosure is provided to enable the reader to quickly determine the substance of the technical disclosure. The abstract is submitted under the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.

[0148] It should be understood that practice in some jurisdictions may require the removal of one or more portions of the published information after the application has been filed. Therefore, readers should consult the filed application to understand the original published content. Any removal of published content should not be construed as an abandonment, confiscation, or contribution to the public of any subject matter originally submitted.

[0149] All text in the accompanying drawings is hereby incorporated into this disclosure and should be considered part of the written description of the drawings.

[0150] The following claims are hereby incorporated in this disclosure, each of which exists independently as a subject matter for protection.

[0151] While the description herein contains numerous details, these details should not be construed as limiting the scope of this disclosure, but rather as providing illustration of some currently preferred embodiments. Therefore, it should be understood that the scope of this disclosure fully covers other embodiments that may become apparent to those skilled in the art.

[0152] All structural and functional equivalents of the elements of the disclosed embodiments known to those skilled in the art are expressly incorporated herein by reference and are intended to be covered by the claims. Furthermore, no element, component, or method step in this disclosure is intended to be proprietary to the public, whether or not it is expressly listed in the claims. Unless expressly listed using the phrase “means for…”, no element of any claim herein should be construed as a “means plus function” element. Unless expressly listed using the phrase “step for…”, no element of any claim herein should be construed as a “step plus function” element.

Claims

1. An apparatus for communication in a wireless network, the apparatus comprising: (a) A wireless station operating as a single site or as part of a multi-link device (MLD) having at least two sites, wherein each site has at least one modem coupled to at least one radio frequency (RF) circuit, and each RF circuit is connected to one or more antennas; (b) The processor of the wireless station; (c) Non-transient memory, which stores instructions executed by the processor for wireless communication with other wireless stations on an IEEE 802.11 wireless local area network (WLAN); as well as (d) Wherein, when the instruction is executed by the processor, it performs the steps of a wireless communication protocol that resolves the priority issue between beacon frames and restricted target wake-up time (R-TWT) service period (SP) scheduling, including: (i) The wireless station can operate as an access point (AP) station or a non-AP station; (ii) Determine that the wireless station operating as an AP holding a Transmission Opportunity (TXOP) has a scheduled beacon frame to be transmitted, the scheduled beacon frame being expected to overlap with the start point of any R-TWT SP. (iii) If it is determined that the transmission of an upcoming beacon frame will overlap with the start point of an upcoming R-TWT SP on the current link or on another link of the same non-simultaneous transmit-receive (NSTR) link pair of the current link, then the AP resolves the conflict by: (A) determining that the beacon frame has a higher priority than the channel access rule of the R-TWT SP, ignoring the TXOP termination rule at the start point of the R-TWT SP, and continuing to transmit the beacon frame; or (B) determining that the beacon frame has a lower priority than the channel access rule of the R-TWT SP, and terminating the TXOP of the beacon frame at the start point of the R-TWT SP, thereby enabling the AP to immediately re-compete for channel access to retransmit the beacon frame after the start point of the R-TWT SP; and (iv) If it is determined that the transmission of an upcoming beacon frame will overlap with a UL or DL ​​R-TWTTID traffic transmission sequence during an upcoming R-TWT SP, the AP resolves the conflict by: (A) initiating or continuing the pending DL transmission by embedding a beacon frame within the DL transmission; or (B) limiting the length of the TXOP for the pending DL transmission and the corresponding exchange sequence to give way to the TXOP for transmitting the beacon frame within the next Target Beacon Transmission Time (TBTT).

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, Embedding beacon frames in DL transmission includes embedding beacon frames in either frequency domain division (FDD) or time domain division (TDD) manner.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, When a beacon frame is embedded in a DL transmission in FDD mode, the beacon frame is embedded to occupy at least the primary 20MHz channel to allow non-AP sites associated with the AP to hear the beacon frame.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, The embedding of beacon frames is controlled by bits in the R-TWT flow control field, which indicates whether embedding is allowed and whether the application embeds in FDD or TDD mode.

5. An apparatus for communication in a wireless network, the apparatus comprising: (a) A wireless station operating as a single site or as part of a multi-link device (MLD) having at least two sites, wherein each site has at least one modem coupled to at least one radio frequency (RF) circuit, and each RF circuit is connected to one or more antennas; (b) The processor of the wireless station; (c) Non-transient memory, which stores instructions executed by the processor for wireless communication with other wireless stations on an IEEE 802.11 wireless local area network (WLAN); as well as (d) Wherein, when the instruction is executed by the processor, it performs the steps of a wireless communication protocol that resolves the priority issue between beacon frames and restricted target wake-up time (R-TWT) service period (SP) scheduling, including: (i) The wireless station can operate as an access point (AP) station or a non-AP station; (ii) Determine that the wireless station operating as an AP holding a Transmission Opportunity (TXOP) has a scheduled beacon frame to be transmitted, the scheduled beacon frame being expected to overlap with the start point of any R-TWT SP. (iii) If it is determined that the transmission of an upcoming beacon frame will overlap with the start point of an upcoming R-TWT SP on the current link or on another link of the same non-simultaneous transmit-receive (NSTR) link pair of the current link, then the AP resolves the conflict by: (A) determining that the beacon frame has a higher priority than the channel access rule of the R-TWT SP, ignoring the TXOP termination rule at the start point of the R-TWT SP, and continuing to transmit the beacon frame; or (B) determining that the beacon frame has a lower priority than the channel access rule of the R-TWT SP, and terminating the TXOP of the beacon frame at the start point of the R-TWT SP, thereby enabling the AP to immediately re-compete for channel access to retransmit the beacon frame after the start point of the R-TWT SP; and (iv) If it is determined that the transmission of an upcoming beacon frame will overlap with the UL or DL ​​R-TWTTID traffic transmission sequence during the upcoming R-TWT SP, then the AP resolves the conflict by: (A) initiating or continuing the pending DL transmission by embedding the beacon frame in a frequency-domain partitioned (FDD) or time-domain partitioned (TDD) manner within the DL transmission; or (B) limiting the length of the pending DL transmission and the TXOP of the corresponding exchange sequence to give way to transmitting the TXOP of the beacon frame within the next Target Beacon Transmission Time (TBTT); and (v) The embedding of the beacon frame is controlled by bits in the R-TWT flow control field, which indicates whether embedding is allowed and whether the application embeds it in FDD or TDD mode.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein, When a beacon frame is embedded in a DL transmission in FDD mode, the beacon frame is embedded to occupy at least the primary 20MHz channel to allow non-AP sites associated with the AP to hear the beacon frame.

7. A method for communicating in a wireless network, the apparatus comprising: (a) Communication between wireless stations on an IEEE 802.11 wireless local area network (WLAN), wherein each wireless station operates as a single station or is part of a multi-link device (MLD) having at least two stations; (b) The step of executing a wireless communication protocol that resolves the priority issue between beacon frames and restricted target wake-up time (R-TWT) service period (SP) scheduling; (c) The wireless station can operate as an access point (AP) station or a non-AP station; (d) The wireless station operating as an AP holding a Transmission Opportunity (TXOP) has a scheduled beacon frame to be transmitted, the scheduled beacon frame being expected to overlap with the start point of any R-TWT SP. (e) If it is determined that the transmission of an upcoming beacon frame will overlap with the start point of an upcoming R-TWT SP on the current link or on another link of the same non-simultaneous transmit-receive (NSTR) link pair of the current link, then the AP resolves the conflict by: (A) determining that the beacon frame has a higher priority than the channel access rule of the R-TWT SP, ignoring the TXOP termination rule at the start point of the R-TWT SP, and continuing to transmit the beacon frame; or (B) determining that the beacon frame has a lower priority than the channel access rule of the R-TWT SP, and terminating the TXOP of the beacon frame at the start point of the R-TWT SP, thereby enabling the AP to immediately re-compete for channel access to retransmit the beacon frame after the start point of the R-TWT SP; and (f) If it is determined that the transmission of an upcoming beacon frame will overlap with a UL or DL ​​R-TWTTID traffic transmission sequence during an upcoming R-TWT SP, the AP resolves the conflict by: (A) initiating or continuing the pending DL transmission by embedding a beacon frame within the DL transmission; or (B) limiting the length of the TXOP for the pending DL transmission and the corresponding exchange sequence to give way to the TXOP for transmitting the beacon frame within the next Target Beacon Transmission Time (TBTT).

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein, Embedding beacon frames within DL transmissions includes embedding the beacon frames using either frequency domain division (FDD) or time domain division (TDD) methods.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein, When a beacon frame is embedded in a DL transmission in FDD mode, the beacon frame is embedded to occupy at least the primary 20MHz channel to allow non-AP sites associated with the AP to hear the beacon frame.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein, The embedding of beacon frames is controlled by bits in the R-TWT flow control field, which indicates whether embedding is allowed and whether the application embeds in FDD or TDD mode.

Images