Communication device, communication method, and program

Abstract

To allow a communication device capable of communicating using a bandwidth greater than 320 MHz to communicate information about RU allocation by an appropriate frame configuration.SOLUTION: When transmitting a UHR MU PPDU with a bandwidth greater than 320 MHz, a communication device transmits a UHR MU PPDU that includes an RU allocation-1 subfield, an RU Allocation-2 subfield, and an RU Allocation-3 subfield after a U-SIG. Furthermore, when transmitting a UHR MU PPDU with a bandwidth of 320 MHz, the communication device transmits a UHR MU PPDU that includes the RU Allocation-1 subfield and the RU Allocation-2 subfield but does not include the RU allocation-3 after the U-SIG.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 11

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a communication control technique in a wireless LAN. [Background technology]

[0002] The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standard is known as a communication standard for wireless local area networks (wireless LANs). In the IEEE802.11be standard, which is currently being formulated as part of the IEEE802.11 standard series, a maximum frequency bandwidth of 320 MHz is being considered as one of the measures to improve throughput compared to the IEEE802.11ax standard. The four frequency bandwidths conventionally used in wireless LANs are 20 MHz, 40 MHz, 80 MHz, and 160 MHz.

[0003] Furthermore, Patent Document 1 discloses a mechanism for performing wireless communication with a plurality of terminals using Orthogonal frequency-division multiple access (OFDMA) technology for communication in the IEEE802.11 standard series. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2018-050133 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Just as many standards have been developed to date, new standards are expected to emerge in the future. In order to improve communication throughput, new standards may use bandwidths beyond the 320 MHz currently being considered for the 802.11be standard.

[0006] However, the standards for wireless LAN up to now have not defined a mechanism for notifying that communication will be performed in a frequency bandwidth larger than 320 MHz. In addition, when performing multi-user communication, it is necessary to allocate a part of the frequency band to be used (RU, Resource Unit) to the other device. However, up to the 802.11be standard, the bandwidth of radio waves that can be used is limited to a maximum of 320 MHz. Thus, in the past, when communicating in a frequency bandwidth larger than 320 MHz, there was no suitable method for allocating an appropriate RU to the other device within that bandwidth or a suitable frame configuration for notifying the allocation status.

[0007] The present invention has been made in consideration of at least one of the above problems. One aspect of the present invention has an object to enable a communication device capable of communicating using a bandwidth larger than 320 MHz to communicate information regarding the allocation of RUs using an appropriate frame structure. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] A communication device as one aspect of the present invention has a transmission means for transmitting an Ultra High Reliability (UHR) Multi User (MU) Physical Layer Protocol Data Unit (PPDU) including an L-SIG (Legacy-Signal Field) and a U-SIG (Universal-Signal Field), and when transmitting a UHR MU PPDU with a bandwidth greater than 320 MHz, the transmission means transmits a UHR MU PPDU including an RU Allocation-1 subfield, an RU Allocation-2 subfield, and an RU Allocation-3 subfield after the U-SIG, and when transmitting a UHR MU PPDU with a bandwidth of 320 MHz, the transmission means transmits a UHR MU PPDU including the RU Allocation-1 subfield, the RU Allocation-2 subfield, and the RU Allocation-3 subfield after the U-SIG, but not including the RU Allocation-3. Effect of the Invention

[0009] According to one aspect of the present invention, a communication device capable of communicating using a bandwidth greater than 320 MHz is enabled to communicate information regarding RU allocation through an appropriate frame structure. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a network configuration of a wireless communication system. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a hardware configuration of a communication device. [Diagram 3] A diagram showing an example of a PHY frame structure of a UHR PPDU. [Figure 4] A diagram showing an example of the correspondence between RU allocation patterns and RU Allocation subfields. [Diagram 5] A diagram showing an example of the correspondence between RU allocation patterns and RU Allocation subfields. [Figure 6] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of a combination of MRU allocation patterns and RUs. [Figure 7] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of a combination of MRU allocation patterns and RUs. [Figure 8] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of a combination of MRU allocation patterns and RUs. [Figure 9] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of a combination of MRU allocation patterns and RUs. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a content channel. [Figure 11] 4 is a flowchart showing an example of control of the communication device 101. [Figure 12] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram illustrating a modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] Hereinafter, the embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims. Although the embodiments describe a plurality of features, not all of these features are essential to the invention, and the plurality of features may be combined in any manner. Furthermore, in the attached drawings, the same reference numbers are used for the same or similar configurations, and duplicated descriptions are omitted.

[0012] <First embodiment> 1 shows an example of the configuration of a wireless communication network in the wireless communication system of the first embodiment. This wireless communication network includes one access point (AP) and three stations (STAs). Note that AP 101 and STAs 102 to 104 are examples of communication devices. Hereinafter, AP 101 and STAs 102 to 104 are also collectively referred to as communication devices 101 to 104.

[0013] The AP 101 and the STAs 102 to 104 are compliant with IEEE802.11be and are configured to be able to perform wireless communication compliant with a standard established before the IEEE802.11be standard. IEEE is an abbreviation for the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. The IEEE802.11be standard is also called the EHT (Extreme High Throughput) standard based on the name of the TG (Task Group) responsible for the standard establishment. In this embodiment, the IEEE802.11ax established before 802.11be is referred to as the sixth generation standard or IEEE802.11GEN6 in analogy with Wi-Fi6, which is a certification program for interoperability corresponding to the standard. It is also referred to as GEN6. The IEEE802.11be standard is also referred to as the seventh generation standard or IEEE802.11GEN7, or simply GEN7 in analogy with Wi-Fi7 (tentative name), which is a certification program corresponding to the standard.

[0014] The AP 101 and the STAs 102 to 104 are configured to be capable of performing wireless communication in accordance with the successor standard to the IEEE 802.11be standard, which has a maximum transmission speed of 46.08 Gbps, and the successor standard has a maximum transmission speed of 90 Gbps to 100 Gbps. The successor standard to 802.11be is also referred to as the 8th generation standard, IEEE 802.11 GEN8, or simply GEN8, in analogy with the corresponding certification program, Wi-Fi 8 (tentative name). The successor standard is also referred to as a communication standard corresponding to WI-Fi 8.

[0015] Meanwhile, GEN8, the successor standard to 802.11be, sets new goals to be achieved, such as support for highly reliable communication and low latency communication. The UHR (Ultra High Reliability) SG has been launched as an SG (Study Group) to prepare for the formulation of the successor standard. In this embodiment, the abbreviation of the group, "UHR", is used to identify the communication standard corresponding to the above-mentioned successor standard.

[0016] The name UHR is a convenient name given to the successor standard based on the goals and features of the standard, and may be changed when the standard is finalized. However, it should be noted that the present specification and the appended claims are essentially applicable to all successor standards to the 802.11be standard that can support wireless communications using a bandwidth of more than 320 MHz.

[0017] In this embodiment, when a specific device is not being referred to, a communication device that provides an access point function is called an "AP STA" or simply an "AP" without a reference number. A station (terminal) that connects to an access point may be called a "non-AP STA" or simply an "STA." "Non-AP" is an abbreviation for "non Access Point."

[0018] In addition, an access point (e.g. AP101) that supports a communication standard compatible with GEN8 (Wi-Fi8) is also called a "UHR AP STA." In addition, a station (terminal) that supports a communication standard compatible with GEN8 (Wi-Fi8) may be called a "non-AP UHR STA."

[0019] In addition, while FIG. 1 shows a wireless communication network including one AP and three STAs as an example, the number of these communication devices may be more or less than that shown. In one example, when STAs communicate with each other, the AP may not be present. In FIG. 1, the communication range of the network formed by AP 102 is shown by a circle 101. This communication range may cover a wider range or may cover only a narrower range.

[0020] The communication devices 101 to 104 can communicate in the 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, 6 GHz, and 7 GHz bands. The communication devices 101 to 104 can also operate in channel widths of 20 MHz, 40 MHz, 80 MHz, 160 MHz, 320 MHz, 480 MHz, and 640 MHz. However, one or more of the STAs 102 to 104 may only operate in channel widths of 320 MHz or 480 MHz or less.

[0021] The communication devices 101 to 104 can perform multi-user (MU) communication using Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) technology. The communication devices 101 to 104 can also perform MU communication using Multi-User Multi-Input Multi-Output (MU-MIMO) technology. It is also possible to perform MU communication using both OFDMA technology and MU-MIMO technology.

[0022] That is, the AP 101 and multiple STAs among the STAs 102 to 104 can communicate simultaneously on one channel (including a combined channel with a channel width of 40 MHz or more). In OFDMA technology, one channel is divided into multiple subchannels called Resource Units (RUs), and each RU is assigned to a different STA (or a group of STAs consisting of multiple STAs). Then, multiple access is realized by the AP and multiple STAs simultaneously communicating on one channel using the assigned RU. MU-MIMO is a spatial multiplexing method in which multiple spatial streams are formed by using multiple antennas, and each spatial stream is assigned to a different STA, allowing the AP and multiple STAs to communicate simultaneously on one channel.

[0023] In addition, the communication devices 101 to 104 may be compatible with the IEEE802.11be standard (Wi-Fi7 standard) and the successor GEN8 standard, but may also be compatible with an IEEE802.11 standard prior to the IEEE802.11be standard. Specifically, the communication devices 101 to 104 may be compatible with at least one of the IEEE802.11a / b / g / n / ac / ax standards.

[0024] In addition to the IEEE802.11 standard series, other communication standards such as Bluetooth (registered trademark), NFC, UWB, ZigBee, MBOA, etc. may be supported. UWB is an abbreviation for Ultra Wide Band, and MBOA is an abbreviation for Multi Band OFDM Alliance. NFC is an abbreviation for Near Field Communication. UWB includes wireless USB, wireless 1394, WiNET, etc. Also, it may be supported by communication standards for wired communication such as wired LAN.

[0025] Specific examples of the AP 101 include, but are not limited to, a wireless LAN router and a personal computer (PC). The AP 101 may also be an information processing device such as a wireless chip capable of executing communication of wireless frames compatible with UHR.

[0026] Specific examples of the STAs 102 to 104 include, but are not limited to, cameras, tablets, smartphones, PCs, mobile phones, video cameras, headsets, smart glasses, etc. The STAs 102 to 104 may be information processing devices such as wireless chips capable of executing communication of wireless frames compatible with UHR.

[0027] Although the wireless network in Fig. 1 is composed of one AP and three STAs, the number of APs and STAs is not limited to this. For example, one more STA may be used. In this case, the channel and channel width of the established link are not important.

[0028] (Device Configuration) The hardware configuration of the communication devices 101 to 104 will be described with reference to Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the communication devices (AP and STA). As an example of the hardware configuration, the communication device has a storage unit 201, a control unit 202, a function unit 203, an input unit 204, an output unit 205, a communication unit 206, and an antenna 207. Note that there may be multiple antennas.

[0029] The storage unit 201 is configured with one or more memories such as a ROM and a RAM, and stores various information such as computer programs for performing various operations described below and communication parameters for wireless communication. ROM stands for Read Only Memory, and RAM stands for Random Access Memory. Note that, in addition to memories such as ROM and RAM, storage media such as a hard disk, non-volatile memory, and storage may be used as the storage unit 201. Furthermore, the storage unit 201 may include multiple memories.

[0030] The control unit 202 is configured with one or more processors, such as a CPU or an MPU, and executes computer programs stored in the storage unit 201 to control the entire communication device.

[0031] The control unit 202 may control the entire communication device in cooperation with a computer program stored in the storage unit 201 and an OS (Operating System). In this way, the storage unit 201 and the control unit 202 constitute a so-called computer. The control unit 202 also generates data and signals (radio frames) to be transmitted in communication with other communication devices. The CPU stands for Central Processing Unit, and the MPU stands for Micro Processing Unit. The control unit 202 may also include multiple processors such as multi-core processors, and the multiple processors may cooperate to control the entire AP 101. Also, some of the processes may be performed by an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), or the like.

[0032] Furthermore, the control unit 202 controls the functional unit 203 to execute predetermined processes such as wireless communication, imaging, printing, projection, etc. The functional unit 203 is hardware that enables the communication device to execute predetermined processes.

[0033] For example, when the communication device is a camera such as a digital still camera, the functional unit 203 is an imaging unit that performs imaging processing of surrounding images via a camera unit (not shown) included in the communication device. Also, for example, when the communication device is a printer, the functional unit 203 is a printing unit that performs printing processing on a sheet such as paper. Also, for example, when the communication device is a projector or smart glasses, the functional unit 203 is a projection unit that performs projection processing of images and videos onto a projection surface. In the case of smart glasses, the projection surface is the retina of an end user. The data processed by the functional unit 203 may be data stored in the storage unit 201, or may be data communicated with other APs or STAs via a communication unit 206 described later. Furthermore, a communication device such as the AP 101 can also provide a network storage function such as a NAS (Network Attached Storage). The function is provided to other communication devices as a Web service such as a network storage service. For example, other communication devices connect to a network storage service provided by the AP 101 using a protocol such as SMB, FTP, or WebDAV, and upload files to the storage or download files in the storage. The upload and download communications are also realized by communicating wireless frames compatible with UHR between devices.

[0034] The input unit 204 receives various operations from the user. The output unit 205 performs various outputs to the user via a monitor screen or a speaker. Here, the output by the output unit 205 may be a display on a monitor screen, a voice output by a speaker, a vibration output, or the like. Note that both the input unit 204 and the output unit 205 may be realized by one module, such as a touch panel. Also, the input unit 204 and the output unit 205 may be integrated with the communication device, or may be separate.

[0035] The communication unit 206 controls communication related to wireless frames compatible with UHR. In addition to wireless frames compatible with UHR, the communication unit 206 can also control communication related to wireless frames compatible with other IEEE802.11 series standards and wired communication such as wired LAN. The communication unit 206 controls the antenna 207 to transmit and receive signals such as wireless frames for wireless communication generated by the control unit 202.

[0036] When the communication device supports the NFC standard, Bluetooth standard, and the like in addition to the IEEE802.11 series of communication standards, the communication unit 206 can be configured to control wireless communication corresponding to these communication standards. When the communication device can perform wireless communication corresponding to the above-mentioned multiple communication standards, the communication device may have a communication unit and an antenna corresponding to each communication standard separately. The communication device communicates data such as image data, document data, and video data with other communication devices via the communication unit 206. The antenna 207 may be configured as a separate entity from the communication unit 206, or may be configured as a single module together with the communication unit 206.

[0037] The antenna 207 is an antenna capable of communication in the 2.4 GHz band, the 5 GHz band, the 6 GHz band, and the 7 GHz band. The AP 101 may have one or more antennas. Also, a different antenna may be provided for each frequency band. Also, when the AP 101 has multiple antennas, the AP 101 may have a communication unit 206 corresponding to each antenna. In this embodiment, at least the AP 101 and any one of the STAs have a set of two or more antennas for performing MIMO (Multi-Input and Multi-Output) transmission and reception. Also, although one antenna 207 is shown in FIG. 2, for example, two or more antennas (two or more sets) each capable of supporting different frequency bands may be included.

[0038] Next, an example of the configuration of a radio frame corresponding to UHR will be described. Fig. 3 shows an example of a UHR MU (Multi User) PPDU for multi-user communication transmitted by the communication device 101. Note that PPDU is an abbreviation for Physical Layer (PHY) Protocol Data Unit.

[0039] The radio frame UHR MU PPDU is a PPDU used when a communication device executes MU communication (multi-user communication). This frame is composed of L-STF 301, L-LTF 302, L-SIG 303, RL-SIG 304, U-SIG 305, UHR-SIG 306, UHR-STF 307, and UHR-LTF 308 from the beginning. In addition, UHR-LTF 308 is followed by data 309 and packet extension 310. STF stands for Short Training Field, LTF stands for Long Training Field, and SIG stands for Signal. In addition, L- stands for Legacy, and L-SIG stands for Legacy-Signal Field. In addition, L-STF stands for Legacy Short Training Field. In addition, L-SIG is also called Non-HT Signal field. In addition, L-STF is also called Non-HT STF. L-LTF is also called Non-HT LTF. RL-SIG is also called Repeated Legacy Signal. RL-SIG is also called Repeated Non-HT Signal. HT is an abbreviation for High Throughput.

[0040] As shown in Fig. 3, the beginning of the PPDU includes an L-STF 301, an L-LTF 302, and an L-SIG 303 for ensuring backward compatibility with the IEEE802.11a / b / g / n / ax standards. The L-LTF is placed immediately after the L-STF, and the L-SIG is placed immediately after the L-LTF. Furthermore, an RL-SIG (Repeated L-SIG, RL-SIG) 304 is placed immediately after the L-SIG. In the RL-SIG 304, the contents of the L-SIG are repeatedly transmitted. The RL-SIG enables the receiver to recognize that the PPDU is compliant with the IEEE802.11ax standard or later.

[0041] L-STF301 is used for detecting PHY frame signals, automatic gain control (AGC) and timing detection. L-LTF is used for high-precision synchronization of frequency and time, acquisition of channel state information (CSI), etc. L-SIG is used to transmit control information including data transmission rate and PHY frame length. Devices that comply with the IEEE802.11a / b / g / n / ax / be standards and devices that comply with the GEN8 standard, the successor to the IEEE802.11be standard, can decode the above fields.

[0042] The PPDU further includes a U-SIG 305 placed immediately after the RL-SIG 304. The U-SIG (Universal-Signal Field) is a field for transmitting control information for each standard, which is planned to be commonly used in standards after IEEE802.11be (GEN7). The U-SIG includes a BandWidth subfield indicating the bandwidth in which the PPDU is transmitted, and a UHR-SIG MCS indicating the MCS of the UHR-SIG. The U-SIG also includes control information such as a Number Of UHR-SIG Symbols subfield indicating the number of symbols of the UHR-SIG.

[0043] The BandWidth subfield is, for example, configured with 3 bits. The communication device 101 stores a value corresponding to the bandwidth for transmitting the PPDU in the subfield. In this embodiment, any one of values ​​corresponding to 20Mhz, 40Mhz, 80Mhz, 160Mhz, 320Mhz-1, 320Mhz-2, 480Mhz, and 640Mhz is stored. It is also possible to configure so that a value corresponding to a bandwidth in which some frequency bands overlap, such as 480Mhz-1 and 480Mhz-2, can be specified. In this case, the subfield is configured with 4 bits or more.

[0044] Immediately after the U-SIG, a UHR-SIG (Ultra High Reliability Signal Field) is placed. The UHR-SIG contains control information that cannot be accommodated in the U-SIG and control information to be notified to each user when performing multi-user transmission. This UHR-SIG 406 is modulated with the MCS specified in the UHR-SIG MCS field in the U-SIG. Next, after the UHR-SIG 306, a UHR-STF 306, which is an STF for UHR, and a UHR-LTF 607, which is an LTF for UHR, are placed. The UHR-LTF is information used for MIMO estimation, beamforming estimation, etc. Multiple UHR-LTFs can be placed based on the number of MIMO antennas and the necessity of beamforming.

[0045] UHR-SIG 306, UHR-STF 307, and UHR-LTF 308 constituting the PPDU are fields that can be decoded by a communication device that supports transmission and reception of wireless frames that comply with UHR.

[0046] L-STF301, L-LTF302, L-SIG303, RL-SIG304, U-SIG305, UHR-SIG306, UHR-STF307 and UHR-LTF308 are collectively referred to as the PHY preamble.

[0047] We will now explain in more detail UHR-SIG306, which is closely related to multi-user transmission. UHR-SIG306 consists of two fields: a common field and a user field. The user field contains control information for each user. The common field consists of the subfields shown in Table 1 below.

[0048] [Table 1]

[0049] The common field includes a U-SIG Overflow subfield and multiple RU Allocation subfields.

[0050] The U-SIG Overflow subfield stores control information that cannot be stored in the U-SIG and is commonly used in 802.11be and later.

[0051] Next, the RU Allocation subfield will be explained. Depending on the bandwidth used for communication, it includes two subfields, the RU Allocation-1 subfield and the RU Allocation-2 subfield.

[0052] The RU Allocation-1 subfield is a field consisting of N × 9 bits. The RU Allocation-2 subfield is a field consisting of M × 9 bits. Both fields indicate information about the allocation of RUs.

[0053] Whether or not to place the RU Allocation-2 subfield and the size of each RU Allocation can be varied depending on the bandwidth in which communication device 101 transmits the UHR MU PPDU.

[0054] For example, to indicate the allocation of RUs when a 20 MHz band is used as the bandwidth, the RU Allocation-1 subfield is configured with 9 bits (N=1). This 9-bit field indicates the allocation of RUs in the 20 MHz bandwidth.

[0055] The size of 9 bits is an example of a predetermined bit size required to indicate the allocation of RUs in a bandwidth of 20 MHz. The 9 bits are also referred to as the predetermined bit number. In this embodiment, the predetermined bit number is 9 bits, but is not limited to this. The values ​​of N and M multiplied by the predetermined bit number are values ​​determined based on the transmission bandwidth of the UHR MU PPDU to be transmitted. Since 9 bits indicate the allocation of RUs in a bandwidth of 20 MHz, the values ​​of N and M become larger as the transmission bandwidth increases. In this embodiment, the sizes of RU Allocation-1 and RU Allocation-02 are made variable by the values ​​of N and M, and the allocation of RUs when a bandwidth of 20 MHz or more is used is notified to the other device using the concept of a content channel, which will be described later.

[0056] In this embodiment, it is assumed that radio frames compatible with UHR are transmitted with a maximum bandwidth of 640 MHz. When the bandwidth is 160 MHz or more, the RU Allocation-2 subfield is also used at the same time to indicate the allocation of RUs.

[0057] N and M are values ​​determined by the bandwidth used, and the value corresponding to the bandwidth used for data communication is entered. The correspondence between N and M and each bandwidth (20MHz band, 40MHz band, 80MHz band, 160MHz band, 320MHz band, 480MHz band, and 640MHz band) is as shown in Table 1.

[0058] Figures 4 and 5 show an example of the correspondence between RU allocation patterns and RU Allocation subfields. The minimum number of subcarriers constituting an RU is 26, and in a 20 MHz band, it can be divided into, for example, nine RUs each consisting of 26 subcarriers. As shown in the figure, when the bit string of RU Allocation is 000000000, it indicates that the 20 MHz band is divided and allocated into nine RUs with 26 subcarriers per RU. Alternatively, when the bit string of RU Allocation is 000000001, it indicates that the 20 MHz band is divided and allocated into seven RUs with 26 subcarriers per RU and one RU with 52 subcarriers per RU.

[0059] For RU allocations with 242 or more subcarriers that support MU-MIMO communication, the number of multiplexed STAs is indicated by the bit string of RU Allocation. For example, when y2y1y0 is described, y0, y1, and y2 are 0 or 1, respectively, and 2^2×y2+2^1×y1+y0+1 STAs are multiplexed in the allocated RU. When expressed using MRU (Multiple Resource Unit) that groups multiple RUs, the combination of RUs in the MRU index for that MRU type is followed. An example of the combination of MRU index and RU for each MRU type is shown in Figs. 6 to 9. In this embodiment, a new combination of RU Allocation, MRU type, MRU index, and RU corresponding to the MRU index is expressed on the premise that a band up to 640 MHz is used. When determining the MRU to be used by the STA for transmission in uplink MU communication, the MRU index is determined based on the value of the RU Allocation field and the value included in the user field of the trigger frame that instructs uplink communication. Furthermore, when determining the MRU that a STA will use for reception in downlink MU communications, the MRU index is determined based on the value of the RU Allocation field in the UHR MU PPDU and the value included in the user field of the UHR-SIG. Next, UHR MU PPDU transmission control will be explained using Fig. 11. Communication device 101 determines whether to transmit a UHR MU PPDU based on the amount of data to be communicated with other communication devices, the capabilities of the other communication devices to be communicated with, the number of communication devices to be communicated with, etc.

[0060] When it is decided to transmit a UHR MU PPDU, the communication device 101 executes the process shown in the flowchart of Fig. 11. Each process shown in the flowchart of Fig. 11 is executed by the processor of the control unit 202 executing a computer program stored in the storage unit 201. Note that some of the processes such as transmission and modulation are realized by the processor of the control unit 202 in cooperation with the communication unit 206 and the ASIC, DSP, FPGA, etc. of the control unit 202.

[0061] In step S1101, the control unit 202 of the communication device determines the transmission bandwidth for transmitting the UHR MU PPDU based on the amount of data to be communicated with other communication devices, the capabilities of the other communication devices to be communicated with, the number of communication devices to be communicated with, etc. When the control unit 202 of the communication device completes the process of determining the transmission bandwidth, it proceeds to S1102.

[0062] In S1102, the control unit 202 of the communication device cooperates with the communication unit 206 to generate a UHR MU PPDU including an RU Allocation subfield corresponding to the transmission bandwidth, and transmits the PPDU to the outside via the antenna. A more specific description will be given. The communication device 101 determines how large RUs to allocate to other communication devices in the transmission bandwidth determined in S1101. The determination is made so that the combination can be expressed by the indexes shown in Figs. 4-9. Next, the communication device 101 configures one or more RU Allocation subfields so that the indexes correspond to the combinations of RUs allocated to each communication device by referring to the indexes shown in Figs. 4 to 9. This process makes it possible to store information regarding the allocation of RUs compatible with bandwidths up to 640 MHz in the RU Allocation subfield.

[0063] Communication device 101 also configures other values ​​of the UHR-SIG as appropriate based on the communication conditions, communication settings, etc., and generates a UHR-SIG. Communication device 101 also configures the U-SIG, L-SIG, and other fields as appropriate based on the communication conditions, communication settings, etc., generates a UHR MU PPDU, and transmits the generated UHR MU PPDU in the transmission bandwidth determined in S1001. At this time, communication device 101 includes data (MAC frame) addressed to other communication devices, multiplexed in the frequency domain, in the data field of the UHR MU PPDU.

[0064] Next, the control of reception will be described. An example will be described in which the communication device 101 (AP 101) transmits data addressed to the STAs 102 to 104 in a UHR MU PPDU with a transmission bandwidth of 20 MHz.

[0065] The STAs 102 to 104 decode the U-SIG305 field and the UHR-SIG306 field contained in the UHR MU PPDU received from the AP 101. The UHR MU PPDU in the example has a bandwidth of 20 MHz, so the RU Allocation-1 subfield in the common field is composed of 9 bits. The STAs 102 to 104 interpret the data from the AP 101 according to the RU allocation indicated by the RU Allocation-1 subfield and the control information addressed to each STA included in the user field. If the data includes data indicating a trigger frame for uplink transmission, each STA performs communication after a SIFS (Short Interframe Space) time has elapsed since receiving the trigger frame. Specifically, each STA transmits a radio frame called a UHR TB PPDU, which stores data in the frequency domain corresponding to the RU allocated by the trigger frame, to the AP 101. TB PPDU is an abbreviation for Trigger Based PPDU.

[0066] Next, the content channel of the UHR-SIG will be explained with reference to Fig. 10. When using a bandwidth greater than 20 MHz, a mechanism called the content channel is used to communicate UHR-SIGs with different contents to notify the communication partner of the RU allocation status.

[0067] As an example, Fig. 10 shows an example of the configuration of a content channel when communication is performed using the 640 MHz band as the transmission bandwidth. The RU Allocation subfield indicates the allocation of RUs with 242 subcarriers per 9 bits. Also, a 20 MHz subband corresponds to an RU with 242 subcarriers. In other words, the RU Allocation subfield indicates the allocation of RUs in a 20 MHz subband per 9 bits.

[0068] When communicating using the 640 MHz band, the AP 101 divides the band into 20 MHz sub-bands and allocates RUs to each sub-band. The 640 MHz band can be divided into 32 20 MHz sub-bands, but one UHR-SIG field does not include the RU allocations of all sub-bands. As shown in FIG. 10, the AP 101 generates and transmits, in order from the lowest frequency, a first UHR-SIG field that has information on the allocation of RUs to odd-numbered sub-bands and a second UHR-SIG field that has information on the allocation of RUs to even-numbered sub-bands.

[0069] The AP 101 will communicate a first UHR-SIG in odd-numbered subchannels, indicating the allocation of RUs to each of the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 11th, 13th, 15th, 17th, 19th, 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th, 29th and 31st subbands every 9 bits.

[0070] In addition to the UHR-SIG field indicating the allocation of RUs in odd-numbered 20 MHz sub-bands, AP101 communicates a second UHR-SIG field indicating the allocation of RUs in even-numbered 20 MHz sub-bands. AP101 communicates a second UHR-SIG indicating the allocation of RUs in the 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, 10th, 12th, 14th, 16th, 18th, 20th, 22nd, 24th, 26th, 28th, 30th, and 33rd sub-bands every 9 bits in the even-numbered sub-channels.

[0071] In summary, the first UHR-SIG field transmitted using odd-numbered subbands functions as a first channel for delivering information content indicating the allocation status of the first RU, and the first UHR-SIG field transmitted using even-numbered subbands functions as a second channel for delivering information content indicating the allocation status of the second RU.

[0072] The STA can appropriately interpret the first UHR-SIG field and the second UHR-SIG field transmitted on each channel to obtain information on the allocation of 640 MHz RUs.

[0073] In order to indicate the allocation of RUs of 16 subbands in this way, two RU Allocation-1 subfields (18 bits) and 14 RU Allocation-2 subfields (126 bits) are required, totaling 144 bits. In this way, when communicating using the 640 MHz band, the AP 101 transmits the first and second UHR-SIG fields including the 144-bit RU allocation-1 and 2 subfields to the STAs 102 to 104. This total of 288 bits of information makes it possible to notify information regarding the allocation of RUs of 640 MHz width. Depending on the modulation method and coding rate of the UHR-SIG, the RU Allocation-2 subfield can also be configured to be divided into multiple different symbols and transmitted.

[0074] We will also briefly explain the case of transmitting UHR MU PPDUs of other bandwidths. When transmitting MU PPDUs of a 40 MHz bandwidth, a first UHR-SIG is transmitted to the subband with the lower frequency that constitutes the 40 MHz width, including a RU Allocation-1 subfield that indicates the RU allocation status in that subband. This subfield consists of 9 bits. Also, a second UHR-SIG is transmitted to the even-numbered subband, i.e., the second subband, which is the subband with the higher frequency that constitutes the 40 MHz width, including a RU Allocation-1 subfield that indicates the RU allocation status in that subband. This subfield also consists of 9 bits.

[0075] Similarly, even when using other bandwidths where N=2, a UHR-SIG-B field having information on RU allocation in odd-numbered subbands and a UHR-SIG-B field having information on RU allocation in even-numbered subbands are generated and transmitted. Note that the bandwidth where N=2 is any of the 80 MHz band, 160 MHz band, 320 MHz band, 480 MHz band, and 640 MHz band.

[0076] In this way, the AP 101 generates and transmits a UHR MU PPDU that includes either the RU Allocation-1 subfield or both the RU Allocation-1 and RU Allocation-2 subfields based on the transmission bandwidth. This process makes it possible to notify the STAs 102 to 104 of information regarding RU allocation.

[0077] In addition, the STAs 102 to 104 receive and interpret a UHR MU PPDU that includes an RU Allocation-1 subfield or both the RU Allocation-1 and RU Allocation-2 subfields. Through this process, each STA can obtain information regarding the allocation of RUs.

[0078] Note that each RU Allocation subfield of the UHR-SIG is a field included in the UHR MU PPDU, and is not included in other types of PPDUs. For example, the RU Allocation subfield is not included in the UHR ER (Extended Range) SU PPDU, which is communicated when performing single-user communication with an extended communication distance. Also, the above-mentioned UHR TB PPDU does not include the RU Allocation subfield.

[0079] Note that the RU allocation method indicated by the bit string of the RU Allocation subfield shown in this embodiment is merely an example. The RU allocation method indicated by the bit string of the RU Allocation subfield may be partially different from that of this embodiment.

[0080] <Second embodiment> In the first embodiment, a case where information regarding RU allocation is stored in RU Allocation-1 and RU Allocation-2 in the UHR-SIG of the preamble and notified is illustrated. In the second embodiment, in order to facilitate interoperability with 802.11be, a configuration is configured to utilize RU Allocation-3, and a mechanism for notifying information regarding RU allocation in the preamble is described.

[0081] The configuration of the communication system and the various hardware configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment, and the same matters as those in the first embodiment will be omitted as appropriate in the following description.

[0082] Table 2 shows an example of a common field including three RU Allocation subfields in the second embodiment.

[0083] [Table 2]

[0084] The common field includes the RU Allocation-1 subfield, the RU Allocation-2 subfield, and the RU Allocation-3 subfield. These fields consist of N x 9, M x 9, and L x 9 bits, respectively, and indicate information about RU allocation. The correspondence between N, M, and L and each bandwidth (20 MHz band, 40 MHz band, 80 MHz band, 160 MHz band, 320 MHz band, 480 MHz band, and 640 MHz band) is as shown in Table 2.

[0085] This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the sizes of the RU Allocation-1 subfield and the RU Allocation-2 subfield are the same as those of the IEEE802.11be, which is the communication standard of the previous generation.

[0086] When the bandwidth of the UHR MU PPDU transmitted by the communication device 101 is smaller than 40 MHz, RU allocation is expressed using only RU Allocation-1, as in the first embodiment. When the bandwidth of the UHR MU PPDU transmitted by the communication device 101 is greater than or equal to 160 MHz and less than or equal to 320 MHz, RU allocation is expressed using RU Allocation-1 and RU Allocation-2.

[0087] Also, when the bandwidth used is greater than 320 MHz, RU allocation is expressed using RU Allocation-1, RU Allocation-2, and RU Allocation-3. For example, in the case of a 640 MHz bandwidth, N=2, M=6, and L=8.

[0088] In the first embodiment, when the communication bandwidth is 640 MHz, N=2 and M=14, and so N+M in the first embodiment and N+M+L in the second embodiment are equal in value. That is, even when expressing RU allocation with RU Allocation-1 to 3, the total number of bits required for expression is the same as in the first embodiment.

[0089] In addition, the correspondence between the RU allocation pattern and the RU Allocation subfield, and the mechanism for notifying 640 MHz of RU allocation information using the first UHR-SIG and second UHR-SIG described in Figure 10 may be the same as in the first embodiment.

[0090] As described above, in this embodiment, information on RU allocation in the 480 MHz and 640 MHz bands can be notified in the same manner as in the first embodiment. Depending on the modulation method and coding rate of the UHR-SIG, the RU Allocation-3 subfield can be divided into two symbols for transmission. Furthermore, when the RU Allocation-3 subfield is divided into two symbols for transmission, the subfields can be named differently. In this case, for example, the communication device 101 generates, as the first symbol, a symbol including an RU Allocation-3 subfield capable of storing up to 9 bits x 6, or 54 bits of information. In addition, the communication device 101 generates a second symbol including an RU Allocation-4 subfield capable of storing up to 9 bits x 6, or 54 bits of information.

[0091] <Modification> In the above-described embodiments, a method of notifying the allocation information of a RU with a larger bandwidth by enlarging the RU Allocation subfield in the SIG field has been described. However, it is also possible to configure the RU with a larger bandwidth to be notified by using other methods.

[0092] In the above embodiment, the first UHR-SIG is transmitted on an odd-numbered subchannel and the second UHR-SIG is transmitted on an even-numbered subchannel, thereby multiplexing in the frequency domain and notifying information related to RU allocation. In this modified example, information related to RU allocation is notified using four different channels, so that 640 MHz worth of RU allocation information can be notified without increasing the RU Allocation subfield. The structure of the RU Allocation field is the same as that of RU Allocation-1 and RU Allocation-2 in the second embodiment. In other words, the same structure of the RU Allocation field as that of 802.11be is adopted.

[0093] A specific method will be described with reference to Fig. 12. Fig. 12 is a schematic diagram illustrating another embodiment for notifying information regarding allocation of 640 MHz RUs in a preamble.

[0094] In this embodiment, the communication device 101 communicates a first UHR-SIG field indicating the allocation of RUs in the 1st, 5th, 9th, 13th, 17th, 21st, 25th, and 29th 20 MHz subbands in a first subchannel constituting a 640 MHz width. Then, the communication device 101 communicates a second UHR-SIG field indicating the allocation of RUs in the 2nd, 6th, 10th, 14th, 18th, 22nd, 26th, and 30th 20 MHz subbands in a second subchannel constituting a 640 MHz width. Then, the communication device 101 communicates a third UHR-SIG field indicating the allocation of RUs in the 3rd, 7th, 11th, 15th, 19th, 23rd, 27th, and 31st 20 MHz subbands in a third subchannel constituting a 640 MHz width. Then, the communication device 101 communicates a fourth UHR-SIG field indicating the allocation of RUs in the 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th, 20th, 24th, 28th, and 32nd 20 MHz subbands in the fourth subchannel constituting the 640 MHz width. Then, by repeatedly transmitting the four content channels shown in 1201 in Fig. 12 for each of the following four channels, it is possible to notify the allocation of RUs for 640 MHz. In this way, by increasing the number of content channels, it is possible to notify the allocation of RUs with a bandwidth greater than 320 MHz.

[0095] When transmitting a 480 MHz wide UHR MU PPDU, the first to third UHR-SIGs can be transmitted using the first to third subchannels in a similar manner. In either case, each UHR-SIG stores RU allocation information for up to eight 20 MHz subchannels (160 MHz wide RU allocation information).

[0096] In addition, in each of the above-mentioned embodiments, the AP 101 is an AP in the network, but it may also be a device that operates as an STA. In other words, it may be a device that has both the capability of a UHR AP STA and the capability of a UHR Non-AP STA. In this case, the AP 101 performs data communication with another communication device that is the frame transmission source, using the RU indicated by the RU Allocation subfield included in the UHR-SIG of the received UHR MU PPDU.

[0097] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the PHY frame of the UHR MU PPDU includes a legacy field that can be decoded by a communication device that supports the IEEE802.11 series standards prior to the IEEE802.11be standard, but this is not limited to this. Specifically, the PHY frame of the UHR MU PPDU may be configured not to include L-STF, L-LTF, L-SIG, and RL-SIG. In this case, the PHY frame of the UHR MU PPDU is configured from the beginning with UHR-STF, UHR-LTF, U-SIG, UHR-SIG, UHR-LTF, a data field, and a packet extension.

[0098] Furthermore, the names of each field, bit positions, and bit numbers used in this embodiment are not limited to those described in this embodiment, and similar information may be stored in the PHY frame with different field names, different positions, and different bit numbers.

[0099] The disclosure of this embodiment also includes the following configuration.

[0100] (Configuration 1) A communication device, comprising: A transmitting means for transmitting a UHR (Ultra High Reliability) MU (Multi User) PPDU (Physical Layer Protocol Data Unit) including an L-SIG (Legacy-Signal Field) and a U-SIG (Universal-Signal Field), When transmitting a UHR MU PPDU with a bandwidth greater than 320 MHz, the transmitting means transmits a UHR MU PPDU including an RU Allocation-1 subfield, an RU Allocation-2 subfield, and an RU Allocation-3 subfield after the U-SIG, and when transmitting a UHR MU PPDU with a bandwidth of 320 MHz, the transmitting means transmits a UHR MU PPDU including the RU Allocation-1 subfield and the RU Allocation-2 subfield but not the RU Allocation-3 after the U-SIG.

[0101] (Configuration 2) A communication device, comprising: A transmitting means for transmitting a UHR MU (Multi User) PPDU (Physical Layer Protocol Data Unit) including an L-SIG (Legacy-Signal Field) and a U-SIG (Universal-Signal Field), a transmission means for transmitting a UHR MU PPDU having a bandwidth of 320 MHz, the transmission means transmitting a UHR MU PPDU including an RU Allocation-1 subfield and an RU Allocation-2 subfield consisting of a specific number of bits after the U-SIG, and a UHR MU PPDU having a bandwidth greater than 320 MHz, the transmission means transmitting a UHR MU PPDU including an RU Allocation-1 subfield and an RU Allocation-2 subfield consisting of a number of bits at least greater than the specific number of bits after the U-SIG.

[0102] (Configuration 3) 3. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the transmitting means includes an antenna used for transmitting the UHR MU PPDU.

[0103] (Configuration 4) A communication device described in any one of configurations 1 to 4, characterized in that the RU Allocation-1 subfield included after the U-SIG is included in a Common Field of a UHR SIG (Ultra High Reliability Signal Field), which is the symbol following the U-SIG.

[0104] (Configuration 5) 5. The communication device according to any one of configurations 1 to 4, wherein the communication device is an access point.

[0105] (Configuration 6) The RU Allocation-1 subfield is composed of a number of bits obtained by multiplying a predetermined number of bits required to represent the allocation of RUs in a subband by N; The multiplication number N is 1 when the bandwidth is 20 MHz or 40 MHz, and is 2 when the bandwidth is 80 MHz, 160 MHz, 320 MHz, 480 MHz, or 640 MHz. The RU Allocation-2 subfield is composed of a number of bits obtained by multiplying the predetermined number of bits by M, where M is 2 when the bandwidth is 160 MHz, and 6 when the bandwidth is 320 MHz. 2. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the RU Allocation-3 subfield is 4 when the bandwidth is 480 MHz, and is 8 when the bandwidth is 640 MHz.

[0106] (Configuration 7) The RU Allocation-1 subfield is composed of a number of bits obtained by multiplying a predetermined number of bits required to represent the allocation of RUs in a subband by N; The multiplication number N is 1 when the bandwidth is 20 MHz or 40 MHz, and is 2 when the bandwidth is 80 MHz, 160 MHz, 320 MHz, 480 MHz, or 640 MHz. The communication device according to configuration 2, wherein the RU Allocation-2 subfield is composed of a number of bits obtained by multiplying the predetermined number of bits by M, and the multiplication number M is 2 when the bandwidth is 160 MHz, 6 when the bandwidth is 320 MHz, 10 when the bandwidth is 480 MHz, and 14 when the bandwidth is 640 MHz.

[0107] (Configuration 8) 8. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein, when transmitting a UHR MU PPDU having a bandwidth greater than 40 MHz, the transmitting means transmits a UHR MU PPDU including allocation information of a first RU in a UHR-SIG transmitted in a first subband used for transmitting the UHR MU PPDU, and including allocation information of a second RU different from the allocation information of the first RU in a UHR-SIG transmitted simultaneously in a second subband.

[0108] (Configuration 9) 9. The communication device according to any one of configurations 1 to 8, characterized in that the communication device has a NAS (Network Access Storage) function.

[0109] (Configuration 10) A method for controlling a communication device, comprising: A transmission step of transmitting an UHR (Ultra High Reliability) MU (Multi User) PPDU (Physical Layer Protocol Data Unit) including an L-SIG (Legacy-Signal Field) and a U-SIG (Universal-Signal Field), a UHR MU PPDU including an RU Allocation-1 subfield, an RU Allocation-2 subfield, and an RU Allocation-3 subfield, after the U-SIG, when transmitting a UHR MU PPDU with a bandwidth greater than 320 MHz; and a UHR MU PPDU including the RU Allocation-1 subfield, the RU Allocation-2 subfield, and the RU Allocation-3 subfield, after the U-SIG, when transmitting a UHR MU PPDU with a bandwidth of 320 MHz, the transmission step transmitting a UHR MU PPDU including the RU Allocation-1 subfield and the RU Allocation-2 subfield, but not including the RU Allocation-3, after the U-SIG,

[0110] (Configuration 11) A method for controlling a communication device, comprising: A transmission step of transmitting a UHR MU (Multi User) PPDU (Physical Layer Protocol Data Unit) including an L-SIG (Legacy-Signal Field) and a U-SIG (Universal-Signal Field), a UHR MU PPDU including an RU Allocation-1 subfield and an RU Allocation-2 subfield consisting of a specific number of bits, after the U-SIG, when transmitting a UHR MU PPDU with a bandwidth of 320 MHz; and a UHR MU PPDU including an RU Allocation-2 subfield consisting of an RU Allocation-1 subfield and a specific number of bits, after the U-SIG, when transmitting a UHR MU PPDU with a bandwidth greater than 320 MHz, after the U-SIG, when transmitting a UHR MU PPDU with a bandwidth greater than 320 MHz,

[0111] (Configuration 12) 12. A program for causing a computer to execute the method for controlling a communication device according to claim 10 or 11.

[0112] <Other embodiments> Although the embodiments have been described above in detail, the present invention can be embodied as, for example, a system, an apparatus, a method, a program, or a recording medium (storage medium), etc. Specifically, the present invention may be applied to a system composed of multiple devices (for example, a host computer, an interface device, an imaging device, a web application, etc.), or may be applied to an apparatus composed of a single device.

[0113] The present invention can also be realized by a process in which a program for implementing one or more of the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied to a system or device via a network or a storage medium, and one or more processors in a computer of the system or device read and execute the program. The present invention can also be realized by a circuit (e.g., ASIC) that implements one or more of the functions.

[0114] (Other embodiments) The present invention can also be realized by a process in which a program for implementing one or more of the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied to a system or device via a network or a storage medium, and one or more processors in a computer of the system or device read and execute the program. The present invention can also be realized by a circuit (e.g., ASIC) that implements one or more of the functions.

[0115] The invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and variations are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the following claims are appended to apprise the public of the scope of the invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0116] 101 AP 102~104 STA

Claims

1. A communication device, comprising transmission means for transmitting a MU (Multi User) PPDU (Physical Layer Protocol Data Unit) including an L-SIG (Legacy-Signal Field) and a U-SIG (Universal-Signal Field); when transmitting a MU PPDU with a bandwidth greater than 320 MHz, the transmission means transmits a MU PPDU including a first RU Allocation subfield, a second RU Allocation subfield, and a third RU Allocation subfield after the U-SIG; when transmitting a MU PPDU with a bandwidth of 320 MHz, the transmission means transmits a MU PPDU including the first RU Allocation subfield and the second RU Allocation subfield but not including the third RU Allocation after the U-SIG. The communication device is characterized by this.

2. A communication device, comprising transmission means for transmitting a MU (Multi User) PPDU (Physical Layer Protocol Data Unit) including an L-SIG (Legacy-Signal Field) and a U-SIG (Universal-Signal Field); when transmitting a MU PPDU with a bandwidth of 320 MHz, the transmission means transmits a MU PPDU including a first RU Allocation subfield and a second RU Allocation subfield composed of a specific number of bits after the U-SIG; when transmitting a MU PPDU with a bandwidth greater than 320 MHz, the transmission means transmits a MU PPDU including the first RU Allocation subfield and a second RU Allocation subfield composed of at least a larger number of bits than the specific number of bits after the U-SIG. The communication device is characterized by this.

3. The communication device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the transmission means includes an antenna used for transmitting the MU PPDU.

4. The communication device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first RU Allocation subfield included after the U-SIG is included in the Common Field of SIG (Signal Field), which is a symbol following the U-SIG.

5. The communication device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the communication device is an access point.

6. The first RU Allocation subfield is composed of the number of bits obtained by multiplying a predetermined number of bits required to represent the allocation of RUs in a subband by N. N, which is the number to be multiplied, becomes 1 when the bandwidth is 20 MHz or 40 MHz, and becomes 2 when the bandwidth is 80 MHz, 160 MHz, 320 MHz, 480 MHz, or 640 MHz. The second RU Allocation subfield is composed of the number of bits obtained by multiplying the predetermined number of bits by M. M, which is the number to be multiplied, becomes 2 when the bandwidth is 160 MHz, becomes 6 when the bandwidth is 320 MHz. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the third RU Allocation subfield becomes 4 when the bandwidth is 480 MHz and becomes 8 when the bandwidth is 640 MHz.

7. The first RU Allocation subfield is composed of the number of bits obtained by multiplying a predetermined number of bits required to represent the allocation of RUs in a subband by N. N, which is the number to be multiplied, becomes 1 when the bandwidth is 20 MHz or 40 MHz, and becomes 2 when the bandwidth is 80 MHz, 160 MHz, 320 MHz, 480 MHz, or 640 MHz. The second RU Allocation subfield is composed of the number of bits obtained by multiplying the predetermined number of bits by M. M, which is the number to be multiplied, becomes 2 when the bandwidth is 160 MHz, becomes 6 when the bandwidth is 320 MHz, becomes 10 when the bandwidth is 480 MHz, and becomes 14 when the bandwidth is 640 MHz. The communication device according to claim 2 is characterized by this.

8. When transmitting a MU PPDU with a bandwidth greater than 40 MHz, the transmitting means includes allocation information of a first RU in a SIG transmitted in a first sub-band used for transmitting the MU PPDU, and includes allocation information of a second RU different from the allocation information of the first RU in a SIG simultaneously transmitted in a second sub-band, and transmits the MU PPDU. The communication device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that.

9. The communication device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the communication device has a network storage function.

10. A control method for a communication device, A transmission step of transmitting a MU (Multi User) PPDU (Physical Layer Protocol Data Unit) including an L-SIG (Legacy-Signal Field) and a U-SIG (Universal-Signal Field), When transmitting a MU PPDU with a bandwidth greater than 320 MHz, the transmission step transmits a MU PPDU including a first RU Allocation subfield, a second RU Allocation subfield, and a third RU Allocation subfield after the U-SIG. When transmitting a MU PPDU with a bandwidth of 320 MHz, in the transmission step, after the U-SIG, a MU PPDU including the first RU Allocation subfield and the second RU Allocation subfield but not including the third RU Allocation is transmitted. A control method for a communication device, characterized in that.

11. A control method for a communication device, A transmission step of transmitting a MU (Multi User) PPDU (Physical Layer Protocol Data Unit) including an L-SIG (Legacy-Signal Field) and a U-SIG (Universal-Signal Field), When transmitting an MU PPDU with a bandwidth of 320 MHz, in the transmission step, after the U-SIG, an MU PPDU including a first RU Allocation subfield and a second RU Allocation subfield composed of a specific number of bits is transmitted. When transmitting an MU PPDU with a bandwidth greater than 320 MHz, in the transmission step, after the U-SIG, an MU PPDU including the first RU Allocation subfield and a second RU Allocation subfield composed of at least a number of bits greater than the specific number of bits is transmitted. A control method for a communication device, characterized in that.

12. A program for causing a computer to execute the control method of the communication device according to claim 10 or 11.

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