Inter-access point support media synchronization recovery

Abstract

A method, device, and system are provided for addressing interference issues in a wireless network using a multilink device. In this method, a first access point (AP) receives a first frame sent to the second AP by a station (STA) containing a request to the second AP, and based on the fact that the first AP does not receive an acknowledgment frame from the second AP to the STA in response to the first frame, the first AP sends a second frame to the second AP. The request is an AP assistance request (AAR), and the request may be for a second link. The second frame is also configured to notify the second AP of the request contained in the first frame.

Claims

1. The first access point (AP) receives a first frame, which contains a request to the second access point (AP), transmitted by the station (STA) to the second access point (AP). A method comprising the step of transmitting a second frame to the second AP based on the fact that the first AP does not receive an acknowledgment frame from the second AP to the STA in response to the first frame.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the request is an AP support request (AAR).

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the aforementioned requirement relates to a second link.

4. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the second frame is configured to notify the second AP of the request contained in the first frame.

5. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein receiving the first frame includes receiving the first frame via a first link.

6. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the transmission of the second frame comprises transmitting the second frame via a first link or a second link.

7. The method according to claim 2, wherein the AAR requests the second AP to transmit a third frame to the STA via the second link.

8. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the second frame helps the STA restore media synchronization on the second link.

9. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the second frame includes an index for the second link.

10. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the second frame includes the index of the STA.

11. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the second AP transmits a third frame to the STA via the second link in response to the second frame.

12. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the second frame includes a management frame.

13. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the second frame includes a control frame.

14. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the second frame includes a data frame.

15. The first AP receives a first frame from the second AP that notifies the first AP of a request sent by the station (STA) to the first access point (AP), A method comprising the step of transmitting a second frame to the STA based on the receipt of the first frame.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the request is an AP-supported request (AAR).

17. The method according to claim 15 or 16, wherein the reception of the first frame includes receiving the first frame via a first link or a second link.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein the first frame notifies the first AP of the AAR operating on the second link.

19. The method according to claim 16, wherein the AAR requests that the first AP transmit the second frame to the STA via the second link.

20. The method according to claim 15 or 16, wherein the first frame helps the STA restore media synchronization on the second link.

21. The method according to claim 15 or 16, wherein the first frame includes an index for the second link.

22. The method according to claim 15 or 16, wherein the first frame includes the index of the STA.

23. The method according to claim 15 or 16, wherein the first AP transmits the second frame to the STA via the second link in response to the first frame.

24. The method according to claim 15 or 16, wherein the first frame includes a management frame.

25. The method according to claim 15 or 16, wherein the first frame includes a control frame.

26. The method according to claim 15 or 16, wherein the first frame includes a data frame.

27. The steps include: the station (STA) transmitting a first frame containing a request to the first access point (AP) to the first AP; A method comprising the steps of: the STA receiving a second frame from a second AP in response to the first frame.

28. The method according to claim 27, wherein the request is an AP support request (AAR).

29. The method according to claim 27 or 28, wherein the transmission of the first frame includes transmitting the first frame over a first link.

30. The method according to claim 27 or 28, wherein receiving the second frame includes receiving the second frame via a second link.

31. The method according to claim 28, wherein the AAR requests that the first AP transmit a third frame to the STA via the second link.

32. The method according to claim 27 or 28, wherein the second frame helps the STA restore media synchronization on the second link.

33. The method according to claim 27 or 28, wherein the second frame includes the index of the STA.

34. The method according to claim 27 or 28, wherein the second frame notifies the STA to transmit a fourth frame via the second link to the first AP.

35. The method according to claim 27 or 28, wherein the second frame includes a management frame.

36. The method according to claim 27 or 28, wherein the second frame includes a control frame.

37. The first AP receives the first frame transmitted to the second access point (AP) by the station (STA), A method comprising the steps of: the first AP notifying the second AP of the first frame, based on the fact that the first AP has not received a second frame from the second AP to the STA in response to the first frame; the first AP then transmits a second frame to the second AP to notify the second AP of the first frame.

38. The method according to claim 37, wherein the reception of the first frame includes receiving the first frame via a first link.

39. The method according to claim 37 or 38, wherein the transmission of the second frame includes transmitting the second frame via a first link or a second link.

40. The method according to claim 37 or 38, wherein the second frame includes an index for the second link.

41. The method according to claim 37 or 38, wherein the second frame includes the index of the STA.

42. The method according to claim 37 or 38, wherein the second AP transmits a third frame to the STA via a second link in response to the second frame.

43. The method according to claim 37 or 38, wherein the second frame includes a management frame.

44. The method according to claim 37 or 38, wherein the second frame includes a control frame.

45. The method according to claim 37 or 38, wherein the second frame includes a data frame.

46. The method according to claim 37 or 38, wherein the first frame includes at least one request frame which includes an association request frame, a reassociation request frame, a TWT request frame, a probe request frame, an RTS frame, a block confirmation request frame, or a data frame.

47. The method according to claim 37 or 38, wherein the second frame includes a response frame that includes at least one of an association response frame, a reassociation response frame, a TWT response frame, a probe response frame, a CTS frame, or a BA frame.

48. The method according to claim 1, 15, 27, or 37, wherein the first AP and the second AP form a multi-AP group.

49. The method according to claim 1, 15, 27, or 37, wherein the first AP, the second AP, or the STA constitutes a multilink device (MLD).

50. The method according to claim 1, 15, 27, or 37, wherein the first link and the second link form a non-simultaneous transmit / receive (NSTR) link pair in the STA.

51. The method according to claim 12, 24, 35, or 43, wherein the management frame includes an action frame that includes an action field indicating a second link and the STA.

52. The method according to any one of claims 13, 25, 36, and 44, wherein the control frame includes a trigger frame that includes a user information list field indicating a second link and the STA.

53. The method according to any one of claims 14, 26, and 45, wherein the data frame includes a QoS null frame that includes a high-throughput (HT) control field indicating a second link and the STA.

54. The first AP transmits a first indicator of support by the first AP for the inter-AP supported media synchronization recovery function to the second AP, The method according to claim 1, 15, 27, or 37, further comprising the step of the first AP receiving from the second AP a second indicator of support by the second AP for the inter-AP supported media synchronization recovery function.

55. When operating as the first AP, The station (STA) receives the first frame, which contains a request to the second access point (AP), and transmits it to the second access point (AP). Based on the fact that the first AP does not receive an acknowledgment frame from the second AP to the STA in response to the first frame, the second AP sends a second frame to the second AP notifying it of the request contained in the first frame. A device configured to perform an action.

56. When functioning as the first STA, The first access point (AP) receives a first frame from the second AP that notifies the first AP of a request sent by the station (STA) to the first access point (AP), Based on the reception of the first frame, a second frame is transmitted to the STA. A device configured to perform an action.

57. When functioning as a station (STA), The STA sends a first frame containing a request to the first access point (AP) to the first AP. The STA receives a second frame from the second AP in response to the first frame. A device configured to perform an action.

58. A wireless communication network comprising at least two APs according to claim 55 and at least one STA according to claim 57.

59. A computer program that, when executed on a processor, causes the processor to perform the method according to claim 1, 15, 27, or 37.

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