Access point and method performed by an access point for multi-access point coordination

Abstract

The present disclosure provides an access point (AP), a method performed by the AP for multi-AP coordination, and a computer program product. The method performed by the AP for multi-AP coordination comprises: the AP, as a first AP, interacting with a second AP in relation to antenna information, wherein the antenna information indicates at least one antenna configuration supported by the first AP and / or the second AP for coordination between the first AP and the second AP; and determining at least one decision associated with the coordination according to at least the at least one antenna configuration indicated by the antenna information in the interaction.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of wireless communications, and more specifically, to access points (APs) and methods and computer program products performed by APs for multi-access point coordination (MAPC). Background Technology

[0002] In next-generation Wi-Fi technologies (802.11bn / Wi-Fi 8), MAPC technology was introduced to meet the requirements of low latency and high reliability. Currently, access points (APs) commonly utilize wireless channel state information (WSSI) to perform performance evaluations related to MAPC, assisting the AP in making MAPC-related decisions. This is feasible for APs using omnidirectional antennas. However, for APs using directional or smart antennas, the evaluation results obtained through this method are not accurate enough. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This disclosure provides, in one aspect, a method for multi-AP coordination performed by a first access point (AP). The method includes: interacting with a second AP regarding antenna information, wherein the antenna information indicates at least one antenna configuration supported by the first AP and / or the second AP for coordination between the first AP and the second AP; and determining at least one decision associated with the coordination, at least based on the at least one antenna configuration indicated by the antenna information in the interaction.

[0004] Optionally, determining at least one decision associated with the coordination includes at least one of the following: selecting a target coordination mechanism for the coordination from among a plurality of coordination mechanisms; and determining the antenna parameters of the first AP and / or the second AP for the coordination.

[0005] Optionally, the interaction includes a first interaction performed during the negotiation phase of the collaboration, wherein the negotiation phase is used to establish a collaborative relationship between the first AP and the second AP; and the first AP determines that the at least one decision includes at least one of the following: determining whether to establish a collaborative relationship with the second AP; determining the antenna parameters of the first AP for the collaboration; and determining a target collaborative mechanism for the collaboration among a plurality of collaborative mechanisms.

[0006] Optionally, in the first interaction, the first AP sends first antenna information to the second AP indicating at least one antenna configuration supported by the first AP for the cooperation; the first AP determines the at least one decision based at least on the at least one antenna configuration indicated in the first antenna information.

[0007] Optionally, in the first interaction, the first AP receives second antenna information from the second AP indicating at least one antenna configuration supported by the second AP for the cooperation; the first AP determines the at least one decision based at least one antenna configuration supported by the first AP for the cooperation and the at least one antenna configuration indicated in the second antenna information.

[0008] Optionally, in the first interaction, the first AP sends first antenna information to the second AP indicating at least one antenna configuration supported by the first AP for the cooperation, and the first AP receives second antenna information from the second AP indicating at least one antenna configuration supported by the second AP for the cooperation; the first AP determines the at least one decision based on the at least one antenna configuration indicated in the first antenna information and the at least one antenna configuration indicated in the second antenna information, wherein the at least one antenna configuration indicated in the second antenna information is adjusted based on the at least one antenna configuration indicated in the first antenna information.

[0009] Optionally, each of the at least one antenna configuration indicated in the second antenna information includes the beam direction and beamwidth of the antenna of the second AP; the first AP determines the at least one decision including the first AP determining the target cooperative mechanism; in response to determining that the client STA that is about to communicate with the first AP is within the beam range of the second AP based on the beam direction and beamwidth of the antenna of the second AP, the first AP determines Cooperative Beamforming (Co-BF) among the plurality of cooperative mechanisms as the target cooperative mechanism.

[0010] Optionally, each of the at least one antenna configuration indicated in the second antenna information includes the beam direction, beamwidth, and antenna gain of the second AP's antenna; the first AP determines the at least one decision including the first AP determining the target coordination mechanism; in response to determining, based on the beam direction, beamwidth, and antenna gain of the second AP's antenna, that the interference metric of the second AP to the client STA to which the first AP is about to communicate does not exceed a preset interference threshold, the first AP selects Cooperative Spatial Reuse (Co-SR) among the plurality of coordination mechanisms as the target coordination mechanism.

[0011] Optionally, the interference metric includes at least one of packet error rate, bit error rate, interference signal strength, signal-to-noise ratio, and transmission rate.

[0012] Optionally, the interaction includes a second interaction during the invitation phase of the collaboration, wherein the invitation phase is used for the sharing AP of the first AP and the second AP to invite the shared AP of the first AP and the second AP to participate in the collaboration; when the first AP is the sharing AP, the first AP determines the at least one decision including determining the antenna parameters of the first AP for the collaboration; or, when the first AP is the shared AP, the first AP determines the at least one decision including: determining whether to agree to participate in the collaboration, and if agreeing to participate in the collaboration, determining the antenna parameters of the first AP for the collaboration.

[0013] Optionally, in the second interaction, the first AP sends third antenna information to the second AP indicating at least one antenna configuration supported by the first AP for the cooperation; the first AP determines the at least one decision based at least on the at least one antenna configuration indicated in the third antenna information.

[0014] Optionally, in the second interaction, the first AP receives from the second AP fourth antenna information indicating at least one antenna configuration supported by the second AP for the cooperation; the first AP determines the at least one decision based at least on the at least one antenna configuration supported by the first AP for the cooperation and the at least one antenna configuration indicated in the fourth antenna information.

[0015] Optionally, in the second interaction, the first AP sends third antenna information to the second AP indicating at least one antenna configuration supported by the first AP for the cooperation, and receives fourth antenna information from the second AP indicating at least one antenna configuration supported by the second AP for the cooperation; the first AP determines the at least one decision based at least one antenna configuration indicated in the third antenna information and the at least one antenna configuration indicated in the fourth antenna information, wherein the at least one antenna configuration in the fourth antenna information is adjusted based on the at least one antenna configuration in the third antenna information.

[0016] Optionally, the interaction includes a third interaction performed during the triggering phase of the collaboration, the triggering phase being used to trigger the collaboration by a shared AP among the first AP and the second AP; when the first AP is a shared AP among the first AP and the second AP, the first AP determines that the at least one decision includes determining the antenna parameters of the first AP for the collaboration.

[0017] Optionally, in the third interaction, when the first AP acts as the shared AP, the first AP sends fifth antenna information to the second AP indicating the first AP's requirements for the antenna parameters of the second AP for the cooperation.

[0018] Optionally, in the interaction, the antenna information is carried by the multi-AP coordination scheme information field in the multi-AP coordination element.

[0019] Optionally, each antenna configuration in the at least one antenna configuration indicates at least one of the following: antenna type, beam direction, beamwidth, polarization direction, switching mode, dynamic mode, triggering method, and antenna gain of the first AP or the second AP.

[0020] Optionally, the antennas of at least one of the first AP and the second AP may not have exactly the same gain in each direction.

[0021] Another aspect of this disclosure provides an access point (AP). The AP includes: a memory storing instructions thereon; and a processor coupled to the memory, which, when executed by the processor, causes the access point to perform the method according to any of the preceding claims.

[0022] Another aspect of this disclosure provides a computer program product. This computer program product includes computer instructions that, when executed by a processor, implement the method according to any of the preceding claims.

[0023] This disclosure significantly improves the accuracy of decision-making by exchanging antenna information between the first AP and the second AP and making decisions related to MAPC based on that antenna information. Attached Figure Description

[0024] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this disclosure, the accompanying drawings of the embodiments will be briefly described below. Obviously, the drawings described below only relate to some embodiments of this disclosure, and are not intended to limit this disclosure.

[0025] Figure 1 This illustrates a schematic application scenario of MAPC technology;

[0026] Figure 2 This illustrates the various stages of the implementation process of MAPC technology;

[0027] Figure 3 A schematic flowchart illustrates a method for MAPC performed by an AP according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0028] Figure 4 A schematic frame structure illustrating antenna information according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0029] Figure 5 A schematic diagram showing the interaction of antenna information during the negotiation phase according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0030] Figure 6 This diagram illustrates the interaction of antenna information during the invitation phase according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0031] Figure 7 This diagram illustrates the interaction of antenna information during the triggering phase according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0032] Figure 8 A schematic block diagram of an AP according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0033] Embodiments of this disclosure will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While some embodiments of this disclosure are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that this disclosure should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided to provide a more thorough and complete understanding of this disclosure. The drawings and embodiments of this disclosure are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this disclosure. Furthermore, in the drawings, the same reference numerals denote components of the same or similar structures or functions, and repeated descriptions of them will be omitted in the following description.

[0034] Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in this disclosure shall have the ordinary meaning understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains. The terms “first,” “second,” and similar terms used in this disclosure do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different components.

[0035] The various components or assemblies described in the different embodiments of this disclosure are for ease of description only and do not imply actual physical separation or combination, nor do they imply that such separation or combination is necessary. Those skilled in the art can arbitrarily disassemble or combine the various components or assemblies according to actual needs.

[0036] In this disclosure, an AP is a communication device capable of communicating with a client (Station, STA) in a WLAN and allowing the STA to connect to a wired network. An STA can be any device that includes a Media Access Control (MAC) interface to the wireless medium (WM) and a Physical Layer (PHY) interface. For example, an STA can be a laptop computer, desktop personal computer (PC), personal digital assistant (PDA), access point, or Wi-Fi phone in a WLAN environment. STAs can be fixed or mobile. In a WLAN environment, the terms "STA," "client," "client device," "wireless client," "user," and "user equipment" are used interchangeably.

[0037] In this disclosure, the STA can function as an AP in different scenarios, and vice versa. This is because communication devices in the context of Wi-Fi technology may include both STA and AP hardware components. In this way, the communication device can switch between STA mode and AP mode based on the actual WLAN conditions and / or requirements.

[0038] In this disclosure, for ease of describing embodiments, the AP that initiates a MAPC transmission in MAPC (e.g., sharing a transmission opportunity (TXOP) or initiating a cooperative channel measurement) is referred to as the sharing AP, and the AP waiting for the sharing AP to initiate a MAPC transmission is referred to as the shared AP.

[0039] As mentioned earlier, for APs employing directional or smart antennas, traditional assessments based on wireless channel state information (WSSI) related to MAPC may not be accurate enough. For example, a crucial decision in MAPC is selecting a cooperative transmission mechanism from multiple options. Since traditional antennas are generally omnidirectional, with identical gain in all directions, selecting a mechanism based on WSI assessments is feasible. However, because directional or smart antennas do not have uniform gain in all directions—for example, a strong gain in one direction and a low gain in others—the selected mechanism based solely on WSI assessments may not be optimal. Therefore, this disclosure proposes that APs incorporate antenna information as a factor in making MAPC-related decisions to improve decision accuracy and facilitate smoother cooperative transmission.

[0040] To better understand this disclosure, the following will first be combined with Figure 1 and Figure 2 Introducing MAPC technology.

[0041] Figure 1 This illustrates a schematic application scenario of MAPC technology.

[0042] refer to Figure 1 AP1 and AP2 have their own Basic Service Sets (BSS), BSS1 and BSS2, respectively. STA1 is associated with AP1, and STA2 is associated with AP2. Here, "associated" means that the STA and AP have established a logical connection, enabling the STA to access network resources through the AP. In environments with densely deployed multiple APs, BSS1 and BSS2 may partially overlap; this overlapping portion is called the Overlapping Basic Service Set (OBSS). As shown in the diagram, since STA1 is located within the OBSS, signals emitted by AP2, such as broadcast signals from AP2 or signals destined for AP1, can also be received by STA1. Similarly, since STA2 is located within the OBSS, signals emitted by AP1, such as broadcast signals from AP1 or signals destined for AP2, can also be received by STA2.

[0043] MAPC technology allows AP1 and AP2 to choose one of several cooperative transmission mechanisms for cooperative transmission, in order to better utilize network resources to serve their respective associated STAs. Currently, there are four main MAPC mechanisms: Coordinated Time Division Multiple Access (Co-TDMA), Coordinated Spatial Reuse (Co-SR), Coordinated Beamforming (Co-BF), and Coordinated Restricted Target Wake Time (Co-RTWT). Only one cooperative mechanism can be selected for cooperative transmission during a single TXOP. This document does not describe the details of each cooperative mechanism in detail to avoid obscuring this disclosure.

[0044] For the sake of simplicity, Figure 1 Only two APs are shown, but it should be understood that an AP can have multiple OBSSs with multiple APs, and therefore an AP can establish cooperative relationships with multiple APs.

[0045] Figure 2 This illustrates the various stages of the implementation process of MAPC technology.

[0046] refer to Figure 2 The implementation process of MAPC technology can be divided into the discovery phase, negotiation phase, invitation phase, triggering phase, and transmission phase. Figure 1Taking the implementation of MAPC technology between AP1 and AP2 as an example, the discovery phase is used for AP1 and AP2 to discover that the other has MAPC capability. For example, AP1 and AP2 can each broadcast a MAPC discovery request frame to announce their MAPC capability (i.e., the ability to support MAPC technology), and can send a MAPC discovery response frame to interested APs to indicate that they can attempt to establish a cooperative relationship. The negotiation phase is used for AP1 and AP2 to establish a cooperative relationship. For example, AP1 and AP2 can negotiate whether to establish a cooperative relationship by exchanging MAPC negotiation request frames and MAPC negotiation response frames, and negotiate some details of cooperative transmission, such as which cooperative transmission mechanism will be the target cooperative transmission mechanism for future TXOPs. In the invitation phase, the AP that first competes for the TXOP (called the sharing AP) can send a cooperative transmission invitation frame to the other AP (called the shared AP) to invite the other AP to participate in the cooperative transmission in the TXOP according to the target cooperative mechanism. The shared AP can reply with a cooperative transmission response frame to indicate whether it agrees or disagrees to participate in this cooperative transmission. If the shared AP agrees to participate in this cooperative transmission, the trigger phase begins. During the triggering phase, the sharing AP can send a cooperative transmission trigger frame to the shared AP to initiate cooperative transmission. Afterwards, in the cooperative transmission phase, AP1 and AP2 perform cooperative transmission according to the target cooperative transmission mechanism indicated in the cooperative transmission invitation frame.

[0047] Figure 3 A schematic flowchart illustrates a method for MAPC performed by an AP according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0048] refer to Figure 3 The method 300 for MAPC performed by the AP according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure may include steps 310 and 320. For example, Figure 1 Both AP1 and AP2 in the code can execute method 300.

[0049] In step 310, interaction related to antenna information occurs between the two APs. Figure 1 Taking AP1 and AP2 as examples, interaction related to antenna information occurs between AP1 and AP2. This antenna information indicates at least one antenna configuration supported by AP1 and / or AP2 for coordination between AP1 and AP2. The interaction in this step may include one or more interactions, and these one or more interactions may occur as follows: Figure 2The negotiation phase, invitation phase, and trigger phase are shown as one or more phases. The antenna information for each interaction can indicate at least one antenna configuration supported by AP1 for coordination between AP1 and AP2, or at least one antenna configuration supported by AP2 for coordination between AP1 and AP2.

[0050] In step 320, AP1 and / or AP2 determine at least one decision associated with coordination, based at least one antenna configuration indicated by antenna information in the interaction. The specific content of each decision depends on the stage in which the corresponding interaction occurs and the role of AP1 or AP2 in that stage.

[0051] For example, in one or more interactions related to antenna information that occur during the negotiation phase, since AP1 and AP2 have equal roles in the negotiation phase, the decisions that AP1 and AP2 can make during the negotiation phase are similar. For example, both AP1 and AP2 can consider this antenna information to select a target coordination mechanism and determine the antenna parameters they will use for coordination.

[0052] For example, in one or more interactions related to antenna information that occur during the invitation phase, because AP1 and AP2 have unequal roles in the invitation phase—the one that first competes for the TXOP is the sharing AP, and the other is the shared AP—AP1 and AP2 can make different decisions. The sharing AP can consider this antenna information to determine the antenna parameters it will use for coordination. The shared AP can consider this antenna information to determine whether to agree to participate in this coordination, and if it agrees to participate, further determine the antenna parameters it will use for coordination.

[0053] For example, during the triggering phase, the shared AP in AP1 and AP2 can request the antenna parameters used for coordination from the shared AP by sending antenna information to the shared AP. In this case, the shared AP in AP1 and AP2 can adjust its own antenna parameters for coordination based on this antenna information.

[0054] In short, by ensuring at least one exchange of antenna information between the two APs during at least one of the negotiation, invitation, or triggering phases of MAPC, at least one AP can consider this antenna information when making MAPC-related assessments. This improves the accuracy of the assessment results, leading to more realistic MAPC decisions. The improvement is even more significant for APs using directional or smart antennas.

[0055] Figure 4 A schematic frame structure of antenna information according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0056] refer to Figure 4 Antenna information can include multiple antenna parameters. The frame structure of antenna information can include multiple fields corresponding to these antenna parameters. For example, the "Antenna Type" field indicates the type of antenna. Its selectable values ​​0, 1, and 2 represent omnidirectional, directional, and smart antennas, respectively, while value 3 is reserved for other antenna types that may appear in the future. The "Main Beam Direction" field indicates the direction of the antenna's main lobe. Its selectable values ​​0, 1, 2, and 3 represent the main lobe direction of the antenna as 0 degrees, 90 degrees, 180 degrees, and 270 degrees, respectively. Figure 1 For example, if this antenna information pertains to AP1 and AP1's antenna is a directional or smart antenna, then 0 degrees can be specified as the direction of the line connecting AP1 and AP2 (this can be determined by measuring the direction of the signal with the strongest RSSI from AP2), and 90 degrees is the direction obtained by rotating 90 degrees clockwise from the 0-degree direction. The "Beamwidth" field indicates the angle between the half-power points of the antenna's main lobe, which determines the signal coverage. Its selectable values ​​0, 1, 2, and 3 represent angles of 0 degrees, 30 degrees, 60 degrees, and 90 degrees between the half-power points of the antenna's main lobe, respectively. The "Polarization" field indicates the antenna's polarization, which affects signal reception efficiency. Its selectable values ​​0, 1, 2, and 3 represent horizontal polarization, vertical polarization, 45-degree polarization, and circular polarization, respectively. The "Switch Type" field indicates the smart antenna's switching mode. The optional values ​​1 and 2 represent switching polarization direction and switching directional direction, respectively. Value 2 is reserved for other switching modes that may appear in the future. The "Smart Antenna Mode" field indicates the dynamic mode for the smart antenna. Its optional values ​​0, 1, and 2 represent a TXOP-based mode (ensuring optimal performance for this TXOP), a PPDU-based mode (ensuring optimal performance for this PPDU), or a long-period mode (ensuring optimal average performance over a long period), respectively. The "Trigger Mode" field indicates the triggering method for adjusting the smart antenna in long-period dynamic mode. Its optional values ​​0 and 1 represent triggering based on changes in RSSI and throughput, respectively. The "Antenna Type" field indicates the maximum, minimum, or range of antenna gain. The "Reserved" field indicates a field reserved for other antenna parameters that may be needed in the future.

[0057] Once the values ​​of each antenna parameter are determined, a specific antenna configuration is formed. The antenna information exchanged in step 310 may include AP2 and / or one or more antenna configurations of AP2. In step 320, AP1 and / or AP2 may consider each antenna configuration in this antenna information to make MAPC-related decisions.

[0058] In addition, such as Figure 4 As shown, antenna information can be carried in the field representing MAPC Schemes Info based on the MAPC element under the MAPC framework in 802.11bn / Wi-Fi 8. However, this disclosure is not limited to this; antenna information can also be carried by signaling customized by the manufacturer or operator.

[0059] It should be understood that Figure 4 The illustrative frame structure shown is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to limit the antenna information. Antenna information according to at least one embodiment of this disclosure may include, but is not limited to, [the following information is also provided:] Figure 4 The antenna information shown may include more, less, or different antenna parameters.

[0060] Figure 5 A schematic diagram showing the interaction of antenna information during the negotiation phase according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0061] In the first embodiment, AP1 and AP2 exchange antenna information at least once or multiple times during the negotiation phase. To distinguish it from interactions occurring in other phases, the one or more interactions occurring during the negotiation phase will be referred to herein as the first interaction. As previously mentioned, during the negotiation phase, AP1 and AP2 may consider this antenna information to make decisions such as selecting a target coordination mechanism and determining the antenna parameters they will use for coordination.

[0062] The first embodiment may include the following three cases:

[0063] Case 1: The first interaction only includes AP1 sending the first antenna information to AP2;

[0064] Scenario 2: The first interaction only includes AP2 sending the second overhead information to AP1; and

[0065] In scenario 3, the first interaction includes both AP1 sending first antenna information to AP2 and AP2 sending second antenna information to AP1.

[0066] The following describes an example MAPC procedure for case 1.

[0067] During the discovery phase, AP1 broadcasts a MAPC discovery request frame to announce its MAPC capability. AP1 then receives a MAPC discovery response frame from AP2, and thus enters the negotiation phase with AP2.

[0068] During the negotiation phase, on the one hand, AP1 may send a MAPC negotiation request frame to AP2 containing first antenna information, which indicates at least one antenna configuration that AP1 can support for cooperation between AP1 and AP2. On the other hand, AP1 may determine at least one of the following decisions associated with cooperation between AP1 and AP2, based at least on the at least one antenna configuration of AP1 indicated in the first antenna information: determining the antenna parameters of AP1 for the cooperation, and determining the target cooperation mechanism among a plurality of cooperation mechanisms for the cooperation. It should be understood that in making these decisions, AP1 may also consider other information obtained by AP1, such as channel state information assessments performed by AP1 (e.g., packet loss rate, false alarm rate, retransmission rate, Received Signal Strength Indicator (RRSI), Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR), etc. of the radio channel between AP1 and its associated STA), measurements of AP1 for its associated STA (e.g., traffic flow of STA1, Angle of Arrival (AoA), Triggered Intersection (AoD), Time of Flight (ToF), Round-Trip Time (RTT), Doppler Offset, etc.), and measurements of AP1 for AP2 (e.g., OBSS RSSI, RRSI of signals from AP2, etc.). The MAPC negotiation request frame can indicate the target coordination mechanism selected by AP1.

[0069] Upon receiving a MAPC negotiation request frame, AP2 can obtain at least one antenna configuration from AP1 that can be used for coordination between AP1 and AP2. AP2 can determine a decision associated with coordination between AP1 and AP2 based at least on the at least one antenna configuration of AP1 and at least one antenna configuration that AP2 can support for coordination. Such a decision may include at least one of the following: determining whether to establish a coordination relationship with AP1, determining the antenna parameters of AP2 for the coordination, and selecting a target coordination mechanism for the coordination from a plurality of coordination mechanisms. It should be understood that in making these decisions, AP2 may also consider other information obtained by AP2, such as channel state information assessments performed by AP2 (e.g., packet loss rate, false alarm rate, retransmission rate, Received Signal Strength Indicator (RRSI), Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR), etc. of the radio channel between AP2 and its associated STAs), measurements taken by AP2 for its associated STAs (e.g., traffic flow of STA2, Angle of Arrival (AoA), Triggered Intersection (AoD), Time of Flight (ToF), Round-Trip Time (RTT), Doppler Offset, etc.), and measurements taken by AP2 for AP1 (e.g., OBSS RSSI, RRSI of signals from AP1, etc.). After making these decisions, AP2 can reply to AP1 with a MAPC negotiation response frame to indicate whether it agrees to establish a cooperative relationship with AP1. For example, if AP2 agrees to use the target cooperative mechanism selected by AP1, AP2 may agree to establish a cooperative relationship with AP1.

[0070] After successfully establishing a cooperative relationship, the AP1 or AP2 that first competes for the TXOP becomes the sharing AP, and the other becomes the shared AP. During the invitation phase, the sharing AP sends a cooperative transmission invitation frame to the shared AP. For example, if AP1 first competes for the TXOP, then AP1 becomes the sharing AP, and AP2 becomes the shared AP. AP1 will send a cooperative transmission invitation frame to AP2 according to the target cooperative mechanism determined during the negotiation phase to invite AP2 to participate in this cooperative effort. AP2 can reply to AP1 with a cooperative transmission response frame to indicate its agreement or disagreement to participate in this cooperative effort. After receiving the cooperative transmission response frame, if AP1 determines that AP2 agrees to participate in this cooperative effort, it enters the trigger phase. In the trigger phase, AP1 sends a cooperative transmission trigger frame to AP2 to begin executing the cooperative transmission.

[0071] In one example of Case 1, AP1 uses a directional antenna and selects the Co-SR mechanism as its target cooperative mechanism to concentrate energy transmission along the main beam direction, reducing interference to neighboring APs or STAs. Therefore, in its MAPC negotiation request frame to AP2, AP1 indicates its desire for cooperative transmission using the Co-SR mechanism, and also includes first antenna information in the frame. This first antenna information indicates that AP1 can use two antenna configurations for cooperative transmission: M1 and M2, differing only in their beamwidths.

[0072] Upon receiving the MAPC negotiation request frame, AP2 can select the target cooperation mechanism based on the beam direction and beamwidth in AP1's antenna configuration. For example, based on the beam direction and beamwidth in the M1 configuration, AP2 can determine that STA2, which will communicate with AP2, will not appear within AP1's beam range under the M1 configuration. Therefore, AP2 determines that when AP1's antenna configuration is M1, it is preferable to use the Co-SR mechanism for cooperative transmission with AP1. Simultaneously, based on the beam direction and beamwidth in the M2 configuration, AP2 can determine that when AP2's antenna configuration is M2, STA2 will appear within AP1's beam range. Therefore, when AP1's antenna configuration is M2, it is preferable to use the Co-BF mechanism for cooperative transmission with AP1 instead of the Co-SR mechanism.

[0073] Alternatively, upon receiving the MAPC negotiation request frame, AP2 can also select a target cooperative mechanism based on the beam direction, beamwidth, and antenna gain in AP1's antenna configuration. For example, based on the beam direction, beamwidth, and beam gain in the M1 configuration, AP2 calculates that the interference metric generated by AP1 to STA2, which is about to communicate with AP2, does not exceed a preset interference threshold when AP1's antenna configuration is M1. In this case, AP2 determines that under the M1 antenna configuration, the Co-SR mechanism can be used for cooperative transmission with AP1. Simultaneously, based on the beam direction, beamwidth, and beam gain in the M2 configuration, AP2 calculates that the interference metric generated by AP1 to STA2, which is about to communicate with AP2, exceeds a preset interference threshold when AP1's antenna configuration is M2. In this case, AP2 determines that under the M2 antenna configuration, the Co-BF mechanism should be used instead of the Co-SR mechanism for cooperative transmission with AP1. The interference metric here can include at least one of packet error rate, bit error rate, interference signal strength, signal-to-noise ratio, and transmission rate.

[0074] Based on scenario 1 above, when AP1 and AP2 select a target coordination mechanism and / or adjust their antenna parameters for coordination during the negotiation phase, they take into account the first antenna information they exchange. This makes the target coordination mechanism and / or the antenna parameters adjusted by AP1 and AP2 more conducive to coordination between the two parties.

[0075] The following describes an example MAPC procedure for case 2.

[0076] During the discovery phase, AP1 broadcasts a MAPC discovery request frame to announce its MAPC capability. AP1 then receives a MAPC discovery response frame from AP2, and thus enters the negotiation phase with AP2.

[0077] During the negotiation phase, AP1 can make at least one of the following decisions based on at least one antenna configuration of AP1 that can be used for coordination between AP1 and AP2: determining the antenna parameters of AP1 for the coordination, and determining a target coordination mechanism among multiple coordination mechanisms. The MAPC negotiation request frame sent by AP1 to AP2 may indicate the selected target coordination mechanism, but the MAPC negotiation request frame does not contain first antenna information indicating the at least one antenna configuration of AP1. After receiving the MAPC negotiation request frame, AP2 can make at least one of the following decisions based on at least one antenna configuration of AP2 that can be used for coordination between AP1 and AP2: determining the target coordination mechanism among multiple coordination mechanisms, determining whether to establish a coordination relationship with AP1, and determining the antenna parameters of AP2 for the coordination. After making these decisions, AP2 can reply to AP1 with a MAPC negotiation response frame to indicate whether it agrees to establish a coordination relationship with AP1 (e.g., if the target coordination mechanism selected by AP2 is the same as the target coordination mechanism indicated in the MAPC negotiation request frame, AP2 may agree to establish a coordination relationship with AP1), and AP2 also includes second antenna information in the MAPC negotiation response frame. The second antenna information indicates at least one antenna configuration of AP2 that can be used for the cooperation. After receiving the MAPC negotiation response frame, AP1 can adjust the antenna parameters of AP1 used for the cooperation according to the at least one antenna configuration of AP2 indicated in the second antenna information, so as to reduce interference to AP2.

[0078] After successfully establishing a cooperative relationship, similar to scenario 1, the AP1 or AP2 that first competes for the TXOP becomes the sharing AP, and the other becomes the shared AP. The sharing AP can send a cooperative transmission invitation frame to the shared AP according to the target cooperative mechanism agreed upon during the negotiation phase. The shared AP can reply to AP1 with a cooperative transmission response frame to indicate its agreement or disagreement to participate in this cooperative transmission. If the shared AP agrees to participate in this cooperative transmission, the sharing AP sends a cooperative transmission trigger frame to the shared AP to initiate the cooperative transmission.

[0079] In one example of Case 2, AP1's antenna is a directional antenna, and it selects the Co-SR mechanism as its target cooperative mechanism. Therefore, AP1 indicates in its MAPC negotiation request frame that it wishes to use the Co-SR mechanism for cooperative transmission; this MAPC negotiation request frame does not contain first antenna information. AP2's antenna is also a directional antenna, and its supported antenna configurations include N1 and N2 configurations. AP2 agrees to use the Co-SR mechanism as its target cooperative mechanism based at least on the antenna parameters in the N1 and N2 configurations. Therefore, AP2 sends a MAPC negotiation response frame to AP1 indicating its agreement to establish a cooperative relationship with AP1. Simultaneously, AP2 also includes second antenna information in the MAPC negotiation response frame indicating that AP2's antenna configurations available for this cooperative relationship are the N1 and N2 configurations. After receiving the MAPC negotiation response frame, AP1 can adjust one or more antenna parameters of AP1 according to the N1 and N2 configurations, for example, adjusting the main beam direction of AP1's antenna to reduce interference to AP2.

[0080] Based on scenario 2 above, when AP1 and AP2 select a target coordination mechanism and / or adjust their own antenna parameters for coordination during the negotiation phase, they take into account the second antenna information they exchange. This makes the target coordination mechanism and / or the antenna parameters adjusted by AP1 and AP2 more consistent with the antenna conditions of AP1 and AP2.

[0081] The following describes an example MAPC procedure for case 3.

[0082] During the discovery phase, AP1 broadcasts a MAPC discovery request frame to announce its MAPC capability. AP1 then receives a MAPC discovery response frame from AP2, and thus enters the negotiation phase with AP2.

[0083] During the negotiation phase, AP1 selects a target coordination mechanism based on at least one antenna configuration that it can use for coordination between AP1 and AP2. The MAPC negotiation request frame sent by AP1 to AP2 indicates that AP1 wishes to conduct coordinated transmission with this target coordination mechanism, and AP1 includes first antenna information in the MAPC negotiation request frame indicating at least one antenna configuration that AP1 can use for coordination between AP1 and AP2. Upon receiving this MAPC negotiation request frame, AP2 makes at least one of the following MAPC-related decisions based on at least one antenna configuration of AP1 indicated in the first antenna information and its own information: determining the target coordination mechanism among multiple coordination mechanisms, determining whether to establish a cooperative relationship with AP1, and determining the antenna parameters of AP2 for coordination. AP2's own information includes, for example, at least one antenna configuration of AP2 that can be used for coordination between AP1 and AP2, channel state information assessments performed by AP2, measurements of its associated STAs by AP2, and measurements of AP1 by AP2, etc. After making these decisions, AP2 can reply to AP1 with a MAPC negotiation frame to indicate whether it intends to establish a cooperative relationship with AP1 (e.g., if the target cooperative mechanism selected by AP2 is the same as the target cooperative mechanism indicated in the MAPC negotiation request frame, AP2 can agree to establish a cooperative relationship with AP1). The MAPC negotiation frame can also include second antenna information indicating at least one antenna configuration that AP2 can use for the cooperative relationship. The at least one antenna configuration that AP2 can use for the cooperative relationship, indicated in the second antenna information, can be adjusted based on the at least one antenna configuration that AP1 can use for the cooperative relationship, indicated in the first antenna information.

[0084] After successfully establishing a cooperative relationship, similar to scenario 1, the AP1 or AP2 that first competes for the TXOP becomes the sharing AP, and the other becomes the shared AP. The sharing AP can send a cooperative transmission invitation frame to the shared AP according to the target cooperative mechanism agreed upon during the negotiation phase. The shared AP can reply to AP1 with a cooperative transmission response frame to indicate its agreement or disagreement to participate in this cooperative transmission. If the shared AP agrees to participate in this cooperative transmission, the sharing AP sends a cooperative transmission trigger frame to the shared AP to initiate the cooperative transmission.

[0085] In one example of Case 3, AP1 has a directional antenna and selects Co-SR as its target cooperative mechanism. Therefore, AP1 indicates in its MAPC negotiation request frame that it wishes to conduct cooperative transmission using the Co-SR mechanism, and includes first antenna information indicating that its available antenna configurations for cooperative transmission include configurations M1 and M2. AP2 also has a directional antenna, supporting configurations N1 and N2. Upon receiving the MAPC negotiation request frame, AP2, considering its N1 and N2 configurations, agrees to use Co-SR as its target cooperative mechanism. However, AP2 also determines that its N2 antenna configuration is unsuitable for cooperative transmission with AP1 (e.g., when serving STA2 with a beam direction in the N2 configuration, the beam passes directly over STA1's location). Therefore, AP2 sends a MAPC negotiation response frame to AP1 indicating its agreement to establish a cooperative relationship with AP1, and also includes second antenna information in the MAPC negotiation response frame indicating that AP2's available antenna configuration for this cooperative transmission is the N1 configuration. After receiving the MAPC negotiation response frame, AP1 can adjust one or more antenna parameters of AP1 according to the N1 configuration of AP2, such as adjusting the beamwidth and beam direction of AP1's antenna to reduce interference to AP2.

[0086] Based on scenario 3 above, AP1 and AP2 make coordination-related decisions during the negotiation phase by considering the first and second antenna information they exchange, making the decisions more consistent with the antenna configurations of AP1 and AP2. This improves the accuracy of the decisions made by AP1 and AP2 during the negotiation phase.

[0087] Figure 6 A schematic diagram showing the interaction of antenna information during the invitation phase according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0088] In the second embodiment, AP1 and AP2 exchange antenna information at least once or multiple times during the invitation phase. To distinguish this exchange from interactions occurring in other phases, this exchange during the invitation phase will be referred to herein as the second interaction. As previously described, the invitation phase is used for the shared AP in AP1 and AP2 to invite the shared AP in AP1 and AP2 to participate in collaboration. During the invitation phase, the shared AP in AP1 and AP2 can determine the antenna parameters used by the shared AP for this collaboration based on the antenna information in the second interaction. The shared AP in AP1 and AP2 can determine whether to agree to participate in collaboration based on the antenna information in the second interaction, and if agreeing to participate in collaboration, determine the antenna parameters used by the shared AP for this collaboration.

[0089] The second embodiment may include the following three cases:

[0090] Case 4: The second interaction only involves AP1 sending third antenna information to AP2;

[0091] Case 5: The second interaction only includes AP2 sending fourth antenna information to AP1; and

[0092] Case 6: The second interaction includes AP1 sending third antenna information to AP2, and AP2 sending fourth antenna information to AP1.

[0093] The following describes an example MAPC procedure for case 4.

[0094] During the discovery phase, AP1 broadcasts a MAPC discovery request frame to announce its MAPC capability. AP1 then receives a MAPC discovery response frame from AP2, and thus enters the negotiation phase with AP2.

[0095] During the negotiation phase, AP1 and AP2 may not have an initial interaction, or they may have an initial interaction according to any of the methods described in scenario 1, scenario 2, and scenario 3. Further details will not be provided here.

[0096] After successfully establishing a cooperative relationship, the AP1 that first competes for the TXOP becomes the sharing AP, and the other becomes the shared AP. Assuming AP1 first competes for the TXOP, during the invitation phase, AP1 can send a cooperative transmission invitation frame to AP2 according to the target cooperative mechanism determined during the negotiation phase. This cooperative transmission invitation frame includes third antenna information, indicating at least one antenna configuration of AP1 that can be used for this cooperative effort. Based on the descriptions of cases 1 to 3 above, it should be understood that if the first interaction occurs during the negotiation phase, AP1 can further optimize the antenna configurations available for this cooperative effort based on the MAPC negotiation response frame. Therefore, the number of antenna configurations included in the third antenna information can be less than or equal to the number of antenna configurations included in the first antenna information. Furthermore, AP1 also adjusts its own antenna parameters, such as beamwidth and beam direction, based on the at least one antenna configuration of AP1 that can be used for this cooperative effort indicated in the third antenna information, to reduce interference to AP2.

[0097] After receiving the cooperative transmission invitation frame, AP2 can make the following decisions based on at least one antenna configuration of AP1 that can be used for the cooperative transmission, as indicated in the third antenna information: determining whether to agree to participate in the cooperative transmission; and, if agreeing to participate, determining the antenna parameters of AP2 for the cooperative transmission. It should be understood that AP2 can first determine whether there is data to be transmitted. If no data needs to be transmitted, it can refuse to participate in the cooperative transmission. If data needs to be transmitted, AP2 then determines whether to agree to participate. For example, if AP2's antenna is a switchable direction smart antenna, AP2 can assess whether the overhead of switching its antenna from the currently indicated direction to the target direction exceeds a preset overhead threshold. If it exceeds, it will not agree to participate in the cooperative transmission; if it does not exceed, it will agree to participate. It should also be understood that, in deciding whether to participate in the cooperative transmission, AP2 can consider not only at least one antenna configuration of AP1 and at least one antenna configuration of AP2 that can be used for the cooperative transmission, but also other information such as maximum transmit power limits, channel state information assessments, and traffic flow of the STAs associated with AP2. After making these decisions, AP2 can reply to AP1 with a cooperative transmission response frame to indicate whether it agrees or disagrees to participate in this cooperative transmission.

[0098] After AP1 receives the cooperative transmission response frame, if it determines that AP2 agrees to participate in this cooperative transmission, it enters the triggering phase, whereby AP1 sends a cooperative transmission trigger frame to AP2 to begin executing the cooperative transmission.

[0099] Based on scenario 4 above, during the invitation phase, the sharing AP adjusts its antenna parameters considering its available antenna configurations for collaboration, while the shared AP determines whether to agree to participate in collaboration based on the sharing AP's antenna configuration and its own antenna configuration. If it agrees to participate, it further adjusts its antenna parameters. This ensures that the antenna parameters ultimately adjusted by both the sharing AP and the shared AP are better suited for this collaboration.

[0100] The following describes an example MAPC procedure for case 5.

[0101] During the discovery phase, AP1 broadcasts a MAPC discovery request frame to announce its MAPC capability. AP1 then receives a MAPC discovery response frame from AP2, and thus enters the negotiation phase with AP2.

[0102] During the negotiation phase, AP1 and AP2 may not have an initial interaction, or they may have an initial interaction according to any of the methods described in scenario 1, scenario 2, and scenario 3. Further details will not be provided here.

[0103] After successfully establishing a cooperative relationship, the AP1 or AP2 that first competes for the TXOP becomes the sharing AP, and the other becomes the shared AP. Assuming AP1 first competes for the TXOP, during the invitation phase, AP1 sends a cooperative transmission invitation frame to AP2 according to the target cooperative mechanism determined in the negotiation phase. This cooperative transmission invitation frame does not include third antenna information. Simultaneously, AP1 adjusts its own antenna parameters based on at least one antenna configuration that can be used for this cooperative effort. It should be understood that if the first interaction occurs during the negotiation phase, AP1 can further optimize its antenna configurations available for cooperative effort based on the MAPC negotiation response frame. Therefore, at this point, AP1 determines that the number of at least one antenna configurations it can use for this cooperative effort is less than or equal to the number of at least one antenna configurations of AP1 included in the first antenna information.

[0104] Upon receiving the cooperative transmission invitation frame, AP2 makes the following decisions based on at least one antenna configuration available for this cooperative transmission: determining whether to agree to participate in the cooperative transmission; and, if agreeing to participate, determining the antenna parameters for AP2 to use in this cooperative transmission. It should be understood that, in determining whether to agree to participate, AP2 may consider other information besides the at least one antenna configuration available for the cooperative transmission, such as maximum transmit power limits, channel state information assessments, and traffic flow of the STAs associated with AP2. After making these decisions, AP2 may reply to AP1 with a cooperative transmission response frame to indicate its agreement or disagreement to participate in the cooperative transmission. Furthermore, AP1 may include fourth antenna information in the cooperative transmission response frame, indicating at least one antenna configuration available for AP2 to use in this cooperative transmission.

[0105] After receiving the cooperative transmission response frame, if AP1 determines that AP2 agrees to participate in this cooperative transmission, it enters the triggering phase and sends a cooperative transmission trigger frame to AP2 to begin executing the cooperative transmission. Furthermore, AP1 can adjust its antenna parameters for this cooperative transmission based on at least one antenna configuration of AP2 that can be used for this cooperative transmission, as indicated in the fourth antenna information of the cooperative transmission response frame.

[0106] Based on scenario 5 above, during the invitation phase, the sharing AP adjusts its antenna parameters considering both its own antenna configuration available for collaboration and the antenna configuration available for collaboration of the shared AP. The shared AP, in turn, considers the antenna configuration of the sharing AP and its own antenna configuration to determine whether to agree to participate in collaboration, and adjusts its antenna parameters if it agrees to participate. This ensures that the antenna parameters ultimately adjusted by both the sharing AP and the shared AP are better suited for this collaboration.

[0107] The following describes an example MAPC procedure for case 6.

[0108] During the discovery phase, AP1 broadcasts a MAPC discovery request frame to announce its MAPC capability. AP1 then receives a MAPC discovery response frame from AP2, and thus enters the negotiation phase with AP2.

[0109] During the negotiation phase, AP1 and AP2 may not have an initial interaction, or they may have an initial interaction according to any of the methods described in scenario 1, scenario 2, and scenario 3. Further details will not be provided here.

[0110] After a successful cooperative relationship is established, the AP1 that first competes for the TXOP becomes the sharing AP, and the other becomes the shared AP. Assuming AP1 first competes for the TXOP, during the invitation phase, AP1 can send a cooperative transmission invitation frame to AP2 according to the target cooperative mechanism determined during the negotiation phase. This cooperative transmission invitation frame includes third antenna information indicating at least one antenna configuration that AP1 can use for this cooperative effort. Furthermore, AP1 adjusts its own antenna parameters based on this at least one antenna configuration that can be used for this cooperative effort. It should be understood that if a first interaction occurs during the negotiation phase, AP1 can further optimize the antenna configurations available for this cooperative effort based on the MAPC negotiation response frame. Therefore, the number of at least one antenna configurations available for this cooperative effort that AP1 includes in the third antenna information can be less than the number of at least one antenna configurations included in the first antenna information.

[0111] After receiving the cooperative transmission invitation frame, AP2 makes the following decisions based on at least one antenna configuration of AP1 indicated in the third antenna information therein: determining whether to agree to participate in this cooperative transmission; and, if agreeing to participate in this cooperative transmission, determining the antenna parameters of AP2 for this cooperative transmission. It should be understood that AP2 may also consider other information when determining whether to agree to participate in this cooperative transmission, such as maximum transmit power limits, channel state information assessments, and traffic flow of the STAs associated with AP2. After making these decisions, AP2 may reply to AP1 with a cooperative transmission response frame to indicate its agreement or disagreement to participate in this cooperative transmission, and AP1 also includes fourth antenna information in the cooperative transmission response frame indicating at least one antenna configuration of AP2 that can be used for this cooperative transmission. The at least one antenna configuration of AP2 that can be used for this cooperative transmission, indicated in the fourth antenna information, is adjusted based on the at least one antenna configuration of AP1 that can be used for this cooperative transmission, indicated in the third antenna information.

[0112] After receiving the cooperative transmission response frame, if AP1 determines that AP2 agrees to participate in this cooperative transmission, it enters the triggering phase and sends a cooperative transmission trigger frame to AP2 to begin executing the cooperative transmission. Furthermore, AP1 can adjust its own antenna parameters for this cooperative transmission based on at least one antenna configuration of AP2 that can be used for this cooperative transmission, as indicated in the fourth antenna information of the cooperative transmission response frame.

[0113] Based on scenario 6 above, both the sharing AP and the AP being shared take into account their respective antenna configurations when making MAPC decisions, which further improves the accuracy of these decisions.

[0114] Figure 7 This diagram illustrates the interaction of antenna information during the invitation phase according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0115] In the third embodiment, AP1 and AP2 exchange antenna information at least once during the triggering phase. To distinguish this exchange from those occurring in other phases, this exchange during the triggering phase will be referred to herein as the third exchange. As previously described, the triggering phase is the phase in which the shared AP in AP1 and AP2 initiates the start of cooperative transmission. The shared AP in AP1 and AP2 can adjust its cooperative antenna parameters based on the antenna information in the third exchange.

[0116] The third embodiment may include Case 7. An example MAPC procedure for Case 7 is described below.

[0117] During the discovery phase, AP1 broadcasts a MAPC discovery request frame to announce its MAPC capability. AP1 then receives a MAPC discovery response frame from AP2, and thus enters the negotiation phase with AP2.

[0118] During the negotiation phase, AP1 and AP2 may not have an initial interaction, or they may have an initial interaction according to any of the methods described in scenario 1, scenario 2, and scenario 3. Further details will not be provided here.

[0119] After successfully establishing a collaborative relationship, the invitation phase begins. During the invitation phase, AP1 and AP2 may not engage in a second interaction, or they may engage in a second interaction according to any of the methods described in scenarios 4, 5, and 6 above. Further details will not be elaborated here.

[0120] After receiving the invitation from the shared AP, during the trigger phase, the sharing AP sends a cooperative transmission trigger frame to the shared AP. Assuming AP1 is the sharing AP, AP1 can include fifth antenna information in the cooperative transmission trigger frame, where the fifth antenna information indicates AP1's requirements for AP2's antenna parameters. For example, the requirements for AP2's antenna parameters may include the value range, combination method, constraints, and priority corresponding to one or more antenna parameters of AP2. This requirement can be determined by AP1 based on information related to AP2 obtained in at least one of the discovery, negotiation, or invitation phases. If a first interaction occurred during the negotiation phase and / or a second interaction occurred during the invitation phase, this information includes antenna information from the first and / or second interactions. After receiving the cooperative transmission trigger frame, AP2 can adjust its own antenna parameters according to AP1's requirements for AP2's antenna parameters as indicated in the fifth antenna information to meet those requirements. Then, cooperative transmission with AP1 begins.

[0121] Combination Figure 5 , Figure 6 and Figure 7 AP1 and AP2 can exchange antenna information once or multiple times during the negotiation, invitation, and trigger phases, allowing the antenna parameters determined by AP1 and AP2 for coordination to be gradually optimized, ultimately using the most suitable antenna parameters for coordinated transmission.

[0122] Figure 8 A schematic block diagram of an AP according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0123] like Figure 8 As shown, AP 800 may include transceiver 810, memory 820, and processor 830. Memory 820 stores instructions that, when executed by processor 830, can perform the steps in method 300 for MAPC performed by AP according to at least one embodiment of this disclosure.

[0124] Some embodiments of this disclosure also provide a computer program product or computer program including computer-readable instructions stored in a computer-readable storage medium. A processor of a computer device reads the computer instructions from the computer-readable storage medium and executes the computer instructions, causing the computer device to perform a method according to some embodiments of this disclosure.

[0125] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the processor can be an integrated circuit chip with signal processing capabilities. The processor can be a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), an off-the-shelf programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, or discrete hardware components. It can implement or execute the methods, steps, and logic block diagrams disclosed in some embodiments of this disclosure. The general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor or any conventional processor, and can be based on an x86 architecture or an ARM architecture.

[0126] In general, the various exemplary embodiments of this disclosure can be implemented in hardware or dedicated circuitry, software, firmware, logic, or any combination thereof. Some aspects can be implemented in hardware, while others can be implemented in firmware or software that can be executed by a controller, microprocessor, or other computing device. When aspects of some embodiments of this disclosure are illustrated or described as block diagrams, flowcharts, or using some other graphical representation, it will be understood that the blocks, apparatuses, systems, techniques, or methods described herein can be implemented as non-limiting examples in hardware, software, firmware, dedicated circuitry or logic, general-purpose hardware or controllers or other computing devices, or some combination thereof.

[0127] It should be noted that the flowcharts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of this disclosure. In this regard, each block in a flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, segment, or portion of code containing one or more executable instructions for implementing a specified logical function. It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions indicated in the blocks may occur in a different order than those indicated in the drawings. For example, two consecutively indicated blocks may actually be executed substantially 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, can be implemented using a dedicated hardware-based system that performs the specified function or operation, or using a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

[0128] Without departing from the inventive concept of this disclosure, any of the above variations or combinations fall within the protection scope of this disclosure.

[0129] In the foregoing description, embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the above embodiments are merely illustrative, and those skilled in the art should understand that the combination of constituent elements and processes of the present embodiments can be modified in various ways, and such modifications also fall within the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A method for multi-AP coordination executed by a first access point (AP), comprising: Interacting with the second AP regarding antenna information, wherein the antenna information indicates at least one antenna configuration supported by the first AP and / or the second AP for coordination between the first AP and the second AP; and At least one decision associated with the collaboration is determined based on at least one antenna configuration indicated by the antenna information in the interaction.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, Determining at least one decision associated with the collaboration includes at least one of the following: Select a target collaboration mechanism from multiple collaboration mechanisms for the collaboration; and Determine the antenna parameters of the first AP and / or the second AP used for the coordination.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein, The interaction includes a first interaction performed during the negotiation phase of the collaboration, wherein the negotiation phase is used to establish a collaborative relationship between the first AP and the second AP; and The first AP determines at least one decision associated with the collaboration, including at least one of the following: Determine whether to establish a collaborative relationship with the second AP; Determine the antenna parameters of the first AP used for the coordination; and Identify the target collaboration mechanism among multiple collaboration mechanisms for the collaboration.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein, In the first interaction, the first AP sends first antenna information to the second AP, indicating at least one antenna configuration supported by the first AP for the cooperation. as well as The first AP determines the at least one decision based at least on the at least one antenna configuration indicated in the first antenna information.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein, In the first interaction, the first AP receives second antenna information from the second AP indicating at least one antenna configuration supported by the second AP for the cooperation; as well as The first AP determines the at least one decision based at least one antenna configuration supported by the first AP for the coordination and the at least one antenna configuration indicated in the second antenna information.

6. The method according to claim 3, wherein, In the first interaction, the first AP sends first antenna information to the second AP indicating at least one antenna configuration supported by the first AP for the cooperation, and the first AP receives second antenna information from the second AP indicating at least one antenna configuration supported by the second AP for the cooperation. as well as The first AP determines the at least one decision based on at least one antenna configuration indicated in the first antenna information and the at least one antenna configuration indicated in the second antenna information. Wherein, at least one antenna configuration indicated in the second antenna information is adjusted based on at least one antenna configuration indicated in the first antenna information.

7. The method according to claim 5 or 6, wherein, The beam direction and beamwidth of each of the at least one antenna configuration indicated in the second antenna information include the antenna of the second AP; The first AP determines that the at least one decision includes the first AP determining the target coordination mechanism; as well as In response to determining that the client STA that is about to communicate with the first AP is within the beam range of the second AP based on the beam direction and beamwidth of the second AP's antenna, the first AP determines the Cooperative Beamforming (Co-BF) mechanism among the multiple cooperative mechanisms as the target cooperative mechanism.

8. The method according to claim 5 or 6, wherein, Each of the at least one antenna configuration indicated in the second antenna information includes the beam direction, beamwidth, and antenna gain of the antenna of the second AP; The first AP determines that the at least one decision includes the first AP determining the target coordination mechanism; as well as The first AP, in response to determining that the interference metric of the second AP to the client STA that the first AP is about to communicate with does not exceed a preset interference threshold based on the beam direction, beamwidth and antenna gain of the second AP's antenna, selects the Cooperative Spatial Reuse (Co-SR) mechanism among the multiple cooperative mechanisms as the target cooperative mechanism.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein, The interference metrics include at least one of packet error rate, bit error rate, interference signal strength, signal-to-noise ratio, and transmission rate.

10. The method according to claim 2, wherein, The interaction includes a second interaction during the invitation phase of the collaboration, wherein the invitation phase is used for the sharing AP of the first AP and the second AP to invite the shared AP of the first AP and the second AP to participate in the collaboration; When the first AP acts as the shared AP, the first AP determines the at least one decision including: Determine the antenna parameters of the first AP used for the coordination; or When the first AP is the shared AP, the first AP determines the at least one decision including: Determine whether to agree to participate in the collaboration; and If participation in the collaboration is agreed upon, the antenna parameters of the first AP used for the collaboration are determined.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein, In the second interaction, the first AP sends third antenna information to the second AP, indicating at least one antenna configuration supported by the first AP for the cooperation. as well as The first AP determines the at least one decision based at least on the at least one antenna configuration indicated in the third antenna information.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein, In the second interaction, the first AP receives from the second AP a fourth antenna information indicating at least one antenna configuration supported by the second AP for the cooperation; as well as The first AP determines the at least one decision based at least one antenna configuration supported by the first AP for the coordination and the at least one antenna configuration indicated in the fourth antenna information.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein, In the second interaction, the first AP sends third antenna information to the second AP indicating at least one antenna configuration supported by the first AP for the cooperation, and receives fourth antenna information from the second AP indicating at least one antenna configuration supported by the second AP for the cooperation. The first AP determines the at least one decision based on at least one antenna configuration indicated in the third antenna information and the at least one antenna configuration indicated in the fourth antenna information. Wherein, at least one antenna configuration in the fourth antenna information is adjusted based on at least one antenna configuration in the third antenna information.

14. The method according to claim 2, wherein, The interaction includes a third interaction performed during the triggering phase of the collaboration, the triggering phase being used to trigger the collaboration by a shared AP among the first AP and the second AP; as well as When the first AP is a shared AP between the first AP and the second AP, the first AP determines that the at least one decision includes determining the antenna parameters of the first AP for the coordination.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein, In the third interaction, when the first AP acts as the shared AP, the first AP sends fifth antenna information to the second AP, indicating the first AP's requirements for the antenna parameters of the second AP for the coordination.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein, In the interaction, the antenna information is carried by the multi-AP coordination scheme information field in the multi-AP coordination element.

17. The method according to claim 1, wherein, Each antenna configuration in the at least one antenna configuration indicates at least one of the following: antenna type, beam direction, beamwidth, polarization direction, switching mode, dynamic mode, triggering method, and antenna gain of the first AP or the second AP.

18. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The antennas of at least one of the first AP and the second AP do not have exactly the same gain in each direction.

19. An access point (AP), comprising: A memory that stores instructions; as well as A processor, coupled to the memory, causes the access point to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 18 when the instructions are executed by the processor.

20. A computer program product comprising computer instructions that, when executed by a processor, implement the method according to any one of claims 1 to 18.

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