Method for establishing a multilink and communication device

Abstract

This invention provides a multilink establishment method and communication device that improve the flexibility of multilink establishment. [Solution] The multilink association response frame carries radio bitmap information to indicate the access point (AP) that is permitted to associate with the radio of the station multilink device (STA MLD) or the link that is permitted to be established by using the radio of the STA MLD, thereby allowing the radio to subsequently switch between different APs or links. The multilink association response frame also carries link establishment status information to indicate the link establishment status of each link that the STA MLD requests to establish, thereby making multilink establishment more flexible.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of communication technologies, particularly to a multi-link establishment method and a communication device.

Background Art

[0002] IEEE 802.11ax next-generation wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi), i.e., extremely high throughput (EHT) devices, aggregate multiple discontinuous links by using multi-link cooperation technology to form an ultra-high bandwidth. In addition to aggregating a higher bandwidth, multi-link cooperation technology can also be used to simultaneously transmit data packets of the same service to the same station. The multi-link cooperation technology transmission rate is known to be able to greatly improve.

[0003] A station multi-link device (STA MLD) can establish multiple links to an access point multi-link device (AP MLD) by using one link. The multi-link association request frame or multi-link association response frame in the multi-link establishment operation conveys information about multiple links in order to establish multiple links.

[0004] Currently, for single-link devices, such as stations (STAs) and access points (APs), the status code field in the association response frame may be used to indicate whether the STA successfully associated with the AP during the association process. However, for multi-link devices, if only the status code field is used to indicate the success of the association between multi-link devices, it is not possible to know the specific establishment status of each link. As a result, the flexibility of multi-link establishment is relatively low. [Overview of the project] [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The multilink establishment method and communication apparatus provided in this application help to improve the flexibility of multilink establishment.

[0006] According to a first aspect, the application discloses a method for establishing a multilink. The method comprises an STA MLD transmitting a multi-link association request frame and an STA MLD receiving a multi-link association response frame, the multi-link association response frame carrying radio bitmap information, which is used to indicate the radio of the STA MLD that is permitted to be used to establish each link that the STA MLD requests to establish.

[0007] According to a second aspect, the application discloses a method for establishing a multilink. The method corresponds to the first aspect and is described from the perspective of an AP MLD. The method comprises the AP MLD receiving a multilink association request frame and the AP MLD transmitting a multilink association response frame, the multilink association response frame carrying radio bitmap information, which is used to indicate the radio of the STA MLD, which is permitted to be used to establish each link that the STA MLD requests to establish.

[0008] It is possible to know that both multilink establishment methods described in these two embodiments help the AL MLD to notify the STA MLD of the radio of the STA MLD that is permitted to be used to establish each link that the STA MLD requests to be established. Furthermore, this helps to determine that the link has failed to be established when there is no radio permitted to be used for the link, or that the link has been successfully established when there is a radio permitted to be used for the link. When the same radio is permitted to be used to establish multiple links, that radio can perform fast link switching between the multiple links, thereby avoiding the challenge of relatively long delays caused by re-establishing links and improving the flexibility of multilink establishment.

[0009] In other words, if the radio bitmap information indicates that there are no or zero radios on the STA MLD that are permitted to be used to establish one link that the STA MLD requests to establish, it implicitly indicates that the link has failed to be established. If the radio bitmap information indicates that there is one radio on the STA MLD that is permitted to be used to establish one link that the STA MLD requests to establish, it implicitly indicates that the link has been successfully established. If the radio bitmap information indicates that there are multiple radios on the STA MLD that are permitted to be used to establish one link that the STA MLD requests to establish, it implicitly indicates that the link has been successfully established and that all of those multiple radios may switch to that link.

[0010] If the radio bitmap information indicates that, optionally, the same radio of the STA MLD may be used to establish multiple links that the STA MLD requests to establish, it implicitly indicates that the radio may be used to establish multiple links and may perform link switching between multiple links. In a multilink establishment method, it is possible to indicate whether the link establishment was successful and that multiple links may be further established for the same radio to help the radio perform fast switching between multiple links, thereby avoiding the relatively large delay problem caused by switching performed after the links are subsequently re-established.

[0011] The following describes optional implementations of the multilink establishment method described in the first and second embodiments.

[0012] The description of wireless bitmap information may include, but is not limited to, the following types: Wireless bitmap information is used to indicate the APs in an AP MLD to which each wireless in an STA MLD is permitted to associate, or the links that each wireless in an STA MLD is permitted to share, or the links that each wireless in an STA MLD is permitted to use to establish, or the wirelesss in an STA MLD to which each AP in an AL MLD is permitted to associate. In some description schemes, information such as whether each link was successfully established, the number of links between which each wireless is permitted to switch, and whether the wireless is available may also be known. Further details are not described here.

[0013] In this implementation, the wireless bitmap information indicates the mapping between each link and each wireless in the STA MLD, or between each AP in the AP MLD and each wireless in the STA MLD. Therefore, in this implementation, the wireless bitmap information can be carried in the multilink device information within the multilink element. Optionally, the wireless bitmap information can also be carried in the multilink association response frame in the form of a separate field.

[0014] In addition, the total number of bits occupied by the wireless bitmap information is the product of the number of wirelesss in the STA MLD and the number of APs in the AP MLD. Alternatively, the total number of bits occupied by the wireless bitmap information is the product of the number of wirelesss in the STA MLD and the number of links that the STA MLD requests to establish. It is known that the wireless quantity information carried in the multilink association request frame helps determine the number of bits in the wireless bitmap information or the length of the wireless bitmap information.

[0015] In this implementation, wireless bitmap information can be carried in MLD-level info within a multi-link element.

[0016] In another implementation, the multilink association response frame carries multiple radio bitmap information, where one radio bitmap information corresponds to one link that the STA MLD requests to establish, and the radio bitmap information is used to indicate the STA MLD radios that are permitted to be used to establish the corresponding link. This implementation is known to help the AP MLD inform the STA MLD which STA MLD radios are permitted to be used to establish each link that the STA MLD requests to establish. Furthermore, if the radio bitmap information for one link indicates that there are no or zero STA MLD radios permitted to be used, it implicitly indicates that the link failed to be established. If the radio bitmap information for one link indicates that there is one STA MLD radio permitted to be used, it implicitly indicates that the link was successfully established. If the radio bitmap information for one link indicates that there are multiple STA MLD radios permitted to be used, it implicitly indicates that the link was successfully established and all of those multiple radios may switch to that link.

[0017] If, optionally, the radio bitmap information for multiple links individually indicates the same radio in the STA MLD, which is permitted to be used, it implicitly indicates that the radio may be used to establish multiple links and may perform link switching between multiple links.

[0018] In this implementation, it is indicated whether link establishment was successful, and multiple links may be further established for the same radio to help the radio perform fast switching between multiple links, thereby avoiding the relatively large latency issues caused by switching performed after the links are subsequently re-established.

[0019] In this implementation, the total number of bits occupied by the wireless bitmap information of one link equals the number of wireless STA MLDs.

[0020] In this implementation, the wireless bitmap information for transmission links that STA MLD requests to establish is carried in the multilink device information within the multilink element, and the wireless bitmap information for non-transmission links that STA MLD requests to establish is carried in the link configuration information for non-transmission links within the multilink element. Alternatively, regardless of whether it is a transmission or non-transmission link, the wireless bitmap information for each link is carried in the multilink device information within the multilink element. Optionally, the wireless bitmap information for each link is carried in the multilink association response frame in the form of a separate field.

[0021] Optionally, the wireless bitmap information in the aforementioned implementation may instead be carried in a multilink association request frame or a reassociation request frame to inform the AP MLD of the mapping between the wireless and the link, or between the wireless and the AP, as requested by the STA MLD. Further details are not provided here.

[0022] Optionally, the radio bitmap information in the aforementioned implementation may instead be carried in the reassociation response frame to inform the STA MLD of the radio-to-link mapping or the radio-to-AP mapping permitted by the AP MLD. Further details are not described here.

[0023] Optionally, a multilink association request frame or a reassociation request frame may further carry radio quantity information, which is used to indicate the radio quantity of the STA MLD. Furthermore, this helps determine the number of bits in the total radio bitmap information for all links or the length of the total radio bitmap information for all links, or the number of bits in the radio bitmap information for each link or the length of the radio bitmap information for each link.

[0024] Regarding the multilink establishment method described above, the reassociation response frame received by the STA MLD from the AP MLD may carry reassociation information, which is used to indicate whether each parameter in the association configuration information is retained. To avoid the repetitive transmission of parameters in the reassociation operation and thereafter, the AP MLD uses the reassociation information to allow the STA MLD to retain some of the parameters, thereby reducing signaling overhead.

[0025] Optionally, association configuration information may be information within a multilink device that is shared across multiple links. To avoid the repeated transmission of parameters during and after reassociation operations, the AP MLD uses the reassociation information to allow the STA MLD to retain some of the parameters, thereby reducing signaling overhead.

[0026] Optionally, the association configuration information may include, but is not limited to, one or more of the following parameters: block acknowledgment protocol, sequence number, packet number, duplicate detection cache, fragmentation and reassembly buffers, and buffered medium access control service data unit (MSDU).

[0027] In one implementation, the re-association information includes one bit. That bit corresponds to all parameters in the association configuration information and is used to indicate whether all parameters in the association configuration information are retained.

[0028] In another implementation, the re-association information includes multiple bits. One bit corresponds to one parameter in the association configuration information and is used to indicate whether the corresponding parameter is retained.

[0029] In yet another implementation, the re-association information includes multiple bits. One bit corresponds to one or more parameters in the association configuration information and is used to indicate whether the corresponding one or more parameters are retained.

[0030] In yet another implementation, the re-association information includes multiple bits. One bit corresponds to multiple parameters in the association configuration information and is used to indicate whether the corresponding multiple parameters are retained.

[0031] Optionally, the re-association information is carried in the multi-link device information in the multi-link element in the re-association response frame. Alternatively, the re-association information is carried in the re-association response frame in the form of an independent field.

[0032] In a third aspect, the application discloses a multilink establishment method. The method comprises STA MLD transmitting a multilink association request frame and STA MLD receiving a multilink association response frame, the multilink association response frame carrying link establishment status information, which is used to indicate the link establishment status of each link that STA MLD requests to be established. In the multilink establishment method, STA MLD is able to know the link establishment status of each link based on the link establishment status information, i.e., it is possible that failure to establish a link may occur in a link that STA MLD requests to be established, thereby improving the flexibility of multilink establishment.

[0033] According to a fourth aspect, the application discloses a multilink establishment method. The method is described from the perspective of an AP MLD. The method includes the AP MLD receiving a multilink association request frame and the AP MLD transmitting a multilink association response frame, the multilink association response frame carrying link establishment status information, which is used to indicate the link establishment status of each link that the STA MLD requests to be established. In the multilink establishment method, it is possible that the AP MLD may indicate the link establishment status of each link. Failure to establish a link is permitted in the links that the STA MLD requests to be established, thereby improving the flexibility of multilink establishment.

[0034] The following describes optional implementations of the multilink establishment method described in the third and fourth embodiments.

[0035] In one implementation, link establishment status information includes a status code field and link configuration information for links that were successfully established among the links that the STA MLD requested to be established. The status code field is used to indicate that the STA MLD has successfully associated with the AP MLD. The AP MLD can use this implementation to allow the STA MLD to know that the links whose link configuration information is carried in the multilink association response frame are links that were successfully established. It is permissible for links that the STA MLD requests to be established to fail to be established, thereby improving the flexibility of multilink establishment. In addition, the multilink association response frame does not need to carry link configuration information for links that failed to be established. It is known that this implementation can further reduce signaling overhead.

[0036] Optionally, in this implementation, if the status code field indicates that the STA MLD failed to associate with the AP MLD, the multilink association response frame may not carry the link configuration information for the link.

[0037] In another implementation, link establishment status information includes a status code field and link configuration information for the links that were successfully established among the links that STA MLD requested to be established. The status code field is used to indicate that some of the links that STA MLD requested to be established were successfully established. AP MLD may use this implementation to allow STA MLD to know that the links whose link configuration information is carried in the multilink association response frame are the links that were successfully established. Failure to establish a link is permitted for links that STA MLD requests to be established, thereby improving the flexibility of multilink establishment.

[0038] Optionally, the status code field indicates that all links requested by STA MLD to be established have been successfully established. Link establishment status information may include link configuration information for all links requested by STA MLD to be established.

[0039] In yet another implementation, the link establishment status information includes a status code field and link configuration information for the non-transmission links that were successfully established among the links that STA MLD is requesting to be established. The status code field is used to indicate that the transmission links among the links that STA MLD is requesting to be established have been successfully established. Optionally, if the status code field indicates that the transmission links among the links that STA MLD is requesting to be established have failed to be established, the link establishment status information may further include link configuration information for the non-transmission links that were successfully established among the links that STA MLD is requesting to be established. In this implementation, failure to establish a link is permitted in the links that STA MLD is requesting to be established, which is known to improve the flexibility of multi-link establishment.

[0040] In the optional implementation described above, the status code field may be carried in the multilink association response frame in the form of a separate field, the link configuration information of successfully established transmission links may be carried in the multilink device information within the multilink element in the multilink association response frame, and the link configuration information of successfully established non-transmission links may be carried in the link configuration information of each link within the multilink element in the multilink association response frame. Optionally, the status code field and the successfully established links may be carried at another location in the multilink association response frame.

[0041] In yet another implementation, link establishment status information includes multiple status code fields. One status code field corresponds to one link that STA MLD requests to establish and is used to indicate the link establishment status of that link. In this implementation, it is possible to know that each link corresponds to one status code field. To improve the flexibility of multi-link establishment, it may be possible to indicate not only whether the corresponding link was successfully established, but also another status of link establishment.

[0042] In addition, the methods by which link establishment status information is carried in the multilink association response frame include, but are not limited to, the following two types: In one implementation, for links that STA MLD requests to be established, the status code field for the transmission link is carried in the multilink device information within the multilink element, and the status code field for the non-transmission link is carried in the link configuration information for the non-transmission link within the multilink element. transport In another implementation, in a link that STA MLD requests to be established, all link status code fields are carried in the multilink device information within the multilink element.

[0043] In yet another implementation, link establishment status information includes a status code field and link establishment status bitmap information. The status code field is used to indicate that the STA MLD has successfully associated with the AP MLD, and the link establishment status bitmap information is used to indicate whether each link that the STA MLD requests to establish has been successfully established. Optionally, if the status code field indicates that the STA MLD failed to associate with the AP MLD, the link establishment status information may not carry the link establishment status bitmap information.

[0044] In yet another implementation, the link establishment status information includes a status code field and link establishment status bitmap information. The status code field is used to indicate that some of the links that STA MLD requests to be established have been successfully established, and the link establishment status bitmap information is used to indicate whether each link that STA MLD requests to be established has been successfully established. Optionally, if the status code field indicates that all links that STA MLD requests to be established have been successfully established, the link establishment status information may not include link establishment status bitmap information, or all link establishment status bitmap information included in the link establishment status information may be 1 (a value of 1 for the bit corresponding to a link is assumed to indicate that the link was successfully established). Optionally, if the status code field indicates that all links that STA MLD requests to be established have failed to be established, the link establishment status information may not include link establishment status bitmap information, or all link establishment status bitmap information included in the link establishment status information may be 0 (a value of 0 for the bit corresponding to a link is assumed to indicate that the link was failed to be established).

[0045] In yet another implementation, the link establishment status information includes a status code field and link establishment status bitmap information. The status code field is used to indicate that the transmission links in the links that STA MLD requests to be established have been successfully established, and the link establishment status bitmap information is used to indicate whether each non-transmission link that STA MLD requests to be established has been successfully established. Optionally, if the status code field indicates that the transmission links in the links that STA MLD requests to be established have failed to be established, the link establishment status information may still include link establishment status bitmap information to indicate whether each non-transmission link has been successfully established.

[0046] Optionally, link establishment status information may be carried in the reassociation response frame to indicate whether each link was successfully established in the reassociation process.

[0047] In addition, in the multilink establishment method, the reassociation response frame may carry reassociation information, which is used to indicate whether each parameter in the association configuration information is retained. The association configuration information includes, but is not limited to, one or more of the following parameters: block acknowledgment protocol, sequence number, packet number, duplicate detection cache, fragmentation and reassembly buffers, and buffered medium access control service data unit (MSDU). Optionally, the association configuration information may be information within a multilink device shared across multiple links. The reassociation information is used to retain some of the parameters so that it is possible to avoid repeated transmission of parameters in and after the reassociation operation, thereby reducing signaling overhead.

[0048] In some implementations, the reassociation information includes a single bit. This bit corresponds to all parameters in the association configuration information and is used to indicate whether all parameters in the association configuration information are retained.

[0049] In other implementations, the reassociation information includes multiple bits. One bit corresponds to one parameter in the association configuration information and is used to indicate whether the corresponding parameter is retained.

[0050] In yet another implementation, the reassociation information includes multiple bits. One bit corresponds to one or more parameters in the association configuration information and is used to indicate whether the corresponding one or more parameters are retained.

[0051] In yet another implementation, the reassociation information includes multiple bits. One bit corresponds to multiple parameters in the association configuration information and is used to indicate whether the corresponding multiple parameters are retained.

[0052] Optionally, reassociation information is carried in the multilink device information within the multilink element of the reassociation response frame. Alternatively, reassociation information is carried in the reassociation response frame in the form of a separate field.

[0053] In addition, in the multilink establishment methods described in the first and second embodiments, a scheme indicating the correspondence between radios and links, and between radios and APs, is used to notify the STA MLD of links that have been successfully established and those that have failed to be established. In the multilink establishment methods described in the third and fourth embodiments, the link establishment status of each link is indicated to notify the STA MLD of links that have been successfully established and those that have failed to be established. The multilink establishment methods described in the first and second embodiments and the multilink establishment methods described in the third and fourth embodiments need to solve the same problem. same It is possible to know that the multilink establishment method has specific technical features that provide functionality and achieves beneficial effects of more flexible multilink establishment. Therefore, the multilink establishment method described in the first and second embodiments, as well as the multilink establishment method described in the third and fourth embodiments, belong to the same inventive concept and satisfy the requirement of unity.

[0054] According to a fifth aspect, the application further provides a method for establishing a multilink. The method comprises an STA MLD transmitting a reassociation request frame and an STA MLD receiving a reassociation response frame, the reassociation response frame carrying reassociation information, the reassociation information being used to indicate whether each parameter in the association configuration information is retained. In this method, the reassociation information is used to retain some of the parameters so that it is possible to avoid the repetitive transmission of parameters in the reassociation operation and thereafter, thereby reducing signaling overhead.

[0055] According to a sixth aspect, the application further provides a method for establishing a multilink. The method corresponds to the method described in the fifth aspect and is described from the perspective of an AP MLD. The method includes the AP MLD receiving a reassociation request frame and the AP MLD transmitting a reassociation response frame, the reassociation response frame carrying reassociation information, which is used to indicate whether each parameter in the association configuration information is retained. In this method, the reassociation information is used to retain some of the parameters so that it is possible to avoid the repeated transmission of parameters in the reassociation operation and thereafter, thereby reducing signaling overhead.

[0056] The following describes optional implementations of the multilink establishment method described in the fifth and sixth embodiments.

[0057] In some implementations, association configuration information may be information within a multilink device, shared across multiple links. Reassociation information is used to retain some parameters, thereby reducing signaling overhead, and thus avoiding the repeated transmission of parameters during and after reassociation operations.

[0058] In other implementations, association configuration information may include, but is not limited to, one or more of the following parameters: block acknowledgment protocol, sequence number, packet number, duplicate detection cache, fragmentation and reassembly buffers, and buffered medium access control service data unit (MSDU).

[0059] The reassociation information includes one or more bits. One bit corresponds to one or more parameters in the association configuration information and is used to indicate whether the corresponding one or more parameters are retained. In other words, the reassociation information includes, but is not limited to, the following optional implementations:

[0060] In some implementations, the reassociation information includes a single bit. This bit corresponds to all parameters in the association configuration information and is used to indicate whether all parameters in the association configuration information are retained.

[0061] In other implementations, the reassociation information includes multiple bits. One bit corresponds to one parameter in the association configuration information and is used to indicate whether the corresponding parameter is retained.

[0062] In yet another implementation, the reassociation information includes multiple bits. One bit corresponds to one or more parameters in the association configuration information and is used to indicate whether the corresponding one or more parameters are retained.

[0063] In yet another implementation, the reassociation information includes multiple bits. One bit corresponds to multiple parameters in the association configuration information and is used to indicate whether the corresponding multiple parameters are retained.

[0064] Optionally, reassociation information is carried in the multilink device information within the multilink element of the reassociation response frame. Alternatively, reassociation information is carried in the reassociation response frame in the form of a separate field.

[0065] In some implementations, the multilink association response frame in the first association process between the AP MLD and the STA MLD, or the reassociation response frame described above, further carries link establishment status information. This link establishment status information is used to indicate the link establishment status of each link that the STA MLD requests to be established. In the multilink establishment method, it is possible that the AP MLD may indicate the link establishment status of each link. Failure to establish a link is permitted for links that the STA MLD requests to be established, thereby improving the flexibility of multilink establishment.

[0066] For implementations of optional selection of link establishment status information, please refer to the implementations described in the third and fourth embodiments. Further details will not be provided here.

[0067] In another implementation, the multilink association response frame in the first association process between the AP MLD and the STA MLD, or the reassociation response frame described above, further carries radio bitmap information. The radio bitmap information is used to indicate the radio of the STA MLD that is permitted to be used to establish each link that the STA MLD requests to establish. This implementation may be known to help enable the AP MLD to notify the STA MLD of the radio of the STA MLD that is permitted to be used to establish each link that the STA MLD requests to establish.

[0068] If the radio bitmap information indicates that there are no or zero radios on the STA MLD that are optionally permitted to be used to establish one link that the STA MLD requests to establish, it implicitly indicates that the link failed to be established. If the radio bitmap information indicates that there is one radio on the STA MLD that is permitted to be used to establish one link that the STA MLD requests to establish, it implicitly indicates that the link was successfully established. If the radio bitmap information indicates that there are multiple radios on the STA MLD that are permitted to be used to establish one link that the STA MLD requests to establish, it implicitly indicates that the link was successfully established and all of those multiple radios may switch to that link.

[0069] If the radio bitmap information indicates that, optionally, the same radio of the STA MLD may be used to establish multiple links that the STA MLD requests to establish, it implicitly indicates that the radio may be used to establish multiple links and may perform link switching between multiple links. In a multilink establishment method, it is possible to indicate whether the link establishment was successful and that multiple links may be further established for the same radio to help the radio perform fast switching between multiple links, thereby avoiding the relatively large delay problem caused by switching performed after the links are subsequently re-established.

[0070] For possible descriptions of wireless bitmap information, please refer to the descriptions in the first and second embodiments. Further details will not be provided here.

[0071] In another implementation, the multilink association response frame, or the reassociation response frame described above, in the first association process between the AP MLD and the STA MLD further carries multiple radio bitmap information, where one radio bitmap information corresponds to one link that the STA MLD requests to establish. In other words, the radio bitmap information is used to indicate the radio of the STA MLD that is permitted to be used to establish the corresponding link.

[0072] This implementation may be known to help the AP MLD inform the STA MLD which radios of the STA MLD are permitted to be used to establish each link that the STA MLD requests to be established. Furthermore, if the radio bitmap information for a link indicates that there are no or zero radios of the STA MLD permitted to be used, it implicitly indicates that the link failed to be established. If the radio bitmap information for a link indicates that there is one radio of the STA MLD permitted to be used, it implicitly indicates that the link was successfully established. If the radio bitmap information for a link indicates that there are multiple radios of the STA MLD permitted to be used, it implicitly indicates that the link was successfully established and all of those multiple radios may switch to that link.

[0073] If, optionally, the radio bitmap information for multiple links individually indicates the same radio in the STA MLD, which is permitted to be used, it implicitly indicates that the radio may be used to establish multiple links and may perform link switching between multiple links.

[0074] In this implementation, it is indicated whether link establishment was successful, and multiple links may be further established for the same radio to help the radio perform fast switching between multiple links, thereby avoiding the relatively large latency issues caused by switching performed after the links are subsequently re-established.

[0075] Optionally, you may refer to the descriptions in the first and second embodiments for details regarding this implementation. Further details are not provided here.

[0076] According to the seventh aspect, this application provides a communication device. The device may be an STA MLD or a device within an STA MLD. Alternatively, the communication device may be a processor or chip system within an STA MLD. The communication device may perform the method according to the first aspect. The functions of the communication device may be implemented by hardware or by running corresponding software. The hardware or software includes one or more units corresponding to the aforementioned functions. The units may be software and / or hardware. For the operations performed by the communication device and beneficial effects, please refer to the method and possible implementations in the first aspect, where the corresponding beneficial effects are achieved. Details are again not described here. Alternatively, for the operations performed by the communication device and beneficial effects, please refer to the method and possible implementations in the third aspect, where the corresponding beneficial effects are achieved. Details are again not described here. For the operations performed by the communication device and beneficial effects, please refer to the method and possible implementations in the fifth aspect, where the corresponding beneficial effects are achieved. Details are again not described here.

[0077] According to the eighth aspect, this application provides a communication device. The device may be an AP MLD or a device within an AP MLD. Alternatively, the communication device may be a processor or chip system within an AP MLD. The communication device may perform the method according to the second aspect. The functions of the communication device may be implemented by hardware or by running corresponding software. The hardware or software includes one or more units corresponding to the aforementioned functions. The units may be software and / or hardware. For the operations performed by the communication device and beneficial effects, please refer to the method and possible implementations in the second aspect, where the corresponding beneficial effects are achieved. Repeated parts are not described again. Alternatively, for the operations performed by the communication device and beneficial effects, please refer to the method and possible implementations in the fourth aspect, where the corresponding beneficial effects are achieved. Repeated parts are not described again. Alternatively, for the operations performed by the communication device and beneficial effects, please refer to the method and possible implementations in the sixth aspect, where the corresponding beneficial effects are achieved. Repeated parts are not described again.

[0078] According to the ninth aspect, the application provides a communication device which may be an STA MLD or a chip system. The communication device includes at least one processor which, when the processor invokes a computer program in memory, performs a method performed by the STA MLD in any one of the first aspect or a possible implementation of the first aspect, or performs a method performed by the STA MLD in any one of the third aspect or a possible implementation of the third aspect, or performs a method performed by the STA MLD in any one of the fifth aspect or a possible implementation of the fifth aspect.

[0079] According to the tenth aspect, the application provides a communication device which may be an AP MLD or a chip system. The communication device includes at least one processor which, when the processor invokes a computer program in memory, performs a method performed by the AP MLD in any one of the second aspect or a possible implementation of the second aspect, or performs a method performed by the AP MLD in any one of the fourth aspect or a possible implementation of the fourth aspect, or performs a method performed by the AP MLD in any one of the sixth aspect or a possible implementation of the sixth aspect.

[0080] According to the eleventh aspect, the application provides a communication device which may be an STA MLD or a chip system. The communication device includes a processor and memory. The memory is configured to store a computer program, and the processor is configured to execute the computer program stored in memory in order to enable the communication device to execute a method performed by the STA MLD in any one of the first aspect or a possible implementation of the first aspect, or a method performed by the STA MLD in any one of the third aspect or a possible implementation of the third aspect, or a method performed by the STA MLD in any one of the fifth aspect or a possible implementation of the fifth aspect.

[0081] According to the twelfth aspect, the application provides a communication device which may be an AP MLD or a chip system. The communication device includes a processor and memory. The memory is configured to store a computer program, and the processor is configured to execute the computer program stored in memory in order to enable the communication device to execute a method performed by the AP MLD in any one of the second aspect or a possible implementation of the second aspect, or a method performed by the AP MLD in any one of the fourth aspect or a possible implementation of the fourth aspect, or a method performed by the AP MLD in any one of the sixth aspect or a possible implementation of the sixth aspect.

[0082] According to the 13th aspect, the application provides a communication device which may be an STA MLD. The communication device includes a processor, memory, and a transceiver. The transceiver is configured to receive or transmit signals, the memory is configured to store computer programs, and the processor is configured to call computer programs from memory and perform a method performed by the STA MLD in any one of the first aspect or a possible implementation of the first aspect, or a method performed by the STA MLD in any one of the third aspect or a possible implementation of the third aspect, or a method performed by the STA MLD in any one of the fifth aspect or a possible implementation of the fifth aspect.

[0083] According to the fourteenth aspect, the application provides a communication device which may be an AP MLD. The communication device includes a processor, memory, and a transceiver. The transceiver is configured to receive or transmit signals, the memory is configured to store computer programs, and the processor is configured to call computer programs from memory and perform a method performed by the AP MLD in any one of the second aspect or a possible implementation of the second aspect, or a method performed by the AP MLD in any one of the fourth aspect or a possible implementation of the fourth aspect, or a method performed by the AP MLD in any one of the sixth aspect or a possible implementation of the sixth aspect.

[0084] According to the 15th aspect, the application provides a communication device which may be an STA MLD or a chip system. The communication device includes at least one processor and a communication interface. The processor executes a computer program to perform a method performed by the STA MLD in any one of the first aspect or a possible implementation of the first aspect, or a method performed by the STA MLD in any one of the third aspect or a possible implementation of the third aspect, or a method performed by the STA MLD in any one of the fifth aspect or a possible implementation of the fifth aspect.

[0085] According to the sixteenth aspect, the application provides a communication device which may be an AP MLD or a chip system. The communication device includes at least one processor and a communication interface. The processor executes a computer program to perform a method performed by the AP MLD in any one of the second aspect or a possible implementation of the second aspect, or a method performed by the AP MLD in any one of the fourth aspect or a possible implementation of the fourth aspect, or a method performed by the AP MLD in any one of the sixth aspect or a possible implementation of the sixth aspect.

[0086] According to the 17th aspect, the application provides a computer-readable storage medium. The computer-readable storage medium is configured to store instructions, and when an instruction is executed, a method performed by STA MLD in any one of the first aspect or a possible implementation of the first aspect is performed, or a method performed by STA MLD in any one of the third aspect or a possible implementation of the third aspect is performed, or a method performed by STA MLD in any one of the fifth aspect or a possible implementation of the fifth aspect is performed.

[0087] According to the 18th aspect, the application provides a computer-readable storage medium. The computer-readable storage medium is configured to store instructions, and when an instruction is executed, a method performed by AP MLD in any one of the second aspect or a possible implementation of the second aspect is performed, or a method performed by AP MLD in any one of the fourth aspect or a possible implementation of the fourth aspect is performed, or a method performed by AP MLD in any one of the sixth aspect or a possible implementation of the sixth aspect is performed.

[0088] According to the 19th aspect, the application provides a computer program product including instructions. When the instructions are executed, a method performed by STA MLD is performed in any one of the first aspect or a possible implementation of the first aspect, or a method performed by STA MLD is performed in any one of the third aspect or a possible implementation of the third aspect, or a method performed by STA MLD is performed in any one of the fifth aspect or a possible implementation of the fifth aspect.

[0089] According to the 20th aspect, the application provides a computer program product including instructions. When the instructions are executed, a method performed by AP MLD in any one of the second aspect or a possible implementation of the second aspect is performed, or a method performed by AP MLD in any one of the fourth aspect or a possible implementation of the fourth aspect is performed, or a method performed by AP MLD in any one of the sixth aspect or a possible implementation of the sixth aspect is performed. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0090] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the communication system 100. [Figure 2] This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the communication system 200. [Figure 3] This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a multi-link association response frame. [Figure 4] This is a schematic flowchart of the multilink establishment method 100 according to the embodiment of this application. [Figure 5] This is another schematic diagram of the structure of a multi-link association response frame according to an embodiment of this application. [Figure 6] This is a schematic flowchart of the multilink establishment method 200 according to the embodiment of this application. [Figure 7] This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a multi-link element according to an embodiment of this application. [Figure 8] This is a schematic flowchart of the multilink establishment method 300 according to the embodiment of this application. [Figure 9] This is yet another schematic diagram of the structure of a multi-link association response frame according to an embodiment of this application. [Figure 10] This is yet another schematic diagram of the structure of a multi-link association response frame according to an embodiment of this application. [Figure 11] This is yet another schematic diagram of the structure of a multi-link association response frame according to an embodiment of this application. [Figure 12] This is yet another schematic diagram of the structure of a multi-link association response frame according to an embodiment of this application. [Figure 13] This is a schematic flowchart of the multilink establishment method 400 according to the embodiment of this application. [Figure 14] This is a schematic flowchart of the multilink establishment method 500 according to the embodiment of this application. [Figure 15] This is yet another schematic diagram of the structure of a multi-link association response frame according to an embodiment of this application. [Figure 16] This is yet another schematic diagram of the structure of a multi-link association response frame according to an embodiment of this application. [Figure 17] This is yet another schematic diagram of the structure of a multi-link association response frame according to an embodiment of this application. [Figure 18] This is yet another schematic diagram of the structure of a multi-link association response frame according to an embodiment of this application. [Figure 19] This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the communication device 100 according to the embodiment of this application. [Figure 20] This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the communication device 200 according to the embodiment of this application. [Figure 21] This is a schematic diagram of the chip structure according to the embodiment of this application. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0091] The following describes the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application clearly and completely with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0092] The wireless communication systems applicable to the embodiments of this application may be wireless local area networks (WLANs) or cellular networks. The multilink establishment method may be implemented by a communication device in the wireless communication system, or by a chip or processor within the communication device. The communication device may be a wireless communication device that supports simultaneous transmission performed on multiple links. For example, the communication device is called a multi-link device or a multi-band device. Compared to a device that supports only single-link transmission, a multi-link device has higher transmission efficiency and higher throughput.

[0093] Embodiments of this application are primarily described by using examples in which an IEEE 802.11 network is deployed, for example, a wireless local area network of the 802.11 series protocol such as 802.11be (this is abbreviated as Wi-Fi 7). However, embodiments of this application may be extended to other networks using various standards or protocols, such as Bluetooth®, high performance radio LAN (HIPERLAN) (a wireless standard similar to the IEEE 802.11 standard and primarily used in Europe), wide area networks (WANs), wireless local area networks (WLANs), personal area networks (PANs), or other networks that are currently known or will be developed later. Thus, the various embodiments provided in this application are applicable to any suitable wireless network, regardless of coverage and the wireless access protocol used.

[0094] As shown in Figure 1, using a wireless local area network as an example, the communication system 100 to which embodiments of this application apply includes stations 101 and 102. Station 101 may communicate with station 102 by using multiple links to improve throughput. Station 101 may be a multilink device, and station 102 may be a single-link device, a multilink device, or similar. In one scenario, station 101 is an AP MLD and station 102 is an STA MLD or station (e.g., a single-link station). In another scenario, station 101 is an STA MLD and station 102 is an AP (e.g., a single-link AP) or AP MLD. In yet another scenario, station 101 is an AP MLD and station 102 is an AP MLD or AP. In yet another scenario, station 101 is an STA MLD and station 102 is an STA MLD or STA (e.g., a single-link station). Of course, the wireless local area network may further include other devices. The number and types of devices represented in a communication system are merely examples.

[0095] In another example, Figure 2 represents a communication system 200. Communication system 200 uses an example scenario in which an AP MLD communicates with an STA MLD in a wireless local area network. The AP MLD includes partner AP1, AP2, and AP3, and the STA MLD includes partner STA1, STA2, and STA3, and the AP MLD communicates with the STA MLD by using link1, link2, and link3 in parallel.

[0096] To help understand the multilink establishment method in this application, relevant concepts in the embodiments of this application are briefly described.

[0097] 1. Multilink device

[0098] A multilink device includes one or more affiliated stations (STAs). An affiliated STA is a logical station and can operate on a single link. An affiliated station may be an access point (AP) or a non-access point station (non-AP STA). For ease of explanation, in this application, a multilink device whose affiliated station is an AP may be referred to as a multilink AP, a multilink AP device, or an AP multilink device (AP MLD). A multilink device whose affiliated station is a non-AP SPA may be referred to as a multilink STA, a multilink STA device, or an STA multilink device (STA MLD). For ease of explanation, "a multilink device includes an affiliated STA" may also be briefly described in embodiments of this application as "a multilink device includes an STA."

[0099] Multilink devices can enable wireless communication in accordance with the 802.11 family of standards. For example, an extremely high throughput (EHT) compliant station, or a station compliant with or compatible with 802.11be, can communicate with another device. Of course, the other device may or may not be a multilink device.

[0100] For example, the multilink device in the embodiments of this application may be a single-antenna device or a multi-antenna device, such as a device having more than two antennas. The number of antennas included in the multilink device is not limited in the embodiments of this application.

[0101] For example, a multilink device is a device having wireless communication capabilities. The device may be an integrated device, or a chip, processing system, or similar mounted on an integrated device. The device on which the chip or processing system is mounted may be controlled by the chip or processing system to implement the methods and functions of the embodiments of this application. For example, the STA MLD in the embodiments of this application may have wireless transceiver capabilities, support the 802.11 series protocol, and communicate with an AP MLD, another STA MLD, or a single-link device. For example, the STA MLD is any user communication device that enables a user to communicate with an AP and further with a WLAN. For example, the STA MLD may be a user device capable of connecting to a network, such as a tablet computer, desktop computer, laptop computer, notebook computer, ultra-mobile personal computer (UMPC), handheld computer, netbook, personal digital assistant (PDA), or mobile phone, or it may be an Internet of Things node in the Internet of Things, or an in-vehicle communication device in the Internet of Vehicles. Alternatively, STA MLD could be the chip and processing system in the aforementioned terminal.

[0102] In embodiments of this application, the AP MLD is a device that services the STA MLD and may support the 802.11 series protocol. For example, the AP MLD may be a communication entity such as a communication server, router, switch, or bridge, or the AP MLD may include various forms of macro base stations, micro base stations, and relay stations. Of course, the AP MLD may, alternatively, be a chip and processing system in various forms of devices to implement the methods and functions in embodiments of this application. In addition, the multilink device may support high-speed and low-latency transmission. With the continued evolution of application scenarios for wireless local area networks, multilink devices can be applied to even more scenarios. For example, multilink devices could be sensor nodes in a smart city (such as smart water meters, smart electricity meters, and smart air sensing nodes), smart devices in a smart home (such as smart cameras, projectors, displays, TVs, stereos, refrigerators, and washing machines), nodes in the Internet of Things, entertainment terminals (such as wearable devices like AR and VR), smart devices in a smart office (such as printers and projectors), IoV devices in the Internet of Vehicles, and some infrastructure in everyday life scenarios (such as vending machines, self-service navigation stations in supermarkets, self-service cash register devices, and self-service ordering machines). The specific forms of STA MLD and AP MLD are not specifically limited in the embodiments of this application and are merely examples for the purposes of this description. The 802.11 protocol may be a protocol that supports or is compatible with 802.11be.

[0103] The frequency bands in which multilink devices operate may include, but are not limited to, below 1 GHz, 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, 6 GHz, and the high frequency of 60 GHz.

[0104] 2. Multilink establishment operation

[0105] figure 2 As shown in the figure, the STA MLD performs a multilink establishment operation to establish multiple links to the AP MLD, such as link 1, link 2, and link 3. The multilink establishment operation may also be called a multilink association operation. Specifically, the STA MLD can be associated with multiple links to the AP MLD by using the multilink establishment operation. For example, see Figure 2 As shown in the figure, STA1 of the STA MLD is associated using link1, STA2 is associated using link2, and STA3 is associated using link3. The multilink establishment operation can also be called the multilink device association operation. Specifically, the STA MLD may associate each STA in the STA MLD with the AP in the AP MLD by using the multilink establishment operation. For example, Figure 2 As shown, STA1 is associated with AP1, STA2 is associated with AP2, and STA3 is associated with AP3.

[0106] In the multilink establishment operation, STA MLD , Lung smell te Ma Ruchilink Association Requests Mu Yo Bi Ma The Rutillink Association response frame exchange This establishes multiple links to the AP MLD. One of these links is called a transmitted link, and the other is called a non-transmitted link.

[0107] Using the communication system shown in Figure 2 as an example, the multilink establishment operation may include the following steps.

[0108] The STA MLD sends a multi-link association request frame to the AP MLD on link1. The multi-link association request frame carries not only the station-side information for link1, but also the station-side information for links2 and3. The station-side information includes the station identifier corresponding to the link, and similar information. Link1 is a transmitted link, while links2 and 3 are non-transmitted links.

[0109] The AP MLD returns a multi-link association response frame to the STA MLD. The multi-link association response frame carries not only the station-side information for link 1, but also the access point-side information for link 1, the station-side and access point-side information for link 2, and the station-side and access point-side information for link 3. In this way, a multi-link connection is established between the STA MLD and the AP MLD.

[0110] The multilink association request frame in this application is an association request frame that carries multilink elements. Optionally, the multilink association request frame may also be called a multilink establishment request frame, an association request frame, or an establishment request frame. The multilink association response frame in this application is an association response frame that carries multilink elements. Optionally, the multilink association response frame may also be called a multilink establishment response frame, an association response frame, or an establishment response frame. The multilink association response frame will be described below with reference to Figure 3.

[0111] 3. Multi-link association response frame

[0112] The station-side information and access point-side information carried in a multi-link association response frame can be placed in a multi-link element. Both the multi-link association request frame and the multi-link association response frame carry the multi-link element. As shown in Figure 3, the information carried in the multi-link element within the multi-link association response frame, and carried in the multi-link association response frame, can be divided into two parts. One part is multi-link device information (MLD-level info), and the other part is link profile information for each link (per link profile info). The link profile information for each non-transmission link may be abbreviated as non-transmission link profile information. Of course, the multi-link element may further contain other fields or other information.

[0113] The link configuration information in a multilink association request frame differs from the link configuration information in a multilink association response frame. For example, both the link configuration information in the multilink association request frame and the link configuration information in the multilink association response frame carry the link identifier, radio-related information, and similar information. However, the link configuration information in the multilink association response frame does not necessarily carry station-side related information. Specifically, this is not limited to the embodiments of this application.

[0114] MLD-level info provides information related to multilink devices, such as the service access point of an STA MLD. mediumAccess control address (SAP MAC address), and AP MLD service access point medium It carries the access control address. Per link profile info begins with a fixed element, namely the link-index element. The link-index element carries the link identifier (link ID) of the corresponding link so that the link profile info can identify the link that is its associated information. The link-index element further carries the STA-side (or AP-side) element of the link, which is denoted as the x element in Figure 3. The x element is an element that has different content from the STA-side (or AP-side) element of the transmitted link. The STA MLD can obtain information such as the link ID of each link in the AP MLD by receiving probe response frames or beacon frames.

[0115] In addition to carrying multilink elements, the multi-link association response frame may also carry other fields. As shown in Table 1, based on the sequence number, these other fields include capability information fields, status code fields, association identifier (AID) fields, supported rates and basic service set (BSS) fields, and similar fields. Association response frames are transmitted by access points in the association process between single-link devices, while multilink association response frames are transmitted by access point multilink devices in the association process between multilink devices.

[0116] [Table 1]

[0117] The status code field is used to indicate whether the multilink establishment operation was successful, whether the multilink device association operation was successful, or whether each STA in the STA MLD was associated with each AP in the AP MLD. . table 2 teeth Status code represent .

[0118] [Table 2]

[0119] 4. Wireless multilink devices

[0120] The multilink device may be a single-antenna (or single radio module or single radio) multilink device, or a multi-antenna (or multi-radio module or multi-radio) multilink device. The number of antennas included in the multilink device is not limited to the embodiments of this application. In other words, the multilink device may include one or more radios, each radio capable of supporting one or more of the aforementioned described frequency bands. It should be noted that the radios in this solution include not only radio modules but also baseband processing modules. Optionally, in this application, the radios of the STA MLD may also be referred to as the stations of the STA MLD.

[0121] When a single radio in an STA MLD can support multiple frequency bands, the radio can switch between AP MLD links, each corresponding to a different frequency. For example, as shown in Figure 2, a single radio in an STA MLD can support two frequency bands, namely 5GHz and 6GHz. Therefore, the radio can switch between link2 and link3. In other words, STA2 corresponding to link2 and STA3 corresponding to link3 can share a single radio. That is, this radio can be used to virtualize two STAs. In other words, link2 and link3 may share a single radio, or STA2 and STA3 may share a single radio.

[0122] STA MLD can establish two links by using a radio, but since the two links share one radio on STA MLD, at the same time, only one of the two links can be enabled and the other disabled. Optionally, STA MLD has established link2 and link3 by using a radio, so STA MLD can quickly switch from link2 to link3, thereby changing link2 from enabled to disabled and link3 from disabled to enabled.

[0123] It should be noted that all links discussed in this application are links that are required to be established by using a multi-link association request frame. All radios in the STA MLD discussed in this application are radios whose radio-related information is carried in a multi-link association request frame. The number of APs in the AP MLD discussed in this application may be the number of independent radios in the AP MLD. In addition, all APs in the AP MLD discussed in this application are APs corresponding to link identifiers carried in a multi-link association request frame.

[0124] This application further provides multilink establishment methods 100 and 200. In both multilink establishment methods 100 and 200, radio bitmap information may be used to know which radios are permitted to be used to establish each link. Furthermore, this helps to determine that the link has failed to be established when there are no radios permitted to be used for the link, or that the link has been successfully established when there are radios permitted to be used for the link. When the same radio is permitted to be used to establish multiple links, that radio can perform fast link switching between the multiple links, thereby avoiding the challenge of relatively long delays caused by re-establishing links and improving the flexibility of multilink establishment.

[0125] This application further provides a multilink establishment method 300. The multilink establishment method 300 may indicate whether each link requested by the STA MLD to be established has been successfully established. Unlike the scheme in which only one status code field in the association response frame is used to indicate whether the STA association was successful, the multilink establishment method 300 is applicable to multilink devices. Link establishment status information may also be used to indicate whether each link requested by the STA MLD to be established has been successfully established, i.e., it is permissible for there to be links that failed to be established, thereby improving the flexibility of multilink establishment.

[0126] This application provides a multilink establishment method 400. In the multilink establishment method 400, predetermined rules are used in the reassociation process to enable STA MLD to retain some of the parameters in the previously associated configuration information, thereby reducing signaling overhead.

[0127] This application further provides a multilink establishment method 500. In the multilink establishment method 500, the STA MLD is explicitly indicated by using reassociation information to retain some of the parameters in the previously associated configuration information during the reassociation process, thereby reducing signaling overhead. Compared to the current method in which a single-link device deletes the previously associated configuration information and then reacquires the configuration information during the reassociation operation process when the single-link device needs to modify the capability information or some attributes of the single-link device, it is possible that the multilink establishment methods 400 and 500 can be said to help reduce signaling overhead.

[0128] In addition, multilink establishment methods 100 to 300 need to solve the same problem. same They possess specific technical features that give them functionality and achieve similar beneficial effects. Therefore, multilink establishment methods 100 to 300 belong to the same inventive concept and satisfy the requirement of unity.

[0129] A multilink association response frame may carry one or more of the following: reassociation information, link establishment status information, and wireless bitmap information. This is not limited to the embodiments of this application.

[0130] The following describes this application individually with reference to the attached drawings.

[0131] Embodiment 1 This application further provides a multilink establishment method 100. In the multilink establishment method 100, a radio of an STA MLD may be shown which is permitted to be used to establish each link among a plurality of links that the STA MLD requests to be established.

[0132] For example, suppose the STA MLD has two radios, namely radio1 and radio2, and the AP MLD has AP1, AP2, and AP3, and the links of the AP MLD are link1, link2, and link3 respectively. In the multilink establishment method 100, the STA MLD requests that link1, link2, and link3 be established. Tsu It may be indicated that STA MLD radios are permitted to be used to establish link1, STA MLD radios are permitted to be used to establish link2, and STA MLD radios are permitted to be used to establish link3.

[0133] Alternatively, this may be described as one or more of the following: Multilink establishment method 100 may indicate an AP in an AP MLD to which each radio of an STA MLD is permitted to associate, or a link to which each radio of an STA MLD is permitted to share among several links that an STA MLD requests to establish, or a link to which each radio of an STA MLD is permitted to be used to establish, or a radio of an STA MLD to which each AP in an AP MLD is permitted to associate.

[0134] For example, suppose an STA MLD has two radios, namely radio1 and radio2, and an AP MLD has AP1, AP2, and AP3, and the links of the AP MLD are link1, link2, and link3 respectively. The multilink establishment method 100 may indicate an AP in the AP MLD that radio1 and radio2 are permitted to be associated individually, or it may indicate a link that is permitted to share radio1 and a link that is permitted to share radio2 in link1, link2, and link3, or it may indicate a link that is permitted to be used to establish radio1 and a link that is permitted to be used to establish radio2, or it may indicate a radio that AP1 is permitted to be associated with, a radio that AP2 is permitted to be associated with, and a radio that AP3 is permitted to be associated with.

[0135] Figure 4 is a schematic flowchart of the multilink establishment method 100 according to an embodiment of this application. The multilink establishment method 100 includes, but is not limited to, the following steps:

[0136] S101: STA MLD sends a multilink association request frame.

[0137] S102: AP MLD receives a multilink association request frame.

[0138] S103: The AP MLD transmits a multilink association response frame, which contains radio bitmap information, and the radio bitmap information is used to indicate the STA MLD's radio, which is permitted to be used to establish each link in the links that the STA MLD requests to establish.

[0139] S104: STA MLD Multilink Receive an association response frame.

[0140] Furthermore, the multilink establishment method 100 may further include the STA MLD determining, based on radio bitmap information, which multiple links are permitted to use the same radio in order to perform link switching between multiple links by using radio; the STA MLD determining, based on radio bitmap information, which links do not have radios permitted to be used in order to determine that the link has failed to be established; and the STA MLD determining, based on radio bitmap information, which links have radios permitted to be used to establish the link in order to determine that the link has been successfully established.

[0141] In this embodiment of the application, it is possible to know that not only is it possible for the AP MLD to notify the STA MLD of the radio of the STA MLD, which is permitted to be used to establish each link that the STA MLD requests to be established, but also in this way. , nothing Based on the line bitmap information, STA MLD determines whether the link was successfully established. ru.In other words, the AP MLD is permitted to refuse to establish some of the links requested by the STA MLD, thereby improving the flexibility of multilink establishment. In addition, the STA MLD determines multiple links that can be established by using the same radio, based on radio bitmap information, to help radios flexibly switch between multiple links. In other words, the number of radios in the STA MLD is permitted to be less than the number of links that the STA MLD requests to establish, thereby further improving the flexibility of multilink establishment.

[0142] In some implementations, the multilink association request frame carries radio quantity information, which is used to indicate the number of radios in the STA MLD. The number of bits occupied by the radio quantity information is determined based on the number of radios in the STA MLD. For example, assuming the number of radios in the STA MLD is 2, the number of bits occupied by the radio quantity information is 1. Assuming the number of radios in the STA MLD is 4, the number of bits occupied by the radio quantity information is 2.

[0143] In another implementation, the number of STA MLD radios is determined based on radio-related information carried in the multilink association request frame. For example, the radios carried in the multilink association request frame... medium The number of access control addresses is the number of STA MLD radios.

[0144] The total number of bits occupied by the wireless bitmap information is the product of the number of wirelesss in the STA MLD and the number of APs in the AP MLD. Alternatively, the total number of bits occupied by the wireless bitmap information is the product of the number of wirelesss in the STA MLD and the number of links that the STA MLD requests to establish. It is known that the wireless quantity information carried in the multilink association request frame can help determine the number of bits in the wireless bitmap information or the length of the wireless bitmap information.

[0145] Specifically, radio bitmap information is used to indicate which STA MLD radios are permitted to be used to establish each of the multiple links that STA MLD requests to be established. Each link corresponds to an R bit in the radio bitmap information, where R is the number of radios in STA MLD. One of the R bits corresponds to one radio in STA MLD, and that bit indicates whether the corresponding radio is permitted to be used to establish the link. In addition, the R bits in the radio bitmap information corresponding to each link may be determined or predetermined based on the link identifier. The bits in the R bits corresponding to each radio may be determined or predetermined based on the order of radio-related information carried in the multilink association request frame. For example, if the number of radios R in STA MLD is equal to 2, and the order in which radio-related information appears carried in the multilink association request frame transmitted by STA MLD is such that the related information for radio2 appears first, followed by the related information for radio1, then the first bit of the 2 bits corresponds to radio2, and the second bit corresponds to radio1.

[0146] For example, suppose the STA MLD has two radios, namely radio1 and radio2, and the links that the STA MLD requests to establish are link1, link2, and link3. In this case, the radio bitmap information is 6 bits. Equipped with, R is equal to 2. The 2 bits corresponding to link1, the 2 bits corresponding to link2, and the 2 bits corresponding to link3 in the 6 bits could be such that link1 corresponds to the first 2 bits, link2 to the middle 2 bits, and link3 to the last 2 bits. The bits in each of the 2 bits, corresponding individually to the two radios, could be such that the first bit corresponds to radio1 and the second bit corresponds to radio2. If the radio bitmap information is 100101, it indicates that radio1 is the radio permitted to be used to establish link1, and both radio2 is the radio permitted to be used to establish link2 and the radio permitted to be used to establish link3. It is possible to know that link1, link2, and link3 are all successfully established and that radio2 can be used to establish link2 and link3. Therefore, radio2 is between link2 and link3. Cut It can be replaced.

[0147] In addition, wireless bitmap information can be carried not only in the multilink association response frame but also in the multilink association request frame. A multilink association request frame carrying wireless bitmap information can notify the AP MLD of the aforementioned mapping required by the STA MLD. An example in which wireless bitmap information is present in a multilink association response frame is used for the following explanation.

[0148] Radio bitmap information may be carried in the MLD-level info within a multi-link element to indicate the mapping between each radio in the STA MLD and each AP in the AP MPD, or between each radio in the STA MLD and each link that the STA MLD requests to establish. Radio bitmap information may be called the Radio's Bitmap indication for each link field. As shown in Figure 5, the radio's bitmap indication for each link field is located in the MLD-level info within the multi-link element.

[0149] Optionally, the wireless bitmap information is described from different perspectives, and the wireless bitmap information corresponds to different descriptions. For example, wireless bitmap information is used to indicate the radios in the STA MLD that each AP in the AP MLD is permitted to associate with. Alternatively, wireless bitmap information is used to indicate the APs in the AP MLD that each wireless in the STA MLD is permitted to associate with. Alternatively, wireless bitmap information is used to indicate the links that each wireless in the STA MLD is permitted to share among multiple links that the STA MLD requests to establish. Alternatively, wireless bitmap information is used to indicate the links that each wireless in the STA MLD is permitted to use to establish. In other words, wireless bitmap information may indicate the mapping between each wireless in the STA MLD and each AP in the AP MLD, or the mapping between each wireless in the STA MLD and each link that the STA MLD requests to establish.

[0150] The following explains how an alternative method for describing wireless bitmap information specifically represents the mapping when wireless bitmap information is placed in MLD-level info within a multi-link element.

[0151] The description states that the radio bitmap information is used to identify radios in the STA MLD, and that radios are permitted to be used to establish each link of the AP MLD with the AP of the link. One link corresponds to an R bit in the radio bitmap information, where R is the number of radios in the STA MLD. One bit of the R bits corresponds to one radio in the STA MLD and indicates whether the corresponding radio is permitted to be used to establish a link with the AP. In addition, the R bits in the radio bitmap information corresponding to each link may be determined or predetermined based on the link identifier. The bits in the R bits corresponding to each of the R radios may be determined or predetermined based on the order of the relevant information of the radios carried in the multilink association request frame.

[0152] For example, suppose an STA MLD has two radios, namely radio1 and radio2, and the links that the STA MLD requests to establish are link1, link2, and link3. In this case, the radio bitmap information is 6 bits, and R is equal to 2. The radio bitmap information indicates the radios that can be used to establish link1 with AP1, the radios that can be used to establish link2 with AP2, and the radios that can be used to establish link3 with AP3 in radio1 and radio2. The 2 bits corresponding to link1, the 2 bits corresponding to link2, and the 2 bits corresponding to link3 in the 6 bits could be such that link1 corresponds to the first 2 bits, link2 to the middle 2 bits, and link3 to the last 2 bits. The bits in each of the 2 bits, corresponding to the two radios individually, could be such that the first bit corresponds to radio1, the second bit corresponds to radio2, and so on. If the wireless bitmap information is 100101, it indicates that radio1 is permitted to be used to establish link1 with AP1, radio2 is not permitted to be used to establish link1 with AP1, radio1 is not permitted to be used to establish link2 with AP2, radio2 is permitted to be used to establish link2 with AP2, radio1 is not permitted to be used to establish link3 with AP3, and radio2 is permitted to be used to establish link3 with AP3. It is possible to know that link1, link2, and link3 have all been successfully established. In addition, radio2 may establish link2 with AP2 and link3 with AP3. Therefore, radio2 may switch between link2 and link3, respectively.

[0153] In another description, the radio bitmap information is used to indicate the radios in the STA MLD that each AP in the AP MLD is permitted to associate with. One AP corresponds to an R bit in the radio bitmap information, where R is the number of radios in the STA MLD. One bit of the R bits corresponds to one radio in the STA MLD and indicates whether the corresponding radio is permitted to associate with the AP. In addition, the R bits in the radio bitmap information corresponding to each AP may be determined or predetermined based on the AP's association identifier. The bits in the R bits corresponding to each of the R radios may be determined or predetermined based on the order of the radio association information carried in the multilink association request frame.

[0154] For example, suppose an STA MLD has two radios, namely radio1 and radio2, and an AP MLD has three APs, namely AP1, AP2, and AP3. In this case, the radio bitmap information is 6 bits, and R is equal to 2. The 2 bits corresponding to AP1, the 2 bits corresponding to AP2, and the 2 bits corresponding to AP3 in the 6 bits could be such that AP1 corresponds to the first 2 bits, AP2 to the middle 2 bits, and AP3 to the last 2 bits. The bits in each pair of 2 bits, corresponding individually to the two radios, could be such that the first bit corresponds to radio1, the second bit to radio2, and so on. If the radio bitmap information is 100101, it indicates that radio1 is the radio that AP1 is allowed to associate with, and both radio2 is the radio that AP2 is allowed to associate with and radio2 is the radio that AP3 is allowed to associate with. It is possible that radio2 is known to switch between AP2 and AP3.

[0155] Further description states that the radio bitmap information is used to indicate the APs in the AP MLD to which each radio in the STA MLD is permitted to associate. One radio corresponds to an S bit in the radio bitmap information, where S is the number of APs in the AP MLD. One bit of the S bit is, AP This corresponds to one AP in the MLD and indicates whether the radio is permitted to associate with the AP. In addition, the S bit in the radio bitmap information corresponding to each radio may be determined or predetermined based on the order of the radio's related information carried in the multilink association request frame. The bits in the S bit corresponding to each of the S APs may be determined or predetermined based on the AP's association identifier.

[0156] For example, suppose an STA MLD has two radios, namely radio1 and radio2, and an AP MLD has three APs, namely AP1, AP2, and AP3. In this case, the radio bitmap information is 6 bits, and S is equal to 2. The 3 bits corresponding to radio1 and the 3 bits corresponding to radio2 in the 6 bits could be such that radio1 corresponds to the first 3 bits and radio2 corresponds to the last 3 bits. The bits in each of the 3 bits corresponding to the three APs individually could be such that the first bit corresponds to AP1, the second bit corresponds to AP2, and the third bit corresponds to AP3. If the radio bitmap information is 010101, it indicates that radio1 is permitted to associate with AP2, and radio2 is permitted to associate with both AP1 and AP3. It is possible that radio2 is known to switch between AP1 and AP3.

[0157] Further description states that the radio bitmap information is used to indicate which links are permitted to share each radio of the STA MLD among the multiple links that the STA MLD requests to establish. Each radio corresponds to an S bit in the radio bitmap information, where S is the number of links in the AP MLD. One bit of the S bits corresponds to one link in the STA MLD and indicates whether the corresponding link is permitted to share a radio. In addition, the S bits in the radio bitmap information corresponding to each radio may be determined or predetermined based on the order of the relevant radio information carried in the multilink association request frame. The bits in the S bits corresponding to each of the S links may be determined or predetermined based on the link identifier.

[0158] For example, suppose an STA MLD has two radios, namely radio1 and radio2, and the links that the STA MLD requests to establish are link1, link2, and link3. In this case, the radio bitmap information is 6 bits, and S is equal to 3. The 3 bits corresponding to radio1 and the 3 bits corresponding to radio2 in the 6 bits could be such that radio1 corresponds to the first 3 bits and radio2 corresponds to the last 3 bits. The bits in each of the 3 bits corresponding to link1, link2, and link3 individually could be such that the first bit corresponds to link1, the second bit corresponds to link2, and the third bit corresponds to link3. If the radio bitmap information is 010101, it indicates that the link that radio1 is allowed to share is link2, and the links that radio2 is allowed to share are link1 and link3. It is possible that radio2 can switch between link1 and link3.

[0159] Further description states that the radio bitmap information is used to indicate which links each radio in the STA MLD is permitted to use to establish. Each radio corresponds to an S bit in the radio bitmap information, where S is the number of links in the AP MLD. One bit of the S bits corresponds to one link in the STA MLD and indicates whether the radio is permitted to use to establish the corresponding link. In addition, the S bits in the radio bitmap information corresponding to each radio may be determined or predetermined based on the order of the relevant radio information carried in the multilink association request frame. The bits in the S bits corresponding to each of the S links may be determined or predetermined based on the link identifier.

[0160] For example, suppose an STA MLD has two radios, namely radio1 and radio2, and the links that the STA MLD requests to establish are link1, link2, and link3. In this case, the radio bitmap information is 6 bits, and S is equal to 3. The 3 bits corresponding to radio1 and the 3 bits corresponding to radio2 in the 6 bits could be such that radio1 corresponds to the first 3 bits and radio2 corresponds to the last 3 bits. The bits in each of the 3 bits corresponding to link1, link2, and link3 individually could be such that the first bit corresponds to link1, the second bit corresponds to link2, and the third bit corresponds to link3. If the radio bitmap information is 010101, it indicates that the link that radio1 is permitted to use to establish is link2, and the links that radio2 is permitted to use to establish are link1 and link3. It is possible that radio2 is known to switch between link1 and link3.

[0161] In this embodiment of the application, it is possible to know that when wireless bitmap information is interpreted from different perspectives, each bit in the wireless bitmap information corresponds to a different meaning. Specifically, one of the interpretations, i.e., one of the descriptions, is determined in a predetermined or signaling manner. This is not specifically limited to this embodiment of the application. In conclusion, regardless of how the wireless bitmap information is described, the STA MLD can know information such as which wireless is permitted by the AP MLD to be used on the STA side of the link, whether the link has been successfully established, and which wireless can be switched quickly. As a result, the flexibility of multilink establishment is greatly improved.

[0162] Embodiment 2 This application further provides a multilink establishment method 200. As shown in Figure 6, the multilink establishment method 200 is similar to the multilink establishment method 100. For example, step S201 in Figure 6 is the same as step S101 in Figure 4, and S202 is the same as S102 in Figure 4. The only difference is that in the multilink establishment method 200, the multilink association response frames in S203 and S204 carry multiple radio bitmap information. One radio bitmap information corresponds to one link that the STA MLD requests to establish, and the radio bitmap information is used to indicate the radio that is permitted to be used to establish the corresponding link.

[0163] The wireless bitmap information for transmission links is located in the MLD-level info within the multi-link element. The wireless bitmap information for non-transmission links is located in the Per-link profile info within the multi-link element. In other words, the wireless bitmap information in the MLD-level info within the multi-link element is used to indicate the correspondence between transmission links and each STA MLD wireless. The wireless bitmap information in the Per-link profile info within the multi-link element is used to indicate the correspondence between the corresponding non-transmission links and each STA MLD wireless.

[0164] The radio frequency bitmap information may be referred to as the Bitmap corresponding to non-AP MLD's radios field, or the Bitmap corresponding to STA MLD's radios. For example, as shown in Figure 7, suppose link1 is a transmission link and links2 and 3 are non-transmission links. In this case, as shown in Figure 7, the bitmap corresponding to STA MLD's radios for link1 is located in the MLD-level info within the multi-link element, while the bitmap corresponding to STA MLD's radios for link2 and link3 are individually located in the Per-link profile info within the multi-link element. Using link2 as an example, as shown in Figure 7, the bitmap corresponding to STA MLD's radios for link2 is located in the link-index element of the non-transmitted link 2 profile info within the multi-link element. In addition, the link-index element may further carry an element ID, length, link ID, and enable / disable indication. "Enable / disable indication" can be translated as "enable / disable indication."

[0165] The number of bits occupied by the wireless bitmap information on a transmission link and the number of bits occupied by the wireless bitmap information on a non-transmission link are both equal to the wireless quantity of the STA MLD. The wireless quantity information carried in the multilink association request frame helps determine the number of bits in the wireless bitmap information or the length of the wireless bitmap information.

[0166] Similarly, the radio bitmap information for one link may also correspond to different representations from a different perspective. For example, the radio bitmap information for one link may be used to indicate radios that are permitted to be used to establish a link, or to indicate STA MLD radios that are permitted to be used to establish a link. The radio bitmap information for each link consists of R bits, where R is the number of STA MLD radios. One of the R bits corresponds to one STA MLD radio and indicates whether the corresponding radio is permitted to be used to establish a link. In addition, the bits in the radio bitmap information corresponding to each radio may be determined or predetermined based on the order of the relevant radio information carried in the multilink association request frame.

[0167] For example, suppose an STA MLD has two radios, namely radio1 and radio2, and the links that the STA MLD requests to establish are link1, link2, and link3. In this case, the radio bitmap information for each link is 2 bits. The bits in each 2 bits, corresponding individually to two radios, could be such that the first bit corresponds to radio1 and the second bit corresponds to radio2. If the radio bitmap information for link1 is 10, it indicates that radio1 is the radio permitted to be used to establish link1. If the radio bitmap information for link2 is 10, it indicates that radio1 is the radio permitted to be used to establish link2. If the radio bitmap information for link3 is 01, it indicates that radio2 is the radio permitted to be used to establish link3. It is possible to know that the STA MLD can switch between link1 and link2 by using radio1.

[0168] Similar to the multilink establishment method 100 described above, the multilink establishment method 200 makes it possible to know whether the link has been successfully established and information such as which links can be switched over quickly, thereby greatly improving the flexibility of multilink establishment. Specifically, the wireless bitmap of the link information When a single bit in the link is assumed to have a value of 0, it indicates that the radio corresponding to that bit cannot establish a link. Link Radio Bitmap informationWhen a single bit in the link's radio frequency bitmap information is 1, it indicates that the radio corresponding to that bit is permitted to be used to establish the link. In this case, the number of radios in the STA MLD is R. If the link's radio frequency bitmap information has R zeros, it indicates that the link cannot be successfully established using any of the STA MLD radios, i.e., it implicitly indicates that the link will not be established. If multiple bits in the link's radio frequency bitmap information are 1, it indicates that the link can be successfully established by using multiple radios in the STA MLD, where the multiple radios are the radios corresponding to the multiple bits individually.

[0169] For example, suppose an STA MLD has two radios, namely radio1 and radio2, and the radio bitmap information for one link is 2 bits. The first bit corresponds to radio1, and the second bit corresponds to radio2. If the radio bitmap information for a link is 10, it indicates that the link can be established by using radio1. If the radio bitmap information for a link is 01, it indicates that the link can be established by using radio2. If the radio bitmap information for a link is 11, it indicates that the link can be established by using both radio1 and radio2. If the radio bitmap information for a link is 00 case This indicates that it is not possible to establish a link by using either radio1 or radio2. Therefore, it implicitly indicates that the link will fail to be established.

[0170] In multilink establishment methods 100 and 200, a radio in an STA MLD that supports multiple frequency bands may request to establish multiple links to an AP MLD, and it is possible that these multiple links share the radio. Since one radio in the STA MLD can communicate with the AP MLD on only one link at any given time, after multiple links sharing the radio have been successfully established, one of the links may be set to an enable status and the others to a disable status. If the STA MLD switches from one link to another, the link is switched from an enable status to a disable status, and it is not necessary to restart the time-consuming link establishment operation. In other words, in this embodiment of the application, a radio in an STA MLD that supports multiple frequency bands may switch between multiple links of the AP MLD, and it is not necessary to restart the time-consuming link establishment operation.

[0171] In addition, multi In link establishment method 100 and multilink establishment method 200, if the same radio establishes multiple links, the multilink association response frame must carry additional information to inform the STA MLD of which links are initially in the enable status and which are in the disable status. For example, the link configuration information for each link in the multilink association response frame may carry a status indicator to indicate whether the link is in the enable status or the disable status.

[0172] In addition, if the same link is permitted to be established by multiple radios, the multilink association response frame must carry further information to inform the STA MLD which radio is permitted to be used first to establish the link. For example, the link configuration information for each link in the multilink association response frame may carry the index of the radio's MAC address to inform the STA MLD which radio will establish the link first.

[0173] In addition, in the multilink establishment method 100 and the multilink establishment method 200, the wireless bitmap information may be carried not only in the multilink association response frame of the first association between the STA MLD and the AP MLD, but also in the reassociation response frame of the reassociation between the STA MLD and the AP MLD.

[0174] Embodiment 3 This application further provides a multilink establishment method 300. The multilink establishment method 300 may indicate whether each link that STA MLD requests to be established has been successfully established. In other words, the status code field in the request response frame may indicate that STA MLD Unlike simply indicating whether the AP MLD has been successfully associated with the STA MLD, the multilink establishment method 300 may indicate whether each link that the STA MLD requests to be established has been successfully established. As shown in Figure 8, the multilink establishment method 300 may include, but is not limited to, the following steps:

[0175] S301: STA MLD sends a multilink association request frame.

[0176] S302: AP MLD receives a multilink association request frame.

[0177] S303: The AP MLD sends a multilink association response frame, which contains link establishment status information, and this link establishment status information is used to indicate the link establishment status of each link that the STA MLD requests to be established.

[0178] S304: STA MLD receives a multilink association response frame.

[0179] Optionally, the multilink association request frame and multilink association response frame in steps S301 to S304 may be the multilink association request frame and multilink association response frame in the initial association process between the STA MLD and the AP MLD, or they may be the reassociation request frame and reassociation response frame in the reassociation process between the STA MLD and the AP MLD. In other words, the reassociation response frame may also carry link establishment status information.

[0180] In the multilink establishment method 300, the link establishment status information may include, but is not limited to, the following four optional implementations to indicate the link establishment status of each link that STA MLD requests to be established.

[0181] (1) Link establishment status information includes a status code field and link configuration information for links that have been successfully established among the links that STA MLD has requested to be established.

[0182] The status code field is used to indicate whether the STA MLD has successfully associated with the AP MLD. When the status code field indicates that the STA MLD has successfully associated with the AP MLD, the link establishment status information may carry link configuration information for the successfully established links among the links that the STA MLD is requesting to establish. When the status code field indicates that the STA MLD has failed to associate with the AP MLD, the link establishment status information does not carry link configuration information for the links that the STA MLD is requesting to establish.

[0183] Whether STA MLD succeeded in forming an association with AP MLD can be interpreted in two ways.

[0184] One interpretation is that whether STA MLD succeeds in associating with AP MLD depends on whether any of the multiple links that STA MLD requests to establish are successfully established. If at least one of the multiple links that STA MLD requests to establish is successfully established, it indicates that STA MLD has succeeded in associating with AP MLD. If none of the multiple links that STA MLD requests to establish are successfully established, it indicates that STA MLD has failed to associate with AP MLD.

[0185] In the other interpretation, whether an STA MLD successfully associates with an AP MLD depends on whether the transmission link among the multiple links that the STA MLD requests to establish is successfully established. In other words, only when the transmission link among the multiple links that the STA MLD requests to establish is successfully established does it indicate that the STA MLD has successfully associated with an AP MLD. If the transmission link among the multiple links that the STA MLD requests to establish fails to be established, it indicates that the STA MLD has failed to associate with an AP MLD.

[0186] Therefore, in an alternative implementation, the status code field may be used to indicate whether the transmission link that STA MLD requests to be established has been successfully established, or to show the link establishment status of the transmission link. Correspondingly, the link establishment status information includes link configuration information for the non-transmission links that have been successfully established among the links that STA MLD requests to be established.

[0187] The method by which link establishment status information is carried in the multilink association response frame is as follows: a status code field is placed in the multilink association response frame, link configuration information for successfully established non-transmission links is placed in the per-link profile info field of the multilink element, and link configuration information for successfully established transmission links is placed in the multilink association response frame in the form of a separate field.

[0188] For example, suppose link1 is a transmission link, and links2 and 3 are non-transmission links, and AP MLD accepts the establishment requests for link1, link2, and link3, i.e., link1, link2, and link3 are all successfully established. As shown in Figure 3, in the multilink association response frame sent by AP MLD, the status code field is placed in the multilink association response frame in the form of a separate field, and the link configuration information for link2 and link3 is placed in the per link profile info field within the multilink element. In addition, the link configuration information for link1 is placed in the multilink association response frame in the form of a separate field.

[0189] Optionally, the status code field and link configuration information may be placed in a different location within the association response frame. This is not limited to this embodiment of the application.

[0190] Table 3 shows the status code table corresponding to the status code field. When the value of the status code field is 0, it indicates that the STA MLD successfully associated with the AP MLD. That is, at least one of the links that the STA MLD requested to establish was successfully established, or a transmission link among the links that the STA MLD requested to establish was successfully established. When the value of the status code field is 1, it indicates that the STA MLD failed to associate with the AP MLD. That is, none of the links that the STA MLD requested to establish were successfully established, or a transmission link among the links that the STA MLD requested to establish failed to establish. When the value of the status code field is 2, it indicates that TDLS was rejected and an alternative option was provided. That is, direct link scheduling was rejected, but an alternative scheduling option was provided. In other words, the meaning of the status codes in Table 3 is for multilink devices, and the meaning of the status codes in Table 2 is for single-link devices.

[0191] [Table 3]

[0192] One of the two aforementioned optional interpretations of the status code field by STA MLD may be determined by using a predetermined or signaling mechanism to know the link establishment status of each link that STA MLD requests to be established, based on the link establishment status information. In this implementation, the association status of a multilink device is expressed using the status code field, and whether the link has been successfully established is indicated based on whether the link configuration information of the link is carried. In this implementation, it is possible to indicate the link status of each link, and the association response frame does not need to be modified, which is known to help improve protocol compatibility between new and old devices.

[0193] (2) Link establishment status information includes a status code field and link configuration information for links that have been successfully established among the links that STA MLD has requested to be established.

[0194] The link establishment status information in this implementation is the same as the first implementation described above. The difference is that the status code field is used to indicate that all or some of the multiple links that STA MLD requests to be established have been successfully established. Optionally, the status code field indicates that all links that STA MLD requests to be established have been successfully established. The link establishment status information may include link configuration information for all links that STA MLD requests to be established.

[0195] In addition, the status code table corresponding to the status code field contains further status codes. The status codes indicate that some of the multiple links that STA MLD requests to be established have been successfully established.

[0196] For example, as shown in Table 4 below, a status code of 0 indicates that all of the multiple links that STA MLD requested to be established have been successfully established. A status code of 200 indicates that some of the links that STA MLD requested to be established have been successfully established. That is, in Table 4, a new status code is added by extending Table 2 to indicate that some of the links have been successfully established. Optionally, the newly added status code may be represented by using the reserved values ​​of the status codes in Table 2.

[0197] [Table 4]

[0198] Optionally, a new status code table may be predetermined. The new status code table may include only status codes indicating that all links requested by STA MLD to be established have been successfully established, status codes indicating that some of the links requested by STA MLD to be established have been successfully established, and status codes indicating that all links requested by STA MLD to be established have failed to be established.

[0199] In addition, the method by which link establishment status information is conveyed in the multilink association response frame in this implementation is the same as in the previous implementation, as shown in the multilink association response frame in Figure 3. Therefore, in this implementation, improvements to the multilink association response frame are avoided in addition to the link establishment status that can indicate the establishment of each link, thereby improving the compatibility of this implementation across different devices.

[0200] (3) Link establishment status information includes multiple status code fields.

[0201] One status code field corresponds to one link that STA MLD requests to establish, and that status code field is used to indicate the link establishment status of the corresponding link.

[0202] In other words, the number in the status code field within the link establishment status information is the status code field Use The number of links that STA MLD requests to be established is equal to the number of links used to indicate the link establishment status of each link.

[0203] The manner in which multiple status code fields are carried in a multilink association response frame may include, but is not limited to, the following two implementations, each described individually below.

[0204] (a) The status code field for each link is carried in the multilink association response frame in the manner of the status code field shown in Figure 3.

[0205] As shown in Figure 9, STA MLD requires the establishment of three links, which are assumed to be link1, link2, and link3, respectively. The status code field of each of these three links may be placed in the multilink association response frame in the manner shown in Figure 9. The order or position of the status code fields of each link in the multilink association response frame is not limited. For example, the order of the status code fields of each link in the multilink association response frame is consistent with the order of the link configuration information of the links in the multilink association response frame.

[0206] (b) The position of the status code field for each link in the multilink association response frame is related to whether the link is a transmission link or a non-transmission link.

[0207] The status code field for a transmission link is the status code field in the multilink association response frame, i.e., the status code field in the multilink association response frame shown in Figure 3. The status code field for a non-transmission link is located in the multilink element within the multilink association response frame.

[0208] In one implementation, the status code field for each transmission link may be placed in the MLD-level info within the multi-link element. For example, suppose STA MLD requests the establishment of three links, which are link1, link2, and link3 respectively. link1 is the transmission link, and link2 and link3 are non-transmission links. As shown in Figure 10, the status code field for link1 is carried directly in the multi-link association response frame in the form of a separate field, while the status code fields for link2 and link3 are placed in the MLD-level info of the multi-link element.

[0209] In another implementation, the status code field for each non-transmission link is in the per-link profile info field within the multi-link element. Do They can be arranged in this way. For example, suppose STA MLD requests the establishment of three links, which are respectively link1, link2, and link3. link1 is the transmission link, and link2 and link3 are non-transmission links. As shown in Figure 11, the status code field of link1 is carried directly in the multi-link association response frame in the form of a separate field, while the status code fields of link2 and link3 are individually placed in the respective link configuration information within the multi-link element.

[0210] In one implementation, the status code field for each link contains two optional status codes, for example, a first status code and a second status code. The first status code indicates that the link corresponding to the status code field was successfully established, and the second status code indicates that the link corresponding to the status code field failed to be established.

[0211] In another implementation, in addition to a status code indicating whether the link was successfully established, the optional status code in the status code field for each link may further include one or more types of status codes indicating that the link failed to be established and the reason for the failure.

[0212] In yet another implementation, the optional status code in the status code field of each link is not limited to, but includes the status codes shown in Table 2. In addition, the STA in Table 2 MLD and AP MLD The status code indicating the association status between the links must be further modified to a status code indicating the link establishment status of the link. For example, if the value of the status code field associated with link1 is 0, it indicates that link1 was successfully established. If the value of the status code field associated with link1 is 2, it indicates that link1, which was requested to be established, was rejected, and the reason for the rejection is not specified. If the value of the status code field associated with link1 is 3, it indicates that link1, which was requested to be established, was rejected by TDLS, and an alternative option is provided. In other words, direct link scheduling is rejected, but an alternative scheduling option is provided.

[0213] Optionally, one or more of the optional status codes in the link's status code field, as described in the aforementioned implementation, may be used based on signaling overhead.

[0214] (4) Link establishment status information includes a status code field and a link establishment status bitmap.

[0215] For a relevant explanation of the status code field, see the first and second implementations of the link establishment status information. Specifically, as described in the first implementation, the status code field is used to indicate whether the STA MLD has successfully associated with the AP MLD. For details, see the description in the first implementation. Alternatively, as described in the second implementation, the status code field is used to indicate whether all or some of the multiple links that are requested to be established have been successfully established. For details, see the description in the second implementation. The link establishment status bitmap is described in detail below.

[0216] In one implementation, the link establishment status bitmap is used to indicate whether each link that STA MLD requests to be established has been successfully established. The number of bits in the link establishment status bitmap is equal to the total number of links that STA MLD requests to be established.

[0217] For example, if the total number of links that STA MLD requests to establish is equal to N, then the link establishment status bitmap is N bits. Equipped with Each bit corresponds to one link. If the value of the bit corresponding to a link is equal to 1, it indicates that the link was successfully established. If the value of the bit corresponding to a link is equal to 0, it indicates that the link was not established.

[0218] Optionally, the status code field is a separate field in the multilink association response frame, and the link establishment status bitmap is placed in the multilink device information within the multilink element in the association response frame, as shown in Figure 12. The correspondence between each bit in the link establishment status bitmap and the link may be determined sequentially based on the value of the link identifier.

[0219] For example, suppose STA MLD requests to establish three links, which are link1, link2, and link3. The link establishment status bitmap is 3 bits long, and the link identifiers, sorted in ascending order, are the link identifier for link1, the link identifier for link2, and the link identifier for link3. In other words, the first bit in the link establishment status bitmap corresponds to link1, the second bit to link2, and the third bit to link3. As shown in Figure 12, assume that the value of the status code field indicates that STA MLD successfully associated with AP MLD, and the link establishment status bitmap is 101, which indicates that link1 and link3 were successfully established, and link2 failed to be established.

[0220] In another implementation, the number of bits in the link establishment status bitmap may be equal to N-1, if the status code field indicates that the STA MLD has successfully associated with the AP MLD, or that some of the multiple links that the STA MLD requests to be established have been successfully established, only when the transmission link has been successfully established. In other words, the link establishment status bitmap is used to indicate whether each non-transmission link among the links that the STA MLD requests to be established has been successfully established. For example, the status code field shown in Figure 14 indicates that the STA MLD has successfully associated with the AP MLD, and it is assumed that link1 is the transmission link. If the link establishment status bitmap can be 01, the link establishment status bitmap is non-transmission sending l ink2 link establishment status and non-transmission sending l The link establishment status of ink3 is shown individually, meaning that link2 failed to establish, while link3 was successfully established.

[0221] This implementation uses an example where the link establishment status includes two link statuses: that the link was successfully established and that the link failed to be established. Optionally, the link establishment status bitmap is further used to indicate another link status for each link that STA MLD requests to be established. In other words, the number of bits corresponding to each link in the link establishment status bitmap may be determined based on the type of link status for each link that needs to be indicated.

[0222] Furthermore, the difference between the aforementioned implementations of link establishment status information lies in the structure or content of the link establishment status information, while the problems to be solved and the beneficial effects to be achieved are the same. Therefore, the aforementioned implementations of this embodiment of this application belong to the same inventive concept.

[0223] In this embodiment of the application, it is possible to use the lowest possible signaling overhead to indicate whether each link that the STA MLD requires to be established has been successfully established, i.e., it is permissible for some of the links required to be established between the STA MLD and the AP MLD to fail to be established, thereby greatly improving the flexibility of multilink establishment.

[0224] Embodiment 4 Figure 13 is a schematic flowchart of the multilink establishment method 400 according to an embodiment of this application. As shown in Figure 13, the multilink establishment method 400 includes, but is not limited to, the following steps:

[0225] S401: STA MLD sends a reassociation request frame.

[0226] S402: AP MLD receives a reassociation request frame.

[0227] S403: AP MLD sends a reassociation response frame.

[0228] AP MLD can determine the reassociation response frame based on the reassociation request frame. For example, the access point information that needs to be carried in the reassociation response frame is determined based on the station information carried in the reassociation request frame.

[0229] S404: The STA MLD receives a reassociation response frame and, according to predetermined rules, retains the first configuration information and deletes the second configuration information.

[0230] The reassociation request frame is used by the STA MLD to restart the association operation to the associated AP MLD, to help the STA MLD restart the association operation when it needs to change capability information or associated feature parameters. The reassociation response frame is used to respond to the reassociation request frame. The reassociation request frame and reassociation response frame may also carry multilink elements.

[0231] Both the first and second configuration information are configuration information that is stored after the STA MLD is associated with the AP MLD. The first configuration information is the configuration information that needs to be retained during the reassociation operation, and the second configuration information is the configuration information that needs to be deleted during the reassociation operation.

[0232] For example, the first configuration information may include, but is not limited to, a block acknowledgment protocol, sequence number, packet number, duplicate detection cache, fragmentation and reassembly buffers, and buffered media access control service data units (MSDUs). The second configuration information may include, but is not limited to, enhanced distributed channel access (EDCA) function status, data to be transmitted in the queue, power management mode, wireless network management sleep mode, and similar. The buffered MSDU may also be called the queue's MSDU.

[0233] In one implementation, a predetermined rule is used to indicate the configuration information that needs to be retained in the STA MLD during a reassociation operation; that is, the predetermined rule indicates the content of the first configuration information. The second configuration information is other MLD-related information in the STA MLD other than the first configuration information, and may be deleted by default. In another implementation, a predetermined rule is used to indicate the configuration information that needs to be deleted in the STA MLD during a reassociation operation; that is, the predetermined rule indicates the content of the second configuration information. The first configuration information is other MLD-related information in the STA MLD other than the second configuration information, and may be retained by default. In yet another implementation, a predetermined rule is used to indicate the configuration information that needs to be deleted and retained in the STA MLD during a reassociation operation; that is, the predetermined rule indicates the content of the first configuration information and the content of the second configuration information. The operation of optionally deleting or retaining other MLD-related information in the STA MLD other than the first and second configuration information is not limited to this embodiment of this application.

[0234] In a multilink establishment method, when multiple links are re-established between an STA MLD and an AP MLD by using re-association request frames and re-association response frames, predetermined rules may be further used to retain some of the configuration information, thereby reducing the signaling overhead caused by the re-association operation.

[0235] Optionally, the multilink establishment methods described in Embodiments 1 to 3 may also be used with reference to the reassociation-related information described in Embodiment 4 of this application. Specifically, if the STA MLD initiates a reassociation operation after the STA MLD has been associated with the AP MLD, some of the configuration information may be retained in accordance with the implementation described above in order to reduce the signaling overhead caused by the reassociation operation.

[0236] Embodiment 5 This application further provides a multilink establishment method 500. The difference between the multilink establishment method 500 and the multilink establishment method 400 is that in the multilink establishment method 500, reassociation information may be used to explicitly indicate configuration information that needs to be retained in the reassociation operation between the STA MLD and the AP MLD. See the schematic flowchart of the multilink establishment method 500 shown in Figure 14. The multilink establishment method 500 includes, but is not limited to, the following steps:

[0237] S501: STA MLD sends a reassociation request frame.

[0238] S502: AP MLD receives a reassociation request frame.

[0239] S503: The AP MLD sends a reassociation response frame to the STA MLD, which carries reassociation information, used to indicate whether each parameter in the association configuration information is retained.

[0240] Optionally, the reassociation response frame carries reassociation information, which is used to indicate whether each parameter in the association configuration information is deleted. Optionally, the reassociation information may also be called configuration information update information, or similar. The terminology is not limited to this embodiment of the application.

[0241] Association configuration information is stored by the STA MLD after it has associated with the access point multilink device AP MLD. Optionally, the association configuration information is some or all of the configuration information stored by the STA MLD after it has associated with the AP MLD. Optionally, the parameters included in the association configuration information are predetermined or communicated by the AP MLD using signaling. For example, the association configuration information may include, but is not limited to, block acknowledgment protocols, sequence numbers, packet numbers, duplicate detection caches, fragmentation and reassembly buffers, and buffered media access control service data units (MSDUs).

[0242] For example, association configuration information may include only the configuration information that needs to be considered whether to be retained in a re-association operation, and configuration information other than association configuration information stored by STA MLD may be deleted by default.

[0243] S504: STA MLD receives a reassociation response frame.

[0244] The reassociation request frame is used by the STA MLD to restart the association operation to the associated AP MLD, to help the STA MLD restart the association operation when it needs to change capability information or associated feature parameters. The reassociation response frame is used to respond to the reassociation request frame. The reassociation request frame and reassociation response frame may also carry multilink elements.

[0245] In some implementations, the reassociation information includes one or more bits. One bit corresponds to one or more parameters in the association configuration information, and that bit is used to indicate whether the corresponding one or more parameters are retained.

[0246] For example, when the bit value is the first value, it indicates that one or more parameters corresponding to the bit are retained. When the bit value is the second value, it indicates that one or more parameters corresponding to the bit are deleted. The first value may be 1, the second value may be 0, and vice versa. Specifically, one or more parameters in the association configuration information corresponding to each bit in the reassociation information may be predetermined or known by using signaling.

[0247] The method by which reassociation information is carried in the reassociation response frame is not limited to the following, but may include: 3This includes three methods. The first transport method is in which reassociation information is transported in the reassociation response frame in the form of a reassociation element. The second transport method is in which reassociation information is transported in the form of a reassociation field in the multilink device information within the multilink element in the reassociation response frame. The third transport method is in which reassociation information is transported in the reassociation response frame in the form of an independent field. These methods are described in detail below.

[0248] (1) Reassociation information is carried in the reassociation response frame in the manner of a reassociation element.

[0249] A reassociation element may also be called a configuration information indicator element in a reassociation response frame, or similar. This is not limited to this embodiment of the application. Optionally, the structure of a reassociation element is shown in Figures 15 and 16. A reassociation element is carried in a reassociation response frame and includes an element ID, a length, and reassociation information. The number of bytes or bits occupied by the element ID, the number of bytes or bits occupied by the length, and the number of bytes or bits occupied by the reassociation information may be predetermined. The element ID is used to indicate that the element is a reassociation element. The length is used to indicate the total number of bits or bytes between the beginning of the bits occupied by the length field and the end of the bits occupied by the reassociation information.

[0250] In some cases, the reassociation information contains multiple bits. Each bit corresponds to a parameter in the association configuration information and is used to indicate whether the corresponding parameter is retained.

[0251] For example, as shown in Figure 15, it is assumed that the reassociation information is 6 bits, and that these 6 bits have a one-to-one correspondence with the block acknowledgment protocol, sequence number, packet number, duplicate detection cache, fragmentation and reassembly buffers, and buffered MSDU in the association configuration information. Assuming that the reassociation information read by the STA MLD from the reassociation response frame is 100001, the STA MLD may retain the block acknowledgment protocol and buffered MSDU in the STA MLD, and delete the sequence number, packet number, duplicate detection cache, fragmentation and reassembly buffers in the STA MLD.

[0252] In other cases, the reassociation information contains multiple bits. One bit corresponds to one or more parameters in the association configuration information, and that bit is used to indicate whether the corresponding one or more parameters are retained.

[0253] For example, as shown in Figure 16, the reassociation information is 2 bits. The first bit corresponds to the block acknowledgment protocol, sequence number, packet number, duplicate detection cache, and fragmentation and reassembly buffers in the association configuration information and is used to indicate whether the block acknowledgment protocol, sequence number, packet number, duplicate detection cache, and fragmentation and reassembly buffers are retained. The second bit corresponds to the buffered MSDU in the association configuration information and is used to indicate whether the buffered MSDU is retained. Assuming that the reassociation information read by the STA MLD from the reassociation response frame is 11, the STA MLD, in the STA MLD, blockThe system may retain an acknowledgment protocol, sequence number, packet number, duplicate detection cache, fragmentation and reassembly buffers, and buffered MSDUs.

[0254] (2) Reassociation information is carried in the form of a reassociation field in the MLD-level info within the multi-link element of the reassociation response frame.

[0255] Reassociation information may be referred to as a reassociation domain, reassociation field, or similar in the multilink element within the reassociation response frame. For example, the structure of reassociation information in a reassociation response frame is shown in Figures 17 and 18. Reassociation information is carried in the multilink device information (MLD-level info) within the reassociation response frame. Fortune telling The number of bytes or bits to be held may be predetermined or communicated using signaling. For example, for the reassociation information shown in Figure 17 or Figure 18, it is assumed that the number of bits occupied by the reassociation information is 6 bits as shown in Figure 17, or 2 bits as shown in Figure 18.

[0256] In some implementations, reassociation information may be carried only in the reassociation response frame. In other implementations, in addition to being carried in the reassociation response frame, reassociation information may also be carried in the reassociation request frame. Reassociation information carried in the reassociation request frame may also have the characteristics described in the aforementioned implementations. The difference between the reassociation information carried in the reassociation request frame and the reassociation information carried in the reassociation response frame is that the reassociation information carried in the reassociation request frame is used to indicate whether each parameter in the association configuration information in the reassociation operation between STA MLD and AP MLD is retained, as requested by STA MLD, while the reassociation information carried in the reassociation response frame is used to indicate that each parameter in the association configuration information in the reassociation operation between STA MLD and AP MLD is retained, as requested by AP MLD to be retained by STA MLD.

[0257] In addition to optionally retaining some parameters in the association configuration information and deleting other parameters based on the re-association information, STA MLD may, by default, delete or retain configuration information other than the association configuration information within STA MLD. This is not limited to this embodiment of the application.

[0258] In the multilink establishment method 400, parameters that need to be retained during the reassociation process are explicitly indicated by using reassociation information, thereby reducing the signaling overhead caused by reassociation and improving the flexibility of notifying STA MLD of the parameters that need to be retained.

[0259] Optionally, the multilink establishment methods described in Embodiments 1 to 3 may also be used with reference to the reassociation-related information described in Embodiment 5 of this application. Specifically, if the STA MLD initiates a reassociation operation after the STA MLD has been associated with the AP MLD, some of the configuration information may be retained in accordance with the implementation described above in order to reduce the signaling overhead caused by the reassociation operation.

[0260] In the embodiments provided in this application, the methods provided in the embodiments of this application are described individually from the perspective of AP MLD and STA MLD. To implement the functions in the methods provided in the embodiments of this application, AP MLD and STA MLD may each include a hardware structure and a software module to implement the aforementioned functions in the form of a hardware structure, a software module, or a combination of a hardware structure and a software module. Some of the aforementioned functions may be performed in the form of a hardware structure, a software module, or a combination of a hardware structure and a software module. The communication device in the embodiments of this application will be described below with reference to Figures 19 to 21. The communication device is an access point in an access point multilink device or a station in a station multilink device. Furthermore, the communication device may be a device in AP MLD or a device in STA MLD. In addition, the device may be a multilink device, a device in a multilink device, or a processor or chip system in a multilink device.

[0261] The communication device 100 shown in FIG. 19 may include a communication unit 101 and a processing unit 102. The processing unit 102 is configured to process data. The communication unit 101 is integrated using a receiving unit and a transmitting unit. The communication unit 101 may also be referred to as a transceiver unit. Alternatively, the communication unit 101 may be divided into a receiving unit and a transmitting unit. Specifically, when the communication device shown in FIG. 19 is configured to execute the STA MLD in the embodiment of the method described in FIG. 4 The method performed by when configured to do so, the processing unit 102 is configured to determine a multi-link association request frame, the communication unit 101 is configured to transmit the multi-link association request frame, the communication unit 101 is further configured to receive a multi-link association response frame, the multi-link association response frame carries wireless bitmap information, and the wireless bitmap information is used to indicate the wireless of the STA MLD and is permitted to be used to establish each link that the STA MLD requests to establish.

[0262] when the communication device shown in FIG. 19 is configured to execute the AP MLD in the embodiment of the method described in FIG. 4 The method performed by when configured to do so, the communication unit 101 is configured to receive a multi-link association request frame, the processing unit 102 is configured to determine a multi-link association response frame, the communication unit 101 is further configured to transmit the multi-link association response frame, the multi-link association response frame carries wireless bitmap information, and the wireless bitmap information is used to indicate the wireless of the STA MLD and is permitted to be used to establish each link that the STA MLD requests to establish.

[0263] Applicable to the STA MLD and AP MLD in the embodiment of the method described in Figure 4, the wireless bitmap information is carried in the multilink device information within the multilink element.

[0264] The communication device shown in Figure 19 is the STA MLD in the embodiment of the method described in Figure 6. The method performed by When configured to perform, The processing unit 102 is configured to determine the multilink association request frame, The communication unit 101 is configured to send a multilink association request frame. The communication unit 101 is further configured to receive multilink association response frames. A multilink association response frame carries multiple radio bitmap information, where one radio bitmap information corresponds to one link that the STA MLD requests to establish, and the radio bitmap information is used to indicate the STA MLD's radio that is permitted to be used to establish the corresponding link.

[0265] The communication device shown in Figure 19 is an AP MLD in an embodiment of the method described in Figure 6. The method performed by When configured to perform, The communication unit 101 is configured to receive multilink association request frames. The processing unit 102 is configured to determine the multilink association response frame. The communication unit 101 is further configured to transmit a multilink association response frame. A multilink association response frame carries multiple radio bitmap information, where one radio bitmap information corresponds to one link that the STA MLD requests to establish, and the radio bitmap information is used to indicate the STA MLD's radio that is permitted to be used to establish the corresponding link.

[0266] Applicable to the STA MLD and AP MLD in the embodiment of the method described in Figure 6, and as shown in the relevant part in Figure 7, the wireless bitmap information of the transmission link that the STA MLD requests to establish is carried in the multilink device information within the multilink element in the multilink association response frame, and the wireless bitmap information of the non-transmission link that the STA MLD requests to establish is carried in the link configuration information of the non-transmission link within the multilink element.

[0267] Applicable to STA MLDs and AP MLDs in embodiments of the method described in Figures 4 and 6, the multilink association request frame carries radio quantity information, which is used to indicate the radio quantity of the STA MLD.

[0268] The communication device shown in Figure 19 is the STA MLD in the embodiment of the method described in Figure 8. The method performed by When configured to perform, The communication unit 101 is configured to send a multilink association request frame. The communication unit 101 is further configured to receive multilink association response frames. The multilink association response frame carries link establishment status information, which is used to indicate the link establishment status of each link that STA MLD requests to be established.

[0269] The communication device shown in Figure 19 is an AP MLD in an embodiment of the method described in Figure 8. The method performed by When configured to perform, The communication unit 101 is configured to receive multilink association request frames. The communication unit 101 is further configured to transmit a multilink association response frame. The multilink association response frame carries link establishment status information, which is used to indicate the link establishment status of each link that STA MLD requests to be established.

[0270] The following describes one or more implementations applicable to the STA MLD and AP MLD in the embodiment of the method described in Figure 8.

[0271] In one implementation, link establishment status information includes a status code field and link configuration information for the links that were successfully established among the links that the STA MLD requested to establish. The status code field is used to indicate that the STA MLD was successfully associated with the AP MLD.

[0272] In another implementation, the link establishment status information includes a status code field and link configuration information for the links that were successfully established among the links that STA MLD requested to be established. The status code field is used to indicate that a portion of the links that STA MLD requests to establish has been successfully established.

[0273] In yet another implementation, the link establishment status information includes a status code field and link configuration information for the non-transmission links that were successfully established among the links that STA MLD requested to be established. The status code field is used to indicate that the transmission link among the links that STA MLD requested to be established has been successfully established.

[0274] In yet another implementation, the link establishment status information includes a plurality of status code fields, where one status code field corresponds to one link that the STA MLD is required to establish, and the status code field is used to indicate the link establishment status of the corresponding link.

[0275] In yet another implementation, in a link that the STA MLD is required to establish, the status code field of the transmission link is carried in the multi-link device information in the multi-link element, and the status code field of the non-transmission link is carried in the link configuration information of the non-transmission link in the multi-link element, transport or, in a link that the STA MLD is required to establish, the status code fields of all links are carried in the multi-link device information in the multi-link element.

[0276] In yet another implementation, the link establishment status information includes a status code field and link establishment status bitmap information, where the status code field is used to indicate that the STA MLD has successfully associated with the AP MLD, and the link establishment status bitmap information is used to indicate whether each link that the STA MLD is required to establish has been successfully established.

[0277] In yet another implementation, the link establishment status information includes a status code field and link establishment status bitmap information, where the status code field is used to indicate that a part of the link that the STA MLD is required to establish has been successfully established, and the link establishment status bitmap information is used to indicate whether each link that the STA MLD is required to establish has been successfully established.

[0278] In yet another implementation, the link establishment status information includes a status code field and link establishment status bitmap information. The status code field is used to indicate that the transmission link in the link that STA MLD requested to be established has been successfully established. The link establishment status bitmap information is used to indicate whether each non-transmission link that STA MLD requests to be established has been successfully established.

[0279] In yet another implementation, link establishment status bitmap information is carried within the multilink device information in the multilink element of the multilink association response frame.

[0280] In yet another implementation, the communication device shown in Figure 19 is the STA MLD in the embodiment of the method described in Figure 13. The method performed by When configured to perform, The communication unit 101 is further configured to transmit a reassociation request frame. The communication unit 101 is further configured to receive a reassociation response frame. The processing unit 102 is configured to retain first configuration information and delete second configuration information in accordance with predetermined rules.

[0281] In yet another implementation, the communication device shown in Figure 19 is the STA MLD in the embodiment of the method described in Figure 14. The method performed by When configured to perform, The communication unit 101 is further configured to transmit a reassociation request frame. The communication unit 101 is further configured to receive a reassociation response frame. The reassociation response frame carries reassociation information, which is used to indicate whether each parameter in the association configuration information is retained.

[0282] The communication device shown in Figure 19 is an AP MLD in an embodiment of the method described in Figure 14. The method performed by When configured to perform, The communication unit is further configured to receive a reassociation request frame. The communication unit is further configured to transmit a reassociation response frame. The reassociation response frame carries reassociation information, which is used to indicate whether each parameter in the association configuration information is retained.

[0283] The following describes one or more implementations applicable to the STA MLD and AP MLD in the embodiment of the method described in Figure 14.

[0284] In one implementation, association configuration information is defined by the following parameters: It includes one or more of the following: a block acknowledgment protocol, sequence number, packet number, duplicate detection cache, fragmentation and reassembly buffers, and a buffered media access control service data unit (MSDU).

[0285] In some implementations, the reassociation information includes one or more bits. One bit corresponds to one or more parameters in the association configuration information, and that bit is used to indicate whether the corresponding one or more parameters are retained.

[0286] In some implementations, reassociation information is carried in the multilink device information within the multilink element of the reassociation response frame.

[0287] Figure 20 is a schematic block diagram of the communication device 200. In one implementation, the communication device 200 corresponds to an AP MLD applicable to any one of the multilink establishment methods 100 to 500. Optionally, the communication device 200 may be station 101 in Figure 1 or an AP MLD in Figure 2. Optionally, the communication device 200 may be a chip, chip system, processor, or similar that implements an embodiment of the method described above. The communication device 200 may be configured to implement the method described in the embodiments of the method described above. For further details, please refer to the description of the embodiments of the method described above.

[0288] In an alternative implementation, the communication device 200 corresponds to an STA MLD applicable to any one of the multilink establishment methods 100 through 500. Alternatively, the communication device 200 is station 102 or its apparatus in Figure 1. Alternatively, the communication device 200 is an STA MLD in Figure 2. Optionally, the communication device 200 is a chip, chip system, processor, or similar that implements an embodiment of the method described above. The communication device 200 may be configured to implement the method described in the embodiments of the method described above. For further details, see the description in the embodiments of the method described above.

[0289] The communication device 200 may include one or more processors 201. The processors 201 may be general-purpose processors, dedicated processors, or similar. For example, the processor 201 may be a baseband processor or a central processing unit. The baseband processor may be configured to process communication protocols and communication data, and the central processing unit may be configured to execute a computer program by controlling the communication device (e.g., a base station, baseband chip, terminal, terminal chip, DU, or CU) to process data for the computer program.

[0290] The communication device 200 may further include a transceiver 205. The transceiver 205 may be referred to as a transceiver unit, transceiver, transceiver circuit, or similar, and is configured to implement transceiver functionality. The transceiver 205 may also include a receiver and a transmitter. The receiver may be referred to as a receiver machine, receiver circuit, or similar, and is configured to implement receiving functionality. The transmitter may be referred to as a transmitter machine, transmitter circuit, or similar, and is configured to implement transmitting functionality. Optionally, the communication device 200 may further include an antenna 206.

[0291] Optionally, the communication device 200 may include one or more memories 202, each of which may store instructions 204. Instructions 204 may be computer programs. These computer programs may be executed in the communication device 200 to enable it to perform the methods described in the embodiments of the above-described method. Optionally, the memories 202 may further store data. The communication device 200 and the memories 202 may be arranged separately or integrated.

[0292] When the communication device 200 is configured to implement the STA MLD function in any one of the multilink establishment methods 100 to 500 in the embodiment of the method described above, Processor 201 determines the multilink association request frame. It is configured to obtain.

[0293] The transceiver 205 is configured to perform steps S101 and S104 in Figure 4, steps S201 and S204 in Figure 6, steps S301 and S304 in Figure 8, steps S401 and S404 in Figure 13, or steps S501 and S504 in Figure 14.

[0294] When the communication device 200 is configured to implement the AP MLD function in any one of the multilink establishment methods 100 to 500 in the embodiment of the method described above, Processor 201 determines the multilink association response frame. It is configured to obtain.

[0295] The transceiver 205 is configured to perform steps S102 and S103 in Figure 4, steps S202 and S203 in Figure 6, steps S302 and S303 in Figure 8, steps S402 and S403 in Figure 13, or steps S502 and S503 in Figure 14.

[0296] In one implementation, the processor 201 may include a transceiver configured to implement receiving and transmitting functions. For example, the transceiver may be a transceiver circuit, interface, or interface circuit. The transceiver circuit, interface, or interface circuit configured to implement transmitting functions and the transceiver circuit, interface, or interface circuit configured to implement receiving functions may be separate or integrated. The transceiver circuit, interface, or interface circuit may be configured to read and write code or data. Alternatively, the transceiver circuit, interface, or interface circuit may be configured to transmit or forward signals.

[0297] In one implementation, the processor 201 may store instructions 203, which may be computer programs. The computer programs 203 are executed in the processor 201 to enable the communication device 200 to perform the methods described in the embodiments of the above-described method. The computer programs 203 may be fixed in the processor 201, in which case the processor 201 may be implemented in hardware.

[0298] In some implementations, the communication device 200 may include a circuit that implements the transmit, receive, or communicate functions in the embodiments of the method described above. The processors and transceivers described in this application may be implemented in integrated circuits (ICs), analog ICs, radio frequency integrated circuits (RFICs), mixed-signal ICs, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), or printed circuit boards (PCBs), electronic devices, and the like. Alternatively, the processors and transceivers may be implemented in various IC process technologies, such as complementary metal oxide semiconductors (CMOS), n-type metal oxide semiconductors ( n-type m etal oxide These can be manufactured using semiconductors (NMOS), p-type metal oxide semiconductors (positive channel metal oxide semiconductors, PMOS), bipolar junction transistors (BJT), bipolar CMOS (BiCMOS), silicon germanium (SiGe), and gallium arsenide (GaAs).

[0299] The communication device described in the above embodiments may be an AP MLD or an AP within an AP MLD. However, the scope of the communication device described in this application is not limited thereto, and the structure of the communication device may not be limited by Figure 20. The communication device may be an independent device or may be part of a relatively larger device. For example, the communication device may be: (1) Independent integrated circuit IC, chip, or chip system or subsystem, (2) A set comprising one or more ICs, optionally the set of ICs further comprising a storage component configured to store data and computer programs. (3) ASIC, for example, modem, (4) Modules that can be incorporated into another device, (5) Receivers, terminals, intelligent terminals, mobile phones, wireless devices, handheld devices, mobile units, in-vehicle devices, network devices, cloud devices, artificial intelligence devices, or similar devices, (6) Other things or similar things It is possible.

[0300] If the communication device can be a chip or a chip system, please refer to the schematic diagram of the chip structure shown in Figure 21. The chip shown in Figure 21 includes a processor 301 and an interface 302. There may be one or more processors 301 and multiple interfaces 302.

[0301] The chip is multilink in the embodiment of the method described above. Establishment Method 200 to multilink Establishment When configured to implement the functionality of AP in AP MLD in any one of Method 500, The processor 301 may determine the multilink association request frame.

[0302] Interface 302 is configured to perform steps S101 and S104 in Figure 4, steps S201 and S204 in Figure 6, steps S301 and S304 in Figure 8, steps S401 and S404 in Figure 13, or steps S501 and S504 in Figure 14.

[0303] tip However, AP MLD in any one of the multilink establishment methods 100 to 500 in the embodiment of the aforementioned method AP within When configured to implement the functionality of, The processor 301 can determine the multilink association response frame.

[0304] Interface 302 is configured to perform steps S102 and S103 in Figure 4, steps S202 and S203 in Figure 6, steps S302 and S303 in Figure 8, steps S402 and S403 in Figure 13, or steps S502 and S503 in Figure 14.

[0305] Those skilled in the art will further understand that various illustrative logical blocks and steps enumerated in the embodiments of this application may be implemented by using electronic hardware, computer software, or a combination thereof. Whether a function is implemented by using hardware or by using software depends on the specific application and design requirements of the entire system. Those skilled in the art may use various methods to implement the functions described for each specific application, but the implementation should not be considered to be beyond the scope of the embodiments of this application.

[0306] This application further provides a computer-readable storage medium. The computer-readable storage medium stores a computer program, and when the computer-readable storage medium is executed by a computer, one of the functions of any of the embodiments of the above-described method is implemented.

[0307] This application further provides a computer program product. When the computer program product is executed by a computer, one of the functions of the methods described above is implemented.

[0308] All or some of the embodiments described above may be implemented using software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When software is used for implementation, all or some of the embodiments may be implemented in the form of a computer program product. A computer program product includes one or more computer programs. When a computer program is loaded and executed on a computer, all or part of the procedures or functions according to the embodiments of this application are generated. The computer may be a general-purpose computer, a dedicated computer, a computer network, or another programmable device. The computer program may be stored on a computer-readable storage medium or transmitted from one computer-readable storage medium to another. For example, a computer program may be transmitted from one website, computer, server, or data center to another website, computer, server, or data center by a wired (e.g., coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, or digital subscriber line (DSL)) or wireless (e.g., infrared, radio, or microwave) method. The computer-readable storage medium may be any available medium accessible by a computer or a data storage device such as a server or data center that integrates one or more available media. Usable media include magnetic media (e.g., floppy disks, hard disks, or magnetic tapes), optical media (e.g., high-density digital video discs (DVDs)), and semiconductor media (e.g., solid-state drives). - state d rive It could be an SSD, or something similar.

[0309] Those skilled in the art will understand that the various reference numbers in this application, such as "first" and "second," are used merely for ease of explanation, for distinction, and not to limit the scope of the embodiments of this application or to indicate order.

[0310] In this application, “at least one” may be described as one or more, and “more” means two, three, four, or more. This is not limited to this application. In embodiments of this application, “first,” “second,” “third,” “A,” “B,” “C,” “D,” and similar terms are used to distinguish between the technical features described therein. There is no chronological or metrical order among the technical features described by “first,” “second,” “third,” “A,” “B,” “C,” and “D.”

[0311] The mappings represented in the table in this application may be configured or predetermined. The values ​​of the information in the table are merely examples, and other values ​​may be configured. This is not limited to this application. When a mapping between information and each parameter is configured, not all mappings represented in the table need to be configured. For example, in the table in this application, mappings represented in some rows may, alternatively, not be configured. In another example, appropriate transformations and adjustments, such as partitioning and combining, may be performed based on the aforementioned table. The names of the parameters represented in the title of the aforementioned table may, alternatively, be other names that can be understood by the communication device, and the values ​​or representations of the parameters may, alternatively, be other values ​​or representations that can be understood by the communication device. During the implementation of the aforementioned table, other data structures such as arrays, queues, containers, stacks, linear tables, pointers, linked lists, trees, graphs, structures, classes, piles, or hash tables may be used as alternatives.

[0312] In this application, “predetermine” may be understood as “define,” “predetermine,” “memorize,” “memorize in advance,” “negotiate in advance,” “configure in advance,” “solidify,” or “bake in advance.”

[0313] In combination with the examples described in the embodiments disclosed in this specification, those skilled in the art will recognize that the steps of the units and algorithms may be implemented by electronic hardware, or by a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether the functions are performed by hardware or by software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art may use different methods to implement the functions described for each specific application, but the implementation should not be considered to be beyond the scope of this application.

[0314] For the purpose of convenient and simple explanation, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that the detailed operating processes of the systems, apparatus, and units described may be referenced to the corresponding processes in the embodiments of the methods described above.

[0315] The foregoing description is merely a specific implementation of this application and is not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. Any modification or substitution that is readily understood by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this application falls within the scope of protection of this application. Accordingly, the scope of protection of this application is subject to the scope of protection of the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0316] 100 Communication device, communication system, multilink establishment method 101 Communication Unit, Station 102 Processing Units, Stations 200 Communication device, communication system, multilink establishment method 201 Processor 202 memory 203 Instructions, Computer Programs 204 Command 205 Transceiver 206 Antenna

Claims

1. A communication device used in the station multilink device STA MLD, A communication unit configured to send a multilink association request frame, The communication unit is further configured to receive a multilink association response frame. A communications device used to indicate the radio of the STA MLD, wherein the multilink association response frame carries radio bitmap information, and the radio bitmap information is permitted to be used to establish each link that the STA MLD requests to establish.

2. A communication device used in an access point multilink device (AP MLD), A communication unit configured to receive multilink association request frames is included. The communication unit is further configured to transmit a multilink association response frame. A communications device used to indicate the radio of the STA MLD, wherein the multilink association response frame carries radio bitmap information, and the radio bitmap information is permitted to be used to establish each link that the STA MLD requests to establish.

3. The communication device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the wireless bitmap information is carried in multilink device information within a multilink element.

4. A communication device used in the station multilink device STA MLD, A communication unit configured to send a multilink association request frame, The communication unit is further configured to receive a multilink association response frame. A communications device in which the multilink association response frame is used to indicate the radio of the STA MLD, wherein the multilink association response frame carries multiple radio bitmap information, one radio bitmap information corresponds to one link that the STA MLD requests to establish, and the radio bitmap information is permitted to be used to establish the corresponding link.

5. A communication device used in an access point multilink device (AP MLD), A communication unit configured to receive multilink association request frames is included. The communication unit is further configured to transmit a multilink association response frame. A communications device in which the multilink association response frame is used to indicate the radio of the STA MLD, wherein the multilink association response frame carries multiple radio bitmap information, one radio bitmap information corresponds to one link that the STA MLD requests to establish, and the radio bitmap information is permitted to be used to establish the corresponding link.

6. The wireless bitmap information of the transmission link that the STA MLD requests to be established is carried in the multilink device information within the multilink element of the multilink association response frame. The communication device according to claim 4 or 5, wherein wireless bitmap information of a non-transmission link that the STA MLD requires to be established is carried in the link configuration information of the non-transmission link in the multilink element.

7. The communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the multilink association request frame carries wireless quantity information, and the wireless quantity information is used to indicate the wireless quantity of the STA MLD.

8. A communication device used in the station multilink device STA MLD, A communication unit configured to send a multilink association request frame, The communication unit is further configured to receive a multilink association response frame. A communication device in which the multilink association response frame carries link establishment status information, and the link establishment status information is used to indicate the link establishment status of at least two links that the STA MLD requests to be established.

9. A communication device used in an access point multilink device (AP MLD), A communication unit configured to receive multilink association request frames is included. The communication unit is configured to transmit a multilink association response frame. A communication device in which the multilink association response frame carries link establishment status information, and the link establishment status information is used to indicate the link establishment status of at least two links that STA MLD requests to be established.

10. The communication device according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the link establishment status information comprises at least two status code fields, one of which is used to indicate the establishment status of one of the at least two links that the STA MLD requests to be established.

11. The communication device according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the at least two links that the STA MLD requires to be established comprise a transmission link and at least one non-transmission link, the transmission link being the link on which the multilink association request frame is transmitted, and the non-transmission link being a link other than the link on which the multilink association request frame is transmitted.

12. The communication device according to claim 11, wherein the multilink association response frame comprises a multilink element, and the multilink element comprises multilink device information and link configuration information for the at least one non-transmission link.

13. The communication device according to claim 12, wherein the status code field of the non-transmission link is carried in the link configuration information of the non-transmission link.

14. The communication device according to claim 12, wherein the status code field of the transmission link is carried in the multilink association response frame.

15. The communication device according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein the link configuration information includes a link identifier.

16. The communication device according to claim 15, wherein the link identifier is used to indicate the value of the link, and the link configuration information is used to indicate the associated information of the link.

17. The link establishment status information comprises a status code field and link configuration information of the link that was successfully established among the links that the STA MLD requested to be established. The communication device according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the status code field is used to indicate that the STA MLD has successfully associated with the AP MLD.

18. The link establishment status information comprises a status code field and link configuration information of the link that was successfully established among the links that the STA MLD requested to be established. The communication device according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the status code field is used to indicate that the portion of the link that the STA MLD requests to be established has been successfully established.

19. The link establishment status information comprises a status code field and link configuration information of non-transmission links that have been successfully established among the links that the STA MLD requests to be established. The communication device according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the status code field is used to indicate that the transmission link in the link that the STA MLD requests to be established has been successfully established.

20. The link establishment status information comprises multiple status code fields, where one status code field corresponds to one link that the STA MLD requests to establish. The communication device according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the status code field is used to indicate the link establishment status of the corresponding link.

21. In the link that the STA MLD requests to be established, the status code field of the transmission link is carried in the multilink device information within the multilink element, and the status code field of the non-transmission link is carried individually in the link configuration information of the non-transmission link within the multilink element, or The communication device according to claim 20, wherein in the link that the STA MLD requests to be established, the status code fields of all such links are carried in the multilink device information of the multilink element.

22. The link establishment status information comprises a status code field and link establishment status bitmap information, The status code field is used to indicate that the STA MLD has successfully associated with the AP MLD. The communication device according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the link establishment status bitmap information is used to indicate whether the at least two links that the STA MLD requests to be established have been successfully established.

23. The link establishment status information comprises a status code field and link establishment status bitmap information, The status code field is used to indicate that the portion of the link that the STA MLD requests to be established has been successfully established. The communication device according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the link establishment status bitmap information is used to indicate whether the at least two links that the STA MLD requests to be established have been successfully established.

24. The link establishment status information comprises a status code field and link establishment status bitmap information, The status code field is used to indicate that the transmission link in the link that the STA MLD requests to be established has been successfully established. The communication device according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the link establishment status bitmap information is used to indicate whether each non-transmission link that the STA MLD requests to be established has been successfully established.

25. The communication device according to any one of claims 22 to 24, wherein the link establishment status bitmap information is carried in the multilink device information within the multilink element in the multilink association response frame.

26. The communication unit is further configured to transmit a reassociation request frame, The communication unit is further configured to receive a reassociation response frame. A communication device according to any one of claims 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, or 10 to 25, wherein the reassociation response frame carries reassociation information, and the reassociation information is used to indicate whether each parameter in the association configuration information is retained.

27. The communication unit is further configured to receive a reassociation request frame, The communication unit is further configured to transmit a reassociation response frame. A communication device according to any one of claims 2, 3, 5 to 7, or 9 to 25, wherein the reassociation response frame carries reassociation information, and the reassociation information is used to indicate whether each parameter in the association configuration information is retained.

28. The aforementioned association configuration information includes the following parameters, namely: The communication device according to claim 26 or 27, comprising one or more of a block acknowledgment protocol, sequence number, packet number, duplicate detection cache, fragmentation and reassembly buffers, and a buffered medium access control service data unit (MSDU).

29. The communication device according to any one of claims 26 to 28, wherein the reassociation information comprises one or more bits, one bit corresponding to one or more parameters in the association configuration information, and the bit is used to indicate whether the corresponding one or more parameters are held.

30. The communication device according to any one of claims 26 to 29, wherein the reassociation information is carried in the multilink device information within the multilink element in the reassociation response frame.

31. A method for establishing a multilink that is applicable to the station multilink device STA MLD, The steps include sending a multilink association request frame, The process includes the step of receiving a multilink association response frame, A method used to indicate the radio of the STA MLD, wherein the multilink association response frame carries radio bitmap information, and the radio bitmap information is permitted to be used to establish each link that the STA MLD requests to establish.

32. A multilink establishment method applicable to an access point multilink device AP MLD, The steps include receiving a multilink association request frame, The process includes the step of sending a multilink association response frame, A method used to indicate the radio of the STA MLD, wherein the multilink association response frame carries radio bitmap information, and the radio bitmap information is permitted to be used to establish each link that the STA MLD requests to establish.

33. The method according to claim 31 or 32, wherein the wireless bitmap information is carried in multilink device information within a multilink element.

34. A method for establishing a multilink that is applicable to the station multilink device STA MLD, The steps include sending a multilink association request frame, The process includes the step of receiving a multilink association response frame, A method used to indicate the radio of the STA MLD, wherein the multilink association response frame carries multiple radio bitmap information, one radio bitmap information corresponds to one link that the STA MLD requests to establish, and the radio bitmap information is permitted to be used to establish the corresponding link.

35. A multilink establishment method applicable to an access point multilink device AP MLD, The steps include receiving a multilink association request frame, The process includes the step of sending a multilink association response frame, A method used to indicate the radio of the STA MLD, wherein the multilink association response frame carries multiple radio bitmap information, one radio bitmap information corresponds to one link that the STA MLD requests to establish, and the radio bitmap information is permitted to be used to establish the corresponding link.

36. The wireless bitmap information of the transmission link that the STA MLD requests to be established is carried in the multilink device information within the multilink element of the multilink association response frame. The method according to claim 34 or 35, wherein wireless bitmap information of a non-transmission link that the STA MLD requires to be established is carried in the link configuration information of the non-transmission link in the multilink element.

37. The method according to any one of claims 31 to 36, wherein the multilink association request frame carries wireless quantity information, and the wireless quantity information is used to indicate the wireless quantity of the STA MLD.

38. A method for establishing a multilink that is applicable to the station multilink device STA MLD, The steps include sending a multilink association request frame, The process includes the step of receiving a multilink association response frame, A method wherein the multilink association response frame carries link establishment status information, and the link establishment status information is used to indicate the link establishment status of at least two links that the STA MLD requests to be established.

39. A multilink establishment method applicable to an access point multilink device AP MLD, The steps include receiving a multilink association request frame, The process includes the step of sending a multilink association response frame, A method wherein the multilink association response frame carries link establishment status information, and the link establishment status information is used to indicate the link establishment status of at least two links that STA MLD requests to be established.

40. The method according to claim 38 or 39, wherein the link establishment status information comprises at least two status code fields, one of which is used to indicate the establishment status of one of the at least two links that the STA MLD requests to be established.

41. The method according to any one of claims 38 to 40, wherein the at least two links that the STA MLD requires to be established comprise a transmission link and at least one non-transmission link, the transmission link being the link on which the multilink association request frame is transmitted, and the non-transmission link being a link other than the link on which the multilink association request frame is transmitted.

42. The method according to claim 41, wherein the multilink association response frame comprises a multilink element, and the multilink element comprises multilink device information and link configuration information for the at least one non-transmission link.

43. The method according to claim 42, wherein the status code field of the non-transmission link is carried in the link configuration information of the non-transmission link.

44. The method according to claim 42, wherein the status code field of the transmission link is carried in the multilink association response frame.

45. The method according to any one of claims 42 to 44, wherein the link configuration information includes a link identifier.

46. The method according to claim 45, wherein the link identifier is used to indicate the value of the link, and the link configuration information is used to indicate the associated information of the link.

47. The link establishment status information comprises a status code field and link configuration information of the link that was successfully established among the links that the STA MLD requested to be established. The method according to claim 38 or 39, wherein the status code field is used to indicate that the STA MLD has successfully associated with the AP MLD.

48. The link establishment status information comprises a status code field and link configuration information of the link that was successfully established among the links that the STA MLD requested to be established. The method according to claim 38 or 39, wherein the status code field is used to indicate that the portion of the link that the STA MLD requests to be established has been successfully established.

49. The link establishment status information comprises a status code field and link configuration information of non-transmission links that have been successfully established among the links that the STA MLD requests to be established. The method according to claim 38 or 39, wherein the status code field is used to indicate that the transmission link in the link that the STA MLD requests to be established has been successfully established.

50. The link establishment status information comprises multiple status code fields, where one status code field corresponds to one link that the STA MLD requests to establish. The method according to claim 38 or 39, wherein the status code field is used to indicate the link establishment status of the corresponding link.

51. In the link that the STA MLD requests to be established, the status code field of the transmission link is carried in the multilink device information within the multilink element, and the status code field of the non-transmission link is carried individually in the link configuration information of the non-transmission link within the multilink element, or The method according to claim 50, wherein in the link that the STA MLD requests to be established, the status code fields of all such links are carried in the multilink device information in the multilink element.

52. The link establishment status information comprises a status code field and link establishment status bitmap information, The status code field is used to indicate that the STA MLD has successfully associated with the AP MLD. The method according to claim 38 or 39, wherein the link establishment status bitmap information is used to indicate whether the at least two links that the STA MLD requests to be established have been successfully established.

53. The link establishment status information comprises a status code field and link establishment status bitmap information, The status code field is used to indicate that the portion of the link that the STA MLD requests to be established has been successfully established. The method according to claim 38 or 39, wherein the link establishment status bitmap information is used to indicate whether the at least two links that the STA MLD requests to be established have been successfully established.

54. The link establishment status information comprises a status code field and link establishment status bitmap information, The status code field is used to indicate that the transmission link in the link that the STA MLD requests to be established has been successfully established. The method according to claim 38 or 39, wherein the link establishment status bitmap information is used to indicate whether each non-transmission link that the STA MLD requests to be established has been successfully established.

55. The method according to any one of claims 52 to 54, wherein the link establishment status bitmap information is carried in the multilink device information within the multilink element in the multilink association response frame.

56. The method described above is The steps include sending a reassociation request frame, The process further comprises the step of receiving a reassociation response frame, The method according to any one of claims 31, 33, 34, 36, 37, 38, or 40 to 55, wherein the reassociation response frame carries reassociation information, and the reassociation information is used to indicate whether parameters in the association configuration information are retained.

57. The method described above is The steps include receiving a reassociation request frame, The process further comprises the step of sending a reassociation response frame, The method according to any one of claims 32, 33, 35 to 37, or 39 to 55, wherein the reassociation response frame carries reassociation information, and the reassociation information is used to indicate whether parameters in association configuration information are retained.

58. The aforementioned association configuration information includes the following parameters, namely: The method according to claim 56 or 57, comprising one or more of a block acknowledgment protocol, sequence number, packet number, duplicate detection cache, fragmentation and reassembly buffers, and a buffered media access control service data unit (MSDU).

59. The method according to any one of claims 56 to 58, wherein the reassociation information comprises one or more bits, one bit corresponding to one or more parameters in the association configuration information, and the bit is used to indicate whether the corresponding one or more parameters are held.

60. The method according to any one of claims 56 to 59, wherein the reassociation information is carried in the multilink device information in the multilink element of the reassociation response frame.

61. A communication device, A communication device comprising a processor and memory, wherein the memory is configured to store instructions or computer programs, and the processor is configured to execute the computer programs or instructions stored in the memory in order to enable the communication device to perform the method according to any one of claims 31 to 60.

62. A communication device, A communication device comprising a processor, memory, and a transceiver, wherein the transceiver is configured to receive or transmit signals, the memory is configured to store instructions or computer programs, and the processor is configured to execute the computer programs or instructions stored in the memory to enable the communication device to perform the method according to any one of claims 31 to 60.

63. A communication device, A communication device comprising an interface and a processor, wherein the interface is coupled to the processor and configured to communicate with another communication device, and the processor is configured to execute a computer program to enable the communication device to perform the method according to any one of claims 31 to 60.

64. A computer-readable storage medium that stores instructions, and when an instruction is executed, the method according to any one of claims 31 to 60 is performed.

65. A computer program product comprising computer instructions, wherein when the computer instructions are executed in a computer, the computer is enabled to perform the method described in any one of claims 31 to 60.

66. A communication device configured to perform the method described in any one of claims 31 to 60.

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