Communication methods and devices

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a communication method and device, the communication method including a step of a first multilink device MLD performing a first listening operation, the first listening operation including a step of a first station on the first multilink device MLD receiving a groupcast frame using a first receiving capability, so that the embodiment of the present invention can realize the reception of the groupcast frame in more scenes.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of communications, and in particular to a communication method and device. [Background technology]

[0002] Currently, related protocols define a Multi-Link Device (MLD) such as a non-Access Point (non-AP) MLD listening operation on an EMLSR link, but the existing listening operation is limited to the frame receiving capability and may not be able to receive frames normally in some specific scenarios. Summary of the Invention [Means for solving the problem]

[0003] In the embodiments of the present application, a communication method and device are provided that enable reception of groupcast frames in more scenes.

[0004] In an embodiment of the present application, a communication method is provided, the communication method comprising:

[0005] A step of a first multilink device MLD performing a first listening operation, the first listening operation including a step in which a first station of the first multilink device MLD is used to receive a groupcast frame using a first receiving capability.

[0006] In an embodiment of the present application, a communication method is provided, the communication method comprising:

[0007] The method includes a step of a second multilink device MLD transmitting first information, the first information being used by a first multilink device MLD to perform a first listening operation, the first listening operation being used by a first station of the first multilink device MLD to receive a groupcast frame using a first receiving capability.

[0008] In an embodiment of the present invention, a first multi-link device is provided, the first multi-link device comprising:

[0009] A processing unit for performing a first listening operation, the first listening operation including receiving a groupcast frame using a first receiving capability.

[0010] In an embodiment of the present invention, a second multi-link device is provided, the second multi-link device comprising:

[0011] The present invention includes a transmitting unit for transmitting first information, the first information being used by a first multilink device MLD to perform a first listening operation, the first listening operation being used by a first station on the first multilink device MLD to receive a groupcast frame using a first receiving capability.

[0012] In an embodiment of the present invention, a first multi-link device is provided, the first multi-link device including a processor and a memory, the memory being adapted to store a computer program, and the processor being adapted to execute the above method applied to the first multi-link device by calling and executing the computer program stored in the memory.

[0013] In an embodiment of the present invention, a second multi-link device is provided, the second multi-link device including a processor and a memory, the memory being adapted to store a computer program, and the processor being adapted to execute the above method applied to the second multi-link device by calling and executing the computer program stored in the memory.

[0014] In an embodiment of the present application, a chip is provided for implementing the method applied to the first multi-link device described above.

[0015] Specifically, the chip includes a processor for retrieving and executing a computer program from the memory to cause the device to which the chip is attached to perform the above-described method applied to the first multi-link device.

[0016] In an embodiment of the present invention, a chip is provided for implementing the method applied in the above second multi-link device.

[0017] Specifically, the chip includes a processor for retrieving and executing a computer program from the memory to perform the above method in which the device to which the chip is attached is adapted to a second multi-link device.

[0018] In an embodiment of the present application, a computer readable storage medium is provided for storing a computer program which, when executed by a device, causes the device to perform the above method applied to a first multi-link device or to perform the above method applied to a second multi-link device.

[0019] In an embodiment of the present application, a computer program product is provided, the computer program product including computer program instructions for causing a computer to perform the above method applied to a first multi-link device or to perform the above method applied to a second multi-link device.

[0020] In an embodiment of the present application, a computer program is provided which, when executed on a computer, causes the computer to perform the above method applied to a first multi-link device or to perform the above method applied to a second multi-link device.

[0021] In an embodiment of the present application, a communication system is provided, comprising:

[0022] a first multilink device for carrying out the method applied to the first multilink device;

[0023] and a second multilink device for performing the method applied to the second multilink device.

[0024] In the embodiment of the present invention, the first multilink device MLD performs a first listening operation, thereby realizing reception of groupcast frames in more scenes. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0025] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an application scene according to an embodiment of the present application; [Figure 2(A)] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram of a frame exchange triggered by the MU-RTS trigger frame in EMLSR mode. [Figure 2(B)] 13 is an example of a frame exchange triggered by a BSR trigger frame in EMLSR mode. [Diagram 3] 3 is a schematic flow chart of a communication method 300 according to an embodiment of the present application. [Figure 4] 4 is a schematic flow chart of a communication method 400 according to another embodiment of the present application. [Diagram 5] 5 is a schematic block diagram of a first multilink device 500 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 6 is a schematic block diagram of a second multi-link device 600 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7(A)] 1 is a schematic diagram of an implementation flow of a specific example of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7(B)] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an implementation flow of a specific example of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7(C)] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of an implementation flow of a specific example of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7(D)] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of an implementation flow of a specific example of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7(E)] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of an implementation flow of a specific example of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7(F)] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of an implementation flow of a specific example of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] 1 is a schematic block diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of a chip according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] 1 is a schematic block diagram of a communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0026] Hereinafter, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the present application.

[0027] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention may be applied to various communication systems, such as Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), Wireless Fidelity (WiFi), or other communication systems.

[0028] Exemplarily, a communication system 100 to which an embodiment of the present invention is applied is shown in Fig. 1. The communication system 100 may include an access point (AP) 110 and a station (STA) 120 that accesses a network via the access point 110.

[0029] In some scenarios, there may be an AP or an AP STA, ie, in some sense, an AP is also a STA.

[0030] In some scenarios, the STA is also called a non-AP STA.

[0031] The communication in the communication system 100 may be communication between an AP and a non-AP STA, communication between a non-AP STA and a non-AP STA, or communication between a STA and a peer STA. Here, a peer STA means a device that communicates with the other side of the STA, and for example, the peer STA may be an AP or a non-AP STA.

[0032] AP is a bridge between wired and wireless networks, and its main purpose is to connect wireless network clients and then access the wireless network to Ethernet. AP device can be a terminal device (such as a mobile phone) or a network device (such as a router). The terminal device or network device has a chip to realize communication function, such as a WLAN or WiFi chip.

[0033] It is understood that the role of STA is not absolute in a communication system. For example, in some scenarios, when a mobile phone is connected to a router, the mobile phone is a non-AP STA, and when the mobile phone functions as a hotspot for other mobile phones, the mobile phone plays the role of an AP.

[0034] The AP and non-AP STA may be devices applied to car networks, such as IoT nodes and sensors in the Internet of Things (IoT), smart cameras, smart remote controls, smart meter electricity meters, and sensors in smart cities.

[0035] In some embodiments, the non-AP STAs may support the 802.11 be standard. The non-AP STAs may also support current and future wireless local area networks (WLAN) standards of the 802.11 family, such as 802.11 ax, 802.11 ac, 802.11 n, 802.11 g, 802.11 b, and 802.11 a.

[0036] In some embodiments, the AP may be a device supporting the 802.11 be standard. The AP may be a WLAN device supporting current and future 802.11 families such as 802.11 ax, 802.11 ac, 802.11 n, 802.11 g, 802.11 b, 802.11 a, etc.

[0037] In an embodiment of the present application, the STA includes a mobile phone, a tablet, a computer, a virtual reality (VR) device, an augmented reality (AR) device, a wireless device in industrial control, a set-top box, a wireless device in self driving, an in-vehicle communication device, a wireless device in remote medical, a wireless device in a smart grid, a wireless device in transportation safety, a wireless device in a smart city, or a wireless device in a smart home, a wireless communication chip / ASIC / SOC / , etc., that supports WLAN / WiFi technology.

[0038] Frequency bands that can be supported by WLAN technology include, but are not limited to, low frequency bands (eg, 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, 6 GHz) and high frequency bands (eg, 45 GHz, 60 GHz).

[0039] FIG. 1 illustrates one AP STA and two non-AP STAs, and alternatively, the communication system 100 may include multiple AP STAs and other numbers of non-AP STAs, but is not limited thereto in the embodiments of the present application.

[0040] It should be understood that the terms "system" and "network" are often used interchangeably herein. The term "and / or" herein is simply a relational relationship describing related objects and may represent the presence of a triple relationship. For example, A and / or B may represent the presence of A alone, the presence of A and B together, and the presence of B alone. Additionally, the character " / " in this application generally represents an "or" relationship between the related objects before and after it.

[0041] It is understood that the "instruction" referred to in the embodiments of the present application may be a direct instruction, an indirect instruction, or an instruction that there is an associated relationship. For example, A instructing B may indicate that A directly instructs B, for example, that B obtains through A, or that A indirectly instructs B, for example, that A instructs C and B obtains through C, or may indicate that there is a correlation between A and B.

[0042] In describing the embodiments of the present invention, the term "correspondence" may mean that there is a direct or indirect correspondence between the two, or that there is an association relationship between the two, or may be a relationship between a referent and a referent, or a placement subject and a placement object, etc.

[0043] In order to facilitate understanding of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the following describes related technologies of the embodiments of the present application. The following related technologies may be selectively combined with the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, and all of them fall within the scope of protection of the embodiments of the present application.

[0044] First, Enhanced Multi-link Single Radio (EMLSR),

[0045] The related protocols standardize EMLSR operation and provide clearer process specifications for EMLSR operation, i.e., non-AP MLD may operate in EMLSR mode on one specific subset of the established link set. The links in the specific subset are called EMLSR links.

[0046] The non-AP MLD may listen to the channel condition of the EMLSR link via an attached station in an awake state operating on the EMLSR link, where the listening operation (referred to as the second listening operation in this application) includes performing a clear channel assessment (CCA) and receiving an initial control frame of a frame exchange sequence sent by the AP MLD, the initial control frame being sent using a non-high throughput (duplicate) physical layer protocol data unit (non-HT (duplicate) PPDU) having one spatial stream.

[0047] An AP attached to an AP MLD (also called an attached AP) initializes frame exchange with a non-AP MLD on one of the EMLSR links and transmits an initial control frame to the non-AP MLD to start a frame exchange flow. The initial control frame may be a Multiple User Request-To-Send (MU-RTS) trigger frame or a Buffer Status Report Poll (BSRP) trigger frame. For example, as shown in FIG. 2(A), in the case of a MU-RTS trigger frame, an attached AP1 of an AP MLD transmits an MU-RTS, and an attached STA1 of a non-AP MLD transmits a CTS after a Short Interframe Space (SIFS) of the end of transmission. In response, the attached AP1 of the AP MLD transmits an A-MPDU after a SIFS of the end of transmission, and finally, the attached STA1 of a non-AP MLD transmits a BlockAck. Here, the AP MLD and the non-AP MLD are both in EMLSR mode. As shown in Fig. 2(B), for the BSRP trigger frame, the AP1 attached to the AP MLD transmits a BSRP trigger to the STA1 attached to the non-AP MLD1 and the STA1 attached to the non-AP MLD2 to the STA1 attached to the non-AP MLD n. In response to this, the STA1 attached to the non-AP MLD and the STA1 attached to the non-AP MLD2 to the STA1 attached to the non-AP MLD n perform frame exchange flows, and the STA1 attached to the non-AP MLD and the STA1 attached to the non-AP MLD2 to the STA1 attached to the non-AP MLD n transmit EHT TB PPDU 1 with acknowledgement, EHT TB PPDU 2 with acknowledgement, and EHT TB PPDU n with acknowledgement, respectively. Here, both the AP MLD and the non-AP MLD are in EMLSR mode.

[0048] Here, for a non-AP MLD in EMLSR mode, it is necessary to receive an MU-RTS trigger frame or a BSRP trigger frame. After receiving an initial control frame of a frame exchange sequence, such as an MU-RTS trigger frame or a BSRP trigger frame, the non-AP MLD can transmit or receive frames on the link on which it receives the initial control frame, and must not transmit or receive on other links in the EMLSR link until the frame exchange sequence is completed. Also, subject to the spatial stream capability, operation mode, and link switching delay, the non-AP MLD should be able to receive a Physical Layer Protocol Data Unit (PPDU) transmitted using multiple spatial streams after a short interframe space (SIFS) when the response frame transmission of the initial control frame request is completed. During the frame exchange sequence, the AP MLD should not transmit frames to the non-AP MLD on other links in the EMLSR link. When the frame exchange sequence is completed, the non-AP MLD switches to listening operation on the enabled link (e.g., switches immediately).

[0049] Second, sending and transmitting multilink groupcast frames

[0050] Each attached AP attached to the AP MLD (also referred to as an attached AP corresponding to the AP MLD or an AP corresponding to the AP MLD) transmits and schedules a cached groupcast frame immediately after receiving a Delivery Traffic Indication Map (DTIM) beacon frame, except when a cached groupcast frame of one attached Target Wake Time Scheduling AP (TWT scheduling AP) of the AP MLD is scheduled to transmit a cached groupcast frame within a broadcast Target Wake Time (TWT) service period that is located within the beacon interval in which the DTIM beacon frame is transmitted.

[0051] An attached STA (i.e., attached station) of a Non-AP MLD must receive a groupcast cache unit (BU) sent from an attached AP corresponding to the AP MLD related to the Non-AP MLD on the corresponding link according to the following operating rules.

[0052] The operating rules are: If dot11FMSactivated is false (i.e., Flexible Multicast Service (FMS) is not active) and ReceiveDTIMs is true (i.e., the attached STA should be awakened to receive all DTIM frames), the attached STA needs to be awakened early so that it can receive each non-STBC DTIM or each STBC DTIM transmitted by the AP in the Basic Service Set (BSS);

[0053] If dot11FMSactivated is true (i.e., FMS is in the active state) and ReceiveDTIMs is true (i.e., the subSTA should be awakened to receive all DTIM frames) and the attached STA has been granted an alternate delivery interval for the AP's groupcast stream, the attached STA must awaken before any non-STBC DTIM or STBC DTIM that has an FMS Counter field for the particular FMS stream and a current count value of zero.

[0054] If an indicator of a groupcast frame for an attached AP's cache in the Traffic Indication Map (TIM) element of an AP MLD is received by any station with a non-AP MLD attached (i.e., received by any attached station), then if the non-AP MLD is attached, associated with the attached AP, and remains awake to receive the groupcast frame attached station, then it must selectively receive the groupcast frame scheduled for transmission to all links on which the attached AP resides.

[0055] As can be seen from the above, the correlation defines a listening operation (called a second listening operation in the present invention) on the EMLSR link of a non-AP MLD operating in EMLSR mode, and this second listening operation includes an initial control frame for performing CCA and initiating frame exchange sent from the AP MLD, such as an MU-RTS trigger frame or a BSRP trigger frame.

[0056] The characteristic of this second listening operation is that all attached stations corresponding to links in which the non-AP MLD in the EMLSR link is in awake state are in listening state, and the capability of this second listening operation is limited. In addition, other types of frames cannot be normally received because they are limited by the Modulation and Coding Scheme (MCS) / rate / Spatial Stream (SS) / Bandwidth (BW) capabilities, except for receiving CCA and initial control frames such as MU-RTS trigger frame or BSRP trigger frame.

[0057] Therefore, if an AP MLD supports the EMLSR mode and there is a Non-AP MLD associated with it and operating in the EMLSR mode, when an attached AP of the AP MLD on the EMLSR link does not transmit an MU-RTS control frame first when on the corresponding link, it directly transmits a groupcast frame of video traffic data of a higher order or more SS, and an attached station (e.g., attached station A) on that link of the non-AP MLD (i.e., the link of the groupcast frame on which the attached AP transmits video traffic data of a higher order or more SS) is the target receiving station of the groupcast frame. At this time, when the Non-AP MLD is in the second listening operation, this attached station A cannot accurately receive the groupcast frame with the video traffic data of a higher order or more SS because it is restricted by the coding rate / MCS / SS / BW processing capability of the received frame.

[0058] Based on this, in response to the frame processing problem that exists in the groupcast frames of higher order or more SSs that non-AP MLD uses to directly receive from stations on the EMLSR link in EMLSR mode (e.g., directly receive on the premise that MU-RTS trigger frame is not received in advance), this application provides a mechanism for receiving groupcast frames. This mechanism can support AP MLD sending groupcast frames in EMLSR mode, and at the same time ensure that non-AP MLD can normally receive groupcast frames of higher order or more SSs in EMLSR mode. In addition, this application proposes a listening operation of non-AP MLD on the EMLSR link to meet the reception of groupcast frames in special scenarios.

[0059] 3 is a schematic flow chart of a communication method 300 according to an embodiment of the present application, which can be selectively applied to, but is not limited to, the system shown in FIG 1. The method includes at least some of the following steps:

[0060] S310, a first multilink device MLD performs a first listening operation, where the first listening operation is used by a first station on the first MLD to receive a groupcast frame using a first receiving capability.

[0061] In one embodiment, the first station is an attached station of the first MLD. Specifically, the first station is a station on the first MLD corresponding to the first link, and the first station is used to listen to the first link, i.e., the first listening operation is used to listen to the channel state of the first link by the first station being in a listening state. Here, the first station may also be called a listening station. The first link is a link that transmits the groupcast frame.

[0062] In one embodiment, the first MLD is an MLD operating in an enhanced multi-link single-radio EMLSR mode, and accordingly, the first link is a link within an EMLSR link.

[0063] In one embodiment, the first MLD is a non-AP MLD, for example, the first MLD is a non-AP MLD operating in EMLSR mode and associated with an AP MLD, such as a second MLD.

[0064] That is, S310 is specifically a step in which a non-AP MLD operating in EMLSR mode performs a first listening operation, where the first listening operation is used by a first station (i.e., a listening station) on the non-AP MLD to listen to a first link in an EMLSR link, so that the first station receives a groupcast frame using a first receiving capability via the first link. Here, the first link may be a link through which an AP MLD associated with the non-AP MLD transmits a groupcast frame. Here, the AP MLD may operate in EMLSR mode. Furthermore, an access point AP (i.e., an attached AP) on the AP MLD may transmit a groupcast frame to a first station attached to the non-AP MLD via the first link.

[0065] For example, both ends of an EMLSR link correspond to a station on a non-AP MLD and an associated AP on an AP MLD, respectively, and the associated AP transmits a groupcast frame via the link. In response, the station receives the groupcast frame via the link. That is, for a station, one station corresponds to one link and also to one AP, and the AP transmits a groupcast frame via the link corresponding to itself. In response, the station receives the groupcast frame via the link corresponding to itself. That is, there may be one-to-one correspondence between a station, a link, and an AP.

[0066] In one embodiment, the first receiving capability is greater than or equal to a second receiving capability, the second receiving capability being a receiving capability used by the first station when the first MLD performs a second listening operation, where the first receiving capability may be greater than the second receiving capability.

[0067] In a specific example, the first receiving capability is a receiving capability in EMLSR mode, i.e., the first receiving capability is a receiving capability of a first station attached to a first MLD in EMLSR mode. Correspondingly, the second receiving capability is also a receiving capability in EMLSR mode, i.e., the second receiving capability is a receiving capability of a first station attached to a first MLD in EMLSR mode.

[0068] In one embodiment, the first receiving capability includes at least one of a first rate, a first modulation and coding scheme MCS, a first spatial stream SS, and a first bandwidth BW.

[0069] In another embodiment, the second receiving capability includes at least one of a second rate, a second modulation and coding policy MCS, a second spatial stream SS, and a second bandwidth BW, and the second receiving capability is a receiving capability that the first station has under a second listening operation.

[0070] Wherein the first rate is greater than or equal to the second rate, the first MCS is greater than or equal to the second MCS, the first SS is greater than or equal to the second SS, and the first BW is greater than or equal to the second BW.

[0071] It should be noted that the present application is not limited to the number of parameters included in the first receiving capability (or the second receiving capability), and may be, for example, one, two, or more of the above parameters. Accordingly, the parameters included in the first receiving capability and the parameters included in the second receiving capability may be the same or different, and the number of parameters included in the first receiving capability may be the same as or different from the number of parameters included in the second receiving capability, and the present application is not limited thereto.

[0072] It is understood that if at least one parameter of the first receiving capability (at least one of the above parameters) is greater than a parameter corresponding to the second receiving capability, the first receiving capability is considered to be greater than the second receiving capability. For example, a first rate included in the first receiving capability is greater than a second rate included in the second receiving capability. In this case, if the first receiving capability includes other parameters, the first receiving capability may be considered to be greater than or better than the second receiving capability even if the other parameters included in the first receiving capability are equal to the corresponding parameters included in the second receiving capability. For example, a first SS included in the first receiving capability is equal to a second SS included in the second receiving capability. In this case, since the first rate included in the first receiving capability is greater than the second rate included in the second receiving capability, the first receiving capability may still be considered to be greater than the second receiving capability.

[0073] In one embodiment, all parameters included in the first receiving capability are greater (or better) than the corresponding parameters of the second receiving capability. In this way, it is ensured that groupcast frames can be received in more scenes. Specifically, since the first station on the first MLD has the first receiving capability (or is referred to as having a better first receiving capability), it can receive groupcast frames transmitted using the higher capability without receiving an initial control frame such as a MU-RTS trigger frame in advance, and for example, the second MLD can still receive groupcast frames transmitted using a higher rate, or a higher MCS (also referred to as a better MCS), or a higher BW, or more SS, etc.

[0074] In one embodiment, under the first listening operation, on the first MLD, only the first station is in a listening state, and any other station on the first MLD cannot enter a listening state, i.e., has no ability to receive or transmit frames.

[0075] Alternatively, in another embodiment, the second MLD further includes a second station on the first MLD. The first listening operation is further used for the second station to listen to a second link in the EMLSR link (i.e., to put the second station into a listening state), the second link being a link other than the first link in the EMLSR link. Furthermore, the second station also has the first receiving capability. That is, when the first station has the first receiving capability under the first listening operation, the second station on the first MLD may be in a listening state to listen to another link other than the first link, and at this time, the second station may have the first receiving capability.

[0076] Specifically, when the first multilink device MLD executes a first listening operation, the first listening operation is further used by a second station to listen to a second link in the EMLSR link, the second station being a station on the first MLD, and the second link being a link of the EMLSR link other than the first link. Alternatively, when the first multilink device MLD executes a first listening operation, the first multilink device MLD switches from a second listening operation to a first listening operation, the first listening operation prevents the second station from listening.

[0077] In this embodiment, when the first station has a first receiving capability under the first listening operation, it is understood that the second station in the awake state on the first MLD may be one or more, and the present application is not limited thereto. For example, when the first station has a first receiving capability under the first listening operation, all the second stations in the awake state on the first MLD may be in the listening state, and all the second stations may have the first receiving capability. In this case, the receiving capabilities of the first station and the second station may be different, for example, the second station may have a second receiving capability, or may have another receiving capability, and as long as the first station has the first receiving capability and can normally receive the groupcast frame, the present application does not impose any limitation thereon and falls within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0078] For example, the first listening operation (i.e., the first listening operation in the EMLSR mode) may specifically mean that an attached station (e.g., abbreviated as listening station, e.g., the first station) operating on non-AP MLD in the EMLSR mode and corresponding to a specific link (e.g., the first link) in the EMLSR link can receive a groupcast frame transmitted using a higher rate / higher MCS / more SS / higher BW.

[0079] It should be noted that higher rate / higher MCS / higher SS / higher BW as described herein means at least one or more of higher rate, higher MCS, more SS, and higher BW, i.e. at least one.

[0080] Furthermore, there are two cases in the first listening operation in which the non-AP MLD enters the EMLSR mode.

[0081] Case 1: Under the first listening operation, the attached station (e.g., the first station) can be in a listening state corresponding to the frame exchange process of a specific link (e.g., the first link) in the EMLSR link, i.e., under the first listening operation, the frame receiving capability (also called frame processing capability) of the attached station (e.g., the first station) corresponding to the specific link (e.g., the first link) matches the capability of the frame exchange process by the specific link, i.e., can receive groupcast frames transmitted with a higher rate / higher MCS / more SS / higher BW. Also, in this state, it cannot listen to other links of the EMLSR link except the specific link (e.g., the first link), i.e., other links except the specific link cannot transmit or receive frames. For example, in this case, the first station may have a stronger first receiving capability by merging the transmitting and receiving capabilities in the EMLSR link (e.g., the transmitting and receiving capabilities of other stations in the EMLSR link) into the first station through link merging and switching.

[0082] Case 2: Under the first listening operation, an attached station (e.g., the first station) with a certain link (e.g., the first link) in EMLSR mode has the ability to receive groupcast frames transmitted with a higher rate / higher MCS / higher BW / more SS, so it can keep all attached stations (e.g., the second station) in the awake state in the EMLSR link in the listening state. At this time, the attached station (e.g., the second station) in the awake state may have the same or different receiving ability as the first station. The present application is within the scope of protection of the present application as long as the first station has the ability to receive groupcast frames transmitted with a higher rate / higher MCS / higher BW / more SS. In this case, it is understood that since no link merging and switching has been performed, the receiving ability of the first station at this time may be weaker than the receiving ability after link merging and switching.

[0083] In one embodiment, the second listening operation is used by a target station on the first MLD (i.e., an attached station on the first MLD) to listen to a link to which the target station corresponds, where the target station is a station in an awake state on the first MLD, and the target station has the second receiving capability, e.g., the second receiving capability includes at least one of performing a clear channel assessment CCA and receiving an initial control frame for starting frame exchange. Also, for example, when there are two or more target stations in an awake state on the first MLD, the second listening operation can cause two or more target stations on the first MLD to have the second receiving capability. That is, in the second listening operation, the attached stations in an awake state on the first MLD, e.g., one, more than one, or all of the attached stations in an awake state, can all be in a listening state, and the attached stations in a listening state all have a second receiving capability, e.g., a second receiving capability lower than a first receiving capability.

[0084] For example, the second listening operation (i.e., the first listening operation in EMLSR mode) means that all attached stations (i.e., target stations) in an awake state corresponding to the EMLSR link are in a listening state when operating on non-AP MLD in EMLSR mode, and the receiving capability of each station corresponding to the EMLSR link, i.e., the second receiving capability, can receive initial control frames such as CCA or MU-RTS trigger frames, but cannot accurately receive other types of frames because they are limited in their capabilities such as rate / MCS / SS / BW.

[0085] In one embodiment, the first MLD receives a groupcast frame via a first station using the first receiving capability, and the groupcast frame received using the first receiving capability is carried by a physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU), the PPDU comprising: an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing OFDM physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU); Non-High Throughput non-HT Duplicate DUP PPDU and Extremely high throughput VHT PPDU and High throughput HT PPDU and Highly efficient HE single-user SU PPDU and At least one of the PPDUs supported by the very high throughput EHT station STA includes a very high throughput EHT multi-user MU PPDU.

[0086] For example, the non-AP MLD operating in EMLSR mode can receive a PPDU transmitted by an attached station (e.g., the first station) corresponding to a particular link (i.e., the first link) in an EMLSR link using a higher rate / higher MCS / higher spatial stream (SS) / higher BW, where the PPDU may be at least one of PPDUs supported by the EHT STA including OFDM PPDU, non-HT DUP PPDU, VHT PPDU, HT PPDU, HE SU PPDU, and EHT MU PPDU, thus ensuring that the non-AP MLD can correctly receive a PPDU using at least one of the following parameters and carrying a groupcast frame, where the parameters include a higher rate, a higher MCS, more SS, and a higher BW.

[0087] In one embodiment, when the reception of the groupcast frame is completed, the first MLD switches from the first listening operation to the second listening operation. For example, when the reception of the groupcast frame is completed, for example, when the non-AP MLD confirms that the reception of the groupcast frame is completed based on an instruction, or when a groupcast frame is transmitted within a broadcast TWT service period or a groupcast with retries (GCR) service period, the non-AP MLD switches from the first listening operation in EMLSR mode to the second listening operation in EMLSR mode when the end of the broadcast TWT service period or the GCR service period SP is reached and no groupcast frame is being received.

[0088] In the present embodiment, the first multilink device MLD performs the first listening operation using several methods, such as:

[0089] Method 1: The first MLD performs a first listening operation based on first information. That is, S310 specifically refers to the first MLD performing a first listening operation based on first information. Furthermore, the first information is used by the first MLD to perform the first listening operation at or before the target time. That is, S310 specifically refers to the first MLD performing the first listening operation at or before the target time based on the first information.

[0090] In one example, it is understood that the first information includes a target time, and at this time, the first information is used by the first MLD to perform the first listening operation at or before the target time included in the first information. Alternatively, in another example, the first information does not include a target time. At this time, the target time is received in advance by the first MLD. At this time, the first information is used by the first MLD to perform the first listening operation at or before the previously acquired target time. The present application does not limit whether the target time is included in the first information, as long as the first information enables the first MLD to perform the first listening operation at or before the target time, and either of them falls within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0091] In one embodiment, step S310 specifically includes the first multilink device MLD switching from a second listening operation to the first listening operation, or the first multilink device MLD maintaining and executing the first listening operation. Further, step S310 specifically includes the first multilink device MLD switching from a second listening operation to the first listening operation based on the first information, or the first multilink device MLD executing the first listening operation based on the first information maintenance.

[0092] In one embodiment, in this method, the target time includes a first time point, and the first time point may specifically include at least one of the following:

[0093] (1) Expected groupcast frame transmission time. In this case, the first MLD performs the first listening operation at the expected groupcast frame transmission time or a time before the expected groupcast frame transmission time. Here, the expected groupcast frame transmission time may be any predetermined time, and the present application is not limited thereto.

[0094] (2) a target beacon transmission time (TBTT) of a predicted delivery traffic indication map DTIM beacon frame, where the transmission time of the predicted groupcast frame is later than the TBTT of the DTIM beacon frame, and the first MLD performs the first listening operation at or before the TBTT of the predicted DTIM beacon frame.

[0095] (3) A start time of a broadcast target awake time TWT service period SP at which a groupcast frame is expected to be transmitted, where the expected groupcast frame transmission time is within the TWT service period SP. In this case, the first MLD performs the first listening operation at or before the start time of a broadcast target awake time TWT service period SP at which a groupcast frame is expected to be transmitted.

[0096] (4) the TBTT of a non-space-time block code non-STBC DTIM beacon frame whose FMS counter domain current count value of a particular Flexible Groupcast Service FMS stream is zero, where the expected groupcast frame transmission time is later than the TBTT of a non-STBC DTIM beacon frame whose FMS counter domain current count value of a particular FMS stream is zero, where the first MLD performs the first listening operation at a time earlier than the TBTT of a non-STBC DTIM beacon frame whose FMS counter domain current count value of a particular FMS stream is zero or the TBTT of a non-STBC DTIM beacon frame whose FMS counter domain current count value of a particular FMS stream is zero.

[0097] (5) A start time of a groupcast GCR service period with retries during which a groupcast frame is expected to be transmitted, where the expected time of transmitting the groupcast frame is within the GCR service period, and the first MLD performs the first listening operation at or before the start time of the groupcast GCR service period with retries during which the expected groupcast frame is transmitted.

[0098] For example, a non-AP MLD operating in EMLSR mode may listen to a link (i.e., a first link) that schedules and transmits a groupcast frame in the EMLSR link by performing a first listening operation in advance before a time when a groupcast frame is expected to be transmitted. For example, a non-AP MLD operating in EMLSR mode may listen to a link (i.e., a first link) that schedules and transmits a groupcast frame in the EMLSR link by performing a first listening operation in advance before a time when a groupcast frame is expected to be transmitted. Furthermore, when performing the first listening operation, a non-AP MLD operating in EMLSR mode may receive a groupcast frame via the first link and switch to a second listening operation after confirming that reception of the groupcast frame is completed. That is, when a non-AP MLD is associated with an AP MLD supporting one EMLSR mode and the non-AP MLD operates using the EMLSR mode on an EMLSR link, when a groupcast frame is scheduled to be transmitted on one link (e.g., the first link) of the EMLSR links corresponding to the non-AP MLD and a station (station A, i.e., the first station) on that link (e.g., the first link) is preparing to receive the groupcast frame on the non-AP MLD, the non-AP MLD needs to ensure that it enters the first link operation in advance at or before the expected groupcast frame transmission time, so that station A can listen to the link (i.e., the first link) transmitting the groupcast frame and correctly receive the groupcast frame.

[0099] Furthermore, for the sender of the group-cast frame, the method for scheduling and sending the cached group-cast frame by the attached AP of the AP MLD is at least one of the following:

[0100] (1) The AP attached to the AP MLD schedules and transmits the cached groupcast frame at the expected groupcast frame transmission time, where the expected groupcast frame transmission time may be any predetermined time, and the present application is not limited thereto.

[0101] (2) The AP with AP MLD schedules and transmits cached group-cast frames after transmitting a DTIM beacon frame, i.e., after each DTIM beacon frame, it schedules and transmits cached group-cast frames.

[0102] (3) An associated AP of the AP MLD schedules and transmits a group-cast frame within a broadcast TWT service period SP. For example, one associated AP of the AP MLD is a TWT scheduling AP, which schedules and transmits a cached group-cast frame within a broadcast TWT service period SP during a beacon interval in which the AP transmits a DTIM beacon frame.

[0103] (4) Transmit the cached groupcast frame using the specific flexible groupcast service FMS, for example, by scheduling and transmitting the cached groupcast frame at a time point after the TBTT of a non-space-time block code (STBC) DTIM beacon frame for which the current count value of the FMS counter domain for the specific flexible groupcast service FMS stream is zero.

[0104] (5) Transmit cached groupcast frames using GCR, for example, by scheduling and transmitting cached groupcast frames within the GCR service period.

[0105] For example, when the AP MLD schedules and transmits a cached groupcast frame after a DTIM beacon frame via a link (e.g., the first link) in the EMLSR link, the non-AP MLD operating in the EMLSR mode first enters a first listening operation for the link (i.e., the first link) for which the groupcast frame is scheduled and transmitted at or before the expected DTIM beacon frame TBTT. After that, the non-AP MLD operating in the EMLSR mode maintains the first listening operation (i.e., maintains a frame exchange operation state) for the link (e.g., the first link) for which the groupcast frame is scheduled and transmitted after receiving the DTIM beacon frame, until reception of the groupcast frame is completed, i.e., by maintaining the first listening operation, it maintains listening for the link (e.g., the first link) for which the groupcast frame is scheduled and transmitted. Furthermore, if the non-AP MLD receives an indication, for example, when receiving that the More Data subfield of the groupcast frame transmitted by the first link AP is 0, that there are no more groupcast frames, then it returns from the first listening operation (also called frame exchange operation) to the second listening operation in EMLSR mode.

[0106] Furthermore, for example, when the AP MLD schedules and transmits a cached groupcast frame in a broadcast TWT service period or a GCR service period, the non-AP MLD operating in the EMLSR mode first enters in advance a first listening operation for a link (e.g., a first link) for which the groupcast frame is scheduled and transmitted at or before the start time of the broadcast TWT service period or the GCR service period for which the groupcast frame is scheduled and transmitted, i.e., enters in advance a first listening operation and listens to the link (e.g., the first link) for which the groupcast frame is scheduled and transmitted. After that, the non-AP MLD operating in the EMLSR mode maintains the first listening operation (i.e., maintains a frame exchange operation state) for the link (e.g., the first link) for which the groupcast frame is scheduled and transmitted until the reception of the groupcast frame is completed after the reception of the DTIM beacon frame is completed, i.e., maintains listening to the link (e.g., the first link) for which the groupcast frame is scheduled and transmitted by maintaining the first listening operation. Furthermore, when the non-AP MLD receives an indication confirming that no groupcast frames are present (i.e., reception of groupcast frames has been completed), the non-AP MLD returns from the first listening operation (i.e., frame exchange operation) to the second listening operation in EMLSR mode, or, when the end of the broadcast TWT service period or GCR service period (SP) is reached and no groupcast frames are being received, returns from the first listening operation to the second listening operation in EMLSR mode.

[0107] In one embodiment, the first time point is previously received by the first MLD. Specifically, the first time point is previously received by the first MLD from an associated second MLD. More specifically, the first time point is previously received by a non-AP MLD from an associated AP MLD. For example, the first time point is previously received before S310. This ensures that the first MLD performs a first listening operation prior to the expected transmission of a groupcast frame such that the first station listens to the link in which it schedules and transmits a groupcast frame within the EMLSR link.

[0108] In the second method, the first information is a delivery traffic indication map DTIM beacon frame. The DTIM beacon frame is used by the first MLD to perform the first listening operation at or before a target time. Furthermore, the difference from the first method is that in the second method, the target time includes a second time point. That is, the DTIM beacon frame is used by the first MLD to perform the first listening operation at or before a second time point.

[0109] In one example, the DTIM beacon frame may include a target time (e.g., a second time point), i.e., a conveyed target time. At this time, it is understood that the DTIM beacon frame is used by the first MLD to perform the first listening operation at or before the target time conveyed in the DTIM beacon frame. Alternatively, in another example, the DTIM beacon frame does not include a target time, i.e., does not convey a target time. At this time, the target time is received in advance by the first MLD, and the DTIM beacon frame is used by the first MLD to perform the first listening operation at or before the previously acquired target time. The method of the present application does not limit whether the target time is conveyed in the DTIM beacon frame, as long as the DTIM beacon frame can cause the first MLD to perform the first listening operation at or before the target time, and both are within the scope of protection of the method of the present application.

[0110] In one embodiment, the first MLD performs the second listening operation before the TBTT of the expected transmitted DTIM beacon frame, i.e., the second listening operation is performed by the first MLD before the target beacon transmission time TBTT of the expected transmitted DTIM beacon frame. Furthermore, the first MLD performing the first listening operation based on the first information may specifically include the first MLD switching from the second listening operation to the first listening operation at or before the second time point. That is, in this method 2, the first MLD performs the second listening operation before the TBTT of the expected transmitted DTIM beacon frame, receives the DTIM beacon frame in the case of the second listening operation, and further switches from the second listening operation to the first listening operation at or before the second time point. This causes the first station of the first MLD to switch from a lower second receiving capability to a higher first receiving capability, ensuring that the first station of the first MLD can receive the groupcast frame normally.

[0111] Furthermore, the second time point includes an expected groupcast frame transmission time after the reception of a DTIM beacon frame is completed, where the DTIM beacon frame is received by the first MLD under the second listening operation. That is, the expected groupcast frame transmission time is after the time of transmitting the DTIM beacon frame. At this time, the first MLD receives the DTIM beacon frame first, and performs the first listening operation before the expected groupcast frame transmission time after the reception of the DTIM beacon frame is completed, or before the expected groupcast frame transmission time after the reception of the DTIM beacon frame is completed. It is understood that the first MLD performs the first listening operation when the reception of the DTIM beacon frame is completed.

[0112] For example, a non-AP MLD operating in EMLSR mode may enter a second listening operation before the TBTT of a DTIM beacon frame when preparing to receive a groupcast frame on one link in an EMLSR link. Then, after completing reception of the DTIM beacon frame and before the time of scheduling and transmitting the expected groupcast frame, the first station of the first MLD listens to the link (e.g., the first link) for scheduling and transmitting the groupcast frame in the EMLSR link by switching from the second listening operation to the first listening operation. Here, under the first listening operation, the first station has a first receiving capability, thus ensuring that the groupcast frame can be normally received. Furthermore, under the first listening operation, the non-AP MLD receives the groupcast frame via the first station until the reception of the groupcast frame is completed. If the non-AP MLD receives an indication that there is no more groupcast frame, it may consider the reception to be completed. Thereafter, the first listening operation (ie, the frame exchange operation) returns to the second listening operation.

[0113] It is understood that the AP MLD needs to reserve a sufficient time after transmitting a DTIM beacon frame on the EMLSR link before starting to schedule and transmit a groupcast frame. In this manner, a non-AP MLD operating in the EMLSR mode and associated with the AP MLD may switch to a first listening operation on a link (e.g., the first link) for scheduling and transmitting a groupcast frame in the EMLSR link after completing reception of the DTIM beacon frame and at or before the time to transmit the groupcast frame.

[0114] Method 3: The first information is determined based on a first instruction. The first instruction is used to instruct whether or not to execute the first listening operation when it is necessary to receive a groupcast frame. For example, the first instruction is specifically used to instruct to execute the first listening operation when it is necessary to receive a groupcast frame, or is used to instruct that it is not necessary to execute the first listening operation when it is necessary to receive a groupcast frame. Furthermore, in this method 3, the first instruction may be expressed in the following two ways, which are respectively:

[0115] The first method, The first instruction is used to uniformly instruct a first MLD corresponding to an access point AP whether to perform the first listening operation when a groupcast frame needs to be received, where the access point AP is an AP corresponding to a second MLD to which the first MLD is related, and the AP corresponding to the second MLD includes at least one of an attached AP of the second MLD and an AP indicated by a BSSID in a multiple Basic Service Set Identifier set (multiple BSSID set) in which the attached AP of the second MLD is located.

[0116] For example, the first MLD to which the access point AP corresponds is specifically the first MLD to which the first station corresponding to the access point AP corresponds, and both ends of a link (for example, a link in an EMLSR link) correspond to the first station on the first MLD and the access point AP corresponding to the second MLD, respectively. The station, the link, and the AP are in one-to-one correspondence with each other. Based on this, it can be understood that the access point AP corresponds to a station, and the station corresponds to the first MLD.

[0117] It should be noted that the first instruction does not carry a target time, for example, does not carry a first time point. The purpose of the first instruction is to indicate whether or not a first listening operation needs to be performed when a groupcast needs to be received. Based on this, the first time point may be obtained in advance by the first MLD in other ways, and the present application does not impose any specific limitations thereon. Alternatively, in another case, the first instruction may not only indicate whether or not a first listening operation needs to be performed when a groupcast needs to be received, but also carry a target time, such as a first time point. At this time, it is not necessary for the first MLD to obtain the first time point in advance. In practical applications, the above two methods may be selected and implemented, and the present application does not limit the same.

[0118] In one embodiment, when the value of the first instruction is a first value (e.g., 1), it is used to unify the first MLD corresponding to the access point AP to perform the first listening operation when a groupcast frame needs to be received.

[0119] Alternatively, when the value of the first instruction is a second value (e.g., 0), it is used to uniformly indicate that the first MLD corresponding to the access point AP does not need to perform the first listening operation when it needs to receive a groupcast frame.

[0120] In one embodiment, the first instruction is carried by an EMLSR operation instruction element, and the first instruction is carried by a first field within the EMLSR operation instruction element.

[0121] In one embodiment, the first field includes a second instruction, and when a possible value of the second instruction is a third value (e.g., 1), the first field includes the first instruction.

[0122] In one embodiment, the first field is an EMLSR Operation Indicator Bitmap Control. The first indication is an EMLSR Operation for ALL Indicator. Furthermore, the second indication is an EMLSR Operation for ALL Indicator Present. Here, the EMLSR Operation for ALL Indicator Present is used to indicate whether the first field (i.e., the EMLSR Operation Indicator Bitmap Control) contains an EMLSR Operation for ALL Indicator.

[0123] It is understood that in practical applications, the EMLSR operation instruction element may further include other fields, and the present application is not particularly limited to the included fields.

[0124] For example, Table 1 is an example of fields (also called domains) included in the EMLSR operation instruction element in the first case, and Table 2 is an example of instructions included in the EMLSR operation instruction bitmap control in the first case. [Table 1] [Table 2]

[0125] As shown in Table 1, the EMLSR operation instruction elements include an element ID, a length, and an element ID extension, where the element ID, length, and element ID extension each occupy 1 byte, and the specific definitions may be the same as those of the related standards.

[0126] In addition, the EMLSR operation indicator element further includes an EMLSR operation indicator bitmap control, which occupies 1 byte.

[0127] As shown in Table 2, the EMLSR operation instruction bitmap control includes EMLSR Operation for ALL Indicator Present, and when the value of the EMLSR Operation for ALL Indicator Present is 1, the EMLSR operation instruction bitmap control further includes EMLSR Operation for ALL Indicator and Reserved. Here, the EMLSR Operation for ALL Indicator Present, EMLSR Operation for ALL Indicator, and Reserved occupy 1 bit, 1 bit, and 6 bits, respectively. Based on this, the EMLSR Operation for ALL Indicator Present, EMLSR Operation for ALL Indicator, and Reserved included in the EMLSR operation instruction bitmap control occupy a total of 1 byte.

[0128] Here, the EMLSR operation unified indication (or EMLSR operation unified indication domain, i.e., first indication) is used to unify the indication of whether the non-AP MLDs operating in EMLSR mode corresponding to the APs perform a first listening operation when it is necessary to receive a groupcast frame. The first listening operation is used for a first station corresponding to the AP on the non-AP MLD to have a first receiving capability and to listen to a link on which the AP is located. That is, the EMLSR operation unified indication is used to unify the indication of whether the non-AP MLDs operating in EMLSR mode corresponding to the APs perform a first listening operation on a link (e.g., a first link) on which the AP is located and has a receiving capability (i.e., a first receiving capability) having a higher rate / higher MCS / higher SS / higher BW when it is necessary to receive a groupcast frame.

[0129] Here, the AP includes at least one of an attached AP of the AP MLD and an AP pointed to by a BSSID in a multiple BSSID set to which the attached AP of the AP MLD is included. The non-AP MLD is associated with the AP MLD.

[0130] The non-AP MLD operating in the EMLSR mode corresponding to the AP may specifically be a non-AP MLD operating in the EMLSR mode corresponding to a station (eg, a first station) corresponding to the AP.

[0131] Furthermore, when the value of the EMLSR operation unified indication is 1, it indicates that when a groupcast frame needs to be received, the non-AP MLD operating in EMLSR mode corresponding to the AP has a receiving capability (i.e., a first receiving capability) with a higher rate / higher MCS / higher (SS) / higher BW, and the AP performs a first listening operation of a link (e.g., a first link).

[0132] When the value of the EMLSR operation unified indication is 0, it indicates that when a groupcast frame needs to be received, the non-AP MLD operating in EMLSR mode corresponding to the AP has a receiving capability (i.e., a first receiving capability) with a higher rate / higher MCS / higher (SS) / higher BW, and the AP does not need to perform a first listening operation of a link (e.g., a first link).

[0133] In one embodiment, the EMLSR operation indication element is carried by a management frame. At this time, the first information may be, in particular, a management frame. Furthermore, the first MLD receives the management frame. Specifically, before S310, the first MLD receives the management frame. For example, since the first MLD receives a management frame transmitted by a second MLD, it is easy to perform a first listening operation based on the management frame. Here, in one example, the management frame includes a traffic indication map TIM beacon frame.

[0134] The second method, Each bit position in the first indication is used to indicate an access point AP. The value of each bit in the first instruction is used to indicate whether the first MLD corresponding to the access point AP should perform a first listening operation when it needs to receive a groupcast frame.

[0135] Here, the access point AP is an AP corresponding to a second MLD to which the first MLD is associated, and the AP corresponding to the second MLD includes at least one of an attached AP of the second MLD and an AP pointed to by a BSSID in a multi-BSSID set to which the attached AP of the second MLD is located.

[0136] For example, the first MLD corresponding to the access point AP is specifically the first MLD to which the first station corresponding to the access point AP corresponds, and both ends of a link (for example, a link in an EMLSR link) correspond to the first station on the first MLD and the access point AP corresponding to the second MLD, respectively. The station, the link, and the AP are in one-to-one correspondence with each other. Based on this, it can be understood that the access point AP corresponds to a station, and the station corresponds to the first MLD.

[0137] It should be noted that the first instruction does not carry a target time, for example, does not carry a first time point. The purpose of the first instruction is to indicate whether or not a first listening operation needs to be performed when a groupcast needs to be received. Based on this, the first time point may be obtained in advance by the first MLD in other ways, and the present application does not make any specific limitations thereon. Alternatively, in another case, the first instruction may not only indicate whether or not a first listening operation needs to be performed when a groupcast needs to be received, but also carry a target time, such as a first time point. At this time, the first MLD does not need to obtain the first time point in advance. In practical applications, the above two methods may be selected and performed, and the present application does not make any limitations thereon.

[0138] In one embodiment, when the value of each bit of the first instruction is a fourth value (e.g., 1), it is used to instruct the first MLD corresponding to the access point AP to perform the first listening operation when it needs to receive a groupcast frame.

[0139] Alternatively, when the value of each bit of the first instruction is a fifth value (e.g., 0), it is used to indicate that the first MLD corresponding to the access point AP does not need to perform the first listening operation when it needs to receive a groupcast frame.

[0140] In one embodiment, the first instruction is carried by an EMLSR operation instruction element, and the first instruction is carried by a second field in the EMLSR operation instruction element.

[0141] In one embodiment, the second field is a partial EMLSR action instruction bitmap, the partial EMLSR action instruction bitmap being formed by truncating a portion of consecutive bits in the EMLSR action instruction bitmap.

[0142] In one embodiment, the EMLSR operation instruction element includes a first field. Here, when a value of the second instruction in the first field is a sixth value (e.g., 0), the first field includes a third instruction. The third instruction is used to indicate a position of a portion of consecutive bits to be cut from the EMLSR operation instruction bitmap. In one embodiment, the third instruction is a bitmap offset amount. This allows the portion of the EMLSR operation instruction bitmap to be cut from the EMLSR operation instruction bitmap based on the bitmap offset amount.

[0143] In one embodiment, the first field is an EMLSR operation instruction bitmap control. The first instruction is an EMLSR operation uniform instruction. Furthermore, the second instruction is an EMLSR operation uniform instruction presence, where the EMLSR operation uniform instruction is used to indicate whether the first field (i.e., the EMLSR operation instruction bitmap control) includes an EMLSR operation uniform instruction. For example, when the value of the EMLSR operation uniform instruction presence is a third value (e.g., 1), the EMLSR operation instruction bitmap control includes the EMLSR operation uniform instruction. At this time, it may further include reserved. In this case, whether the corresponding first MLD needs to perform a first listening operation is uniformly indicated by the EMLSR operation uniform instruction. Furthermore, when the value of the EMLSR operation uniform instruction presence is a sixth value (e.g., 0), the EMLSR operation instruction bitmap control includes a bitmap offset amount. At this time, the EMLSR operation instruction element needs to further include a part of the EMLSR operation instruction bitmap, and further needs to indicate whether the corresponding first MLD needs to perform the first listening operation through the part of the EMLSR operation instruction bitmap.

[0144] It is understood that in practical application, the EMLSR operation instruction element may also include other fields, and the present application is not particularly limited to the included fields.

[0145] It can be understood that the possible values ​​of the first value and the second value to the sixth value mentioned above are only specific examples, and in actual applications, the first value and the second value to the sixth value may take any other value, for example, 2, 3, or 10, and the present application is not limited thereto.

[0146] For example, Table 3 is an example of fields (also called domains) included in the EMLSR operation instruction element in the second case, and Table 4 is an example of instructions included in the EMLSR operation instruction bitmap control in the second case. [Table 3] [Table 4]

[0147] As shown in Table 3, the EMLSR operation instruction elements include an element ID, a length, and an element ID extension, where the element ID, length, and element ID extension each occupy 1 byte, and the specific definitions may be the same as those of the related standards.

[0148] Furthermore, the EMLSR operation instruction element includes an EMLSR Operation Indicator Bitmap Control and a Partial EMLSR Operation Indicator Bitmap, where the EMLSR Operation Indicator Bitmap Control indicates that it occupies 1 byte, and the Partial EMLSR Operation Indicator Bitmap indicates that it occupies any one of the numeric bytes from 1 to 251. Here, it is understood that in the above-mentioned first method, the number of bytes occupied by the partial EMLSR operation instruction bitmap is 0.

[0149] As shown in Table 4, the EMLSR operation instruction bitmap control includes EMLSR Operation for ALL Indicator Present, and if the value of the EMLSR Operation for ALL Indicator Present is 0, the EMLSR operation instruction bitmap control further includes a bitmap offset. Here, the EMLSR Operation for ALL Indicator Present and the bitmap offset occupy 1 bit and 7 bits, respectively. Based on this, the EMLSR Operation for ALL Indicator Present and the bitmap offset included in the EMLSR operation instruction bitmap control occupy 1 byte.

[0150] Here, the bitmap offset may be similar to the definition of the bitmap offset domain of the TIM element in the correlation standard, but there is a difference in that the bitmap offset domain of the TIM element in the correlation standard corresponds to a traffic indication virtual bitmap, while the bitmap offset in the present application corresponds to an EMLSR operation indication bitmap.

[0151] Furthermore, a part of the EMLSR action indication bitmap (also called a part of the EMLSR action indication bitmap domain or field) is formed by cutting consecutive bits of a meaningful part in the EMLSR action indication bitmap, and the cutting method is consistent with the method of forming a part of the traffic mark virtual bitmap of the TIM element in the relevant standard, and the part of the traffic mark virtual bitmap is formed by cutting bits of consecutive positions of a part of the traffic mark virtual bitmap. The difference lies in the different definitions of the bit values ​​of the two.

[0152] Specifically, in the solution of the present application, the position of each bit in the EMLSR operation indication bitmap corresponds to an AP, where the AP includes at least one of the AP attached to the AP MLD and the AP pointed to by the BSSID in the multi-BSSID set to which the AP MLD attached is located. In the present application, the definition of the bit positions in the EMLSR operation indication bitmap is consistent with the definition of the correspondence relationship between the AP and the bit positions when there is a groupcast frame cache in the traffic indication virtual bitmap of the TIM element in the related standard.

[0153] Furthermore, the value of each bit in the EMLSR operation indication bitmap is used to indicate whether or not a non-AP MLD operating in EMLSR mode corresponding to an AP corresponding to this bit performs a first listening operation when there is a groupcast frame cache. The first listening operation is used for a first station corresponding to an AP on the non-AP MLD to have a first receiving capability, and for the first station to listen to a link on which the AP is located. Alternatively, the value of each bit in the EMLSR operation indication bitmap is used to indicate whether or not a non-AP MLD operating in EMLSR mode corresponding to an AP corresponding to this bit performs a first listening operation when there is a need to receive a groupcast frame. The first listening operation is used for a first station corresponding to an AP on the non-AP MLD to have a first receiving capability, and for the first station to listen to a link on which the AP is located.

[0154] That is, the value of each bit in the EMLSR operation indication bitmap indicates whether or not the non-AP MLD operating in EMLSR mode corresponding to the AP corresponding to this bit has a receiving capability (i.e., first receiving capability) with a higher rate / higher MCS / higher SS / higher BW when there is a groupcast frame cache, and the AP needs to perform a first listening operation on a certain link (e.g., first link). In other words, the value of each bit in the EMLSR operation indication bitmap indicates whether or not the non-AP MLD operating in EMLSR mode corresponding to the AP corresponding to this bit has a receiving capability (i.e., first receiving capability) with a higher rate / higher MCS / higher SS / higher BW when there is a groupcast frame cache, and the AP needs to perform a first listening operation on a certain link (e.g., first link).

[0155] The non-AP MLD operating in the EMLSR mode corresponding to the AP is specifically a non-AP MLD operating in the EMLSR mode corresponding to the AP by a station (e.g., a first station). The non-AP MLD is associated with the AP MLD.

[0156] Furthermore, when the value of a bit in the bitmap for EMLSR operation is 1, the AP to which the bit corresponds indicates that, if there is a group cast frame cache, the non-AP MLD operating in EMLSR mode corresponding to that AP has a receiving capability (i.e., a first receiving capability) with a higher rate / higher MCS / higher SS / higher BW, and the AP needs to perform a first listening operation on a link (e.g., a first link).

[0157] When the value of a bit in the bitmap for EMLSR operation is 0, the AP to which the bit corresponds indicates that, if there is a group cast frame cache, the non-AP MLD operating in EMLSR mode corresponding to that AP has a receiving capability (i.e., a first receiving capability) with a higher rate / higher MCS / higher SS / higher BW, and the AP does not need to perform a first listening operation on a link (e.g., a first link).

[0158] In one embodiment, the EMLSR operation indication element is carried by a management frame. At this time, the first information may be specifically a management frame. Furthermore, the first MLD receives the management frame. Specifically, before S310, the first MLD receives the management frame. For example, since the first MLD receives the management frame transmitted by the second MLD, it is easy to perform a first listening operation based on the management frame. Here, in one example, the management frame may specifically further include a traffic indication map TIM beacon frame.

[0159] Method 4: the first information is a target initial control frame, which is used to inform the groupcast frame to be transmitted after the target initial control frame. In a specific example, the target initial control frame does not need to be returned.

[0160] In one embodiment, before step S310, the first MLD receives the target initial control frame. It is understood that the target initial control frame is what the second MLD transmits when the first MLD needs to perform the first listening operation. Here, the second MLD is an MLD related to the first MLD. For example, when the second MLD is expected to transmit a groupcast frame using a higher rate / higher MCS / higher SS / higher BW, it transmits a target initial control frame to the first MLD in advance to inform the first MLD that it will transmit a groupcast frame after the target initial control frame, and causes the first MLD to perform the first listening operation. This allows the groupcast frame transmitted using the higher rate / higher MCS / higher SS / higher BW to be normally received.

[0161] In one case, the first multilink device MLD performs the first listening operation, specifically, the first multilink device MLD switches from the second listening operation to the first listening operation, more specifically, the first MLD switches from the second listening operation to the first listening operation after receiving the target initial control frame. Or, in another case, the first MLD is currently (i.e., when or before receiving the target initial control frame) under the first listening operation. At this time, there is no need to switch, and it is sufficient to continue the first listening operation, i.e., to continue the first listening operation. In this way, the groupcast frame transmitted using a higher rate / higher MCS / higher SS / higher BW is normally received.

[0162] In one embodiment, the target initial control frame includes an indication duration, and the indication duration is the maximum available duration for the first MLD to switch to the first listening operation. That is, if switching is required, the first MLD needs to switch to the first listening operation within the maximum available duration. This facilitates successful reception of groupcast frames. Furthermore, the first multilink device MLD performing the first listening operation specifically means that the first multilink device MLD switches from a second listening operation to the first listening operation, and more specifically means that the first MLD switches from the second listening operation to the first listening operation within the indication duration. Or, in another case, the first MLD is currently under the first listening operation. At this time, there is no need to switch, and the first listening operation can be maintained, that is, the first listening operation can be continuously performed.

[0163] In one embodiment, the target initial control frame is a variant multi-user request transmit MU-RTS trigger frame, and further, a value of a trigger type sub-domain of the variant MU-RTS trigger frame is different from a value of a trigger type sub-domain of the MU-RTS trigger frame.

[0164] In one embodiment, the target initial control frame, for example, a variation MU-RTS trigger frame, is used to inform the first MLD to transmit a groupcast frame after the MU-RTS trigger frame. The variation MU-RTS trigger frame is intended to inform the first MLD to transmit a groupcast frame after the MU-RTS trigger frame, and the transmitted groupcast frame uses a higher rate / higher MCS / higher SS / higher BW, so that the first MLD does not need to reply after receiving the variation MU-RTS trigger frame, and only needs to switch to the first listening operation within the indicated duration carried by the variation MU-RTS trigger frame, or the first MLD does not need to reply when it receives the variation MU-RTS trigger frame, i.e., the first listening operation. At this time, it does not need to reply, and only needs to continuously perform the first listening operation.

[0165] For example, when an AP MLD operating in EMLSR mode is expected to transmit a groupcast frame using a higher rate / higher MCS / higher SS / higher BW, it transmits a groupcast frame that does not need to be replied to, such as a variation of a MU-RTS trigger frame, before transmitting the groupcast frame, to inform the non-AP MLD associated with the AP MLD operating in EMLSR mode that the groupcast frame to be transmitted will use a higher rate / higher MCS / higher SS / BW (this informs the non-AP MLD associated with the AP MLD operating in EMLSR mode, which also operates in EMLSR mode). At the same time, the target initial control frame carries a specified padding duration (i.e., an indication duration) so that the non-AP MLD operating in EMLSR mode can receive the groupcast frame normally by ensuring sufficient time to switch to a first listening operation in advance on a specific link in the EMLSR link (i.e., the link transmitting the groupcast frame, such as the first link).

[0166] 4 is a schematic flow chart of a communication method 400 according to an embodiment of the present application. The method may be selectively applied to, but is not limited to, the system shown in FIG 1. The method includes at least part of the following contents:

[0167] S410, a second multilink device MLD transmits first information, which is used by a first multilink device MLD to perform a first listening operation, which is used by a first station on the first MLD to receive a groupcast frame using a first receiving capability.

[0168] In one embodiment, the first MLD and the second MLD are both MLDs operating in EMLSR mode.

[0169] In one embodiment, the second MLD is an AP MLD and the first MLD is a non-AP MLD corresponding to the AP MLD, and the second MLD is an MLD operating in EMLSR mode and the first MLD is a non-AP MLD operating in EMLSR mode and associated with the AP MLD (i.e., the second MLD).

[0170] In one embodiment, the first station is an attached station of the first MLD. Specifically, the first station is a station on the first MLD corresponding to a first link, and the first station is used to listen to the first link, i.e., the first listening operation is used for the first station to be in a listening state to listen to the channel condition of the first link. Here, the first station may also be called a listening station. The first link is a link that transmits the groupcast frame.

[0171] In one embodiment, the first link is a link within an EMLSR link.

[0172] That is, in S410, specifically, an access point AP MLD operating in EMLSR mode transmits first information, and the first information is used by a non-AP MLD to perform a first listening operation. Here, the first listening operation is used by a first station (i.e., a listening station) on the non-AP MLD to listen to a first link in an EMLSR link, so that the first station receives a groupcast frame using a first receiving capability via the first link. Here, the first link may be a link through which an AP MLD associated with the non-AP MLD transmits a groupcast frame. For example, an access point AP (i.e., an attached AP) on the AP MLD may transmit a groupcast frame via the first link. The non-AP MLD also operates in EMLSR mode.

[0173] For example, both ends of an EMLSR link correspond to a station on a non-AP MLD and an associated AP on an AP MLD, respectively, and the associated AP transmits a groupcast frame via the link. In response, the station receives the groupcast frame via the link. That is, for an AP, one AP corresponds to one link and also to one station, and the AP transmits a groupcast frame via the link corresponding to itself. In response, the station receives the groupcast frame via the link corresponding to itself. That is, there may be one-to-one correspondence between a station, a link, and an AP.

[0174] In one embodiment, the first receiving capability is greater than or equal to the second receiving capability, the second receiving capability being the receiving capability employed by the first MLD at the first station when performing the second listening operation. For example, the first receiving capability may be greater than the second receiving capability.

[0175] In a specific example, the first receiving capability is a receiving capability in EMLSR mode, i.e., the first receiving capability is a receiving capability of a first station attached to a first MLD in EMLSR mode. Correspondingly, the second receiving capability is also a receiving capability in EMLSR mode, i.e., the second receiving capability is a receiving capability of a first station attached to a first MLD in EMLSR mode.

[0176] In one embodiment, the first receiving capability includes at least one of a first rate, a first modulation and coding scheme MCS, a first spatial stream SS, and a first bandwidth BW.

[0177] In another embodiment, the second receiving capability includes at least one of a second rate, a second modulation and coding policy MCS, a second spatial stream SS, and a second bandwidth BW, and the second receiving capability is a receiving capability that the first station has under a second listening operation.

[0178] Wherein the first rate is greater than or equal to the second rate, the first MCS is greater than or equal to the second MCS, the first SS is greater than or equal to the second SS, and the first BW is greater than or equal to the second BW.

[0179] It should be noted that the present application does not limit the number of parameters included in the first receiving capability (or the second receiving capability), and may be, for example, one, two, or more of the above parameters. Accordingly, the parameters included in the first receiving capability and the parameters included in the second receiving capability may be the same or different, and the number of parameters included in the first receiving capability may be the same as or different from the number of parameters included in the second receiving capability, and the present application does not limit this.

[0180] It is understood that if at least one parameter of the first receiving capability (at least one of the above parameters) is greater than a parameter corresponding to the second receiving capability, the first receiving capability is considered to be greater than the second receiving capability. For example, a first rate included in the first receiving capability is greater than a second rate included in the second receiving capability. In this case, if the first receiving capability includes other parameters, the first receiving capability may be considered to be greater than or better than the second receiving capability even if the other parameters included in the first receiving capability are equal to the corresponding parameters included in the second receiving capability. For example, a first SS included in the first receiving capability is equal to a second SS included in the second receiving capability. In this case, since the first rate included in the first receiving capability is greater than the second rate included in the second receiving capability, the first receiving capability may still be considered to be greater than the second receiving capability.

[0181] In one embodiment, all parameters included in the first receiving capability are greater (or better) than the corresponding parameters of the second receiving capability. In this way, it is ensured that groupcast frames can be received in more scenes. Specifically, since the first station on the first MLD has the first receiving capability (or is said to have a better first receiving capability), it can receive groupcast frames transmitted using higher capabilities without receiving an initial control frame such as a MU-RTS trigger frame in advance, and for example, the second MLD can still receive groupcast frames transmitted using a higher rate, or a higher MCS, or a higher BW, or more SS, etc.

[0182] In one embodiment, under the first listening operation, on the first MLD, only the first station is in a listening state, and any other station on the first MLD cannot enter a listening state, i.e., has no ability to receive or transmit frames.

[0183] Alternatively, in another embodiment, the second MLD further includes a second station on the first MLD. The first listening operation is further used for the second station to listen to a second link in the EMLSR link (i.e., to put the second station into a listening state), the second link being a link other than the first link in the EMLSR link. Furthermore, the second station also has the first receiving capability. That is, when the first station has the first receiving capability under the first listening operation, the second station on the first MLD may be in a listening state to listen to a link other than the first link. At this time, the second station may have the first receiving capability.

[0184] Specifically, when the first multilink device MLD executes the first listening operation, the first listening operation is further used for a second station to listen to a second link in the EMLSR link, the second station being a station on the first MLD, and the second link being a link other than the first link of the EMLSR link. Alternatively, when the first multilink device MLD executes the first listening operation, the first multilink device MLD switches from a second listening operation to a first listening operation, the first listening operation prevents the second station from listening.

[0185] In this embodiment, when the first station has a first receiving capability under the first listening operation, it is understood that the second station in the awake state on the first MLD may be one or more, and the present application is not limited thereto. For example, when the first station has a first receiving capability under the first listening operation, all the second stations in the awake state on the first MLD may be in the listening state, and all the second stations may have the first receiving capability.

[0186] For example, the first listening operation (i.e., the first listening operation in the EMLSR mode) may specifically mean that an attached station (abbreviated as listening station, e.g., the first station) operating on a non-AP MLD in the EMLSR mode and corresponding to a specific link (e.g., the first link) in the EMLSR link can receive a groupcast frame transmitted with a higher rate / higher MCS / more SS / higher BW. Furthermore, there are two cases in the first listening operation when the non-AP MLD enters the EMLSR mode.

[0187] Case 1: Under the first listening operation, the attached station (e.g., the first station) can be in a listening state corresponding to the frame exchange process of a specific link (e.g., the first link) in the EMLSR link, i.e., under the first listening operation, the frame receiving capability (also called frame processing capability) of the attached station (e.g., the first station) corresponding to the specific link (e.g., the first link) matches the capability of the frame exchange process by the specific link, i.e., can receive groupcast frames transmitted with a higher rate / higher MCS / more SS / higher BW. Also, in this state, it cannot listen to other links of the EMLSR link except the specific link (e.g., the first link), i.e., other links except the specific link cannot transmit or receive frames. For example, in this case, the first station may have a stronger first receiving capability by merging the transmitting and receiving capabilities in the EMLSR link (e.g., the transmitting and receiving capabilities of other stations in the EMLSR link) into the first station through link merging and switching.

[0188] Case 2: Under the first listening operation, an attached station (e.g., the first station) with a certain link (e.g., the first link) in EMLSR mode has the ability to receive groupcast frames transmitted with a higher rate / higher MCS / higher BW / more SS, so it can keep all awake attached stations (e.g., the second station) in the EMLSR link in listening state. At this time, the awake attached station (e.g., the second station) may have the same or different receiving ability as the first station. The present application is within the scope of protection of the present application as long as the first station has the ability to receive groupcast frames transmitted with a higher rate / higher MCS / higher BW / more SS. In this case, it is understood that since no link merging and switching has been performed, the receiving ability of the first station at this time may be weaker than the receiving ability after link merging and switching.

[0189] In one embodiment, the second listening operation is used by a target station on the first MLD (i.e., an attached station on the first MLD) to listen to a link to which the target station corresponds, where the target station is a station in an awake state on the first MLD, and the target station has a second receiving capability, for example, the second receiving capability includes at least one of performing a clear channel assessment CCA and receiving an initial control frame for starting frame exchange. Also, for example, when there are two or more target stations in an awake state on the first MLD, the second listening operation can cause two or more target stations on the first MLD to have a second receiving capability. That is, in the second listening operation, the attached stations in an awake state on the first MLD, for example, one, more than one, or all of the attached stations in an awake state, can all be in a listening state, and the attached stations in a listening state all have a second receiving capability, for example, a second receiving capability lower than the first receiving capability.

[0190] For example, the second listening operation (i.e., the first listening operation in EMLSR mode) means that all attached stations (i.e., target stations) in an awake state corresponding to the EMLSR link are in a listening state when operating on non-AP MLD in EMLSR mode, and the receiving capability of each station corresponding to the EMLSR link, i.e., the second receiving capability, can only receive initial control frames such as CCA or MU-RTS trigger frames, but cannot accurately receive other types of frames because they are limited in their capabilities such as rate / MCS / SS / BW.

[0191] In one embodiment, the second MLD transmitting the groupcast frame specifically means that the second MLD transmits the groupcast frame on a first link listened to when the first MLD performs a first listening operation. More specifically, the attached AP of the second MLD transmits the groupcast frame on a first link listened to when the first MLD performs a first listening operation. In response, the first MLD receives the groupcast frame using the first station that listens to the first link and has a first receiving capability.

[0192] In one embodiment, the groupcast frame transmitted by the second MLD is carried by a physical layer protocol data unit PPDU, said PPDU comprising: an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing OFDM physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU); Non-High Throughput non-HT Duplicate DUP PPDU and Extremely high throughput VHT PPDU and High throughput HT PPDU and Highly efficient HE single-user SU PPDU and At least one of the PPDUs supported by the very high throughput EHT station STA includes a very high throughput EHT multi-user MU PPDU.

[0193] In response, the first MLD receives the groupcast frame via the first station using the first receiving capability. For example, an attached AP of an AP MLD operating in EMLSR mode transmits a PPDU carrying a groupcast frame on a specific link (i.e., the first link) in an EMLSR link using at least one of the following parameters: In response, a non-AP MLD operating in EMLSR mode ensures that an attached station (e.g., a first station having a first receiving capability) corresponding to a specific link (i.e., the first link) in an EMLSR link can successfully receive the PPDU transmitted by the attached AP of the AP MLD. Here, the parameters include a higher rate, a higher MCS, a higher SS, and a higher BW.

[0194] In one embodiment, the second MLD transmits the groupcast frame at the following time point, that is, the second MLD transmits the groupcast frame through the attached AP at the following time point. The specific time point includes:

[0195] (1) Expected groupcast frame transmission time. Here, the expected groupcast frame transmission time may be any time that is predetermined, and the present application is not limited thereto. For example, an attached AP of AP MLD schedules and transmits a cached groupcast frame at the expected groupcast frame transmission time.

[0196] (2) A time point after the delivery traffic indication map DTIM beacon frame is transmitted. That is, the expected transmission time of the groupcast frame is later than the TBTT of transmitting the DTIM beacon frame. For example, an attached AP of an AP MLD schedules and transmits a cached groupcast frame after transmitting a DTIM beacon frame. For example, after each DTIM beacon frame, the attached AP schedules and transmits a cached groupcast frame.

[0197] (3) A time point within the broadcast target awake time TWT service period SP. That is, the expected groupcast frame transmission time point is within the broadcast TWT service period SP. For example, an attached AP of an AP MLD schedules and transmits a groupcast frame within the broadcast TWT service period SP. For example, one attached AP of an AP MLD is a TWT scheduling AP, which schedules and transmits a cached groupcast frame within the broadcast TWT service period SP within a beacon interval in which a DTIM beacon frame is transmitted.

[0198] (4) A time point after the TBTT of a non-space-time-block-coded non-STBC DTIM beacon frame whose current count value of the FMS counter domain of the particular flexible groupcast service FMS stream is zero. That is, the expected groupcast frame transmission time point is later than the TBTT of a non-STBC DTIM beacon frame whose current count value of the FMS counter domain of the FMS stream is zero. For example, a cached groupcast frame is scheduled and transmitted at a time point after the TBTT of a non-space-time-division-coded non-STBC DTIM beacon frame whose current count value of the FMS counter domain of the particular flexible groupcast service FMS stream is zero.

[0199] (5) Within a groupcast GCR service period with retry, i.e., the predicted groupcast frame transmission time is within the GCR service period, for example, a cached groupcast frame is scheduled and transmitted within the GCR service period.

[0200] In one embodiment, the first information transmitted by the second MLD and used to cause the first multi-link device MLD to perform a first listening operation may be obtained in several ways, such as:

[0201] In a first method, the first information is used for the first MLD to execute the first listening operation at or before the target time, i.e., the first MLD can cause the first MLD to execute the first listening operation at or before the target time based on the first information.

[0202] In one example, the first information includes a target time. At this time, it is understood that the first information is used by the first MLD to perform the first listening operation at or before the target time included in the first information. Alternatively, in another example, the first information does not include a target time. At this time, the target time is transmitted in advance by the second MLD to the first MLD, i.e., is received in advance by the first MLD. At this time, the first information is used by the first MLD to perform the first listening operation at or before the previously acquired target time. The present application does not limit whether the target time is included in the first information, as long as the first information enables the first MLD to perform the first listening operation at or before the target time, and both are within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0203] In one embodiment, the first information is used for the first MLD to perform the first listening operation at or before the target time, specifically, the first information is used for the first MLD to switch from the second listening operation to the first listening operation at or before the target time, or the first MLD is under the first listening operation when receiving the first information. In this case, it is only necessary to perform the first listening operation continuously.

[0204] In one embodiment, in this method, the target time includes a first time point, and the first time point may specifically include at least one of the following:

[0205] (1) Expected groupcast frame transmission time. In this case, the first MLD performs the first listening operation at the expected groupcast frame transmission time or a time before the expected groupcast frame transmission time. Here, the expected groupcast frame transmission time may be any predetermined time, and the present application is not limited thereto.

[0206] (2) a target beacon transmission time TBTT of a predicted delivery traffic indication map DTIM beacon frame, where the transmission time of the predicted groupcast frame is later than the TBTT of the DTIM beacon frame, and the first MLD performs the first listening operation at or before the TBTT of the predicted DTIM beacon frame.

[0207] (3) A start time of a broadcast target awake time TWT service period SP at which a groupcast frame is expected to be transmitted, where the expected groupcast frame transmission time is within the broadcast TWT service period SP, and the first MLD performs the first listening operation at or before the start time of the broadcast target awake time TWT service period SP at which a groupcast frame is expected to be transmitted.

[0208] (4) the TBTT of a non-space-time block code non-STBC DTIM beacon frame whose FMS counter domain current count value of a particular Flexible Groupcast Service FMS stream is zero, where the expected groupcast frame transmission time is later than the TBTT of a non-STBC DTIM beacon frame whose FMS counter domain current count value of a particular FMS stream is zero, where the first MLD performs the first listening operation at a time earlier than the TBTT of a non-STBC DTIM beacon frame whose FMS counter domain current count value of a particular FMS stream is zero or the TBTT of a non-STBC DTIM beacon frame whose FMS counter domain current count value of a particular FMS stream is zero.

[0209] (5) A start time of a groupcast GCR service period with retries for transmitting a predicted groupcast frame, where the predicted groupcast frame transmission time is within the GCR service period, and the first MLD performs the first listening operation at or before the start time of the groupcast GCR service period with retries for transmitting a predicted groupcast frame.

[0210] It is understood that for a specific example of the receiving side, i.e., the first MLD side, the above description may be referred to and will not be described here.

[0211] In one embodiment, the first time point is determined by the second MLD. Furthermore, the first time point is transmitted by the second MLD to the first MLD in advance. For example, before step S410, the second MLD transmits the first time point to the first MLD. This ensures that the first MLD performs a first listening operation in advance before the expected transmission of a groupcast frame, so that the first station listens to the link to schedule and transmit a groupcast frame in the EMLSR link.

[0212] Method 2: The first information is a DTIM beacon frame, that is, step S410 specifically includes: a first MLD sending a DTIM beacon frame, and the DTIM beacon frame is used by the first MLD to perform the first listening operation at or before the target time.

[0213] In one example, the DTIM beacon frame may include a target time (e.g., a second time point), i.e., a conveyed target time. At this time, it is understood that the DTIM beacon frame is used by the first MLD to perform the first listening operation at or before the target time conveyed by the DTIM beacon frame. Alternatively, in another example, the DTIM beacon frame does not include a target time, i.e., does not convey a target time. At this time, the target time is transmitted by the first MLD to the first MLD in advance, i.e., is received by the first MLD in advance, and the DTIM beacon frame is used by the first MLD to perform the first listening operation at or before the previously acquired target time. The method of the present application does not limit whether the target time is conveyed in the DTIM beacon frame, as long as the DTIM beacon frame can cause the first MLD to perform the first listening operation at or before the target time, and both are within the scope of protection of the method of the present application.

[0214] In one embodiment, the difference from Scheme 1 is that in Scheme 2, the target time includes a second time point, and the DTIM beacon frame is used to switch from a second listening operation to a first listening operation at or before the second time point.

[0215] Furthermore, the second time point includes an expected groupcast frame transmission time after the first MLD completes reception of a DTIM beacon frame, where the DTIM beacon frame is received by the first MLD under the second listening operation. That is, the expected groupcast frame transmission time is after the time of transmitting the DTIM beacon frame. At this time, the first MLD receives the DTIM beacon frame first, and performs the first listening operation before the expected groupcast frame transmission time after the reception of the DTIM beacon frame is completed, or before the expected groupcast frame transmission time after the reception of the DTIM beacon frame is completed. It is understood that the first MLD performs the first listening operation when the reception of the DTIM beacon frame is completed.

[0216] For example, an AP MLD operating in EMLSR mode transmits a DTIM beacon frame on a specific link (e.g., the first link) in the EMLSR link. At this time, a non-AP MLD (associated with the AP MLD) operating in EMLSR mode may enter a second listening operation before the TBTT of the DTIM beacon frame when preparing to receive a groupcast frame on the link (the first link) in the EMLSR link. Then, after completing reception of the DTIM beacon frame and before the time of scheduling and transmitting the expected groupcast frame, the first station of the first MLD listens to the link (e.g., the first link) in the EMLSR link for scheduling and transmitting the groupcast frame by switching from the second listening operation to the first listening operation. Here, under the first listening operation, the first station has a first receiving capability. In this way, it is ensured that the groupcast frame can be normally received.

[0217] It is understood that the AP MLD needs to reserve a sufficient time after transmitting a DTIM beacon frame on the EMLSR link before starting to schedule and transmit a groupcast frame. In this manner, a non-AP MLD operating in the EMLSR mode and associated with the AP MLD may switch to a first listening operation on a link (e.g., the first link) for scheduling and transmitting a groupcast frame in the EMLSR link after completing reception of the DTIM beacon frame and at or before the time to transmit the groupcast frame.

[0218] Method 3: The first information is determined based on a first instruction. The first instruction is used to instruct whether or not to execute the first listening operation when it is necessary to receive a groupcast frame. For example, the first instruction is specifically used to instruct to execute the first listening operation when it is necessary to receive a groupcast frame, or is used to instruct that it is not necessary to execute the first listening operation when it is necessary to receive a groupcast frame. Furthermore, in this method 3, the first instruction may be expressed in the following two ways, which are respectively:

[0219] The first method, The first instruction is used to uniformly instruct a first MLD corresponding to an access point AP whether to perform the first listening operation when a groupcast frame needs to be received, where the access point AP is an AP corresponding to a second MLD to which the first MLD is related, and the AP corresponding to the second MLD includes at least one of an attached AP of the second MLD and an AP indicated by a BSSID in a multi-BSSID set to which the attached AP of the second MLD is located.

[0220] For example, the first MLD to which the access point AP corresponds is specifically the first MLD to which the first station corresponding to the access point AP corresponds. Both ends of a link (for example, a link in an EMLSR link) correspond to the first station on the first MLD and the access point AP corresponding to the second MLD, respectively. And the station, the link, and the AP have one-to-one correspondence. Based on this, it can be understood that the access point AP corresponds to a station, and the station corresponds to the first MLD.

[0221] It should be noted that the first instruction does not carry a target time, for example, does not carry a first time point. The purpose of the first instruction is to indicate whether or not a first listening operation needs to be performed when a groupcast needs to be received. Based on this, the first time point may be obtained in advance by the first MLD in other ways, and the present application does not impose any specific limitations thereon. Alternatively, in another case, the first instruction may not only indicate whether or not a first listening operation needs to be performed when a groupcast needs to be received, but also carry a target time, such as a first time point. At this time, the first MLD does not need to obtain the first time point in advance. In practical applications, the above two methods may be selected and implemented, and the present application does not limit the same.

[0222] In one embodiment, when the value of the first instruction is a first value (e.g., 1), it is used to unify the first MLD corresponding to the access point AP to perform the first listening operation when a groupcast frame needs to be received.

[0223] Alternatively, when the value of the first instruction is a second value (e.g., 0), it is used to uniformly indicate that the first MLD corresponding to the access point AP does not need to perform the first listening operation when it needs to receive a groupcast frame.

[0224] In one embodiment, the first instruction is carried by an EMLSR operation instruction element, and the first instruction is carried by a first field within the EMLSR operation instruction element.

[0225] In one embodiment, the first field includes a second instruction, and if the value of the second instruction is a third value (eg, 1), the first field includes the first instruction.

[0226] In one embodiment, the first field is an EMLSR Operation Indicator Bitmap Control. The first indication is an EMLSR Operation for ALL Indicator. Furthermore, the second indication is an EMLSR Operation for ALL Indicator Present. Here, the EMLSR Operation for ALL Indicator Present is used to indicate whether the first field (i.e., the EMLSR Operation Indicator Bitmap Control) contains an EMLSR Operation for ALL Indicator.

[0227] It is understood that in practical applications, the EMLSR operation instruction element may further include other fields, and the present application does not particularly limit the included fields.

[0228] In one embodiment, the EMLSR operation indication element is carried by a management frame. At this time, the first information may be, in particular, a management frame. Furthermore, the first MLD receives the management frame. Specifically, before S310, the first MLD receives the management frame. For example, since the first MLD receives a management frame transmitted by a second MLD, it is easy to perform a first listening operation based on the management frame. Here, in one example, the management frame includes a traffic indication map TIM beacon frame.

[0229] The second method, Each bit position in the first indication is used to indicate an access point AP. The value of each bit in the first instruction is used to indicate whether the first MLD corresponding to the access point AP should perform a first listening operation when it needs to receive a groupcast frame.

[0230] Here, the access point AP is an AP corresponding to a second MLD to which the first MLD is associated, and the AP corresponding to the second MLD includes at least one of an attached AP of the second MLD and an AP pointed to by a BSSID in a multi-BSSID set to which the attached AP of the second MLD is located.

[0231] For example, the first MLD corresponding to the access point AP is specifically the first MLD to which the first station corresponding to the access point AP corresponds. Both ends of a link (for example, a link in an EMLSR link) correspond to the first station on the first MLD and the access point AP corresponding to the second MLD, respectively. And the station, the link, and the AP have one-to-one correspondence. Based on this, it can be understood that the access point AP corresponds to a station, and the station corresponds to the first MLD.

[0232] It should be noted that the first instruction does not carry a target time, for example, does not carry a first time point. The purpose of the first instruction is to indicate whether or not a first listening operation needs to be performed when a groupcast needs to be received. Based on this, the first time point may be obtained in advance by the first MLD in other ways, and the present application does not impose any specific limitations thereon. Alternatively, in another case, the first instruction may not only indicate whether or not a first listening operation needs to be performed when a groupcast needs to be received, but also carry a target time, such as a first time point. At this time, it is not necessary for the first MLD to obtain the first time point in advance. In practical applications, the above two methods may be selected and implemented, and the present application does not limit the same.

[0233] In one embodiment, when the value of each bit of the first instruction is a fourth value (e.g., 1), it is used to instruct the first MLD corresponding to the access point AP to perform the first listening operation when it needs to receive a groupcast frame.

[0234] Alternatively, when the value of each bit of the first instruction is a fifth value (e.g., 0), it is used to indicate that the first MLD corresponding to the access point AP does not need to perform the first listening operation when it needs to receive a groupcast frame.

[0235] In one embodiment, the first instruction is carried by an EMLSR operation instruction element, and the first instruction is carried by a second field in the EMLSR operation instruction element.

[0236] In one embodiment, the second field is a partial EMLSR action instruction bitmap, the partial EMLSR action instruction bitmap being formed by truncating a portion of consecutive bits in the EMLSR action instruction bitmap.

[0237] In one embodiment, the EMLSR operation instruction element includes a first field, where if a value of the second instruction in the first field is a sixth value (e.g., 0), the first field includes a third instruction. The third instruction is used to indicate a location of a portion of consecutive bits to be cut from the EMLSR operation instruction bitmap. In one embodiment, the third instruction is a bitmap offset amount. This allows the portion of the EMLSR operation instruction bitmap to be cut from the EMLSR operation instruction bitmap based on the bitmap offset amount.

[0238] In one embodiment, the first field is an EMLSR operation instruction bitmap control. The first instruction is an EMLSR operation uniform instruction. Furthermore, the second instruction is an EMLSR operation uniform instruction presence, where the EMLSR operation uniform instruction is used to indicate whether the first field (i.e., the EMLSR operation instruction bitmap control) includes an EMLSR operation uniform instruction. For example, when the value of the EMLSR operation uniform instruction presence is a third value (e.g., 1), the EMLSR operation instruction bitmap control includes the EMLSR operation uniform instruction. At this time, it may further include reserved. In this case, whether the corresponding first MLD needs to perform the first listening operation is uniformly indicated by the EMLSR operation uniform instruction. Furthermore, when the value of the EMLSR operation uniform instruction presence is a sixth value (e.g., 0), the EMLSR operation instruction bitmap control includes a bitmap offset amount. At this time, the EMLSR operation instruction element needs to further include a part of the EMLSR operation instruction bitmap. In addition, it is necessary to indicate, via some EMLSR operation indication bitmap, whether the corresponding first MLD needs to perform the first listening operation or not.

[0239] It is understood that in practical applications, the EMLSR operation instruction element may also include other fields, and the present application does not provide any particular limitation on the fields included.

[0240] In one embodiment, the EMLSR operation indication element is carried by a management frame. At this time, the first information may be specifically a management frame. Furthermore, the first MLD receives the management frame. Specifically, before S310, the first MLD receives the management frame. For example, since the first MLD receives the management frame transmitted by the second MLD, it is easy to perform a first listening operation based on the management frame. Here, in one example, the management frame may specifically further include a traffic indication map TIM beacon frame.

[0241] It is understood that specific examples of the first method and the second method may refer to the first MLD-related example, and will not be described repeatedly here.

[0242] Method 4: the first information is a target initial control frame, which is used to inform the groupcast frame to be transmitted after the target initial control frame. In a specific example, the target initial control frame does not need to be returned.

[0243] In one embodiment, it is understood that the target initial control frame is transmitted by the second MLD when the first MLD needs to perform the first listening operation, where the second MLD is an MLD related to the first MLD. For example, when the second MLD is expected to transmit a groupcast frame using a higher rate / higher MCS / higher SS / higher BW, the second MLD transmits the target initial control frame in advance to inform the first MLD that the groupcast frame will be transmitted after the target initial control frame, causing the first MLD to perform the first listening operation. This allows the groupcast frame transmitted using the higher rate / higher MCS / higher SS / higher BW to be successfully received.

[0244] In one case, the first multilink device MLD performs the first listening operation, specifically, the first multilink device MLD switches from the second listening operation to the first listening operation, more specifically, the first MLD switches from the second listening operation to the first listening operation after receiving the target initial control frame. Or, in another case, the first MLD is currently (i.e., when or before receiving the target initial control frame) under the first listening operation. At this time, there is no need to switch, and it is sufficient to continue the first listening operation, i.e., to continue the first listening operation. In this way, the groupcast frame transmitted using a higher rate / higher MCS / higher SS / higher BW is normally received.

[0245] In one embodiment, the target initial control frame includes an indication duration, and the indication duration is a maximum available duration for the first MLD to switch to the first listening operation. For example, when the first MLD needs to perform a first listening operation, the second MLD transmits the target initial control frame so that the first MLD switches to the first listening operation within the maximum available duration when it needs to switch. This facilitates the first MLD to successfully receive a groupcast frame.

[0246] In one embodiment, the target initial control frame is a variant multi-user request transmit MU-RTS trigger frame, and further, a value of a trigger type sub-domain of the variant MU-RTS trigger frame is different from a value of a trigger type sub-domain of the MU-RTS trigger frame.

[0247] In one embodiment, the target initial control frame, for example, a variation MU-RTS trigger frame, is used to inform the first MLD to transmit a groupcast frame after the MU-RTS trigger frame. The variation MU-RTS trigger frame is intended to inform the first MLD to transmit a groupcast frame after the MU-RTS trigger frame, and the transmitted groupcast frame uses a higher rate / higher MCS / higher SS / higher BW, so that the first MLD does not need to reply after receiving the variation MU-RTS trigger frame, and only needs to switch to the first listening operation within the indication duration carried by the variation MU-RTS trigger frame, or the first MLD is in the first listening operation when it receives the variation MU-RTS trigger frame. At this time, it does not need to reply, and only needs to continuously perform the first listening operation.

[0248] For example, when an AP MLD operating in EMLSR mode is expected to transmit a groupcast frame using a higher rate / higher MCS / higher SS / higher BW, it transmits a groupcast frame that does not need to be replied to, such as a variation of a MU-RTS trigger frame, before transmitting the groupcast frame, to inform the non-AP MLD associated with the AP MLD operating in EMLSR mode that the groupcast frame to be transmitted will use a higher rate / higher MCS / higher SS / BW (this informs the non-AP MLD associated with the AP MLD operating in EMLSR mode, which also operates in EMLSR mode). At the same time, the target initial control frame carries a specified padding duration (i.e., an indication duration) so that the non-AP MLD operating in EMLSR mode can receive the groupcast frame normally by ensuring sufficient time to switch to a first listening operation in advance on a specific link in the EMLSR link (i.e., the link transmitting the groupcast frame, such as the first link).

[0249] In an embodiment of the present application, a first multi-link device is further provided. As shown in FIG.

[0250] The processing unit 510 is used to perform a first listening operation, in which a first station on a first multilink device MLD receives a groupcast frame using a first receiving capability.

[0251] In one embodiment, The first receiving capability is equal to or greater than a second receiving capability, the second receiving capability being a receiving capability used by the first station when the first MLD performs a second listening operation.

[0252] In one embodiment, the processing unit is specifically used for performing a first listening operation based on the first information.

[0253] In one embodiment, the first information is used by the first MLD to perform the first listening operation at or before a target time.

[0254] In one embodiment, the target time includes a first time point, and the first time point is specifically The expected time for sending the groupcast frame, a target beacon transmission time (TBTT) of the expected delivery traffic indication map DTIM beacon frame; the start time of the Broadcast Target Awake Time (TWT) Service Period (SP) during which the Groupcast frame is expected to be transmitted; the TBTT of a non-space-time block code (STBC) DTIM beacon frame in which the current count value of the FMS counter domain for a particular Flexible Groupcast Service FMS stream is zero; and and a start time of a groupcast GCR service period with retries during which a predicted groupcast frame is to be transmitted.

[0255] In one embodiment, the first point in time was previously received by the first MLD.

[0256] In one embodiment, the first information is a delivery traffic indication map DTIM beacon frame, which is used by a first MLD to perform the first listening operation at or before a target time.

[0257] In one embodiment, the target time includes a second point in time, the second point in time including an expected groupcast frame transmission point after completion of reception of a Delivery Traffic Indication Map DTIM beacon frame, the DTIM beacon frame being received by the first MLD under a second listening operation.

[0258] In one embodiment, the processing unit 510 is specifically used for switching from a second listening operation to a first listening operation at or before the second time point, the second listening operation being one in which the first MLD is performed before a target beacon transmission time TBTT of a predicted transmitted DTIM beacon frame.

[0259] In one embodiment, the first information is determined based on a first instruction, the first instruction being used to indicate whether to perform the first listening operation when a groupcast frame needs to be received.

[0260] In one embodiment, the first instruction is used to uniformly instruct a first MLD corresponding to an access point AP whether to perform the first listening operation when a groupcast frame needs to be received.

[0261] The access point AP is an AP corresponding to a second MLD to which the first MLD is related, and the AP corresponding to the second MLD is The second MLD includes at least one of an attached AP of the second MLD and an AP pointed to by a BSSID in a multi-BSSID set to which the attached AP of the second MLD belongs.

[0262] In one embodiment, when the value of the first instruction is a first value, it is used to unify the first MLD corresponding to the access point AP to perform the first listening operation when a groupcast frame needs to be received.

[0263] Alternatively, when the value of the first instruction is the second value, it is used to uniformly indicate that the first MLD corresponding to the access point AP does not need to perform the first listening operation when it needs to receive a groupcast frame.

[0264] In one embodiment, the first instruction is carried by an EMLSR operation instruction element.

[0265] In one embodiment, the first instruction is carried by a first field in an EMLSR operation instruction element.

[0266] In one embodiment, the first field includes a second instruction.

[0267] If the value of the second instruction is a third value, the first field contains the first instruction.

[0268] In one embodiment, the first instruction is an EMLSR operation unified instruction.

[0269] In one embodiment, each bit position in the first indication is used to indicate an access point AP, which is an AP corresponding to a second MLD to which the first MLD is associated, and which includes at least one of an attached AP of the second MLD and an AP pointed to by a BSSID in a multi-BSSID set to which the attached AP of the second MLD is located.

[0270] The value of each bit in the first instruction is used to indicate whether the first MLD corresponding to the access point AP should perform a first listening operation when it needs to receive a groupcast frame.

[0271] In one embodiment, when the value of each bit of the first instruction is a fourth value, it is used to instruct the first MLD corresponding to the access point AP to perform the first listening operation when it needs to receive a groupcast frame.

[0272] Alternatively, when the value of each bit of the first instruction is the fifth value, it is used to indicate that the first MLD corresponding to the access point AP does not need to perform the first listening operation when it needs to receive a groupcast frame.

[0273] In one embodiment, the first instruction is carried by an EMLSR operation instruction element.

[0274] In one embodiment, the first instruction is carried by a second field in an EMLSR operation instruction element.

[0275] In one embodiment, the second field is a partial EMLSR action instruction bitmap, the partial EMLSR action instruction bitmap being formed by truncating a portion of consecutive bits in the EMLSR action instruction bitmap.

[0276] In one embodiment, the EMLSR operation instruction element includes a first field.

[0277] When the value of the second instruction in the first field is a sixth value, the first field includes a third instruction, which is used to indicate a position of a portion of consecutive bits that are cut out from the EMLSR operation instruction bitmap.

[0278] In one embodiment, the third indication is a bitmap offset amount.

[0279] In one embodiment, the second indication is an EMLSR operation uniformity indication presence, where the EMLSR operation uniformity indication is used to indicate whether the first field includes an EMLSR operation uniformity indication or not.

[0280] In one embodiment, the first field is an EMLSR operation instruction bitmap control.

[0281] In one embodiment, the EMLSR operation indication element is carried by a management frame.

[0282] In one embodiment, the management frame comprises a traffic indication map TIM beacon frame.

[0283] In one embodiment, the device further includes a first receiving unit.

[0284] The first receiving unit is used for receiving a management frame.

[0285] In one embodiment, the first information is a target initial control frame and is used to inform a groupcast frame to be transmitted after the target initial control frame.

[0286] In one embodiment, the target initial control frame includes an indication duration, the indication duration being a maximum available duration for the first MLD to be switched to the first listening operation.

[0287] In one embodiment, the target initial control frame is a variation of a Multi-User Request To Transmit MU-RTS trigger frame.

[0288] In one embodiment, the value of the trigger type sub-domain of the variation MU-RTS trigger frame is different to the value of the trigger type sub-domain of the MU-RTS trigger frame.

[0289] In one embodiment, the device further includes a second receiving unit.

[0290] A second receiving unit receives the target initial control frame, which is transmitted by a second MLD when the first MLD needs to perform the first listening operation, and the second MLD is an MLD related to the first MLD.

[0291] In one embodiment, the processing unit specifically switches from a second listening operation to the first listening operation, or maintains and performs the first listening operation.

[0292] In one embodiment, the first receiving capability includes at least one of a first rate, a first modulation and coding scheme MCS, a first spatial stream SS, and a first bandwidth BW. Alternatively, the second receiving capability includes at least one of a second rate, a second modulation and coding policy MCS, a second spatial stream SS, and a second bandwidth BW, and the second receiving capability is a receiving capability that the first station has under a second listening operation. Wherein the first rate is greater than or equal to the second rate, the first MCS is greater than or equal to the second MCS, the first SS is greater than or equal to the second SS, and the first BW is greater than or equal to the second BW.

[0293] In one embodiment, the second listening operation is used by a target station on the first MLD to listen to a link to which the target station corresponds, where the target station is a station in an awake state on the first MLD, and the target station has the second receiving capability, the second receiving capability including at least one of performing a clear channel assessment CCA and receiving an initial control frame to initiate a frame exchange.

[0294] In one embodiment, the device further includes a third receiving unit.

[0295] A third receiving unit receives the groupcast frame via the first station using the first receiving capability.

[0296] In one embodiment, the groupcast frame received using the first receiving capability is carried by a physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU), the PPDU comprising: an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing OFDM physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU); Non-High Throughput non-HT Duplicate DUP PPDU and Extremely high throughput VHT PPDU and High throughput HT PPDU and Highly efficient HE single-user SU PPDU and At least one of the PPDUs supported by the very high throughput EHT station STA includes a very high throughput EHT multi-user MU PPDU.

[0297] In one embodiment, the device further comprises a processing unit.

[0298] The processing unit switches from the first listening operation to a second listening operation when reception of the groupcast frame is completed.

[0299] In one embodiment, the first station is a station on a first MLD corresponding to the first link, the first station is used to listen to the first link, and the first link is a link over which the groupcast frame is transmitted.

[0300] In one embodiment, the first MLD is an MLD operating in an enhanced multi-link single-radio EMLSR mode, and accordingly, the first link is a link within an EMLSR link.

[0301] In one embodiment, the first MLD is a non-AP MLD.

[0302] In one embodiment, when the first multi-link device MLD performing a first listening operation means that the first multi-link device MLD maintains and performs a first listening operation, the first listening operation is further used by a second station to listen to a second link in the EMLSR link, the second station being a station on the first MLD, and the second link being a link other than the first link of the EMLSR link. or, When the first multilink device MLD performs a first listening operation such that the first multilink device MLD switches from a second listening operation to the first listening operation, the first listening operation prevents the second station from listening.

[0303] The first multi-link device 500 of the embodiment of the present application can realize the corresponding functions of the first multi-link device in the above method embodiment. The flow, function, implementation manner, and beneficial effects of each module (sub-module, unit, or component, etc.) in the first multi-link device 500 are not described here repeatedly, but are described in the corresponding description in the above method embodiment. Note that the functions described in each module (sub-module, unit, or component, etc.) in the first multi-link device 500 according to the embodiment of the present application may be realized by different modules (sub-modules, units, or components, etc.) or may be realized by the same module (sub-module, unit, or component, etc.).

[0304] In the present invention, a second multi-link device is further provided. As shown in FIG.

[0305] The transmitting unit 610 is used to transmit first information, which is used by a first multilink device MLD to perform a first listening operation, and the first listening operation is used by a first station on the first multilink device MLD to receive a groupcast frame using a first receiving capability.

[0306] In one embodiment, the first receiving capability is greater than or equal to a second receiving capability, the second receiving capability being a receiving capability used by a first station on the first MLD as directed by a second listening operation, the second listening operation being a listening operation that the first MLD is capable of performing.

[0307] In one embodiment, the first information is used by the first MLD to perform the first listening operation at or before a target time.

[0308] In one embodiment, the target time includes a first time point, and the first time point is specifically The expected time for sending the groupcast frame, a target beacon transmission time (TBTT) of the expected delivery traffic indication map DTIM beacon frame; the start time of the Broadcast Target Awake Time (TWT) Service Period (SP) during which the Groupcast frame is expected to be transmitted; the TBTT of a non-space-time block code (STBC) DTIM beacon frame in which the current count value of the FMS counter domain for a particular Flexible Groupcast Service FMS stream is zero; and and a start time of a groupcast GCR service period with retries during which a predicted groupcast frame is to be transmitted.

[0309] In one embodiment, the first point in time is determined by the second MLD.

[0310] In one embodiment, the first information is a delivery traffic indication map DTIM beacon frame, which is used by a first MLD to perform the first listening operation at or before a target time.

[0311] In one embodiment, the target time includes a second point in time, the second point in time including an expected groupcast frame transmission point after the first MLD receives a DTIM beacon frame, the DTIM beacon frame being received by the first MLD under a second listening operation.

[0312] In one embodiment, the DTIM beacon frame is used to switch from a second listening operation to a first listening operation at or before the second time point.

[0313] In one embodiment, the first information is determined based on a first instruction, the first instruction being used to indicate whether to perform the first listening operation when a groupcast frame needs to be received.

[0314] In one embodiment, the first instruction is used to uniformly instruct a first MLD corresponding to an access point AP whether to perform the first listening operation when a groupcast frame needs to be received.

[0315] The access point AP is an AP corresponding to a second MLD to which the first MLD is related, and the AP corresponding to the second MLD is The second MLD includes at least one of an attached AP of the second MLD and an AP pointed to by a BSSID in a multi-BSSID set to which the attached AP of the second MLD belongs.

[0316] In one embodiment, when the value of the first instruction is a first value, it is used to unify the first MLD corresponding to the access point AP to perform the first listening operation when a groupcast frame needs to be received. Alternatively, when the value of the first instruction is the second value, it is used to uniformly indicate that the first MLD corresponding to the access point AP does not need to perform the first listening operation when it needs to receive a groupcast frame.

[0317] In one embodiment, the first instruction is carried by an EMLSR operation instruction element.

[0318] In one embodiment, the first instruction is carried by a first field in an EMLSR operation instruction element.

[0319] In one embodiment, the first field includes a second instruction.

[0320] If the value of the second instruction is a third value, the first field contains the first instruction.

[0321] In one embodiment, the first instruction is an EMLSR operation unified instruction.

[0322] In one embodiment, each bit position in the first indication is used to indicate an access point AP, which is an AP corresponding to a second MLD to which the first MLD is associated, and which includes at least one of an attached AP of the second MLD and an AP pointed to by a BSSID in a multi-BSSID set to which the attached AP of the second MLD is located.

[0323] The value of each bit in the first instruction is used to indicate whether the first MLD corresponding to the access point AP should perform a first listening operation when it needs to receive a groupcast frame.

[0324] In one embodiment, when the value of each bit of the first instruction is a fourth value, it is used to instruct the first MLD corresponding to the access point AP to perform the first listening operation when it needs to receive a groupcast frame. Alternatively, when the value of each bit of the first instruction is the fifth value, it is used to indicate that the first MLD corresponding to the access point AP does not need to perform the first listening operation when it needs to receive a groupcast frame.

[0325] In one embodiment, the first instruction is carried by an EMLSR operation instruction element.

[0326] In one embodiment, the first instruction is carried by a second field in an EMLSR operation instruction element.

[0327] In one embodiment, the second field is a partial EMLSR action instruction bitmap, the partial EMLSR action instruction bitmap being formed by truncating a portion of consecutive bits in the EMLSR action instruction bitmap.

[0328] In one embodiment, the EMLSR operation instruction element includes a first field. When the value of the second instruction in the first field is a sixth value, the first field includes a third instruction, which is used to indicate a position of a portion of consecutive bits that are cut out from the EMLSR operation instruction bitmap.

[0329] In one embodiment, the third indication is a bitmap offset amount.

[0330] In one embodiment, the second indication is an EMLSR operation uniformity indication presence, where the EMLSR operation uniformity indication is used to indicate whether the first field includes an EMLSR operation uniformity indication or not.

[0331] In one embodiment, the first field is an EMLSR operation instruction bitmap control.

[0332] In one embodiment, the EMLSR operation indication element is carried by a management frame.

[0333] In one embodiment, the management frame comprises a traffic indication map TIM beacon frame.

[0334] In one embodiment, the first information is a target initial control frame and is used to inform a groupcast frame to be transmitted after the target initial control frame.

[0335] In one embodiment, the target initial control frame includes an indication duration, the indication duration being a maximum available duration for the first MLD to be switched to the first listening operation.

[0336] In one embodiment, the target initial control frame is a variation of a Multi-User Request To Transmit MU-RTS trigger frame.

[0337] In one embodiment, the value of the trigger type sub-domain of the variation MU-RTS trigger frame is different to the value of the trigger type sub-domain of the MU-RTS trigger frame.

[0338] In one embodiment, the first receiving capability includes at least one of a first rate, a first modulation and coding scheme MCS, a first spatial stream SS, and a first bandwidth BW. And / or the second receiving capability includes at least one of a second rate, a second modulation and coding policy MCS, a second spatial stream SS, and a second bandwidth BW, the second receiving capability being a receiving capability that the first station has under a second listening operation. Wherein the first rate is greater than or equal to the second rate, the first MCS is greater than or equal to the second MCS, the first SS is greater than or equal to the second SS, and the first BW is greater than or equal to the second BW.

[0339] In one embodiment, the second listening operation is used by a target station on the first MLD to listen to a link served by the target station, where the target station is a station in an awake state on the first MLD and the target station has the second receiving capability, the second receiving capability including at least one of performing a clear channel assessment CCA and receiving an initial control frame for initiating a frame exchange.

[0340] In one embodiment, the transmitting unit further comprises: When the expected groupcast frame is sent, At a time point after transmitting a Delivery Traffic Indication Map DTIM beacon frame, Broadcast target awake time TWT a point in time within the service period SP, a time point after the TBTT of a non-Space-Time Block Code (STBC) DTIM beacon frame at which the current count value of the FMS Counter Domain for a particular Flexible Groupcast Service FMS stream is zero; and Used to transmit groupcast frames within the groupcast with retry GCR service period.

[0341] In one embodiment, the groupcast frame received using the first receiving capability is carried by a physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU), the PPDU comprising: an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing OFDM physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU); Non-High Throughput non-HT Duplicate DUP PPDU and Extremely high throughput VHT PPDU and High throughput HT PPDU and Highly efficient HE single-user SU PPDU and and very high throughput EHT station STA supported PPDUs including very high throughput EHT multi-user MU PPDUs.

[0342] In one embodiment, the first station is a station on a first MLD corresponding to the first link, the first station is used to listen to the first link, and the first link is a link over which the groupcast frame is transmitted.

[0343] In one embodiment, the first MLD and the second MLD are MLDs operating in an enhanced multi-link single-radio EMLSR mode, and the first link is a link within an EMLSR link.

[0344] In one embodiment, the second MLD is an access point (AP) MLD, and the first MLD is a non-AP MLD corresponding to the AP MLD.

[0345] In one embodiment, when the first multi-link device MLD performing a first listening operation means that the first multi-link device MLD maintains and performs a first listening operation, the first listening operation is further used by a second station to listen to a second link in the EMLSR link, the second station being a station on the first MLD, and the second link being a link other than the first link of the EMLSR link. or, When the first multilink device MLD performs a first listening operation such that the first multilink device MLD switches from a second listening operation to the first listening operation, the first listening operation prevents the second station from listening.

[0346] The second multi-link device 600 of the embodiment of the present application can realize the corresponding functions of the second multi-link device in the above method embodiment. The flow, function, implementation manner, and beneficial effects of each module (sub-module, unit, or component, etc.) in the second multi-link device 600 are not described here repeatedly, with reference to the corresponding description in the above method embodiment. Note that the functions described in each module (sub-module, unit, or component, etc.) in the second multi-link device 600 according to the embodiment of the present application may be realized by different modules (sub-modules, units, or components, etc.) or may be realized by the same module (sub-module, unit, or component, etc.).

[0347] The present application will be described in more detail below by combining specific examples.

[0348] The aspects of the present application mainly define a mechanism to support an AP MLD in EMLSR mode (i.e., an AP MLD operating in EMLSR mode) to transmit groupcast frames in response to frame processing issues where a station on an EMLSR link in EMLSR mode (also called a station corresponding to the EMLSR link) may directly receive groupcast frames such as high-order or more SS, assuming that the non-AP MLD does not receive an MU-RTS trigger frame in advance, and define a mechanism for a non-AP MLD to receive groupcast frames in EMLSR mode, as well as extend and define the listening operation of the EMLSR link by a non-AP MLD to meet the reception of groupcast frames in special scenarios.

[0349] Before describing the present application in detail, the specific definitions of the first listening operation in the EMLSR mode and the second listening operation in the EMLSR mode will be clarified.

[0350] Specifically, the first listening operation, i.e., the first listening operation in the EMLSR mode, is to detect whether a particular link (e.g., the first link) in the EMLSR link can receive a PPDU transmitted using a corresponding attached station (simply a listening station, such as the first station) on the non-AP MLD operating in the EMLSR mode, using a higher rate / higher MCS / higher SS / higher BW;

[0351] Wherein, the PPDU may be at least one of PPDUs supported by EHT STAs, including OFDM PPDU, non-HT DUP PPDU, VHT PPDU, HT PPDU, HE SU PPDU, and EHT MU PPDU, thus ensuring that the non-AP MLD can correctly receive a PPDU carrying a groupcast frame and using at least one of the following parameters, wherein the parameters include higher rate, higher MCS, more SS, and higher BW.

[0352] Here, there are two methods for the first listening operation in which non-AP MLD enters EMLSR mode.

[0353] (1) Under the first listening operation, an attached station (e.g., the first station) can be in a listening state corresponding to a frame exchange process of a specific link (e.g., the first link) in the EMLSR link, i.e., under the first listening operation, the frame receiving capability (also called frame processing capability) of the attached station (e.g., the first station) corresponding to the specific link (e.g., the first link) matches the capability of the frame exchange process by the specific link, i.e., under the first listening operation, the attached station corresponding to the specific link (e.g., the first link) can receive a groupcast frame transmitted with a high rate / high MCS / higher SS / higher BW. Also, in this state, the attached station cannot listen to other links in the EMLSR link except the specific link (e.g., the first link), i.e., other links except the specific link cannot transmit or receive frames.

[0354] (2) Under the first listening operation, an attached station (e.g., the first station) with a particular link (e.g., the first link) in EMLSR mode can keep all attached stations (e.g., the second station) in the awake state in the EMLSR link in the listening state since it itself has the capability of receiving groupcast frames transmitted with a higher speed / faster MCS / higher BW / more SS.

[0355] Accordingly, the second listening operation in the EMLSR mode, i.e., the non-AP MLD entering the second listening operation in the EMLSR mode, specifically means that on the non-AP MLD operating in the EMLSR mode, all awake attached stations (which may be abbreviated as listening stations, such as target stations) corresponding to the EMLSR link are in a listening state, where the receiving capability (i.e., the second receiving capability) of each station corresponding to the EMLSR link is limited, and in addition to receiving initial control frames such as CCA or MU-RTS trigger frames, other types of frames cannot be received correctly due to limited capabilities such as rate / MCS / SS / BW.

[0356] After clarifying the first listening operation and the second listening operation, four specific implementation methods of the first listening operation are provided, which are as follows:

[0357] In the first method, a non-AP MLD operating in EMLSR mode listens to a link (i.e., a first link) that schedules and transmits a groupcast frame in an EMLSR link by performing a first listening operation in advance before a time when a groupcast frame is expected to be transmitted. For example, a non-AP MLD operating in EMLSR mode listens to a link (i.e., a first link) that schedules and transmits a groupcast frame in an EMLSR link by performing a first listening operation, i.e., a first listening operation, in advance before a time when a groupcast frame is expected to be transmitted. Furthermore, when performing the first listening operation, a non-AP MLD operating in EMLSR mode may receive a groupcast frame via the first link and switch to a second listening operation after confirming that reception of the groupcast frame is completed. That is, when a non-AP MLD is associated with an AP MLD that supports the EMLSR mode and the non-AP MLD operates using the EMLSR mode on an EMLSR link, if a groupcast frame is scheduled and transmitted on one of the EMLSR links (e.g., the first link) corresponding to the non-AP MLD and a station (station A, i.e., the first station) on that link (e.g., the first link) prepares to receive the groupcast frame on the non-AP MLD, the non-AP MLD must ensure that it enters the first link operation in advance at or before the expected groupcast frame transmission time, so that station A can listen to the link (i.e., the first link) that transmits the groupcast frame and correctly receive the groupcast frame.

[0358] Here, for the sender of the group cast frame, the AP attached to the AP MLD uses at least one of the following methods to schedule and send the cached group cast frame.

[0359] (1) The AP attached to the AP MLD schedules and transmits the cached groupcast frame at the expected groupcast frame transmission time, where the expected groupcast frame transmission time may be any predetermined time, and the present application is not limited thereto.

[0360] (2) The AP with AP MLD schedules and transmits cached group-cast frames after transmitting a DTIM beacon frame, i.e., after each DTIM beacon frame, it schedules and transmits cached group-cast frames.

[0361] (3) The attached AP of the AP MLD schedules and transmits a group-cast frame within a broadcast TWT service period SP. For example, one attached AP of the AP MLD is a TWT scheduling AP, and the TWT scheduling AP schedules and transmits a cached group-cast frame within a broadcast TWT service period SP during a beacon interval in which the AP transmits a DTIM beacon frame.

[0362] (4) Transmit the cached groupcast frame using the specific flexible groupcast service FMS, for example, by scheduling and transmitting the cached groupcast frame at a time point after the TBTT of a non-space-time block code (STBC) DTIM beacon frame for which the current count value of the FMS counter domain for the specific flexible groupcast service FMS stream is zero.

[0363] (5) Transmit cached groupcast frames using GCR, for example, by scheduling and transmitting cached groupcast frames within the GCR service period.

[0364] Accordingly, in the method for an AP MLD-based attached AP to schedule and transmit a cached groupcast frame, the expected groupcast frame transmission time may be any predetermined time, or may be obtained based on the following scheme:

[0365] First, the expected delivery traffic indication maps a target beacon transmission time TBTT of the DTIM beacon frame, where the transmission time of the expected groupcast frame is later than the TBTT of the DTIM beacon frame, where the non-AP MLD performs the first listening operation at or before the TBTT of the expected DTIM beacon frame.

[0366] Second, a start time of a broadcast target awake time TWT service period SP at which a groupcast frame is expected to be transmitted, where the expected groupcast frame transmission time is within the broadcast TWT service period SP, where the non-AP MLD performs the first listening operation at or before the start time of the broadcast target awake time TWT service period SP at which a groupcast frame is expected to be transmitted.

[0367] Third, the TBTT of a non-space-time block code non-STBC DTIM beacon frame whose FMS counter domain current count value of a specific Flexible Groupcast Service FMS stream is zero, and the expected groupcast frame transmission time is later than the TBTT of a non-STBC DTIM beacon frame whose FMS counter domain current count value of a specific FMS stream is zero, and the non-AP MLD performs the first listening operation at a time before the TBTT of a non-STBC DTIM beacon frame whose FMS counter domain current count value of a specific FMS stream is zero or the TBTT of a non-STBC DTIM beacon frame whose FMS counter domain current count value of a specific FMS stream is zero.

[0368] Fourth, a start time of a groupcast GCR service period with retries when the expected groupcast frame is expected to be transmitted, where the expected groupcast frame transmission time is within the GCR service period, where the non-AP MLD performs the first listening operation at or before the start time of the groupcast GCR service period with retries when the expected groupcast frame is expected to be transmitted.

[0369] For example, when the AP MLD schedules and transmits a cached groupcast frame after a DTIM beacon frame via a link (e.g., the first link) in the EMLSR link, the non-AP MLD operating in the EMLSR mode first enters a first listening operation for the link (i.e., the first link) for which the groupcast frame is scheduled and transmitted at or before the expected DTIM beacon frame TBTT. After that, the non-AP MLD operating in the EMLSR mode maintains the first listening operation (i.e., maintains a frame exchange operation state) for the link (e.g., the first link) for which the groupcast frame is scheduled and transmitted after receiving the DTIM beacon frame, until reception of the groupcast frame is completed, i.e., by maintaining the first listening operation, it maintains listening for the link (e.g., the first link) for which the groupcast frame is scheduled and transmitted. Furthermore, if the non-AP MLD receives an indication, for example, when receiving that the More Data subfield of the groupcast frame transmitted by the first link AP is 0, that there are no more groupcast frames, it returns from the first listening operation (also called frame exchange operation) to the second listening operation in EMLSR mode.

[0370] Furthermore, for example, when the AP MLD schedules and transmits a cached groupcast frame in a broadcast TWT service period or a GCR service period, the non-AP MLD operating in the EMLSR mode first enters in advance a first listening operation for a link (e.g., a first link) for which the groupcast frame is scheduled and transmitted at or before the start time of the broadcast TWT service period or the GCR service period for which the groupcast frame is scheduled and transmitted, i.e., enters in advance a first listening operation and listens to the link (e.g., the first link) for which the groupcast frame is scheduled and transmitted. After that, the non-AP MLD operating in the EMLSR mode maintains the first listening operation (i.e., maintains a frame exchange operation state) for the link (e.g., the first link) for which the groupcast frame is scheduled and transmitted until the reception of the groupcast frame is completed after the reception of the DTIM beacon frame is completed, i.e., maintains listening to the link (e.g., the first link) for which the groupcast frame is scheduled and transmitted by maintaining the first listening operation. Furthermore, when the non-AP MLD receives an indication confirming that no groupcast frames are present (i.e., an indication that reception of groupcast frames has been completed), the non-AP MLD returns from the first listening operation (i.e., frame exchange operation) to the second listening operation in EMLSR mode, or, when the end of the broadcast TWT service period or GCR service period (SP) is reached and no groupcast frames are being received, returns from the first listening operation to the second listening operation in EMLSR mode.

[0371] In the second method, for example, a non-AP MLD operating in EMLSR mode may enter a second listening operation before the TBTT of a DTIM beacon frame when preparing to receive a groupcast frame on one link in the EMLSR link. Then, after completing reception of the DTIM beacon frame and before the time of scheduling and transmitting the expected groupcast frame, the first station of the first MLD listens to the link (e.g., the first link) in the EMLSR link that schedules and transmits the groupcast frame, and receives the groupcast frame via the link until reception of the groupcast frame is completed. If the non-AP MLD receives an indication that there are no more groupcast frames, it may consider reception to be completed. Then, it returns from the first listening operation (i.e., frame exchange operation) to the second listening operation.

[0372] It is understood that the AP MLD needs to reserve a sufficient time after transmitting the DTIM beacon frame on the EMLSR link before starting to schedule and transmit groupcast frames. In this manner, a non-AP MLD operating in the EMLSR mode and associated with the AP MLD may switch to a first listening operation on a link (e.g., the first link) for scheduling and transmitting groupcast frames in the EMLSR link after completing reception of the DTIM beacon frame and before the time to transmit the groupcast frame.

[0373] Furthermore, if the non-AP MLD receives an indication, for example, when receiving that the More Data subfield of the groupcast frame transmitted by the first link AP is 0, that there are no more groupcast frames, it returns from the first listening operation (also called frame exchange operation) to the second listening operation in EMLSR mode.

[0374] Method 3: AP MLD transmits a management frame carrying an EMLSR operation indication element (e.g., a TIM beacon frame). Here, the EMLSR operation indication element may indicate that if the groupcast frame needs to be cached in the AP (i.e., if the station corresponding to the AP needs to receive the groupcast frame), the non-AP MLD operating in EMLSR mode corresponding to this AP has a receiving capability (i.e., a first receiving capability) with a higher rate / higher MCS / higher SS / higher BW, and the AP should perform a first listening operation for a certain link (e.g., a first link). Furthermore, after obtaining the EMLSR operation indication element, if the non-AP MLD operating in EMLSR mode intends to receive (i.e., needs to receive) this groupcast frame, it determines whether to perform the first listening operation based on the meaning of the value of the EMLSR operation indication element, for example, whether to perform the first listening operation at or before the expected groupcast frame transmission time.

[0375] Furthermore, if the non-AP MLD receives an indication, for example, when receiving that the More Data subfield of the groupcast frame transmitted by the first link AP is 0, that there are no more groupcast frames, it returns from the first listening operation (also called frame exchange operation) to the second listening operation in EMLSR mode.

[0376] For example, when an AP MLD operating in EMLSR mode is expected to transmit a groupcast frame using a higher rate / higher MCS / higher SS / higher BW, it transmits a groupcast frame that does not need to be replied to, such as a variation of a MU-RTS trigger frame, before transmitting the groupcast frame, to inform the non-AP MLD associated with the AP MLD operating in EMLSR mode that the groupcast frame to be transmitted will use a higher rate / higher MCS / higher SS / BW (this informs the non-AP MLD associated with the AP MLD operating in EMLSR mode, which also operates in EMLSR mode). At the same time, the target initial control frame carries a specified padding duration (i.e., an indication duration) so that the non-AP MLD operating in EMLSR mode can receive the groupcast frame normally by ensuring sufficient time to switch to a first listening operation in advance on a specific link in the EMLSR link (i.e., the link transmitting the groupcast frame, such as the first link).

[0377] Furthermore, if the non-AP MLD receives an indication, for example, when receiving that the More Data subfield of the groupcast frame transmitted by the first link AP is 0, that there are no more groupcast frames, it returns from the first listening operation (also called frame exchange operation) to the second listening operation in EMLSR mode.

[0378] The present application will be described in more detail below using specific examples.

[0379] 7A is a schematic diagram of an implementation flow of a specific example of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 7A, the non-AP MLD enters the first listening operation before the TBTT of the DTIM beacon frame. Specifically,

[0380] The non-AP MLD is associated with the AP MLD through the multi-link establishment process, and the two associated links are Link1 and Link2, where the two ends of Link1 are the AP MLD's attached AP1 and the non-AP MLD's station 1 (STA1), that is, the corresponding link between AP1 and STA1 is Link1.

[0381] The two ends of Link2 are the attached AP2 of the AP MLD and the station 2 (STA2) of the non-AP MLD, respectively, that is, the corresponding link between AP2 and STA3 is Link2.

[0382] Here, AP MLD supports the EMLSR mode, and non-AP MLD operates using the EMLSR mode on EMLSR links (eg, Link1 and Link2, etc.).

[0383] When the AP MLD is expected to schedule and transmit a cached Groupcast frame after transmitting a DTIM beacon frame via Link1 in the EMLSR link, the non-AP MLD operating in the EMLSR mode first enters a first listening operation of the link (i.e., Link1) that schedules and transmits the Groupcast frame before the TBTT of the expected DTIM beacon frame, thereby giving the STA1 a first receiving capability and having the STA1 listen to Link1. After completing reception of the DTIM beacon frame, the non-AP MLD operating in the EMLSR mode maintains the first listening operation of the link (i.e., Link1) that schedules and transmits the Groupcast frame until completing reception of the Groupcast frame (i.e., called maintaining a frame exchange operation). Here, the AP MLD transmits the Groupcast frame on Link1 via AP1.

[0384] Furthermore, when the non-AP MLD receives an indication that there are no more groupcast frames, it switches from the first listening operation to the second listening operation on Link1 and Link2 in EMLSR mode after an EMLSR conversion delay.

[0385] Here, under the first listening operation, i.e., the first listening operation in the EMLSR mode, the non-AP MLD operating in the EMLSR mode is STA1 corresponding to a specific link (Link1 in this example) among the EMLSR links, and can receive a PPDU carrying a groupcast frame transmitted at a higher rate / higher MCS / higher SS / higher BW.

[0386] Here, non-AP MLD has the following two methods for entering the first listening operation of a specific link (Link 1 in this example) in EMLSR mode.

[0387] (1) Enter into a listening operation state corresponding to the frame exchange process of a specific link (Link1 in this example) in the EMLSR link. At this time, the attached station (STA1 in this example) corresponding to the specific link (Link1 in this example) can receive PPDUs transmitted at a higher rate / higher MCS / higher SS / higher BW. The receiving capability at this time (i.e., the first receiving capability) is consistent with the frame exchange process capability of the specific link. In this state, other links (which may be Link2 in this example) except for the specific link in the EMLSR link cannot perform listening operation, i.e., cannot transmit or receive frames.

[0388] (2) An attached station (STA1 in this example) having a specific link (Link1 in this example) in EMLSR mode can keep all attached stations (e.g., STA2) in an awake state in the EMLSR link in a listening state because it has the ability to receive PPDUs transmitted at a higher rate / higher MCS / higher SS / higher BW. At this time, the attached station (e.g., STA2) in an awake state may have the same or different receiving capability as STA1. This application is not limited to the scope of protection of this application as long as STA1 has the ability to receive groupcast frames transmitted at a higher rate / higher MCS / higher SS / higher BW.

[0389] The second listening operation in EMLSR mode is non-AP MLD operating in EMLSR mode, and all attached stations in awake state in EMLSR link (abbreviated as listening stations, e.g. Link1 and Link2) are in listening state. Here, the listening operation capability of each station in EMLSR link, e.g. Link1 and Link2, is limited, and except for receiving initial control frames such as CCA and MU-RTS, other types of frames may not be received correctly because they are limited by rate / MCS / SS / BW capability.

[0390] Here, the first listening operation and the second listening operation may be referred to the above description, and will not be described again here.

[0391] The EMLSR first conversion delay time refers to the conversion duration during which a non-AP MLD operating in EMLSR mode switches from a first listening operation in an EMLSR link to a second listening operation on an EMLSR link (including multiple links).

[0392] FIG. 7B is a second schematic diagram of an implementation flow of a specific example of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 7B, after receiving a DTIM beacon frame and before scheduling and transmitting a groupcast frame, the non-AP MLD performs a first listening operation. Specifically,

[0393] The non-AP MLD is associated with the AP MLD through the multi-link establishment process, and the two associated links are Link1 and Link2. Here, the two ends of Link1 are AP1 attached to the AP MLD and Station1 (STA1) of the non-AP MLD, that is, the link corresponding to AP1 and STA1 is Link1. The two ends of Link2 are AP2 attached to the AP MLD and Station2 (STA2) of the non-AP MLD, that is, the link corresponding to AP2 and STA3 is Link2.

[0394] Here, AP MLD supports the EMLSR mode, and non-AP MLD operates using the EMLSR mode on EMLSR links (eg, Link1 and Link2, etc.).

[0395] When the AP MLD is expected to schedule and transmit a groupcast frame on Link1 after transmitting a DTIM beacon frame, a sufficient time is reserved between the end of the DTIM beacon frame transmission and the start of the groupcast frame transmission, i.e., the duration between the end of the DTIM beacon frame transmission and the start of the groupcast frame transmission is equal to or greater than the EMLSR second conversion delay time, so that after the non-AP MLD operating in the EMLSR mode receives the DTIM beacon frame, it can switch to the first listening operation on the link (Link1 in this example) on which the groupcast frame was scheduled and transmitted on the EMLSR link before the start of the groupcast frame transmission.

[0396] Here, the second conversion delay time refers to the duration of conversion from the second listening operation to the first listening operation on the EMLSR link by the non-AP MLD operating in the EMLSR mode.

[0397] Specifically, when a non-AP MLD operating in EMLSR mode expects to receive a cached scheduled groupcast frame transmitted after a DTIM beacon frame on Link1, it first enters the second listening operation on the multilinks (i.e., Link1 and Link2) on the EMLSR link at or before the TBTT of the expected DTIM beacon frame. Then, after the reception of the DTIM beacon frame is completed, it enters the first listening operation on Link1 at or before the start of the transmission of the groupcast frame until the reception of the groupcast frame is completed, and maintains the first listening operation on Link1 to receive the groupcast frame on Link1. When the non-AP MLD receives an indication that there are no more groupcast frames, it switches from the first listening operation to the second listening operation on the multilinks (Link1 and Link2) in EMLSR mode after the first conversion delay time of the EMLSR.

[0398] Here, for the first listening operation, the second listening operation, and the first conversion delay time of EMLSR, reference may be made to the above description, and the description will not be repeated here.

[0399] Figure 7(C) is a schematic diagram of the implementation flow of a specific example of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 7(C), the non-AP MLD enters the first listening operation before / at the start time of the broadcast TWT service period. Specifically,

[0400] The non-AP MLD is associated with the AP MLD through the multi-link establishment process, and the two associated links are Link1 and Link2. Here, the two ends of Link1 are the AP MLD attached AP1 and the non-AP MLD station 1 (STA1), that is, the link corresponding to AP1 and STA1 is Link1. The two ends of Link2 are the AP MLD attached AP2 and the non-AP MLD station 2 (STA2), that is, the link corresponding to AP2 and STA3 is Link2.

[0401] Here, the AP MLD supports the EMLSR mode, and the non-AP MLD operates using the EMLSR mode on the EMLSR link (e.g., Link1 and Link2, etc.). A broadcast TWT is established between one station, such as STA1, on the EMLSR link on the non-AP MLD and an AP, such as AP1, associated with the AP MLD, where STA1 is a predefined station in the broadcast TWT service period, and AP1 schedules and transmits cached groupcast frames in the broadcast TWT service period.

[0402] When the AP MLD is expected to schedule and transmit a cached groupcast frame during a broadcast TWT service period located within a beacon interval in which the AP MLD transmits a DTIM beacon frame via a link Link1 in the EMLSR link, the non-AP MLD operating in the EMLSR mode first enters a first listening operation of the link (i.e., Link1) on which the groupcast frame was scheduled and transmitted before / at the start time of the broadcast TWT service period. The first listening operation is then maintained during the broadcast TWT service period, and the groupcast frame is received until reception is complete. Furthermore, when the non-AP MLD receives an indication that there are no more groupcast frames or that the end of the broadcast TWT service period has been reached, the non-AP MLD switches to a second listening operation of the multilinks (i.e., Link1 and Link2) in the EMLSR mode after the EMLSR first conversion delay time.

[0403] Here, the first listening operation, the second listening operation, and the first conversion delay time of the EMLSR may refer to the above description, and will not be described again here.

[0404] 7D is a fourth schematic diagram of an implementation flow of a specific example of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 7D, non-AP MLD enters the first listening operation after the DTIM beacon frame according to the EMLSR operation instruction element.

[0405] First, we will explain the EMLSR operation instruction elements. Specifically, [Table 5] [Table 6(A)] [Table 6(B)]

[0406] As shown in Table 5, the EMLSR operation instruction element includes an element ID, a length, and an element ID extension, where the element ID, length, and element ID extension each occupy 1 byte, and the specific definition may be the same as that of the related standard. Furthermore, the EMLSR operation instruction element includes an EMLSR operation indicator bitmap control, which occupies 1 byte.

[0407] In this example, based on the structures shown in Table 5, Table 6(A) and Table 6(B), two methods are used to indicate whether to perform the first listening operation when a groupcast frame needs to be received.

[0408] The first method, As shown in Table 6(B), the EMLSR operation instruction bitmap control includes EMLSR Operation for ALL Indicator Present, and when the EMLSR Operation for ALL Indicator Present is 1, the EMLSR operation instruction bitmap control further includes EMLSR Operation for ALL Indicator and Reserved. Here, the EMLSR Operation for ALL Indicator Present, EMLSR Operation for ALL Indicator, and Reserved occupy 1 bit, 1 bit, and 6 bits, respectively. Based on this, the EMLSR Operation for ALL Indicator Present, EMLSR Operation for ALL Indicator, and Reserved included in the EMLSR operation instruction bitmap control occupy a total of 1 byte.

[0409] As shown in Table 6(A), when the value of the EMLSR operation uniform instruction presence is 0, the EMLSR operation instruction bitmap control further includes a bitmap offset. Here, the EMLSR operation uniform instruction presence and the bitmap offset occupy 1 bit and 7 bits, respectively. Based on this, the EMLSR operation uniform instruction presence and the bitmap offset included in the EMLSR operation instruction bitmap control occupy a total of 1 byte.

[0410] Furthermore, the EMLSR operation unified indication (or EMLSR operation unified indication domain, i.e., first indication) is used to unify the indication of whether the non-AP MLDs operating in EMLSR mode corresponding to the AP perform a first listening operation when it is necessary to receive a groupcast frame. The first listening operation is used for a first station corresponding to the AP on the non-AP MLD to have a first receiving capability and to listen to a link on which the AP is located. That is, the EMLSR operation unified indication is used to unify the indication of whether the non-AP MLDs operating in EMLSR mode corresponding to the AP perform a first listening operation on a link (e.g., a first link) on which the non-AP MLDs have a receiving capability (i.e., a first receiving capability) having a higher rate / higher MCS / higher SS / higher BW and on which the AP is located when it is necessary to receive a groupcast frame.

[0411] Here, the AP includes at least one of an attached AP of the AP MLD and an AP pointed to by a BSSID in a multiple BSSID set to which the attached AP of the AP MLD is included. The non-AP MLD is associated with the AP MLD.

[0412] The non-AP MLD operating in the EMLSR mode corresponding to the AP may specifically be a non-AP MLD operating in the EMLSR mode supported by a station (e.g., a first station) corresponding to the AP. For example, the non-AP MLD operating in the EMLSR mode corresponding to AP1 may specifically be a non-AP MLD supported by SAT1 corresponding to AP1.

[0413] Furthermore, when the value of the EMLSR operation unified indication is 1, it indicates that when a groupcast frame needs to be received, the non-AP MLD operating in EMLSR mode corresponding to the AP has a receiving capability (i.e., a first receiving capability) with a higher rate / higher MCS / higher (SS) / higher BW, and the AP performs a first listening operation of a link (e.g., a first link).

[0414] When the value of the EMLSR operation unified indication is 0, it indicates that when a groupcast frame needs to be received, the non-AP MLD operating in EMLSR mode corresponding to the AP has a receiving capability (i.e., a first receiving capability) with a higher rate / higher MCS / higher (SS) / higher BW, and the AP does not need to perform a first listening operation of a link (e.g., a first link).

[0415] That is, in this method, the EMLSR operation unified instruction indicates whether to execute the first listening operation when it is necessary to receive a groupcast frame. At this time, the number of bytes of some EMLSR operation instruction bitmaps included in the EMLSR operation instruction element is 0, that is, in this method, the configuration of the EMLSR operation instruction element is shown in Table 5 and Table 6 (B). At this time, the number of bytes of some EMLSR operation instruction bitmaps in Table 5 is 0.

[0416] The second method, As shown in Table 5, the EMLSR operation instruction element further includes a partial EMLSR operation instruction bitmap, which is different from the first method. In this method, the partial EMLSR operation instruction bitmap indicates whether or not to execute the first listening operation when it is necessary to receive a groupcast frame. That is, in this method, the configuration of the EMLSR operation instruction element is shown in Tables 5 and 6(A), and at this time, the number of bytes of the partial EMLSR operation instruction bitmap in Table 5 is any value from 1 to 251.

[0417] Here, the bitmap offset may be the same as the definition of the bitmap offset domain of the TIM element in the correlation standard, but the difference is that the bitmap offset domain of the TIM element in the correlation standard corresponds to a traffic indication virtual bitmap, while the bitmap offset in this application corresponds to an EMLSR operation indication bitmap.

[0418] Furthermore, a part of the EMLSR action indication bitmap (also called a part of the EMLSR action indication bitmap domain or field) is formed by cutting out significant parts of consecutive bits in the EMLSR action indication bitmap, and the cutting method is consistent with the method of forming a part of the traffic mark virtual bitmap of the TIM element in the relevant standard, and the part of the traffic mark virtual bitmap is formed by cutting out bits at consecutive positions in a part of the traffic mark virtual bitmap. The difference lies in the different definitions of the bit values ​​of the two.

[0419] Specifically, in the solution of the present application, the position of each bit in the EMLSR operation indication bitmap corresponds to an AP, where the AP includes at least one of the AP attached to the AP MLD and the AP pointed to by the BSSID in the multi-BSSID set to which the AP MLD attached is located. In the present application, the definition of the bit positions in the EMLSR operation indication bitmap is consistent with the definition of the correspondence relationship between the AP and the bit positions when there is a groupcast frame cache in the traffic tag virtual bitmap of the TIM element in the related standard.

[0420] Furthermore, the value of each bit in the EMLSR operation indication bitmap indicates whether or not the non-AP MLD operating in EMLSR mode corresponding to the AP corresponding to the bit has a receiving capability (i.e., a first receiving capability) with a higher rate / higher MCS / higher SS / higher BW when there is a groupcast frame cache, and the AP needs to perform a first listening operation on a certain link (e.g., a first link). In other words, the value of each bit in the EMLSR operation indication bitmap indicates whether or not the non-AP MLD operating in EMLSR mode corresponding to the AP corresponding to the bit has a receiving capability (i.e., a first receiving capability) with a higher rate / higher MCS / higher SS / higher BW when there is a groupcast frame cache, and the AP needs to perform a first listening operation on a certain link (e.g., a first link).

[0421] The non-AP MLD operating in the EMLSR mode corresponding to the AP is specifically a non-AP MLD operating in the EMLSR mode corresponding to the AP by a station (e.g., a first station). The non-AP MLD is associated with the AP MLD.

[0422] Furthermore, when the value of a bit in the bitmap for EMLSR operation is 1, the AP to which the bit corresponds indicates that, if there is a group cast frame cache, the non-AP MLD operating in EMLSR mode corresponding to the AP has a receiving capability (i.e., a first receiving capability) with a higher rate / higher MCS / higher SS / higher BW, and the AP needs to perform a first listening operation on a link (e.g., a first link).

[0423] When the value of a bit in the bitmap for EMLSR operation is 0, the AP to which the bit corresponds indicates that, if there is a group cast frame cache, the non-AP MLD operating in EMLSR mode corresponding to the AP has a receiving capability (i.e., a first receiving capability) with a higher rate / higher MCS / higher SS / higher BW, and the AP does not need to perform a first listening operation on a link (e.g., a first link).

[0424] The EMLSR operation instruction element may also be carried by a management frame such as a TIM beacon frame, for example, the EMLSR operation instruction element may be added to the frame body of the TIM beacon frame. When the TIM beacon frame carries the EMLSR operation instruction element, the groupcast frame transmitted by the designated AP indicates that the non-AP MLD operating in EMLSR mode should perform the operation instructed in the EMLSR operation instruction element when preparing to receive the groupcast frame. This facilitates the normal reception of the groupcast frame.

[0425] As shown in FIG. 7(D), non-AP MLD enters the first listening operation after the DTIM beacon frame based on the EMLSR operation instruction element.

[0426] The non-AP MLD is associated with the AP MLD through the multi-link establishment process, and the two associated links are Link1 and Link2. Here, the two ends of Link1 are AP1 attached to the AP MLD and Station1 (STA1) of the non-AP MLD, that is, the link corresponding to AP1 and STA1 is Link1. The two ends of Link2 are AP2 attached to the AP MLD and Station2 (STA2) of the non-AP MLD, that is, the link corresponding to AP2 and STA3 is Link2.

[0427] Here, AP MLD supports the EMLSR mode, and non-AP MLD operates using the EMLSR mode on EMLSR links (eg, Link1 and Link2, etc.).

[0428] If AP1 in the AP MLD carries an EMLSR operation instruction element in the transmitted TIM beacon frame, and this EMLSR operation instruction element has a groupcast frame cache, the non-AP MLD operating under the EMLSR model instructs AP1 to have a higher rate / higher MCS / higher SS / higher BW receiving capability (i.e., first receiving capability) and to enter the first listening operation on the link on which AP1 exists (i.e., Link1).

[0429] Furthermore, when the AP MLD schedules and transmits a cached groupcast frame after a DTIM beacon frame via Link1 in the EMLSR link, the non-AP MLD operating in the EMLSR mode first enters a first listening operation of the link (i.e., Link1) on which the groupcast frame was scheduled and transmitted at or before the expected DTIM beacon frame TBTT, and then maintains the first listening operation of the link (i.e., Link1) on which the groupcast frame was scheduled and transmitted until the groupcast frame is received after the DTIM beacon frame is received. Furthermore, when the non-AP MLD receives an indication that there are no more groupcast frames, it switches from the first listening operation to the second listening operation of the multilinks (Link1 and Link2) in the EMLSR mode after the EMLSR first conversion delay time.

[0430] Furthermore, the AP MLD attached to AP1 carries an EMLSR operation indication element in the transmitted TIM beacon frame to instruct AP1 that if there is a groupcast frame cache, the non-AP MLD operating in EMLSR mode does not need to enter the first listening operation of the link (Link1) on which AP1 exists. Furthermore, when the AP MLD schedules and transmits the cached groupcast frame after the subsequent DTIM beacon frame via the link Link1 in the EMLSR link, the non-AP MLD operating in EMLSR mode first enters the second listening operation of the multilinks (Link1 and Link1) at or before the TBTT of the expected DTIM beacon frame, and receives the DTIM beacon frame and the groupcast frame under the second listening operation until the reception of the groupcast frame is completed.

[0431] Here, the first listening operation, the second listening operation, and the first conversion delay time of the EMLSR may refer to the above description, and will not be described again here.

[0432] FIG. 7E is a schematic diagram of an implementation flow of a specific example of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 7E, the non-AP MLD enters the first listening operation before / at the start time of the broadcast TWT service period. Specifically,

[0433] The non-AP MLD is associated with the AP MLD through the multi-link establishment process, and the two associated links are Link1 and Link2, where the two ends of Link1 are the AP MLD's attached AP1 and the non-AP MLD's station 1 (STA1), that is, the corresponding link between AP1 and STA1 is Link1.

[0434] The two ends of Link2 are the attached AP2 of the AP MLD and the station 2 (STA2) of the non-AP MLD, respectively, that is, the corresponding link between AP2 and STA3 is Link2.

[0435] Here, the AP MLD supports the EMLSR mode, and the non-AP MLD operates using the EMLSR mode on the EMLSR link (e.g., Link1 and Link2, etc.). A station, such as STA1, on the EMLSR link on the non-AP MLD establishes a broadcast TWT with an AP, such as AP1, corresponding to (i.e., associated with) the STA1 on the AP MLD, where STA1 is a predetermined station for this broadcast TWT service period, and AP1 schedules and transmits cached groupcast frames within the broadcast TWT service period.

[0436] The AP MLD attached AP1 carries an EMLSR operation indication element in the transmitted DTIM beacon frame, which instructs AP1 that if there is a groupcast frame cache, the non-AP MLD operating in EMLSR mode should enter the first listening operation on the link (Link1) where AP1 is located, with higher rate / higher MCS / higher spatial stream (SS) / higher BW receiving capability.

[0437] When the AP MLD is expected to schedule and transmit a cached groupcast frame during a broadcast TWT service period (the first broadcast TWT service period shown in FIG. 7E) located within a beacon interval in which the AP MLD transmits a DTIM beacon frame via a link Link1 in the EMLSR link, the non-AP MLD operating in the EMLSR mode first enters a first listening operation of the link (i.e., Link1) on which the groupcast frame was scheduled and transmitted before / at the start time of the broadcast TWT service period. The first listening operation is then maintained within the broadcast TWT service period, and the groupcast frame is received until reception is complete. Furthermore, when the non-AP MLD receives an indication that there are no more groupcast frames or that the end of the broadcast TWT service period has been reached, the non-AP MLD switches to a second listening operation of the multilinks (i.e., Link1 and Link2) in the EMLSR mode after the EMLSR first conversion delay time.

[0438] Furthermore, the AP1 attached to the AP MLD carries an EMLSR operation instruction element in the transmitted DTIM beacon frame. The EMLSR operation instruction element instructs the AP1 that, if there is a groupcast frame cache, the non-AP MLD operating in the EMLSR mode does not need to enter the second listening operation of the link (Link1) in which the AP1 is located. Furthermore, when the AP MLD is expected to schedule and transmit the cached groupcast frame during the broadcast TWT service period (the second broadcast TWT service period shown in FIG. 7(E)) via the link Link1 in the EMLSR link, the non-AP MLD operating in the EMLSR mode enters the second listening operation of the multilinks (Link1 and Link1) before / at the start time of the broadcast TWT service period, and receives the groupcast frame within the broadcast TWT service period until the reception of the groupcast frame under the second listening operation is completed.

[0439] Here, for the first listening operation, the second listening operation, and the first conversion delay time of EMLSR, reference may be made to the above description, and the description will not be repeated here.

[0440] FIG. 7(F) is a schematic diagram of an implementation flow of a specific example of a communication method according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 7(F), the non-AP MLD performs a first listening operation based on a variation of the MU-RTS trigger frame. Specifically,

[0441] Based on the 802.11be Trigger Frame format definition, add a variant type of MU-RTS Variant trigger frame, namely "MU-RTS without Clear To Send (CTS)", as shown in Table 7. This MU-RTS Variant trigger frame, namely the variant MU-RTS trigger frame, is identical to MU-RTS in other definitions, except that the trigger type sub-domain value of the Trigger frame variant is different from MU-RTS. [Table 7]

[0442] The MU-RTS Variant trigger frame is transmitted before transmitting a specific groupcast frame (e.g., a groupcast frame transmitted at a higher rate / higher MCS / higher SS / higher BW) and is used to transmit a groupcast frame after notifying the MU-RTS Variant trigger frame, and also adds an appropriate padding duration depending on the need for EMLSR conversion delay (e.g., EMLSR second conversion delay for switching from the second listening operation to the first listening operation) to ensure that non-AP MLD operating in EMLSR operation has enough time to switch to the first listening operation early on the corresponding link in the EMLSR link, thereby facilitating reception of the specific groupcast frame transmitted after reception of the MU-RTS Variant trigger frame.

[0443] Specifically, the non-AP MLD is associated with the AP MLD through the multi-link establishment process, and the two associated links are Link1 and Link2. Here, the two ends of Link1 are the AP MLD attached AP1 and the non-AP MLD station 1 (STA1), that is, the link corresponding to AP1 and STA1 is Link1. The two ends of Link2 are the AP MLD attached AP2 and the non-AP MLD station 2 (STA2), that is, the link corresponding to AP2 and STA3 is Link2.

[0444] Here, AP MLD supports the EMLSR mode, and non-AP MLD operates using the EMLSR mode on EMLSR links (eg, Link1 and Link2, etc.).

[0445] When an AP MLD-attached AP1 transmits a groupcast frame using a higher rate / higher MCS / higher SS / higher BW, it transmits a non-response-free target initial control frame, e.g., an MU-RTS Variant trigger frame, before transmitting the groupcast frame to inform the non-AP MLD-attached AP1 that the groupcast frame following the target initial control frame will adopt a higher rate / higher MCS / higher SS / higher BW, and the target initial control frame includes a specified padding duration to ensure that the non-AP MLD operating in EMLSR mode has enough time to switch to the first listening operation early on a specific link within the EMLSR link, thereby facilitating successful reception of the groupcast frame.

[0446] As shown in FIG. 7(F), after the first DTIM beacon frame, the MU-RTS variant trigger frame is transmitted first, followed by a groupcast frame transmitted using a higher speed / higher MCS / more SS / higher BW.

[0447] Regarding reception of a groupcast frame after the first DTIM beacon frame in FIG. 7(F), when non-AP MLD prepares to receive a cached groupcast frame scheduled and transmitted after the DTIM beacon frame on link 1, it first enters the second listening operation of the multilinks (Link 1 and Link 2) on the EMLSR link before the expected DTIM beacon frame TBTT. Then, after completing reception of the DTIM beacon frame, it receives an MU-RTS variation trigger frame, and further switches from the second listening operation to the first listening operation of Link 1 within the indication duration of the MU-RTS variation trigger frame, and maintains the first listening operation of Link 1 to receive the groupcast frame until the reception of the groupcast frame is completed. Furthermore, when non-AP MLD receives an indication that there are no more groupcast frames, it switches to the second listening operation of the multilinks (Link 1 and Link 2) in EMLSR mode after the EMLSR first conversion delay.

[0448] With regard to receiving a groupcast frame after the second DTIM beacon frame in FIG. 7(F), when the non-AP MLD prepares to receive a cached groupcast frame that was scheduled and transmitted after the DTIM beacon frame on Link 1, it enters a second listening operation on the multilinks (Link 1 and Link 2) on the EMLSR link before the expected DTIM beacon frame TBTT, and then receives the DTIM beacon frame and groupcast frame until reception of the groupcast frame is completed.

[0449] Here, the first listening operation, the second listening operation, and the first conversion delay of the EMLSR may refer to the above description, and will not be described again here.

[0450] Based on this, this application defines a mechanism for AP MLD that supports EMLSR mode to send groupcast frames, and also defines a mechanism for non-AP MLD in EMLSR mode to receive groupcast frames, and at the same time, extends and defines the listening behavior of non-AP MLD on EMLSR link, thus meeting the reception of groupcast frames in special scenarios.

[0451] It is understood that the solutions of the present application also apply to the operation methods for enhancing multi-link multi-radio modes.

[0452] 8 is a schematic block diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The communication device 800 includes a processor 810, which may call and execute a computer program from a memory to cause the communication device 800 to implement a method in the embodiment of the present application.

[0453] In one possible embodiment, the communication device 800 may further include a memory 820. Here, the processor 810 may call and execute a computer program from the memory 820 to cause the communication device 800 to implement the method in the embodiment of the present application.

[0454] The memory 820 may be a separate device independent of the processor 810 or may be integrated with the processor 810 .

[0455] In one possible embodiment, the communication device 800 may further include a transceiver 830. The processor 810 may control the transceiver 830 to communicate with other devices, in particular to transmit information or data to other devices and to receive information or data transmitted by other devices.

[0456] Here, the transceiver 830 may include a transmitter and a receiver. The transceiver 830 may further include an antenna. The number of antennas may be one or more.

[0457] In one possible embodiment, the communication device 800 may be a second multilink device in the embodiments of the present application, and the communication device 800 may implement corresponding flows implemented by the second multilink device in various ways in the embodiments of the present application, which will not be repeated here for the sake of brevity.

[0458] In one possible embodiment, the communication device 800 may be a first multi-link device in the embodiments of the present application, and the communication device 800 may implement corresponding flows implemented by the first multi-link device in various methods of the embodiments of the present application, which will not be repeated here for the sake of brevity.

[0459] 9 is a schematic block diagram of a chip 900 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The chip 900 includes a processor 910. The processor 910 calls and executes a computer program from a memory to implement a method according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0460] In one possible embodiment, the chip 900 may further include a memory 920. Here, the processor 910 calls and executes a computer program from the memory 920 to implement the method performed by the first multi-link device or the second multi-link device in the embodiment of the present application.

[0461] Here, the memory 920 may be a separate device independent of the processor 910 or may be integrated into the processor 910.

[0462] In one possible embodiment, the chip 900 may include an input interface 930. Here, the processor 910 may control the input interface 930 to communicate with other devices or chips, and in particular, may obtain information or data sent by other devices or chips.

[0463] In one possible embodiment, the chip 900 may include an output interface 940, where the processor 910 may control the output interface 940 to communicate with other devices or chips, and in particular, may output information or data to other devices or chips.

[0464] In one possible embodiment, this chip may implement the corresponding flows implemented by the second Multilink device in various ways in the examples of this application, which will not be repeated here for the sake of brevity.

[0465] In one possible embodiment, this chip may implement the corresponding flows implemented by the first Multilink device in various ways in the examples of this application, which will not be repeated here for the sake of brevity.

[0466] The chips applied to the second multi-link device and the first multi-link device may be the same chip or different chips.

[0467] It is understood that the chips referred to in the embodiments of the present application may be referred to as system level chips, system chips, chip systems, or system-on-chip chips.

[0468] The processor may be a general purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or other programmable logic device, transistor logic device, discrete hardware component, etc. Here, the general purpose processor may be a microprocessor, any conventional processor, etc.

[0469] The above-mentioned memory may be a volatile memory or a non-volatile memory, or may include both a volatile memory and a non-volatile memory. Here, the non-volatile memory may be a read-only memory (ROM), a programmable read-only memory (PROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), or a flash memory. The volatile memory may be a random access memory (RAM).

[0470] The above-mentioned memories are illustrative and not limiting. For example, the memories in the embodiments of the present application may be static random access memories (static RAM, SRAM), dynamic random access memories (dynamic RAM, DRAM), synchronous dynamic random access memories (synchronous DRAM, SDRAM), double data rate synchronous dynamic random access memory interfaces (double data rate SDRAM, DDR SDRAM), enhanced synchronous dynamic random access memories (enhanced SDRAM, ESDRAM), synchronous link dynamic random access memories (synch link DRAM, SLDRAM), and direct memory bus random access memories (Direct Rambus RAM, DR RAM). That is, the memories in the embodiments of the present application are intended to include, but are not limited to, these and any other suitable types of memories.

[0471] 10 is a schematic block diagram of a communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The communication system 1000 includes a first multilink device 1010 and a second multilink device 1020. Specifically,

[0472] The first multilink device 1010 is used to perform a first listening operation, which is used by a first station on the first multilink device to receive the groupcast frame using a first receiving capability.

[0473] The first multilink device 1020 is used to transmit first information that is used by the first multilink device to perform a first listening operation that is used by a first station on the first multilink device to receive groupcast frames using a first receiving capability.

[0474] Here, the first multi-link device 1010 may be used to implement the corresponding functions implemented by the first multi-link device in the above-mentioned method, and the second multi-link device 1020 may be used to implement the corresponding functions implemented by the second multi-link device in the above-mentioned method, which will not be repeated here for the sake of brevity.

[0475] The above-mentioned embodiments may be implemented in whole or in part by software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented using software, the embodiment may be implemented in whole or in part in the form of a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer instructions. When the computer program instructions are loaded into a computer and executed, the flow or function according to the embodiment of the present application is generated in whole or in part. The computer may be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, or other programmable device. The computer instructions may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, or may be transmitted from one computer-readable storage medium to another, for example, the computer instructions may be transmitted from one web station, computer, server, or data center to another web station, computer, server, or data center via wire (e.g., coaxial cable, optical fiber, Digital Subscriber Line (DSL)), or wireless (e.g., infrared, radio, microwave, etc.). The computer-readable storage medium may be any available medium accessible by a computer, or may include a data storage device in which one or more available media are integrated, such as a server, a data center, etc. The available medium may be a magnetic medium (e.g., a floppy disk, a hard disk, a magnetic tape), an optical medium (e.g., a DVD), or a semiconductor medium (e.g., a solid state disk (SSD)).

[0476] In various embodiments of the present application, it should be understood that the magnitude of the sequence numbers of each of the above-mentioned processes does not mean the order of execution, and the order of execution of each process should be determined by its function and inherent logic, and does not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of the present application.

[0477] For those skilled in the art, the specific operating procedures of the above-mentioned systems, devices and units are clearly understood, and for ease of explanation and conciseness, reference may be made to the corresponding procedures in the above-mentioned method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0478] The above is merely a specific embodiment of the present application, but the scope of protection of the present application is not limited thereto, and any modifications or replacements that can be easily conceived by a person skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present application should be included in the scope of protection of the present application. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present application should be in accordance with the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims

1. a step of a first multi-link device MLD performing a first listening operation, the first listening operation including a step of a first station on the first multi-link device MLD being used to receive a groupcast frame using a first receiving capability; Communication methods.

2. the first receiving capability is equal to or greater than a second receiving capability, the second receiving capability being a receiving capability used by the first station when the first MLD performs a second listening operation; The method of claim 1.

3. The step of the first multi-link device MLD performing a first listening operation includes: The first MLD performs a first listening operation based on the first information; The method according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The first information is used by the first MLD to perform the first listening operation at or before a target time. The method according to claim 3.

5. The target time includes a first time point, the first time point being: The expected time for sending the groupcast frame, a target beacon transmission time (TBTT) of the expected delivery traffic indication map DTIM beacon frame; and the start time of the broadcast target awake time (TWT) service period (SP) during which the groupcast frame is expected to be transmitted; a TBTT of a non-space-time block code non-STBC DTIM beacon frame in which the current count value of the FMS counter domain for a particular Flexible Groupcast Service FMS stream is zero; and and a start time of a groupcast GCR service period with retry during which a predicted groupcast frame is to be transmitted. The method according to claim 4.

6. The first time point was previously received by the first MLD. The method according to claim 5.

7. The first information is a delivery traffic indication map DTIM beacon frame, and the DTIM beacon frame is used by the first MLD to perform the first listening operation at or before a target time. The method according to claim 3 or 4.

8. the target time includes a second point in time, the second point in time includes a predicted groupcast frame transmission point in time after completion of reception of a DTIM beacon frame, the DTIM beacon frame being received by the first MLD under a second listening operation; The method according to claim 7.

9. The step of the first MLD performing a first listening operation based on the first information includes: The first MLD switching from the second listening operation to the first listening operation at or before the second time point, the second listening operation being performed by the first MLD before a target beacon transmission time TBTT of an expected transmitted DTIM beacon frame. The method according to claim 8.

10. The first information is determined based on a first instruction, and the first instruction is used to indicate whether or not to perform the first listening operation when a groupcast frame needs to be received. The method according to any one of claims 3 to 6.

11. The first instruction is used to uniformly instruct a first MLD corresponding to an access point AP whether to perform the first listening operation when it is necessary to receive a groupcast frame; The access point AP is an AP corresponding to a second MLD to which the first MLD is associated, and the AP corresponding to the second MLD is At least one of an attached AP of a second MLD and an AP to which a BSSID in a multi-BSSID set to which the attached AP of the second MLD is pointed; The method of claim 10.

12. When the possible value of the first instruction is a first value, the first instruction is used to unify the first MLDs corresponding to the access points APs to perform the first listening operation when a groupcast frame needs to be received; or When the possible value of the first indication is a second value, the first MLD corresponding to the access point AP is used to unify the indication that the first MLD does not need to perform the first listening operation when it needs to receive a groupcast frame. The method of claim 11.

13. the first indication is carried by an EMLSR operation indication element; 13. The method according to claim 11 or 12.

14. the first indication is carried by a first field in an EMLSR operation indication element; The method according to any one of claims 11 to 13.

15. the first field includes a second instruction; if the second indication has a third possible value, the first field contains the first indication; The method of claim 14.

16. The first instruction is an EMLSR operation unified instruction. The method according to any one of claims 11 to 15.

17. Each bit position in the first indication is used to indicate an access point AP, the access point AP being an AP corresponding to a second MLD to which the first MLD is associated, the AP corresponding to the second MLD including at least one of an attached AP of the second MLD and an AP pointed to by a BSSID in a multi-BSSID set to which the attached AP of the second MLD is located; The possible values ​​of each bit in the first instruction are used to indicate whether the first MLD corresponding to the access point AP should perform a first listening operation when it needs to receive a groupcast frame; The method of claim 10.

18. When the possible value of each bit of the first instruction is a fourth value, the first MLD corresponding to the access point AP is used to instruct the first MLD to perform the first listening operation when it needs to receive a groupcast frame; or When the possible value of each bit of the first indication is a fifth value, the first indication is used to indicate that the first MLD corresponding to the access point AP does not need to perform the first listening operation when it needs to receive a groupcast frame.

20. The method of claim 17.

19. the first indication is carried by an EMLSR operation indication element; 19. The method according to claim 17 or 18.

20. the first indication is carried by a second field in an EMLSR operation indication element; The method according to any one of claims 17 to 19.

21. the second field is a portion of an EMLSR operation instruction bitmap, the portion of the EMLSR operation instruction bitmap being formed by truncating a portion of consecutive bits in the EMLSR operation instruction bitmap; 21. The method of claim 20.

22. The EMLSR operation instruction element includes a first field, if the possible value of the second instruction in the first field is a sixth value, the first field includes a third instruction, the third instruction being used to indicate a position of a portion of consecutive bits that are cut out from the EMLSR operation instruction bitmap; 22. The method of claim 15 or 21.

23. the third instruction is a bitmap offset amount; 23. The method of claim 22.

24. the second indication is an EMLSR operation uniform indication presence, and the EMLSR operation uniform indication presence is used to indicate whether the first field contains an EMLSR operation uniform indication; 24. The method of any one of claims 16, 22 and 23.

25. The first field is an EMLSR operation instruction bitmap control. The method according to any one of claims 14, 15, 22 to 24.

26. The EMLSR operation indication element is carried by a management frame. The method according to any one of claims 13 to 15 and 19 to 35.

27. The management frame includes a traffic indication map TIM beacon frame.

27. The method of claim 26.

28. The method further includes the step of the first MLD receiving the management frame.

28. The method of claim 26 or 27.

29. The first information is a target initial control frame and is used to inform the transmitting party that a groupcast frame will be transmitted after the target initial control frame. The method according to claim 3.

30. The target initial control frame includes an indication duration, the indication duration being a maximum available duration for the first MLD to switch to the first listening operation.

30. The method of claim 29.

31. The target initial control frame is a variation of a multi-user request transmit (MU-RTS) trigger frame.

31. The method of claim 30.

32. the possible values ​​of the trigger type sub-domain of the MU-RTS trigger frame of the variation are different from the possible values ​​of the trigger type sub-domain of the MU-RTS trigger frame; 32. The method of claim 31 .

33. The method further includes a step of receiving the target initial control frame by the first MLD, the target initial control frame being transmitted by a second MLD when the first MLD needs to perform the first listening operation, the second MLD being an MLD related to the first MLD.

33. The method of claim 29 or 32.

34. The step of the first multi-link device MLD performing a first listening operation includes: said first multi-link device MLD switching from a second listening operation to said first listening operation, or said first multi-link device MLD maintaining and executing said first listening operation; The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6 and 10 to 33.

35. The first receiving capability includes at least one of a first rate, a first modulation and coding scheme (MCS), a first spatial stream (SS), and a first bandwidth (BW); and / or The second receiving capability includes at least one of a second rate, a second modulation and coding policy (MCS), a second spatial stream (SS), and a second bandwidth (BW), the second receiving capability being a receiving capability that the first station has under a second listening operation; the first rate is greater than or equal to the second rate, the first MCS is greater than or equal to the second MCS, the first SS is greater than or equal to the second SS, and the first BW is greater than or equal to the second BW.

35. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 34.

36. The second listening operation is used by a target station on the first MLD to listen to a link corresponding to the target station, the target station being a station in an awake state on the first MLD, the target station having the second receiving capability, the second receiving capability including at least one of performing a clear channel assessment (CCA) and receiving an initial control frame for initiating a frame exchange.

36. The method of claim 35.

37. the first MLD further comprising receiving a groupcast frame via a first station using the first receiving capability. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 36.

38. The groupcast frame received using the first receiving capability is carried by a physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU), the PPDU comprising: an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing OFDM physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU); a non-high throughput non-HT duplicate DUP PPDU; and Extremely high throughput VHT PPDU; A high throughput HT PPDU; A high efficiency HE single user SU PPDU; and a very high throughput EHT station STA supported PPDU including a very high throughput EHT multi-user MU PPDU; 38. The method of claim 37.

39. and when reception of the groupcast frame is completed, the first MLD switches from the first listening operation to a second listening operation.

39. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 38.

40. The first station is a station on a first MLD corresponding to a first link, the first station is used to listen to the first link, and the first link is a link that transmits the groupcast frame.

40. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 39.

41. The first MLD is an MLD operating in an enhanced multi-link single-radio EMLSR mode, and the first link is a link within an EMLSR link; 41. The method of claim 40.

42. The first MLD is a non-AP MLD.

42. The method of claim 41.

43. When the first multi-link device MLD performs a first listening operation, the first listening operation is further performed by the first multi-link device MLD to maintain the first listening operation, the first listening operation is further performed by a second station to listen to a second link in the EMLSR link, the second station is a station on the first MLD, and the second link is a link of the EMLSR link other than the first link; or When the first multi-link device MLD performs a first listening operation, the first listening operation prevents the second station from listening if the first multi-link device MLD switches from a second listening operation to a first listening operation.

43. The method of claim 41 or 42.

44. a step of a second multilink device MLD transmitting first information, the first information being used by the first multilink device MLD to perform a first listening operation, the first listening operation being used by a first station on the first multilink device MLD to receive a groupcast frame using a first receiving capability; Communication methods.

45. The first receiving capability is equal to or greater than a second receiving capability, the second receiving capability being a receiving capability used by a first station on the first MLD indicated by a second listening operation, and the second listening operation being a listening operation that the first MLD is capable of performing.

45. The method of claim 44.

46. The first information is used by the first MLD to perform the first listening operation at or before a target time.

46. ​​The method of claim 44 or 45.

47. The target time includes a first time point, the first time point being: The expected time for sending the groupcast frame, a target beacon transmission time (TBTT) of the expected delivery traffic indication map DTIM beacon frame; and the start time of the broadcast target awake time (TWT) service period (SP) during which the groupcast frame is expected to be transmitted; a TBTT of a non-space-time block code non-STBC DTIM beacon frame in which the current count value of the FMS counter domain for a particular Flexible Groupcast Service FMS stream is zero; and and a start time of a groupcast GCR service period with retry during which a predicted groupcast frame is to be transmitted.

47. The method of claim 46.

48. The first time point is determined by the second MLD.

48. The method of claim 47.

49. The first information is a delivery traffic indication map DTIM beacon frame, and the DTIM beacon frame is used by the first MLD to perform the first listening operation at or before a target time.

47. The method of claim 46.

50. the target time includes a second point in time, the second point in time includes an expected groupcast frame transmission point in time after the first MLD receives a DTIM beacon frame, the DTIM beacon frame being received by the first MLD under a second listening operation; 50. The method of claim 49.

51. The DTIM beacon frame is used to switch from a second listening operation to a first listening operation at or before the second time point.

51. The method of claim 50.

52. The first information is determined based on a first instruction, and the first instruction is used to indicate whether or not to perform the first listening operation when a groupcast frame needs to be received.

49. The method according to any one of claims 46 to 48.

53. The first instruction is used to uniformly instruct a first MLD corresponding to an access point AP whether to perform the first listening operation when it is necessary to receive a groupcast frame; The access point AP is an AP corresponding to a second MLD to which the first MLD is associated, and the AP corresponding to the second MLD is At least one of an attached AP of a second MLD and an AP to which a BSSID in a multi-BSSID set to which the attached AP of the second MLD is pointed; 53. The method of claim 52.

54. When the possible value of the first instruction is a first value, the first instruction is used to unify the first MLDs corresponding to the access points APs to perform the first listening operation when a groupcast frame needs to be received; or When the possible value of the first indication is a second value, the first MLD corresponding to the access point AP is used to unify the indication that the first MLD does not need to perform the first listening operation when it needs to receive a groupcast frame.

54. The method of claim 53.

55. the first indication is carried by an EMLSR operation indication element; 55. The method of claim 53 or 54.

56. the first indication is carried by a first field in an EMLSR operation indication element; 56. The method according to any one of claims 53 to 55.

57. the first field includes a second instruction; if the second indication has a third possible value, the first field contains the first indication; 57. The method of claim 56.

58. The first instruction is an EMLSR operation unified instruction.

58. A method according to any one of claims 53 to 57.

59. Each bit position in the first indication is used to indicate an access point AP, the access point AP being an AP corresponding to a second MLD to which the first MLD is associated, the AP corresponding to the second MLD including at least one of an attached AP of the second MLD and an AP pointed to by a BSSID in a multi-BSSID set to which the attached AP of the second MLD is located; The value of each bit in the first instruction is used to indicate whether the first MLD corresponding to the access point AP should perform a first listening operation when it needs to receive a groupcast frame; 53. The method of claim 52.

60. When the possible value of each bit of the first instruction is a fourth value, the first MLD corresponding to the access point AP is used to instruct the first MLD to perform the first listening operation when it needs to receive a groupcast frame; or When the possible value of each bit of the first indication is a fifth value, the first indication is used to indicate that the first MLD corresponding to the access point AP does not need to perform the first listening operation when it needs to receive a groupcast frame.

60. The method of claim 59.

61. the first indication is carried by an EMLSR operation indication element; 61. The method of claim 59 or 60.

62. the first indication is conveyed by a second field in the MLSR operation indication element; 62. The method of any one of claims 59 to 61.

63. the second field is a portion of an EMLSR operation instruction bitmap, the portion of the EMLSR operation instruction bitmap being formed by truncating a portion of consecutive bits in the EMLSR operation instruction bitmap; 63. The method of claim 62.

64. The MLSR operation indication element includes a first field, if the possible value of the second instruction in the first field is a sixth value, the first field includes a third instruction, the third instruction being used to indicate a position of a portion of consecutive bits that are cut out from the EMLSR operation instruction bitmap; 64. The method of claim 57 or 63.

65. the third instruction is a bitmap offset amount; 65. The method of claim 64.

66. the second indication is an EMLSR operation uniform indication presence, and the EMLSR operation uniform indication presence is used to indicate whether the first field contains an EMLSR operation uniform indication; 66. The method of any one of claims 58, 64 and 65.

67. The first field is an EMLSR operation instruction bitmap control. The method according to any one of claims 56, 57, 64 to 66.

68. The EMLSR operation indication element is carried by a management frame. A method according to any one of claims 55 to 57 and 61 to 67.

69. The management frame includes a traffic indication map TIM beacon frame.

69. The method of claim 68.

70. The first information is a target initial control frame and is used to inform the transmitting party that a groupcast frame will be transmitted after the target initial control frame.

47. The method of claim 46.

71. The target initial control frame includes an indication duration, the indication duration being a maximum available duration for the first MLD to switch to the first listening operation.

71. The method of claim 70.

72. The target initial control frame is a variation of a multi-user request transmit (MU-RTS) trigger frame.

72. The method of claim 71.

73. the value of the trigger type sub-domain of the variation MU-RTS trigger frame is different from the value of the trigger type sub-domain of the MU-RTS trigger frame; 73. The method of claim 72.

74. The first receiving capability includes at least one of a first rate, a first modulation and coding scheme (MCS), a first spatial stream (SS), and a first bandwidth (BW); and / or The second receiving capability includes at least one of a second rate, a second modulation and coding policy (MCS), a second spatial stream (SS), and a second bandwidth (BW), the second receiving capability being a receiving capability that the first station has under a second listening operation; the first rate is greater than or equal to the second rate, the first MCS is greater than or equal to the second MCS, the first SS is greater than or equal to the second SS, and the first BW is greater than or equal to the second BW. A method according to any one of claims 44 to 73.

75. The second listening operation is used by a target station on the first MLD to listen to a link corresponding to the target station, the target station being a station in an awake state on the first MLD, the target station having the second receiving capability, the second receiving capability including at least one of performing a clear channel assessment (CCA) and receiving an initial control frame for initiating a frame exchange.

75. The method of claim 74.

76. The second MLD comprises: The expected time for sending the groupcast frame, a time point after transmitting a delivery traffic indication map DTIM beacon frame; a broadcast target awake time (TWT) at a time within the service period (SP); a time point after the TBTT of a non-space-time block code non-STBC DTIM beacon frame where the current count value of the FMS counter domain for a particular Flexible Groupcast Service FMS stream is zero; and transmitting the groupcast frame within a retry-enabled groupcast GCR service period. A method according to any one of claims 44 to 75.

77. The groupcast frame is carried by a physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU), the PPDU comprising: an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing OFDM physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU); a non-high throughput non-HT duplicate DUP PPDU; and Extremely high throughput VHT PPDU; A high throughput HT PPDU; A high efficiency HE single user SU PPDU; and a very high throughput EHT station STA supported PPDU including a very high throughput EHT multi-user MU PPDU; 77. The method of claim 76.

78. The first station is a station on a first MLD corresponding to a first link, the first station is used to listen to the first link, and the first link is a link that transmits the groupcast frame. A method according to any one of claims 44 to 77.

79. The first MLD and the second MLD are MLDs operating in an enhanced multi-link single-radio EMLSR mode, and the first link is a link within an EMLSR link.

79. The method of claim 78.

80. The second MLD is an access point (AP) MLD, and the first MLD is a non-AP MLD corresponding to the AP MLD.

80. The method of claim 79.

81. When the first multi-link device MLD performs a first listening operation, the first listening operation is further performed by the first multi-link device MLD to maintain the first listening operation, the first listening operation is further performed by a second station to listen to a second link in the EMLSR link, the second station is a station on the first MLD, and the second link is a link of the EMLSR link other than the first link; or When the first multi-link device MLD performs a first listening operation, the first listening operation prevents the second station from listening if the first multi-link device MLD switches from a second listening operation to a first listening operation.

81. The method of claim 79 or 80.

82. a processing unit for performing a first listening operation, the first listening operation including a processing unit for a first station on a first multilink device (MLD) receiving a groupcast frame using a first receiving capability; The first multilink device.

83. the first receiving capability is equal to or greater than a second receiving capability, the second receiving capability being a receiving capability used by the first station when the first MLD performs a second listening operation; 83. The apparatus of claim 82.

84. Specifically, the processing unit includes: The first MLD is used to perform a first listening operation based on the first information.

84. Apparatus according to claim 82 or 83.

85. The first information is used by the first MLD to perform the first listening operation at or before a target time.

85. The apparatus of claim 84.

86. The target time includes a first time point, the first time point being: The expected time for sending the groupcast frame, a target beacon transmission time (TBTT) of the expected delivery traffic indication map DTIM beacon frame; and the start time of the broadcast target awake time (TWT) service period (SP) during which the groupcast frame is expected to be transmitted; a TBTT of a non-space-time block code non-STBC DTIM beacon frame in which the current count value of the FMS counter domain for a particular Flexible Groupcast Service FMS stream is zero; and and a start time of a groupcast GCR service period with retry during which a predicted groupcast frame is to be transmitted.

86. The apparatus of claim 85.

87. The first time point was previously received by the first MLD.

87. The apparatus of claim 86.

88. The first information is a delivery traffic indication map DTIM beacon frame, and the DTIM beacon frame is used by the first MLD to perform the first listening operation at or before a target time.

86. Apparatus according to claim 84 or 85.

89. The target time includes a second point in time, the second point in time includes a predicted groupcast frame transmission point in time after completion of reception of a delivery traffic indication map DTIM beacon frame, the DTIM beacon frame being received by the first MLD under a second listening operation.

89. The apparatus of claim 88.

90. Specifically, the processing unit includes: The first MLD is used to switch from the second listening operation to the first listening operation at or before the second time point, and the second listening operation is performed before a target beacon transmission time (TBTT) of an expected transmitted DTIM beacon frame by the first MLD.

90. The apparatus of claim 89.

91. The first information is determined based on a first instruction, and the first instruction is used to indicate whether or not to perform the first listening operation when a groupcast frame needs to be received.

88. An apparatus according to any one of claims 84 to 87.

92. The first instruction is used to uniformly instruct a first MLD corresponding to an access point AP whether to perform the first listening operation when it is necessary to receive a groupcast frame; The access point AP is an AP corresponding to a second MLD to which the first MLD is associated, and the AP corresponding to the second MLD is At least one of an attached AP of a second MLD and an AP to which a BSSID in a multi-BSSID set to which the attached AP of the second MLD is pointed; 92. The device of claim 91.

93. When the possible value of the first instruction is a first value, the first instruction is used to unify the first MLDs corresponding to the access points APs to perform the first listening operation when a groupcast frame needs to be received; or When the possible value of the first indication is a second value, the first MLD corresponding to the access point AP is used to unify the indication that the first MLD does not need to perform the first listening operation when it needs to receive a groupcast frame.

93. The apparatus of claim 92.

94. the first indication is carried by an EMLSR operation indication element; 94. Apparatus according to claim 92 or 93.

95. the first indication is carried by a first field in an EMLSR operation indication element; 92. An apparatus as described in any one of claims 94.

96. the first field includes a second instruction; if the second indication has a third possible value, the first field contains the first indication; 96. The apparatus of claim 95.

97. The first instruction is an EMLSR operation unified instruction.

97. An apparatus according to any one of claims 92 to 96.

98. Each bit position in the first indication is used to indicate an access point AP, the access point AP being an AP corresponding to a second MLD to which the first MLD is associated, the AP corresponding to the second MLD including at least one of an attached AP of the second MLD and an AP pointed to by a BSSID in a multi-BSSID set to which the attached AP of the second MLD is located; The value of each bit in the first instruction is used to indicate whether the first MLD corresponding to the access point AP should perform a first listening operation when it needs to receive a groupcast frame; 92. The device of claim 91.

99. When the possible value of each bit of the first instruction is a fourth value, the first MLD corresponding to the access point AP is used to instruct the first MLD to perform the first listening operation when it needs to receive a groupcast frame; Alternatively, when the possible value of each bit of the first indication is a fifth value, the first indication is used to indicate that the first MLD corresponding to the access point AP does not need to perform the first listening operation when it needs to receive a groupcast frame.

99. The device of claim 98.

100. the first indication is carried by an EMLSR operation indication element; 100. An apparatus as claimed in claim 98 or 99.

101. the first indication is carried by a second field in an EMLSR operation indication element; 101. An apparatus according to any one of claims 98 to 100.

102. the second field is a portion of an EMLSR operation instruction bitmap, the portion of the EMLSR operation instruction bitmap being formed by truncating a portion of consecutive bits in the EMLSR operation instruction bitmap; 102. The device of claim 101.

103. The EMLSR operation instruction element includes a first field, if the possible value of the second instruction in the first field is a sixth value, the first field includes a third instruction, the third instruction being used to indicate a position of a portion of consecutive bits that are cut out from the EMLSR operation instruction bitmap; 103. An apparatus as claimed in claim 96 or 102.

104. the third instruction is a bitmap offset amount; 104. The device of claim 103.

105. the second indication is an EMLSR operation uniform indication presence, and the EMLSR operation uniform indication presence is used to indicate whether the first field contains an EMLSR operation uniform indication; 105. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 97, 103 and 104.

106. The first field is an EMLSR operation instruction bitmap control. An apparatus as described in any one of claims 95, 96, 103 to 105.

107. The EMLSR operation indication element is carried by a management frame. An apparatus as described in any one of claims 94-96, 100 to 106.

108. The management frame includes a traffic indication map TIM beacon frame.

108. The device of claim 107.

109. a first receiving unit for receiving the management frame; 109. An apparatus as claimed in claim 107 or 108.

110. The first information is a target initial control frame and is used to inform the transmitting party that a groupcast frame will be transmitted after the target initial control frame.

85. The apparatus of claim 84.

111. The target initial control frame includes an indication duration, the indication duration being a maximum available duration for the first MLD to switch to the first listening operation.

111. The device of claim 110.

112. The target initial control frame is a variation of a multi-user request transmit (MU-RTS) trigger frame.

112. The device of claim 111.

113. the value of the trigger type sub-domain of the variation MU-RTS trigger frame is different from the value of the trigger type sub-domain of the MU-RTS trigger frame; 113. The device of claim 112.

114. The second receiving unit further includes: a second receiving unit for receiving the target initial control frame, the target initial control frame being transmitted by a second MLD when the first MLD needs to perform the first listening operation, the second MLD being an MLD related to the first MLD; An apparatus according to any one of claims 110 to 113.

115. Specifically, the processing unit includes: used to switch from a second listening operation to the first listening operation or to maintain and execute the first listening operation; An apparatus according to any one of claims 82 to 87 and 91 to 114.

116. The first receiving capability includes at least one of a first rate, a first modulation and coding scheme (MCS), a first spatial stream (SS), and a first bandwidth (BW); and / or The second receiving capability includes at least one of a second rate, a second modulation and coding policy (MCS), a second spatial stream (SS), and a second bandwidth (BW), the second receiving capability being a receiving capability that the first station has under a second listening operation; the first rate is greater than or equal to the second rate, the first MCS is greater than or equal to the second MCS, the first SS is greater than or equal to the second SS, and the first BW is greater than or equal to the second BW.

16. An apparatus according to any one of claims 82 to 115.

117. The second listening operation is used by a target station on the first MLD to listen to a link corresponding to the target station, the target station being a station in an awake state on the first MLD, the target station having the second receiving capability, the second receiving capability including at least one of performing a clear channel assessment (CCA) and receiving an initial control frame for initiating a frame exchange.

117. The device of claim 116.

118. a third receiving unit for receiving a groupcast frame via the first station using the first receiving capability; 18. An apparatus according to any one of claims 82 to 117.

119. The groupcast frame received using the first receiving capability is carried by a physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU), the PPDU comprising: an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing OFDM physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU); a non-high throughput non-HT duplicate DUP PPDU; and Extremely high throughput VHT PPDU; A high throughput HT PPDU; A high efficiency HE single user SU PPDU; and a very high throughput EHT station STA supported PPDU including a very high throughput EHT multi-user MU PPDU; 119. The device of claim 118.

120. the processing unit is further adapted to switch from the first listening operation to a second listening operation when reception of the groupcast frame is completed.

120. An apparatus according to any one of claims 82 to 119.

121. The first station is a station on a first MLD corresponding to a first link, the first station is used to listen to the first link, and the first link is a link that transmits the groupcast frame.

121. An apparatus according to any one of claims 82 to 120.

122. The first MLD is an MLD operating in an enhanced multi-link single-radio EMLSR mode, and the first link is a link within an EMLSR link; 122. The device of claim 121.

123. The first MLD is a non-AP MLD.

123. The device of claim 122.

124. When the first multi-link device MLD performs a first listening operation, the first listening operation is further performed by the first multi-link device MLD to maintain the first listening operation, the first listening operation is further performed by a second station to listen to a second link in the EMLSR link, the second station is a station on the first MLD, and the second link is a link of the EMLSR link other than the first link; or When the first multi-link device MLD performs a first listening operation, the first listening operation prevents the second station from listening if the first multi-link device MLD switches from a second listening operation to a first listening operation.

124. An apparatus as claimed in claim 122 or 123.

125. A transmitting unit for transmitting first information, the first information being used by a first multilink device MLD to perform a first listening operation, the first listening operation including a step of a first station on the first multilink device MLD to receive a groupcast frame using a first receiving capability; A second MultiLink device.

126. The first receiving capability is equal to or greater than a second receiving capability, the second receiving capability being a receiving capability used by a first station on the first MLD indicated by a second listening operation, and the second listening operation being a listening operation that the first MLD is capable of performing.

126. The device of claim 125.

127. The first information is used by the first MLD to perform the first listening operation at or before a target time.

127. An apparatus as described in claim 125 or 126.

128. The target time includes a first time point, the first time point being: The expected time for sending the groupcast frame, a target beacon transmission time (TBTT) of the expected delivery traffic indication map DTIM beacon frame; and the start time of the broadcast target awake time (TWT) service period (SP) during which the groupcast frame is expected to be transmitted; a TBTT of a non-space-time block code non-STBC DTIM beacon frame in which the current count value of the FMS counter domain for a particular Flexible Groupcast Service FMS stream is zero; and and a start time of a groupcast GCR service period with retry during which a predicted groupcast frame is to be transmitted.

128. The device of claim 127.

129. The first time point is determined by the second MLD.

129. The device of claim 128.

130. The first information is a delivery traffic indication map DTIM beacon frame, and the DTIM beacon frame is used by the first MLD to perform the first listening operation at or before a target time.

128. The device of claim 127.

131. the target time includes a second point in time, the second point in time includes an expected groupcast frame transmission point in time after the first MLD receives a DTIM beacon frame, the DTIM beacon frame being received by the first MLD under a second listening operation; 131. The device of claim 130.

132. The DTIM beacon frame is used to switch from a second listening operation to a first listening operation at or before the second time point.

132. The device of claim 131.

133. The first information is determined based on a first instruction, and the first instruction is used to indicate whether or not to perform the first listening operation when a groupcast frame needs to be received.

130. An apparatus according to any one of claims 127 to 129.

134. The first instruction is used to uniformly instruct a first MLD corresponding to an access point AP whether to perform the first listening operation when it is necessary to receive a groupcast frame; The access point AP is an AP corresponding to a second MLD to which the first MLD is associated, and the AP corresponding to the second MLD is At least one of an attached AP of a second MLD and an AP to which a BSSID in a multi-BSSID set to which the attached AP of the second MLD is pointed; 134. The device of claim 133.

135. When the possible value of the first instruction is a first value, the first instruction is used to unify the first MLDs corresponding to the access points APs to perform the first listening operation when a groupcast frame needs to be received; or When the possible value of the first indication is a second value, the first MLD corresponding to the access point AP is used to unify the indication that the first MLD does not need to perform the first listening operation when it needs to receive a groupcast frame.

135. The device of claim 134.

136. the first indication is carried by an EMLSR operation indication element; 136. An apparatus as claimed in claim 134 or 135.

137. the first indication is carried by a first field in an EMLSR operation indication element; 137. An apparatus according to any one of claims 134 to 136.

138. the first field includes a second instruction; if the second indication has a third possible value, the first field contains the first indication; 138. The device of claim 137.

139. The first instruction is an EMLSR operation unified instruction.

139. An apparatus according to any one of claims 134-138.

140. Each bit position in the first indication is used to indicate an access point AP, the access point AP being an AP corresponding to a second MLD to which the first MLD is associated, the AP corresponding to the second MLD including at least one of an attached AP of the second MLD and an AP pointed to by a BSSID in a multi-BSSID set to which the attached AP of the second MLD is located; The value of each bit in the first instruction is used to indicate whether the first MLD corresponding to the access point AP should perform a first listening operation when it needs to receive a groupcast frame; 134. The device of claim 133.

141. When the possible value of each bit of the first instruction is a fourth value, the first MLD corresponding to the access point AP is used to instruct the first MLD to perform the first listening operation when it needs to receive a groupcast frame; or When the possible value of each bit of the first indication is a fifth value, the first indication is used to indicate that the first MLD corresponding to the access point AP does not need to perform the first listening operation when it needs to receive a groupcast frame.

134. The device of claim 133.

142. the first indication is carried by an EMLSR operation indication element; 142. An apparatus as described in claim 140 or 141.

143. the first indication is conveyed by a second field in the MLSR operation indication element; 143. An apparatus according to any one of claims 140-142.

144. the second field is a portion of an EMLSR operation instruction bitmap, the portion of the EMLSR operation instruction bitmap being formed by truncating a portion of consecutive bits in the EMLSR operation instruction bitmap; 144. The device of claim 143.

145. The MLSR operation indication element includes a first field, if the possible value of the second instruction in the first field is a sixth value, the first field includes a third instruction, the third instruction being used to indicate a position of a portion of consecutive bits that are cut out from the EMLSR operation instruction bitmap; 145. An apparatus as described in claim 138 or 144.

146. the third instruction is a bitmap offset amount; 146. The device of claim 145.

147. the second indication is an EMLSR operation uniform indication presence, and the EMLSR operation uniform indication presence is used to indicate whether the first field contains an EMLSR operation uniform indication; 147. An apparatus as described in any one of claims 139, 145 and 146.

148. The first field is an EMLSR operation instruction bitmap control. An apparatus as described in any one of claims 137, 138, 145-147.

149. The EMLSR operation indication element is carried by a management frame. An apparatus as described in any one of claims 136-138 and 142-148.

150. The management frame includes a traffic indication map TIM beacon frame.

150. The apparatus of claim 149.

151. The first information is a target initial control frame and is used to inform the transmitting party that a groupcast frame will be transmitted after the target initial control frame.

128. The device of claim 127.

152. The target initial control frame includes an indication duration, the indication duration being a maximum available duration for the first MLD to switch to the first listening operation.

152. The device of claim 151.

153. the indication duration is carried by a target initial control frame, the target initial control frame being a variation of a multi-user request transmit (MU-RTS) trigger frame; 153. The device of claim 152.

154. the possible values ​​of the trigger type sub-domain of the variation of the MU-RTS trigger frame are different from the possible values ​​of the trigger type sub-domain of the MU-RTS trigger frame; 154. The device of claim 153.

155. The first receiving capability includes at least one of a first rate, a first modulation and coding scheme (MCS), a first spatial stream (SS), and a first bandwidth (BW); and / or The second receiving capability includes at least one of a second rate, a second modulation and coding policy (MCS), a second spatial stream (SS), and a second bandwidth (BW), the second receiving capability being a receiving capability that the first station has under a second listening operation; the first rate is greater than or equal to the second rate, the first MCS is greater than or equal to the second MCS, the first SS is greater than or equal to the second SS, and the first BW is greater than or equal to the second BW.

155. An apparatus according to any one of claims 125-154.

156. The second listening operation is used by a target station on the first MLD to listen to a link corresponding to the target station, the target station being a station in an awake state on the first MLD, the target station having the second receiving capability, the second receiving capability including at least one of performing a clear channel assessment (CCA) and receiving an initial control frame for initiating a frame exchange.

156. The device of claim 155.

157. The transmitting unit further comprises: The expected time for sending the groupcast frame, a time point after transmitting a delivery traffic indication map DTIM beacon frame; a broadcast target awake time (TWT) at a time within the service period (SP); a time point after the TBTT of a non-space-time block code non-STBC DTIM beacon frame where the current count value of the FMS counter domain for a particular Flexible Groupcast Service FMS stream is zero; A groupcast frame is transmitted during a groupcast GCR service period with retry.

157. An apparatus according to any one of claims 125 to 156.

158. The groupcast frame is carried by a physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU), the PPDU comprising: an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing OFDM physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU); a non-high throughput non-HT duplicate DUP PPDU; and Extremely high throughput VHT PPDU; A high throughput HT PPDU; A high efficiency HE single user SU PPDU; and a very high throughput EHT station STA supported PPDU including a very high throughput EHT multi-user MU PPDU; 158. The device of claim 157.

159. The first station is a station on a first MLD corresponding to a first link, the first station is used to listen to the first link, and the first link is a link that transmits the groupcast frame.

159. An apparatus according to any one of claims 125 to 158.

160. The first MLD and the second MLD are MLDs operating in an enhanced multi-link single-radio EMLSR mode, and the first link is a link within an EMLSR link.

160. The device of claim 159.

161. The second MLD is an access point (AP) MLD, and the first MLD is a non-AP MLD corresponding to the AP MLD.

161. The device of claim 160.

162. When the first multi-link device MLD performs a first listening operation, the first listening operation is further performed by the first multi-link device MLD to maintain the first listening operation, the first listening operation is further performed by a second station to listen to a second link in the EMLSR link, the second station is a station on the first MLD, and the second link is a link of the EMLSR link other than the first link; or When the first multi-link device MLD performs a first listening operation, the first listening operation prevents the second station from listening if the first multi-link device MLD switches from a second listening operation to a first listening operation.

162. An apparatus as described in claim 160 or 161.

163. A first multilink device, A processor and a memory, the memory being adapted to store a computer program, the processor being adapted to cause the first multi-link device to execute the method according to any one of claims 1 to 43 by calling and executing the computer program stored in the memory. The first multilink device.

164. a second multilink device, a processor and a memory, the memory being adapted to store a computer program, the processor being adapted to cause the second multi-link device to execute the method according to any one of claims 44 to 81 by calling and executing the computer program stored in the memory; A second MultiLink device.

165. A chip, A processor for causing a device having the chip attached thereto to execute the method according to any one of claims 1 to 81 by retrieving and executing a computer program from a memory. Tips.

166. 1. A computer-readable storage medium, comprising: The computer-readable storage medium is used to store a computer program, which, when executed by an apparatus, causes the apparatus to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 81. A computer-readable storage medium.

167. 1. A computer program product comprising: The computer program product comprises computer program instructions, the computer program instructions causing a computer to perform a method according to any one of claims 1 to 81. Computer program products.

168. A computer program comprising: The computer program causes a computer to carry out the method according to any one of claims 1 to 81. Computer program.

169. 1. A communication system comprising: A first multilink device for carrying out the method according to any one of claims 1 to 43; and a second multilink device for carrying out the method according to any one of claims 44 to 81. Communication systems.

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