A method of communication and a communication apparatus

Abstract

A method and a communication device for communication, which can be applied to a WLAN system supporting IEEE 802.11ax next generation Wi-Fi protocol, such as 802.11be, Wi-Fi 7 or EHT, again such as 802.11be next generation, Wi-Fi 8 or other 802.11 series protocol, and can also be applied to a wireless personal area network system based on UWB, a sensing system. In the method, a first station can indicate in a response frame of a first wireless frame that the first station has information that needs to be fed back, so that when the first station cannot directly carry the information that needs to be fed back in the first response frame, it can indicate that it has the information that needs to be fed back, so as to avoid that the information that needs to be fed back cannot be transmitted in time and ensure the performance of communication.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of communications, and more specifically, to a method and apparatus for communication in a wireless local area network (WLAN). Background Technology

[0002] In a WLAN, a station (STA) can send a trigger frame, and the other end responds to the trigger frame by carrying various feedback information in the response frame. The trigger frame indicates the duration of the response frame and the transmission parameters, which determine how much information the response frame can carry.

[0003] However, when a station sends a trigger frame, it may not know how much information the other end needs to carry in the response frame. Therefore, the allocated time may not be enough for the other end to carry all the information that needs to be fed back. If this information cannot be transmitted in time, it may affect the performance of communication. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a communication method and communication device that can indicate to the other end that there is other information that needs to be fed back, thereby avoiding the failure to transmit this information in a timely manner and ensuring the performance of communication.

[0005] In a first aspect, a method of communication is provided, which can be performed by a first station or by components of the first station (e.g., a chip, circuit, or chip system).

[0006] The method includes: receiving a first wireless frame from a second station; sending a first response frame to the second station, the first response frame responding to the first wireless frame, the first response frame including first indication information, the first indication information being used to indicate that there is information that the first station needs to provide feedback on.

[0007] Based on the above scheme, the first station can indicate in the response frame of the first wireless frame that there is information that needs to be fed back. In this way, when the first station cannot directly carry the information that needs to be fed back in the first response frame, it can indicate that it has such information that needs to be fed back, so as to avoid the information that needs to be fed back not being transmitted in time and to ensure the performance of communication.

[0008] In addition, the first instruction information also makes it easier for the second station to obtain this information in a timely manner, thus improving communication efficiency.

[0009] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations, the first radio frame is a data frame and the first response frame is an acknowledgment frame; or, the first radio frame is an initial control frame (ICF) and the first response frame is an initial control response (ICR) frame.

[0010] For example, the information that needs to be fed back includes at least one of the following: unavailability information, business requirement information, dormancy information, and send / receive capability information.

[0011] Specifically, unavailability information may include at least one of the following: unavailability start time, unavailability duration, and unavailability end time; service requirement information may include transmission requirement information for low-latency services.

[0012] The transmission requirement information for low-latency services may include at least one of the following: the duration required to send the low-latency service, the service identifier of the low-latency service, the timeout period of the low-latency service, and the service volume of the low-latency service.

[0013] Based on the above scheme, the information that the first station needs to feedback may include one or more of the following: unavailability information, service requirement information, sleep information, and transmit / receive capability information. Since these information occupy a long number of bits, it is not convenient for the first station to directly use the remaining resources in the first response frame for transmission. Therefore, the first response frame can indicate that the first station has the above information that needs to be transmitted, so that the second station can allocate appropriate transmission resources or transmission duration for transmission, thereby ensuring the performance of communication.

[0014] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementation methods, the first indication information includes at least one of the following: first sub-indication information, second sub-indication information, third sub-indication information, and fourth sub-indication information. The first sub-indication information is used to indicate whether there is unavailability information that the first site needs to report, the second sub-indication information is used to indicate whether there is business requirement information that the first site needs to report, the third sub-indication information is used to indicate whether there is dormant information that the first site needs to report, and the fourth sub-indication information is used to indicate whether there is send / receive capability information that the first site needs to report.

[0015] With sufficient remaining bits in the first response frame, the specific needs of the first station can be more clearly indicated.

[0016] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementation methods, the first indication information is one indication information, which is used to indicate whether there is at least one of the following: unavailability information, business requirement information, dormancy information, and send / receive capability information that the first site needs to report.

[0017] This can further reduce signaling overhead, and with limited remaining bits in the first response frame, the needs of the first station can be indicated concisely and efficiently.

[0018] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations, the first response frame is a multi-user block ACK (MBA) frame. It should be understood that a multi-user block ACK (MBA) frame can also be called a multi-site block ACK (MBA) frame; the two terms are interchangeable in this application.

[0019] Based on the above scheme, this application can carry the first indication information through the existing MBA frame, which can better compatibility with existing protocols and has stronger versatility.

[0020] As an example, the first indication information is carried in the Block Acknowledgment Control (BAcontrol) field in the multi-user block acknowledgment frame, where BA stands for block ACK (BA).

[0021] Based on the above scheme, this application can carry the first indication information through the reserved field in the BA control field, so that the format and length of the MBA frame do not need to be changed, and it has greater versatility.

[0022] As another example, the first indication information is carried in the per association indentify traffic indentify information (Per AID TID Info) field of the block confirmation information (BAinformation) field in the multi-user block confirmation frame.

[0023] Based on the above scheme, this application can carry the first indication information through a Per AID TID Info field in the MBA frame. Since the length of the Per AID TID Info field is variable, more information can be carried, which is more flexible.

[0024] Optionally, in this example, each associated identifier business identifier information field also includes second indication information, which is used to indicate that each associated identifier business identifier information field includes the first indication information.

[0025] For example, the association identifier (AID) field in the business identifier information field of each associated identifier is used to indicate that the business identifier information field of each associated identifier includes the first indication information.

[0026] For example, the traffic identifier (TID) field in each associated identifier business identifier information field is used to indicate that the first indication information is included in each associated identifier business identifier information field.

[0027] For example, the combination of the ACK type field and the TID field in the each associated identifier business identifier information field is used to indicate that the first indication information is included in the each associated identifier business identifier information field.

[0028] Based on the above scheme, this application newly defines the Per AID TID Info field to carry the first indication information, and the presence of the first indication information in the Per AID TID Info field can be indicated by the fields in the Per AID TID Info field. This helps the receiving end to parse the format of the Per AID TID Info field and has stronger feasibility.

[0029] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations, the method further includes: receiving a second radio frame, the second radio frame being used to obtain information that needs to be fed back; and sending a second response frame to a second station, the second response frame responding to the second radio frame, the second response frame carrying the information that needs to be fed back.

[0030] Based on the above scheme, the second station can obtain the information that the first station needs to feedback according to the first instruction information, so that the transmission needs of the first station can be met in a timely manner and the communication performance can be guaranteed.

[0031] Secondly, a communication method is provided, which can be performed by a second station or by components of the second station (e.g., a chip, circuit, or chip system).

[0032] The method includes: sending a first radio frame to a first station; receiving a first response frame from the first station, the first response frame responding to the first radio frame, the first response frame including first indication information, the first indication information being used to indicate that there is information that the first station needs to provide feedback on.

[0033] In conjunction with the second aspect, in some implementations, the method further includes: sending a second wireless frame to a first station, the second wireless frame being used to obtain information that needs to be fed back; receiving a second response frame from the first station, the second response frame responding to the second wireless frame, the second response frame carrying the information that needs to be fed back.

[0034] Thirdly, a communication device is provided, which can be a first station or a component of the first station (e.g., a chip, circuit, or chip system). The device can have the functions described in the first aspect. For example, the device includes modules, units, or means that perform the operations described in the first aspect. These modules, units, or means can be implemented by software, hardware, or a combination of software and hardware.

[0035] Specifically, the device includes: a transceiver unit for receiving a first wireless frame from a second station; the transceiver unit is also configured to: send a first response frame to the second station, the first response frame responding to the first wireless frame, the first response frame including first indication information, the first indication information indicating the existence of information that the first station needs to provide feedback.

[0036] Optionally, the transceiver unit is further configured to: receive a second radio frame, the second radio frame being used to obtain information that needs to be fed back; and send a second response frame to a second station, the second response frame responding to the second radio frame and carrying information that needs to be fed back.

[0037] Fourthly, a communication device is provided, which can be a second station or a component of the second station (e.g., a chip, circuit, or chip system). The device can have the functions described in the second aspect above. For example, the device includes modules, units, or means corresponding to the operations involved in the second aspect above. These modules, units, or means can be implemented by software, hardware, or a combination of software and hardware.

[0038] Specifically, the device includes: a transceiver unit for sending a first radio frame to a first station; the transceiver unit is also configured to: receive a first response frame from the first station, the first response frame responding to the first radio frame, the first response frame including first indication information, the first indication information indicating the existence of information that the first station needs to provide feedback.

[0039] Optionally, the transceiver unit is further configured to: send a second radio frame to the first station, the second radio frame being used to obtain information that needs to be fed back; and receive a second response frame from the first station, the second response frame being in response to the second radio frame and carrying information that needs to be fed back.

[0040] It should be understood that any details not fully described in the second to fourth aspects can be found in the first aspect and any of its implementation methods, and will not be elaborated upon here.

[0041] Fifthly, a communication device is provided, comprising: a memory for storing a program; and at least one processor for executing the computer program or instructions stored in the memory to perform the method provided in the first aspect or its implementation.

[0042] In one implementation, the device is either a first station or a second station.

[0043] In another implementation, the device is a chip, chip system, or circuit for use in a first or second site.

[0044] A sixth aspect provides a communication device comprising: at least one processor and a communication interface, the at least one processor being configured to obtain a computer program or instructions stored in a memory via the communication interface to execute the method provided in any of the foregoing aspects or their implementations. The communication interface may be implemented in hardware or software.

[0045] In one implementation, the device also includes a memory.

[0046] In a seventh aspect, a processor is provided for executing the methods provided in any of the foregoing aspects.

[0047] Unless otherwise specified, or if it does not contradict its actual function or internal logic in the relevant description, the transmission and acquisition / reception operations involved in the processor can be understood as processor output and reception, input and other operations, or as transmission and reception operations performed by radio frequency circuits and antennas. This application does not limit them in this regard.

[0048] Eighthly, a computer-readable storage medium is provided that stores program code for execution by a device, the program code including methods for performing any of the above aspects or implementations thereof.

[0049] Ninthly, a computer program product including instructions is provided, which, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform the method provided in any of the above aspects or implementations thereof.

[0050] In a tenth aspect, a chip is provided, comprising a processor and a communication interface. The processor reads instructions stored in a memory through the communication interface and executes the method provided in any of the above aspects or their implementations. The communication interface can be implemented in hardware or software.

[0051] Optionally, as one implementation, the chip also includes a memory storing computer programs or instructions, and a processor for executing the computer programs or instructions stored in the memory. When the computer programs or instructions are executed, the processor is used to perform the methods provided by any of the above aspects or their implementations.

[0052] When the method provided in this application is executed by a chip, this application does not limit the specific number of chips implementing the method. For example, it can be executed by one chip, or by two or more chips. Furthermore, when the number of chips implementing the method is two or more, the chip manufacturers are not limited; they can be from the same manufacturer or different manufacturers.

[0053] In an eleventh aspect, a computer program is provided that, when run on a computer, causes the methods provided by any of the foregoing aspects or their implementations to be executed.

[0054] It should be understood that the beneficial effects of aspects two through nine and any of their implementations can be referenced from aspect one and any of its implementations. Attached Figure Description

[0055] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a network architecture applicable to embodiments of this application.

[0056] Figure 2 This is a schematic flowchart of a communication method 200 provided in this application.

[0057] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a MAB frame provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0058] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the format of the Per AID TID Info field provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0059] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of another format of the Per AID TID Info field provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0060] Figure 6 and Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0061] The technical solutions in this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0062] The embodiments of this application can be applied to wireless local area networks (WLANs), such as those supporting IEEE 802.11 related standards, including 802.11a / b / g, 802.11n, 802.11ac, 802.11ax (i.e., Wi-Fi 6, also known as the high efficient (HE) standard), 802.11be (i.e., Wi-Fi 7, also known as the extremely high throughput (EHT) standard), 802.11bn (i.e., Wi-Fi 8, also known as the ultra high reliability (UHR) standard), or next-generation Wi-Fi 8 standards, as well as 802.11ad and 802.11ay standards. The embodiments of this application can also be applied to wireless local area network systems that support integrated millimeter wave (IMMW), wireless local area network systems that support ultra-wideband (UWB) such as the 802.15 series standards, sensing systems such as the 802.11bf series standards, or wireless positioning such as 802.11az. This application can also support standard protocols such as spark link and near link.

[0063] Although the embodiments of this application are primarily illustrated using the deployment of WLAN networks, particularly those employing the IEEE 802.11 system standard, those skilled in the art will readily understand that the various aspects involved in the embodiments of this application can be extended to other networks employing various standards or protocols, such as high-performance radio local area networks (HIPERLANs), wireless wide area networks (WWANs), wireless personal area networks (WPANs), or other networks now known or developed in the future. Therefore, regardless of the coverage area and wireless access protocol used, the various aspects provided in the embodiments of this application can be applied to any suitable wireless network.

[0064] The technical solutions of this application embodiment can also be applied to various communication systems, such as: fourth-generation (4G) communication systems, fifth-generation (5G) or new radio (NR) communication systems, future communication systems, Internet of Things (IoT) or vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication systems, etc.

[0065] The communication systems described above that are applicable to this application are merely illustrative examples, and the communication systems applicable to this application are not limited to these. They will be uniformly described here and will not be repeated below.

[0066] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an application scenario to which this application's embodiments apply. For example... Figure 1 As shown, the method provided in this application is applicable to data communication between stations (STAs). A station can be an access point (AP) or a non-access point station (non-AP STA), referred to as an AP and a non-AP station, respectively. Specifically, the solution of this application is applicable to communication between an AP and one or more non-AP stations (e.g., communication between AP1 and non-AP STA1, non-AP STA2), communication between APs (e.g., communication between AP1 and AP2), and communication between non-AP STAs (e.g., data communication between non-AP STA2 and non-AP STA3). Unless otherwise specified in this application, a station (or STA) includes both non-AP STAs and APs; that is, a station (or STA) can be either a non-AP STA or an AP.

[0067] An Access Point (AP) can be a node that allows terminals (such as mobile phones) to access a wired (or wireless) network. It is primarily deployed in homes, buildings, and campuses, with a typical coverage radius of tens to hundreds of meters. Of course, it can also be deployed outdoors. An AP acts as a bridge connecting wired and wireless networks, its main function being to connect various wireless network clients together and then connect the wireless network to the Ethernet.

[0068] Specifically, an AP can be a terminal or network device with a Wi-Fi chip. This network device can be a server, router, switch, bridge, computer, mobile phone, relay station, vehicle-mounted equipment, wearable device, network device in a 5G communication system, network device in a future communication system, or network device in a public land mobile network (PLMN), etc. This application embodiment is not limited to these categories. The AP can be a device that supports Wi-Fi standards. For example, the AP can also support one or more standards in the IEEE 802.11 series, such as 802.11be and 802.11be next generation.

[0069] Non-AP sites can be wireless communication chips, wireless sensors, or wireless communication terminals, and can also be referred to as users, user equipment (UE), access terminals, user units, user stations, mobile stations, mobile stations, remote stations, remote terminals, mobile devices, user terminals, terminals, wireless communication equipment, user agents, or user devices. Non-AP sites can be cellular phones, cordless phones, session initiation protocol (SIP) phones, wireless local loop (WLL) stations, personal digital assistants (PDAs), handheld devices with wireless communication capabilities, computing devices or other processing devices connected to a wireless modem, in-vehicle devices, IoT devices, wearable devices, terminal devices in 5G communication systems, terminal devices in future communication systems, or terminal devices in PLMNs, etc., and this application embodiment is not limited to these. Non-AP sites can be devices that support WLAN standards. For example, non-AP sites can support one or more standards in the IEEE 802.11 series, such as 802.11be and 802.11be next generation.

[0070] For example, non-AP sites can be mobile phones, tablets, set-top boxes, smart TVs, smart wearable devices, vehicle communication devices, computers, Internet of Things (IoT) nodes, sensors, smart home devices such as smart cameras, smart remote controls, smart water and electricity meters, and sensors in smart cities.

[0071] The aforementioned AP or non-AP sites may include transmitters, receivers, memory, processors, etc., wherein the transmitter and receiver are used for transmitting and receiving packet structures, respectively, the memory is used for storing signaling information and pre-agreed preset values, etc., and the processor is used for parsing signaling information and processing related data, etc.

[0072] In a WLAN, an access point (AP) can send a trigger frame to a non-AP site. The non-AP site responds to this trigger frame, carrying various feedback information in its response frame. Similarly, a non-AP site can also send a trigger frame, causing the AP to send a response frame. The trigger frame indicates the duration of the response frame and transmission parameters, which determine how much information can be carried in the response frame. However, when either the AP or a non-AP site sends a trigger frame, it may not know how much information the other end needs to carry in the response frame. Therefore, the allocated duration may be insufficient for the other end to carry all the necessary feedback information. If this information cannot be transmitted in a timely manner, it may affect communication performance.

[0073] In view of this, this application proposes a communication method and communication device that can indicate in the response frame that the other end has other information that needs to be fed back, so as to facilitate timely scheduling by AP or non-AP sites and ensure communication performance.

[0074] It should be understood that the embodiments shown below illustrate the method using a first site as the execution subject, but this application does not limit the execution subject. Any program capable of running the code of the method provided in the embodiments of this application can communicate according to the method provided in the embodiments of this application. The execution subject of the method provided in the embodiments of this application can be the first site, or a functional module within the first site capable of calling and executing a program. For example, Figure 2 The first station can also be a chip, chip system, or processor that supports the methods that the first station can implement, or it can be a logic module or software that can implement all or part of the functions of the first station.

[0075] Figure 2 This is a schematic flowchart of a communication method 200 provided in this application. Figure 2 As shown, the method 200 includes the following steps.

[0076] S210, the second station sends a first radio frame to the first station, and correspondingly, the first station receives the first radio frame.

[0077] It should be understood that wireless frames can be divided into three types: data frames, management frames, and control frames. For example, the first wireless frame can be a data frame, a control frame, such as an ICF, or a trigger frame, without limitation.

[0078] Alternatively, the first radio frame may also be a frame used to initiate random access.

[0079] In this application, the second site can be an access point (AP) or a non-AP site, without restriction; correspondingly, the first site can be a non-AP site or an AP site, without restriction.

[0080] S220, the first station sends a first response frame to the second station, and the second station receives the first response frame accordingly.

[0081] The first response frame is in response to the first radio frame, which can be called a control response frame, and is a control frame.

[0082] For example, if the first radio frame is a data frame, the first response frame can be an acknowledgment frame for that data frame, specifically, it can be a block acknowledgment (BA) frame or an MBA frame.

[0083] For example, if the first radio frame is used to initiate random access, the first response frame can be an acknowledgment frame, such as an MBA frame, used to acknowledge the random access transmission. The use cases for MBA frames will be explained later.

[0084] For example, if the first radio frame is ICF, the first response frame can be ICR.

[0085] For example, if the first wireless frame is a trigger frame, the first response frame can be a response frame to the trigger frame.

[0086] The first response frame includes first indication information, which indicates that there is information from a first site that needs to be reported.

[0087] In this application, the first indication information is used to indicate that there is information that the first station needs to provide feedback on. This can be understood as: the first indication information indicates that the first station has information that needs to be provided feedback on; or, the first indication information indicates that the first station has additional information that needs to be provided feedback on; or, the first indication information indicates that the first station actively needs to provide feedback on; or, the first indication information indicates that the first station has information other than the first feedback information that needs to be provided feedback on. The first feedback information can be the feedback information requested by the first radio frame. Alternatively, the first indication information can be used to indicate that the first station has second feedback information, which is information other than the first feedback information. In other words, the first station will not only carry the feedback information requested by the first radio frame through the first response frame, but will also indicate through the first response frame that the first station has additional information that needs to be actively provided feedback on.

[0088] In addition, the first response frame only indicates that the first station has additional information that needs to be actively fed back, but due to the limitation of the length of the first response frame, it will not carry this information directly.

[0089] For example, the first radio frame may indicate information such as the duration and parameters occupied by the first response frame.

[0090] Based on the above scheme, the first station can indicate in the response frame of the first wireless frame that there is information that needs to be fed back. In this way, when the first station cannot directly carry the information that needs to be fed back in the first response frame, it can indicate that it has such information that needs to be fed back, so as to avoid the information that needs to be fed back not being transmitted in time and to ensure the performance of communication.

[0091] In addition, the first instruction information also makes it easier for the second station to obtain this information in a timely manner, thus improving communication efficiency.

[0092] In some implementations, the information that the first station needs to feedback may refer to information that the first station cannot directly carry in the first response frame. For example, the characteristics of this information are: it occupies a long number of bits, exceeding the length of the first response frame, so the first station cannot directly carry this information in the first response frame.

[0093] For example, the information that the first site needs to report may include at least one of the following: unavailability information, business requirement information, dormancy information, and send / receive capability information. These information are described in detail below.

[0094] (1) Unavailable information includes unavailable time periods, such as at least one of the following: unavailable start time, unavailable duration, and unavailable end time.

[0095] Specifically, the unavailable time period can refer to the period during which the first station cannot use the current communication technology to communicate. For example, if the current communication technology is Wi-Fi, the unavailable time period can refer to the period during which the first station cannot use Wi-Fi to communicate. Therefore, the second station and the first station can communicate through other technologies, such as Bluetooth, Starlink, or cellular communication technologies, during the time period.

[0096] It should be understood that current sites (such as smartphones) are typically equipped with multiple wireless communication technologies, such as 4G or 5G cellular communication, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, UWB, and satellite communication. Some of these technologies (such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and satellite communication) can operate on the same frequency band and share the same antenna for transmission and reception, thus they may not be able to work simultaneously. Managing these wireless technologies to ensure their harmonious coexistence within a single device is an important issue. Dynamic unavailability operation (DUO) is an operating mode defined by the 802.11bn standard. In DUO mode, one site can indicate its unavailability to another site, such as the duration of the unavailability period, specifically including the future point in time when the unavailability begins and the duration of the unavailability. During the unavailability period, the other site will not communicate with the first site using Wi-Fi; the two sites can use other wireless communication technologies to communicate during this period.

[0097] (2) Service transmission requirements information may specifically include transmission requirements for low-latency services and transmission requirements for non-low-latency services. Specifically, low-latency services refer to applications or services with strict requirements on data transmission latency, such as high-definition video streaming and online games. Correspondingly, non-low-latency services refer to applications or services that do not have particularly high requirements on data transmission latency, such as remote backup and file download.

[0098] The transmission requirements of low-latency services may include at least one of the following: the size of the low-latency service volume (for example, the duration required to send the low-latency service or the number of bytes of the low-latency service), the service identifier (trafficID, TID) of the low-latency service, and the timeout period of the low-latency service. The timeout period of the low-latency service can be understood as the remaining scheduling duration of the low-latency service, that is, the low-latency service needs to be transmitted before the time point corresponding to the duration arrives.

[0099] Similarly, the transmission requirements of non-low latency services may include at least one of the following: the size of the non-low latency service (e.g., the duration required to send the non-low latency service, or the number of bytes of the non-low latency service) and the service identifier of the non-low latency service.

[0100] It should be understood that when a sender transmits data to a receiver, the data frame can be carried in one or more physical layer protocol data units (PPDUs) for transmission. Upon receiving each PPDU, the receiver sends an acknowledgment frame. If the receiver has service data to transmit, it can include indication information in the acknowledgment frame to inform the sender that it needs to transmit service data. In this application, the first station can indicate that it has a service transmission requirement, thus enabling the second station to promptly obtain this transmission requirement. For example, if the service transmission requirement is for a low-latency service, the sender can then hand over the transmission opportunity to the receiver for transmission, thereby ensuring that the low-latency service can be transmitted as quickly as possible.

[0101] (3) Sleep information refers to the sleep status information of other stations in the same non-AP MLD as the first station, such as whether the other station is in a sleep state.

[0102] (4) Transmit and receive capability information includes the transmit and receive bandwidth of the first site, the number of spatial streams supported by the first site, the maximum rate of data frames transmitted and received by the first site, the modulation and coding scheme of data frames transmitted and received by the first site, the maximum PPDU length of data frames transmitted and received by the first site, and the maximum number of aggregated MAC service data units (A-MPDUs) of data frames transmitted and received by the first site, where MAC represents medium access control.

[0103] It should be understood that the above information is for illustrative purposes only. In addition to the four types of information mentioned above, the information that the first site needs to provide may also include other information, and this application does not impose any restrictions.

[0104] Based on the above scheme, the information that the first station needs to feedback may include one or more of the following: unavailability information, service requirement information, sleep information, and transmit / receive capability information. Since these information occupy a long number of bits, it is not convenient for the first station to directly use the remaining resources in the first response frame for transmission. Therefore, the first response frame can indicate that the first station has the above information that needs to be transmitted, so that the second station can allocate appropriate transmission resources or transmission duration for transmission, thereby ensuring the performance of communication.

[0105] As one implementation, the first indication information includes at least one of the following: first sub-indication information, second sub-indication information, third sub-indication information, and fourth sub-indication information. The first sub-indication information is used to indicate whether there is unavailability information that the first site needs to report; the second sub-indication information is used to indicate whether there is business requirement information that the first site needs to report; the third sub-indication information is used to indicate whether there is dormant information that the first site needs to report; and the fourth sub-indication information is used to indicate whether there is transmit / receive capability information that the first site needs to report.

[0106] In other words, the first indication information can not only indicate that the first station has information that needs to be fed back, but also indicate the type of information that needs to be fed back. Depending on the type of information that the first station needs to feed back, the first indication information can include one or more sub-indication information. Each sub-indication information corresponds to a type of information. The value of the sub-indication information is used to indicate whether the first station has information of the corresponding type that needs to be fed back. In this way, when there are enough remaining bits in the first response frame, the specific needs of the first station can be indicated more clearly.

[0107] For example, in this implementation, the first sub-indication information, the second sub-indication information, the third sub-indication information, and the fourth sub-indication information can each occupy 1 bit, with a value of 0 or 1, and are used to indicate whether there is corresponding information that needs to be fed back.

[0108] As another implementation, the first indication information can be one indication information, which is used to indicate whether there is at least one of the following: unavailability information, business requirement information, dormancy information, and send / receive capability information that the first site needs to report.

[0109] In other words, the first indication information may include only one indication information, which is only used to indicate that the first station has information that needs to be fed back, without indicating the type of information that needs to be fed back. This can further save signaling overhead, and when the remaining bits in the first response frame are limited, the needs of the first station can be indicated concisely and efficiently.

[0110] For example, in this implementation, the first indication information may occupy 1 bit, which takes the value of 0 or 1, and is used to indicate whether there is at least one of the above-mentioned information that needs to be fed back.

[0111] As another implementation, the information that the first station needs to provide feedback can be grouped, and one bit in the first indication information is used to indicate whether a group of information needs to be provided feedback.

[0112] The following section uses the first response frame as an MBA frame as an example to explain the specific location of the first indication information.

[0113] Figure 3This is a schematic diagram of a MAB frame provided in an embodiment of this application, such as... Figure 3 As shown, an MBA frame includes a frame control field, a duration field, a receiving address (RA) field, a transmitting address (TA) field, a BA control field, a BA information field, and a frame check sequence (FCS) field.

[0114] The frame control field occupies 2 bytes and is located at the beginning of the frame. It defines the frame type, subtype, protocol version, frame direction, and some control flags. The duration field occupies 2 bytes and specifies the network allocation vector (NAV) timer for other nodes in the network, used to control media access. The RA field occupies 6 bytes and is typically used to represent the MAC address of the receiving end of the frame. The TA field occupies 6 bytes and is typically used to represent the MAC address of the sending end. The BA control field includes some control information for the frame, and its format is as follows: Figure 3 As shown, this includes reserved bits, BA type, reserved bits, no memory kept, memory configuration flag, management ACK, and TID information. The BA information field includes one or more Per AID TID Info fields, each with the following format: Figure 4 As shown, the Per AID TID Info field in the BA information field is arranged according to...<AID TID> The frames are arranged in combinations, so the length of the BA information field is variable. The FCS field is used for frame error detection. It is typically a 32-bit (cyclic redundancy check, CRC) checksum used to verify the integrity of the frame.

[0115] Figure 4 This is a diagram illustrating two formats of the Per AID TID Info field, as shown below. Figure 4 As shown, the first 11 bits of each Per AID TIDInfo field are the AID 11 field. According to the current standard, when the value of the AID 11 field is not equal to 2045, the frame structure of the Per AID TID Info field is as follows. Figure 4As shown in (a), it includes the Associated Identifier Service Identifier Information (AID TID Info) field, the Block ACK Strating Sequence Control (BACK Strating Sequence Control) field, and the Block ACK Bitmap field, where the BACK Strating Sequence Control (BACK Strating Sequence Control) field and the Block ACK Bitmap field carry acknowledgment information for the data frame. When the value of the AID11 field is equal to 2045, the frame structure of the Per AID TIDInfo field is as follows: Figure 4 As shown in (b), it includes the AID TID Info field, the reserved field, and the RA field, where the RA field is used to carry the MAC address of the receiving end, indicating that a data frame sent by the station corresponding to the MAC address has been received.

[0116] like Figure 4 As shown, the AID TID Info field includes the AID 11 field, the ACK type field, and the TID field. In the current standard, the values ​​and meanings of each field are as follows:

[0117] (1) The AID11 field occupies 11 bits and is used to carry the site's AID, followed by confirmation information for this site.

[0118] (2) The ACK type field occupies 1 bit and is used to indicate the type of acknowledgment. Its value of 1 indicates that all data frames were received correctly, and its value of 0 indicates that some data frames were received correctly and some data frames were received incorrectly. There is a block of acknowledgment bit diagrams to indicate which data frames were received correctly and which data frames were received incorrectly.

[0119] (3) The TID field occupies 4 bits and is used to indicate which TID the Per AID TID Info field carries as confirmation information.

[0120] As an example, the first indication information can be carried in the BA control field of the MBA frame, for example, such as Figure 3 As shown, the first indication information can be located in the reserved fields of the BA control field, namely fields B0, B5 to B8, which are the first bit and the 6th to 9th bits of the BA control field.

[0121] It should be understood that the first instruction information can occupy some or all of the reserved fields in the BA control field, without restriction.

[0122] Based on the above scheme, this application can carry the first indication information through the reserved field in the BA control field, so that the format and length of the MBA frame do not need to be changed, and it has greater versatility.

[0123] As yet another example, the first indication information is carried in the BA information field of the MBA frame, specifically in one of the Per AID TID Info fields within the BA information field.

[0124] For example, a new format for the Per AID TID Info field can be defined to carry first indication information, which is carried in a preset field within the Per AID TID Info field.

[0125] Specifically, when the first indication information includes one or more sub-indication information, each sub-indication information can correspond to a field, for example, such as... Figure 5 As shown, the Per AID TID Info field includes the AID TID Info field, the low-latency feedback request field, and the DUO feedback request information. The low-latency service feedback request field is used to indicate whether the first site has a low-latency service transmission requirement that needs to be fed back, and the DUO feedback request information is used to indicate whether the first site has unavailable information that needs to be fed back.

[0126] Based on the above scheme, this application can carry the first indication information through a Per AID TID Info field in the MBA frame. Since the length of the Per AID TID Info field is variable, more information can be carried, which is more flexible.

[0127] Optionally, the Per AID TID Info field may also include second indication information, which is used to indicate whether the Per AID TID Info field includes the first indication information.

[0128] For example, such as Figure 5 As shown, the AID TID Info field in the Per AID TID Info field is similar to... Figure 4The format of the AIDTID Info field can be the same, which includes the AID 11 field, the ACK type field, and the TID field. The value of one or more of the AID 11 field, the ACK type field, and the TID field can indicate whether the Per AIDTID Info field includes first indication information. That is, the second indication information can be carried in one or more of the AID 11 field, the ACK type field, and the TID field.

[0129] For example, in the current standard, the AID 11 field takes values ​​from 0 to 2007 and 2045. Therefore, the standard can predefine that when the AID 11 field takes a value from 2008 to 2044 or 2046 to 2047 (for example, denoted as X1), it indicates that the PerAID TID Info field includes the first indication information. In other words, when the AID 11 field does not take a value of X1, it indicates that the PerAID TID Info field does not include the first indication information. Here, X1 is a value from 2008 to 2044 or 2046 to 2047.

[0130] For example, in the current standard, the TID field takes values ​​from 0 to 7 and 14 or 15. Therefore, the standard can predefine that when the TID field takes a value from 8 to 13 (for example, denoted as X2), it indicates that the Per AID TID Info field includes the first indication information; when the TID field takes a value other than X2, it indicates that the Per AID TID Info field does not include the first indication information. Here, X2 is a value from 8 to 13.

[0131] For example, in the current standard, the combination of the ACK type field and the TID field can be used to carry some indication information. The two combinations of an ACK type field value of 0 and a TID field value of 14 or 15 are reserved. Therefore, the standard can predefine that when the ACK type field value is 0 and the TID field value is 14, it indicates that the Per AID TID Info field includes the first indication information. In other words, when the ACK type field value is not 0 or the TID field value is not 14, it indicates that the Per AID TID Info field does not include the first indication information. Alternatively, the standard can predefine that when the ACK type field value is 0 and the TID field value is 15, it indicates that the Per AID TID Info field includes the first indication information. In other words, when the ACK type field value is not 0 or the TID field value is not 15, it indicates that the Per AID TID Info field does not include the first indication information.

[0132] Based on the above scheme, this application newly defines the Per AID TID Info field to carry the first indication information, and the presence of the first indication information in the Per AID TID Info field can be indicated by the fields in the Per AID TID Info field. This helps the receiving end to parse the format of the Per AID TID Info field and has stronger feasibility.

[0133] It should be understood that in this application, the MBA frame can be sent from a non-AP site to the AP. For example, the AP can send a data frame to a non-AP site, and the non-AP site can use the MBA frame to acknowledge the data frame. Alternatively, the MBA frame can be sent from the AP to a non-AP site, for example, including but not limited to the following two use cases:

[0134] Use Case 1: An AP triggers one or more associated non-AP sites to send data frames. The AP can then send an MBA frame to acknowledge the data frames from multiple non-AP sites. In this case, the AID11 field carries the AID of the associated non-AP site, which can uniquely identify an associated non-AP site, such as... Figure 4 As shown in (a).

[0135] Use Case 2: An AP triggers random access from an unassociated non-AP site, and then the AP can send an MBA acknowledgment of the random access transmission. In this case, the value of the AID11 field is set to 2045, and the AID11 is followed by the RA field (e.g., ...). Figure 4 As shown in (b), it is used to carry the MAC address of the non-AP site, indicating that the AP has received a frame for random access sent by the non-AP site corresponding to the MAC address.

[0136] Optionally, the method 200 further includes: S230, the second station sends a second radio frame to the first station, and correspondingly, the first station receives the second radio frame.

[0137] The second wireless frame is used to obtain information on the demand feedback from the first site.

[0138] Specifically, the second station can generate a second radio frame based on the first instruction information to obtain the information required by the first station. For example, the second radio frame can determine the time and frequency resources, duration, and other information of the information required by the first station to send the feedback based on the first instruction information, and give instructions through the second radio frame.

[0139] For example, the second radio frame may be an ICF frame.

[0140] Optionally, the method 200 further includes: S240, the first station sends a second response frame to the second station, and correspondingly, the second station receives the second response frame.

[0141] The second response frame is in response to the second radio frame and includes information that the first station needs to provide.

[0142] Specifically, according to the instructions of the second radio frame, the first station can send a second response frame on the corresponding time-frequency resources or time period, thereby carrying the information it needs to feedback.

[0143] Based on the above scheme, the second station can obtain the information that the first station needs to feedback according to the first instruction information, so that the transmission needs of the first station can be met in a timely manner and the communication performance can be guaranteed.

[0144] The above combination Figures 1 to 5 The methods provided in the embodiments of this application have been described. It is understood that, in order to implement the functions in the above embodiments, the first site and the second site include hardware structures and / or software modules corresponding to the execution of each function. Those skilled in the art should readily recognize that, based on the units and method steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed in this application, this application can be implemented in hardware or a combination of hardware and computer software. Whether a certain function is executed in a hardware or computer software-driven hardware manner depends on the specific application scenario and design constraints of the technical solution.

[0145] Figure 6 and Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device provided in the embodiments of this application. These communication devices can be used to implement the functions of the first station and the second station in the above method embodiments, and therefore can also achieve the beneficial effects of the above method embodiments. In the embodiments of this application, the communication device can be a first station or a second station, or it can be a module (such as a chip) applied to the first station or the second station.

[0146] like Figure 6 As shown, the communication device 2000 includes a transceiver unit 2020, and the communication device 2000 is used to implement the above-mentioned... Figure 2 The method embodiment shown illustrates the function of the first or second station. Optionally, the communication device 2000 further includes a processing unit 2010.

[0147] When the communication device 2000 is used to achieve Figure 2 In the method embodiment shown, the function of the first station is as follows: the transceiver unit 2020 is used to receive a first wireless frame, and the transceiver unit 2020 is also used to send a first response frame.

[0148] When the communication device 2000 is used to achieve Figure 2In the method embodiment shown, the function of the second station is as follows: the transceiver unit 2020 is used to: send a first wireless frame, and the transceiver unit 2020 is also used to: receive a first response frame.

[0149] For a detailed description of the functions performed by the processing unit 2010 and the transceiver unit 2020, please refer to [reference needed]. Figure 2 The relevant descriptions in the method shown.

[0150] like Figure 7 As shown, the communication device 3000 includes a processor 3010 and an interface circuit 3020. The processor 3010 and the interface circuit 3020 are coupled to each other. It is understood that the interface circuit 3020 can be a transceiver or an input / output interface. Optionally, the communication device 3000 may also include a memory 3030 for storing instructions executed by the processor 3010, or storing input data required by the processor 3010 to execute instructions, or storing data generated after the processor 3010 executes instructions. Sometimes, the interface circuit 3020 can also be understood as part of the processor 3010, in which case the communication device 3000 includes the processor 3010.

[0151] When the communication device 3000 is used to achieve Figure 2 In the method shown, the processor 3010 is used to implement the functions of the processing unit 2010, and the interface circuit 3020 is used to implement the functions of the transceiver unit 2020.

[0152] It is understood that the processor in the embodiments of this application may be a central processing unit (CPU), or other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or other programmable logic devices, transistor logic devices, hardware components, or any combination thereof. A general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor or any conventional processor.

[0153] The method steps in the embodiments of this application can be implemented in hardware or in software instructions executable by a processor. The software instructions can consist of corresponding software modules, which can be stored in random access memory, flash memory, read-only memory, programmable read-only memory, erasable programmable read-only memory, electrically erasable programmable read-only memory, registers, hard disks, portable hard disks, CD-ROMs, or any other form of storage medium known in the art. An exemplary storage medium is coupled to a processor, enabling the processor to read information from and write information to the storage medium. The storage medium can also be a component of the processor. The processor and storage medium can reside in an ASIC. Alternatively, the ASIC can reside in a base station or terminal. The processor and storage medium can also exist as discrete components in a base station or terminal.

[0154] In the above embodiments, implementation can be achieved entirely or partially through software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented using software, it can be implemented entirely or partially in the form of a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer programs or instructions. When the computer program or instructions are loaded and executed on a computer, the processes or functions described in the embodiments of this application are performed entirely or partially. The computer can be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, a network device, a user equipment, or other programmable device. The computer program or instructions can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transferred from one computer-readable storage medium to another. For example, the computer program or instructions can be transferred from one website, computer, server, or data center to another website, computer, server, or data center via wired or wireless means. The computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium that a computer can access or a data storage device such as a server or data center that integrates one or more available media. The available medium can be a magnetic medium, such as a floppy disk, hard disk, or magnetic tape; it can also be an optical medium, such as a digital video optical disc; or it can be a semiconductor medium, such as a solid-state drive. The computer-readable storage medium may be a volatile or non-volatile storage medium, or may include both types of storage media.

[0155] In the various embodiments of this application, unless otherwise specified or in case of logical conflict, the terminology and / or descriptions between different embodiments are consistent and can be referenced by each other. Technical features in different embodiments can be combined to form new embodiments based on their inherent logical relationships.

[0156] In this application, "at least one" means one or more, and "more than one" means two or more. "And / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can mean: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, or B exists alone, where A and B can be singular or plural. In the textual description of this application, the character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship. "Including at least one of A, B, and C" can mean: including A; including B; including C; including A and B; including A and C; including B and C; including A, B, and C.

[0157] In this application, descriptions such as "when," "under the circumstances," "if," and "if" all refer to the device making corresponding actions under certain objective circumstances. They are not time-limited, nor do they require the device to make a judgment action during implementation, nor do they imply any other limitations.

[0158] It should be understood that in the various embodiments of this application, the terms "first," "second," and various numerical designations are merely for descriptive convenience and are not intended to limit the scope of the embodiments of this application. The order of the sequence numbers of the above processes does not imply the order of execution; the execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic.

[0159] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the units and algorithm steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0160] Those skilled in the art will understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working processes of the systems, devices, and units described above can be referred to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0161] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, apparatuses, and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the division of units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection between apparatuses or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0162] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0163] In addition, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit.

[0164] If the aforementioned functions are implemented as software functional units and sold or used as independent products, they can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or a portion of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of this application. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0165] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that, Applied to the first site, including: Receive the first radio frame from the second station; A first response frame is sent to the second station. The first response frame is in response to the first radio frame. The first response frame includes indication information, which indicates that there is information that the first station needs to provide feedback on.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: Receive a second wireless frame, the second wireless frame being used to obtain the information that needs to be fed back; A second response frame is sent to the second station, the second response frame responding to the second radio frame, and the second response frame carrying the information that needs to be fed back.

3. A communication method, characterized in that, Applied to the second site, including: Send the first radio frame to the first station; A first response frame is received from the first station, the first response frame being in response to the first wireless frame, the first response frame including indication information indicating that there is information that the first station needs to provide feedback on.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The method further includes: Send a second wireless frame to the first station, the second wireless frame being used to obtain the information that needs to be fed back; A second response frame is received from the first station, the second response frame being in response to the second radio frame, and the second response frame carrying the information that needs to be fed back.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The first wireless frame is a data frame, and the first response frame is an acknowledgment frame; or... The first wireless frame is an initial control frame, and the first response frame is an initial control response frame.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The information that needs to be fed back includes at least one of the following: Unavailable information, business requirement information, dormant information, and send / receive capability information.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that, The unavailability information includes at least one of the following: the start time of unavailability, the duration of unavailability, and the end time of unavailability; The service requirement information includes the transmission requirement information for low-latency services.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The transmission requirement information for the low-latency service includes at least one of the following: the duration required to send the low-latency service, the service identifier of the low-latency service, the timeout period of the low-latency service, and the service volume of the low-latency service.

9. The method according to any one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that, The indication information includes at least one of a first sub-indication information, a second sub-indication information, a third sub-indication information, and a fourth sub-indication information, wherein, The first sub-indication information is used to indicate whether the unavailability information that the first site needs to report exists. The second sub-indication information is used to indicate whether the business requirement information that the first site needs to report exists. The third sub-indication information is used to indicate whether the dormant information that the first station needs to report exists. The fourth sub-indication information is used to indicate whether the first station needs to provide the transmission and reception capability information.

10. The method according to any one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that, The indication information is a single indication information, which is used to indicate whether there is at least one of the following: unavailability information, service requirement information, dormancy information, and transmit / receive capability information that the first station needs to report.

11. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that, The first response frame is a multi-user block acknowledgment frame.

12. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that, The indication information is carried in the block acknowledgment control field of the multi-user block acknowledgment frame.

13. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that, The indication information is carried in the per-associated-identity-service-identity-information-field of the block confirmation information field in the multi-user block confirmation frame.

14. The method according to claim 13, characterized in that, The associated identifier 11 field in the each associated identifier service identifier information field is used to indicate that the indicated information is included in the each associated identifier service identifier information field; or... The combination of the business identifier fields in each associated identifier business identifier information field is used to indicate that the indicated information is included in each associated identifier business identifier information field; or... The combination of the confirmation type field and the business identifier field in the each associated identifier business identifier information field is used to indicate that the indication information is included in the each associated identifier business identifier information field.

15. A communication device, characterized in that, include: Units for performing the methods described in any one of claims 1, 2, 5 to 14.

16. A communication device, characterized in that, include: Units for performing the methods described in any one of claims 3 to 14.

17. A communication device, characterized in that, include: A processor coupled to a memory for storing a computer program, the processor for executing the computer program stored in the memory to cause the apparatus to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1, 2, 5 to 14.

18. A communication device, characterized in that, include: A processor coupled to a memory for storing a computer program, the processor for executing the computer program stored in the memory to cause the apparatus to perform the method as described in any one of claims 3 to 14.

19. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The storage medium stores a computer program or instructions that, when executed by a communication device, implement the method as described in any one of claims 1, 2, 5 to 14, or implement the method as described in any one of claims 3 to 14.

20. A computer program product, characterized in that, Includes a computer program that, when run, implements the method as described in any one of claims 1, 2, 5 to 14, or implements the method as described in any one of claims 3 to 14.

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