Communication methods and communication devices

Abstract

This application provides a communication method and a communication apparatus applicable to an FTTR system. The method includes: receiving first information from each of at least one device, the first information including channel access information of a terminal device corresponding to each device; and sending second information including first channel access parameters to a second device, the second information being determined based on the first information of each device, the first channel access parameters including channel access parameters to be used by the terminal device. By sending the adjusted channel access parameters of the second device, determined based on the channel access information of at least one device, to the second device, the probability of air interface collisions can be reduced, thereby improving the communication performance of the second device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of communications, and more specifically, to a communication method and a communication device. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of communication technology, fiber optic transmission is increasingly being used in communication systems, among which fiber to the room (FTTR) is a crucial component of optical networks. An FTTR system includes a main FTTR unit (MFU) and a sub-FTTR unit (SFU), which are connected via optical fiber. The main unit, acting as an optical network terminal (ONT) in a passive optical network (PON), also known as an optical network unit (ONU), connects to the optical line terminal (OLT) at the operator's central office via optical fiber.

[0003] In an FTTR system, each device can independently compete for the channel. For example, an enhanced distributed channel access (EDCA) mechanism can be used for backoff and channel preemption, with data transmission occurring only after successful channel preemption. During the EDCA process, each FTTR device can independently manage the EDCA parameters of accessing users, adjusting the channel access capabilities of users within the FTTR device's service area. When users served by multiple FTTR devices share radio frequency (RF) interface resources in the same spatial area, multiple users may preempt these resources according to the protocol, potentially causing air interface collisions and interference when users transmit data. This could disrupt normal communication between users and the FTTR devices, impacting the user's service experience. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a communication method and a communication device that can reduce the probability of air interface collisions during data transmission and improve communication performance.

[0005] In a first aspect, a communication method is provided, which can be executed by a first device or by a component of the first device (e.g., a chip, circuit, or chip system). The following description assumes execution by the first device.

[0006] The method includes: receiving first information from each of at least one device, the first information including channel access information of a terminal device corresponding to each device; and sending second information to a second device, the second device being one of the at least one devices, the second information being determined based on the first information of each device, the second information including first channel access parameters, the first channel access parameters including parameters used by the terminal device served by the second device to access the second device.

[0007] Based on the above scheme, by receiving channel access information from at least one device and sending the adjusted channel access parameters of the second device determined based on the channel access information of at least one device to the second device, the probability of air interface collision can be reduced, thereby improving the communication performance of the second device.

[0008] In some implementations of the first aspect, the first information includes at least one of the following information corresponding to each device: an identifier for each device; a first frequency band, which includes frequency bands supported by each device where terminal devices are accessed; load information of the first frequency band, which includes the number of terminal devices corresponding to each AC queue in at least one access class AC queue corresponding to each frequency band in the first frequency band; information of the terminal devices corresponding to each AC queue; second channel access parameters corresponding to each frequency band in the first frequency band, which includes channel access parameters used by the current terminal device to access each frequency band; information of a first terminal device, which is stored on each device and is not currently accessing each device; and information of a second terminal device, which includes terminal devices scanned by each device that interfere with the terminal devices serving each device; wherein the information of the terminal device includes at least one of the following information corresponding to the terminal device: media access control address, service type, frequency band used, indication information indicating whether it is a newly launched service, signal quality, and signal modulation and coding scheme.

[0009] In some implementations of the first aspect, the first information also indicates that the second channel access parameters be adjusted.

[0010] In some implementations of the first aspect, the second information includes at least one of the following information corresponding to the second device:

[0011] The second frequency band includes the frequency bands for which the corresponding channel access parameters need to be adjusted, and the second frequency band is included in the frequency bands supported by the second device; and the adjusted channel access parameters corresponding to each frequency band in the second frequency band.

[0012] In some implementations of the first aspect, the second information further includes at least one of the following: an identifier of the second device; first indication information indicating the retransmission of the first information; second indication information indicating the timing of the next transmission of the first information; and third indication information indicating the initialization of the channel access parameters of the terminal device corresponding to the second device.

[0013] Secondly, a communication method is provided, which can be executed by a second device or by a component of the second device (e.g., a chip, circuit, or chip system). For ease of understanding, the following description assumes execution by a second device.

[0014] The method includes: sending first information to a first device, the first information indicating the channel access status of a terminal device corresponding to the second device; receiving second information from the first device, the second information being determined based on the first information of each of at least one device, the at least one device including the second device, the second information including first channel access parameters, the first channel access parameters including parameters used by a terminal device served by the second device to access the second device; and sending the first channel access parameters to the terminal device served by the second device, the first channel access parameters being used for communication between the terminal device and the second device.

[0015] Based on the above scheme, by sending the channel access information of the second device to the first device and receiving the adjusted channel access parameters of the second device determined by the first device based on the channel access information of at least one device, the probability of air interface collision can be reduced, thereby improving the communication performance of the second device.

[0016] In some implementations of the second aspect, the first information includes at least one of the following information corresponding to the second device: the identifier of the second device; a first frequency band, which includes frequency bands supported by the second device where terminal devices are accessed; load information of the first frequency band, which includes the number of terminal devices corresponding to each AC queue in at least one access category AC queue corresponding to each frequency band in the first frequency band; information of the terminal devices corresponding to each AC queue; second channel access parameters corresponding to each frequency band in the first frequency band, which includes the channel access parameters used by the current terminal device to access each frequency band; information of the first terminal device, which is stored on the second device and the first terminal device is not currently accessing the second device; and information of the second terminal device, which includes terminal devices scanned by the second device that interfere with the terminal devices serving the second device; wherein the information of the terminal device includes at least one of the following information corresponding to the terminal device: media access control address, service type, frequency band used, indication information indicating whether it is a newly launched service, signal quality, and signal modulation and coding scheme.

[0017] In some implementations of the second aspect, the first information also indicates that the second channel access parameters be adjusted.

[0018] In some implementations of the second aspect, the second information includes at least one of the following information corresponding to the second device: a second frequency band, which includes the frequency bands for which the corresponding channel access parameters need to be adjusted, and the second frequency band is included in the frequency bands supported by the second device; and the adjusted channel access parameters corresponding to each frequency band in the second frequency band.

[0019] In some implementations of the second aspect, the second information further includes at least one of the following: an identifier of the second device; first indication information indicating the retransmission of the first information; second indication information indicating the timing of the next transmission of the first information; and third indication information indicating the initialization of the channel access parameters of the terminal device corresponding to the second device.

[0020] In some implementations of the second aspect, the first channel access parameter is carried in a first field of any of the following frames: beacon, probe response frame, or association response frame.

[0021] In some implementations of the second aspect, the first field is an EDCA field and / or a multi-user (MU) EDCA field.

[0022] Thirdly, a communication device is provided. The device can be a first device or a component of the first device (e.g., a chip, circuit, or chip system). The device can have the functions described in the third aspect. For example, the device includes modules, units, or means corresponding to the operations involved in the third aspect. The modules, units, or means can be implemented by software, hardware, or a combination of software and hardware.

[0023] Specifically, the device includes: a transceiver unit, which is configured to: receive first information from each of at least one device, the first information including channel access information of a terminal device corresponding to each device; the transceiver unit is further configured to: send second information to a second device, the second device being one of the at least one devices, the second information being determined based on the first information of each device, the second information including first channel access parameters, the first channel access parameters including channel access parameters to be used by the terminal device served by the second device.

[0024] In some implementations of the third aspect, the first information may refer to the description in the first aspect.

[0025] In some implementations of the third aspect, the second information may refer to the description in the first aspect.

[0026] Fourthly, a communication device is provided. The device can be a second device or a component of the second device (e.g., a chip, circuit, or chip system). The device can have the functions described in the fourth aspect. For example, the device includes modules, units, or means corresponding to the operations involved in the fourth aspect. The modules, units, or means can be implemented by software, hardware, or a combination of software and hardware.

[0027] The device includes: a transceiver unit, configured to: send first information to a first device, the first information indicating channel access information of a terminal device corresponding to the second device; the transceiver unit is further configured to: receive second information from the first device, the second information being determined based on the first information of each of at least one device, the at least one device including the second device, the second information including first channel access parameters, the first channel access parameters including channel access parameters to be used by a terminal device served by the second device; the transceiver unit is further configured to: send the first channel access parameters to the terminal device served by the second device, the first channel access parameters being used for communication between the terminal device and the second device.

[0028] In some implementations of the fourth aspect, the first information may refer to the description of the second aspect.

[0029] In some implementations of the fourth aspect, the second information may refer to the description of the second aspect.

[0030] In some implementations of the fourth aspect, the first channel access parameter is carried in the first field of any of the following frames: beacon, probe response frame, association response frame.

[0031] In some implementations of the fourth aspect, the first field is an EDCA field and / or a MUEDCA field.

[0032] Fifthly, a communication device is provided, comprising: a memory for storing a program; and at least one processor for executing the computer program or instructions stored in the memory to perform the method provided in any of the foregoing aspects or their implementations.

[0033] In one implementation, the device is either a first device or a second device.

[0034] In another implementation, the device is a chip, chip system, or circuit for use in a first or second device.

[0035] Sixthly, a communication apparatus is provided, comprising: at least one processor and a communication interface, the at least one processor being configured to obtain a computer program or instructions stored in a memory via the communication interface to execute the method provided in any of the foregoing aspects or their implementations. The communication interface may be implemented in hardware or software.

[0036] In one implementation, the device also includes a memory.

[0037] In a seventh aspect, a processor is provided for performing the methods provided in the above aspects.

[0038] Unless otherwise specified, or if it does not contradict its actual function or internal logic in the relevant description, the transmission and acquisition / reception operations involved in the processor can be understood as processor output and reception, input and other operations, or as transmission and reception operations performed by radio frequency circuits and antennas. This application does not limit them in this regard.

[0039] Eighthly, a computer-readable storage medium is provided that stores program code for execution by a device, the program code including methods for performing any of the foregoing aspects or their implementations.

[0040] Ninthly, a computer program product containing instructions is provided, which, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform the method provided in any of the foregoing aspects or their implementations.

[0041] In a tenth aspect, a chip is provided, comprising a processor and a communication interface. The processor reads instructions stored in a memory through the communication interface and executes the method provided in any of the above aspects or their implementations. The communication interface can be implemented in hardware or software.

[0042] Optionally, as one implementation, the chip also includes a memory that stores computer programs or instructions. The processor is used to execute the computer programs or instructions stored in the memory. When the computer programs or instructions are executed, the processor is used to perform the methods provided by any of the above aspects or their implementations.

[0043] When the method provided in this application is executed by a chip, this application does not limit the specific number of chips implementing the method. For example, it can be executed by one chip, or by two or more chips. Furthermore, when the number of chips implementing the method is two or more, the chip manufacturers are not limited; they can be from the same manufacturer or different manufacturers.

[0044] In the eleventh aspect, a computer program product is provided that, when run on a computer, causes the method provided by any of the foregoing aspects or their implementations to be executed.

[0045] In a twelfth aspect, a communication system is provided, including the first device and the second device described above.

[0046] It should be understood that the beneficial effects of aspects five through twelfth and any of their implementations can be referenced in aspects one and two and any of their implementations. Attached Figure Description

[0047] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of one application scenario to which this application applies.

[0048] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a communication system to which this application applies.

[0049] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating another application scenario to which this application applies.

[0050] Figure 4 This is an example diagram illustrating the random backoff process among multiple access points (APs) based on the EDCA mechanism.

[0051] Figure 5 This is a structural diagram of an EDCA field.

[0052] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram illustrating another application scenario to which this application applies.

[0053] Figure 7This is a schematic flowchart of the communication method 700 provided in this application.

[0054] Figure 8 This is a schematic flowchart of the communication method 800 provided in this application.

[0055] Figure 9 and Figure 10 A schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0056] The technical solutions in this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0057] The embodiments of this application can be applied to wireless local area networks (WLANs), such as those supporting IEEE 802.11 related standards, including 802.11a / b / g, 802.11n, 802.11ac, 802.11ax (i.e., Wi-Fi 6, also known as the high efficient (HE) standard), 802.11be (i.e., Wi-Fi 7, also known as the extremely high throughput (EHT) standard), 802.11bn (i.e., Wi-Fi 8, also known as the ultra high reliability (UHR) standard), or next-generation Wi-Fi 8 standards, as well as 802.11ad and 802.11ay standards. The embodiments of this application can also be applied to wireless local area network systems that support integrated millimeter wave (IMMW), wireless local area network systems that support ultra-wideband (UWB) such as the 802.15 series standards, sensing systems such as the 802.11bf series standards, or wireless positioning such as 802.11az. This application can also support standard protocols such as spark link and near link.

[0058] The various aspects described in this application can be extended to other networks employing various standards or protocols, such as high-performance radio local area networks (HIPERLANs), wireless wide area networks (WWANs), wireless personal area networks (WPANs), or other networks now known or developed in the future. Therefore, regardless of the coverage area and wireless access protocol used, the various aspects provided in this application can be applied to any suitable wireless network.

[0059] The technical solutions of this application embodiment can also be applied to various communication systems, such as: WLAN communication systems, Wi-Fi systems, long term evolution (LTE) systems, LTE frequency division duplex (FDD) systems, LTE time division duplex (TDD) systems, universal mobile telecommunication system (UMTS), worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX) communication systems, 5th generation (5G) systems or new radio (NR) systems, future communication systems, Internet of Things (IoT) networks or vehicle-to-everything (V2X) networks, etc.

[0060] The technical solutions of this application embodiment can also be applied to various passive optical network (PON) systems, such as next-generation PON (NG-PON), NG-PON1, NG-PON2, gigabit-capable PON (GPON), 10 gigabit per second PON (XG-PON), 10-gigabit-capable symmetric passive optical network (XGS-PON), Ethernet PON (EPON), 10 gigabit per second EPON (10G-EPON), next-generation EPON (NG-EPON), wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) PON, time-division wavelength-division multiplexing (TWDM) PON, and point-to-point (P2P) WDM. PON (P2P-WDM PON), Asynchronous Transfer Mode PON (APON), Broadband PON (BPON), and others, including 25 gigabit per second PON (25G-PON), 50 gigabit per second PON (50G-PON), 100 gigabit per second PON (100G-PON), 25 gigabit per second EPON (25G-EPON), 50 gigabit per second EPON (50G-EPON), 100 gigabit per second EPON (100G-EPON), and other rates such as GPON and EPON. It can also be used in optical networks such as optical transport networks (OTN).

[0061] The communication systems described above that are applicable to this application are merely illustrative examples, and the communication systems applicable to this application are not limited thereto.

[0062] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an application scenario applicable to an embodiment of this application. For example... Figure 1 As shown, the communication method provided in this application is applicable to data communication between stations (STAs). A station can be an access point (AP) or a non-access point station (non-APSTA), referred to as an AP and a non-AP station, respectively. Specifically, the solution of this application is applicable to communication between an AP and one or more non-AP stations (e.g., communication between AP1 and non-AP STA1, non-AP STA2), communication between APs (e.g., communication between AP1 and AP2), and communication between non-AP STAs (e.g., data communication between non-APSTA2 and non-AP STA3). Unless otherwise specified in this application, a station (or STA) includes both non-APSTAs and APs; that is, a station (or STA) can be either a non-AP STA or an AP.

[0063] An Access Point (AP) can be a node that allows terminals (such as mobile phones) to access a wired (or wireless) network. It is primarily deployed in homes, buildings, and campuses, with a typical coverage radius of tens to hundreds of meters. Of course, it can also be deployed outdoors. An AP acts as a bridge connecting wired and wireless networks, its main function being to connect various wireless network clients together and then connect the wireless network to the Ethernet.

[0064] Specifically, an AP can be a terminal or network device with a Wi-Fi chip. This network device can be a server, router, switch, bridge, computer, mobile phone, relay station, vehicle-mounted equipment, wearable device, network equipment in 5G networks and future communication networks, network equipment in public land mobile networks (PLMNs), optical gateways, or optical terminal equipment, etc. This application embodiment is not limited to these categories. The AP can be a device that supports Wi-Fi standards. For example, the AP can also support one or more standards in the IEEE 802.11 series, such as 802.11be and 802.11be next generation.

[0065] Non-AP sites can be wireless communication chips, wireless sensors, or wireless communication terminals, and can also be referred to as users, user equipment (UE), access terminals, user units, user stations, mobile stations, mobile stations, remote stations, remote terminals, mobile devices, user terminals, terminals, wireless communication equipment, user agents, or user devices. Non-AP sites can be cellular phones, cordless phones, session initiation protocol (SIP) phones, wireless local loop (WLL) stations, personal digital assistants (PDAs), handheld devices with wireless communication capabilities, computing devices or other processing devices connected to a wireless modem, in-vehicle devices, IoT devices, wearable devices, terminal devices in 5G networks, terminal devices in future communication systems, or terminal devices in PLMNs, etc., and this application embodiment is not limited to these. Non-AP sites can be devices that support WLAN standards. For example, non-AP sites can support one or more standards in the IEEE 802.11 series, such as 802.11be and 802.11be next generation.

[0066] For example, non-AP sites can be mobile phones, tablets, set-top boxes, smart TVs, smart wearable devices, vehicle communication devices, computers, Internet of Things (IoT) nodes, sensors, smart home devices such as smart cameras, smart remote controls, smart water and electricity meters, and sensors in smart cities.

[0067] The aforementioned AP or non-AP sites may include transmitters, receivers, memory, processors, etc., wherein the transmitter and receiver are used for transmitting and receiving packet structures, respectively, the memory is used for storing signaling information and pre-agreed preset values, etc., and the processor is used for parsing signaling information and processing related data, etc.

[0068] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a system architecture for fiber to the home or office (FTTH / O) applicable to embodiments of this application.

[0069] like Figure 2As shown, an optical line terminal (OLT) connects to upper-layer network-side devices (such as switches and routers) and lower-layer devices (such as optical distribution networks, ODNs). An ODN includes passive optical splitters for optical power distribution, a backbone fiber connecting the passive optical splitter and the OLT, and branch fibers connecting the passive optical splitter and ONUs. When transmitting downlink signals, the downlink signal sent by the OLT is transmitted to each ONT through the splitter, and the ONT selectively receives downlink data belonging to itself from the downlink signal. When transmitting uplink signals, the uplink signals sent by N ONTs are combined into a single optical signal by the splitter and transmitted to the OLT. An optical network unit (ONU) provides a user-side interface to the ODN and is connected to the ODN. If the ONU also provides user port functionality, such as an Ethernet user port or a plain old telephone service (POTS) user port, it is called an optical network termination (ONT).

[0070] Building upon FTTH / O, to address the issue of home Wi-Fi coverage, fiber optic cables can be extended further into residents' rooms. Optical terminal equipment providing Wi-Fi access is installed inside the rooms, thus reducing the distance between the user's terminal and the Wi-Fi access point and improving signal quality. This application scenario is called Fiber to the Room (FTTR).

[0071] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the system architecture of FTTR applicable to embodiments of this application.

[0072] like Figure 3 As shown, in FTTH / O, the OLT is deployed in the central equipment room, while the ONT is deployed in homes or offices. In the FTTR network, the master device acts as both the ONT in the FTTH network and the upstream device for the FTTR slave devices, managing them. The master device can also function as a wireless access point (AP). Slave devices in FTTR can be deployed in various rooms of homes or offices to provide signal to user terminals. The slave devices possess both ONT and wireless AP functions.

[0073] Multiple slave devices can be deployed in an FTTR system, each connected to the master device via an optical splitter. The master device can centrally manage and configure all slave devices. The master device can also be called a "master gateway," "master optical modem," or "master FTTR unit (MFU)," while slave devices can be called "slave gateways," "slave optical modems," or "slave FTTR units (SFU)," etc.

[0074] To facilitate understanding of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, some terms or concepts that may be involved in the embodiments of this application will be briefly described first.

[0075] 1. Distributed Coordination Function (DCF): WLANs typically operate on unlicensed spectrum, requiring multiple stations to share the same channel. To resolve channel access conflicts between multiple stations, a random backoff mechanism is introduced. DCF is one type of random backoff mechanism. Before sending a data frame or management frame, a station needs to invoke the carrier sensing (CS) mechanism to determine whether the channel is idle or busy. When the channel is busy, the station needs to postpone channel access for a specific period of time.

[0076] For example, the specific time is divided into two cases: when a frame is detected but not successfully received, the specific time is the extended interframe space (EIFS); in other cases (e.g., no frame is detected, or a frame is detected and successfully received), the specific time is the distributed interframe space (DIFS).

[0077] For example, the durations of DIFS and EIFS are as follows:

[0078] DIFS=aSIFSTime+2*aSlotTime;

[0079] EIFS=aSIFSTime+AckTxTime+DIFS.

[0080] Where aSlotTime represents the length of a time slot, typically 9 microseconds (µs); aSIFSTime represents the length of the short interframe space (SIFS), typically 16 µs. It should be understood that aSIFSTime and aSlotTime may have other values ​​depending on the spectrum and protocol; this application does not limit the specific values ​​of aSIFSTime and aSlotTime. AckTxTime is the transmission duration of the acknowledgment (Ack) frame.

[0081] After waiting for the channel idle time (DIFS or EIFS), the station must backoff before sending a data frame or management frame. For ease of description, the following explanation will use DIFS as an example.

[0082] For example, the DCF mechanism is implemented by a station as follows: the station randomly selects a backoff number from the window [0, contention window (CW)] as a counter value. After waiting for the channel to be idle for the duration of DIFS, the station decrements the counter value by 1 for each consecutive aSlotTime period of idle time. When the counter value reaches 0, the station sends a data frame or a management frame. The initial value of CW is the minimum contention window (CWmin).

[0083] If a station successfully sends a data frame or management frame, it can reset the CW to the minimum contention window (CWmin). The counter value will be randomly selected from [0, CWmin] when the station engages in channel contention next time.

[0084] If a station fails to send a data frame or management frame, a retransmission is required. The counter value (CW) increases with each retransmission until it reaches its maximum value, CWmax. For example, the CW for the first retransmission is set to 2*CW+1, meaning that the counter value will be randomly selected from [0, 2*CW+1] when the station next engages in channel contention.

[0085] If a site experiences consecutive transmission failures, the contention window (CW) can be set to the maximum contention window (CWmax). The CW can remain at CWmax until a successful transmission occurs, after which the CW can be set to CWmin.

[0086] As can be seen from the above, in scenarios where multiple sites share the same channel, channel access conflicts can be avoided through the DCF mechanism.

[0087] 2. Enhanced Distributed Channel Access (EDCA)

[0088] 802.11e introduced the concept of EDCA, which can be understood as a channel access mechanism derived from DCF. In the DCF mechanism, each site corresponds to a contention queue, meaning that the data to be transmitted by that site is buffered in the same queue. In the EDCA mechanism, a site can support four access categories (ACs) to distinguish services of different priorities. Each access category maintains an independent set of channel contention parameters (also called access parameters). The priorities of the four different ACs, from highest to lowest, are: voice access category (AC_voice, AC_VO), video access category (AC_video, AC_VI), best effort access category (AC_best effort, AC_BE), and background information access category (AC_background, AC_BK). Services of different priorities each maintain a queue (AC queue), and each AC queue has a function (EDCA access function, EDCAF) responsible for competing for the air interface for the data frames (e.g., MAC protocol data units, MPDUs) of that AC queue. The mapping relationship between priorities and AC queues defined in the standard is shown in Table 1.

[0089] Table 1

[0090]

[0091]

[0092] Furthermore, in the EDCA mechanism, the random backoff process corresponding to each AC no longer waits for the DIFS duration, but instead waits for the Arbitration Interframe Space (AIFS) duration. The AIFS is calculated as follows:

[0093] AIFS[AC]=aSIFSTime+AIFSN[AC]*aSlotTime.

[0094] The meanings of aSlotTime and aSIFSTime are explained above.

[0095] Figure 4 This diagram illustrates an example of a random backoff process performed between multiple access points (an example of WiFi devices) based on the EDCA mechanism.

[0096] like Figure 4 As shown, initially, AP1 sends a data frame, while AP2, AP3, and AP4 all delay sending their data frames. After AP1 finishes sending its data frame (i.e., the channel becomes idle), AP2, AP3, and AP4 remain idle for a period of time (e.g., AIFS) before initiating a random backoff process. At time #1, AP3 completes the random backoff process first, sends a data frame, and AP2 and AP4 freeze the remaining backoff time, as shown... Figure 4 As shown in the shaded area. When AP3 sends a data frame, AP5 delays sending its own data frame. After AP3 finishes sending its data frame (i.e., the channel becomes idle), AP2, AP4, and AP5 remain idle for a period of time before initiating a random backoff process. At time #2, AP4 completes the random backoff process first, sends its data frame, and AP2 and AP5 freeze the remaining backoff time, as shown in the image. Figure 4 The shaded area is shown in the diagram. Similarly, at time #3, AP5 completes the random backoff process and sends a data frame. At time #4, AP2 completes the random backoff process and sends a data frame.

[0097] In the EDCA mechanism, different ACs correspond to different EDCA parameter sets. The EDCA parameter set includes the parameter set for channel access corresponding to each AC. Parameters in the EDCA parameter set include CWmin, CWmax, the arbitration interframe spacing number (AIFSN) (used to determine AIFS), and the transmission opportunity (TXOP) limit, i.e., the maximum number of transmission opportunities. Table 2 shows an example of parameter values ​​in the (default) EDCA parameter set corresponding to a different AC.

[0098] Table 2

[0099] AC CWmin CWmax AIFSN TXOP limit AC_BK 31 1023 7 0 AC_BE 31 1023 3 0 AC_VI 15 31 2 3.008ms AC_VO 7 15 2 1.504ms legacy 15 1023 2 0

[0100] As can be seen from Table 2, there are different Arbitration Inter-Frame Number (AIFSN) and CW settings for different service types (such as voice, video, etc.). These settings can enable high-priority services to obtain the channel more quickly, thereby reducing latency and improving service quality.

[0101] For example, EDCA parameters can be sent by the AP to the users served by the AP. For instance, EDCA parameters are carried in the "EDCA Parameter Set" and "Multiple User (MU) EDCA Parameter Set" fields of beacon or probe response frames sent by the AP. Typically, these parameters are specified by the AP, and the AP adjusts the EDCA parameters as time or channel conditions change (the protocol specifies that the AP should adjust the EDCA parameters as little as possible).

[0102] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of an Enhanced Distributed Channel Access Parameter Set element (EDCA Parameter Setelement) field is shown. Figure 5 As shown, this EDCA Parameter Set element includes an element identifier, length, quality of service (QoS) information, updated EDCA information, AC-BE parameter record, AC-BK parameter record, AC-VI parameter record, and AC-VO parameter record. For example, the AC-BE parameter record includes the AC queue index (ACI) / AIFSN, minimum / maximum contention window size (ECWmin / ECWmax), and TXOP limit; ACI / AIFSN includes AIFSN. The number of bytes or bits occupied by each field is as follows... Figure 5 As shown below. The following is a description of some of the fields.

[0103] (1) ACI: Represents the index of the AC queue. The correspondence between ACI and AC is shown in Table 3 for example:

[0104] Table 3

[0105]

[0106]

[0107] (2) Mandatory Admission Control (ACM): This field indicates whether admission control needs to be enabled for the AC. For example, this field is a 1-bit information field. When the 1-bit is "0", it means that admission control does not need to be enabled for the AC. When the 1-bit is "1", it means that admission control is used for the AC before contention for the channel.

[0108] (3) ECWmin & ECWmax: Used to determine the size of the competition window. For example, ECWmin = 2 ECWmin -1; CWmax = 2 ECWmax -1.

[0109] (4) TXOP limit: An integer representing the length of TXOP as n*32us.

[0110] During the EDCA parameter update process, both the AP and STA maintain a timer to track the number of EDCA parameter updates. When sending a beacon, the AP includes a field in the QoS Info (EDCAParameter Set Update CountValue) indicating the number of EDCA parameter set updates (initialized to 0, incremented by 1 after any AC-related parameter change). When the STA receives a beacon, if it finds that the parameter in the beacon is inconsistent with the locally recorded parameter, the STA can also send a probe request frame to the AP to request the latest EDCA parameters. The default EDCA parameters are shown in Table 2.

[0111] In FTTR networking scenarios, each SFU can independently manage the EDCA parameters of access users, enabling adjustments to user channel access capabilities within the SFU's service area. When users served by multiple SFUs share radio frequency interface resources in the same spatial range, multiple users may compete for these resources according to protocols, potentially causing air interface collisions and interference when users transmit data. For example, ... Figure 6 In the scenario shown, SFU1 controls the EDCA parameters of user equipment (UE) 1 and UE2, while SFU2 controls the EDCA parameters of UE3. The uplink data transmission of UE2 may interfere with the uplink data transmission of UE3, potentially hindering normal communication between UE3 and SFU2, resulting in significant fluctuations in throughput and latency, and impacting the service experience.

[0112] In view of this, this application proposes a communication method and a communication device that can effectively reduce the probability of air interface collisions and improve communication performance by adjusting the EDCA parameters of access users independently managed by the SFU.

[0113] To facilitate understanding of the embodiments of this application, the following points are provided.

[0114] First, the terms "first," "second," and various numerical designations (e.g., "#1," "#2," etc.) shown in this application are for descriptive convenience and to distinguish objects, and are not intended to limit the scope of the embodiments of this application. For example, they are used to distinguish different devices, etc., and are not used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such described objects can be interchanged where appropriate to describe solutions other than those in the embodiments of this application.

[0115] Second, in the embodiments of this application, the terms "of", "corresponding (relevant)", "corresponding" and "associate" can sometimes be used interchangeably. It should be noted that when their differences are not emphasized, their intended meanings are consistent.

[0116] It should be understood that the embodiments shown below illustrate the method by using a first device and at least one device (such as a second device) as the executing entities for interaction. However, this application does not limit the executing entities; any program capable of running the code of the method provided in the embodiments of this application can communicate according to the method provided in the embodiments of this application. The executing entity of the method provided in the embodiments of this application can be a first device, a second device, or a functional module in the first or second device capable of calling and executing a program. For example, Figure 7 The first device in the process can also be a chip, chip system, or processor that supports the methods that the first device can implement, or it can be a logic module or software that can implement all or part of the functions of the first device. Figure 7 The second device can also be a chip, chip system, or processor that supports the methods that the second device can implement, or it can be a logic module or software that can implement all or part of the functions of the second device.

[0117] Figure 7 This is a schematic flowchart of a communication method 700 provided in this application. Figure 7 As shown, the method includes the following steps.

[0118] S710, each of the at least one device sends first information to the first device. Accordingly, the first device receives the first information.

[0119] The first information may include channel access information of the terminal device corresponding to each device. The at least one device includes a second device, which will be used as an example of the at least one device below.

[0120] As an example, the first device and the second device are different access points (APs), and the terminal device corresponding to the second device can be a non-AP STA.

[0121] As another example, the first device is an FTTR master device, such as an MFU in an FTTR network; the second device is an FTTR slave device, such as an SFU in an FTTR network, and the terminal device corresponding to the second device can be a terminal device in an FTTR network.

[0122] Optionally, the first device is a third-party device, for example, a controller for adjusting channel access information (such as EDCA parameter sets).

[0123] For example, the first information indicates at least one of the following information corresponding to the second device:

[0124] (1) First frequency band

[0125] The first frequency band includes the frequency bands supported by the second device that are accessible to terminal devices. The first frequency band can be understood as the operating frequency band of the second device.

[0126] The phrase "terminal devices are accessing the frequency band" can also be understood as: terminal devices are online on the frequency band, or the frequency band is used for communication between a second device and a terminal device.

[0127] For example, if the second device supports frequency band #1 and frequency band #2, and frequency band #1 is used for communication between the second device and terminal device #1, and no terminal device is online on frequency band #2, then the first information can indicate frequency band #1.

[0128] This application does not limit the frequency band supported by the second device, for example, the frequency band is 2.4GHz, 5GHz or 6GHz.

[0129] It should be understood that the term "band" mentioned in this application can also be replaced with "frequency band", "frequency point", or "spectrum" without limitation.

[0130] (2) Load information of the first frequency band

[0131] The load information of the first frequency band may include the number of terminal devices corresponding to each AC queue in at least one access class AC queue for each frequency band in the first frequency band. The load information of the first frequency band can also be understood as the QoS distribution of the second device, that is, the QoS distribution of services belonging to different ACs in the second device.

[0132] For example, the first frequency band includes frequency band #1, and the AC queues corresponding to frequency band #1 include AC_BE queue, AC_BK queue, AC_VI queue and AC_VO queue. Then the first information may include the number of terminal devices corresponding to each of the four AC queues.

[0133] In this context, the terminal device corresponding to the AC queue can be understood as the terminal device transmitting service data belonging to the AC to the second device.

[0134] (3) Information of the terminal devices corresponding to each AC queue

[0135] The information of the terminal device may include at least one of the following: the identifier of the terminal device, such as the physical address of the terminal device (e.g., media access control address), the service type of the terminal device, the frequency band used by the terminal device, indication information indicating whether it is a new online (or new access) connection, and the communication quality of the terminal device.

[0136] This application does not limit the identifier of the terminal device. The identifier of the terminal device can also be other identifiers used to address the terminal device, such as the identifier of the terminal device defined by the network.

[0137] The service type of a terminal device can be represented by different ACs, or in other words, different service types of a terminal device correspond to different ACs. The service type can be referred to in the "AC" column of Table 1.

[0138] The frequency band used by the terminal device can be one of the frequency bands in the first frequency band. The frequency band used by the terminal device can also be understood as the frequency band in which the terminal device communicates with the second device.

[0139] Whether a terminal device is a newly connected terminal device can be determined by the second device. For example, the second device can maintain a list of terminal devices (denoted as terminal device list #1). Terminal device list #1 can be a list of terminal devices served by the second device, and it can include terminal devices currently connected to the second device, as well as terminal devices that have connected to the second device within a preset time period. Taking terminal device #1 as an example, if it is determined that terminal device #1 is connected to the second device and is not included in terminal device list #1, the second device determines that terminal device #1 is a newly connected terminal device; if it is determined that terminal device #1 is connected to the second device and is included in terminal device list #1, the second device determines that terminal device #1 is not a newly connected device.

[0140] For example, the indication information indicating whether a terminal device is newly launched can be a 1-bit information. When the 1 bit is "1", it indicates that the terminal device is a newly launched terminal device; when the 1 bit is "0", it indicates that the terminal device is not a newly launched terminal device.

[0141] The communication quality of a terminal device can be measured by at least one of the following information: modulation coding scheme (MCS), channel bandwidth for communication, retransmission rate, bit error rate, etc. No specific information is limited to measure the communication quality of the terminal device.

[0142] (4) Second channel access parameters corresponding to each frequency band in the first frequency band

[0143] The second channel access parameter includes the channel access parameters used by the current terminal device to access each frequency band. Taking the channel access parameter as an EDCA parameter set as an example, the second channel access parameter can include the EDCA parameters currently used by the terminal device when communicating with the second device on each frequency band. The EDCA parameter set can be configured by the second device, for example, through the EDCA Parameter Set element field and / or the MU EDCA Parameter Set element field.

[0144] (5) Information of the first terminal device

[0145] For example, the first terminal device may be a terminal device that has previously been connected to the second device, but is not currently connected to the second device. The first terminal device can be understood as a terminal device that has been disconnected.

[0146] The information of the first terminal device may include at least one of the following: the identifier of the first terminal device, such as the MAC address of the first terminal device, the service type corresponding to the first terminal device, the frequency band used by the first terminal device, the time when the first terminal device went offline, and the reason for the offline.

[0147] For example, the first terminal device is included in terminal device list #2. Terminal device list #2 can be a list of offline terminal devices maintained by the second device. This list may include the terminal device's MAC address, offline time, and reason for offline status (such as overload, signal interference, or absence from online status within a preset time period). Taking terminal device #2 as an example, when a new terminal device is connected to the second device, it can be maintained in terminal device list #1. If terminal device #2 is offline within a preset time period, the second device can remove terminal device #2 from terminal device list #1 and record terminal device #2 in terminal device list #2. The offline time recorded by the second device in terminal device list #2 can be the moment the second device removes terminal device #2, and the reason for offline status can be absence from online status within a preset time period.

[0148] (6) Information of the second terminal device

[0149] For example, the second terminal device is an interfering terminal device, that is, a terminal device that the second device scans and that interferes with the terminal devices serving the second device.

[0150] The information of the second terminal device may include at least one of the following: the identifier of the second terminal device, the service type of the second terminal device, the frequency band used by the second terminal device, the signal quality of the second terminal device, and the modulation and coding method of the signal.

[0151] The signal quality of a terminal device can be measured by at least one of the following parameters: signal energy, signal amplitude, signal power, signal interference intensity, signal interference threshold, or signal-to-noise ratio, without specifying the exact parameter for measuring signal quality. For example, the signal quality of a second terminal device can be characterized by received signal strength indication (RSSI) and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR); different modulation and coding schemes of the second terminal device's signal correspond to different modulation orders and coding rates.

[0152] Optionally, the first information may also indicate that the second channel access parameters should be adjusted. This application does not limit the specific manner in which the first information indicates the adjustment of the second channel access parameters. For example, the first information may implicitly indicate the adjustment of the second channel access parameters by carrying at least one of the information shown in (1)-(6) above; or, for another example, the first information may explicitly indicate the adjustment of the second channel access parameters by carrying indication information #1 for adjusting the second channel access parameters. Adjusting the second channel access parameters means adjusting the channel access parameters used by the terminal device currently served by the second device. The first information carrying indication information #1 may also be carried when the second device restarts or experiences a communication anomaly. Optionally, the indication information #1 may also indicate the reason for the adjustment (e.g., restart, communication anomaly).

[0153] Optionally, the aforementioned first information corresponds to the identifier of the second device, or in other words, the first information also includes the identifier of the second device. The identifier of the second device can be used by the first device to address the second device. There is no specific limitation on the identifier of the second device; for example, the identifier of the second device can be the MAC address of the second device, the identifier of the second device defined in the network, etc. The identifier of the second device is optional information. For example, without carrying the identifier of the second device, the first device can determine the second device through the MAC address used for communication with the second device, that is, the first device can know the MAC address of the second device; or, for another example, the first device can determine the second device through the time-domain resources used for communication with the second device.

[0154] It is understood that the above first information is illustrated using the first information corresponding to the second device as an example. The first information sent by each of the at least one device to the first device is similar to the first information sent by the second device to the first device. For example, the part involving "second device" in the above first information can be replaced with "each device", and the first information corresponding to each device will not be described again.

[0155] This application does not limit the specific method by which the second device sends the first information to the first device. For example, if the first device and the second device operate on the same channel, the second device can send the first information to the first device on that channel; or, for another example, the second device can send the first information to the first device through a wired channel (such as the Wi-Fi management and control interface (WMCC) in a PON).

[0156] It is understood that the way each of the at least one device sends its corresponding first information to the first device is similar to the way the second device sends its corresponding first information to the first device. It is also understood that the timing at which each of the at least one device sends the first information to the first device may differ; for example, each device may send the first information to the first device on different time-domain resources corresponding to its communication with the first device.

[0157] It should be understood that in this application, "channel" can refer to a path used for transmitting signals. Frequency band and bandwidth (or frequency range) can be used to describe a channel; for example, frequency band and bandwidth can together determine the frequency range of signals transmitted on the channel.

[0158] S720, the first device sends second information to the second device. Accordingly, the second device receives the second information.

[0159] The second information may include first channel access parameters. These first channel access parameters include the channel access parameters used by the terminal device served by the second device to communicate with the second device, or in other words, the first channel access parameters include the channel access parameters to be used by the terminal device served by the second device, or in other words, the first channel access parameters include adjusted channel access parameters used for subsequent communication between the terminal device served by the second device and the second device. The "adjusted channel access parameters" may be relative to the second channel access parameters corresponding to the terminal device served by the second device, as described in S710.

[0160] The second information is determined based on the first information of each device, that is, the first device can adjust the channel access parameters used by the terminal device served by the second device when communicating with the second device in the future, based on the first information sent by at least one device.

[0161] For example, the second information includes at least one of the following: a second frequency band, which includes the frequency bands whose channel access parameters need to be adjusted in the frequency bands supported by the second device, and the adjusted channel access parameters (i.e., the first channel access parameters corresponding to each frequency band) in the second frequency band.

[0162] This application does not limit the specific method by which the first device determines the first channel access parameters corresponding to the second device. The following explanation uses the EDCA parameter set as an example for the channel access parameters.

[0163] For example, at least one device includes a second device and a device #1. The first device can determine the adjusted EDCA parameter set corresponding to the second device based on the load information of the first frequency band corresponding to the second device and the load information of the first frequency band corresponding to the device #1. For example, if the first frequency band includes frequency band #1, and the number of terminal devices corresponding to the second device in the high-priority AC queue of frequency band #1 is greater than the threshold #1, and the number of terminal devices corresponding to the device #1 in the high-priority AC queue of frequency band #1 is less than the threshold #1, then the first device can reduce the value of CW in the EDCA parameter set corresponding to the second device.

[0164] For example, the first device can determine the adjusted EDCA parameter set corresponding to the second device based on the information of the first terminal device corresponding to the second device and the load information of the first frequency band corresponding to device #1. For example, if the frequency band used by the first terminal device includes frequency band #1, the first frequency band includes frequency band #1, the number of terminal devices corresponding to device #1 in the high priority AC queue of frequency band #1 is less than the threshold, and the number of first terminal devices is greater than the threshold #2, then the first device can reduce the value of CW in the EDCA parameter set corresponding to the second device.

[0165] For example, the first device can determine the adjusted EDCA parameter set corresponding to the second device based on the information of the second terminal device corresponding to the second device, the load information of the first frequency band corresponding to the second device, the load information of the first frequency band corresponding to device #1, and the second channel access parameters corresponding to device #1. For example, if the first frequency band includes frequency band #1, the number of terminal devices corresponding to device #1 in the high-priority AC queue of frequency band #1 is less than the threshold #1, the number of terminal devices corresponding to the second device in the high-priority AC queue of frequency band #1 is greater than the threshold #1, and the value of CW corresponding to the high-priority AC of device #1 in frequency band #1 is close to the value of CW corresponding to the high-priority AC of the second device in frequency band #1, then the first device can reduce the value of CW in the EDCA parameter set corresponding to the second device.

[0166] It should be understood that the above thresholds can be set in the device, and no specific limit is made on the value of the threshold.

[0167] It should also be understood that this application does not limit the specific values ​​of the parameters in the EDCA parameter set, which can be determined according to actual needs.

[0168] Optionally, the second information may further include first indication information, which indicates that the first information may be retransmitted. For example, if some information is missing in the first information reported by the second device, the first information may include the first indication information. The second information may also include second indication information, which indicates the timing of the next transmission of the first information; and the second information may include third indication information, which indicates the initialization of channel access parameters.

[0169] Optionally, the first device sends second information corresponding to the at least one device to the at least one device. The second information corresponding to the at least one device can be referred to the second information corresponding to the second device, and will not be described again. This application does not limit the specific method by which the first device sends the second information. For example, the first device may send the second information to the at least one device in a broadcast manner, and the at least one device may receive the second information on the time domain resources corresponding to the at least one device. Alternatively, the first device may send the second information to the at least one device through a wired channel (e.g., WMCC).

[0170] S730, the second device sends the first channel access parameter to the terminal device served by the second device. Accordingly, the terminal device receives the first channel access parameter.

[0171] The first channel access parameter can be used for subsequent communication between the terminal device served by the second device and the second device. For example, the terminal device served by the second device can be a terminal device in a list of terminal devices maintained by the second device, such as terminal devices that are online and / or terminal devices whose offline time is less than a preset duration. Alternatively, the terminal device served by the second device can be a terminal device authenticated by the second device; there is no specific limitation on the terminal device served by the second device.

[0172] For example, the first channel access parameter may be carried in the following frames: beacon, probe response frame, and associated response frame.

[0173] Specifically, the first channel parameter may carry the first field from the above frames, which is the EDCA field (EDCA Parameter Set element) and / or the MU EDCA field (MU EDCA Parameter Set element). It can be understood that MU EDCA is applicable to WiFi 6 and above.

[0174] Optionally, the method further includes: a first device adjusting the channel access parameters of a terminal device served by the first device based on first information sent by the at least one device; the first device sending the adjusted channel access parameters to the terminal device served by the first device, wherein the adjusted channel access parameters can be used for communication between the terminal device served by the first device and the first device. The specific method by which the first device adjusts the channel access parameters can refer to the method described above for the first device determining the second information of the second device; the specific method by which the first device sends the adjusted channel access parameters to the terminal device served by the first device is also described above, and the method by which the second device sends the first channel access parameters to the terminal device served by the second device will not be repeated here.

[0175] Based on the above scheme, the first device adjusts the parameter set for channel access corresponding to at least one device in the network based on the channel access information of at least one device, which can reduce the probability of air interface collision, thereby reducing data transmission latency and improving communication performance.

[0176] Figure 8 This is a schematic flowchart of a communication method 800 provided in this application. Method 800 is illustrated using the example of a first device being an MFU, a second device being an SFU#1, and a third device being an SFU#2. Method 800 can be considered a specific implementation of method 700.

[0177] like Figure 8 As shown, the method 800 includes the following steps.

[0178] S801, MFU, SFU#1 and SFU#2 are online.

[0179] Optionally, this step also includes bringing the terminal devices for SFU#1 service online and the terminal devices for SFU#2 service online.

[0180] Authentication is performed between S802, MFU, SFU#1, and SFU#2.

[0181] This involves mutual authentication between the MFU, SFU#1, and SFU#2 to determine if they are trusted devices. Optionally, the SFU authenticates with the terminal devices accessing that SFU. Specific methods for device authentication can be found in existing descriptions.

[0182] S803, MFU, SFU#1 and SFU#2 negotiate equipment capability parameters.

[0183] For example, the device capability parameter negotiation includes the negotiation of device capability parameters between MFU, SFU#1 and SFU#2, as well as the negotiation of device capability parameters between SFU and terminal device.

[0184] For example, the device's capability parameters include the version number of the supported WiFi protocol, the number of supported frequency bands and / or frequency bands, and the supported channel bandwidth.

[0185] S804, SFU#1 sends the channel access information #1 corresponding to SFU#1 (an example of the first information) to MFU.

[0186] For example, the channel access information #1 is shown in the table. The fields included in Table 1, as well as the length and values ​​of each field, are for illustrative purposes only. For a detailed explanation of each field, please refer to the description above.

[0187] Table 4

[0188]

[0189] In Table 4, "SFU#1 Number" is an example of the identifier for SFU#1, used to uniquely identify SFU#1. Refer to the description of the second device identifier above for details. "Operating Frequency Band" is an example of the first frequency band, which can be found in the description of the first frequency band in S710. "QoS Distribution" is an example of the load information for the first frequency band, which can be found in the description in S710. "Information of Terminal Device 1" to "Information of Terminal Device N" can be found in the terminal device information in S710. "Disconnected Terminal Device" refers to the description of the first terminal device above, and "SFU#1 Interference Information" refers to the description of the second terminal device above. The "Request for Control" field refers to the description of indication information #1 above, and "Communication Quality" refers to the description of the terminal device's communication quality in S710.

[0190] It should be understood that there is no limitation on the specific fields included in Channel Access Information #1. Channel Access Information #1 may include some or all of the fields corresponding to the rows in Table 4.

[0191] S805, SFU#2 sends the channel access information #2 corresponding to SFU#2 (i.e., an example of the first information corresponding to SFU#2) to MFU.

[0192] The specific information included in the above channel access information #2 can be found in Table 4. For example, the part of SFU#1 in Table 4 can be replaced with SFU#2.

[0193] S806, the MFU adjusts the channel access parameters corresponding to SFU#1 and / or SFU#2 according to channel access information #1 and channel access information #2.

[0194] For specific control strategies, please refer to the description in S720.

[0195] Taking the adjustment of channel access parameters of SFU#1 and SFU#2 by MFU as an example, the method also includes:

[0196] S807a, MFU sends the adjusted EDCA parameter set to SFU#1.

[0197] The channel access information carrying the adjusted EDCA parameter set sent by the MFU to SFU#1 can be shown in Table 5. The fields included in Table 5, as well as the length and values ​​of each field, are for illustrative purposes only. For a detailed explanation of each field, please refer to the description above.

[0198] Table 5

[0199]

[0200] In Table 5, the “operating frequency band” can be referred to in the description of the second frequency band in S720; the “EDCA field” and / or “MUEDCA field” include the adjusted channel access parameters (an example of the first channel access parameters); the “re-reporting”, “next report” and “initialization” fields can be referred to in the description of the first indication information, the second indication information and the third indication information in S720 respectively.

[0201] S807b, MFU indicates the adjusted EDCA parameter set to SFU#2.

[0202] S808a, SFU#1 sends the EDCA parameter control results to MFU.

[0203] S808b, SFU#2 sends the EDCA parameter adjustment results to MFU.

[0204] The EDCA parameter adjustment result indicates whether the SFU successfully sent the adjusted EDCA parameters to the terminal device being served. This EDCA parameter adjustment result can be used by the MFU to determine whether to initiate the next round of EDCA parameter adjustments. For example, if both SFU#1 and SFU#2 indicate successful transmission of the adjusted EDCA parameters, the MFU can initiate the next round of EDCA parameter adjustments for SFU#1 and / or SFU#2.

[0205] It should be understood that Method 800 is illustrated using MFU as the first device, but the first device can also be a third-party device, and this application does not limit it.

[0206] The above, combined with Figures 1 to 8 The methods provided in the embodiments of this application are described in detail below. Figure 9 and Figure 10The apparatus provided in the embodiments of this application is described in detail. It should be understood that the description of the apparatus embodiments corresponds to the description of the method embodiments. Therefore, for content not described in detail, please refer to the method embodiments above. For the sake of brevity, it will not be repeated here.

[0207] Figure 9 and Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of a communication device provided in the embodiments of this application. These communication devices can be used to implement the functions of the first or second device in the above method embodiments, and therefore can also achieve the beneficial effects of the above method embodiments. The communication device can be the first or second device, or it can be a module (such as a chip) applied to the first or second device.

[0208] like Figure 9 As shown, the communication device 1000 includes a transceiver unit 1020, and optionally, the communication device 1000 includes a processing unit 1010. The communication device 1000 is used to implement the above-mentioned... Figure 7 The method embodiment shown illustrates the function of the first device.

[0209] When the communication device 1000 is used to implement Figure 7 In the method embodiment shown, the first device functions as follows: the transceiver unit 1020 is used to: receive first information from each of the at least one device, the first information including channel access information of the terminal device corresponding to each device; the transceiver unit is also used to: send second information to a second device, the second device being one of the at least one devices, the second information being determined based on the first information of each device, the second information including first channel access parameters, the first channel access parameters including parameters to be used by the terminal device served by the second device.

[0210] When the communication device 1000 is used to implement Figure 7 In the method embodiment shown, when the second device functions, the transceiver unit 1020 is used to: send first information to the first device, the first information indicating channel access information of the terminal device corresponding to the second device; the transceiver unit 1020 is also used to: receive second information from the first device, the second information being determined based on the first information of each of at least one device, the at least one device including the second device, the second information including first channel access parameters, the first channel access parameters including channel access parameters to be used by the terminal device served by the second device; the transceiver unit 1020 is also used to: send the first channel access parameters to the terminal device served by the second device, the first channel access parameters being used for communication between the terminal device and the second device.

[0211] For a detailed description of the functions performed by the processing unit 1010 and the transceiver unit 1020, please refer to [reference needed]. Figure 7 The relevant description is shown in method 700.

[0212] like Figure 10 As shown, the communication device 2000 includes a processor 2010 and an interface circuit 2020. The processor 2010 and the interface circuit 2020 are coupled to each other. It is understood that the interface circuit 2020 can be a transceiver or an input / output interface. The communication device 2000 may also include a memory 2030. The memory 2030 is used to store instructions executed by the processor 2010, or to store input data required by the processor 2010 to execute instructions, or to store data generated after the processor 2010 executes instructions. Sometimes, the interface circuit 2020 can also be understood as part of the processor 2010, in which case the communication device 2000 includes the processor 2010.

[0213] When the communication device 2000 is used to achieve Figure 7 In the method shown, the processor 2010 is used to implement the functions of the processing unit 1010, and the interface circuit 2020 is used to implement the functions of the transceiver unit 1020.

[0214] When the aforementioned communication device is a chip applied to the first device, the chip implements the functions of the first device in the above method embodiments. The chip receiving information from other devices can be understood as the information being first received by other modules (such as an RF module or antenna) in the first device, and then sent to the chip by these modules. The chip sending information to other devices can be understood as the information being first sent to other modules (such as an RF module or antenna) in the first device, and then sent to the other devices by these modules.

[0215] When the aforementioned communication device is a chip applied to the second device, the chip implements the functions of the second device in the above method embodiments. The chip receives information from other devices, which can be understood as the information being first received by other modules (such as an RF module or antenna) in the second device, and then sent to the chip by these modules. The chip sends information to other devices, which can be understood as the information being first sent to other modules (such as an RF module or antenna) in the second device, and then sent to the other devices by these modules.

[0216] It is understood that the processor in the embodiments of this application may be a central processing unit (CPU), or other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or other programmable logic devices, transistor logic devices, hardware components, or any combination thereof. A general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor or any conventional processor.

[0217] The method steps in the embodiments of this application can be implemented in hardware or in software instructions executable by a processor. The software instructions can consist of corresponding software modules, which can be stored in random access memory, flash memory, read-only memory, programmable read-only memory, erasable programmable read-only memory, electrically erasable programmable read-only memory, registers, hard disks, portable hard disks, CD-ROMs, or any other form of storage medium known in the art. An exemplary storage medium is coupled to a processor, enabling the processor to read information from and write information to the storage medium. The storage medium can also be a component of the processor. The processor and storage medium can reside in an ASIC. Alternatively, the ASIC can reside in a base station or terminal. The processor and storage medium can also exist as discrete components in a base station or terminal.

[0218] In the above embodiments, implementation can be achieved entirely or partially through software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented using software, it can be implemented entirely or partially in the form of a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer programs or instructions. When the computer program or instructions are loaded and executed on a computer, the processes or functions described in the embodiments of this application are performed entirely or partially. The computer can be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, a network device, a user equipment, or other programmable device. The computer program or instructions can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transferred from one computer-readable storage medium to another. For example, the computer program or instructions can be transferred from one website, computer, server, or data center to another website, computer, server, or data center via wired or wireless means. The computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium that a computer can access or a data storage device such as a server or data center that integrates one or more available media. The available medium can be a magnetic medium, such as a floppy disk, hard disk, or magnetic tape; it can also be an optical medium, such as a digital video optical disc; or it can be a semiconductor medium, such as a solid-state drive. The computer-readable storage medium may be a volatile or non-volatile storage medium, or may include both types of storage media.

[0219] In the various embodiments of this application, unless otherwise specified or in case of logical conflict, the terminology and / or descriptions of different embodiments are consistent and can be referenced by each other. The technical features of different embodiments can be combined to form new embodiments according to their inherent logical relationship.

[0220] In this application, "at least one" means one or more, and "more than one" means two or more. "And / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can mean: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, or B exists alone, where A and B can be singular or plural. In the textual description of this application, the character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship. "Including at least one of A, B, and C" can mean: including A; including B; including C; including A and B; including A and C; including B and C; including A, B, and C.

[0221] In this application, "predefined" can be achieved by pre-storing corresponding codes, tables or other means that can be used to indicate relevant information in the device, and this application does not limit the specific implementation method.

[0222] It should be understood that in the various embodiments of this application, the terms "first," "second," and various numerical designations are merely for descriptive convenience and are not intended to limit the scope of the embodiments of this application. The order of the sequence numbers of the above processes does not imply the order of execution; the execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic.

[0223] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the units and algorithm steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0224] Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working processes of the systems, devices, and units described above can be referred to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0225] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, apparatuses, and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the division of units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection between apparatuses or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0226] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0227] In addition, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit.

[0228] If the aforementioned functions are implemented as software functional units and sold or used as independent products, they can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or a portion of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of this application. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0229] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that, Applied to a first device, the method includes: Receive first information from each of at least one device, the first information including channel access information of the terminal device corresponding to each device; Send second information to a second device, which is one of the at least one devices. The second information is determined based on the first information of each device. The second information includes first channel access parameters, which include channel access parameters to be used by the terminal device served by the second device.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first information includes at least one of the following information corresponding to each device: The first frequency band includes the frequency bands supported by each device that are accessible to the terminal devices; The load information of the first frequency band includes the number of terminal devices corresponding to each AC queue in at least one access category AC queue corresponding to each frequency band in the first frequency band; Information about the terminal devices corresponding to each AC queue; The second channel access parameters corresponding to each frequency band in the first frequency band include the channel access parameters used by the current terminal device to access each frequency band; Information about the first terminal device, which is stored on each device, and the first terminal device is not currently connected to each device. and, Information about the second terminal device, which includes terminal devices that interfere with the services of each device, as scanned by each device. The information of the terminal device includes at least one of the following: Media access control address, service type, frequency band used, indication of whether it is a newly launched service, signal quality, and signal modulation and coding scheme.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first information also indicates that the second channel access parameters should be adjusted.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The second information includes at least one of the following information corresponding to the second device: The second frequency band includes the frequency bands for which the corresponding channel access parameters need to be adjusted, and the second frequency band is included in the frequency bands supported by the second device; and, The adjusted channel access parameters corresponding to each frequency band in the second frequency band.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The second information also includes at least one of the following: The first instruction information indicates that the first information should be resent. The second instruction information indicates the timing for the next transmission of the first information; and, The third indication information indicates the initialization of the channel access parameters of the terminal device corresponding to the second device.

6. A communication method, characterized in that, Applied to a second device, the method includes: Send first information to the first device, the first information including channel access information of the terminal device corresponding to the second device; Receive second information from the first device, the second information being determined based on the first information of each of at least one device, the at least one device including the second device, the second information including first channel access parameters, the first channel access parameters including channel access parameters to be used by the terminal device served by the second device; The first channel access parameter is sent to the terminal device served by the second device. The first channel access parameter is used for the terminal device to communicate with the second device.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that, The first information includes at least one of the following information corresponding to the second device: The first frequency band includes the frequency bands supported by the second device that are accessible to terminal devices; The load information of the first frequency band includes the number of terminal devices corresponding to each AC queue in at least one access category AC queue corresponding to each frequency band in the first frequency band; Information about the terminal devices corresponding to each AC queue; The second channel access parameters corresponding to each frequency band in the first frequency band include the channel access parameters used by the current terminal device to access each frequency band; Information of the first terminal device, the information of the first terminal device is stored on the second device, and the first terminal device is not currently connected to the second device; and, Information about the second terminal device, the second terminal device including terminal devices that the second device scans as interfering with the services of the second device; The information of the terminal device includes at least one of the following: Media access control address, service type, frequency band used, indication of whether it is a newly launched service, signal quality, and signal modulation and coding scheme.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The first information also indicates that the second channel access parameters should be adjusted.

9. The method according to any one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that, The second information includes at least one of the following information corresponding to the second device: The second frequency band includes the frequency bands for which the corresponding channel access parameters need to be adjusted, and the second frequency band is included in the frequency bands supported by the second device; and, The adjusted channel access parameters corresponding to each frequency band in the second frequency band.

10. The method according to any one of claims 6 to 9, characterized in that, The second information also includes at least one of the following: The first instruction information indicates that the first information should be resent. The second instruction information indicates the timing for the next transmission of the first information; and, The third indication information indicates the initialization of the channel access parameters of the terminal device corresponding to the second device.

11. The method according to any one of claims 6 to 10, characterized in that, The first channel access parameter is carried in the first field of any of the following frames: Beacon, probe response frame, associated response frame.

12. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that, The first field is the Enhanced Distributed Channel Access (EDCA) field and / or the Multi-User MU (MU) EDCA field.

13. A communication device, characterized in that, include: The unit is used to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, or includes a unit used to perform the method as described in any one of claims 6 to 12.

14. A communication device, characterized in that, include: A transceiver and a processor, the transceiver being configured to receive a signal and transmit the signal to the processor or another communication device other than the communication device, the processor being configured to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, or to perform the method as described in any one of claims 6 to 12.

15. A communication system, characterized in that, include: A first device and a second device, wherein the first device is used to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, and the second device is used to perform the method as described in any one of claims 6 to 12.

16. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The storage medium stores a computer program or instructions, which, when executed by a communication device, implement the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, or the method as described in any one of claims 6 to 12.

17. A computer program product, characterized in that, Includes a computer program that, when run, implements the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, or implements the method as described in any one of claims 6 to 12.

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