A multi-link device and antenna configuration method for the same

Abstract

This disclosure relates to a multi-link device and an antenna configuration method for the device. The multi-link device includes multiple antenna elements. The antenna configuration method includes: configuring a training mode for the multiple antenna elements, the training mode including: a first training mode, wherein a first antenna element corresponding to a first frequency band among the multiple antenna elements performs a first training process, and a second antenna element corresponding to a second frequency band among the multiple antenna elements does not perform a training process; and a second training mode, wherein the first antenna element performs the first training process and the second antenna element performs a second training process.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to antenna technology, and more particularly to a multi-link device and an antenna configuration method for such a device, as well as a computer program product. Background Technology

[0002] With the introduction of the Wi-Fi 7 standard, multi-link devices (MLDs) and their supported multi-link operations (MLOs) have become key technologies for improving throughput. A multi-link device refers to an access point (AP) or station (STA) capable of establishing communication links simultaneously on multiple frequency bands (such as 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz). Typically, multi-link devices are configured with multiple antenna elements corresponding to different frequency bands and transmit data concurrently on these bands using MLO-based technology, thereby achieving lower latency and higher wireless communication speeds. Furthermore, leveraging smart antenna technology, multi-link devices can dynamically adjust antenna parameters such as amplitude and phase of the antenna elements to form directional beams, effectively enhancing target signals and suppressing interference. Due to these advantages, multi-link devices based on smart antenna technology are widely used in multi-antenna communication scenarios such as multiple-in-multiple-out (MIMO).

[0003] However, existing antenna configuration methods for multi-link devices suffer from numerous problems, such as low antenna training efficiency, poor training results, and disruptions to normal device communication during training. For example, due to limitations in the size, cost, and RF front-end complexity of multi-link devices, multiple antenna elements for different frequency bands may be designed to share the same physical antenna panel (i.e., "antenna co-plane"), meaning that multiple antenna elements on the same plane can only choose the same orientation. For such antenna elements, the adverse effects of training one antenna element on the normal communication of other antenna elements on the same plane are further amplified, even leading to communication interruptions. Conversely, for independently arranged antenna elements (i.e., "antenna not co-plane"), multiple antenna elements are trained and configured separately, resulting in low training efficiency and difficulty in achieving global optimization of antenna performance.

[0004] Therefore, there is a need for an improved antenna configuration method for multi-link devices that can configure an antenna training mode suitable for the multi-link device according to different needs of MLO scenarios, reduce the adverse effects of antenna training on normal communication, and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of antenna training and configuration. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This disclosure provides a multi-link device and an antenna configuration method for the device, as well as a computer program product.

[0006] According to embodiments of this disclosure, an antenna configuration method for a multi-link device is provided. The multi-link device includes multiple antenna elements. The antenna configuration method includes: configuring a training mode for the multiple antenna elements, the training mode including: a first training mode, wherein a first antenna element corresponding to a first frequency band among the multiple antenna elements performs a first training process, and a second antenna element corresponding to a second frequency band among the multiple antenna elements does not perform a training process; and a second training mode, wherein the first antenna element performs the first training process and the second antenna element performs a second training process.

[0007] According to another embodiment of this disclosure, a multi-link device is provided, comprising: a plurality of antenna elements, the plurality of antenna elements including a first antenna element corresponding to a first frequency band and a second antenna element corresponding to a second frequency band; one or more processors; and a memory coupled to at least one of the one or more processors, the memory storing a computer program instruction set, which, when executed by at least one of the one or more processors, causes the multi-link device to perform an antenna configuration method according to the above embodiment.

[0008] According to yet another embodiment of this disclosure, a computer program product is provided, including computer-readable instructions that, when executed by a processor of a multi-link device, cause the multi-link device to perform an antenna configuration method according to the above embodiments.

[0009] Embodiments of this disclosure generally include antenna configuration methods for multi-link devices, multi-link devices, computer program products, non-transitory computer-readable media, and / or systems, as shown in the accompanying drawings or described in the specification.

[0010] According to embodiments of this disclosure, multiple antenna training modes are provided for MLO scenarios to enable multi-link devices to be suitable for different training scenarios. The configured training modes can reduce the adverse effects of antenna training on normal communication, while improving the efficiency and effectiveness of antenna training and configuration. Attached Figure Description

[0011] The above and other objects, features, and advantages of this disclosure will become more apparent from the more detailed description of the embodiments thereof in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The drawings are provided to offer a further understanding of the embodiments of this disclosure and form part of the specification. The drawings, together with the embodiments of this disclosure, are used to explain this disclosure and do not constitute a limitation thereof. In the drawings, unless explicitly indicated, the same reference numerals generally represent the same components, steps, or elements, and only elements closely related to the technical solutions of this disclosure are shown in the drawings, with other elements omitted for brevity.

[0012] Figure 1 An example of the flow of an antenna configuration method for a multi-link device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated;

[0013] Figure 2 An example of another flow of an antenna configuration method for a multi-link device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated;

[0014] Figure 3 Another example of a process for an antenna configuration method for a multi-link device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated;

[0015] Figure 4 Another example of a process for an antenna configuration method for a multi-link device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated;

[0016] Figure 5 An example of the interaction flow of a multi-link device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated;

[0017] Figure 6 Another example of the interaction flow of a multi-link device according to embodiments of the present disclosure is illustrated;

[0018] Figure 7 Another example of the interaction flow of a multi-link device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated;

[0019] Figure 8 Another example of the interaction flow of a multi-link device according to embodiments of the present disclosure is illustrated; and

[0020] Figure 9 A block diagram illustrating an example of a multi-link device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0021] The following detailed description is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. While several exemplary embodiments are described herein, modifications, adaptations, and other implementations are possible. For example, components and steps illustrated in the drawings may be replaced, added, or modified, and the exemplary methods described herein may be modified by replacing, reordering, deleting, or adding steps to the disclosed methods. Therefore, the following detailed description is not limited to the disclosed embodiments and examples. Rather, the appropriate scope of the invention is determined by the appended claims.

[0022] In the detailed description below, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of certain aspects. However, those skilled in the art will understand that some aspects can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, components, units, and / or circuits have not been described in detail to avoid obscuring the discussion.

[0023] As used herein, discussions of terms such as “determine,” “generate,” “trigger,” “receive,” “send,” “configure,” “control,” “compute,” “obtain,” or similar terms may refer to the operation and / or processing of a computer, computing platform, computing system, or other electronic device that manipulates and / or converts data represented as physical (e.g., electronic) quantities in computer registers and / or memory into physical quantities in computer registers and / or memory or other information storage media that may store instructions for performing the operation and / or processing.

[0024] The use of terms such as “on one aspect,” “an aspect,” “example aspect,” and “various aspects” indicates that an aspect described in this way may include a specific feature, structure, or characteristic, but not every aspect necessarily includes the implementation of that specific feature, structure, or characteristic. Furthermore, the repeated use of the phrase “on one aspect” does not necessarily refer to the same aspect, although it may.

[0025] As used herein, unless otherwise stated, ordinal adjectives such as “first,” “second,” etc., are used to describe general objects only to indicate different instances of similar objects mentioned, and are not intended to imply that the objects so described must have a given order in time, space, sequence, or any other way. Similarly, articles such as “a / an” or “said / the” do not indicate a quantity limitation, but rather that at least one exists. Words such as “connection” and “coupling” are not limited to physical or mechanical connections, but also include direct or indirect electrical or communication connections.

[0026] Furthermore, the technical features involved in the different embodiments of this disclosure described below can be combined with each other, as long as there is no conflict between them.

[0027] First, an explanatory description of the concept and principles of smart antenna technology will be provided.

[0028] Smart antenna technology can be composed of "antenna elements" as the hardware component and "antenna algorithms" as the software component. Specifically, antenna elements can take the form of a single antenna (such as a mechanical antenna) or an antenna array composed of multiple antenna elements arranged in an array. "Linear arrays" and "planar arrays" are two common geometric configurations of antenna elements. A linear array typically refers to an antenna element composed of multiple antenna elements arranged at equal intervals along a straight line, while a planar array typically refers to an antenna element composed of multiple antenna elements arranged in a two-dimensional grid (such as a rectangle). The signal emitted by the antenna element can be viewed as an electromagnetic wave resembling a sphere (approximately a plane in the far field), possessing amplitude and phase.

[0029] When multiple antenna elements simultaneously transmit signals at the same frequency, these electromagnetic waves interfere with each other in space, thus amplifying or attenuating the signal. Therefore, the types of interference include constructive interference and destructive interference. For example, if the waves transmitted by each antenna are phase-aligned in some directions, constructive interference can form a main lobe, amplifying the signal in that direction. In other directions, the waves transmitted by each antenna are out of phase or even opposite, so destructive interference weakens or cancels the signal, creating a side lobe or null in that direction. To concentrate energy in the target direction (such as the direction of the client equipment) and simultaneously create a "signal null" in the direction of interfering signals, the waves transmitted by all antenna elements need to form a main lobe in the target direction, thereby focusing the useful signal and suppressing interfering signals. However, since the path lengths from different antennas to a distant point are different, resulting in different arrival phases, it is necessary to weight and adjust the signal amplitude and phase of each antenna element or component to form a "directional beam." In this paper, the operations related to determining or adjusting antenna parameters can be broadly referred to as “training” the antenna elements, and the process of forming a directional beam can also be referred to as “beamforming” or beam control.

[0030] Typically, smart antenna technology can be divided into two categories based on its beamforming method:

[0031] - Adaptive smart antenna: Adjusts beam shape in real time according to channel changes, offering the highest flexibility and enabling dynamic tracking of mobile users (e.g., in 5G base stations for high-speed mobile scenarios).

[0032] - Beam-switching smart antenna: Presets multiple fixed-direction beams and switches to the most suitable beam according to the user's location (simple structure, low cost, commonly used in WiFi and low-speed IoT).

[0033] Therefore, the core function of antenna algorithms is to enable the beam emitted by the antenna to "intelligently" track the peer device, thereby improving the capacity, coverage, and anti-interference capability of wireless communication.

[0034] The following is an illustrative description of an example of an antenna algorithm based on smart antenna technology. The core process of this antenna algorithm may include a default phase, a pre-training phase, and a formal training phase.

[0035] I. Default Phase

[0036] The default phase is the initial operating state of the device. In the default phase, the antenna elements of the device (such as an AP) operate normally with preset antenna configurations (such as factory calibration parameters or previously trained antenna parameter sets) to maintain basic communication functions and provide a triggering basis and performance benchmark for subsequent training phases. In embodiments of this disclosure, the device can load a default mode library containing 15 predefined antenna modes, including one omnidirectional antenna mode and four directional antenna modes with main lobes pointing east, south, west, and north respectively; the remainder are hybrid or narrow-beam variants. For example, the device uses the omnidirectional antenna mode for communication in the default phase and can continuously monitor link quality to trigger subsequent training phases. For example, every few hundred milliseconds to several seconds (e.g., dynamically adjusted depending on user density), the packet error rate (PER) and received signal strength indication (RSSI) of the current serving link are collected. When the PER remains above 20% (indicating link interference or obstruction) or the RSSI drops significantly (indicating user movement), the system determines that the current antenna configuration is no longer optimal and triggers subsequent training phases accordingly. In addition, communication quality information may also include bit error rate, channel state information, or any other information that can characterize the communication quality of a signal. In this document, "antenna mode," "antenna parameter set," and "antenna combination" have essentially the same meaning and can be used interchangeably, referring to a set of antenna parameters used to configure antenna elements, including parameters related to at least one of the antenna's angle, phase, and amplitude.

[0037] II. Pre-training Phase

[0038] The pre-training phase primarily involves pre-selecting multiple antenna patterns offline or semi-offline to provide a subset of candidate antenna patterns for the subsequent formal training phase. Specifically, the device can perform pre-training before deployment or during idle periods (such as off-peak hours at night), without occupying or only partially occupying the device's normal communication data. For example, the device can first access user distribution heatmaps, past best pattern records, and environmental feature labels (such as "conference room" or "corridor") from a historical database, using a rate-adaptive algorithm to predict the most likely effective beam direction in the current scenario. For instance, in a high-density deployment scenario in a stadium, if historical data shows that users in the audience area are concentrated in the southwest quadrant, the pre-training phase will prioritize selecting 3 to 4 directional combinations with the main lobe pointing between 210° and 240° from 15 default patterns, rather than blindly testing omnidirectional or back-facing patterns. Based on this, before formal online training, combinations with degraded performance can be eliminated, significantly narrowing the range of candidate antenna patterns, thereby compressing the traversal process, which might have taken hundreds of milliseconds, to within tens of milliseconds. For multi-user MIMO (MU-MIMO) scenarios, collision detection is also performed during the pre-training phase. For example, if multiple active users prefer the same beam direction in single-user mode, the mode is marked as an MU-MIMO candidate; if the user directions are dispersed and the preferred modes are mutually exclusive, omnidirectional or wide-beam modes are preferentially retained to avoid spatial interference.

[0039] III. Formal Training Phase

[0040] During the formal training phase, the device iterates through the configurations of all candidate antenna modes, sends training packets (such as empty data packets without service data) to the peer device (such as a STA), and collects PER and RSSI for each combination. Then, for each candidate antenna mode, it calculates the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) gain and interference rejection ratio (ISR), constructs a performance matrix, and selects the optimal antenna parameter set accordingly. For example, the AP sequentially switches to candidate antenna modes (such as four pre-selected directional beams) and sends a predetermined number of training packets to the target STA. The STA measures and reports quality information such as PER and RSSI in each mode. After collecting this information, the AP can further calculate parameters characterizing the communication quality of the link. For example, it can look up the equivalent SNR based on PER and compare it with the reference mode to obtain the signal-to-noise ratio gain (SNR Gain). At the same time, it can also combine the relative relationship between RSSI and SNR to construct an interference rejection ratio (ISR) score to identify "pseudo-optimal" antenna modes that have strong signals but greater interference. All indicators can be summarized into a multi-dimensional performance matrix for antenna parameter set decision-making. According to embodiments of this disclosure, the decision logic employs a multi-objective fusion strategy, including: firstly excluding antenna modes with PER > 10%; among the remaining antenna modes, prioritizing antenna modes with high throughput or RSSI (i.e., antenna modes corresponding to link quality higher than a threshold); if multiple antenna modes with high link quality exist, user location or direction information can be introduced for secondary filtering, for example, selecting the mode with the highest beam main lobe matching degree with the user's angle of arrival to ensure future mobility robustness.

[0041] However, as mentioned above, existing antenna configuration methods face several challenges in practical applications. During the training process, normal communication of the antenna elements is affected. Furthermore, if multiple smart antennas are trained and configured separately, the entire process is time-consuming and resource-intensive, further exacerbating the impact on normal communication.

[0042] In view of this, this disclosure proposes an improved antenna configuration scheme for multi-link devices.

[0043] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the antenna configuration method can be used in multi-link devices (such as access points supporting Wi-Fi 7 MLO), which may include multiple antenna elements that may be divided into a first antenna element corresponding to a first frequency band (such as 5 GHz) and a second antenna element corresponding to a second frequency band (such as 6 GHz).

[0044] Specifically, the antenna training mode can include a first training mode, in which the first antenna element corresponding to a first frequency band among multiple antenna elements performs a first training process, and the second antenna element corresponding to a second frequency band among multiple antenna elements does not perform a training process; and a second training mode, in which the first antenna element performs the first training process and the second antenna element performs the second training process. Unlike existing fixed training modes, the antenna configuration method disclosed herein provides flexibility in configuring the antenna training mode for multi-link devices, allowing the device to select the optimal training mode and configuration scheme under different scenarios (such as based on communication requirements or network environment conditions). Furthermore, depending on different types of antenna designs, training strategies suitable for the device can be pre-configured. In addition, the above two training modes each have their advantages. The first training mode allows only a single antenna element to perform training processing while maintaining normal communication with other antenna elements, thus balancing training efficiency and service continuity; or the second training mode enables multiple antenna elements to train collaboratively, improving training efficiency, reducing training time, and improving training results, thereby optimizing antenna performance.

[0045] Furthermore, according to embodiments of this disclosure, the antenna configuration method further includes selecting a suitable training mode based on training conditions. For example, these training conditions include, but are not limited to, one or more of the following:

[0046] Antenna physical layout: If multiple antenna elements share the same physical panel (antenna common board), the first training mode can be selected to avoid mutual interference of training signals; if the antenna elements belong to independent panels (non-common board), the second training mode can be selected to achieve multi-antenna collaborative training.

[0047] Current communication load: In high-throughput scenarios (such as peak hours in shopping malls), to reduce air traffic resource consumption, you can choose to configure the first training mode, which only trains the worst performing link; in low-load periods (such as at night), you can choose to configure the second training mode, which performs a full calibration of all links.

[0048] Link quality status: When the PER of only one frequency band (e.g., 5 GHz) is consistently higher than the threshold (e.g., 20%), while the other frequency band (6 GHz) is stable, the first training mode can be selected; if both frequency bands degrade simultaneously, the second training mode can be selected.

[0049] User distribution characteristics: If the associated STAs are concentrated in a single direction, single-chain training is sufficient; if users are distributed around APs, dual-chain collaborative coverage is required, and the second training mode should be enabled.

[0050] Through the above multi-dimensional training condition judgment, the system realizes scene-adaptive training strategy selection, maximizing antenna optimization benefits while ensuring communication continuity.

[0051] Alternatively, according to embodiments of this disclosure, the antenna configuration method further includes configuring a training mode based on predetermined configuration information. For example, this predetermined configuration information may originate from device factory settings, network administrator policies, or historical learning models. In embodiments of this disclosure, a rule can be pre-set in multi-link interactions that "shared-board devices default to using the first training mode, and non-shared-board devices default to using the second training mode," or training settings can be configured using user profiles, such as allowing users to manually select "energy-saving mode" (single-link training only) or "high-performance mode" (dual-link parallel training). In this way, by introducing predetermined configuration information, the system not only supports automated decision-making but also retains the ability for manual intervention and policy customization, enhancing the flexibility and controllability of the solution in diverse deployment environments.

[0052] Next, we will describe the first training mode (single-link training) and the second training mode (multi-link training) in detail. Additionally, in this paper, "link" and "frequency band" have essentially the same meaning.

[0053] Firstly, for the first training mode, dynamic traffic adjustment of service data can be used to ensure that while antenna units in a certain frequency band are being trained, other links can still transmit data, thus reducing the impact of the smart antenna training process on network transmission performance.

[0054] Figure 1 An example of the flow of an antenna configuration method for a multi-link device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated. Figure 1 The method can correspond to the case where multiple antenna elements are configured in a first training mode. It should be understood that the various steps described in this disclosure are merely examples and should not be considered limiting. In other words, combining... Figure 1 The various example processes illustrating the technical solutions of this disclosure, along with other accompanying drawings, are for illustrative purposes. Methods with additional, alternative, or fewer steps should be considered within the scope of this disclosure. Furthermore, some steps in each process are optional, not mandatory, for solving at least the aforementioned technical problems.

[0055] like Figure 1 As shown, the antenna configuration method according to embodiments of this disclosure may include the following steps:

[0056] In step S101, the first antenna element among the plurality of antenna elements is determined to be used to perform the first training process.

[0057] Specifically, multi-link devices (such as Wi-Fi 7 APs supporting MLO) typically contain multiple antenna elements corresponding to different frequency bands. For example, the first antenna element corresponds to the 5 GHz band (first band), the second antenna element corresponds to the 2.4 GHz band (second band), and depending on the antenna design, these antenna elements may be deployed on the same board or independently, and the number of antenna elements and their correspondence with frequency bands are not limited to the examples above. In embodiments of this disclosure, the processor or other control unit or module of the multi-link device can determine one antenna element from multiple antenna elements as the object to perform training processing (also referred to herein as the "training antenna") based on predetermined criteria or a request from the antenna element. In this example, the first antenna element corresponding to the first frequency band is selected to perform training processing. As mentioned above, the antenna training process can be triggered based on the communication status of the device. For example, when a communication quality degradation or anomaly is detected, the system will determine that the antenna configuration (for a certain frequency band or the whole) has deviated from the optimal state and antenna training needs to be initiated to restore performance. At this time, the multi-link device can make decisions on antenna selection based on system operating status, link quality indicators, and load balancing strategies.

[0058] According to embodiments of this disclosure, a multi-link device can dynamically select training targets based on the number of associated clients. Specifically, the multi-link device determines the number of client devices associated with each of the multiple antenna elements and, depending on the communication scenario and requirements, determines the training antenna based on the number of associated client devices. For example, the AP can maintain the list of associated clients for each frequency band in real time through the MAC layer and link management module. In an MLO scenario, the AP can independently record the associated client device (e.g., non-AP MLD or STA) information for each antenna element in each frequency band, including AID (Association ID), MAC address, and current link status, and count the number of client devices associated with each antenna element (corresponding to a specific frequency band). Furthermore, determining the training antenna based on the number of associated client devices can also depend on the device's communication load. For example, during low-throughput communication of the multi-link device, the antenna element with the most associated client devices among the multiple antenna elements can be determined as the first antenna element for performing the first training process; or during high-throughput communication of the multi-link device, the antenna element with the fewest associated client devices among the multiple antenna elements can be determined as the first antenna element for performing the first training process. As an example, during low-load nighttime periods (total throughput < 50 Mbps), the antenna unit with the most associated client devices is prioritized for training, thus maximizing the optimization benefits based on the training results. Conversely, during high-load daytime periods (total throughput > 800 Mbps), the antenna unit with the fewest associated client devices is prioritized for training to minimize the impact on overall service. This strategy intelligently balances training benefits with system disturbances, efficiently completing antenna optimization under different load conditions and avoiding service interruptions for optimizing a few users.

[0059] Furthermore, the antenna selection step described above may not be necessary. For example, in other embodiments of this disclosure, when training conditions are met, training processes for multiple antenna elements can be executed sequentially in a predetermined time order without antenna selection. For instance, by default, the antenna element corresponding to the first frequency band is triggered first.

[0060] In step S102, at least a portion of the service data used for the first antenna unit is diverted to the second antenna unit.

[0061] Specifically, to ensure that the transmission of critical service data is not interrupted during antenna unit training, some or all of the service data originally carried by the first antenna unit can be temporarily switched to another antenna unit (i.e., the second antenna unit) that is not performing training, before the first training process is executed by the first antenna unit. For example, multi-link devices can divert high-priority services (such as VoIP or AC_VI data types) from the first antenna unit to the second antenna unit. The diversion process relies on the support of the MLO protocol, including mechanisms such as link negotiation, frame route redirection, and QoS mapping. This step not only avoids service data packet loss during training but also helps reduce interference to the antenna's training process. At the same time, the diversion strategy can be flexibly adjusted according to the service type. For example, a higher proportion can be retained for latency-sensitive services, while bandwidth-sensitive services can be completely migrated. Through this operation, a more stable communication environment can be created for subsequent training processing without sacrificing user experience.

[0062] In step S103, for the case of multiple antenna units sharing the same board, the second antenna unit can be switched from the first mode to the second mode, so that during the first antenna unit's first training process, the second antenna unit transmits service data in the second mode.

[0063] As mentioned above, the training process involves sending training packets from antenna elements in multiple antenna modes to find the optimal antenna mode. Therefore, the antenna's orientation constantly changes during training. Because the antennas share a common board, multiple antenna elements can only choose the same orientation. Antenna elements not undergoing training (non-trained antennas) will also change their orientation during the training process, inevitably affecting their normal transmission. Simultaneously, the training antenna may also be affected by signal interference from non-trained antenna elements. To reduce this impact on devices with a shared-board antenna architecture during training, this step introduces a dynamic switching mechanism for the antenna operating mode.

[0064] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the second antenna unit is switched from a first mode to a second mode, and during the first antenna unit's first training process, the second antenna unit transmits service data in the second mode. Specifically, the second antenna unit is in the default first mode during normal communication, for example, a high-performance mode, i.e., operating at full power or full rate to provide optimal service. However, when the second antenna unit is used as a non-training antenna temporarily carrying service data from the first antenna unit, to avoid a decrease in communication reliability due to training effects, the second antenna unit can be switched from the first mode to a more robust second mode. For example, it can transmit service data at a lower rate than in the first mode, or only transmit service data of predefined access categories (e.g., only AC_VI data is allowed to be transmitted), or transmit service data using a repetitive transmission method (e.g., using redundant transmission, i.e., continuously sending multiple copies of a data packet to increase the probability of successful data reception, or enabling a continuous ACK retransmission mechanism within a specific period to ensure rapid recovery even if packet loss is caused by interference). Additionally and alternatively, the second mode may also include modes such as reducing transmit power, limiting modulation order, or even enabling only narrow beams in a specific direction. In this way, while the first antenna unit performs training processing, the second antenna unit can still maintain reliable transmission of critical services (i.e., single-link training). This mode switching ensures both basic communication continuity and the accuracy of the first antenna unit's training, achieving compatible operation of multi-link training and services under shared-board antennas.

[0065] Furthermore, the aforementioned mode switching steps are not always necessary. For example, in an architecture where antennas are not shared on the same board, since the orientation of the non-training antenna and the training antenna can be controlled independently, the second antenna can maintain its default mode for communication. Alternatively, for scenarios where communication reliability requirements are not high, switching the non-training antenna mode may not be necessary for efficiency reasons.

[0066] In step S104, the first antenna unit is triggered to perform the first training process.

[0067] After completing the service routing and optional mode switching steps, the first antenna element, serving as the training antenna, enters the training execution phase. As described above, the link quality under each configuration can be evaluated by traversing multiple candidate antenna parameter sets, and the optimal solution can be selected from them. In various embodiments of this disclosure, the execution of this training process can be triggered by commands from the multi-link device or initiated in response to the aforementioned routing or mode switching execution.

[0068] In step S105, the optimal antenna parameter set is determined based on the first training process.

[0069] Specifically, the first training process can be similar to the formal training phase described above, including the antenna unit performing the training process transmitting training data packets using multiple candidate antenna parameter sets, determining the link quality corresponding to each antenna parameter set in the multiple candidate antenna parameter sets based on the communication quality information of the transmitted training data packets, and determining the optimal antenna parameter set from at least one antenna parameter set whose link quality is higher than a threshold. For example, the first antenna unit sequentially applies the 15 predefined antenna modes (each corresponding to a set of phase / amplitude / direction parameters) and sends 640 training packets to the STA. The STA returns the communication quality information of the training packets in each mode. In embodiments of this disclosure, the communication quality information may include at least one of packet error rate, bit error rate, channel state information, and signal strength information. For example, the STA returns relevant information on PER and RSSI for each mode (e.g., Mode #3: PER=2%; RSSI=-58 dBm). The AP calculates the SNR gain or other values ​​characterizing the link quality and filters out preferred candidate sets that are higher than a threshold for selecting the optimal parameter set. For example, the antenna mode with the highest link quality can be selected as the optimal antenna parameter set. For cases with a large number of preferred candidate sets, a multi-objective optimization strategy is introduced: the parameter set with the highest throughput is prioritized; if multiple options with similar performance exist, the scheme with the best main lobe direction matching is selected based on the user's direction of arrival (DoA) information to enhance future mobility robustness. Additionally and alternatively, the direction of arrival of the useful / interference signal is determined through direction of arrival (DoA) estimation, thereby further selecting the antenna parameter set that matches the direction of arrival from multiple antenna parameter sets with link quality above a threshold as the optimal antenna parameter set. For example, the estimated direction of arrival of the client device is at 28°. Among the three candidate modes with acceptable link quality (Mode #3: 30°, Mode #5: 45°, Mode #7: 15°), Mode #3, which is closest to 28°, is prioritized, even if its SNR is slightly lower than Mode #5. This is because direction matching improves future mobility robustness and prevents beam deviation caused by slight user movement. By performing the above training process, the optimal antenna parameter set for configuring at least the first antenna element among multiple antenna elements can be obtained. How to use this optimal antenna parameter set to configure the corresponding antenna elements will be described in detail below.

[0070] Therefore, the antenna configuration method for multi-link devices described in this disclosure enables antenna elements of other links to still transmit data while antenna elements of one link are being trained. This reduces the impact of smart antenna training on network transmission performance and allows antenna training to be completed without interrupting user services. This avoids the communication quality degradation caused by training in traditional solutions and significantly improves service continuity and throughput stability in MLO scenarios.

[0071] Furthermore, in the various embodiments of this disclosure, the execution order of the above steps can be reasonably interchanged. For example, the order of steps S102 and S103 can be arbitrary, or they can be triggered simultaneously, as long as they are executed before the training process, or they can be triggered simultaneously in response to the completion of antenna configuration.

[0072] Figure 2 Another example of a process for an antenna configuration method for a multi-link device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated. Figure 2 The process shown can be performed in Figure 1 The process shown will be executed afterward. For example, in... Figure 1 After step S105, execution can proceed. Figure 2 Step S201.

[0073] like Figure 2 As shown, the antenna configuration method according to an embodiment of this disclosure includes the following steps:

[0074] In step S201, the first antenna element and the second antenna element are configured using the optimal antenna parameter set.

[0075] Since the first training process described above is performed by the first antenna element, the optimal antenna parameter set obtained through this training process should be applicable to the first antenna element. For the case of multiple antenna elements sharing a board, this optimal antenna parameter set can also be applied to the second antenna element sharing the board with the first antenna element. In other words, the optimal antenna parameter set can be used to configure each antenna element of the shared-board antenna.

[0076] Furthermore, depending on the association of the client devices, there are other possible ways to use the optimal antenna parameter set. For example, according to embodiments of this disclosure, the optimal antenna parameter set can be shared among multiple antenna elements based on the association of the client devices. For instance, the optimal antenna parameter set can be used to configure a first antenna element and a second antenna element, wherein these two antenna elements are jointly associated with at least one client device.

[0077] Specifically, in an MLO scenario, multiple antenna elements may be associated with one or more client devices. Therefore, the antenna parameter set obtained from the training process of the first antenna element can also be applied to another antenna element. As an example, a multi-link device (such as an AP) can simultaneously establish connections with an MLO-enabled station (STA) at 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. Thus, the STA can communicate via a first antenna element corresponding to the 5 GHz band and a second antenna element corresponding to the 2.4 GHz band, respectively. In embodiments of this disclosure, the multi-link device can determine that multiple different antenna elements are associated with at least one client device through things like an associated client list and other client association information. In this case, when the AP triggers the first antenna element to perform the aforementioned training process and determines the optimal antenna parameter set based on this training process, the energy of the directional beam formed by the first antenna element is concentrated in the direction of arrival of the STA by configuring the optimal antenna parameter set. Furthermore, since the STA is also associated with a second antenna element in another frequency band of the AP, the expected directional beam of the second antenna element should also match the direction of arrival of the STA. Therefore, the determined optimal set of antenna parameters (or at least some of the parameters) can also be used to configure a second antenna unit with the same associated client device, so that the directional beam of the configured second antenna unit is pointed at the STA, thereby facilitating communication between the two on the 5 GHz link and saving the time of multiple antennas performing training processing.

[0078] In step S202, after configuring the first antenna unit, at least a portion of the service data previously diverted to the second antenna unit is diverted back to the configured first antenna unit. And in step S203, the second antenna unit is switched from the second mode back to the first mode.

[0079] Specifically, after configuring the antenna unit, the previously diverted service data can be diverted back to the original communication frequency band / antenna unit, allowing the configured antenna unit to perform normal communication (e.g., entering the default phase mentioned above). Similarly, since the training process has ended, the second antenna unit, which is a non-training antenna, can also revert to a higher-rate mode for communication.

[0080] Therefore, the antenna configuration method in this embodiment optimizes the global antenna configuration by targeting the antenna configuration process triggered by a single link, thus significantly improving the efficiency of antenna training and configuration.

[0081] Furthermore, in the various embodiments of this disclosure, the execution order of the above steps can be reasonably interchanged. For example, the order of steps S202 and S203 can be arbitrary, as long as they are performed after the antenna configuration is completed, or they can be triggered simultaneously in response to the completion of the antenna configuration.

[0082] Figure 3 This provides another example of a process for an antenna configuration method for a multi-link device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 3 The process shown can be performed in Figure 1 The process shown will be executed afterward. For example, in... Figure 1 After step S105, execution can proceed. Figure 3 Step S301. Figure 3 and Figure 2 Some steps in the two processes may be the same or similar; the main difference between the two processes lies in... Figure 3 The process does not use the optimal antenna parameters obtained from the first training process to configure the second antenna unit. Instead, it triggers the second training process for the second antenna unit after the first antenna unit is configured.

[0083] like Figure 3 As shown, the antenna configuration method according to an embodiment of this disclosure includes the following steps:

[0084] In step S301, the first antenna element is configured using the optimal antenna parameter set.

[0085] As described above, the optimal antenna parameter set obtained through the first training process is applicable to the first antenna element. In this step and... Figure 2 The difference in the corresponding steps is that the optimal antenna parameter set is used only to configure the first antenna element, and not to configure the second antenna element.

[0086] In step S302, at least a portion of the service data for the first antenna element and at least a portion of the service data for the second antenna element are diverted to the first antenna element configured with the optimal antenna parameter set.

[0087] As described above, after configuring the first antenna element, previously redirected service data can be redirected back to the configured first antenna element. In this step... Figure 2 The difference in the corresponding steps is that at least a portion of the service data from the second antenna unit is also diverted to the first antenna unit to facilitate the subsequent execution of the second training process. The diversion involved can be similar to the method described above, and the same beneficial effects can be obtained, which will not be elaborated here.

[0088] In step S303, the second antenna unit is triggered to perform the second training process.

[0089] It is important to emphasize that in this embodiment, after the first antenna unit completes training and is configured as the optimal beam, the multi-link device also triggers the training process for the second antenna unit based on the correlation between links. As mentioned above, in the MLO scenario, the first antenna unit (corresponding to the 5 GHz band) and the second antenna unit (corresponding to the 2.4 GHz band) of the multi-link device can be jointly associated with one or more client devices. Therefore, based on the association information of the client devices, the remaining antenna units are triggered to perform training. For example, the multi-link device can first determine whether the first antenna unit and the second antenna unit jointly serve the same MLO client device. If it is determined not to, then by default, no linkage training is required, and its independent training is only triggered when the second antenna unit itself experiences PER degradation or RSSI mutation. If it is determined to be (i.e., jointly associated with the STA), since the environments and communication conditions of multiple antenna units are basically similar, their main lobe coverage areas and multipath characteristics are strongly correlated. Therefore, when the first antenna unit needs to adjust its beam direction due to user movement or obstacle obstruction, the second antenna unit associated with the same client device may face the same channel degradation, and the training process of the second antenna unit can be triggered. Furthermore, the specific operations for performing training processing and determining the optimal antenna parameter set can be similar to those described above, and thus achieve the same beneficial effects, which will not be elaborated upon here.

[0090] In step S304, a second optimal antenna parameter set is determined based on the first training process and the second training process.

[0091] After completing the second training process for the second antenna element, the antenna element can be jointly optimized based on the training results of multiple links. That is, the multi-link device can summarize the results of the first training process for the first antenna element and the second training process for the second antenna element to determine a second optimal antenna parameter set. This second optimal antenna parameter set can not only be used to configure the second antenna element, but also to update the previously optimal antenna parameter set used for the first antenna element.

[0092] Therefore, the antenna configuration method of this embodiment can improve the overall antenna configuration efficiency by triggering antenna training for other related links through the antenna configuration process triggered by a single link. Furthermore, it can achieve better antenna training results by combining the benefits of training results from multiple links.

[0093] In addition, to address the issue of interference with normal device communication during training, besides the aforementioned dynamic flow adjustment method, another solution disclosed herein is to improve the efficiency of antenna training and enhance training effectiveness by enabling multiple antenna elements to train collaboratively through multi-link parallel training (second training mode).

[0094] Figure 4This provides another example of a process for an antenna configuration method for a multi-link device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 4 The method can be adapted to the case where multiple antenna elements are configured in the second training mode.

[0095] like Figure 4 As shown, the antenna configuration method according to an embodiment of this disclosure includes the following steps:

[0096] In step S401, a first antenna element among a plurality of antenna elements is determined to perform a first training process and a second antenna element is determined to perform a second training process.

[0097] Specifically, multiple antenna elements corresponding to different frequency bands in a multi-link device can perform antenna training processes in parallel (i.e., multi-link training). In this example, the first antenna element performs the first training process, and the second antenna element performs the second training process in parallel, thereby improving training efficiency. Furthermore, as will be described below, the training results can be shared among the multiple antenna elements based on their similarity and correlation, thereby improving training accuracy.

[0098] In step S402, the first antenna unit is triggered to perform the first training process and the second antenna unit is triggered to perform the second training process.

[0099] According to embodiments of this disclosure, in the second training mode, the first antenna unit and the second antenna unit can perform training processes for different client devices respectively. For example, in an MLO scenario, the AP can simultaneously serve two independent client devices: the first client device (STA A) uses a 5 GHz link for 4K video streaming; the second client device (STA B) uses a 2.4 GHz link for cloud gaming interaction. Specifically, the first antenna unit performs a first training process, sending a series of training packets (NDP frames) to STA 1, traversing multiple candidate antenna modes, and collecting their feedback PER and RSSI; the second antenna unit sends another set (e.g., orthogonal) of training packets to another STA 2 to perform a second training process, thereby enabling multiple link devices to determine the optimal antenna parameter set more accurately based on the training results of different STAs in different frequency bands. For example, in the case where multiple antenna units are not on the same board, the two antenna units can perform training for clients (e.g., STAs) in different directions, and summarize the results of the two training processes to comprehensively determine the optimal antenna parameter set for the first antenna unit and the second antenna unit, or determine the optimal antenna parameter set for each antenna unit separately.

[0100] Furthermore, even in the case of multiple antenna elements sharing a board, two sets of optimal antenna parameter sets can be determined based on the first training process and the second training process, respectively. If these two sets of optimal antenna parameter sets correspond to the same antenna pattern, then that antenna pattern can be used as the optimal antenna parameter set for configuring the first antenna element and the second antenna element. If the two determined sets of optimal antenna parameter sets are different, the optimal antenna parameter set for the shared-board antenna can be determined based on the weighting coefficients of the first client (e.g., STA1) and the second client (e.g., STA2). Specifically, assuming that the first optimal antenna parameter set S1 is determined based on the first training process (for STA1), corresponding to a main lobe direction of 330° and an SNR gain of 6.2 dB; and the second optimal antenna parameter set S2 is determined based on the second training process (for STA2), corresponding to a main lobe direction of 300° and an SNR gain of 5.8 dB. According to embodiments of this disclosure, the weighting coefficients of the clients can be introduced to determine the globally optimal antenna parameter set.

[0101] Furthermore, in the embodiments of this disclosure, weight coefficients can be assigned to clients based on one or more of the service priority, throughput requirements, or QoS levels of the first and second clients. For example, if STA 1 is transmitting telemedicine video (AC_VO) while STA 2 is running a regular game (AC_VI), then STA 1 can be given a higher weight (e.g., α=0.7, β=0.3); if both are BE type traffic, then the weights are allocated according to the throughput ratio of the associated links (e.g., if STA 1 accounts for 60% and STA 2 accounts for 40%, then α=0.6, β=0.4). Based on this, a weighted average method can be used to fuse the training results of different antenna elements to generate a globally optimal antenna parameter set, for example, S=α⋅S1+β⋅S2; or the antenna parameter set with the higher weight can simply be determined as the optimal antenna parameter set based on the weight.

[0102] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the second training mode can be applied to an architecture where multiple antenna elements are not co-located on a single board. That is, the multiple antenna elements in a multi-link device are physically separate and can independently select different orientations. For example, the multi-link device can perform training processing for the two users mentioned above: the first training processing is performed by the first antenna element (5 GHz), where the AP sends training packets to STA A and evaluates the link quality of each candidate antenna mode for STA A. For example, Mode #4 (main lobe 30°) reduces STA A's PER to 1.5% and is marked as the preferred mode; similarly, the second training processing is performed by the second antenna element (6 GHz), where the AP sends training packets to STA B and evaluates Mode #9 (main lobe 210°) which improves STA B's RSSI to -52 dBm, making it the preferred mode. Subsequently, based on the training results specific to these two users, the system determines the optimal parameter sets for each antenna element to obtain the optimal antenna parameter sets for configuring the first and second antenna elements. Because the two antenna elements are physically independent, they can simultaneously form narrow beams pointing to different users, achieving spatial multiplexing and interference isolation.

[0103] Furthermore, according to embodiments of this disclosure, since the two antenna elements are not on the same board, the first training process and the second training process can be configured to correspond to different directional ranges. For example, the first antenna element of the multi-link device performs the first training process for an antenna pattern corresponding to coverage of the eastward 0° to 180° directional range, while the second antenna element performs the second training process for an antenna pattern corresponding to coverage of the westward 180° to 360° directional range. By configuring the above-mentioned second training mode, spatially complementary beam optimization can be achieved, which is particularly suitable for scenarios with wide user distribution and the need for multi-directional coverage.

[0104] Specifically, a multi-link device (e.g., via its processor) issues training commands to two independent antenna elements, triggering the first and second antenna elements to perform training processes in parallel according to a configured directional range. For example, during the training phase, the first training process only sends training packets within a predefined range of 0° to 180° to traverse multiple antenna modes and collects feedback on quality information from STAs within that hemisphere. The second antenna element performs a second training process in parallel, sending training packets only within a predefined range of 180° to 360° to traverse multiple antenna modes. Because the two antenna elements are physically separated, the RF coupling or interference between them is extremely low when the transmission directions are opposite. For example, within the same time window, the first antenna element completes testing in the 30° direction, while the second antenna element completes evaluation in the 270° direction. This parallel training mechanism significantly shortens the overall optimization cycle and greatly improves efficiency compared to individual omnidirectional training.

[0105] In step S403, based on both the first training process and the second training process, the optimal set of antenna parameters for configuring the first antenna element and the second antenna element is determined.

[0106] In this step, the multi-link device can aggregate the data from the two training processes and, based on the similarity of the frequency band characteristics of the two antenna elements, transform the antenna configuration parameter set obtained by training one antenna element for its directional range to obtain the antenna configuration parameter set for the other antenna element corresponding to the same directional range. Specifically, although the two antenna elements are deployed independently, because the propagation characteristics of similar frequency bands (such as 5 GHz and 6 GHz) are similar (e.g., similar path loss models and multipath structures), the antenna elements of the multi-link device can utilize a cross-frequency band parameter mapping mechanism to derive the optimal antenna configuration parameters. For example, when the optimal parameter set obtained by the first antenna element corresponding to 5 GHz after training in the 0° to 180° directional range can be transformed through frequency normalization and directional mirroring, the equivalent configuration parameters suitable for the second antenna element corresponding to 6 GHz in the 0° to 180° directional range can be derived.

[0107] Furthermore, the first and second antenna units triggered to perform parallel training processing can be jointly associated with at least one client device. Moreover, the computational factor of the user conversion processing can be adjusted based on the number of jointly associated client devices to maximize the MLO gain.

[0108] Furthermore, according to embodiments of this disclosure, the first directional range and the second directional range may partially overlap, but preferably cover the entire directional range. As in the example above, the first antenna element of the multi-link device performs a first training process for an antenna pattern corresponding to the coverage of the eastward 0° to 180° directional range, while the second antenna element performs a second training process for an antenna pattern corresponding to the coverage of the westward 180° to 360° directional range. This means that the scanning areas of the two independent antenna elements, when stitched together, can achieve 360° omnidirectional coverage, thereby eliminating training blind spots.

[0109] Furthermore, the role of multi-link collaborative training can be further enhanced based on the association information of the client devices. According to embodiments of this disclosure, when determining multiple antenna elements for parallel training, the association information of the client devices as described above can also be considered. For example, the first antenna element and the second antenna element are jointly associated with at least one client device, thereby further enhancing the role of multi-link collaborative training and maximizing MLO gain.

[0110] As described above, the antenna selection step may not be necessary. For example, in other embodiments of this disclosure, when training conditions are met, parallel training processing of multiple or all predetermined antenna elements can be triggered directly without antenna selection.

[0111] Therefore, the antenna configuration method in this embodiment improves the efficiency of antenna training and configuration by parallel training and spatial division of labor of multiple independent antenna elements, and reduces the time that the device cannot communicate normally due to being in the training period.

[0112] The foregoing has described several steps of an antenna configuration method according to embodiments of the present disclosure. It should be understood that the execution order of the steps involved in the multiple steps can be reasonably interchanged or combined.

[0113] Next, several specific embodiments of this disclosure are described for multi-link devices with or without shared antenna boards, wherein the interaction flow of each logic unit in the multi-link device is schematically illustrated. These embodiments may correspond to example schemes that combine the embodiments described above. It should be understood that the antenna configuration schemes of this disclosure are not limited to these embodiments.

[0114] Implementation Method 1

[0115] Figure 5 An example of the interaction flow of a multi-link device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated.

[0116] like Figure 5 As shown, the multi-link device includes two antenna units on a shared board and a processor for performing control, command, calculation, and other processing. The antenna configuration method of this embodiment may include the following main processes:

[0117] Training mode configuration: As mentioned above, the processor of the multi-link device configures the training mode (such as single-link training or multi-link training as described above) and the required training parameters (such as training period, training interval, number of training packets, candidate antenna mode library, etc.) for the training processing of each antenna unit according to the training conditions or predetermined configuration information, thereby providing a basic strategy for subsequent training.

[0118] Antenna selection: As mentioned above, the processor of the multi-link device selects the antenna units to be trained based on the associated client device information (such as the number of associated STAs, link ratio, etc.).

[0119] MLO Traffic Migration: As mentioned above, before training begins, the processor of the multi-link device can dynamically migrate service traffic originally carried by the training antenna unit (first antenna unit) to the non-training antenna (second antenna unit) via the multi-link operation protocol. For example, video streaming, file downloads, and other services from the first antenna unit can be switched to the second antenna unit for transmission. As described above, this step avoids service interruptions during training through a load balancing mechanism, while creating an interference-free training environment for the first antenna unit.

[0120] Mode Switching: As described above, the processor of the multi-link device also sends a mode switching command to the non-training second antenna unit (second antenna unit), switching it from the first mode to the second mode. This operation significantly reduces interference during antenna unit training, ensuring the accuracy of the training data.

[0121] Triggering Single-Link Training: As described above, the processor of the multi-link device sends a training command to the first antenna element, which is selected as the training antenna through antenna selection, to trigger the single-link training process. This first antenna element traverses a predefined set of candidate antenna parameters, sends training packets to the associated STA, and collects feedback data such as PER and RSSI.

[0122] Training result reporting: As mentioned above, after the first antenna unit completes training, it summarizes the collected link quality data to generate a training report, which is then reported to the multi-link device for processing by the processor to determine the optimal antenna parameter set. For example, the training report indicates that the antenna corresponding to Mode #7 performs best and can be used as the optimal antenna parameter set.

[0123] Antenna parameter configuration: As described above, the processor uses the determined optimal antenna parameter set to configure at least the first antenna element multi-link device, and based on the association information of the client devices, it can also use the optimal antenna parameter set to configure the second antenna element that is jointly associated with at least one client device.

[0124] MLO Traffic Diversion and Mode Restoration: As described above, after training is complete, the traffic previously migrated to the second antenna unit is diverted back to the first antenna unit, utilizing the newly configured beam to improve communication performance. Furthermore, a command is sent to the second antenna unit to switch it from the second mode back to the first mode, restoring it to normal communication at its original rate.

[0125] Implementation Method 2

[0126] Figure 6 Another example of the interaction flow of a multi-link device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated. Figure 6 and Figure 5 Some processes may be the same or similar; the following will mainly explain the differences.

[0127] like Figure 6 As shown, the multi-link device includes two antenna units that do not share a board and a processor. The antenna configuration method of this embodiment may include:

[0128] Training Request: In this implementation, each antenna element can trigger antenna training independently. For example, when a decrease in communication quality is detected in the first frequency band, in response to the training condition, the first antenna element corresponding to that frequency band can actively request antenna training from the processor (e.g., via the triggering module inside the antenna element) to trigger the antenna training process.

[0129] Training Confirmation: After receiving the request, the processor can dynamically divert the service traffic originally carried by the first antenna unit to be trained to the second antenna unit. After completing the diversion, it replies with a confirmation message to the first antenna unit to allow it to execute the training. After that, the first antenna unit executes the subsequent training and configuration process.

[0130] The remaining processes and Figure 5 The corresponding process is similar and will not be repeated here.

[0131] Implementation Method 3

[0132] Figure 7 This provides yet another example of the interaction flow of a multi-link device according to embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 7 and Figure 5 , 6 Some processes may be the same or similar; the following will mainly explain the differences.

[0133] like Figure 7 As shown, the multi-link device includes two antenna units that do not share a board and a processor. The antenna configuration method of this embodiment may include:

[0134] Antenna parameter configuration: In this embodiment, the processor uses the determined optimal antenna parameter set to configure only the first antenna element multi-link device, and not to configure the second antenna element.

[0135] Triggering the Second Training: As described above, after configuring the first antenna unit, a second training process for the second antenna unit is triggered based on the correlation between links. Furthermore, before executing the second training process, MLO redirection not only redirects the previously redirected service data back to the configured first antenna unit, but also redirects at least a portion of the service data from the second antenna unit to the first antenna unit to facilitate the execution of the second training process.

[0136] Implementation Method 4

[0137] Figure 8 This provides yet another example of the interaction flow of a multi-link device according to embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 8 and Figures 5 to 7 Some processes may be the same or similar; the following will mainly explain the differences.

[0138] like Figure 8 As shown, the multi-link device includes two antenna units that do not share a board and a processor. The antenna configuration method of this embodiment may include:

[0139] Triggering Multi-Link Training: As described above, multiple antenna elements corresponding to different frequency bands can perform antenna training processing in parallel. In this embodiment, the processor simultaneously triggers training processing for the first antenna element and the second antenna element, and configures the first training processing executed by the first antenna element and the second training processing executed by the second antenna element to correspond to different directional ranges. Preferably, the first antenna element and the second antenna element are jointly associated with at least one client device, and the first directional range and the second directional range can cover the entire directional range.

[0140] Antenna parameter configuration: In this embodiment, the processor aggregates the data from the two training processes, and as described above, based on the similarity of the frequency band characteristics of the two antenna elements, it transforms the antenna configuration parameter set obtained by training one antenna element for its directional range to obtain the antenna configuration parameter set for the other antenna element corresponding to the directional range, thereby determining the optimal antenna parameter set for configuring the first antenna element and the second antenna element.

[0141] Figure 9 A block diagram illustrating an example of a multi-link device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0142] It should be noted that Figure 9 The multi-link device described herein can be used to perform the antenna configuration method according to embodiments of this disclosure, for example, as described above in conjunction with the above. Figures 1 to 8The antenna configuration methods described herein. In embodiments of this disclosure, the multi-link device may be, for example, an access point (AP) device or a non-AP device (e.g., a station) in a wireless communication network. An AP device is typically connected to a router as a standalone device (e.g., via a wired network), but it may also be integrated with or used within a router. Similarly, in this disclosure, a non-AP (e.g., a client device or station, which is interchangeably referred to as a STA) is a communication device capable of communicating with an AP to obtain various communication services (such as voice, video, packet data, messaging, broadcasting, etc.). An STA may be any device that includes a Media Access Control (MAC) and Physical Layer (PHY) interface compliant with the IEEE 820.11 standard to the wireless medium (WM). For example, an STA may be a laptop computer, desktop personal computer (PC), personal digital assistant (PDA), monitor, speaker, smart wearable device, access point, or Wi-Fi phone in a WLAN environment. An STA may be fixed or mobile. In this document, the terms “STA,” “client device,” “terminal,” and “user equipment” are generally used interchangeably.

[0143] like Figure 9 As shown, the multi-link device 900 may include a memory 901, a processor 902, a first antenna element 903 corresponding to a first frequency band, and a second antenna element 904 corresponding to a second frequency band. It should be understood that the multi-link device according to embodiments of this disclosure may include more antenna elements (not shown), and the processor 902 is communicatively coupled to at least the memory 901 and the multiple antenna elements, and is configured to perform the antenna configuration method as described above. As described above, in this document, the multiple antenna elements of the multi-link device 900 may be shared on a single board or not, and the memory 901 may store configuration information related to training modes for configuring the multiple antenna elements, such as the first and second training modes described above.

[0144] Examples of processor 902 include microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors (DSPs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), state machines, gated logic, discrete hardware circuits, and other suitable hardware configured to perform the various functions described in this disclosure. Processor 902 can execute software. Software should be broadly interpreted as instructions, instruction sets, code, code segments, program code, programs, subroutines, software modules, application programs, software applications, software packages, routines, subroutines, objects, executable files, threads of execution, procedures, functions, etc., whether referred to as software, firmware, middleware, microcode, hardware description languages, or otherwise. Software may reside on memory 901.

[0145] Memory 901 may be a non-transitory computer-readable medium. Non-transitory computer-readable media include, for example, magnetic storage devices (e.g., hard disks, floppy disks, magnetic stripes), optical disks (e.g., optical discs (CDs) or digital versatile optical discs (DVDs)), smart cards, flash memory devices (e.g., cards, memory cards, or key drives), random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), programmable ROM (PROM), erasable PROM (EPROM), electrically erasable PROM (EEPROM), registers, removable disks, and any other suitable medium for storing software and / or instructions that can be accessed and read by a computer. Memory 901 may reside in processor 902, be external to processor 902, or be distributed across multiple entities including processor 902. Memory 901 may be embodied in a computer program product. For example, a computer program product may include a computer-readable medium in packaging material. Those skilled in the art will recognize how the functionality described throughout this disclosure can be implemented based on the specific application and overall design constraints imposed on the overall system.

[0146] Furthermore, according to embodiments of this disclosure, a multi-link device is provided, comprising: a plurality of antenna elements, the plurality of antenna elements including a first antenna element corresponding to a first frequency band and a second antenna element corresponding to a second frequency band; and a processing unit, such as a processor, configured to configure a training mode for the plurality of antenna elements, the training mode including: a first training mode, wherein the first antenna element corresponding to the first frequency band among the plurality of antenna elements performs a first training process, and the second antenna element corresponding to the second frequency band among the plurality of antenna elements does not perform a training process; and a second training mode, wherein the first antenna element performs the first training process and the second antenna element performs a second training process.

[0147] For example, the processing unit may also be configured to trigger the first antenna unit to perform a first training process; divert at least a portion of the service data for the first antenna unit to the second antenna unit before performing the first training process; and determine, based on the first training process, an optimal set of antenna parameters for configuring at least the first antenna unit among the plurality of antenna units.

[0148] For example, multiple antenna units share a board, and the processing unit can also be configured to switch the second antenna unit from a first mode to a second mode. The second antenna unit is also configured to transmit service data in the second mode during the execution of the first training process. In the second mode, the second antenna unit transmits service data at a lower rate than in the first mode, or transmits only service data of a predefined access category, or transmits service data in a repetitive manner.

[0149] For example, the processing unit may also be configured to configure the first antenna unit and the second antenna unit using the optimal antenna parameter set, wherein the first antenna unit and the second antenna unit are jointly associated with at least one client device; and to divert the at least portion of the service data back to the first antenna unit configured with the optimal antenna parameter set.

[0150] For example, the processing unit may also be configured to configure the first antenna unit using the optimal antenna parameter set; divert at least a portion of the service data back to the first antenna unit configured with the optimal antenna parameter set; trigger the second antenna unit to perform a second training process in response to the at least a portion of the service data being diverted back to the first antenna unit configured with the optimal antenna parameter set; and determine a second optimal antenna parameter set for configuring at least the second antenna unit among the plurality of antenna units based on the first training process and the second training process, wherein the first antenna unit and the second antenna unit are jointly associated with at least one client device, and divert at least a portion of the service data for the second antenna unit to the first antenna unit before the second training process is executed.

[0151] For example, the processing unit may also be configured to trigger the first antenna unit to perform the first training process and the second antenna unit to perform the second training process; and based on both the first training process and the second training process, to determine the optimal set of antenna parameters for configuring the first antenna unit and the second antenna unit.

[0152] For example, the first training process is executed for a first client device, and the second training process is executed for a second client device different from the first client device. Wherein, the plurality of antenna units share a board, and determining the optimal antenna parameter set based on both the first and second training processes includes: determining a first optimal antenna parameter set based on the first training process; determining a second optimal antenna parameter set based on the second training process; and determining the optimal antenna parameter set based on the weight coefficients of the first and second clients, according to the first and second optimal antenna parameter sets; and wherein the weight coefficients are assigned to the client based on one or more of the following: the client's service priority, throughput requirements, or QoS level.

[0153] For example, the plurality of antenna elements are not on the same board, and the processing unit may also be configured to send training instructions to a first antenna element corresponding to a first frequency band and a second antenna element corresponding to a second frequency band; in response to the training instructions, the first antenna element performs a first training process and the second antenna element performs a second training process, wherein the first training process corresponds to a first directional range and the second training process corresponds to a second directional range different from the first directional range; and based on both the first training process and the second training process, an optimal set of antenna parameters for configuring the first antenna element and the second antenna element is determined.

[0154] For example, the first antenna unit and the second antenna unit are jointly associated with at least one client device; and the first directional range and the second directional range cover the entire directional range.

[0155] For example, the processing unit may also be configured to configure the training mode for the plurality of antenna elements according to training conditions, the training conditions including one or more of the following: the layout of the plurality of antenna elements, the current communication load, the link quality status, or user distribution characteristics; or to configure the training mode for the plurality of antenna elements according to predetermined configuration information.

[0156] Furthermore, according to another embodiment of this disclosure, a computer program product for wireless communication is disclosed. As an example, the computer program product includes a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing program instructions executable by a processor. When executed, the program instructions cause the processor to perform one or more of the processes described above; details are omitted here for brevity.

[0157] This disclosure can be a system, method, and / or computer program product at any possible level of integrated technical detail. A computer program product may include computer-readable program instructions for causing a processor to perform various aspects of this disclosure.

[0158] It should also be noted that in the devices and methods of this disclosure, the components or steps can be disassembled and / or recombined. These disassemblies and / or recombinations should be considered equivalent solutions of this disclosure. Furthermore, the block diagrams of devices, apparatuses, devices, and systems involved in the embodiments of this disclosure are merely illustrative examples and are not intended to require or imply that they must be connected, arranged, or configured in the manner shown in the block diagrams. As those skilled in the art will recognize, these devices, apparatuses, and systems can be connected, arranged, and configured in any manner.

[0159] It should be noted that the flowcharts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings illustrate the possible structures, functions, and operations of the methods and apparatus according to various embodiments of this application. In this regard, each block in a flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, a program segment, or a portion of code containing at least one executable instruction for implementing a specified logical function. It should also be noted that in some alternative embodiments, the functions described in a block may occur in a different order than those described in the accompanying drawings. For example, two blocks shown consecutively may actually be executed in parallel, and they may sometimes be executed in reverse order, depending on the functions involved. It should also be noted that each block in the block diagrams and / or flowcharts, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and / or flowcharts, may be implemented by a dedicated hardware system that performs the specified function or operation, or by a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

[0160] Furthermore, unless specifically stated otherwise, terms such as “if,” “when,” and “in response to” should be interpreted as “under the condition of,” rather than implying an immediate temporal relationship or reaction. That is, these phrases, such as “when,” do not imply an immediate action in response to an action occurring or during an action, but merely imply that the action will occur if the condition is met, without requiring a specific or immediate time constraint for the action to occur. Combinations such as “at least one of A, B, or C,” “one or more of A, B, or C,” “at least one of A, B, and C,” “one or more of A, B, and C,” and “A, B, C, or any combination thereof” include any combination of A, B, and / or C, and may include multiple A, multiple B, or multiple C. Combinations such as “at least one of A, B, or C,” “one or more of A, B, or C,” “at least one of A, B, and C,” “one or more of A, B, and C,” and “A, B, C, or any combination thereof” can be only A, only B, only C, A and B, A and C, B and C, or A, B, and C, where any such combination may contain one or more members of A, B, or C. In this document, the word “comprising” and its variations, such as “including” and “containing,” means “including, but not limited to,” and are not intended to exclude, for example, other additives, components, integers, or steps. “Exemplary” means “an example of a preferred or ideal implementation and is not intended to convey its indication.” “Like” is not used in a limiting sense but for interpretive purposes.

[0161] The descriptions of the various embodiments disclosed are for illustrative purposes and are not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the described embodiments. The terminology used herein is chosen to best explain the principles of the embodiments, their practical application, or improvements to techniques found in the market, or to enable those skilled in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.

Claims

1. An antenna configuration method for a multi-link device, the multi-link device comprising multiple antenna elements, the antenna configuration method comprising: Configure a training mode for the plurality of antenna elements, the training mode including: A first training mode, wherein the first antenna element corresponding to a first frequency band among the plurality of antenna elements performs a first training process, and the second antenna element corresponding to a second frequency band among the plurality of antenna elements does not perform a training process; and The second training mode, wherein the first antenna unit performs the first training process and the second antenna unit performs the second training process.

2. The antenna configuration method of claim 1, wherein, The plurality of antenna elements are configured in a first training mode, and the antenna configuration method includes: Trigger the first antenna unit to execute the first training process; and Based on the first training process, an optimal set of antenna parameters is determined for configuring at least the first antenna element among the plurality of antenna elements, wherein, prior to the execution of the first training process, at least a portion of the service data for the first antenna element is diverted to the second antenna element.

3. The antenna configuration method of claim 2, wherein, The multiple antenna elements share a common board, and the antenna configuration method further includes: Switch the second antenna element from the first mode to the second mode; wherein... During the execution of the first training process, the second antenna unit transmits service data in the second mode.

4. The antenna configuration method of claim 3, wherein, In the second mode, the second antenna unit transmits service data at a lower rate than in the first mode, or transmits only service data of a predefined access category, or transmits service data in a repetitive manner.

5. The antenna configuration method as described in claim 2, further comprising: The first antenna element is configured using the optimal antenna parameter set; as well as The at least portion of the service data is redirected back to the first antenna element configured with the optimal antenna parameter set.

6. The antenna configuration method as described in claim 5, further comprising: The second antenna element is configured using the optimal antenna parameter set; The first antenna unit and the second antenna unit are jointly associated with at least one client device.

7. The antenna configuration method as described in claim 5, further comprising: In response to the fact that at least a portion of the service data is diverted back to the first antenna unit configured with the optimal antenna parameter set, the second antenna unit is triggered to perform the second training process; as well as Based on the first training process and the second training process, a second optimal antenna parameter set is determined for configuring at least the second antenna element among the plurality of antenna elements; The first antenna unit and the second antenna unit are jointly associated with at least one client device, and at least a portion of the service data intended for the second antenna unit is diverted to the first antenna unit before the second training process is executed.

8. The antenna configuration method as described in any one of claims 2 to 7, further comprising: Determine the number of client devices associated with each of the plurality of antenna elements; Based on the number of associated client devices, the first antenna unit that is triggered to execute the first training process is determined, wherein: During a period of low-throughput communication in the multi-link device, the antenna element with the largest number of associated client devices among the plurality of antenna elements is determined as the first antenna element for performing the first training process; or During high-throughput communication of the multi-link devices, the antenna element with the fewest associated client devices among the plurality of antenna elements is determined as the first antenna element for performing the first training process.

9. The antenna configuration method of any one of claims 2 to 7, wherein, Triggering the first antenna unit to perform the first training process includes: In response to a decrease in communication quality in the first frequency band, the first antenna unit requests to execute the first training process; In response to the request from the first antenna unit, at least a portion of the service data intended for the first antenna unit is diverted to a second antenna unit among the plurality of antenna units corresponding to the second frequency band, and the first antenna unit is triggered to perform a first training process.

10. The antenna configuration method of any one of claims 2 to 7, wherein, Determining the optimal antenna parameter set includes: The antenna unit performing the training process uses multiple candidate antenna parameter sets to transmit training data packets separately. Based on the communication quality information of the training data packets, the link quality corresponding to each antenna parameter set in the plurality of candidate antenna parameter sets is determined; and The optimal antenna parameter set is determined from at least one set of antenna parameters whose link quality is above a threshold; The antenna parameter set includes a set of antenna parameters, which include parameters related to at least one of the antenna's angle, phase, and amplitude, and the communication quality information includes at least one of packet error rate, bit error rate, channel state information, and signal strength information.

11. The antenna configuration method of claim 10, wherein, Determining the optimal antenna parameter set also includes: Determine the direction of arrival of the associated client device; and The set of antenna parameters that matches the direction of arrival from a set of multiple antenna parameters whose link quality is higher than a threshold is determined as the optimal set of antenna parameters.

12. The antenna configuration method of claim 1, wherein, The plurality of antenna elements are configured in a second training mode, and the antenna configuration method includes: Trigger the first antenna unit to execute the first training process and the second antenna unit to execute the second training process; and Based on both the first training process and the second training process, the optimal set of antenna parameters for configuring the first antenna element and the second antenna element is determined.

13. The antenna configuration method of claim 12, wherein, The first training process is executed on a first client device, and the second training process is executed on a second client device that is different from the first client device.

14. The antenna configuration method as described in claim 13, wherein, The multiple antenna elements share a common board, and the optimal antenna parameter set is determined based on both the first training process and the second training process, including: Based on the first training process, a first optimal antenna parameter set is determined; Based on the second training process, a second optimal antenna parameter set is determined; and The optimal antenna parameter set is determined based on the weighting coefficients of the first client and the second client, according to the first optimal antenna parameter set and the second optimal antenna parameter set.

15. The antenna configuration method as described in claim 14, wherein, The weighting coefficient is assigned to the client based on one or more of the following: the client's service priority, throughput requirements, or QoS level.

16. The antenna configuration method as described in claim 12, wherein, The plurality of antenna elements are not on the same board, the first training process corresponds to a first directional range, and the second training process corresponds to a second directional range that is different from the first directional range.

17. The antenna configuration method as described in claim 16, wherein, The first directional range and the second directional range cover the entire directional range.

18. The antenna configuration method as described in claim 16 or 17, wherein, The first antenna unit and the second antenna unit are jointly associated with at least one client device.

19. The antenna configuration method as described in claim 1, further comprising: Based on training conditions, configure the training mode for the plurality of antenna elements, wherein the training conditions include one or more of the following: the layout of the plurality of antenna elements, the current communication load, the link quality status, or user distribution characteristics; or Configure the training mode for the plurality of antenna elements according to the predetermined configuration information.

20. A multi-link device, comprising: Multiple antenna elements, wherein the multiple antenna elements include a first antenna element corresponding to a first frequency band and a second antenna element corresponding to a second frequency band; One or more processors; as well as A memory coupled to at least one of the one or more processors, wherein the memory stores a set of computer program instructions, which, when executed by at least one of the one or more processors, cause the multilink device to perform the antenna configuration method according to any one of claims 1 to 19.

21. A computer program product comprising computer-readable instructions that, when executed by a processor of a multilink device, cause the multilink device to perform the antenna configuration method according to any one of claims 1 to 19.

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