Method and wireless communication terminal for transmitting and receiving data in a wireless communication system

Abstract

A method for transmitting and receiving a PPDU in a wireless communication system is disclosed. A UE receives a frame from an access point (AP) instructing one or more UEs to transmit a PPDU, and transmits the PPDU based on an AID12 subfield included in the frame. If the PPDU instructed to be transmitted by the frame is an extremely high throughput (EHT) PPDU, the value of the AID12 subfield is set to one of a plurality of values ​​excluding at least one specific value, and the at least one specific value is used to allocate resources for an uplink orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA)-based random access (UORA) of at least one UE supporting high efficiency (HE).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a wireless communication system, and more particularly, to a wireless communication method and a wireless communication terminal for efficiently signaling uplink multi-user information in a wireless communication system.

Background Art

[0002] Recently, as the popularity of mobile devices has spread, wireless LAN (Local Area Network) technology that can provide fast wireless Internet services to them has been in the spotlight. Wireless LAN technology is a technology that enables mobile devices such as smartphones, smart pads, laptop PCs, portable multimedia players, and embedded devices to be wirelessly connected to the Internet in homes, enterprises, or specific service-providing areas based on wireless communication technology at short distances.

[0003] Since IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) 802.11 supported the initial wireless LAN technology using the 2.4 GHz frequency band, various technology standards have been put into practical use or are under development. First, IEEE 802.11b uses the frequency band of 2.4 GHz and supports a communication speed of up to 11 Mbps. IEEE 802.11a, which was commercialized after IEEE 802.11b, uses the frequency band of 5 GHz instead of the 2.4 GHz band, reducing the impact on interference compared to the relatively congested 2.4 GHz band frequency, and using OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) technology to improve the communication speed up to 54 Mbps. However, IEEE 802.11a has the disadvantage of a shorter communication distance compared to IEEE 802.11b. And IEEE 802.11g uses the frequency band of 2.4 GHz, the same as IEEE 802.11b, to achieve a communication speed of up to 54 Mbps, satisfies backward compatibility, and has received considerable attention, but is also superior to IEEE 802.11a in terms of communication distance.

[0004] And, as a technical standard established to overcome the limitations regarding communication speed pointed out as vulnerabilities in Wi-Fi, there is IEEE 802.11n. IEEE 802.11n aims to increase the speed and reliability of the network and extend the operating distance of the wireless network. Specifically, IEEE 802.11n supports a high processing rate (High Throughput, HT) with a maximum data processing speed of 540 Mbps or more, and is based on the MIMO (Multiple Inputs and Multiple Outputs) technology that uses multiple antennas at both the transmitting and receiving ends to minimize transmission errors and optimize the data speed. Also, this standard uses a coding method that transmits multiple copies of redundant transcripts to increase the reliability of the data.

[0005] As the popularity of wireless LANs has been activated and the applications using them have diversified, there has been a growing need for a new wireless LAN system that supports a processing rate (Very High Throughput, VHT) higher than the data processing speed supported by IEEE 802.11n. Among them, IEEE 802.11ac supports a wide bandwidth (80 MHz to 160 MHz) at 5 GHz frequency. Although the IEEE 802.11ac standard is defined only in the 5 GHz band, the initial 11ac chipset is considered to support operation in the 2.4 GHz band for backward compatibility with conventional 2.4 GHz band products. Theoretically, according to this standard, the speed of a wireless LAN with multiple stations can be up to 1 Gbps at minimum and the maximum single-link speed can be up to 500 Mbps at minimum. This is achieved by expanding the concepts of wireless interfaces accepted in 802.11n, such as a wider wireless frequency bandwidth (up to 160 MHz), more MIMO spatial streams (up to 8), multi-user MIMO, and high-density modulation (up to 256QAM). Also, as a method of transmitting data using the 60 GHz band instead of the conventional 2.4 GHz / 5 GHz, there is IEEE 802.11ad. IEEE 802.11ad is a transmission standard that uses beamforming technology to provide a speed of up to 7 Gbps and is suitable for streaming high-bitrate videos such as large-capacity data and uncompressed HD videos. However, the 60 GHz frequency band has the disadvantage that it is difficult for obstacles to pass through and it can be used only between devices in a short-distance space.

[0006] On the other hand, as a wireless LAN standard after 802.11ac and 802.11ad, the IEEE 802.11ax (High Efficiency WLAN, HEW) standard has been developed and is in the completion stage to provide high-efficiency and high-performance wireless LAN communication technology in a high-density environment where APs and terminals are concentrated. In an 802.11ax-based wireless LAN environment, it is necessary to provide high-frequency efficiency communication indoors / outdoors in the presence of a high density of stations and APs (Access Points), and various technologies for realizing this have been developed.

[0007] In addition, in order to support new multimedia applications such as high-quality videos and real-time games, a new Wi-Fi standard for increasing the maximum transmission speed has been started to be developed. The IEEE 802.11be (Extremely High Throughput, EHT), which is the 7th generation Wi-Fi standard, aims to support a maximum transmission rate of up to 30 Gbps through a wider bandwidth, increased spatial streams, and multi-AP cooperation in the 2.4 / 5 / 6 GHz bands, and the standard development is in progress.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION

[0008] As described above, an object of the present invention is to provide an ultra-high-speed Wi-Fi service for new multimedia applications.

[0009] Another object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for determining the format of a Physical layer Protocol Data Unit (PPDU) based on a frame instructing the transmission of the PPDU.

[0010] Another object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for setting the values of length fields included in a PPDU to be different according to the format of the PPDU instructed by an AP (Access Point).

[0011] Another object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for allocating resources for transmitting a PPDU using the same trigger frame for legacy terminals and next-generation terminals.

[0012] The technical problems to be achieved in the specification are not limited to the technical problems mentioned above, and other technical problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those with ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention pertains from the following description.

MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEMS

[0013] In a wireless communication system, a terminal for transmitting a TB PPDU (Trigger Based Physical layer Protocol Data Unit), which is a response frame based on a trigger frame, includes a communication module and a processor for controlling the communication module. The processor receives a frame instructing the transmission of a PPDU from an AP (Access Point) to one or more terminals. The frame includes a common information field and a user information field for each of the one or more terminals. The user information field includes an AID12 subfield indicating the use of the user information field, and transmits the PPDU based on the AID12 subfield. If the PPDU instructed to be transmitted by the frame is an EHT (Extremely High Throughput) PPDU, the value of the AID12 subfield is set to one of a plurality of values excluding at least one specific value. The at least one specific value is used to allocate resources for an uplink orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA)-based random access (UORA) of at least one terminal supporting HE (High Efficiency).

[0014] Also, in the present invention, the plurality of values are used to identify user information fields for respective terminals supporting EHT.

[0015] Also, in the present invention, a first specific value among the at least one specific value is used for resource allocation for UORA operation of a terminal unassociated with the AP.

[0016] Also, in the present invention, the first specific value is "2045".

[0017] Also, in the present invention, the second specific value is used for resource allocation for the UORA operation of the terminals associated with the AP, but the second specific value is included in the at least one specific value if a specific condition is not satisfied, and is included in the plurality of values if the specific condition is satisfied.

[0018] Also, in the present invention, the specific condition is a case where all the terminals associated with the AP are not capable of transmitting the EHT PPDU and are not terminals capable of transmitting the HE PPDU.

[0019] Also, in the present invention, the second specific value is "0".

[0020] Also, in the present invention, the specific condition is a case where the frame is included in and transmitted in the EHT PPDU.

[0021] Also, in the present invention, the specific condition is a case where none of the terminals among the plurality of terminals associated with the AP that are not capable of transmitting the EHT PPDU but are capable of transmitting the HE PPDU support the UORA operation.

[0022] Further, the present invention includes receiving, from an AP, a frame instructing transmission of a PPDU to one or more terminals, the frame including a common information field and a user information field for each of the one or more terminals, the user information field including an AID12 subfield instructing the use of the user information field, and transmitting the PPDU based on the AID12 subfield. However, if the PPDU instructed to be transmitted by the frame is an EHT PPDU, the value of the AID12 subfield is set to one of a plurality of values excluding at least one specific value, and the at least one specific value provides a method for allocating resources for uplink orthogonal frequency division multiple access (UORA) of at least one terminal supporting HE.

Advantages of the Invention

[0023] According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is an effect that multi-link information can be efficiently signaled.

[0024] Further, according to an embodiment of the present invention, there is an effect that transmission of PPDUs of different formats can be instructed using one frame.

[0025] Further, according to an embodiment of the present invention, there is an effect that transmission of legacy PPDUs for backwards compatibility can also be instructed using one frame.

[0026] Further, according to an embodiment of the present invention, in a contention-based channel access system, the overall resource utilization rate can be increased and the performance of a wireless LAN system can be improved.

[0027] Further, according to an embodiment of the present invention, since resources can be allocated to terminals of different generations using the same frame, signaling overhead can be reduced and resources can be efficiently allocated.

[0028] The effects obtained from the present invention are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those having ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention pertains from the following description.

Brief Description of the Drawings

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Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0030] The terms used in this specification are selected as generally common terms that are currently widely used as much as possible considering the functions in the present invention. However, this may vary depending on the intentions, conventions of those skilled in the relevant technical field, or the emergence of new technologies. In addition, in certain cases, there are terms arbitrarily selected by the applicant. In such cases, the meaning is described in the corresponding invention description part. Therefore, it is clarified that the terms used in this specification should not be merely the names of the terms, but should be interpreted based on the substantial meanings the terms have and the content throughout this specification.

[0031] Throughout the specification, if a certain configuration is said to be "connected" to another configuration, this includes not only the case where they are "directly connected", but also the case where they are "electrically connected" with other components interposed therebetween. Also, if a certain component "includes" a specific component, this means that, unless otherwise stated to the contrary, it may further include other components rather than excluding other components. In addition, the limiting terms "above" or "below" based on a specific critical value may be appropriately replaced by "exceeding" or "less than" respectively according to the embodiments. Hereinafter, in the present invention, a field and a sub - field may be used in the same meaning.

[0032] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a wireless LAN system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] The wireless LAN system includes one or more Basic Service Sets (BSS), and a BSS indicates a set of devices that have successfully synchronized and can communicate with each other. Generally, BSS is classified into infrastructure BSS and Independent BSS (IBSS). FIG. 1 shows the infrastructure BSS among them.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 1, infrastructure BSSs BSS1 and BSS2 include one or more stations STA1, STA2, STA3, STA4, STA5, access points AP-1 and AP-2 that are stations providing a distribution service, and a distribution system DS that connects the plurality of access points AP-1 and AP-2.

[0035] A station (STA) is any device including a Medium Access Control (MAC) according to the provisions of the IEEE 802.11 standard and a physical layer interface for a wireless medium, and in a broad sense includes not only non-access point non-AP stations but also all access points AP. Also, in this specification, the term "terminal" is used to refer to a non-AP or an AP, or both. A station for wireless communication includes a processor and a communication unit, and further includes a user interface unit, a display unit, etc. according to an embodiment. The processor generates a frame to be transmitted via a wireless network, or processes a frame received via the wireless network, and performs various processes for controlling the station. Then, the communication unit is functionally connected to the processor and transmits and receives a frame via a wireless network for the station. In the present invention, the terminal is used as a term including a user equipment (UE).

[0036] An access point (AP) is an entity that provides a connection to a distribution system DS via a wireless medium for stations associated with it. In an infrastructure BSS, in principle, communication between non-AP stations is carried out via the AP, but direct communication is possible between non-AP stations if a direct link is set up. On the other hand, in the present invention, the AP is used as a concept including a PCP (Personal BSS Coordination Point), but in a broad sense, it includes concepts such as a centralized controller, a base station (BS), a Node B, a BTS (Base Transceiver System), or a site controller. In the present invention, the AP is also referred to as a base wireless communication terminal, and the base wireless communication terminal is used as a term that includes, in a broad sense, an AP, a base station, an eNB (eNodeB), and a transmission point TP. Moreover, the base wireless communication terminal includes various forms of wireless communication terminals that allocate communication medium resources and perform scheduling in communication with a plurality of wireless communication terminals.

[0037] A plurality of infrastructure BSSs are connected to each other via a distribution system DS. At this time, a plurality of BSSs connected via the distribution system are called an extended service set (ESS).

[0038] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an independent BSS which is a wireless LAN system according to another embodiment of the present invention. In the embodiment of FIG. 2, parts that are the same as or corresponding to the embodiment of FIG. 1 are not described repeatedly.

[0039] Since the BSS3 shown in FIG. 2 is an independent BSS that does not include an AP, all stations (STA6, STA7) are not connected to the AP. An independent BSS does not allow connection to a distribution system and forms a self - contained network. In an independent BSS, each station (STA6, STA7) is directly connected to each other.

[0040] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a station 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the station 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a processor 110, a communication unit 120, a user interface unit 140, a display unit 150, and a memory 160.

[0041] First, the communication unit 120 transmits and receives wireless signals such as wireless LAN packets, and may be incorporated into or externally attached to the station 100. According to an embodiment, the communication unit 120 can include at least one communication module using different frequency bands. For example, the communication unit 120 can include communication modules for different frequency bands such as 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, 6 GHz, and 60 GHz. According to an embodiment, the station 100 can be provided with a communication module using a frequency band of 7.125 GHz or higher and a communication module using a frequency band of 7.125 GHz or lower. Each communication module can perform wireless communication with an AP or an external station based on the wireless LAN standard of the frequency band supported by the communication module. The communication unit 120 can operate only one communication module at a time or operate a plurality of communication modules together according to the performance and requirements of the station 100. When the station 100 includes a plurality of communication modules, each communication module may be provided in an independent form, or a plurality of modules may be integrated as one chip. In the embodiment of the present invention, the communication unit 120 can represent an RF (Radio Frequency) communication module that processes RF signals.

[0042] Next, the user interface 140 includes various forms of input / output means provided in the station 100. That is, the user interface unit 140 receives the user's input using various input means, and the processor 110 controls the station 100 based on the received user input. Also, the user interface unit 140 performs an output based on the instruction of the processor 110 using various output means.

[0043] Next, the display unit 150 outputs an image on the display screen. The display unit 150 outputs various display objects such as content performed by the processor 110 or a user interface based on the control instruction of the processor 110. Also, the memory 160 stores a control program used in the station 100 and various data thereby. Such a control program includes a connection program necessary for the station 100 to connect to an AP or an external station.

[0044] The processor 110 of the present invention executes various instructions or programs and processes the data inside the station 100. Further, the processor 110 controls each unit of the station 100 described above and controls the transmission and reception of data between the units. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the processor 110 executes a program for connection with the AP stored in the memory 160 and receives a communication setting message transmitted by the AP. Further, the processor 110 reads information regarding the priority conditions of the station 100 included in the communication setting message and requests a connection regarding the AP based on the information regarding the priority conditions of the station 100. The processor 110 of the present invention may refer to the main control unit of the station 100, or may refer to a control unit for individually controlling a part of the configuration of the station 100, for example, the communication unit 120, etc. according to an embodiment. That is, the processor 110 may be a modem, or a modulator and / or demodulator that modulates and demodulates the radio signals transmitted and received from the communication unit 120. The processor 110 controls various operations of the radio signal transmission and reception of the station 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed embodiments thereof will be described later.

[0045] The station 100 shown in FIG. 3 is a block diagram according to an embodiment of the present invention, and the separately shown blocks logically distinguish the elements of the device. Therefore, the above-described elements of the device may be attached to one chip or a plurality of chips according to the design of the device. For example, the processor 110 and the communication unit 120 may be integrated and implemented on one chip, or may be implemented on separate chips. Further, in an embodiment of the present invention, some configurations of the station 100, for example, the user interface unit 140 and the display unit 150, etc. may be selectively provided in the station 100.

[0046] FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of AP200 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown, AP200 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a processor 210, a communication unit 220, and a memory 260. In FIG. 4, redundant explanations are omitted for the parts of the configuration of AP200 that are the same as or corresponding to the configuration of station 100 in FIG. 3.

[0047] Referring to FIG. 4, AP 200 according to the present invention includes a communication unit 220 for operating a BSS in at least one frequency band. As described above in the embodiment of FIG. 3, the communication unit 220 of the AP 200 can also include a plurality of communication modules using different frequency bands. That is, AP 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention can include two or more communication modules using different frequency bands, for example, any of 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, 6 GHz, and 60 GHz. Preferably, AP 200 can include a communication module using a frequency band of 7.125 GHz or higher and a communication module using a frequency band of 7.125 GHz or lower. Each communication module can perform wireless communication with a station based on the wireless LAN standard of the frequency band supported by the communication module. The communication unit 220 can operate only one communication module at a time or operate a plurality of communication modules simultaneously according to the performance and requirements of AP 200. In an embodiment of the present invention, the communication unit 220 can represent an RF (Radio Frequency) communication module that processes RF (Radio Frequency) signals.

[0048] Next, the memory 260 stores the control program used in the AP200 and various data thereby. Such a control program includes a connection program for managing the connection of the stations. Further, the processor 210 controls each unit of the AP200 and controls the transmission and reception of data between the units. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the processor 210 executes a program for connection with the stations stored in the memory 260 and transmits a communication setting message for one or more stations. At this time, the communication setting message includes information regarding the connection priority conditions of each station. Further, the processor 210 performs connection setting in response to a connection request from the station. According to one embodiment, the processor 210 is a modem or a modulation / demodulation unit that modulates and demodulates a radio signal transmitted and received from the communication unit 220. The processor 210 controls various operations of the radio signal transmission and reception of the AP200 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed embodiments thereof will be described later.

[0049] FIG. 5 is a diagram schematically showing a process in which a STA sets a link with an AP.

[0050] Referring to FIG. 5, the link between the STA100 and the AP200 is set through three major steps: scanning, authentication, and association. First, the scanning step is a step in which the STA100 acquires connection information of the BSS operated by the AP200. As a method for performing scanning, there are a passive scanning method in which information is acquired by utilizing only the beacon message S101 periodically transmitted by the AP200, and an active scanning method in which the STA100 transmits a probe request to the AP S103, receives a probe response from the AP S105, and acquires connection information.

[0051] The STA100 that has successfully received the wireless connection information in the scanning step transmits an authentication request (S107a), receives an authentication response from the AP200 (S107b), and performs an authentication step. After the authentication step is performed, the STA100 transmits an association request (S109a), receives an association response from the AP200 (S109b), and performs an association step. In this specification, "association" basically means a wireless connection, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and "association" in a broad sense includes all wireless connections and wired connections.

[0052] On the other hand, an additional 802.1X-based authentication step S111 and an IP address acquisition step S113 via DHCP are performed. In FIG. 5, the server 300 is a server that processes 802.1X-based authentication with the STA100, and may be physically connected to the AP200 or exist as a separate server.

[0053] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the CSMA (Carrier Sense Multiple Access) / CA (Collision Avoidance) method used in wireless LAN communication.

[0054] A terminal that performs wireless LAN communication checks whether the channel is in an occupied state (busy) by performing carrier sensing before transmitting data. If a wireless signal with a certain intensity or higher is detected, the corresponding channel is determined to be in an occupied state, and the terminal delays access to the corresponding channel. Such a process is called Clear Channel Assessment (CCA), and the level for determining the presence or absence of detection of the corresponding signal is called the CCA threshold. If a wireless signal equal to or higher than the CCA threshold received by the terminal has the terminal as the recipient, the terminal processes the received wireless signal. On the other hand, if no wireless signal is detected from the corresponding channel or a wireless signal with an intensity lower than the CCA threshold is detected, the channel is determined to be in an idle state.

[0055] If the channel is determined to be in an idle state, each terminal having data to transmit performs a backoff procedure after a time of IFS (Inter Frame Space) according to the situation of each terminal, for example, AIFS (Arbitration IFS), PIFS (PCF IFS), etc. According to an embodiment, the AIFS is used as a configuration to replace the conventional DIFS (DCF IFS). Each terminal waits while reducing the slot time by the random number determined for the corresponding terminal during the interval of the idle state of the channel, and the terminal that has exhausted all the slot times attempts access to the corresponding channel. In this way, the section in which each terminal performs the backoff procedure is called a contention window section.

[0056] If a specific terminal successfully accesses the channel, the corresponding terminal transmits data via the channel. However, if the terminals attempting access collide with other terminals, the colliding terminals are each assigned a new random number and further perform a backoff procedure. According to one embodiment, the new random number newly assigned to each terminal is determined within a range (2*CW) that is twice the range (contention window, CW) of the random number previously assigned to the corresponding terminal. On the other hand, each terminal attempts access by performing a further backoff procedure in the next contention window period. At this time, each terminal performs the backoff procedure from the slot time remaining in the previous contention window period. In this way, each terminal performing wireless LAN communication can avoid mutual collisions with respect to a specific channel.

[0057] Hereinafter, in the present invention, a terminal can be referred to as a non-AP STA, an AP STA, an AP, an STA, a receiving device, or a transmitting device, and the present invention is not limited thereto. Also, in the present invention, an AP STA can be referred to as an AP.

[0058] <Examples of Various PPDU Formats> FIG. 7 shows an example of various standard-generation PPDU (PLCP Protocol Data Unit) formats. More specifically, FIG. 7(a) shows an embodiment of a legacy PPDU format based on 802.11a / g, FIG. 7(b) shows an embodiment of a HE PPDU format based on 802.11ax, and FIG. 7(c) shows an embodiment of a non-legacy PPDU (i.e., EHT PPDU) format based on 802.11be. Also, FIG. 7(d) shows the detailed field configurations of L-SIG and RL-SIG commonly used in the PPDU formats.

[0059] Referring to FIG. 7(a), the preamble of the legacy PPDU includes an L-STF (Legacy Short Training field), an L-LTF (Legacy Long Training field), and an L-SIG (Legacy Signal field). In an embodiment of the present invention, the L-STF, L-LTF, and L-SIG can be referred to as a legacy preamble.

[0060] Referring to FIG. 7(b), the preamble of the HE PPDU further includes the legacy preamble, an RL-SIG (Repeated Legacy Short Training field), an HE-SIG-A (High Efficiency Signal A field), an HE-SIG-B (High Efficiency Signal B field), an HE-STF (High Efficiency Short Training field), and an HE-LTF (High Efficiency Long Training field). In an embodiment of the present invention, the RL-SIG, HE-SIG-A, HE-SIG-B, HE-STF, and HE-LTF can be referred to as an HE preamble. The specific configuration of the HE preamble may be deformed according to the HE PPDU format. For example, the HE-SIG-B may be used only in the HE MU PPDU format.

[0061] Referring to FIG. 7(c), the preamble of the EHT PPDU further includes RL-SIG (Repeated Legacy Short Training field), U-SIG (Universal Signal field), EHT-SIG-A (Extremely High Throughput Signal A field), EHT-SIG-A (Extremely High Throughput Signal B field), EHT-STF (Extremely High Throughput Short Training field), and EHT-LTF (Extremely High Throughput Long Training field) in addition to the legacy preamble. In an embodiment of the present invention, the RL-SIG, EHT-SIG-A, EHT-SIG-B, EHT-STF, and EHT-LTF can be referred to as the EHT preamble. The specific configuration of the non-legacy preamble may be deformed according to the EHT PPDU format. For example, EHT-SIG-A and EHT-SIG-B may be used only in some formats of the EHT PPDU format.

[0062] The L-SIG field included in the preamble of the PPDU applies 64 FFT OFDM and is composed of a total of 64 subcarriers. Among these, 48 subcarriers excluding the guard subcarriers, DC subcarriers, and pilot subcarriers are used for transmitting the data of L-SIG. Since BPSK and MCS (Modulation and Coding Scheme) with a rate of 1 / 2 are applied to L-SIG, it can include a total of 24 bits of information. FIG. 7(d) shows the 24-bit information configuration of L-SIG.

[0063] Referring to FIG. 7(d), the L-SIG includes an L_RATE field and an L_LENGTH field. The L_RATE field is composed of 4 bits and indicates the MCS used for data transmission. Specifically, the L_RATE field indicates one value of the transmission speeds of 6 / 9 / 12 / 18 / 24 / 36 / 48 / 54 Mbps, which is a combination of modulation methods such as BPSK / QPSK / 16-QAM / 64-QAM and coding rates such as 1 / 2, 2 / 3, 3 / 4. Combining the information of the L_RATE field and the L_LENGTH field can indicate the total length of the PPDU. In the non-legacy PPDU format, the L_RATE field is set to the minimum speed of 6 Mbps.

[0064] The unit of the L_LENGTH field is byte. A total of 12 bits are allocated and can signal up to 4095, and in combination with the L_RATE field, it can indicate the length of the corresponding PPDU. At this time, the legacy terminal and the non-legacy terminal can interpret the L_LENGTH field in different ways.

[0065] First, the method for a legacy terminal or a non-legacy terminal to interpret the length of the corresponding PPDU using the L_LENGTH field is as follows. When the value of the L_RATE field is set to indicate 6 Mbps, 3 bytes (i.e., 24 bits) may be transmitted during the 4 us of one symbol duration of 64 FFT. Therefore, adding the 3 bytes corresponding to the SVC field and the Tail field to the L_LENGTH field value and dividing this by 3 bytes, which is the transmission amount of one symbol, the number of 64 FFT reference symbols after L-SIG is obtained. After multiplying the obtained number of symbols by 4 us, which is one symbol duration, and then adding the 20 us required for transmitting L-STF, L-LTF, and L-SIG, the length of the corresponding PPDU, that is, the reception time (RXTIME) is obtained. Expressed as a mathematical formula, it is as shown in Equation 1 below.

[0066] 〔Equation 1〕

Number

Number

[0067] 〔Equation 2〕

Number

[0068] 〔Equation 3〕

Number

[0069] Referring to FIG. 7(e), the U-SIG (Universal SIG) field persists in the EHT PPDU and subsequent generations of wireless LAN PPDUs and plays a role in distinguishing which generation of PPDU it is, including 11be. U-SIG is two symbols of 64FFT-based OFDM and can transmit a total of 52 bits of information. Of these, 43 bits excluding the CRC / Tail 9 bits are roughly divided into a VI (Version Independent) field and a VD (Version Dependent) field.

[0070] The VI bit continues to maintain the current bit configuration later, and even if subsequent generations of PPDUs are defined, current 11be terminals can obtain information about the PPDU from the VI field of the PPDU. For this purpose, the VI field is composed of a PHY version, UL / DL, BSS color, TXOP, and Reserved field. The PHY version field is 3 bits and is responsible for sequentially differentiating the 11be and subsequent generations of wireless LAN standards by version. 11be has a value of 000b. The UL / DL field differentiates whether the PPDU is an uplink / downlink PPDU. The BSS color means the BSS identifier defined in 11ax and has a value of 6 bits or more. The TXOP means the transmit opportunity duration that was transmitted in the MAC header, but by adding it to the PHY header, the length of the TXOP included in the PPDU can be inferred without decoding the MPDU and has a value of 7 bits or more.

[0071] The VD field may be composed of signaling information that is only useful for PPDUs in the 11be version, fields that are commonly used in any PPDU format such as the PPDU format and BW, and fields that are defined differently for each PPDU format. The PPDU format is a discriminator that distinguishes between EHT SU (Single User), EHT MU (Multiple User), EHT TB (Trigger-based), EHT ER (Extended Range) PPDUs, etc. The BW field generally signals five basic PPDU BW options of 20, 40, 80, 160 (80 + 80), 320 (160 + 160) MHz (BW that can be expressed in the form of 20 * power of 2 can be called the basic BW), and various remaining PPDU BWs formed by preamble puncturing. Also, after being signaled at 320 MHz, some 80 MHz may be signaled in a punctured form. Also, the channel form that has been punctured and deformed may be directly signaled in the BW field, or may be signaled using both the BW field and fields that appear after the BW field (for example, fields within the EHT-SIG field). If the BW field is 3 bits, a total of 8 BW signalings are possible, so the puncturing mode can signal a maximum of 3. If the BW field is 4 bits, a total of 16 BW signalings are possible, so the puncturing mode can signal a maximum of 11.

[0072] The fields located after the BW field vary depending on the form and format of the PPDU. The MU PPDU and the SU PPDU may be signaled in the same PPDU format. Before the EHT-SIG field, a field for distinguishing between the MU PPDU and the SU PPDU may be located, and additional signaling therefor may be performed. Both the SU PPDU and the MU PPDU include the EHT-SIG field, but some fields that are unnecessary in the SU PPDU may be compressed. At this time, the information of the fields to which compression is applied may be omitted or may have a size smaller than the size of the original fields included in the MU PPDU. For example, in the case of the SU PPDU, the common fields of the EHT-SIG may be omitted or replaced, the user-specific fields may be replaced, or it may have different configurations such as being reduced to one.

[0073] Alternatively, the SU PPDU may further include a compression field indicating whether it is compressed, and some fields (e.g., the RA field, etc.) may be omitted depending on the value of the compression field.

[0074] When a part of the EHT-SIG field of the SU PPDU is compressed, the information contained in the compressed field may be signaled together with the uncompressed fields (e.g., common fields, etc.). In the case of the MU PPDU, since it is a PPDU format for simultaneous reception by multiple users, the EHT-SIG field must be transmitted obligatorily after the U-SIG field, and the amount of information to be signaled may be variable. That is, since a plurality of MU PPDUs are transmitted to a plurality of STAs, each STA must recognize the position of the RU to which the MU PPDU is transmitted, the STA to which each RU is assigned, and whether the transmitted MU PPDU is transmitted to itself. Therefore, the AP must transmit the above information in the EHT-SIG field. For this purpose, the U-SIG field signals information for efficiently transmitting the EHT-SIG field, which may be the number of symbols of the EHT-SIG field and / or the MCS which is the modulation method. The EHT-SIG field can include the size and position information of the RUs assigned to each user.

[0075] In the case of the SU PPDU, a plurality of RUs may be assigned to the STA, and the plurality of RUs may be consecutive or non-consecutive. When the RUs assigned to the STA are not consecutive, the STA can efficiently receive the SU PPDU only by recognizing the RUs with puncturing in the middle. Therefore, the AP can transmit the SU PPDU including information on the punctured RUs among the RUs assigned to the STA (e.g., the puncturing pattern of the RUs, etc.). That is, in the case of the SU PPDU, a puncturing mode field including information indicating whether the puncturing mode is applied and the puncturing pattern in a bitmap format or the like may be included in the EHT-SIG field, and the puncturing mode field can signal the form of the discontinuous channels appearing within the bandwidth.

[0076] The form of the discontinuous channel signaled is restricted and indicates the BW of the SU PPDU and the discontinuous channel information in combination with the value of the BW field. For example, in the case of an SU PPDU, which is a PPDU transmitted only to a single terminal, the STA can recognize the bandwidth assigned to itself from the BW field included in the PPDU, and can recognize the punctured resources among the assigned bandwidths from the puncturing mode field of the U-SIG field or EHT-SIG field included in the PPDU. In this case, the terminal can receive the PPDU with the resource units other than the specific channels of the punctured resource units. At this time, the plurality of RUs assigned to the STA may be composed of different frequency bands or tones from each other.

[0077] The reason why only the restricted form of the discontinuous channel form is signaled is to reduce the signaling overhead of the SU PPDU. Since puncturing may be performed for each 20 MHz subchannel, when puncturing is performed for a BW having a plurality of 20 MHz subchannels such as 80, 160, and 320 MHz, in the case of 320 MHz, the availability of each of the remaining 15 20 MHz subchannels excluding the primary channel has to be expressed to signal the form of the discontinuous channel (including the case where only the end 20 MHz is punctured as a discontinuous form). Using 15 bits to signal the discontinuous channel form of single-user transmission can result in excessive signaling overhead when considering the low transmission rate of the signaling part.

[0078] The present invention proposes a method for signaling the discontinuous channel form of the SU PPDU and shows the discontinuous channel form determined by the proposed method. Also, a method for signaling the puncturing forms of the primary 160 MHz and secondary 160 MHz in the 320 MHz BW configuration of the SU PPDU is proposed.

[0079] Also, in one embodiment of the present invention, a method is proposed to vary the configuration of the PPDU according to the preamble puncturing BW value indicated by the PPDU format signaled in the PPDU format field. Assuming that the length of the BW field is 4 bits, in the case of an EHT SU PPDU or a TB PPDU, since it is possible to further signal 1 symbol of EHT-SIG-A after U-SIG or not signal EHT-SIG-A at all, it is necessary to signal all up to 11 puncturing modes using only the BW field of U-SIG considering this. However, in the case of an EHT MU PPDU, since EHT-SIG-B is further signaled after U-SIG, up to 11 puncturing modes may be signaled in a different way from the SU PPDU. In the case of an EHT ER PPDU, the BW field can be set to 1 bit to signal whether the PPDU uses a 20 MHz or 10 MHz bandwidth.

[0080] FIG. 7(f) shows the configuration of the format-specific field of the VD field when indicated as an EHT MU PPDU in the PPDU format field of U-SIG. In the case of an MU PPDU, SIG-B, which is a signaling field for simultaneous reception by multiple users, is essential, and SIG-B may be transmitted without a separate SIG-A after U-SIG. Therefore, U-SIG must signal information for decoding SIG-B. Such fields include the SIG-B MCS, SIG-B DCM, Number of SIG-B Symbols, SIG-B Compression, Number of EHT-LTF Symbols fields, etc.

[0081] FIG. 8 shows an example of various EHT (Extremely High Throughput) PPDU (Physical Protocol Data Unit) formats according to an embodiment of the present invention and a method for indicating the same.

[0082] Referring to FIG. 8, the PPDU may be composed of a preamble and a data part, and the format of one type of EHT PPDU may be distinguished by the U-SIG field included in the preamble. Specifically, based on the PPDU format field included in the U-SIG field, whether the format of the PPDU is an EHT PPDU may be indicated.

[0083] FIG. 8(a) shows an example of the EHT SU PPDU format for a single STA. The EHT SU PPDU is a PPDU used for single-user (SU) transmission between an AP and a single STA, and an EHT-SIG-A field for additional signaling may be located after the U-SIG field.

[0084] FIG. 8(b) shows an example of the EHT trigger-based PPDU format, which is an EHT PPDU transmitted based on a trigger frame. The EHT trigger-based PPDU is an EHT PPDU transmitted based on a trigger frame and is an uplink PPDU used for response to the trigger frame. Different from the EHT SU PPDU, the EHT-SIG-A field is not located after the U-SIG field in the EHT PPDU.

[0085] FIG. 8(c) shows an example of the EHT MU PPDU format, which is an EHT PPDU for multiple users. The EHT MU PPDU is a PPDU used to transmit the PPDU to one or more STAs. The EHT MU PPDU format may have an HE-SIG-B field located after the U-SIG field.

[0086] (d) of FIG. 8 shows an example of the EHT ER SU PPDU format used for single-user transmission with STAs in an extended range. The EHT ER SU PPDU may be used for single-user transmission with a wider range of STAs than the EHT SU PPDU described in (a) of FIG. 8, and the U-SIG field may be repeatedly positioned on the time axis.

[0087] The EHT MU PPDU described in (c) of FIG. 8 can be used by the AP for downlink transmission to multiple STAs. At this time, the EHT MU PPDU can include scheduling information so that multiple STAs can receive the PPDU transmitted from the AP simultaneously. The EHT MU PPDU can convey the AID information of the recipient and / or transmitter of the PPDU transmitted through the user specific field of the EHT-SIG-B to the STA. Therefore, multiple terminals that receive the EHT MU PPDU can perform a spatial reuse operation based on the AID information of the user specific field included in the preamble of the received PPDU.

[0088] Specifically, the resource unit allocation (RA) field of the HE-SIG-B field included in the HE MU PPDU can include information regarding the configuration of resource units (e.g., the division form of resource units) in a specific bandwidth (e.g., 20 MHz, etc.) on the frequency axis. That is, the RA field can indicate the configuration of resource units divided by the bandwidth for the transmission of the HE MU PPDU for the STA to receive the PPDU. Information of the STA assigned (or designated) to each divided resource unit may be included in the user specific field of the EHT-SIG-B and transmitted to the STA. That is, the user specific field can include one or more user fields corresponding to each divided resource unit.

[0089] For example, among a plurality of divided resource units, a user field corresponding to at least one resource unit used for data transmission can include the AID of the recipient or sender, and a user field corresponding to the remaining resource units not used for data transmission can include a pre-set Null STA ID.

[0090] Two or more PPDUs shown in FIG. 8 can be indicated by a value indicating the same PPDU format. That is, two or more PPDUs can be indicated with the same PPDU format by the same value. For example, an EHT SU PPDU and an EHT MU PPDU can be indicated with the same value using a U-SIG PPDU format subfield. At this time, the EHT SU PPDU and the EHT MU PPDU may be distinguished by the number of STAs receiving the PPDU. For example, a PPDU received by only one STA may be identified as an EHT SU PPDU, and may be identified as an EHT MU PPDU when the number of STAs is set so that two or more STAs receive it. In other words, two or more PPDU formats shown in FIG. 8 can be indicated using the same subfield value.

[0091] Also, some fields or part of the information of the fields shown in FIG. 8 may be omitted, and the case where some fields or part of the information of the fields are omitted in this way can be defined as a compression mode or a compressed mode.

[0092] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a multi-link device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0093] Referring to FIG. 9, a concept of a device with one or more STAs affiliated may be defined. Further, according to an embodiment of the present invention as another example, a device with more than one (i.e., two or more) STAs affiliated may be defined. At this time, the device may be a logical concept. Therefore, a device with one or more or more than one such concept of STAs affiliated can be called a multi-link device (MLD), a multi-band device, or a multi-link logical entity (MLLE).

[0094] Alternatively, the device of the above concept can be called a multi-link entity (MLE). Also, the MLD may have one MAC SAP (medium access control service access point) up to LLC (logical link control), and the MLD may have one MAC data service.

[0095] The STAs included in the MLD are capable of operating on one or more links or channels. That is, the STAs included in the MLD are capable of operating on a plurality of different channels from each other. For example, the STAs included in the MLD are capable of operating using channels in different frequency bands of 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz. Thereby, the MLD can obtain gains in channel connection and improve the performance of the entire network. Existing wireless LANs operated on a single link, but MLD operation can obtain more channel connection opportunities using a plurality of links or STA can operate efficiently on a plurality of links considering the channel situation.

[0096] Also, when the STA affiliated with the MLD is an AP, the MLD affiliated with the AP may be an AP MLD. On the other hand, when the STA affiliated with the MLD is a non-AP STA, the MLD affiliated with the non-AP may be a non-AP MLD.

[0097] Referring to FIG. 9, there may be an MLD including a plurality of STAs, and the plurality of STAs included in the MLD can operate on a plurality of links. In FIG. 9, the MLD including APs AP1, AP2, and AP3 can be referred to as an AP MLD, and the MLD including non-AP STAs non-AP STA1, non-AP STA2, and non-AP STA3 can be referred to as a non-AP MLD. The STAs included in the MLD can operate on Link 1 (Link1), Link 2 (Link2), Link 3 (Link3), or a part of Links 1 to 3.

[0098] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the multi-link operation can include a multi-link setup operation. The multi-link setup operation may be an operation corresponding to the association performed in the single-link operation. A multi-link setup may precede the frame exchange in the multi-link. The multi-link setup operation may be performed using a multi-link setup element. Here, the multi-link setup element can include capability information related to the multi-link, and the capability information can include information related to whether, when a STA included in the MLD receives a frame on one link, another STA included in the MLD can transmit a frame on another link. That is, the capability information can include information related to whether a STA (non-AP STA and / or AP (or, AP STA)) included in the MLD can transmit / receive frames simultaneously in different transmission directions on the links included in the MLD. Further, the capability information can further include information related to available links or operating channels. The multi-link setup may be set by negotiation between peer STAs, and the multi-link operation may be set on one link.

[0099] According to an embodiment of the present invention, there may be a mapping relationship between the TID and the link of the MLD. For example, when the TID and the link are mapped, the TID may be transmitted on the mapped link. The mapping between the TID and the link may be made based on the transmission direction. For example, the mapping may be made for each of the two directions between MLD1 and MLD2. Also, there may be a default setting for the mapping between the TID and the link. For example, the mapping between the TID and the link may basically be such that all TIDs are mapped to a certain link.

[0100] FIG. 10 shows a wireless LAN function according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0101] Referring to FIG. 10, a certain standard wireless LAN may include the functions of other standard wireless LANs. Or, when it is a certain standard wireless LAN, it may be another standard wireless LAN. Here, the wireless LAN can mean STA. Furthermore, here, the wireless LAN may mean MLD including STA. For example, the wireless LAN standard may include previous generation standard functions and additional functions. For example, an HT STA may be an OFDM PHY STA. Also, in addition to the functions of the OFDM PHY STA, the HT STA can perform additional functions. For example, a VHT STA may be an HT STA. Also, in addition to the functions of the HT STA, the VHT STA can perform additional functions. For example, an HE STA may be a VHT STA. Also, in addition to the functions of the VHT STA, the HE STA can perform additional functions. Also, an EHT STA may be an HE STA. Also, in addition to the functions of the HE STA, the EHT STA can perform additional functions. Also, there may be a standard after the EHT standard. In the present invention, the standard after the EHT standard can be called the NEXT standard, and the STA conforming to the NEXT standard can be called the NEXT STA. The NEXT STA may be an EHT STA. Also, in addition to the functions of the EHT STA, the NEXT STA can perform additional functions.

[0102] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the relationship between STAs of each standard. Referring to FIG. 10, if it is an EHT STA, it can be an HE STA, a VHT STA, an HT STA, or an OFDM PHY STA. Also, if it is a NEXT STA, it can be an EHT STA, an HE STA, a VHT STA, an HT STA, or an OFDM PHY STA.

[0103] FIG. 11 shows the uplink (UL) multi-user (MU) operation according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0104] Referring to FIG. 11, the AP can instruct at least one STA to transmit a PPDU using a specific frame (e.g., a triggering frame), and at least one STA can simultaneously transmit PPDUs of the same or different formats based on the specific frame transmitted from the AP.

[0105] Specifically, as shown in FIG. 11, a frame that instructs or triggers multi-user (MU) transmission may be transmitted, and based on such a frame, one or more STAs can transmit or respond to such a frame. At this time, when one or more STAs transmit a response to the frame, based on the frame, one or more STAs can simultaneously and immediately respond, and the response to the frame may start to be transmitted after SIFS from the end of the PPDU containing the frame. For example, when the frame immediately instructs a response, one or more STAs can immediately transmit a response to the frame. A frame that instructs or triggers transmission to one or more STAs may be a trigger frame or a frame including information in the MAC header that instructs or triggers uplink transmission to one or more STAs. At this time, the frame may include information (e.g., a TRS control subfield) in the MAC header that triggers or instructs uplink transmission to only one STA. At this time, the frame includes information (e.g., a TRS control subfield) in the MAC header that triggers or instructs uplink transmission to only one STA.

[0106] For example, the information indicating or triggering uplink transmission included in the MAC header may be triggered response scheduling (TRS) or a TRS control subfield included in an HT control field, a control subfield, or an A-control subfield.

[0107] The frame for indicating or triggering uplink transmission may be transmitted by the AP. When the frame for indicating or triggering uplink transmission is a trigger frame, the response thereto may be transmitted in a trigger-based PPDU (TB PPDU) format. At this time, the TB PPDDU may include, in addition to the aforementioned HE TB PPDU and EHT TB PPDU, a NEXT TB PPDU that can be defined in future standards.

[0108] The HE TB PPDU may be composed of a preamble, data, and a packet extension (PE). The preamble may sequentially include L-STF, L-LTF, L-SIG, RL-SIG, HE-SIG-A, HE-STF, and HE-LTF.

[0109] The EHT TB PPDU and NEXT TB PPDU may also be composed of a preamble, data, PE, etc. The preambles of the EHT TB PPDU and NEXT TB PPDU may sequentially include L-STF, L-LTF, L-SIG, RL-SIG, U-SIG, (EHT- / NEXT-)STF, and (EHT- / NEXT-)LTF.

[0110] A frame that instructs or triggers one or more STAs to transmit a PPDU can include information necessary for one or more STAs to transmit a TB PPDU. For example, when the type subfield included in the frame is "01" (B3 B2) and the subtype subfield is "0010" (B7 B6 B5 B4), a frame including such type and subtype subfields can be a trigger frame that is a control frame.

[0111] If responses from multiple STAs to a TB PPDU are instructed or triggered, and the formats of the PPDUs to be responded to by the multiple STAs are different from each other, there may be a problem that it is difficult for the AP that instructed or triggered the response to receive the PPDUs that are responses transmitted from the multiple STAs. Or, if the information included in the preambles of the PPDUs to be responded to by the multiple STAs is different depending on the format, there may be a problem that it is difficult for the AP that instructed or triggered the response to receive the PPDUs that are responses transmitted from the multiple STAs.

[0112] Therefore, in order to solve such problems, when multiple STAs respond to an AP's frame, the format of the PPDU to be responded to and / or the type of information included in the preamble of the PPDU may be set to be the same. For example, when multiple STAs transmit an HE TB PPDU as a response to an AP's frame, the AP can transmit information or an agreement regarding the information included in the HE TB PPDU can be defined so that the information included in the L-STF, L-LTF, L-SIG, RL-SIG, and HE-SIG-A is the same so that the preamble transmitted by the multiple STAs can be successfully received by the AP. However, if HE TB PPDU, EHT TB PPDU, and NEXT TB PPDU are transmitted simultaneously in overlapping subbands, since the TB PPDU formats are different from each other, there may be a problem that it is difficult for the AP to receive them.

[0113] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the HE STA can transmit an HE TB PPDU. Also, the EHT STA can transmit an EHT TB PPDU or an HE TB PPDU. Further, the NEXT STA can transmit a NEXT TB PPDU or an EHT TB PPDU or an HE TB PPDU. This is because, as described in FIG. 10, a certain standard STA may include functions of a previous standard.

[0114] As shown in FIG. 11, when the AP transmits a frame for scheduling the transmission of a TB PPDU to the HE STA and the EHT STA, and instructs or triggers the transmission of the TB PPDU using the frame, there may be no exact instruction or protocol for the TB PPDU format. In this case, the HE STA can transmit an HE TB PPDU as a response to the frame, and the EHT STA can respond with an EHT TB PPDU or an HE TB PPDU. In this case, the AP may have difficulty receiving the TB PPDU transmitted by the STA. The problem may occur that the AP cannot successfully receive the TB PPDU from multiple STAs, the medium is occupied despite the transmission not being successful, and the transmission opportunities of other STAs are reduced.

[0115] Hereinafter, in the present invention, instructing the STA may mean instructing a response from the STA, and trigger and instruction may be used in the same meaning.

[0116] Also, the HE trigger frame, the EHT trigger frame, and the NEXT trigger frame may each be a trigger frame defined in the HE, EHT, and NEXT standards. Further, in the present invention, the HE TRS, the EHT TRS, and the NEXT TRS may each be a TRS defined in the HE, EHT, and NEXT standards.

[0117] FIG. 12 shows a trigger frame format according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0118] (a) of FIG. 12 shows a trigger frame format, and (b) and (c) of FIG. 12 show a common information field and a user information field, which are fields included in the trigger frame, respectively.

[0119] Referring to (a) of FIG. 12, as a trigger MAC header, the frame may include a Frame Control field, a Duration field, an Address field, and may further include a common information field and a user information list field. The Address field may include a Resource Allocation (RA) field and a transmitter address (TA) field.

[0120] The common information field may include information that is common to all STAs indicated by the trigger frame. (b) of FIG. 12 shows an example of the common information field.

[0121] The user information list field may include zero or more user information fields, and the user information list field of the trigger frame, excluding a specific type of the trigger frame, may include one or more user information fields. (c) of FIG. 12 shows an example of the user information field.

[0122] The trigger frame may further include a Padding field and a Frame Check Sequence (FCS) field. The Padding field may be used to increase the length of the frame in order to ensure the time required for the STA receiving the trigger frame to prepare a response to the trigger frame, and may be selectively included in the trigger frame.

[0123] Referring to FIG. 12(b), the common information field may include a trigger type subfield. The trigger type subfield may be used to identify a trigger frame variant. Alternatively, the type of the trigger frame may be indicated based on the value of the trigger frame subfield. Also, based on the trigger type subfield, the information and length included in the trigger dependent common info subfield and the trigger dependent user info subfield shown in FIG. 12 may be determined. For example, the trigger type subfield may be indicated by bits B0 to B3 of the common information field.

[0124] The common information field may include an uplink (UL) length subfield. The UL length subfield may include information regarding the length of the TB PPDU that is a response to the trigger frame, and may include information regarding the length of the frame that responds to the trigger frame. Also, the UL length subfield can indicate the value included in the length subfield of the L-SIG of the TB PPDU that responds to the trigger frame. Therefore, the STA that receives the trigger frame and responds with the TB PPDU can set the value of the length subfield included in the L-SIG of the TB PPDU based on the value of the UL length subfield included in the received trigger frame. Specifically, the STA that responds with the TB PPDU can set the length subfield included in the L-SIG of the TB PPDU to the value of the UL length subfield included in the received trigger frame. For example, the STA can set the length subfield included in the L-SIG of the TB PPDU based on the values of bits B4 to B15 of the common information field indicating the UL length subfield, and can transmit the TB PPDU.

[0125] Also, the common information field can further include an uplink bandwidth subfield (UL Bandwidth (BW) subfield). The UL BW subfield can indicate the BW value included in the signaling field (e.g., HE-SIG-A or U-SIG, etc.) of the TB PPDU that responds to the trigger frame, and can indicate the maximum BW of the TB PPDU transmitted as a response to the trigger frame. Therefore, the STA can set the BW value included in the signaling field of the TB PPDU based on the value of the UL BW subfield included in the trigger frame.

[0126] Also, the common information field can further include information such as that included in the signaling field of the TB PPDU which is a response to the trigger frame. Therefore, after receiving the trigger frame, the STA can set the information included in the TB PPDU based on the information included in the trigger frame.

[0127] Referring to FIG. 12(c), the user information field may include an AID12 subfield. The AID12 subfield may be used to indicate the intended recipient of the user information field including the AID12 subfield or the function of the user information field. Thus, the AID12 subfield can also play a role in indicating the intended recipient of the trigger frame including the AID12 subfield or the function of the trigger frame. For example, when the value of the AID12 subfield is a preset value, the user information field can indicate a RA-RU (Random Access Resource Unit). That is, the preset value of the AID12 subfield can indicate that the user information field indicates a RA-RU. Specifically, if the value of the AID12 subfield is "0", the user information field can indicate a RA-RU for the associated STAs (associated STAs). For example, if the value of the AID12 subfield is "0", the user information field can indicate a RA-RU for the associated STAs, and if the value of the AID12 subfield is "2045", the user information field can indicate a RA-RU for the unassociated STAs (unassociated STAs). The STA corresponding to the STA ID (for example, AID (association ID)) indicated by the value of the AID12 subfield may be instructed to respond by the user information field including the AID12 subfield or the trigger frame including the AID subfield. For example, the AID12 subfield can indicate an AID or the 12 LSBs of the AID. The STA corresponding to the value indicated by the AID12 subfield can transmit a TB PPDU as a response to the received trigger frame. In this case, the value of the AID12 subfield may be in the range of "1" to "2007" (including 1 and 2007), and if the AID12 subfield is a preset value (for example, "2046", etc.), the RU corresponding to the preset value of the AID12 subfield does not have to be assigned to any STA.Also, if the value already set in the AID subfield (e.g., "4095" etc.) is present, the already set value can indicate the start of padding of the trigger frame.

[0128] The information of the user information field including the AID12 subfield may be information corresponding to the STA indicated by the AID12 subfield. For example, the Resource Unit (RU) Allocation subfield can indicate the size and location of the RU etc. At this time, the value of the RU allocation subfield of the user information field including the AID12 subfield may be information corresponding to the STA indicated by the AID12 subfield. That is, the RU indicated by the RU allocation subfield of the AID12 subfield may be the RU allocated to the STA indicated by the AUD12 subfield.

[0129] Also, the user information field can indicate a coding method (UL FEC coding type), a modulation method (UL HE-MCS, UL DCM), and power (UL Targer RSSI) etc. for generating the TB PPDU transmitted as a response to the trigger frame.

[0130] FIG. 13 shows the UL MU operation according to still other embodiments of the present invention.

[0131] Referring to FIG. 13, when the AP instructs the transmission of the PPDU using the trigger frame, the STA can respond with PPDUs of different formats based on the trigger frame. The embodiment described in FIG. 13 may be a method for solving the problems described in FIGS. 10 and 11, and the foregoing content is omitted.

[0132] Specifically, the EHT STA does not need to send HE TB PPDUs and does not need to perform HE UL MU operations. Also, the EHT STA can respond to a trigger frame or a TRS (e.g., a PPDU including a TRS control subfield) in the EHT TB PPDU format.

[0133] The STA only needs to send TB PPDUs that conform to the latest standard that the STA can support, and does not need to send TB PPDUs that conform to previous standards. That is, the NEXT STA only needs to send NEXT TB PPDUs and does not need to send HE TB PPDUs that conform to previous standards. Also, the NEXT STA can perform NEXT UL MU operations but does not need to perform HE UL MU operations. That is, the EHT STA can only send an EHT TB PPDU as a response to the AP's trigger frame and can only perform EHT UL MU operations.

[0134] Therefore, the STA that responds to the trigger frame or the TRS does not need to select what format of TB PPDU to respond with, and this method has the advantage of simplifying the implementation of the STA that responds to the trigger frame or the TRS.

[0135] Also, the STA that transmits a trigger frame or TRS to instruct the transmission of a TB PPDU may need to schedule so that different TB PPDUs are not transmitted overlappingly. That is, the STA that transmits a trigger frame or TRS does not necessarily need to instruct both the HE STA, the EHT STA, and / or the NEXT STA to the STA that responds to the trigger frame or TRS. Or, the STA that responds to the trigger frame or TRS does not necessarily need to be instructed with the HE STA, the EHT STA, and / or the NEXT STA using one PPDU. Or, the HE trigger frame (or, TRS), the EHT trigger frame (or, TRS), the NEXT trigger frame (or, TRS) are not included in one PPDU, or the HE STA, the EHT STA, and the NEXT STA do not necessarily need to be instructed with one trigger frame. Or, the EHT STA and the NEXT STA do not necessarily need to be instructed with the HE trigger frame. However, there may be an exception when a combined PPDU (a PPDU in which multiple PPDUs exist in a frequency domain division form) is instructed. In the present invention, the HE STA can mean an HE STA that is not an EHT STA and not a NEXT STA. Also, the EHT STA can mean an EHT STA that is not a NEXT STA.

[0136] Referring to FIG. 13, the AP can transmit a trigger frame that instructs only the HE STA. Also, since the STA that has received the trigger frame is an HE STA, it can respond with an HE TB PPDU. Also, the AP can transmit a trigger frame that instructs only the EHT STA. Also, since the STA that has received the trigger frame that instructs only the EHT STA is an EHT STA, it can respond with an EHT TB PPDU.

[0137] That is, in the embodiment of FIG. 13, by restricting the TB PPDU format of the STA that responds to the trigger frame or TRS and scheduling the trigger frame or TRS accordingly, the problems described in FIGS. 10 and 11 can be solved.

[0138] FIG. 14 shows UL MU operations according to still other embodiments of the present invention.

[0139] Referring to FIG. 14, an AP (Access Point) can transmit one trigger frame to instruct one or more non-AP STAs to transmit PPDUs in different formats.

[0140] Specifically, the method described in FIG. 14 may be a method for solving the problems described in FIGS. 10 and 11 and may be an exceptional case of the method described in FIG. 13. The method of FIG. 14 may be an exceptional case of the method of transmitting a trigger frame or TRS, which is the method described in FIG. 13. Hereinafter, the foregoing content may be equally applicable to this method, and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0141] When the AP instructs an aggregated PPDU, it is possible to instruct all of the HE STA, EHT STA, and / or NEXT STA to transmit PPDUs. At this time, the HE TB PPDU, EHT TB PPDU, and / or NEXT TB PPDU transmitted as a response may be scheduled so as not to overlap in the frequency domain. Alternatively, the 20 MHz subchannels including the RUs of the HE TB PPDU and the 20 MHz subchannels including the RUs of the EHT TB PPDU may be allocated so as not to overlap with each other.

[0142] If the aggregated PPDU includes an HE PPDU, the HE PPDU must exist in the region including the primary channel. However, when the aggregated PPDU is a TB PPDU, the HE PPDU may exist in a region not including the primary channel.

[0143] Referring to FIG. 14, multiple HE TB PPDUs and EHT TB PPDUs may be transmitted from multiple STAs as a response to one trigger frame. Also, at this time, the HE TB PPDUs and EHT TB PPDUs may be transmitted in non-overlapping RUs. That is, one trigger frame may instruct multiple STAs to transmit TB PPDUs in different formats, and the RUs for transmitting TB PPDUs in different formats may not overlap. Therefore, multiple STAs can transmit PPDUs in different formats (e.g., HE TB PPDUs and EHT TB PPDUs) using different RUs on the frequency axis based on the transmitted trigger frame.

[0144] FIG. 15 shows a method for indicating a trigger-based PPDU format according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0145] Referring to FIG. 15, one STA can selectively transmit PPDUs in different formats based on the instruction by a triggering frame that instructs the transmission of the PPDU.

[0146] Specifically, an EHT STA can selectively transmit an EHT TB PPDU in addition to a legacy PPDU (e.g., an HE TB PPDU), and a NEXT STA can selectively transmit an HE TB PPDU, an EHT TB PPDU, and / or a NEXT TB PPDU. In this case, multiple standards can be individually scheduled for STAs to which they respectively apply using one frame or one PPDU. Since multiple standards apply to STAs that use common resources together in a wireless LAN, such a method can be an advantage. For example, an HE STA (an HE STA that is not an EHT STA) and an EHT STA can be made to respond with an HE TB PPDU using one frame. That is, a non-AP STA can transmit a triggering frame and also instruct an EHT STA in addition to an HE STA to transmit an HE TB PPDU.

[0147] Also, information for selecting the TB PPDU format may be included in a trigger frame which is a triggering frame, a TRS, a PPDU including the trigger frame, or a PPDU including a TRS control subfield. That is, the AP STA includes information for selecting the format of the TB PPDU in the triggering frame and transmits it to at least one non-AP STA, and the non-AP STA can select the format of the responding PPDU based on the information included in the transmitted triggering frame. Thereafter, at least one non-AP STA can transmit a PPDU to the AP based on the selected format.

[0148] Information regarding the format of the PPDU (TB PPDU format) which is a response to such a triggering frame may exist at the MAC level, and a trigger frame which is one of the triggering frames may be distinguished into a HE trigger frame, an EHT trigger frame, and a NEXT trigger frame, and responses to the respective trigger frames may be distinguished into a HE TB PPDU, an EHT TB PPDU, and a NEXT TB PPDU.

[0149] Also, distinguishing the trigger frame into a HE trigger frame, an EHT trigger frame, and a NEXT trigger frame may have the same meaning as distinguishing the TB PPDU format which is a response to the trigger frame into a HE TB PPDU, an EHT TB PPDU, and a NEXT TB PPDU, respectively.

[0150] Whether the format of the trigger frame for distinguishing the format of the TB PPDU is a HE trigger frame, an EHT trigger frame, or a NEXT trigger frame may be identified based on the Frame Control field included in the MAC header. Specifically, the format of the trigger frame may be distinguished based on the Type subfield, the Subtype subfield, and / or the Control Frame Extension subfield. Also, when the values of the Type subfield, the Subtype subfield, and / or the Control Frame Extension subfield are already set values, the trigger frame may be identified as a HE trigger frame, and when they are other already set values, the trigger frame may be identified as an EHT trigger frame. Also, when the values of the Type subfield, the Subtype subfield, and / or the Control Frame Extension subfield are other already set values, the trigger frame may be identified as a NEXT trigger frame.

[0151] For example, when the Type subfield is 01 (B3 B2) and the Subtype subfield is 0010 (B7 B6 B5 B4), the format of the frame including the Type subfield and the Subtype subfield may be a HE trigger frame. In this case, entries in the Type subfield (2 bits), the Subtype subfield (4 bits), and / or the Control Frame Extension subfield (4 bits) with limited number of bits assigned may need to be further used in the EHT standard, the NEXT standard.

[0152] Alternatively, whether the format of the trigger frame is a HE trigger frame or an EHT trigger frame may be identified based on a common information field included in the trigger frame. That is, based on the value of a specific subfield (first subfield) included in the common information field, the format of the PPDU transmitted as a response to the trigger frame may be determined. For example, depending on the value of the common information field, a non-AP STA can select a HE TB PPDU or an EHT TB PPDU and transmit it using the assigned RU. At this time, in addition to the common information field, a specific subfield (second subfield) of the user information field may be further used to identify the format of the PPDU.

[0153] That is, based on the common information field of the trigger frame, a variant for determining the format of the PPDU that is a response to the trigger frame may be determined, and the format of the PPDU may be determined by the determined variant. For example, when the variant for determining the format of the PPDU by the common information field is determined to be a HE variant, a non-AP STA can respond with a HE TB PPDU, and when the variant for determining the format of the PPDU by the common information field is determined to be an EHT variant, the non-AP STA can respond with an EHT TB PPDU.

[0154] At this time, for the variant for determining the format of the PPDU, in addition to the common information field, the user information field may be further used.

[0155] For example, the trigger frame may be distinguished as being any of an HE trigger frame, an EHT trigger frame, or a NEXT trigger frame based on the trigger type subfield. For example, when the trigger type subfield value is a preset value, the trigger frame may be an HE trigger frame. Also, when the trigger type subfield value is a preset value, the trigger frame may be an EHT trigger frame. When the trigger type subfield value is a preset value, the trigger frame may be a NEXT trigger frame.

[0156] For example, if the trigger type subfield value is between 0 and 7, it is an HE trigger frame, and if it is not between 0 and 7, it may be an EHT trigger frame or a NEXT trigger frame. The trigger type subfield indicates various trigger frame types, but in this case, there may be a disadvantage that a limited trigger type subfield space must be used.

[0157] According to yet another embodiment, based on the UL length subfield of the trigger frame, it can be distinguished which of an HE trigger frame, an EHT trigger frame, or a NEXT trigger frame it is. For example, based on the value obtained by performing a mod (remainder) operation on the UL length subfield value, it can be distinguished which of an HE trigger frame, an EHT trigger frame, or a NEXT trigger frame it is. That is, using the value of the UL length subfield, it may be determined whether the format of the PPDU transmitted as a response to the trigger frame is an HE PPDU or an EHT PPDU.

[0158] More specifically, based on the value obtained by performing a mod(remainder)3 operation on the UL length subfield value (the remainder when the UL length subfield is divided by 3), it is possible to distinguish whether it is an HE trigger frame, an EHT trigger frame, or a NEXT trigger frame. For example, when the result of mod3 of the UL length subfield value is not 0, the trigger frame may be an HE trigger frame. Or, when the result of mod3 of the UL length subfield value is 1, the trigger frame may be an HE trigger frame. Or, when the result of mod3 of the UL length subfield value is 0, the trigger frame may be an HE trigger frame. Or, when the result of mod3 of the UL length subfield value is 0, the trigger frame may be an EHT trigger frame or a NEXT trigger frame.

[0159] That is, if the value obtained by performing a mod3 operation on the value of the UL length subfield of the trigger frame is not 0, the response to the trigger frame is transmitted in an HE TB PPDU, and if the value obtained by performing a mod3 operation on the value of the UL length subfield is 1, the response to the trigger frame is transmitted in an HE TB PPDU.

[0160] Also, when the value obtained by performing a mod3 operation on the value of the UL length subfield of the trigger frame is 0, the format of the PPDU transmitted as a response to the trigger frame may be an EHT TB PPDU.

[0161] In addition to such a method, it is also possible to distinguish an HE trigger frame, an EHT trigger frame, and a NEXT trigger frame by using an additional trigger frame discrimination method. For example, it is possible to distinguish an HE trigger frame, an EHT trigger frame, and a NEXT trigger frame by using both of the discrimination methods described in FIG. 16.

[0162] According to one embodiment, based on the User Info field of the trigger frame, it is possible to distinguish whether the format of the trigger frame is a HE trigger frame, an EHT trigger frame, or a NEXT trigger frame.

[0163] That is, similar to the common information field described above, whether the format of the trigger frame is a HE trigger frame or an EHT trigger frame may be identified based on the user information field included in the trigger frame. That is, based on the value of a specific subfield (second subfield) included in the user information field, the format of the PPDU transmitted as a response to the trigger frame may be determined. For example, depending on the value of the user information field, the non-AP STA can select a HE TB PPDU or an EHT TB PPDU and transmit it in the allocated RU. At this time, in addition to the user information field, a specific subfield (first subfield) of the common information field may be further used to identify the format of the PPDU.

[0164] That is, based on the user information field of the trigger frame, a variant for determining the format of the PPDU, which is a response to the trigger frame, may be determined, and the format of the PPDU may be determined by the determined variant. For example, if the variant for determining the format of the PPDU is determined to be a HE variant by the user information field, the non-AP STA can respond with a HE TB PPDU, and if the variant for determining the format of the PPDU is determined to be an EHT variant by the user information field, the non-AP STA can respond with an EHT TB PPDU.

[0165] At this time, in addition to the user information field, the common information field may be further used for the variant for determining the format of the PPDU.

[0166] For example, based on the AID12 subfield, it may be distinguished which of the HE trigger frame, EHT trigger frame, and NEXT trigger frame it is. According to one embodiment, based on whether the AID12 subfield includes a preset value, it may be distinguished which of the HE trigger frame, EHT trigger frame, and NEXT trigger frame it is. Also, in this case, it may be a problem whether the STA indicated by a certain user information field should continue to check the AID12 subfield existing after the user information field to determine the trigger frame format. To solve such a problem, a user information field including the AID12 subfield indicating which trigger frame it is may exist before the user information list. Also, in order to prevent a HE STA that cannot understand such a signaling method from malfunctioning, it is also possible that a user information field including the AID12 subfield indicating which trigger frame it is exists after the user information field corresponding to the HE STA.

[0167] Also, at this time, the information of other sub-fields except the AID12 sub-field included in the user information field is not necessary for the TB PPDU response, and the sub-field of the user information field including the AID12 sub-field indicating what kind of trigger frame it is may be omitted. That is, the length of the user information field may vary depending on the AID12 sub-field. Referring to FIG. 15, the AID12 sub-field can play a role in indicating the response TB PPDU format. For example, when the AID12 sub-field has a preset value, the response to the trigger frame including the AID12 sub-field set to the preset value may be an EHT TB PPDU. For example, when the AID12 sub-field value is 2047, the response to the trigger frame including the AID12 sub-field may be an EHT TB PPDU. Also, when the AID12 sub-field has a preset value, the response to the trigger frame including the AID12 sub-field set to the preset value may be a NEXT TB PPDU. For example, when the AID12 sub-field value is 2048, the response to the trigger frame including the AID12 sub-field may be a NEXT TB PPDU.

[0168] According to still other embodiments, when responding based on the user information field existing at the already set position from the AID12 subfield of the already set value, it is possible to respond in the TB PPDU format corresponding to the already set value. For example, when responding based on the user information field existing after the AID12 subfield of the already set value, it is possible to respond in the TB PPDU format corresponding to the already set value. If there are multiple values indicating the TB PPDU format, when responding based on the user information field existing after both the already set value 1 and the already set value 2, it is possible to respond in the TB PPDU format following the already set priority order among the TB PPDU format corresponding to the already set value 1 and the TB PPDU format corresponding to the already set value 2. Referring to FIG. 15, when responding based on the user information field existing after the AID12 subfield set to 2047, it is possible to respond with an EHT TB PPDU. Also, when responding based on the user information field existing after the AID12 subfield set to 2048, it is possible to respond with a NEXT TB PPDU. Also, when responding based on the user information field existing after both the AID12 subfield set to 2047 and the AID12 subfield set to 2048, it is possible to respond with a NEXT TB PPDU. Also, when responding based on the user information field existing before both the AID12 subfield set to 2047 and the AID12 subfield set to 2048, it is possible to respond with a HE TB PPDU.

[0169] In this embodiment, an example where the AID12 subfield indicates the type of trigger frame is given, but the present invention is not limited to this, and it is also possible to indicate the type of trigger frame using other subfields of the user information field.

[0170] According to one embodiment, based on the padding field of the trigger frame, it may be possible to distinguish whether it is an HE trigger frame, an EHT trigger frame, or a NEXT trigger frame. For example, it is possible to determine whether it is an HE trigger frame, an EHT trigger frame, or a NEXT trigger frame based on whether the padding field includes a pre-set value indicating whether it is an HE trigger frame, an EHT trigger frame, or a NEXT trigger frame.

[0171] According to an embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to distinguish an HE trigger frame, an EHT trigger frame, and a NEXT trigger frame by combining a plurality of trigger frame discrimination methods described in the present invention. In addition, the content described in the present invention regarding the trigger frame is not limited thereto and is also applicable to the TRS.

[0172] As yet another embodiment of the present invention, the AP may not be able to instruct the transmission of both the EHT PPDU and the HE PPDU using the trigger frame. That is, the EHT AP may not be able to transmit a trigger frame that instructs both the HE TB PPDU and the EHT TB PPDU, and may instruct only one PPDU format.

[0173] FIG. 16 shows a trigger frame format for instructing a trigger-based PPDU format according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0174] Referring to FIG. 16, the trigger frame may include information indicating the format of the trigger frame and the format of the PPDU transmitted as a response to the trigger frame, and the content and length included in the trigger frame may be different depending on the PPDU format to be instructed.

[0175] Specifically, the trigger frame can include information indicating the format of the trigger frame. That is, the trigger frame can include information indicating whether the trigger frame is a HE trigger frame, an EHT trigger frame, or a NEXT trigger frame. Therefore, it can include information for determining the format of the PPDU indicated by the trigger frame.

[0176] Also, based on the information indicating the format, the content and length of the trigger frame can change, and the trigger frame can include information indicating which of the HE TB PPDU, EHT TB PPDU, and NEXT TB PPDU must be transmitted as a response to the trigger frame. For example, the information indicating the format of the trigger frame described above or the information indicating the TB PPDU format for responding to the trigger frame may be included in the Identifier subfield.

[0177] Therefore, the format of the trigger frame can be determined based on the Identifier subfield. Also, based on the Identifier subfield, it is possible to determine the format of the responding TB PPDU. That is, it is possible to respond with a standard TB PPDU corresponding to the value indicated by the Identifier subfield. According to one embodiment, the Identifier subfield may be 3 bits. Also, the Identifier subfield may exist after B16 of the common information field.

[0178] For example, the format identifier subfield may exist next to the UL length subfield. Also, since the trigger frame described in FIG. 12 is also a format that can be understood by the HE STA, the format identifier subfield may exist in trigger frames after the EHT standard. That is, when the trigger frame includes a format identifier subfield, the trigger frame may be an EHT trigger frame or a NEXT trigger frame. Or, when the trigger frame includes a format identifier subfield, the TB PPDU responding to the trigger frame may be an EHT TB PPDU or a NEXT TB PPDU. Also, in this case, the value that can be indicated by the format identifier subfield may be after the EHT standard.

[0179] According to one embodiment, the U-SIG field included in the TB PPDU can be based on the PPDU that indicates the TB PPDU. According to one embodiment, the U-SIG field included in the TB PPDU can be based on the trigger frame that indicates the TB PPDU. More specifically, the U-SIG field included in the TB PPDU can be based on the format identifier subfield included in the trigger frame that indicates the TB PPDU.

[0180] For example, the PHY version identifier of the U-SIG field included in the TB PPDU can be based on the format identifier subfield included in the trigger frame that indicates the TB PPDU. The PHY version identifier indicates the PHY version of the PPDU transmitted by the non-AP STA or the AP. For example, when the value of the PHY version identifier is set to "0", it means that the corresponding PPDU is an EHT PPDU with a PHY version of EHT.

[0181] The PHY version identifier may be used to identify whether the format of the PPDU is an EHT PPDU, and may be set based on the format identifier included in the trigger frame. For example, a non-AP STA can set the value of the PHY version field included in the PPDU to be the same as the value of the format identifier included in the trigger frame. Therefore, the non-AP STA can determine whether the format of the PPDU to be transmitted is an EHT TB PPDU based on the value of the format identifier included in the trigger frame.

[0182] For example, the PHY version identifier value of the U-SIG field included in the TB PPDU may be set to the same value as the format identifier subfield included in the trigger frame that indicated the TB PPDU. Or, when the standard ranges indicated by the PHY version identifier subfield of the U-SIG field and the format identifier subfield of the trigger frame are different, the value of the PHY version identifier of the U-SIG field included in the TB PPDU may be set to the value obtained by adding / subtracting the already set value from / to the format identifier subfield value included in the trigger frame that indicated the TB PPDU.

[0183] The PHY version identifier subfield of the U-SIG field may be the aforementioned PHY version field. Also, the PHY version identifier subfield of the U-SIG field can serve to indicate the format of the U-SIG field. Again, the PHY version identifier subfield of the U-SIG field can serve to indicate the PHY version of the PPDU including the U-SIG field.

[0184] Referring to FIG. 16, the trigger frame can include a format identifier subfield. Also, based on the format identifier subfield, it is possible to determine what kind of standard trigger frame the trigger frame is, or what kind of TB PPDU format should be used as a response to the trigger frame.

[0185] Also, the trigger frame can include information included in the U-SIG field of the TB PPDU that responds to the trigger frame. For example, the trigger frame can include information included in the version independent field and the version dependent field of the U-SIG field. The information included in the U-SIG field may include information included in the version independent field and the version dependent field.

[0186] The information included in the version-independent fields of the U-SIG field may be U-SIG version-independent content. The information included in the version-dependent fields of the U-SIG field may be U-SIG version-dependent content. Also, the above-mentioned format identifier subfield may be one of the U-SIG version-independent content. According to an embodiment of the present invention, based on the format identifier subfield included in the trigger frame, the content and length of the information included in the U-SIG field of the TB PPDU included in the trigger frame can be different. For example, based on the format identifier subfield included in the trigger frame, the content and length of the U-SIG version-dependent content of the TB PPDU included in the trigger frame can be changed. For example, the U-SIG version-independent content may be a subfield having content and length not related to the format identifier subfield, and the U-SIG version-dependent content may be a subfield having content and length based on the format identifier subfield. According to one embodiment, the information included in the U-SIG field may be included in the common information field of the trigger frame. Also, the U-SIG version-dependent content included in the trigger frame can include BW, puncturing information, and the like.

[0187] Referring to FIG. 16, the trigger frame can include U-SIG version-independent content and U-SIG version-dependent content. Also, based on the format identifier subfield, the content and length of the U-SIG version-independent content or the U-SIG version-dependent content can be changed.

[0188] FIG. 17 shows a trigger frame format for indicating a trigger-based PPDU format according to still another embodiment of the present invention.

[0189] Referring to FIG. 17, based on the common information field included in the triggering frame and / or the sub-field included in the user information field, the STA can determine the format of the PPDU to be transmitted.

[0190] Specifically, FIG. 17(a) shows an example of the common information field included in the trigger frame, and FIG. 17(b) shows an example of the user information field. FIG. 17(c) shows an example of the specific user information field (Special user information field).

[0191] Among the fields shown in FIGS. 17(a) to 17(c), the fields that are the same as the above-described fields are omitted from their descriptions.

[0192] As described above, the common information field in FIG. 17(a) may be used to identify the format of the PPDU indicated by the trigger frame. For example, the common information field of the trigger frame may be used to identify whether the format of the PPDU indicated by the trigger frame is an EHT TB PPDU or a HE TB PPDU.

[0193] Specifically, in the common information field shown in FIG. 17(a), the HE / EHT P160 sub-field (the first sub-field) indicates the format of the PPDU transmitted on the 160 MHz primary channel. For example, if the value of the HE / EHT P160 sub-field is "1", it indicates the transmission of a HE TB PPDU on the 160 MHz primary channel, and if it is "0", it indicates the transmission of an EHT TB PPDU on the 160 MHz primary channel.

[0194] As described above, the user information field in FIG. 17(b) may be used to identify the format of the PPDU indicated by the trigger frame.

[0195] Specifically, in the user information field shown in Fig. 17(b), the PS160 subfield (the second subfield) indicates where the RU assigned by the RU assignment field of the user information field is located among the 160 MHz main channel or subchannel.

[0196] The PS160 subfield, together with the HE / EHT P160 subfield in Fig. 17(a), is used to indicate the format of the PPDU indicated by the trigger frame. For example, when the value of the HE / EHT P160 subfield is set to "1" and the transmission of the HE TB PPDU on the main channel is indicated, if the value of the PS160 subfield is set to "0", it indicates that an RU is assigned to the main channel. Therefore, the STA transmits a response to the trigger frame with the HE TB PPDU on the main channel.

[0197] However, when the value of the HE / EHT P160 subfield is set to "1" and the transmission of the HE TB PPDU on the main channel is indicated, if the value of the PS160 subfield is set to "1", it indicates that an RU is assigned to the subchannel. Therefore, the STA transmits the PPDU on the subchannel, and at this time, the format of the PPDU is the EHT TB PPDU.

[0198] Table 1 below shows an example of the format of the PPDU by the HE / EHT P160 subfield and the PS160 subfield.

[0199]

Table 1

[0200] Using the common information field and / or user information field included in the trigger frame in this way, the STA determines whether the format of the PPDU to be transmitted as a response to the trigger frame is EHT or HE, and generates the PPDU according to the determined format and transmits it to the AP.

[0201] Figure 17(c) shows an example of a special user information field including the above-mentioned PHY version identifier, and the PHY version identifier is used to identify whether the PHY version is EHT as described above. Also, the PHY version identifier may be set based on the format indicator of the trigger frame.

[0202] Figure 18 shows a method for determining the trigger frame format according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0203] Figure 18 may be used in association with the embodiments described in the previous Figures 15 to 17, and the above-mentioned content is omitted.

[0204] Specifically, as described with reference to FIG. 16, the trigger frame can include a format indicator subfield. Also, the trigger frame or HE trigger frame described with reference to FIG. 12 may not include a format indicator subfield. Therefore, a method for determining whether the trigger frame includes a format indicator subfield may be required. According to one embodiment, the trigger frame can include information indicating whether it includes a format indicator subfield. For example, the common information field of the trigger frame can include information indicating whether it includes a format indicator subfield. More specifically, the trigger type subfield of the trigger frame can include information indicating whether it includes a format indicator subfield. For example, it can be determined whether the format indicator subfield is included based on whether the value of the trigger type subfield is already set. For example, when the value of the trigger type subfield is between 0 and 7, it may not include a format indicator subfield. Also, when the value of the trigger type subfield is not between 0 and 7 or when the value of the trigger type subfield is between 8 and 15, it may include a format indicator subfield. Also, when the trigger type subfield is between 0 and 7, it can indicate Basic, Beamforming Report Poll (BFRP), MU-BAR, MU-RTS, Buffer Status Report Poll (BSRP), GCR MU-BAR, Bandwidth Query Report Poll (BQRP), and NDP Feedback Report Poll (NFRP), respectively. In this case, when the trigger type subfield is between 8 and 15, it indicates the trigger frame type when the trigger type subfield is between 0 and 7, respectively, but can indicate that it is a trigger frame format that does not include a format indicator subfield.

[0205] According to still other embodiments, based on the UL length subfield of the trigger frame, it is possible to determine whether the format indicator subfield is included. For example, according to the trigger frame discrimination method based on the UL length subfield described in FIG. 15, it is possible to determine whether the format indicator subfield is included. That is, based on the result of performing a mod operation on the value of the UL length subfield, more specifically, based on the result of performing a mod3 operation on the value of the UL length subfield, it is possible to determine whether the format indicator subfield is included.

[0206] For example, when the result of performing a mod3 operation on the value of the UL length subfield is not 0, the format indicator subfield may not be included, and when the result of the mod3 operation is 0, the format indicator subfield may be included. This may be linked to the above-described embodiments in which the EHT trigger frame and the NEXT trigger frame include the format indicator subfield, and the above-described embodiments for determining whether it is a HE trigger frame based on the result of performing a mod3 operation on the UL length subfield.

[0207] Referring to FIG. 18, based on the UL length subfield included in the trigger frame, it is possible to determine whether the trigger frame is a HE trigger frame or whether the trigger frame includes a format indicator subfield. For example, when the value of ((UL length subfield value) mod3) is not 0, it can be determined that the trigger frame is a trigger frame (or a HE trigger frame) having the common information field and the user information field described in FIG. 12 and does not include the format indicator subfield. Also, when responding to the trigger frame, it is possible to respond with a HE TB PPDU.

[0208] Also, when the value of ((UL length subfield value) mod 3) is 0, it can be determined that the trigger frame is an EHT trigger frame or a NEXT trigger frame and includes a format indicator subfield. Also, based on the value indicated by the format indicator subfield, the remaining information included in the trigger frame (i.e., the common information field, the user information field) can be determined. Also, when responding to the trigger frame, it is possible to respond with a standard TB PPDU indicated by the format indicator subfield. That is, when the format indicator subfield indicates the EHT standard, it is possible to respond with an EHT TB PPDU. Also, when the format indicator subfield indicates the NEXT standard, it is possible to respond with a NEXT TB PPDU.

[0209] FIG. 19 shows a method for setting a length field according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the embodiment of FIG. 19, the content described in FIGS. 15 to 18 may be omitted.

[0210] Referring to FIG. 19, the PPDU transmitted as a response to the trigger frame can include a length field having different values depending on the format.

[0211] Specifically, the trigger frame may include a UL length subfield, and the UL length subfield can indicate information related to the length of the PPDU indicated by the trigger frame. For example, the UL length subfield can indicate information related to the value of the length field included in the L-SIG field of the PPDU transmitted as a response to the trigger frame. The length field included in the L-SIG field may be the length or duration information included in the legacy preamble. The length field included in the L-SIG field can be represented as L_LENGTH or LENGTH, and this may be set by transmission parameter or reception parameter values.

[0212] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the method of setting the length field included in the L-SIG field of the TB PPDU using the UL length subfield included in the trigger frame may be different depending on the format of the TB PPDU transmitted in response to the trigger frame. Also, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the method of setting the length field included in the L-SIG field of the TB PPDU using the UL length subfield included in the trigger frame may be different depending on the format of the trigger frame. Or, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the method of setting the length field included in the L-SIG field of the TB PPDU using the UL length subfield included in the trigger frame may be different depending on the value based on the value of the UL length subfield of the trigger frame.

[0213] As described above, there may be a case where the value obtained by performing mod3, which is a modular operation, on the value of the UL length subfield included in the trigger frame is not 0, and it is possible to respond with a HE TB PPDU, an EHT TB PPDU, or a NEXT TB PPDU based on the trigger frame.

[0214] If a HE TB PPDU is transmitted as a response to the trigger frame when the value obtained by performing mod3 on the value of the UL length subfield included in the trigger frame is not 0, the length field of the L-SIG field included in the HE TB PPDU may be set to the same value as the value of the UL length subfield of the trigger frame. This is to make the value obtained by performing mod3 on the value of the length field included in the L-SIG field of the HE TB PPDU a non-zero value (for example, 1).

[0215] Also, when the value obtained by taking the modulo 3 of the value of the UL length subfield included in the trigger frame is not 0, if an EHT TB PPDU or NEXT TB PPDU is transmitted as a response to the trigger frame, the length field of the L-SIG field included in the HE TB PPDU may be set to a value obtained by adding the value already set to the value of the UL length subfield of the trigger frame. At this time, the value already set may be 2 or -1. This is to make the value obtained by taking the modulo 3 of the value of the length field included in the L-SIG field of the HE TB PPDU equal to 0.

[0216] That is, when the format of the PPDU indicated by the trigger frame is a HE TB PPDU and a non-AP STA transmits a HE TB PPDU as a response to the trigger frame, the value of the L_LENGTH parameter, which is the value of the length field included in the L-SIG field of the TB PPDU, may be set to the value indicated by the UL length subfield included in the common information field of the trigger frame.

[0217] However, when the format of the PPDU indicated by the trigger frame is an EHT TB PPDU or NEXT TB PPDU and a non-AP STA transmits an EHT TB PPDU or NEXT TB PPDU as a response to the trigger frame, the value of the L_LENGTH parameter, which is the value of the length field included in the L-SIG field of the TB PPDU, may be set to a value obtained by adding the value already set (for example, 2 or -1) to the value of the transmission parameter L_LENGTH parameter, which is the value indicated by the UL length subfield included in the common information field of the trigger frame.

[0218] At this time, the Length, which is the L_LENGTH value, may be calculated by the following Equation 4.

[0219] 〔Equation 4〕

Equation

[0220] When the value obtained by taking the modulo 3 of the UL length subfield value included in the trigger frame is 0, if responding with a HE TB PPDU, it is possible to set the length field included in the L-SIG field included in the HE TB PPDU to the value obtained by adding the value already set in the UL length subfield value. For example, the already set value may be (-2). This may be for making the value obtained by taking the modulo 3 of the value of the length field included in the L-SIG field of the HE TB PPDU a non-zero value, for example, 1. In yet another embodiment, the already set value may be 1.

[0221] When the value obtained by taking the modulo 3 of the value of the UL length subfield included in the trigger frame is 0, if responding with an EHT TB PPDU or a NEXT TB PPDU, it is possible to set the length field included in the L-SIG field included in the EHT TB PPDU or the NEXT TB PPDU to the same value as the value of the UL length subfield. This may be for making the value obtained by taking the modulo 3 of the value of the length field included in the L-SIG field of the EHT TB PPDU or the NEXT TB PPDU 0.

[0222] FIG. 20 shows the UL MU operation according to still another embodiment of the present invention.

[0223] The embodiment of FIG. 20 may be a method for solving the problems described in FIGS. 10 and 11. Also, the embodiment of FIG. 20 may be an explanation of another method for distinguishing the trigger frame in the embodiment described in FIG. 15. Also, the above-described content may be omitted.

[0224] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the EHT STA can selectively transmit HE TB PPDUs and EHT TB PPDUs. Also, the NEXT STA can selectively transmit HE TB PPDUs, EHT TB PPDUs, and NEXT TB PPDUs. In this case, there is an advantage that multiple standard STAs can be scheduled with one frame or one PPDU. In a wireless LAN, since multiple standard STAs share common resources, this can be an advantage. For example, it is possible to make a HE STA (a HE STA that is not EHT) and an EHT STA respond with HE TB PPDUs using one frame.

[0225] Also, information for selecting the TB PPDU format may be included in a trigger frame, a TRS, a PPDU including a trigger frame, or a PPDU including a TRS.

[0226] According to an embodiment of the present invention, information regarding the TB PPDU format to respond may exist at the PHY level. According to an embodiment of the present invention, HE trigger frames, EHT trigger frames, and NEXT trigger frames may be distinguished. Also, the responses to the HE trigger frame, the EHT trigger frame, and the NEXT frame can be HE TB PPDUs, EHT TB PPDUs, and NEXT TB PPDUs, respectively.

[0227] Also, in the present invention, distinguishing the HE trigger frame, the EHT trigger frame, and the NEXT trigger frame may have the same meaning as distinguishing the TB PPDU formats to respond to the trigger frames as HE TB PPDUs, EHT TB PPDUs, and NEXT TB PPDUs, respectively.

[0228] According to an embodiment of the present invention, based on a PPDU format including a trigger frame, a TB PPDU format that responds to the trigger frame can be determined. For example, it is possible to respond to the frame with a TB PPDU of the same standard as the PPDU format including the trigger frame. Referring to FIG. 19, if the trigger frame is transmitted by an HE PPDU, the TB PPDU that responds to the trigger frame may be an HE TB PPDU. In this case, even when the trigger frame indicates an EHT STA or a NEXT STA, it is possible to respond with an HE TB PPDU. When the trigger frame is transmitted by an EHT PPDU, the TB PPDU that responds to the trigger frame may be an EHT TB PPDU. In this case, even when the trigger frame indicates a NEXT STA, it is possible to respond with an EHT TB PPDU.

[0229] Also, when responding to a trigger frame included in an EHT PPDU or a NEXT PPDU, the PHY version identifier included in the U-SIG field of the EHT PPDU or the NEXT PPDU can be set to the same value as the PHY version identifier included in the U-SIG field of the TB PPDU that responds to the EHT PPDU or the NEXT PPDU. Further, the PHY version identifier included in the U-SIG field of the EHT PPDU or the NEXT PPDU is an RX VECTOR which is a reception parameter, and may be transmitted from the PHY to the MAC of the STA that receives the EHT PPDU or the NEXT PPDU. Also, the PHY version identifier included in the U-SIG field of the TB PPDU that responds to the EHT PPDU or the NEXT PPDU is a TX VECTOR, and may be transmitted from the MAC to the PHY of the STA that transmits the TB PPDU. That is, the TX VECTOR PHY version identifier of the STA that responds with a TB PPDU may be set to the value of the RX VECTOR PHY version identifier when receiving a PPDU including a trigger frame that indicates the TB PPDU.

[0230] According to one embodiment, it is possible to use both the MAC-level discrimination method described in FIG. 15 and the PHY-level discrimination method described in FIG. 20. For example, when the trigger frame is transmitted as a non-HT (duplicate) PPDU, the MAC-level discrimination method may be used. Also, when the results by the MAC-level discrimination method and the PHY-level discrimination method (which standard trigger frame or which standard TB PPDU should be responded to) do not match, the already set priority order may be followed.

[0231] For example, when the results by the MAC-level discrimination method and the PHY-level discrimination method do not match, the PHY-level discrimination method can be used. For example, when an EHT trigger frame is transmitted as an HE PPDU, it is possible to respond with an HE TB PPDU. Thereby, an HE STA that cannot decode subsequent standards and PPDUs of subsequent standards can also decode the PPDU, confirm the preamble, and receive the frame included in the PPDU and appropriately protect the PPDU or the frame.

[0232] FIG. 21 shows the UL MU operation according to still another embodiment of the present invention.

[0233] As described above, in addition to the trigger frame, the TB PPDU may be indicated by the TRS. Also, the TRS may be included in the HT control field as described above. For example, when the HT control field includes an A-control field, it is possible to include the TRS. The TRS can be transmitted by a TRS control subfield. The A-control field may be in a form in which the control list field can be continuously positioned. Also, the control list field may include the TRS.

[0234] Also, a receiver of a frame containing a TRS (indented receiver) can respond to the TRS. For example, a STA corresponding to the RA included in the frame containing the TRS can respond to the TRS. The TRS can include information regarding the length of the PPDU or frame that responds to the TRS (UL Data Symbols), the position and size of the RU used when responding to the TRS (RU Allocation), information regarding power when responding to the TRS (AP Tx Power, UL Target RSSI), information regarding the modulation method when responding to the TRS (UL HE-MCS), and the like.

[0235] The embodiment of FIG. 21 can be a method for solving the problems described in FIGS. 10 and 11. Also, as mentioned above, the embodiments for the aforementioned trigger frame are also applicable to the TRS. Also, the aforementioned content may be omitted.

[0236] According to an embodiment of the present invention, in addition to the TRS (HE TRS) defined by the HE standard, it is possible that there are TRSs defined by the EHT standard or the NEXT standard (EHT TRS and NEXT TRS, respectively). Therefore, depending on whether the indicated TRS is HE TRS, EHT TRS, or NEXT TRS, the TB PPDU that responds to the TRS may be HE TB PPDU, EHT TB PPDU, or NEXT TB PPDU, respectively. For example, which standard the defined TRS is can be determined by the Control ID subfield of the A-control subfield. In an additional embodiment, the TRS can be classified into two types: HE TRS and non-HE TRS.

[0237] Alternatively, for example, which standard-defined TRS it is may be determined by whether the HT control field is a HE variant, an EHT variant, or a NEXT variant. Also, based on the values of the already set bits in the HT control field, whether it is a HE variant, an EHT variant, or a NEXT variant may be determined. For example, when B0 and B1 of the HT control field are 1 and 1, it may be a HE variant. Also, using B0, B1 of the HT control field and an additional bit (e.g., B31), it can be determined whether it is a HE variant, an EHT variant, or a NEXT variant.

[0238] According to an embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to determine the TB PPDU format that responds to the TRS based on the PPDU format including the TRS, in the same way as described for the trigger frame in FIG. 20. That is, when the PPDU instructing the transmission of the PPDU includes a TRS control subfield, the format of the PPDU may be determined based on the format of the PPDU including the TRS control subfield. For example, when the format of the PPDU including the TRS control subfield is a HE PPDU, the format of the instructed PPDU may be a HE PPDU. On the other hand, when the format of the PPDU including the TRS control subfield is an EHT PPDU, the format of the instructed PPDU may be an EHT PPDU.

[0239] Referring to FIG. 21, when the TRS is transmitted by a HE PPDU, the TB PPDU that responds to the TRS may be a HE TB PPDU. Also, when the TRS is transmitted by an EHT PPDU, the TB PPDU that responds to the TRS may be an EHT TB PPDU. Also, when the TRS is transmitted by a NEXT PPDU, the TB PPDU that responds to the TRS may be a NEXT TB PPDU.

[0240] According to an embodiment of the present invention, based on a PPDU format including a TRS, the interpretation of sub-fields included in the TRS may be different. For example, when the TRS is included in a HE PPDU, the UL HE-MCS sub-field (or the sub-field related to MCS) included in the TRS can indicate a value corresponding to the HE MCS table. When the TRS is included in an EHT PPDU, the UL HE-MCS sub-field (or the sub-field related to MCS) included in the TRS can indicate a value corresponding to the EHT MCS table. When the TRS is included in a NEXT PPDU, the UL HE-MCS sub-field (or the sub-field related to MCS) included in the TRS can indicate a value corresponding to the NEXT MCS table. Also, the RU Allocation sub-field may also be interpreted differently based on the PPDU format including the TRS.

[0241] FIG. 22 shows a UL orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA)-based random access (UORA) operation according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0242] According to an embodiment, the UORA operation may be an operation that responds based on the RA-RU included in the trigger frame. For example, reducing the OBO counter set by the STA based on the number of RA-RUs indicated by the trigger frame, and when the OBO counter reaches 0, the operation of responding to the trigger frame with the RA-RU indicated by the trigger frame may be UORA.

[0243] FIG. 22 may be an operation for solving the problems described in FIGS. 10 and 11, and the above-described content may be omitted.

[0244] According to an embodiment of the present invention, for the RA-RU indicated by the HE trigger frame or the trigger frame included in the HE PPDU, in addition to the HE STA, the EHT STA and the NEXT STA can also reduce the OBO counter and perform a UORA response. Therefore, in this case, it may be necessary to respond with an HE TB PPDU. Similarly, when responding to the RA-RU indicated by the EHT trigger frame or the trigger frame included in the EHT PPDU, it is possible to respond with an EHT TB PPDU. Also, when responding to the RA-RU indicated by the NEXT trigger frame or the trigger frame included in the NEXT PPDU, it is possible to respond with a NEXT TB PPDU.

[0245] According to an embodiment of the present invention, when performing a TB PPDU response to a trigger frame including an RA-RU, it is possible to respond with a TB PPDU corresponding to the most recent past standard that the trigger frame and the PPDU including the trigger frame can understand.

[0246] Referring to FIG. 22, it is shown that for an HE trigger frame indicating an RA-RU, when the OBO counter value becomes 0, the EHT STA responds with an HE TB PPDU.

[0247] FIG. 23 shows a UL MU operation according to still another embodiment of the present invention.

[0248] According to an embodiment of the present invention, if the STA is the only STA indicated by a certain trigger frame or TRS, the STA can respond with any TB PPDU. Also, if the STA is the only STA indicated by the trigger frame and the TRS included in the PPDU including a certain trigger frame or TRS, the STA can respond with any TB PPDU. That is, in such a case, even if the embodiments described in FIGS. 13 to 22 are not applied, the problems described in FIGS. 10 to 11 do not occur.

[0249] According to an embodiment of the present invention, it is determined based on the number of user information fields included in the trigger frame that includes the only STA indicated. For example, if the trigger frame does not satisfy the condition that it includes only one user information field, the corresponding STA is no longer the only STA instructed by the AP STA to transmit the TB PPDU. That is, if the frame instructing the transmission of the TB PPDU includes only one user information field instead of a specific user field, the STA corresponding to the user information field is the only STA instructed by the AP STA to transmit the TB PPDU via the frame.

[0250] Also, if the RU received by the STA does not satisfy the condition that it is the only RU used by the PPDU including the trigger frame or the TRS, the STA is no longer the only STA indicated.

[0251] Also, if the RA of the frame received by the STA does not satisfy the condition that it is the individual address indicating the STA, the STA is no longer the only STA instructed by the AP STA to transmit the TB PPDU.

[0252] Also, if the PPDU received by the STA does not satisfy the condition that it is an SU (single user) PPDU, the STA is no longer the only STA instructed by the AP STA to transmit the TB PPDU. At this time, the SU PPDU is a HE SU PPDU, a HE ER SU PPDU, a HE MU PPDU, or an EHT MU PPDU. At this time, the HE MU PPDU and the EHT MU PPDU include only one user information field or terminal identifier STA-ID.

[0253] According to an embodiment, when all the above-mentioned conditions are satisfied, the STA can determine that it is the only STA instructed by the AP STA to transmit the TB PPDU.

[0254] According to one embodiment, a trigger frame, or a TRS, or a PPDU including a trigger frame and / or a TRS includes information indicating that it is irrelevant which TB PPDU format is used for response.

[0255] Referring to FIG. 23, the trigger frame included in the SU PPDU indicates the STA corresponding to the value X of AID12. The trigger frame may include only one user information field. Also, the RU including the trigger frame may be the only RU used by the PPDU including the trigger frame. In this case, there is no problem with which TB PPDU format the TB PPDU responding to the trigger frame is. For example, if the STA corresponding to the value X of AID12 is an EHT STA, it may respond to the trigger frame with a HE TB PPDU or an EHT TB PPDU.

[0256] FIG. 24 is a diagram showing a method for indicating a TB PPDU format according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 24 is a method for indicating whether the TB PPDU format is VHT, HE, EHT, or a next-generation format (e.g., NEXT, etc.), which is an additional explanation for the above-described embodiment, and the same content as that described previously is omitted. For example, based on the user information field of the trigger frame, the TB PPDU format is indicated as a specific format.

[0257] Referring to FIG. 24, the AP STA or non-AP STA uses the user information field included in the frame to indicate the TB PPDU format that is a response to the frame. Specifically, by setting the value of the AID12 subfield included in the user format of the trigger frame as a specific value by the AP STA, the TB PPDU format that is a response to the frame is indicated as a specific format. For example, when the value of the AID12 subfield is preset, if the transmission of the TB PPDU is triggered by the user information field included after the preset value, the terminal responds in the TB PPDU format indicated by the value of the preset AID subfield. Also, in this case, if there are multiple preset values of the AID12 subfield, the TB PPDU is transmitted in the TB PPDU format indicated by the AID12 subfield located at the preset position (for example, the last position). That is, if the preset value of the AID subfield is "1", a response using the format 1 of the TB PPDU is indicated, and if the preset value of the AID12 subfield is "2", a response using the format 2 of the TB PPDU is indicated. At this time, if there is a user information field located after the user information fields respectively including the preset values "1" and "2", the TB PPDU format that is a response to the frame is determined by the user information field located at the very last. Or, if the transmission of the TB PPDU is triggered by the user information field X located after the user information field including the preset value "1", if the user information field X exists before the user information field including the preset value 2, or if there is no user information field indicating the PPDU format after the user information field X, the TB PPDU format indicated by the preset value "1" is used as a response to the frame.

[0258] Otherwise, if it is a response to a user information field that does not depend on the user information field indicating the PPDU format, it is responded with a preset PPDU format, for example, the HE TB PPDU format. Or, if it is a response to a user information field located before all the user information fields indicating the PPDU format, it is responded with a preset PPDU format, for example, the HE TB PPDU format.

[0259] As shown in FIG. 24, a trigger frame (or a specific frame indicating the transmission of a TB PPDU, etc.) includes signaling indicating the TB PPDU format in order to indicate the transmission of a TB PPDU. For example, the trigger frame includes a user information 3 field indicating to respond with the EHT PPDU format and a user information 6 field indicating to respond with the NEXT TB PPDU format. At this time, the value of the AID12 subfield included in the user information 3 field is set to a value indicating the transmission of an EHT TB PPDU, and the value of the AID12 subfield included in the user information 6 field is set to a value indicating the transmission of a NEXT TB PPDU.

[0260] Or, if the transmission of a TB PPDU is triggered by a user information 4 field or a user information 5 field located after the user information 3 field, the TB PPDU is transmitted based on the TB PPDU format (for example, an EHT TB PPDU, etc.) indicated by the user information 4 field or the user information 5 field. Also, if the transmission of a TB PPDU is triggered by a user information 7 field or a user information 8 field located after the user information 6 field, the TB PPDU is transmitted based on the TB PPDU format (for example, a NEXT TB PPDU, etc.) indicated by the user information 7 field or the user information 8 field.

[0261] Also, if the transmission of the TB PPDU is indicated by a user information field located before the user information field indicating the TB PPDU format, the TB PPDU format is determined based on the user information field indicating the transmission of the TB PPDU. For example, if the transmission of the TB PPDU is triggered by the user information 1 field or the user information 2 field in FIG. 23, the TB PPDU format transmitted as a response to the frame is the HE TB PPDU.

[0262] Or, if there is a user information field indicating the HE TB PPDU format and the transmission of the TB PPDU is triggered by a user information field located after the user information field indicating the HE TB PPDU format, the TB PPDU format transmitted as a response to the frame is the HE TB PPDU.

[0263] The user information 7 field and the user information 8 field in FIG. 24 are located after the user information field indicating the EHT TB PPDU and the user information field indicating the NEXT TB PPDU. In this case, since the user information 6 field indicating the NEXT TB PPDU is located after the user information 3 field indicating the EHT TB PPDU, the format of the TB PPDU triggered by the user information 7 field or the user information 8 field is the NEXT TB PPDU.

[0264] Also, if the transmission of the TB PPDU is indicated by the user information 4 field or the user information 5 field, the user information 4 field and the user information 5 field are located after the user information 3 field indicating the EHT TB PPDU and before the user information 6 field indicating the NEXT TB PPDU. Therefore, the format of the TB PPDU indicated by the user information 4 field or the user information 5 field is the EHT TB PPDU.

[0265] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the lengths of the common information field and the user information field of the EHT standard and the NEXT standard are the same as those of the common information field and the user information field of the HE standard, respectively. This is applicable not only to the TB PPDU format indication method based on the user information field described in FIG. 23, but also to other embodiments of the present invention including the indication method of the TB PPDU format based on the common information field.

[0266] Such a method is to prevent a legacy terminal (for example, an STA compliant with the HE standard or a standard prior to the HE standard) that cannot decode a PPDU according to the EHT standard or the NEXT standard from performing an unintended TB PPDU transmission. For example, if the length of the common information field or the user information field of the EHT standard and the NEXT standard is different from that of the HE standard, when the HE STA interprets the trigger frame according to the HE standard, it is recognized that sub-fields such as the AID12 sub-field trigger the transmission of the HE STA's TB PPDU. In this case, the HE STA performs HE TB PPDU transmission, but since this is different from the intention of the STA that transmitted the trigger frame, the HE TB PPDU acts as interference to other TB PPDUs, and the HE TB PPDU itself cannot be received by the STA that transmitted the trigger frame.

[0267] According to an embodiment, the lengths of the common information field and the user information field are as shown in FIG. 12 and the like. For example, the common information field is 64-bit (8 octets) excluding the trigger-dependent common information sub-field. Also, the user information field is 40-bit (5 octets) excluding the user-dependent user information sub-field. Also, in the case of a basic trigger frame, there is no trigger-dependent common information sub-field, and the length of the trigger-dependent user information sub-field is 8-bit (1 octet).

[0268] However, in this case, the length of the user information field located after the preset AID12 subfield is different from the length of the user information field in the HE standard. For example, the value of the preset AID12 subfield is 4095. That is, the value of the preset AID12 subfield is a value with all bits set to 1. This value is the same as the value indicating the start of frame padding (Padding). Therefore, the HE STA ignores the user information field after the AID12 subfield with the preset value, so that even if the length of the user information field is different, an unintended HE TB PPDU is not transmitted.

[0269] As another embodiment of the present invention, if there are multiple user information fields or AID12 subfields indicating the TB PPDU format, the user information fields or AID12 subfields are included in the frame in the set order. For example, the user information fields or AID12 subfields are included in the frame in order according to the TB PPDU format they respectively indicate.

[0270] That is, if the TB PPDU format indicated by the user information field or AID12 subfield is the legacy format, the corresponding user information field or AID12 subfield is located before other user information fields or AID12 subfields.

[0271] For example, if the TB PPDU format indicated by the user information field or the AID12 subfield is the EHT TB PPDU, the corresponding user information field or AID12 subfield is located before the user information field or AID12 subfield that indicates the NEXT TB PPDU. Also, if the TB PPDU format indicated by the user information field or the AID12 subfield is the HE TB PPDU, the corresponding user information field or AID12 subfield is located before the user information field or AID12 subfield that indicates the EHT TB PPDU.

[0272] The user information field indicates an additional common information field. As described above, the common information field includes information that is common to all STAs or a plurality of STAs that receive the frame. For example, if the AID12 subfield is a preset value, the user information field including the AID12 subfield includes an additional common information field. This is because there is a limit to the size of information that the common information field included in the conventional frame can contain.

[0273] That is, as shown in FIG. 24, the user information 1 field includes additional common information. At this time, the AID12 subfield included in the user information 1 field is set to a preset value indicating that common information is included.

[0274] FIG. 25 is a diagram showing another example of the trigger frame format according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0275] Referring to FIG. 25, when indicating the TB PPDU, the AID12 subfield of the user information field is used to indicate the TB PPDU format by instructing the value of the AID12 subfield to be different according to each format. Specifically, FIG. 24 is an embodiment for solving the above-described problems, and the same content as that described above is omitted.

[0276] Specifically, as described above, the specific value of the AID12 subfield or the user information field indicates RA-RU. However, if the method for instructing the TB PPDU format is designed in the same way as the method for instructing the TB PPDU to a legacy terminal, there may be a problem that the legacy terminal interprets and responds differently to the value of the user information field or the AID12 subfield for instructing the TB PPDU format to the next-generation terminal.

[0277] For example, there is a risk that a legacy terminal (e.g., HE STA) interprets the value of the user information field or the AID12 subfield for instructing the transmission of an EHT TB PPDU as the value indicating RA-RU for instructing the UORA operation of HE and responds with an HE TB PPDU.

[0278] Therefore, as described in FIG. 22, when using the value of the AID12 subfield or the user information field that indicates RA-RU, the STA can respond with an HE TB PPDU. For example, for a STA that can transmit both an EHT TB PPDU and an HE TB PPDU, the response to a frame including the AID12 subfield or the user information field that indicates RA-RU can transmit an HE TB PPDU.

[0279] In this case, the STA that transmits the trigger frame uses the AID12 subfield or the user information field that indicates RA-RU to indicate the response of the HE TB PPDU as described in FIG. 24. Thereby, if the value indicating RA-RU of the AID12 subfield or the user information field is used, no additional rules or implementations are required to indicate the PPDU format via the frame. That is, if the AID12 subfield or the user information field indicates RA-RU, the STA recognizes the response to the frame as an HE TB PPDU.

[0280] That is, the specific value of the user information field included in the frame or the AID12 subfield included in the user information field is used to indicate the RA-RU of the STA that supports HE. In this case, the specific value for indicating the RA-RU indicates that the response to the frame is a HE TB PPDU. Therefore, the value of the user information field or the AID12 subfield included in the user information field for indicating an EHT TB PPDU or a NEXT TB PPDU as a response to the frame is set to the remaining value excluding the specific value for indicating the UORA operation of HE.

[0281] For example, the AP STA transmits a frame for instructing (or triggering) the transmission of a TB PPDU to one or more non-AP STAs. At this time, the value of the user information field included in the frame or the AID12 subfield of the user information field is set to be different according to the format of the TB PPDU for instructing the transmission.

[0282] For example, when the value of the AID12 subfield is used to indicate the transmission of an EHT TB PPDU, it is set to a value excluding the first specific value (for example, "2045") and / or the second specific value (for example, "0"). In this case, the second specific value may be used to indicate the transmission of an EHT TB PPDU if specific conditions are met.

[0283] Therefore, the AID12 subfield is set to the first specific value (for example, "2045") and / or the second specific value (for example, "0") to indicate the transmission of a HE TB PPDU instead of an EHT TB PPDU. At this time, the first specific value is used to indicate the response of the HE TB PPDU, and the second specific value is used to indicate the transmission of the HE TB PPDU if specific conditions are not met.

[0284] That is, the AP STA includes in the frame a HE variant user information field in which the value of the AID12 subfield is set to the first specific value for the non-AP STA to instruct the transmission of the HE TB PPDU and transmits it. In this case, the second specific value is used to instruct the transmission of the HE TB PPDU only if specific conditions are met.

[0285] If the value of the user information field or the AID12 subfield included in the user information field is set to the first specific value (e.g., "2045") or the second specific value (e.g., "0") to indicate the RA-RU for the HE UORA operation, the STA transmits the HE TB PPDU as a response to the frame. However, if the value of the user information field or the AID12 subfield included in the user information field is set to a value other than the first specific value or the second specific value, the STA transmits the EHT TB PPDU or the NEXT TB PPDU as a response to the frame.

[0286] The first specific value is used to indicate the RA-RU to a STA not associated with the AP, and the second specific value is used to indicate the RA-RU to a STA associated with the AP.

[0287] At this time, if the second specific value satisfies specific conditions, it is used to instruct the transmission of an EHT TB PPDU or a NEXT TB PPDU. For example, the specific conditions are whether any of the STAs associated with the AP are not legacy STAs (for example, if any of them can transmit an EHT TB PPDU), if they are EHT STAs that are not HE and / or legacy STAs that cannot transmit an HE TB PPDU (that is, when the STAs exclude legacy STAs that cannot transmit an EHT TB PPDU but can transmit an HE TB PPDU), if any of the associated legacy STAs (terminals that cannot transmit an EHT TB PPDU) do not support UORA operation, or if the frame instructing the transmission of the TB PPDU is transmitted included in the EHT PPDU. At this time, when any of the legacy STAs (terminals that cannot transmit an EHT TB PPDU) do not support UORA operation, it includes the case where the value of the capability subfield indicating that the STA does not support UORA operation is transmitted to the AP.

[0288] That is, when any of the legacy STAs (terminals that cannot transmit an EHT TB PPDU) do not support UORA operation, it includes the case where the value of the capability subfield transmitted by the STA to the AP is set to a value indicating that it does not support UORA operation, or when a STA that does not support UORA operation itself is associated.

[0289] That is, among the above conditions, when any of the STAs associated with the AP are not legacy terminals (for example, if any of them can transmit an EHT TB PPDU), it is also applicable when the AP is associated with one STA that can transmit an EHT TB PPDU. That is, since only STAs that can transmit an EHT TB PPDU exist among the STAs associated with the AP, in this case, "0", which is the second specific value, is used as the value of the AID12 subfield or the user information field. Therefore, in this case, the second specific value is determined to satisfy the specific conditions and is used to instruct the transmission of an EHT TB PPDU or a NEXT TB PPDU.

[0290] In addition, the TB PPDU indicated by the AP via the frame only indicates one format of the TB PPDU. For example, the AP only indicates an HE TB PPDU or an EHT TB PPDU (or a NEXT TB PPDU) via the frame, and cannot indicate an HE TB PPDU and an EHT TB PPDU simultaneously. Therefore, when the frame indicates an EHT TB PPDU, the transmission of the HE TB PPDU cannot be indicated via the corresponding frame, so the value of the user information field or the AID12 subfield included in the user information field is not set to "2045".

[0291] In addition, the example of responding with an HE TB PPDU based on the AID12 subfield or the user information field indicating the RA-RU is limited to the case where the trigger frame is included in a non-HE PPDU, a non-HT duplicate PPDU, an HE PPDU, a VHT PPDU, or an HT PPDU.

[0292] There exists a value in the AID12 subfield or the user information field that indicates the RA-RU while indicating to respond with an HE TB PPDU. For example, if the value of the AID12 subfield is 0 or 2045, the value of the AID12 subfield indicates the RA-RU for the UORA operation and indicates that the response format for the frame is an HE TB PPDU.

[0293] In addition, there exists an AID12 subfield or a user information field that indicates the RA-RU while indicating to respond with an EHT TB PPDU or a NEXT TB PPDU. For example, the preset value of the AID12 subfield that indicates to respond with an EHT TB PPDU or a NEXT TB PPDU and indicates the RA-RU is a value excluding 0, 1 to 2007, 2045, 2046, and / or 4095.

[0294] That is, the RA-RU allocation for the UORA operation of a STA capable of transmitting an EHT PPDU or a NEXT PPDU (e.g., an EHT STA supporting EHT or a NEXT STA supporting the NEXT standard), and the value of AID12 or the user information field for instructing the transmission of an EHT TB PPDU or a NEXT TB PPDU are set to values excluding the value of the AID12 subfield or the user information field for allocating an RA-RU for the UORA operation of a STA incapable of transmitting an EHT TB PPDU or a NEXT TB PPDU.

[0295] For example, as described above, when a frame for triggering the transmission of a TB PPDU instructs the transmission of an EHT TB PPDU, the value of the AID12 subfield or the user information field is set to a value excluding at least one specific value. That is, the value of the AID12 subfield or the user information field is set as a value excluding at least one specific value for instructing the RA-RU of a STA incapable of transmitting an EHT TB PPDU.

[0296] At this time, at least one specific value includes a first specific value (e.g., "2045") for instructing an RA-RU to a STA not associated with an AP, and a second specific value (e.g., "0") for instructing an RA-RU to a STA associated with an AP is included in at least one specific value depending on whether it satisfies a specific condition.

[0297] The specific condition is as described above. If the specific condition is satisfied, it is set to the value of the AID12 subfield or the user information field for instructing an RA-RU and the transmission of an EHT TB PPDU or a NEXT TB PPDU to a STA capable of transmitting an EHT TB PPDU or a NEXT TB PPDU.

[0298] However, unless certain conditions are met, the second specific value is not set to the value of the AID12 subfield or the user information field for instructing an STA that can transmit an EHT TB PPDU or a NEXT TB PPDU to transmit an RA-RU and an EHT TB PPDU or a NEXT TB PPDU in at least one specific value.

[0299] As described in FIG. 15, if the value of the AID12 subfield is 0, the value of the AID12 subfield is used to indicate one or more RAs-RUs for the combined STA. Also, the values 1 to 2007 of the AID12 subfield are used to indicate the combined STA having the corresponding AID, and 2045 is used to indicate one or more RAs-RUs for a non-combined STA. The value 2046 of the AID12 subfield is used to indicate an unallocated RU, and 4095 is used to indicate the start of the frame padding field.

[0300] As shown in FIG. 24, the padding field of the trigger frame is located in the middle of the user information field. In this case, the padding field is referred to as an intermediate padding field. The intermediate padding field is a different field from the padding field described in FIG. 12 and is a type of user information field. For example, if the AID12 subfield has a preset value, the user information field is an intermediate padding field. Specifically, the user information field including the AID12 subfield having a preset value is included in the middle of the user information list field, and the user information field including such an AID12 subfield is an intermediate padding field.

[0301] Alternatively, the user information field including the AID12 subfield having a preset value may be included at a position that is not the very last in the user information list field.

[0302] At this time, the preset value may be the same as the value indicating the start of the padding field. For example, the preset value is 4095. Or, the preset value may be a value with all bits being 1. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the TB PPDU format is determined based on the relative position between the user information field indicating the RA transmitted by the STA and the intermediate padding field. For example, the TB PPDU format is determined based on the relative position between the user information field indicating the RA-RU transmitted by the STA and the intermediate padding field. For example, the intermediate padding field may be included to prevent the HE STA from recognizing the user information field after the intermediate padding field.

[0303] More specifically, the intermediate padding field may be included to prevent the HE STA from recognizing the user information field indicating the RA-RU after the intermediate padding field. When the intermediate padding field is included, the HE STA can recognize the fields and values after the intermediate padding field as the padding field described in FIG. 12. Also, the length of the intermediate padding field may be the same as that of the user information field. As an embodiment, the remaining part of the intermediate padding field excluding the AID12 subfield is set to a preset value. As another example, the remaining part of the intermediate padding field excluding the AID12 subfield may be set to an arbitrary value.

[0304] In an embodiment of the present invention, responding to a user information field indicating a certain RA-RU may mean that the selected RU among the multiple RA-RUs indicated by the trigger frame including the user information field is the certain RA-RU. For example, when the OBO counter becomes 0 in the above-described UORA operation, the process of selecting the RU to be transmitted among one or more RA-RUs indicated by the trigger frame is included.

[0305] At this time, among one or more RAs-RUs, the RU for UORA operation is arbitrarily selected. In the present invention, responding to an RA-RU means responding based on a user information field that indicates the RA-RU, or when the RA-RU is selected, or when the OBO counter becomes 0 and the RA-RU is selected as the RU to transmit the RA-RU, and the like.

[0306] According to an embodiment of the present invention, when responding based on an RA-RU indicated by a user information field existing before the intermediate padding field, or when responding with the RA-RU indicated by the user information field existing before the intermediate padding field, respond using a preset PPDU format. For example, the preset PPDU format is the HE TB PPDU format. Also, the value of the AID12 subfield included in the user information field that indicates the RA-RU is 0 or 2045.

[0307] According to such an embodiment, when the HE STA responds to the RA-RU, the HE STA responds with a HE TB PPDU, which is the only TB PPDU format that the HE STA can transmit. Also, when the EHT STA or NEXT STA, which can transmit a number of TB PPDU formats including the HE TB PPDU format, responds to the RA-RU, it responds with a HE TB PPDU based on the relative position with the intermediate padding field of the user information field that indicated the RA-RU.

[0308] Referring to FIG. 25, the trigger frame includes an intermediate padding field. Also, the RA-RU is indicated by the user information 1 field. If the STA responds to the RA-RU indicated by the user information 1 field, it transmits using the HE TB PPDU format. This is because the RA-RU to which the STA responds is indicated by the user information field existing before the intermediate padding field.

[0309] In the present invention, the case where the relative position with respect to the intermediate padding field of the user information field that indicates the responding RA-RU is in front has been described. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and it may be defined and applied that the HE TB PPDU format is used when it exists after the intermediate padding field.

[0310] Also, according to an embodiment of the present invention, when responding based on the RA-RU indicated by the user information field that exists after the intermediate padding field, or when responding with the RA-RU indicated by the user information field that exists after the intermediate padding field, the TB PPDU format is determined and transmitted using the TB PPDU format indication or determination method described in FIGS. 15 to 24. The user information field that indicates the RA-RU has the value of the AID12 subfield set to 0 or 2045. For example, when using the TB PPDU format indication method described in FIG. 24, if the user information field that indicates the RA-RU to be transmitted exists after the intermediate padding field, the TB PPDU format to be transmitted by UORA is determined based on the relative position of the user information field that indicates the RA-RU to be transmitted with respect to the user information field that indicates the TB PPDU format.

[0311] Alternatively, if the TB PPDU format indication signaling is included in the common information field and the user information field that indicates the RA-RU to be transmitted exists after the intermediate padding field, the TB PPDU format is selected based on the TB PPDU format indication signaling.

[0312] As shown in FIG. 25, the trigger frame includes an intermediate padding field. In this case, the user information 5 field indicates RA-RU, and the user information 7 field also indicates RA-RU. And although the user information field that indicates the TB PPDU format according to the embodiment described in FIG. 24 is also included, the user information 2 field indicates the EHT TB PPDU format. Also, the user information 6 field indicates the format of the NEXT TB PPDU.

[0313] If the STA responds to the RA-RU indicated by the user information 5 field, it transmits using the EHT TB PPDU format indicated by the user information 2 field. This is because the RA-RU to which the STA responds is indicated by the user information field that exists after the intermediate padding field, and the user information field that indicates the RA-RU is located after the user information 2 field that indicates the EHT TB PPDU format. Also, this is because the user information 5 field is located before the user information 6 field that indicates another PPDU format.

[0314] Or, if the STA responds to the RA-RU indicated by the user information 7 field, the STA transmits using the NEXT TB PPDU format indicated by the user information 6 field. This is because the RA-RU to which the STA responds is indicated by the user information field that exists after the intermediate padding field, and the user information field that indicates the RA-RU is located after the user information 6 field that indicates the NEXT TB PPDU format. Also, this is because the user information field that indicates another PPDU format does not exist after the user information 7 field.

[0315] According to such an embodiment, the HE STA may recognize the value existing after the intermediate padding field as the padding field and may not be able to understand the user information field indicating the RA-RU. In addition, the EHT STA and NEXT STA that can transmit a number of TB PPDU formats including the HE TB PPDU format respond with a TB PPDU format indication method based on the relative position with respect to the intermediate padding field of the user information field that indicated the RA-RU when responding with the RA-RU.

[0316] In the present invention, the case where the relative position with respect to the intermediate padding field of the User Info indicating the RA-RU to be responded is later has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and it may be defined and applied that a format by a TB PPDU format indication method other than the HE TB PPDU format is used when it exists before the intermediate padding field.

[0317] According to an embodiment of the present invention, it is necessary to distinguish the intermediate padding field from the padding field (the field located before the FCS described in FIG. 25). This is because the EHT STA and NEXT STA must not ignore the information after the intermediate padding field, and the information of the padding field may be ignored. Therefore, according to an embodiment of the present invention, there is signaling indicating the presence or absence of the intermediate padding field.

[0318] For example, the common information field includes signaling indicating the presence or absence of the intermediate padding field. For example, the presence or absence of the intermediate padding field is indicated based on the UL length field. More specifically, the presence or absence of the intermediate padding field is indicated based on the UL length field mod3 value. Or, referring to FIG. 12, the presence or absence of the intermediate padding field is indicated based on the UL HE-SIG-A2 Reserved subfield (B54 to B62) or Reserved (B63) included in the common information field.

[0319] According to another embodiment, the user information field includes signaling indicating the presence or absence of an intermediate padding field. For example, the presence or absence of the intermediate padding field is indicated based on the bits included in the intermediate padding field. For example, the presence or absence of the intermediate padding field may be indicated based on preset bits excluding the AID12 subfield included in the intermediate padding field.

[0320] For example, the preset bit is the bit following the AID12 subfield (one bit of the RU allocation subfield). This is because all bits of the padding field shown in FIG. 12 are set to 1. According to another embodiment, a user information field different from the intermediate padding field indicates the presence or absence of the intermediate padding field. For example, the user information field indicating the presence or absence of the intermediate padding field exists before the intermediate padding field. More specifically, the user information field indicating the presence or absence of the intermediate padding field exists immediately before the intermediate padding field.

[0321] As an example, the user information field indicating the presence or absence of the intermediate padding field has the AID12 subfield set to a preset value. Or, as an example, the user information field indicating the presence or absence of the intermediate padding field is the user information field indicating the TB PPDU format described in FIG. 23 or the like. For example, the presence or absence of the intermediate padding field is indicated using the bits excluding the AID12 subfield of the user information field indicating the TB PPDU format. Referring to FIG. 24, the user information 2 field existing before the intermediate padding field indicates the presence or absence of the padding field. Also, the user information 2 field is the user information field indicating the EHT TB PPDU format.

[0322] According to an embodiment of the present invention, user information fields after the user information field including an AID12 subfield value that the STA cannot understand are ignored. Or, user information fields indicating an RA-RU after the user information field including an AID12 subfield that the STA cannot understand are ignored. This is to solve the problem that the TB PPDU formats transmitted from a large number of STAs described above are mixed. Referring to FIG. 24, the EHT STA cannot understand the AID12 subfield of the user information 5 field indicating the NEXT TB PPDU. Therefore, the user information 7 field existing after the user information 6 field and the RA-RU indicated by the user information 7 field are ignored.

[0323] Also, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the range of AID12 subfield values indicating the TB PPDU format is reserved. For example, when defining the EHT standard, the possible range in the NEXT standard is defined. This embodiment is applicable when using the TB PPDU format described in FIG. 24.

[0324] According to an embodiment, user information fields indicating an RA-RU indicated after the AID12 subfield in the reserved value range (that is, a value indicating a standard after the standard supported by the STA) are ignored. Referring to FIG. 24, it can be seen that the AID12 subfield of the user information 6 field indicating the NEXT TB PPDU of the EHT STA is a value for a future standard. Therefore, the user information 7 field existing after the user information 6 field and the RA-RU indicated by the user information 7 field are ignored.

[0325] In the present invention, ignoring the user information field means not responding based on the user information field. Or, ignoring the user information field means not responding to the RU indicated by the user information field. Or, ignoring the user information field means not decrementing the OBO counter based on the user information field.

[0326] According to one embodiment, the length of the user information field existing after the intermediate padding field is different from the length of the user information field defined by the HE standard.

[0327] According to one embodiment of the present invention, when using the TB PPDU format indication method described in FIGS. 24 and 25, the user information field indicating the RA-RU exists only on the side indicating one TB PPDU format. That is, it exists only in one of the user information 1 field, user information 5 field, and user information 7 field shown in FIG. 24.

[0328] According to one embodiment of the present invention, when using the TB PPDU format indication method described in FIGS. 24 and 25, the user information field indicating the RA-RU exists on the side indicating a plurality of TB PPDU formats. That is, the user information 1 field, user information 5 field, and user information 7 field shown in FIG. 24 exist simultaneously.

[0329] Also, the STA reduces the OBO counter or selects the RU to be transmitted based only on the user information field that indicates an RA-RU corresponding to a supportable TB PPDU format. Also, when the OBO counter reaches 0, when selecting the RA-RU to be transmitted, the STA responds according to which TB PPDU format should be used when the user information field indicating the RA-RU follows the method described in FIGS. 23 to 24. That is, it selects the RU to be transmitted from among the RA-RUs corresponding to the supportable formats and responds using the TB PPDU format corresponding to the selected RU. As another example, regardless of whether it is supportable or not, it selects the RU to be transmitted from among the RA-RUs, responds using the TB PPDU format corresponding to the selected RU, or does not respond if it does not support the TB PPDU format corresponding to the selected RU. In this case, the OBO counter is reset.

[0330] According to one embodiment, there is one OBO counter in the STA. Also, the above embodiment is applied when there is one OBO counter in the STA.

[0331] According to other embodiments, there may be multiple OBO counters in the STA. For example, there is a separate OBO counter corresponding to each standard supported by the STA. Also, the OBO counter of the corresponding standard is reduced based on the RA-RU corresponding to the TB PPDU format indication method described in FIGS. 23 to 24. Referring to FIG. 24, the OBO counter corresponding to the HE standard is reduced based on User Info 1, the OBO counter corresponding to the EHT standard is reduced based on User Info 5, and the OBO counter corresponding to the NEXT standard is reduced based on User Info 7. Also, when the OBO counter corresponding to a certain standard reaches 0, it selects and transmits from among the RA-RUs indicated for the certain standard.

[0332] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a response is made with a TB PPDU based on the TB PPDU format information received from an AP or the standard information of a peripheral STA. Further, the TB PPDU format information or the standard information of the peripheral STA is included in a management frame transmitted by the AP. The management frame includes one of an Association Response frame, a Reassociation Response frame, a Beacon frame, and a Probe Response frame.

[0333] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a TB PPDU format is determined based on the observation of the STA. For example, if the STA receives a frame or an HE PPDU from an HE STA in the same BSS, it responds with an HE TB PPDU. Or, if the STA cannot receive a frame or an HE PPDU from an HE STA in the same BSS, it responds with an EHT TB PPDU or a NEXT TB PPDU.

[0334] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the TRS control field includes a format identifier or a version identifier. Further, a 20 MHz subchannel including an RU indicated by a TRS control subfield that is an HE variant is not instructed to respond in an EHT TB PPDU format or a NEXT TB PPDU format by the TB PPDU format indication method described in FIGS. 15 to 25. Similarly, a 20 MHz subchannel including an RU indicated by a TRS control field that is an EHT variant is not instructed to respond in an HE TB PPDU format or a NEXT TB PPDU format by the TB PPDU format indication method described in FIGS. 15 to 25.

[0335] The 20 MHz subchannel including the RU indicated by the TRS control field which is the NEXT variant is not instructed to respond in the HE TB PPDU format or the EHT TB PPDU format by the TB PPDU format indication method described in FIGS. 15 to 25.

[0336] FIG. 26 is a diagram showing a trigger frame format and a method for instructing RA-RU according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0337] Referring to FIG. 26, the TB PPDU format and the RA-RU are instructed by using the value of the user information field included in the above-described frame or the AID12 subfield included in the user information field. In FIG. 26, the same content as that described above is omitted.

[0338] Specifically, as described above, the AID12 subfield or the user information field that instructs the RA-RU and the response PPDU format for the frame is included in the frame.

[0339] For example, as described above, if the AID12 subfield is 0 or 2045, the RA-RU is instructed and the transmission of the HE TB PPDU is instructed as a response to the frame. At this time, the fact that the value of the AID12 subfield is 0 indicates the RA-RU for the STAs associated with the AP, and the fact that the value of the AID12 subfield is 2045 indicates the RA-RU for the STAs not associated with the AP. Also, there exists an AID12 subfield or a user information field that instructs the RA-RU and indicates that the response PPDU format is the EHT TB PPDU. And at this time, there are separate values that indicate the RA-RU for the STAs associated with the AP and the values that indicate the RA-RU for the STAs not associated with the AP.

[0340] Similarly, there exists an AID12 subfield or user information field that indicates RA-RU and indicates that the response PPDU format is a NEXT TB PPDU. At this time, there are separately existing values that indicate RA-RU for STAs associated with the AP and values that indicate RA-RU for STAs not associated with the AP.

[0341] According to other embodiments, if the AID12 subfield is a preset value, it indicates RA-RU and indicates that the response PPDU format is an EHT TB PPDU or a NEXT TB PPDU (that is, it indicates that it is not in the HE TB PPDU format). For example, the preset value is a value other than 0 and not 2045. Also, the preset value is a value among 2008 to 2044 or a value among 2047 to 4094. Also, in such a case, since the method of selecting the PPDU format among the EHT TB PPDU or NEXT TB PPDU can additionally use the method described in the embodiment of FIG. 23 or other embodiments of the present invention, no problem occurs.

[0342] Referring to FIG. 26, the trigger frame includes a user information field that indicates RA-RU and indicates that the response PPDU format is a HE TB PPDU. The value of the AID12 subfield of such a user information field is 0 or 2045. Also, the trigger frame includes a user information field that indicates RA-RU and indicates that the response PPDU format is an EHT TB PPDU. Referring to FIG. 26, the value of the AID12 subfield of such a user information field is X. Also, the trigger frame includes a user information field that indicates RA-RU and indicates that the response PPDU format is a NEXT TB PPDU. Referring to FIG. 25, the value of the AID12 subfield of such a user information field is Y. Also, as described above, according to one embodiment, X and Y are the same value.

[0343] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the HE STA reduces the OBO counter for the RA-RU of the user information field in which the AID12 subfield is set to 0 or 2045 and selects the RU. Also, the HE STA cannot recognize the user information field in which the AID12 subfield is set to X or Y and the RA-RU indicated thereby.

[0344] Also, according to the embodiment, the EHT STA reduces the OBO counter for the RA-RU of the user information field in which the AID12 subfield is set to 0 or 2045 or X and selects the RU. In such a case, the EHT STA obtains more random access opportunities than the HE STA. Also, at this time, when the EHT STA responds with the RA-RU indicated by the user information field in which the AID12 subfield is set to 0 or 2045, it responds via the HE TB PPDU. Also, at this time, when the EHT STA responds with the RA-RU indicated by the user information field in which the AID12 subfield is set to X, it responds via the EHT TB PPDU.

[0345] Also, according to another embodiment, the RA-RU candidates for reducing the OBO counter or determining the UORA transmission (such that the OBO counter becomes 0) and the RA-RU candidates selected during the UORA transmission can be different from each other.

[0346] Furthermore, according to still another embodiment, the EHT STA reduces the OBO counter for the RA-RU of the user information field in which the AID12 subfield is set to 0 or 2045 or X, and selects the RU from among the RA-RUs of the user information field in which the AID12 subfield is set to X. Also, at this time, when the EHT STA responds with the RA-RU indicated by the user information field in which the AID12 subfield is set to X, it responds via the EHT TB PPDU.

[0347] Also, according to yet another embodiment, the EHT STA decrements the OBO counter for the RA-RU of the user information field in which the AID12 subfield is set to 0 or 2045 or X or Y, and selects the RA-RU of the user information field in which the AID12 subfield is set to 0 or 2045 or X. In such a case, the EHT STA obtains more random access opportunities than the HE STA. Also, since the EHT STA decrements the OBO counter for the RA-RU such as the NEXT STA, random access opportunities can be obtained fairly. Also, at this time, when the EHT STA responds with the RA-RU indicated by the user information field in which the AID12 subfield is set to 0 or 2045, it responds via the HE TB PPDU. Also, at this time, when the EHT STA responds with the RA-RU indicated by the user information field in which the AID12 subfield is set to X, it responds via the EHT TB PPDU.

[0348] Also, according to another embodiment, the EHT STA decrements the OBO counter for the RA-RU of the user information field in which the AID12 subfield is set to X, and selects the RU. That is, the EHT STA does not decrement the OBO counter for the RA-RU of the user information field in which the AID12 subfield is set to 0 or 2045.

[0349] However, when the EHT STA decrements the OBO counter for the AID12 subfield X, the OBO counter is reset in order to decrement the OBO counter based on the RA-RU of the user information field in which the value of the AID12 subfield is set to "0" or "2045". Similarly, when the EHT STA decrements the OBO counter for the AID12 subfield set to "0" or "2045", the OBO counter is reset in order to decrement the OBO counter based on the RA-RU of the user information field in which the value of the AID12 subfield is set to "X".

[0350] Also, the EHT STA does not select an RU for the RA-RU of the user information field in which the AID12 subfield is set to 0 or 2045. In such a case, in the above embodiment, the EHT STA can prevent fairness from degrading by obtaining more random access opportunities than the HE STA. Also, at this time, when the EHT STA responds with the RA-RU indicated by the user information field in which the AID12 subfield is set to X, it responds via the EHT TB PPDU.

[0351] Also, according to still another embodiment, the EHT STA has and manages a number of OBO counters. For example, for the RA-RU of the user information field in which the AID12 subfield is set to 0 or 2045, the OBO counter A is decremented and an RU is selected. For the RA-RU of the user information field in which the AID12 subfield is set to X, the OBO counter B is decremented and an RU is selected. Also, for the RA-RU of the user information field in which the AID12 subfield is set to Y, the OBO counter C is decremented and an RU is selected.

[0352] In such a case, the EHT STA should implement maintaining a number of OBO counters, but has more random access opportunities than the HE STA. Also, at this time, when the EHT STA responds with the RA-RU indicated by the user information field in which the AID12 subfield is set to 0 or 2045, it responds via the HE TB PPDU. Also, at this time, when the EHT STA responds with the RA-RU indicated by the user information field in which the AID12 subfield is set to X, it responds via the EHT TB PPDU. Also, at this time, when the NEXT STA responds with the RA-RU indicated by the user information field in which the AID12 subfield is set to Y, it responds via the NEXT TB PPDU.

[0353] Also, the NEXT STA performs UORA using the same method as described for the EHT STA. That is, according to one embodiment, the NEXT STA decrements the OBO counter for the RA-RU of the user information field in which the AID12 subfield is set to 0 or 2045 or X or Y, and selects an RU. Also, when transmitting with UORA, the TB PPDU format is based on the AID12 subfield that indicates the responding RA-RU. For example, if the AID12 subfield responds with an RA-R indicated by a user information field set to 0 or 2045, an HE TB PPDU is used; if the AID12 subfield responds with an RA-RU indicated by a user information field set to X, an EHT TB PPDU is used; and if the AID12 subfield responds with an RA-R indicated by a user information field set to Y, a NEXT TB PPDU is used.

[0354] According to a further embodiment, the NEXT STA decrements the OBO counter for the RA-RU of the user information field in which the AID12 subfield is set to Y, and selects an RU. Also, when transmitting with UORA, a NEXT TB PPDU format is used for the response.

[0355] According to one embodiment, X and Y are values other than 0 or 2045 respectively, and in other embodiments, X and Y are each 0 or 2045.

[0356] Referring to FIG. 26, the EHT STA decrements the OBO counter based on the RA-RU indicated by User Info 1 in which AID12 is set to 0 and the RA-RU indicated by User Info 5 in which AID12 is set to X, and if the OBO counter becomes 0, it selects and responds from among the RA-RUs indicated by User Info 1 and User Info 5.

[0357] As another example, referring to FIG. 25, the EHT STA decreases the OBO counter based on the RA-RU indicated by User Info 5 in which AID12 is set to X. When the OBO counter reaches 0, it selects and responds from among the RA-RUs indicated by User Info 5.

[0358] In one embodiment of the present invention, when the OBO counter reaches 0, it includes the case where the number of RUs indicated by the RA-RU is greater than or equal to the remaining OBO counter. That is, it includes the case where the OBO counter becomes 0 or less after decreasing.

[0359] In one embodiment of the present invention, the embodiment described with reference to FIG. 26 is used together with the TB PPDU format determination method described in the present invention, such as the embodiment of FIG. 24 and the embodiments of FIGS. 15 to 20. In this case, two or more methods indicate different PPDU formats, and in this case, a preset method among the two or more methods is used. For example, the embodiment described with reference to FIG. 24 and the embodiment described with reference to FIG. 25 may be used together.

[0360] Also, referring to FIG. 26, the AID12 subfield value of the user information 1 field is set to 0 or 2045, and the AID12 subfield value of the user information 3 field is set to 0 or 2045. The user information 2 field indicates the EHT TB PPDU format, and the user information 3 field exists after the user information 2 field.

[0361] That is, when responding based on the user information 3 field, the EHT TB PPDU is indicated based on the user information 2 field, and the HE TB PPDU is indicated based on the AID12 subfield set to 0 or 2045 included in the user information 3 field. In this case, according to one embodiment, a response is made using the HE TB PPDU. This is because although the HE STA can recognize the user information 3 field and the RA-RU indicated by the user information 3 field, it cannot recognize the PPDU format indicated by the user information 2 field. Therefore, it is expected that the HE STA will respond with the HE TB PPDU based on the user information 3 field.

[0362] That is, when performing a UORA response based on a user information field where the AID12 subfield is 0 or 2045, it can be transmitted using the HE TB PPDU regardless of other TB PPDU format indication methods.

[0363] As another example, the user information field including the AID12 subfield of 0 or 2045 exists at a position meaning the HE TB PPDU. For example, it exists in the portion before the user information field, or before the user information field indicating the EHT TB PPDU and the user information field indicating the NEXT TB PPDU. Or, when using the method including the intermediate padding field described in FIG. 25, the user information field including the AID12 subfield of 0 or 2045 exists before the intermediate padding field.

[0364] According to one embodiment, the AID12 subfield set to 0 or 2045 is included regardless of which standard trigger frame the trigger frame is or which TB PPDU the trigger frame responds to. Also, the AID12 subfield set to a value indicating RA-RU and instructing to respond with an EHT TB PPDU is included regardless of which standard trigger frame the trigger frame is or which TB PPDU the trigger frame responds to. Also, the AID12 subfield set to a value indicating RA-RU and instructing to respond with a NEXT TB PPDU is included regardless of which standard trigger frame the trigger frame is or which TB PPDU the trigger frame responds to.

[0365] As yet another example, the AID12 subfield set to 0 or 2045 is only included when the trigger frame is a trigger frame indicating an HE TB PPDU (e.g., an HE trigger frame, a trigger frame for an HE variant, a trigger frame instructing to respond with an HE TB PPDU, or a trigger frame whose format identifier indicates HE).

[0366] Thus, the AID12 subfield set to 0 or 2045 is not included when the trigger frame is a trigger frame indicating an EHT TB PPDU or a NEXT TB PPDU (e.g., an EHT (or NEXT) trigger frame, a trigger frame for an EHT (or NEXT) variant, a trigger frame instructing to respond with an EHT (or NEXT) TB PPDU, or a trigger frame whose format identifier indicates EHT (or NEXT)).

[0367] The AID12 subfield set to a value that indicates RA-RU and indicates to respond with an EHT TB PPDU (or NEXT TB PPDU) is included only when the trigger frame that indicates the transmission of the EHT TB PPDU (or NEXT TB PPDU) (e.g., an EHT trigger frame (or NEXT trigger frame), a trigger frame for an EHT variant (or NEXT variant), a trigger frame that indicates to respond with an EHT TB PPDU (or NEXT TB PPDU), or a trigger frame whose format identifier indicates EHT (or NEXT)) is present.

[0368] That is, the AID12 subfield set to a value that indicates RA-RU and indicates to respond with an EHT TB PPDU is not included when the trigger frame that indicates the transmission of a HE TB PPDU or NEXT TB PPDU (e.g., a HE (or NEXT) trigger frame, a trigger frame for a HE (or NEXT) variant, a trigger frame that indicates to respond with a HE (or NEXT) TB PPDU, or a trigger frame whose format identifier indicates HE (or NEXT)) is present.

[0369] The AID12 subfield set to a value that indicates RA-RU and indicates to respond with a NEXT TB PPDU is not included when the trigger frame that indicates the transmission of a HE TB PPDU (or EHT TB PPDU) (e.g., a HE (or EHT) trigger frame, a trigger frame for a HE (or EHT) variant, a trigger frame that indicates to respond with a HE (or EHT) TB PPDU, or a trigger frame whose format identifier indicates HE (or EHT)) is present.

[0370] For example, there may be a case where both the embodiment described in FIG. 25 and the determination method and embodiment based on the common information field described in FIGS. 15 to 18 are used. In this case, when the common information field indicates an EHT TB PPDU or a NEXT TB PPDU (or when the trigger frame is an EHT variant or a NEXT variant), the user information field with the AID12 subfield being 0 or 2045 is not included. Or, when the trigger frame indicates an EHT TB PPDU or a NEXT TB PPDU (or when the trigger frame is an EHT variant or a NEXT variant), the user information field with the AID12 subfield being 0 or 2045 is not included.

[0371] According to still another embodiment, when the trigger frame or the common information field indicates an EHT TB PPDU or a NEXT TB PPDU (or when the trigger frame is an EHT variant or a NEXT variant), and includes a user information field with the AID12 subfield being 0 or 2045 and responds with UORA based thereon, a HE TB PPDU other than the EHT TB PPDU and the NEXT TB PPDU is used for the response.

[0372] In addition, when the trigger frame or the common information field indicates a NEXT TB PPDU (or is a NEXT variant), the user information field with the AID12 subfield being 0 or 2045 or set to X is not included. As still another embodiment, when the trigger frame or the common information field indicates a NEXT TB PPDU (or is a NEXT variant), and includes a user information field with the AID12 subfield being 0 or 2045 or set to X and responds with UORA based thereon, a TB PPDU format indicated by 0 or 2045 or X other than the NEXT TB PPDU is used for the response.

[0373] Also, when responding to the user information field that indicates RA-RU and indicates an EHT TB PPDU, if the EHT TB PPDU is different from the PPDU format indicated by other PPDU format determination methods, respond according to a preset method. According to one embodiment, regardless of other PPDU format determination methods, respond with an EHT TB PPDU based on the user information field that indicates RA-RU and indicates an EHT TB PPDU. According to still another embodiment, when responding based on the user information field that indicates RA-RU and indicates an EHT TB PPDU, respond based on other PPDU format determination methods.

[0374] Alternatively, the user information field that indicates RA-RU and indicates an EHT TB PPDU configures a trigger frame so that the EHT TB PPDU is determined according to other PPDU format determination methods. Referring to FIG. 25, the user information field in which the AID12 subfield indicating RA-RU and indicating a response with an EHT TB PPDU is set to X exists after User Info 2 indicating a response with an EHT TB PPDU and before User Info 6 indicating a response with a NEXT TB PPDU.

[0375] When responding to the user information field that indicates RA-RU and indicates a NEXT TB PPDU, the same method as when responding to the user information field that indicates RA-RU and indicates an EHT TB PPDU is applied.

[0376] FIG. 27 is a diagram showing a trigger frame format according to an embodiment of the present invention and another example for indicating RA-RU.

[0377] The embodiment described in FIG. 27 is a further explanation and example for the problems and solutions described in FIG. 25, and the same content as described above is omitted. Hereinafter, the value of the AID12 subfield indicating RA-RU includes 0 and 2045.

[0378] The fact that the intermediate padding field described in FIG. 24 is included in the middle of the user information list field means that the intermediate padding field is included at the very front of the user information list field. Or, it means that the position of the intermediate padding field is different from that of the conventional padding that existed after the trigger frame, or that other user information fields may exist after the intermediate padding field.

[0379] The intermediate padding field is a user information field that includes an AID12 subfield with a preset value. For example, the length of the intermediate padding field is the same as the length of the user information field.

[0380] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the length of the intermediate padding field may be different from that of the user information field. For example, the length of the intermediate padding field is shorter than that of the user information field. Also, the intermediate padding field is a field set to a preset value. For example, the length of the intermediate padding field is the same as that of the AID12 subfield. That is, the intermediate padding field is 12 bits. Also, the intermediate padding field is set to a preset value, for example, 4095 (a value obtained by setting all 12 bits to 1).

[0381] When the STA that receives the trigger frame checks the AID12 subfield values included in one or more user information fields, it finds the next AID12 subfield based on the length of the user information field. At this time, if the intermediate padding field is found, the next AID12 subfield is found based on the length of the intermediate padding field.

[0382] For example, if the intermediate padding field is the same length as the AID12 subfield, the intermediate padding field is found, and it can be seen that the next AID12 subfield or the next user information field follows immediately after the intermediate padding field. In this case, the above-described TB PPDU format determination problem is solved while reducing the overhead of including the intermediate padding field in the trigger frame.

[0383] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the trigger frame does not include an intermediate padding field. Further, the trigger frame includes a user information field that indicates RA-RU. As shown in FIG. 27(a), the trigger frame includes a user information 1 field, a user information 5 field, and a user information 7 field that indicate RA-RU.

[0384] Also, the trigger frame shown in FIG. 26(a) does not include an intermediate padding field. Therefore, even when using the PPDU format determination method of the above-described embodiment, the HE STA can recognize the user information 1 field, the user information 5 field, and the user information 7 field that indicate RA-RU.

[0385] Therefore, according to one embodiment of the present invention, regardless of other PPDU format determination methods, an HE TB PPDU can be used when responding to UORA. For example, when the trigger frame does not include an intermediate padding field, an HE TB PPDU is used when responding to UORA regardless of other PPDU format determination methods. Referring to FIG. 26(a), the PPDU format is determined based on the user information field including the AID12 subfield set to a specific value. For example, it is instructed to respond with an EHT TB PPDU based on the user information 2 field, and it is instructed to respond with a NEXT TB PPDU based on the user information 6 field.

[0386] However, the HE STA can also recognize the user information field indicating the RA-RU included in this trigger frame. Therefore, regardless of whether it is the user information 2 field or the user information 6 field, when responding to the RA-RU indicated by the trigger frame, the HE TB PPDU can be used.

[0387] Also, as described above, when determining the TB PPDU format based on the common information field or the format identifier field, the HE TB PPDU is used when responding to the RA-RU. Or, when the trigger frame is included in the EHT TB PPDU or the NEXT TB PPDU, or when it is included in a PPDU that the HE STA cannot read, the same TB PPDU format determination method off is used when responding to the RA-RU when determining the TB PPDU format based on the common information field or the format identifier field.

[0388] According to another embodiment, when determining the TB PPDU format based on the common information field or the format identifier field, there is a possibility that the HE STA cannot recognize it when indicating the EHT or NEXT standard. In such a case, when responding to the UORA, the TB PPDU format is determined based on the common information field or the format identifier field. For example, when determining the TB PPDU format based on the subfield of the trigger type, the HE STA may not respond based on the trigger frame including the subfield of the trigger type that it cannot recognize.

[0389] As another example, if the trigger frame does not include an intermediate padding field, it does not include a user information field indicating the RA-RU.

[0390] As another example, when instructing to respond with a non - supported standard TB PPDU based on the above - described PPDU format determination method, it is not necessary to decrease the OBO counter for the RA - RU indicated by the user information field included in such a trigger frame. Also, it is not necessary to select the RA - RU as the RU for UORA response. For example, when the trigger frame includes a format identifier field and the EHT STA confirms that the common information field or the format identifier field indicates the NEXT TB PPDU, it is not necessary to decrease the OBO counter based on the RA - RU indicated by the user information field included in the trigger frame, nor to select it as the RU for UORA response.

[0391] In the present invention, the user information field indicating the RA - RU is the user information field in which the AID12 sub - field is set to 0 or 2045.

[0392] In the present invention, the RU that decreases the OBO counter is referred to as an eligible RA - RU. Also, the RU that responds with UORA is referred to as an eligible RA - RU. Also, when selecting the RU that responds with UORA, the selectable RU is referred to as an eligible RA - RU. Also, the RU that decreases the OBO counter and responds with UORA is referred to as an eligible RA - RU. Also, for the eligible RA - RU, select whether to decrease the OBO counter or respond with UORA. Also, the transmittable RA - RU is referred to as an eligible RA - RU. Also, the meaning of responding with UORA or being transmittable includes being in the supported TB PPDU format. For example, the RA - RU instructed to respond with the NEXT TB PPDU to the EHT STA is not an eligible RA - RU.

[0393] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the trigger frame includes an intermediate padding field. Such an embodiment is described in FIG. 24, and overlapping content is omitted. As described above, when responding to an RA-RU, the PPDU format is determined based on the position of the intermediate padding field in the user information field that indicates the RA-RU to be responded to. Alternatively, it is determined whether the RA-RU is an eligible RU based on the relative position of the intermediate padding field in the user information field that indicates the RA-RU.

[0394] As an example, when UORA responds based on the user information field that exists before the intermediate padding field, a HE TB PPDU is used for the response. At this time, when UORA responds based on the user information field that exists before the intermediate padding field, a HE TB PPDU is used for the response regardless of other TB PPDU format indication methods. Referring to FIG. 26(b), the trigger frame includes an intermediate padding field. Also, the user information 1 field, user information 3 field, user information 5 field, and user information 7 field included in the trigger frame indicate an RA-RU. Also, the user information 1 field and user information 3 field exist before the intermediate padding field, and the user information 5 field and user information 7 field exist after the intermediate padding field.

[0395] When UORA responds with the RA-RU indicated by the user information 1 field or the user information 3 field, a HE TB PPDU is used for the response. In this case, even if the above-described PPDU format determination method indicates a PPDU other than the HE TB PPDU, the STA responds using the HE TB PPDU. For example, using the PPDU format determination method described in FIG. 24, even if the user information 2 field that exists before the user information 3 field indicates an EHT TB PPDU, a HE TB PPDU is used when UORA responds with the RA-RU indicated by the user information 3 field.

[0396] As another example, the user information field indicating the EHT TB PPDU exists after the intermediate padding field. Also, the user information field indicating the NEXT TB PPDU exists after the intermediate padding field.

[0397] Also, as an example, when performing a UORA response based on the user information field that exists after the intermediate padding field, the response is made based on the other PPDU format determination methods described above. For example, referring to FIG. 27(b), the PPDU format determination method described in FIG. 24 is used. At this time, when performing a UORA response with the RA-RU indicated by User Info 5 that exists after the intermediate padding field, the response is made using the EHT TB PPDU indicated by the user information 2 field. Also, when performing a UORA response with the RA-RU indicated by the user information 7 field that exists after the intermediate padding field, the STA makes a response using the NEXT TB PPDU indicated by the user information 6 field.

[0398] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a method for determining the TB PPDU format based on the user information field is used. Also, a method for determining the TB PPDU format based on the intermediate padding field is used. Also, there exists an RA-RU instructed to respond in the HE TB PPDU format, and such an RA-RU is referred to as a HE RA-RU.

[0399] There exists an RA-RU instructed to respond in the EHT TB PPDU format, and such an RA-RU is referred to as an EHT RA-RU.

[0400] There exists an RA-RU instructed to respond in the NEXT TB PPDU format, and such an RA-RU is referred to as a NEXT RA-RU.

[0401] Referring to FIG. 27(b), the RA-RU indicated by the User Information 1 field is a HE RA-RU. This is because the TB PPDU format for the User Information 1 field is not indicated, or it is indicated as a HE TB PPDU. Also, the RA-RU indicated by the User Information 3 field is a HE RA-RU. This is because the User Information 1 field exists before the intermediate padding field. Also, the RA-RU indicated by the User Information 1 field is an EHT RA-RU. This is because the User Information 1 field indicates an EHT TB PPDU format for the User Information 1 field.

[0402] Also, the RA-RU indicated by the User Information 7 field is a NEXT RA-RU. This is because the User Information 6 field indicates a NEXT TB PPDU format for the User Information 7 field.

[0403] As another example, a HE RA-RU is a RA-RU in which the AID12 subfield value is indicated as 0 or 2045. Or, an EHT RA-RU is a RA-RU in which the AID12 subfield value indicates a RA-RU and is indicated by a value that indicates a response with an EHT TB PPDU. Or, a NEXT RA-RU is a RA-RU in which the AID12 subfield value indicates a RA-RU and is indicated by a value that indicates a response with a NEXT TB PPDU.

[0404] According to one embodiment, the STA decreases the OBO counter or selects a RU for all past, present, and future standard RA-RUs. At this time, if a future standard RA-RU is selected as the RU to be transmitted, it is not transmitted.

[0405] According to another embodiment, the STA decreases the OBO counter or selects a RU for all past and present standard RA-RUs. Also, the STA does not decrease the OBO counter for future standard RA-RUs. The STA does not select a RU for future standard RA-RUs.

[0406] According to another embodiment, the STA reduces the OBO counter or selects an RU for all current standard RA-RUs. Also, the STA does not reduce the OBO counter for past and future standard RA-RUs. The STA does not select an RU for past and future standard RA-RUs.

[0407] According to yet another embodiment, the STA reduces the OBO counter or selects an RU for all current and future standard RA-RUs. Also, the STA does not reduce the OBO counter for past standard RA-RUs. The STA does not select an RU for past standard RA-RUs.

[0408] Also, different combinations are used for the criteria of reducing the OBO counter and selecting an RU. Examples of such combinations are as follows.

[0409] According to one embodiment, the EHT STA reduces the OBO counter for HE RA-RUs, EHT RA-RUs, and NEXT RA-RUs. Also, the EHT STA selects an RU to respond from among the HE RA-RUs, EHT RA-RUs, and NEXT RA-RUs. At this time, if the EHT STA selects a NEXT RA-RU, it does not transmit.

[0410] According to one embodiment, the EHT STA reduces the OBO counter for HE RA-RUs, EHT RA-RUs, and NEXT RA-RUs. Also, the EHT STA selects an RU to respond from among the HE RA-RUs and EHT RA-RUs.

[0411] According to one embodiment, the EHT STA reduces the OBO counter for HE RA-RUs and EHT RA-RUs. Also, the EHT STA selects an RU to respond from among the HE RA-RUs, EHT RA-RUs, and NEXT RA-RUs. At this time, if the EHT STA selects a NEXT RA-RU, it does not transmit.

[0412] According to one embodiment, the EHT STA reduces the OBO counter for the HE RA-RU and the EHT RA-RU. Also, the EHT STA selects a RU to respond from among the HE RA-RU and the EHT RA-RU.

[0413] According to one embodiment, the EHT STA reduces the OBO counter for the EHT RA-RU. Also, the EHT STA does not reduce the OBO counter for the HE RA-RU and the NEXT RA-RU. Also, the EHT STA selects a RU to respond from among the EHT RA-RU. Also, the EHT STA does not select a RU to respond from among the HE RA-RU and the NEXT RA-RU.

[0414] According to one embodiment, the EHT STA reduces the OBO counter for the EHT RA-RU and the NEXT RA-RU. Also, the EHT STA selects a RU to respond from among the HE RA-RU, the EHT RA-RU, and the NEXT RA-RU. At this time, if the EHT STA selects the NEXT RA-RU, it does not transmit.

[0415] According to one embodiment, the EHT STA reduces the OBO counter for the EHT RA-RU and the NEXT RA-RU. Also, the EHT STA selects a RU to respond from among the HE RA-RU and the EHT RA-RU.

[0416] According to one embodiment, the EHT STA reduces the OBO counter for the EHT RA-RU and the NEXT RA-RU. Also, the EHT STA selects a RU to respond from among the EHT RA-RU.

[0417] Also, reducing the OBO counter based on the above-described TB PPDU format and selecting the RU are both based on whether they support other transmission parameters. The transmission parameters are the values indicated by the common information field or the corresponding user information field. For example, when determining whether to reduce the OBO counter for a certain standard RA-RU, it is based on whether it supports other transmission parameters, and if it supports other transmission parameters, it can be reduced.

[0418] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the RA-RU is determined as an eligible RA-RU based on the following conditions. For example, if all of the following conditions are satisfied, the RA-RU is determined as an eligible RA-RU.

[0419] 1) Support all transmission parameters in the common information field 2) Support all transmission parameters in the user information field indicating the RA-RU 3) Support the TB PPDU format indicated by the user information field indicating the TB PPDU format for the user information field.

[0420] Condition 3) is replaced by the following conditions.

[0421] 3-1) Support the TB PPDU format indicated for the user information field Also, at this time, the TB PPDU format indication method includes the methods of the above-described embodiments, such as indication by a trigger frame, indication by an information field, and indication by a user information field.

[0422] Condition 3) is replaced by the following condition 3-2) or 3-3).

[0423] 3-2) Support all transmission parameters indicated by other user information fields including the information for the user information field Support all transmission parameters indicated by other user information fields that include common information (information applicable to multiple STAs) for the user information field Referring to FIG. 27(b), the EHT STA determines the eligible RA-RU based on the trigger frame shown in FIG. 27(b). At this time, the RA-RUs indicated by the user information 1 field, the user information 3 field, and the user information 5 field are determined as eligible RA-RUs. This is for the EHT STA to transmit the HE TB PPDU and the EHT TB PPDU. Also, the RA-RU indicated by the user information 7 field is not determined as an eligible RA-RU. This is because when responding to the RU indicated by the user information 7 field by the user information 6 field, it should be transmitted in the NEXT TB PPDU, and the EHT STA cannot transmit the NEXT TB PPDU

[0424] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the user information field includes the number or length of the specific user information fields that follow. For example, the user information field indicating the TB PPDU format includes the number or length of the user information fields corresponding to the indicated TB PPDU format. For example, when indicating a non-supported TB PPDU format, other user information fields are searched based on the number or length included in the user information field. This is because it is not instructed to respond to the trigger frame in the non-supported TB PPDU format

[0425] According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is a preset value for notifying the start of a padding field. The preset value is a value other than 4095. Or, the preset value is a value different from the value indicating the intermediate padding field. For example, this is because there may be a case where it is necessary to indicate a padding field that is not an intermediate padding field. Or, the preset value is a value among 2008 to 2044, or a value among 2047 to 4094. Also, the preset value is not a value from 1 to 2007, not a value of 0, not a value of 2045, not a value of 2046, and not a value of 4095.

[0426] According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is a determination method based on the UL length field included in the trigger frame. For example, there is a determination method based on the value obtained by performing a mod operation on the UL length field value. For example, there is a determination method based on the value obtained by performing a mod 3 operation on the UL length field value. There is a determination method based on whether the value obtained by performing a mod 3 operation on the UL length field value is 0. Also, the determination method indicates the PPDU format. Or, the determination method indicates the presence (including) or absence of a specific field. Or, the determination method indicates the interpretation method of a specific field. Or, the determination method indicates the meaning of the value indicated by a specific field. Or, the determination method indicates the length of a specific field.

[0427] According to an embodiment of the present invention, an A-MPDU includes a number of trigger frames. According to an embodiment, the content of the number of trigger frames may be different. Also, the A-MPDU or the PPDU including the A-MPDU includes signaling for indicating whether the content of the number of trigger frames is different.

[0428] Also, the STA determines whether the content of the multiple trigger frames is different based on the type of the PPDU including the A-MPDU. For example, the multiple trigger frames included in an EHT PPDU or a NEXT PPDU may have different contents included in the trigger frame. Also, this is the case when supporting an aggregated PPDU (A-PPDU). An A-PPDU is one in which multiple PPDUs are frequency division multiplexed. Also, the multiple PPDUs are standard PPDUs different from each other.

[0429] FIG. 28 is a diagram showing another example for instructing a TB PPDU format according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0430] As described above, there is a need for a method of instructing a PPDU format that responds to a triggering frame. For example, the PPDU format means a TB PPDU format. The embodiment of FIG. 28 is a specific example of the above-described TB PPDU format instruction method. Also, in this embodiment, the content described above is omitted.

[0431] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the format of the PPDU that responds to the trigger frame is determined based on the user information field included in the trigger frame. Alternatively, the format of the PPDU that responds to the trigger frame is instructed via the user information field included in the trigger frame. In the present invention, the user information field for determining and instructing the format of the PPDU is referred to as a specific user information field.

[0432] According to one embodiment, the specific user information field is a user information field in which the AID12 subfield included in the specific user information field is set to a preset value. For example, the preset value is 2007. Also, the preset value is a value not assigned by the AP as an association ID (AID).

[0433] Also, the specific user information field has a different format from other user information fields. That is, the specific user information field has different sub-fields from other user information fields. Also, the specific user information field and other user information fields commonly include the AID12 sub-field at the same position. For example, in the specific user information field and the user information field that is not the specific user information field, the first 12 bits are the AID12 sub-field. For example, in the specific user information field and the user information field that is not the specific user information field, B0 to B11 are the AID12 sub-field.

[0434] Also, the trigger frame includes a sub-field that indicates whether it includes the specific user information field. The sub-field that indicates whether it includes the specific user information field is called the specific user information field Present sub-field. For example, the specific user information field Present sub-field exists in the common information field. For example, bit B55 of the common information field is the specific user information field Present sub-field. If the specific user information field Present sub-field is set to 1, the trigger frame does not include the specific user information field.

[0435] Also, if the specific user information field Present sub-field is set to 0, the trigger frame includes the specific user information field. This is to set B55 of the common information field to 1, which is a preset value, in the 802.11ax standard.

[0436] The STA that receives the trigger frame determines whether the specific user information field is included based on the Specific User Information Field Present subfield. Therefore, it is easier to determine whether the specific user information field is included than when the Specific User Information Field Present subfield does not exist. Also, if a non-associated STA receives the trigger frame sent by the AP that sent the trigger frame, it is determined whether the user information field set to a preset value in which the AID12 subfield indicates the specific user information field (whether it indicates the 12 LSBs of the actual AID) is the specific user information field, based on the Specific User Information Field Present subfield. For example, when instructing an RA-RU for a non-associated STA, if a non-associated STA receives the trigger frame sent by the AP that sent the trigger frame, it operates based on the trigger frame. Also, the STA performs spatial reuse operations based on a trigger frame or a TB PPDU from a BSS to which it is not associated.

[0437] Also, if the trigger frame includes the specific user information field, the specific user information field is located at the forefront of the user information fields. Or, the specific user information field may be located immediately after the common information field. This is to enable the STA that receives the trigger frame to easily parse the specific user information field.

[0438] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the format of the PPDU that responds to the trigger frame is determined based on whether the trigger frame includes a specific user information field. For example, if the trigger frame includes a specific user information field, the format of the PPDU that responds to the trigger frame is an EHT TB PPDU. Also, if the trigger frame does not include a specific user information field, the format of the PPDU that responds to the trigger frame is a HE TB PPDU. Further, as described above, there is a specific user information field Present subfield which is signaling indicating whether the trigger frame includes a specific user information field. Therefore, it can also be said that the format of the PPDU that responds to the trigger frame is determined based on the specific user information field Present subfield. For example, if the specific user information field Present subfield is set to 0, the format of the PPDU that responds to the trigger frame is an EHT TB PPDU. Also, if the specific user information field Present subfield is set to 1, the format of the PPDU that responds to the trigger frame is a HE TB PPDU.

[0439] Also, if the trigger frame includes a specific user information field, the user information field included in the trigger frame is an EHT variant user information field. Also, if the trigger frame does not include a specific user information field, the trigger frame does not include an EHT variant user information field. If the trigger frame does not include a specific user information field, the trigger frame includes only a HE variant user information field.

[0440] The RU indication method differs when the user information field is in the EHT variant and when it is in the HE variant. For example, the interpretation method of the user information field may vary depending on whether the RU allocation subfield included in the user information field is in the EHT variant or the HE variant. For example, the RU allocation subfield included in the EHT variant user information field is encoded to indicate the RUs supported by the EHT standard. Also, the RU Allocation subfield included in the HE variant user information field is encoded to indicate the RUs supported by the HE standard.

[0441] Also, when interpreting the RU indicated based on the EHT variant user information field, it should be based on two or more subfields. The two or more subfields include the RU allocation subfield and the PS160 subfield. The RU allocation subfield is located immediately after the AID12 subfield as shown in FIG. 12. Also, the RU allocation subfield is 8-bit. The PS160 subfield indicates in which subchannel the RU indicated by the RU allocation subfield exists. Also, the PS160 subfield indicates in which subchannel the RU indicated by the user information field exists. At this time, the unit indicating which subchannel it is is a 160 MHz subchannel. The PS160 subfield indicates whether the RU to be indicated exists in the primary 160 MHz channel or the secondary 160 MHz channel. The PS160 subfield is located immediately before the Trigger Dependent user information field. The PS160 subfield is the B39 bit of the user information field. The PS160 subfield is 1-bit.

[0442] Also, when interpreting the RU indicated based on the HE variant user information field, it is based on one sub-field. The one sub-field is the RU assignment sub-field. That is, the position of the RU indicated by the HE variant user information field is determined only based on the RU assignment sub-field included in the HE variant user information field.

[0443] Referring to FIG. 28, the trigger frame includes a specific user information field. Whether the user information field is a specific user information field is determined based on the AID12 sub-field included in the user information field. For example, if the AID12 sub-field included in the user information field is a preset value, the user information field is a specific user information field. Referring to FIG. 27, the preset value is 2007. Also, referring to FIG. 28, the specific user information field is the first among the user information fields immediately after the common information field. Also, there is a specific user information field Present sub-field which is signaling indicating whether the trigger frame includes a specific user information field. Referring to FIG. 27, the specific user information field Present sub-field is included in the common information field. If the specific user information field Present sub-field is set to 0, the trigger frame includes a specific user information field. As shown in FIG. 27, if the trigger frame includes a specific user information field, the format of the response PPDU thereto is an EHT TB PPDU.

[0444] Also, according to an additional embodiment, the format of the PPDU that responds to the trigger frame is determined based on whether the trigger frame includes a specific user information field and a subfield that indicates the TB PPDU format. In the present invention, the subfield that indicates the TB PPDU format is referred to as the HE / EHT P160 subfield. According to a more specific embodiment, the HE / EHT P160 subfield indicates the TB PPDU format for a preset channel. For example, the HE / EHT P160 subfield indicates the TB PPDU format for the primary 160 MHz channel (P160 channel). For example, if the value of the HE / EHT P160 subfield is 1, it indicates to respond with an HE TB PPDU. Also, if the value of the HE / EHT P160 subfield is 0, it indicates to respond with an EHT TB PPDU. The HE / EHT P160 subfield is 1-bit.

[0445] Referring to FIG. 28, the HE / EHT P160 subfield is included in the common information field. More specifically, the HE / EHT P160 subfield is included at the bit B55 position of the common information field.

[0446] Therefore, when indicating and determining the TB PPDU format based on the specific user information field and the HE / EHT P160 subfield, the following operations are performed. If the HE / EHT P160 subfield indicates an EHT TB PPDU, the response to the trigger frame is an EHT TB PPDU. That is, if the HE / EHT P160 subfield indicates an EHT TB PPDU, regardless of the RU position assigned when responding to the trigger frame, the response is an EHT TB PPDU. Also, if the HE / EHT P160 subfield indicates an EHT TB PPDU, the specific user information field is always included. That is, the specific user information field Present subfield also indicates that the specific user information field is included.

[0447] If the HE / EHT P160 subfield indicates an EHT TB PPDU, the TB PPDU format is indicated and determined based on the RU positions assigned when the trigger frame responds. If the HE / EHT P160 subfield indicates a HE TB PPDU, a response is made with a HE TB PPDU if the RU assigned to the preset channel (e.g., P160 channel) indicated by the HE / EHT P160 subfield is included. Also, if the HE / EHT P160 subfield indicates a HE TB PPDU and the RU assigned to the preset channel (e.g., P160 channel) indicated by the HE / EHT P160 subfield is not included (e.g., when the RU assigned to the secondary 160 MHz channel (S160 channel) is included), a response is made with an EHT TB PPDU. Also, whether the RU assigned to the preset channel is included or not is based on the RU Allocation subfield and the PS160 subfield. More specifically, if the preset channel is the P160 channel, whether the RU assigned to the preset channel is included or not is based on the PS160 subfield.

[0448] Also, the instruction and determination of the TB PPDU format based on the HE / EHT P160 subfield and the assigned RU position are limited to the case where the trigger frame includes a specific user information field. When the trigger frame includes a specific user information field, the trigger frame includes the HE / EHT P160 subfield and the PS160 subfield. If the trigger frame does not include a specific user information field, the HE TB PPDU is always used to respond to the trigger frame. Also, as described above, whether or not to include a specific user information field is based on the specific user information field Present subfield. Therefore, when it is described that the trigger frame includes or does not include a specific user information field, it means the case where the specific user information field Present subfield is set to include or not include the specific user information field, respectively.

[0449] In the present invention, the description of instructing and determining to use the EHT TB PPDU when responding to a trigger frame may be replaced by an invention that instructs and determines to use the EHT TB PPDU or the NEXT TB PPDU. Also, which of the EHT TB PPDU or the NEXT TB PPDU to use is determined based on the format identifier subfield. That is, the TB PPDU format indicated by the format identifier subfield is used. For example, if the format identifier subfield indicates EHT, the EHT TB PPDU is used.

[0450] The specific user information field includes the AID12 subfield and the information necessary when responding to the trigger frame. The information necessary when responding to the trigger frame includes the information included in the preamble of the PPDU that responds to the trigger frame. For example, the information necessary when responding to the trigger frame includes the information included in the U-SIG field of the PPDU that responds to the trigger frame. FIG. 28 includes an example of the information included in the U-SIG field. Referring to FIG. 28, the specific user information field includes the AID12, PHY Version ID, UL Bandwidth Extension, Spatial Reuse 1, Spatial Reuse 2, U-SIG Disregard And Validate, Reserved, Trigger Dependent user information fields.

[0451] Also, the mentioned fields are located in the mentioned order and have 12, 3, 2, 4, 4, 12, 3, variable number of bits respectively. The PHY Version ID field is the format identifier subfield described above, or the PHY version identifier subfield, or the PHY version field. The STA that responds to the trigger frame sets the U-SIG field included in the responding PPDU based on the specific user information field included in the trigger frame. For example, copy the subfield value of the subfield included in the specific user information field to the subfield included in the U-SIG field that responds. The subfields to be copied to the subfields included in the U-SIG field are the PHY Version ID, Spatial Reuse 1, Spatial Reuse 2, U-SIG Disregard And Validate subfields.

[0452] Alternatively, set the subfield included in the U-SIG field of the PPDU that responds based on the subfield value included in the specific user information field. The subfield for setting the U-SIG field based on the subfield included in the specific user information field is the UL Bandwidth Extension subfield. For example, set the bandwidth (BW) subfield included in the U-SIG field of the PPDU that responds based on the UL Bandwidth Extension subfield included in the specific user information field and the UL BW subfield included in the common information field (see FIG. 12).

[0453] Also, the presence and length of the Trigger Dependent user information field included in the specific user information field are based on the type of the trigger frame. That is, the presence and length of the Trigger Dependent user information field included in the specific user information field are based on what variant the trigger frame is. The type of the trigger frame is indicated and determined by the Triggier Type subfield included in the common information field (see FIG. 12).

[0454] As described above, when instructing the PPDU format that responds based on the specific user information field, if the RA-RU is indicated by the AID12 subfield value 0 or 2045, even if it is instructed to include the specific user information field in the trigger frame and respond with an EHT TB PPDU, there may be a problem that the HE STA cannot recognize the specific user information field and responds with an HE TB PPDU. A method for solving this will be described below, which is a more specific example of the above-described content.

[0455] FIG. 29 is a diagram showing an example of the uplink orthogonal frequency division multiple access random access (UORA) operation and a method for instructing the TB PPDU format according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0456] The embodiment described with reference to FIG. 29 is a more specific embodiment compared to the embodiments described with reference to FIGS. 24 to 27. The embodiment described with reference to FIG. 29 is used together with the method described with reference to FIG. 28. The content described previously is omitted.

[0457] According to an embodiment of the present invention, if the AID12 subfield value indicating RA-RU is 0 or 2045, it is instructed to respond with a HE TB PPDU when transmitting to the RA-RU. Also, according to an embodiment of the present invention, there exists an AID12 subfield value other than 0 or 2045 that indicates RA-RU. The AID12 subfield value other than 0 or 2045 that indicates RA-RU instructs to respond with the above-described EHT TB PPDU or NEXT TB PPDU, and is the AID12 subfield value that indicates RA-RU. The AID12 subfield value other than 0 or 2045 that indicates RA-RU is set for the user information field included in the trigger frame including the specific user information field. That is, the AID12 subfield value other than 0 or 2045 that indicates RA-RU is used together with the TB PPDU format indication method based on the specific user information field.

[0458] The AID12 subfield value other than 0 or 2045 that indicates RA-RU is one of the values from 2008 to 2044, or from 2047 to 4094. For example, the AID12 subfield value other than 0 or 2045 that indicates RA-RU is 2047. The AID12 subfield value other than 0 or 2045 that indicates RA-RU exists as different values for the associated STA and the non-associated STA. For example, the AID12 subfield value other than 0 or 2045 that indicates RA-RU that can be transmitted by the associated STA is 2047. For example, the AID12 subfield value other than 0 or 2045 that indicates RA-RU that can be transmitted by the non-associated STA is 2048.

[0459] According to an embodiment of the present invention, if the AID12 subfield value is 0 or 2045, the user information field including the AID12 subfield is HE variant User Info.

[0460] According to an embodiment of the present invention, if the AID12 subfield value is an AID12 subfield value other than 0 or 2045 that indicates RA-RU, the user information field including the AID12 subfield is EHT variant User Info.

[0461] Also, a STA (e.g., AP) that transmits a trigger frame sets and generates the trigger frame as follows.

[0462] For a channel where the trigger frame instructs to respond with an EHT TB PPDU by the method described in FIG. 28 etc., it does not include a user information field with the AID12 subfield set to 0 or 2045. It does not include a user information field with the AID12 subfield set to 0 or 2045 for the S160 channel. That is, the user information field with the AID12 subfield set to 0 or 2045 does not indicate RA-RU included in the S160 channel. Also, if the HE / EHT P160 subfield indicates EHT, it does not include a user information field with the AID12 subfield set to 0 or 2045. More specifically, if the HE / EHT P160 subfield indicates EHT, it does not include a user information field with the AID12 subfield set to 0 or 2045 for the RU of the P160 channel.

[0463] When indicating an RA-RU for a channel that instructs to respond with an EHT TB PPDU, it includes a user information field with the AID12 subfield set to an AID12 subfield value other than 0 or 2045 that indicates the RA-RU. That is, when indicating an RA-RU for the S160 channel, it includes a user information field with the AID12 subfield set to an AID12 subfield value other than 0 or 2045 that indicates the RA-RU. Also, when indicating an RA-RU for the P160 channel and the HE / EHT P160 subfield is indicated by EHT, it includes a user information field with the AID12 subfield set to an AID12 subfield value other than 0 or 2045 that indicates the RA-RU. Also, include the user information field with the AID12 subfield set to an AID12 subfield value other than 0 or 2045 that indicates the RA-RU in a trigger frame that includes a specific user information field.

[0464] The trigger frame does not include a user information field with the AID12 subfield set to an AID12 subfield value other than 0 or 2045 that indicates the RA-RU for a channel that instructs to respond with an HE TB PPDU by the method described in Figure 28 etc. That is, when the HE / EHT P160 subfield indicates HE, the P160 channel does not include a user information field with the AID12 subfield set to an AID12 subfield value other than 0 or 2045 that indicates the RA-RU.

[0465] In addition, it may not include a user information field with the AID12 subfield set to an AID12 subfield value other than 0 or 2045 that indicates RA-RU in a trigger frame that does not include a specific user information field. When indicating RA-RU for a channel that instructs to respond with an HE TB PPDU, it includes a user information field with the AID12 subfield set to a value of 0 or 2045. If the HE / EHT P160 subfield indicates HE, it includes a user information field with the AID12 subfield set to 0 or 2045 for the P160 channel.

[0466] Also, the STA that responds to the trigger frame performs the following operations.

[0467] The STA that responds to RA-RU for the trigger frame determines the TB PPDU format by the method described in Figure 27 etc. That is, the STA that responds to the RA-RU indicated by the trigger frame determines the TB PPDU format based on the specific user information field, HE / EHT P160 subfield, and PS160 subfield. Also, when the STA responds to a user information field with the AID12 subfield set to 0 or 2045, it uses an HE TB PPDU. When the STA responds to a user information field with the AID12 subfield set to an AID12 subfield value other than 0 or 2045 that indicates RA-RU, it uses an EHT TB PPDU.

[0468] More specifically, when the STA responds to a user information field in which the trigger frame's PHY Version ID field indicates EHT and the AID12 subfield is set to an AID12 subfield value other than 0 or 2045 that indicates an RA-RU, an EHT TB PPDU is used. More specifically, when the STA responds to a user information field in which the trigger frame's PHY Version ID field indicates a standard other than EHT (value), an EHT TB PPDU is not used if the AID12 subfield is set to an AID12 subfield value other than 0 or 2045 that indicates an RA-RU. Also, when the STA responds to a user information field in which the trigger frame's PHY Version ID field indicates EHT and the AID12 subfield is set to an AID12 subfield value other than 0 or 2045 that indicates an RA-RU, the STA either decrements the OBO counter or selects the RA-RU to transmit. Also, when the STA responds to a user information field in which the trigger frame's PHY Version ID field indicates a standard other than EHT (value), the STA does not decrement the OBO counter and does not select the RA-RU to transmit if the AID12 subfield is set to an AID12 subfield value other than 0 or 2045 that indicates an RA-RU. Or, when the trigger frame's PHY Version ID field does not include a user information field that indicates EHT, an EHT TB PPDU is not used if the STA responds to a user information field in which the AID12 subfield is set to an AID12 subfield value other than 0 or 2045 that indicates an RA-RU. Or, when the trigger frame's PHY Version ID field does not include a user information field that indicates EHT, the STA does not decrement the OBO counter and does not select the RA-RU to transmit if the AID12 subfield is set to an AID12 subfield value other than 0 or 2045 that indicates an RA-RU.

[0469] According to one embodiment, a STA that responds to a trigger frame maintains one OBO counter. The STA uses the same OBO counter for 1) the RA-RU indicated by the AID12 subfield value 0 or 2045 and 2) the RA-RU indicated by an AID12 subfield value other than 0 or 2045 that indicates the RA-RU. Also, when the OBO counter reaches 0 or when the OBO counter is less than or equal to the number of eligible RA-RUs, the STA selects an RU to be used for UORA transmission from both 1) the RA-RU indicated by the AID12 subfield value 0 or 2045 and 2) the RA-RU indicated by an AID12 subfield value other than 0 or 2045 that indicates the RA-RU.

[0470] Then, the TB PPDU format corresponding to the selected RU is selected by the method described in FIG. 27 or the like. Alternatively, the TB PPDU format corresponding to the selected RU is determined based on the AID12 subfield value including the user information field that indicates the selected RU. If the selected RU is indicated by the AID12 subfield 0 or 2045, respond using the HE TB PPDU format. If the selected RU is indicated by an AID12 subfield value other than 0 or 2045 that indicates the RA-RU, respond using the EHT TB PPDU format.

[0471] According to other embodiments, an EHT STA that responds to a trigger frame uses an OBO counter for an RA-RU indicated by an AID12 subfield value other than 0 or 2045 that indicates an RA-RU. It may not be necessary to use an OBO counter for an RA-RU indicated by an AID12 subfield value of 0 or 2045. Also, when the OBO counter reaches 0 or when the OBO counter is less than or equal to the number of eligible RA-RUs, the STA selects an RU to be used for UORA transmission from among the RA-RUs indicated by an AID12 subfield value other than 0 or 2045 that indicates an RA-RU. The RU indicated by an AID12 subfield value of 0 or 2045 is not used for UORA transmission.

[0472] According to other embodiments, a STA that responds to a trigger frame maintains multiple OBO counters. Also, each of the multiple OBO counters corresponds to each standard TB PPDU. For example, two OBO counters are maintained. The two OBO counters respectively correspond to 1) an RA-RU indicated by an AID12 subfield value of 0 or 2045, and 2) an RA-RU indicated by an AID12 subfield value other than 0 or 2045 that indicates an RA-RU. Each OBO counter is decremented for each corresponding RA-RU, and when the OBO counter reaches 0, or when the OBO counter is less than or equal to the number of the indicated RA-RUs, an RU to be transmitted is selected from among the RA-RUs corresponding to the OBO counter. If multiple OBO counters reach 0 for the same trigger frame, or when the OBO counter is less than or equal to the number of the indicated RA-RUs, an RU to be transmitted is selected from among the RA-RUs corresponding to the multiple OBO counters.

[0473] In the above embodiments, it is described that when the OBO counter becomes 0, it includes the case where the OBO counter is less than or equal to the number of eligible RA-RUs without actually decrementing the OBO counter. Also, the OBO counter is reset when starting the UORA operation or after transmitting a PPDU by the UORA operation. At this time, the OBO counter is reset by being arbitrarily selected from integers greater than or equal to 0 within the set range. The set range is determined based on the UORA Parameter Set element. The set range is the OCW (orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) contention window) range. Or, the set range is the OCW.

[0474] The user information field in which the AID12 subfield is set with an AID12 subfield value other than 0 or 2045 indicating RA-RU exists after the user information field in which the AID12 subfield is set to 1 to 2007.

[0475] Referring to FIG. 29, the trigger frame includes a specific user information field. The specific user information field is the user information field set to 2007 in which the AID12 subfield is a preset value. The specific user information field exists at the forefront among the user information fields.

[0476] Whether the specific user information field is included in the trigger frame is indicated by the specific user information field Present subfield included in the common information field. If the specific user information field Present subfield value is 0, it indicates that the trigger frame includes the specific user information field.

[0477] If the Present subfield value of the Specific User Information Field is 1, it indicates that the trigger frame does not include the specific user information field. The STA that responds to the trigger frame including the specific user information field responds using an EHT TB PPDU. Also, the trigger frame indicates an RA-RU. If the trigger frame indicates an RA-RU to be responded to with an EHT TB PPDU, the AID12 subfield of the User Info 3 in the user information field indicating the RA-RU is set to a preset value. The preset value is not 0 and not 2045. The preset value indicates that the user information field including the preset value indicates an RA-RU and uses an EHT TB PPDU when responding to the RA-RU.

[0478] The STA determines the TB PPDU format based on the AID12 subfield value indicating the RA-RU selected when responding with the RA-RU. If the AID12 subfield value indicating the RA-RU selected when the STA responds with the RA-RU is 0 or 2045, the STA responds using the HE TB PPDU format. If the AID12 subfield value indicating the RA-RU selected when the STA responds with the RA-RU is not 0 and not 2045, the STA responds using the EHT TB PPDU format. Also, to determine whether to respond using the EHT TB PPDU, it is based on the PHY Version ID field including the specific user information field. For example, if the PHY Version ID field indicates EHT, the STA responds to the RA-RU using the EHT TB PPDU format. If the PHY Version ID field indicates a value other than EHT, the STA cannot respond to the RA-RU using the EHT TB PPDU format.

[0479] FIG. 30 is a diagram showing another example of the uplink orthogonal frequency division multiple access (UORA) operation according to an embodiment of the present invention and a method for indicating the TB PPDU format.

[0480] The embodiment described with reference to FIG. 30 is a more specific embodiment with respect to the embodiments described with reference to FIGS. 24 to 27. The embodiment described with reference to FIG. 30 is used together with the method described with reference to FIG. 28. The content described previously is omitted.

[0481] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the trigger frame includes a user information field in which the AID12 subfield is set to a preset value. The preset value is 4095. Further, the user information field in which the AID12 subfield is set to the preset value is the intermediate padding field described above. Further, the AID12 subfield is a 12-bit field existing at the forefront of the intermediate padding field. That is, bits B0 to B11 of the intermediate padding field indicate the AID12 subfield.

[0482] The intermediate padding field has the same length as other user information fields included in the trigger frame. Alternatively, the intermediate padding field has the same length as other user information fields included in the trigger frame, except when the trigger frame is a MU-BAR trigger frame. Alternatively, the intermediate padding field has the same length as a specific user information field included in the trigger frame. Alternatively, except when the trigger frame is a MU-BAR trigger frame, there is no Trigger Dependent user information field included in the intermediate padding field.

[0483] Alternatively, the intermediate padding field is 40-bit, except when the trigger frame is a MU-BAR trigger frame. Trigger frames that are not MU-BAR trigger frames include Basic trigger frames, Beamforming Report Poll (BFRP) trigger frames, MU-RTS trigger frames, Buffer Status Report Poll (BSRP) trigger frames, GCR MU-BAR trigger frames, Bandwidth Query Report Poll (BQRP) trigger frames, and NDP Feedback Report Poll (NFRP) trigger frames. Trigger frame values of 0 to 7 in the Triggier Type subfield included in the trigger frame indicate a Basic trigger frame, a Beamforming Report Poll (BFRP)-trigger frame, a MU-RTS trigger frame, a Buffer Status Report Poll (BSRP) trigger frame, a GCR MU-BAR trigger frame, a Bandwidth Query Report Poll (BQRP) trigger frame, and an NDP Feedback Report Poll (NFRP) trigger frame, respectively.

[0484] Therefore, the intermediate padding field included in the GCR MU-BAR trigger frame does not include the Trigger Dependent user information field and is 40-bit. Also, the intermediate padding field has the same length as the specific user information field. The specific user information field included in the GCR MU-BAR trigger frame does not include the Trigger Dependent user information field and is 40-bit.

[0485] Also, the specific user information field included in the Basic trigger frame or the BFRP trigger frame is 1-octet in length. Also, all subfields of the specific user information field included in the Basic trigger frame or the BFRP trigger frame are reserved. If a subfield is reserved, all bits are set to 0.

[0486] Also, for the specific user information field included in the MU-BAR trigger frame, the Trigger Dependent user information field is 4 octets. Also, the Bar Type subfield included in the Trigger Dependent user information field indicates Compressed BlockAckReq, and the remaining subfields are reserved.

[0487] Or, for the specific user information field included in the MU-BAR trigger frame, the Trigger Dependent user information field is 6 octets. Also, the Bar Type subfield included in the Trigger Dependent user information field indicates Multi-TID BlockAckReq, and the BAR control subfield included in the Trigger Dependent user information field indicates 1 for the number of TIDs. The number of TIDs is indicated by the TID_INFO subfield. The subfields other than the Bar Type subfield and the TID_INFO subfield included in the Trigger Dependent user information field are reserved.

[0488] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the STA performs different operations based on whether the user information field indicating the RA-RU included in the received trigger frame is before or after the middle padding field.

[0489] For example, if the user information field indicating the RA-RU included in the received trigger frame exists before the middle padding field, the STA uses the HE TB PPDU format to respond when responding to the RA-RU. Or, if the user information field indicating the RA-RU included in the received trigger frame exists before the middle padding field, the user information field is a HE variant user information field.

[0490] Also, if the user information field indicating the RA-RU included in the received trigger frame exists after the middle padding field, the STA responds using the EHT TB PPDU format when responding to the RA-RU. Or, for example, if the user information field indicating the RA-RU included in the received trigger frame exists after the middle padding field, the user information field is an EHT variant user information field.

[0491] According to another embodiment, if the user information field indicating the RA-RU included in the received trigger frame exists before the middle padding field, the STA responds using the HE TB PPDU format when responding to the RA-RU. Or, if the user information field indicating the RA-RU included in the received trigger frame exists before the middle padding field, the user information field is an HE variant user information field. Also, if the user information field indicating the RA-RU included in the received trigger frame exists after the middle padding field, the STA responds using the TB PPDU format determined based on the method described in FIG. 27 when responding to the RA-RU.

[0492] Or, for example, if the user information field indicating the RA-RU included in the received trigger frame exists after the middle padding field, it is determined whether the user information field is an HE variant user information field or an EHT variant user information field by the method described in FIG. 27. The method described in FIG. 27 means a method based on the presence or absence of a specific user information field, the Present subfield of the specific user information field, the HE / EHT P160 subfield, the PS160 subfield, etc.

[0493] For example, if a user information field indicating RA-RU exists after the intermediate padding field, the HE / EHT P160 subfield indicates HE, and when the user information field indicates a RU that exists in the P160 channel (is included within the P160 channel), the user information field is a HE variant user information field, and an HE TB PPDU is used when responding to the user information field.

[0494] If a user information field indicating RA-RU exists after the intermediate padding field, the HE / EHT P160 subfield indicates HE, and when the user information field indicates a RU that exists in the S160 channel, the user information field is an EHT variant user information field, and an EHT TB PPDU is used when responding to the user information field. If a user information field indicating RA-RU exists after the intermediate padding field and the HE / EHT P160 subfield indicates EHT, the user information field is an EHT variant user information field, and an EHT TB PPDU is used when responding to the user information field.

[0495] Also, in the above embodiments, when the user information field is an EHT variant user information field and an EHT TB PPDU is used in response to the user information field, it is extended to the case where the user information field is either an EHT variant user information field or a NEXT variant user information field, and an EHT TB PPDU or a NEXT TB PPDU is used in response to the user information field. In this case, if the PHY Version ID field included in a specific user information field indicates EHT, the user information field is an EHT variant user information field, and an EHT TB PPDU is used in response to the user information field. Also, in this case, if the PHY Version ID field included in a specific user information field indicates NEXT, the user information field is a NEXT variant user information field, and a NEXT TB PPDU is used in response to the user information field.

[0496] Also, a STA (e.g., an AP) that transmits a trigger frame configures and generates the trigger frame as follows.

[0497] According to one embodiment, a user information field that indicates the RA-RU is positioned after the middle padding field in order to indicate that the RA-RU responds with an EHT TB PPDU. Also, a user information field that triggers a HE STA that is not an EHT STA (including a dedicated or scheduled STA) is positioned before the middle padding field and not after the middle padding field. Also, a user information field positioned after the middle padding field is a user information field that triggers an EHT STA (including a dedicated or scheduled STA).

[0498] Also, a STA that responds to the trigger frame performs the following operations.

[0499] According to one embodiment, a STA that responds to a trigger frame maintains one OBO counter. The STA uses the same OBO counter for the RA-RU indicated by the user information field that exists before the intermediate padding field and the RA-RU indicated by the user information field that exists after the intermediate padding field. Also, when the OBO counter reaches 0 or when the OBO counter is less than or equal to the number of eligible RA-RUs, the STA selects the RU to be used for UORA transmission from both the RA-RU indicated by the user information field that exists before the intermediate padding field and the RA-RU indicated by the user information field that exists after the intermediate padding field. Then, the TB PPDU format corresponding to the selected RU is selected by the method described in FIGS. 28, 30, etc.

[0500] Alternatively, the TB PPDU format corresponding to the selected RU is determined based on the position of the user information field that indicates the selected RU. If the user information field that indicates the selected RU exists before the intermediate padding field, a response is made using the HE TB PPDU format. If the user information field that indicates the selected RU exists after the intermediate padding field, a response is made using the EHT TB PPDU format.

[0501] According to another embodiment, for an EHT STA that responds to a trigger frame, the STA uses an OBO counter for the RA-RU indicated by the user information field that exists after the intermediate padding field. The STA does not use an OBO counter for the RA-RU indicated by the user information field that exists before the intermediate padding field. Also, when the OBO counter reaches 0 or when the OBO counter is less than or equal to the number of eligible RA-RUs, the STA selects an RU to be used for UORA transmission from among the RA-RUs indicated by the user information field that exists after the intermediate padding field. The STA does not use an RU to be used for UORA transmission from among the RA-RUs indicated by the user information field that exists before the intermediate padding field.

[0502] According to another embodiment, an STA that responds to a trigger frame maintains multiple OBO counters. Also, each of the multiple OBO counters corresponds to each standard TB PPDU. For example, two OBO counters are maintained. The two OBO counters respectively correspond to 1) the RA-RU indicated by the user information field that exists before the intermediate padding field and 2) the RA-RU indicated by the user information field that exists after the intermediate padding field. Each OBO counter is decremented for each corresponding RA-RU, and when the OBO counter reaches 0 or when the OBO counter is less than or equal to the number of indicated RA-RUs, an RU to be transmitted is selected from among the RA-RUs corresponding to the OBO counter.

[0503] If, for the same trigger frame, multiple OBO counters reach 0 or are less than or equal to the number of indicated RA-RUs, an RU to be transmitted is selected from among the RA-RUs corresponding to the multiple OBO counters.

[0504] In the above embodiments, it is described that when the OBO counter becomes 0, it includes the case where the OBO counter is less than or equal to the eligible RA-RU number without actually decrementing the OBO counter. Also, the OBO counter is reset when starting the UORA operation or after transmitting a PPDU by the UORA operation. At this time, the OBO counter is reset by being arbitrarily selected from integers greater than or equal to 0 within the set range. The set range is determined based on the UORA parameter set element. The set range is the OCW range. Or, the set range is the OCW.

[0505] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a method for distinguishing between an intermediate padding field and a padding field is required. This is because both the intermediate padding field and the padding field have the same value set for the most significant bits. For example, both the intermediate padding field and the padding field have the values of the most significant 12 bits set to 1. The padding field is the field before the FCS included in the trigger frame. Or, the padding field may be the last field included in the trigger frame excluding the FCS. The FCS is the last 4-octets included in the trigger frame.

[0506] According to an embodiment, all bits included in the padding field are set to 1. Also, the padding field is for giving the STA receiving the trigger frame the time required to prepare a response. Also, the padding field is at least 2-octets.

[0507] The intermediate padding field contains bits set to a value other than 1. For example, at least one of the pre-set bits in the intermediate padding field is set to a value other than 1. More specifically, at least one of the pre-set bits in the bits of the intermediate padding field excluding the AID12 sub-field is set to a value other than 1. The at least one pre-set bit is the 13th bit from the front in the intermediate padding field, or the bit of bit index B12. Therefore, the STA that receives the intermediate padding field distinguishes whether it is an intermediate padding field or a padding field based on the at least one pre-set bit value. If in the trigger frame received by the STA, all the previous 12 bits (B0 to B11) at the position of the AID12 sub-field of User Info are set to 1, and the next pre-set bit of the 12 bits is 0, it means that the intermediate padding field has been received. If the next pre-set bit of the 12 bits is 1, it means that the padding field has been received.

[0508] According to another embodiment, assuming that there is a user information field 1 containing all bits set to 1 if all the bits at the AID12 sub-field position are set to 1 in the STA, the user information field immediately following the user information field 1 is the user information field 2. If the user information field 2 does not exist after the user information field 1, the user information field 1 is a padding field. Or, if the user information field 2 exists after the user information field 1 and the value of the AID12 sub-field included in the user information field 2 is 4095 (4095 when all bits are set to 1), the user information field 1 and the user information field 2 are padding fields. Or, if the user information field 2 exists after the user information field 1 and the value of the AID12 sub-field included in the user information field 2 is not 4095 (4095 when all bits are set to 1), the user information field 1 is an intermediate padding field.

[0509] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the trigger frame includes a number of intermediate padding fields. Each of the number of intermediate padding fields included in the trigger frame has the position of the AID12 sub-field set, that is, the first 12 bits are set to 1. For each of the number of intermediate padding fields included in the trigger frame, the bits other than the position of the AID12 sub-field are set to different values from each other. For example, for one of the number of intermediate padding fields included in the trigger frame, the first bit excluding the position of the AID12 sub-field is set to 0. For another one of the number of intermediate padding fields included in the trigger frame, the second bit excluding the position of the AID12 sub-field is set to 0.

[0510] Referring to FIG. 30, the trigger frame includes a specific user information field. The specific user information field is a user information field set in 2007 where the AID12 subfield has a preset value. The specific user information field is the foremost among the user information fields. Whether the specific user information field is included in the trigger frame is indicated by the specific user information field Present subfield included in the common information field. If the value of the specific user information field Present subfield is 0, it indicates that the trigger frame includes the specific user information field. If the value of the specific user information field Present subfield is 1, it indicates that the trigger frame does not include the specific user information field. The STA responding to the trigger frame including the specific user information field responds using an EHT TB PPDU. Also, the trigger frame indicates an RA-RU. The AID12 subfield included in the user information field indicating the RA-RU is set to 0 or 2045. The trigger frame includes an intermediate padding field. The TB PPDU format is determined based on the position of the user information field indicating the RA-RU included in the trigger frame. If the user information field indicating the RA-RU included in the trigger frame exists before the intermediate padding field, an HE TB PPDU is used when responding to the RA-RU. If the user information field indicating the RA-RU included in the trigger frame exists after the intermediate padding field, an EHT TB PPDU is used when responding to the RA-RU. Also, to determine whether to respond using an EHT TB PPDU, it is based on the PHY Version ID field including the specific user information field. For example, if the PHY Version ID field indicates EHT, an EHT TB PPDU format is used to respond to the RA-RU. If the PHY Version ID field indicates a value other than EHT, it is not possible to respond to the RA-RU using an EHT TB PPDU format.

[0511] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the position of the user information field where the AID12 subfield is set to a value based on the AID for the STA is preset. The user information field where the AID12 subfield is set to a value based on the AID for the STA triggers one STA.

[0512] As an example, all user information fields where the AID12 subfield is set to a value based on the AID for the STA exist before the intermediate padding field. In such a case, there is an advantage that STAs that do not use UORA do not have to distinguish between the intermediate padding field and the padding field.

[0513] As another example, among the user information fields where the AID12 subfield is set to a value based on the AID for the STA, the user information fields that trigger STAs that are not 1) EHT STAs or 2) HE STAs all exist after the intermediate padding field. In such a case, the HE STA that cannot recognize the intermediate padding field as an intermediate padding field and recognizes it as a padding field does not parse the user information field after the intermediate padding field. Therefore, the HE STA can perform power saving.

[0514] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the intermediate padding field is included in the NFRP trigger frame. The NFRP trigger frame is a frame that indicates the range of the AID of the STA to which the user information field responds. For example, the user information field included in the NFRP trigger frame indicates the Starting AID. Also, the user information field included in the NFRP trigger frame indicates the number of responsive STAs. The number of responsive STAs is based on the bandwidth (UL BW of the trigger frame) and the multiplexing flag (Number of Spatially Multiplexed Users subfield) included in the user information field. Also, the response to the NFRP trigger frame is an NDP. The NDP is a PPDU that includes only the preamble of the PPDU. According to an embodiment, the AID value is arbitrarily assigned to a number of STAs. Therefore, when the NFRP trigger frame indicates the range of the AID, the standards supported by the STAs having the AID in the range may be different from each other. Therefore, it is difficult to obtain the same standard response to the NFRP trigger frame. Therefore, an intermediate padding field is included to spoof an STA that supports only a certain standard for the NFRP trigger frame. For example, an intermediate padding field is included to obtain an NDP response consisting of an EHT PPDU for the NFRP trigger frame. Therefore, the HE STA recognizes the intermediate padding field as Padding and does not respond. Which of the EHT PPDU or NEXT PPDU is used for the response follows the method described in FIGS. 27 to 29. For example, if the user information field included in the NFRP trigger frame exists before the intermediate padding field, an NDP that is an HE PPDU is used for the response when responding to the user information field. Also, if the user information field included in the NFRP trigger frame exists after the intermediate padding field, an NDP that is an EHT PPDU or NEXT PPDU is used for the response when responding to the user information field. Which of the EHT PPDU or NEXT PPDU is used is based on the format identifier included in the trigger frame.More specifically, whether to use an EHT PPDU or a NEXT PPDU is based on the PHY Version ID field included in the specific user information field.

[0515] FIG. 31 is a diagram showing the setting of a trigger frame according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0516] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a trigger frame includes a number of specific user information fields. The specific user information field is the specific user information field of the above-described embodiment. Also, the embodiment described in FIG. 31 is used together with the embodiments described in FIGS. 28 to 30.

[0517] According to an embodiment of the present invention, in the number of specific user information fields included in the trigger frame, the PHY Version ID fields included in each specific user information field are set to different values from each other. Among the number of specific user information fields included in the trigger frame, the PHY Version ID field included in one specific user information field is set to a value corresponding to EHT, and the PHY Version ID field included in another specific user information field is set to a value corresponding to NEXT.

[0518] Referring to FIG. 31(a), the specific user information field in which the PHY Version ID field is set to a value corresponding to EHT exists immediately after the common information field.

[0519] If the trigger frame includes a number of specific user information fields, the number of specific user information fields exist in the order of the PHY Version ID field values included in each specific user information field. If the trigger frame includes a number of specific user information fields, the number of specific user information fields exist immediately after the common information field.

[0520] Referring to FIG. 31(a), after the specific user information field in which the PHY Version ID field is set to a value corresponding to EHT, there is a specific user information field in which the PHY Version ID field is set to a value corresponding to NEXT.

[0521] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the STA receives a user information field that instructs to respond with an EHT TB PPDU or a NEXT TB PPDU by instructing an RA-RU by the method described with reference to FIGS. 28 to 30. The operation in this case is described below. Describing whether an RA-RU can be responded to or not responded to below means determining whether an RA-RU is an eligible RA-RU or not, respectively. Also, for an eligible RA-RU, the OBO counter can be decremented or selected as a RU to be transmitted, and for a RU that is not an eligible RA-RU, the OBO counter cannot be decremented or cannot be selected as a RU to be transmitted.

[0522] According to an embodiment, if the trigger frame received by the STA does not include any specific user information fields, the STA responds to the RA-RU using an HE TB PPDU.

[0523] According to an embodiment, when the trigger frame received by the STA contains one specific user information field, if the value indicated by the PHY Version ID field included in the specific user information field is the standard supported by the STA, the STA responds to the RA-RU using the TB PPDU of the standard indicated by the value indicated by the PHY Version ID field. When the trigger frame received by the STA contains one specific user information field, if the value indicated by the PHY Version ID field included in the specific user information field is a standard not supported by the STA, the STA cannot respond to the RA-RU indicated by the trigger frame. Also, at this time, the specific user information field received by the STA is a field located immediately after the common information field. That is, it is determined whether the STA can respond to the RA-RU based on the PHY Version ID field included in the specific user information field located immediately after the common information field received by the STA. For example, when the trigger frame received by the EHT STA contains one specific user information field, if the value indicated by the PHY Version ID field included in the specific user information field is EHT, the EHT STA responds to the RA-RU using the EHT TB PPDU. When the trigger frame received by the EHT STA contains one specific user information field, if the value indicated by the PHY Version ID field included in the specific user information field is not EHT, the EHT STA cannot respond to the RA-RU indicated by the trigger frame.

[0524] Referring to FIG. 31(b), the trigger frame contains a specific user information field. The PHY Version ID field included in the specific user information field indicates the NEXT standard. Also, the trigger frame includes User Info 2 and User Info 3. Also, by the method described in FIGS. 28 to 30, the User Info 2 indicates the RA-RU to be responded to with the HE TB PPDU.

[0525] Also, by the method described in FIGS. 28 to 30, the User Info 3 field instructs a RA-RU that responds with an EHT TB PPDU or a NEXT TB PPDU. Therefore, the EHT STA that receives the trigger frame can respond to the User Info 2 field, and in this case, uses a HE TB PPDU.

[0526] Also, the EHT STA that receives the trigger frame cannot respond to User Info 3. The fact that it cannot respond to the User Info 3 field is because the EHT STA does not support the standard indicated by the PHY Version ID field included in the specific user information field included in the trigger frame.

[0527] According to an embodiment, when the trigger frame received by the STA includes a plurality of specific user information fields, if at least one of the values indicated by the PHY Version ID fields included in the plurality of specific user information fields is a standard supported by the STA, the STA responds to the RA-RU using the TB PPDU of the standard indicated by the indicated value. When the trigger frame received by the STA includes a plurality of specific user information fields, if all of the values indicated by the PHY Version ID fields included in the plurality of specific user information fields are standards not supported by the STA, the STA cannot respond to the RA-RU indicated by the trigger frame.

[0528] Or, if the trigger frame received by the STA contains a large number of specific user information fields, if the value indicated by the PHY Version ID field included in the specific user information field located immediately after the common information field is a standard supported by the STA, the STA responds to the RA-RU using the TB PPDU of the standard indicated by the indicated value. If the value indicated by the PHY Version ID field included in the specific user information field located immediately after the common information field is a standard not supported by the STA when the trigger frame received by the STA contains a large number of specific user information fields, the STA cannot respond to the RA-RU indicated by the trigger frame.

[0529] Referring to FIG. 31(a), the user information 3 field included in the trigger frame indicates an RA-RU that responds with an EHT TB PPDU or a NEXT TB PPDU by the method described in FIGS. 27 to 30. Further, the trigger frame includes Special User Info with the PHY Version ID field set to EHT. The specific user information field with the PHY Version ID field set to EHT exists immediately after the common information field.

[0530] Further, the trigger frame includes a specific user information field with the PHY Version ID field set to NEXT. The specific user information field with the PHY Version ID field set to NEXT exists after the specific user information field with the PHY Version ID field set to EHT. In this case, since the received trigger frame by the EHT STA includes a specific user information field with the PHY Version ID field set to EHT, the STA can respond to the user information 3 field.

[0531] According to one embodiment, when the trigger frame received by the STA contains a large number of specific user information fields, if at least one of the values indicated by the PHY Version ID fields included in the large number of specific user information fields is a standard not supported by the STA, the STA responds to the RA-RU indicated by the trigger frame. When the trigger frame received by the STA contains a large number of specific user information fields, if all of the values indicated by the PHY Version ID fields included in the large number of specific user information fields are standards supported by the STA, the STA can respond to the RA-RU indicated by the trigger frame.

[0532] According to other embodiments, a trigger frame containing a large number of specific user information fields does not include a user information field indicating an RA-RU. Therefore, in such a case, a user information field indicating an RA-RU is included in the trigger frame only when the trigger frame contains a specific user information field or only one specific user information field. Also, in such a case, it is determined whether the RA-RU can be responded to according to the above-described embodiments. That is, if the trigger frame does not contain a specific user information field, a HE TB PPDU is used to respond to the indicated RA-RU. When the trigger frame contains only one specific user information field, if it is indicated to respond with a HE TB PPDU by the method described in FIGS. 28 to 30, a HE TB PPDU is used to respond to the indicated RA-RU.

[0533] When the trigger frame contains only one specific user information field, if it is indicated to respond with an EHT TB PPDU or a NEXT TB PPDU by the method described in FIGS. 28 to 30, it is determined whether the RU indicated based on the PHY Version ID field indicated by the specific user information field is a RA-RU capable of response.

[0534] According to an embodiment of the present invention, if the STA indicates a standard that is not supported by the PHY Version ID subfield included in the specific user information field included in the received trigger frame, the STA ignores the content after the specific user information field. Or, if the STA indicates a standard that is not supported by any of the PHY Version ID subfield values included in the multiple specific user information fields included in the received trigger frame, the STA ignores the other content of the trigger frame. Thereby, the STA can perform power saving.

[0535] According to an embodiment of the present invention, as described above, the specific user information field is located immediately after the common information field and is the foremost among the user information fields. Exceptionally, the intermediate padding field exists before the specific user information field. That is, the intermediate padding field exists immediately after the common information field. In such a case, the specific user information field does not include a Trigger Dependent user information field regardless of the Triggier Type. That is, the specific user information field is 40-bit.

[0536] FIG. 32 is a diagram showing the setting of a trigger frame and the UORA operation according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0537] According to an embodiment of the present invention, based on a number of subfields included in the trigger frame, it is indicated and determined which variant of the TB PPDU the user information field indicates, or which TB PPDU format to use when responding to the trigger frame. In the present invention, the content described above is omitted. Also, this embodiment describes the content described in FIG. 28 and the like in a different manner.

[0538] According to the embodiment described with reference to FIG. 28, if the HE / EHT P160 subfield indicates an EHT TB PPDU (i.e., if the subfield value is set to 0), it responds with an EHT TB PPDU. Also, 1) if the HE / EHT P160 subfield indicates a HE TB PPDU (i.e., when the subfield value is set to 1), and 2) if the PS160 subfield indicates P160 (i.e., when the subfield value is set to 0), it responds with a HE TB PPDU. Further, 1) if the HE / EHT P160 subfield indicates a HE TB PPDU (i.e., when the subfield value is set to 1), and 2) if the PS160 subfield indicates S160 (i.e., when the subfield value is set to 1), it responds with an EHT TB PPDU.

[0539] Also, when responding with a HE TB PPDU as described above, it is the same as the case where the corresponding user information field is the HE variant user information field that indicates the transmission of the HE TB PPDU. Also, when responding with an EHT TB PPDU as described above, it is the same as the case where the corresponding user information field is the EHT variant user information field.

[0540] Alternatively, when responding to the HE variant user information field, the EHT variant user information field, and the NEXT variant user information field, HE TB PPDU, EHT TB PPDU, and NEXT TB PPDU are used respectively.

[0541] Summarizing the embodiments, 1) when the HE / EHT P160 subfield indicates an HE TB PPDU (i.e., when the subfield value is set to 1), and 2) if the PS160 subfield of the user information field indicates P160 (i.e., when the subfield value is set to 0), the user information field is an HE variant user information field. In other cases (i.e., when the HE / EHT P160 subfield and the PS160 subfield are set to 1) both to 1, or 2) both to 0, 1, or 3) both to 0, 0), the user information field is an EHT variant user information field.

[0542] Referring to FIG. 28, the HE / EHT P160 subfield is included in the common information field. More specifically, the HE / EHT P160 subfield is included at bit B54 position of the common information field. Also, referring to FIG. 28, the Special User Info Present subfield is included in the common information field. More specifically, the Special User Info Present subfield is included at bit B55 position of the common information field.

[0543] This embodiment relates to the TB PPDU format indication method described in FIG. 28. According to an embodiment of the present invention, a user information field with the AID12 subfield set to 0 or 2045 is not set as an EHT variant user information field. That is, a user information field with the AID12 subfield set to 0 or 2045 is not instructed to respond with an EHT TB PPDU. Also, a user information field with the AID12 subfield set to an AID12 subfield value other than 0 or 2045 that indicates RA-RU is not set as an HE variant user information field. That is, a user information field with the AID12 subfield set to an AID12 subfield value other than 0 or 2045 that indicates RA-RU is not set to respond with an HE TB PPDU.

[0544] Also, even if there are restrictions on the method and indication method as described above, there is a response method in case the STA (AP) that transmits the trigger frame does not implement it properly. According to an embodiment of the present invention, if the user information field with the AID12 subfield set to 0 or 2045 in the received trigger frame is set as the EHT variant user information field, the user information field is ignored. Or, it is not determined that the RU indicated by the user information field is an eligible RA-RU. Or, the OBO counter is decreased for the RA-RU corresponding to the user information field, but it is not used as the RA-RU that sets the OBO counter to 0 or selects for transmission.

[0545] Also, according to an embodiment of the present invention, if the user information field with the AID12 subfield set to an AID12 subfield value other than 0 or 2045 that indicates an RA-RU in the received trigger frame is set as the HE variant user information field, the user information field is ignored. Or, it is not determined that the RU indicated by the user information field is an eligible RA-RU. Or, the OBO counter is decreased for the RA-RU corresponding to the user information field, but it is not used as the RA-RU that sets the OBO counter to 0 or selects for transmission.

[0546] One embodiment of the present invention relates to the TB PPDU format indication method described in FIG. 30. According to one embodiment of the present invention, when setting a user information field with the AID12 subfield set to 0 or 2045 as an EHT variant user information field, the user information field is not positioned in front of the Mid-padding field. That is, when setting a user information field with the AID12 subfield set to 0 or 2045 as an EHT variant user information field, the user information field is not positioned at a position indicating that it should be responded to with an HE TB PPDU. Also, when setting a user information field with the AID12 subfield set to 0 or 2045 as an HE variant user information field, the user information field is not positioned behind the Mid-padding field. That is, when setting a user information field with the AID12 subfield set to 0 or 2045 as an HE variant user information field, the user information field is not positioned at a position indicating that it should be responded to with an EHT TB PPDU.

[0547] Also, even if there are restrictions on the method and indication method as described above, there is a response method in case the STA (AP) that transmits the trigger frame does not implement it properly. According to an embodiment of the present invention, when setting the user information field with the AID12 subfield set to 0 or 2045 in the received trigger frame to the EHT variant user information field, the user information field may be positioned before the intermediate padding field. Or, when setting the user information field with the AID12 subfield set to 0 or 2045 in the received trigger frame to the HE variant user information field, the user information field may be positioned after the intermediate padding field. In such a case, the user information field is ignored. Or, the RU indicated by the user information field is not determined as an eligible RA-RU. Or, the OBO counter is decreased for the RA-RU corresponding to the user information field, but it is not used as the RA-RU that sets the OBO counter to 0 or selects for transmission.

[0548] Figure 32 is a diagram showing a trigger frame and an EHT TB PPDU as a response thereto. Referring to Figure 32, the trigger frame includes a common information field. Also, the trigger frame includes one or more user information fields. Referring to Figure 31, the one or more user information fields include a specific user information field, a user information 2 field, and a user information 3 field. The common information field includes a specific user information field Present subfield. Also, by setting the specific user information field Present subfield value to 0, it is indicated that the trigger frame includes a specific user information field. Referring to Figure 32, both the user information 2 field and the user information 3 field are EHT variant user information fields. The method for indicating that the user information field is an EHT variant user information field follows the above-described embodiment.

[0549] Also, the fact that the value of the AID12 subfield is 0 or 2045 indicates that a RA-RU is to be responded with a HE TB PPDU. Referring to FIG. 31, the user information 2 field is set as an EHT variant user information field, and the AID12 subfield included in the user information 2 field is set to 0 or 2045. Therefore, when responding to the user information 2 field, the user information 2 field indicates two types of PPDUs regarding which PPDU format should be used.

[0550] Which variant the user information field is in indicates EHT, and the AID12 subfield indicates HE. Therefore, such a setting is not allowed. However, if the trigger frame is set like this and a STA (non-AP STA) receives a trigger frame with such a setting, the user information 2 field is ignored. Or, the RU indicated by the user information 2 field is not determined as an eligible RA-RU. Or, a response is not made to the RU indicated by the user information 2 field with UORA. Or, the OBO counter is not decremented for the RU indicated by the user information 2 field, or it is not selected as a RU to be responded with UORA. Therefore, referring to FIG. 32, even if the trigger frame is set such that a collision may occur in the TB PPDU format indicated, by ignoring the user information field where the collision occurred, no PPDU is transmitted to the RU indicated by the user information 2 field, so that the UL MU operation is successfully performed.

[0551] According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is a STA (or AP) with limited capability. A STA with limited capability is a STA that implements only baseline features. Having limited capability is indicated by the MIB (management information base) of dot11EHTBaseLineFeaturesImplementedOnly. For example, a STA with limited capability sets dot11EHTBaseLineFeaturesImplementedOnly to true.

[0552] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a STA with limited capability does not solicit multiple TB PPDU formats with one trigger frame. More specifically, a STA with limited capability does not solicit HE TB PPDU and EHT TB PPDU with one trigger frame.

[0553] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a STA with limited capability (which may be an AP) does not indicate an RA-RU that responds with an EHT TB PPDU. Or, a STA with limited capability may not be able to indicate an RA-RU that responds with an EHT TB PPDU. Therefore, according to an embodiment of the present invention, a STA with limited capability does not set a user information field with the AID12 subfield set to 0 or 2045 in the EHT variant user information field. Also, a STA with limited capability sets a user information field with the AID12 subfield set to 0 or 2045 only in the HE variant user information field.

[0554] Also, a STA with limited capability does not include a user information field with the AID12 subfield set to 0 or 2045 in a trigger frame indicating an EHT TB PPDU. That is, a STA with limited capability includes a user information field with the AID12 subfield set to 0 or 2045 only in a trigger frame indicating a HE TB PPDU.

[0555] A trigger frame indicating an EHT TB PPDU is a trigger frame including at least one EHT variant user information field. Or, a trigger frame indicating an EHT TB PPDU is a trigger frame including a specific user information field. Or, a trigger frame indicating an EHT TB PPDU is a trigger frame indicating that the specific user information field Present subfield is present. A trigger frame indicating a HE TB PPDU is a trigger frame in which all included user information fields are HE variant user information fields. Or, a trigger frame indicating a HE TB PPDU may be a trigger frame not including a specific user information field. Or, a trigger frame indicating a HE TB PPDU may be a trigger frame indicating that the specific user information field Present subfield is not present.

[0556] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a STA with limited capability does not include both 1) a trigger frame or TRS indicating a HE TB PPDU and 2) a trigger frame or TRS indicating an EHT TB PPDU in one PPDU. Or, a STA with limited capability does not include both 1) a trigger frame or TRS indicating a HE TB PPDU and 2) a trigger frame or TRS indicating an EHT TB PPDU in one A-MPDU.

[0557] According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is a capability signaling for transmitting capability information indicating whether to support a RA-RU or UORA that responds with an EHT TB PPDU. Such signaling exists independently of the capability signaling indicating whether to support a RA-RU or UORA that responds with a HE TB PPDU. The capability signaling indicating whether to support a RA-RU or UORA that responds with an EHT TB PPDU is included in the EHT capabilities element.

[0558] The capability signaling indicating whether to support a RA-RU or UORA that responds with a HE TB PPDU is included in the HE capabilities element. The EHT capabilities element or the HE capabilities element is included in a beacon frame, a probe request frame, a probe response frame, an association request frame, an association response frame, a re-association request frame, a re-association response frame, etc. Also, when the AP transmits such signaling, it can indicate whether it can indicate and allocate a RA-RU. Also, when a non-AP STA transmits such signaling, it indicates whether to respond to the indicated and allocated RA-RU or whether it can participate in the UORA.

[0559] FIG. 33 is a diagram showing UL MU operation using a TRS according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0560] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the RU assigned or indicated by the TRS is determined based on the position or bandwidth of the RU in which the TRS is transmitted.

[0561] For example, there may be a case where the RU in which the TRS is transmitted is below a preset bandwidth. In such a case, the RU indicated by the TRS is included within a subchannel of a preset bandwidth that includes the RU in which the TRS is transmitted. For example, the preset bandwidth is 160 MHz. If the RU in which the TRS is transmitted is transmitted in a subchannel of the P160 (primary 160 MHz) channel, the RU indicated by the TRS is included within P160. Also, if the RU in which the TRS is transmitted is transmitted in a subchannel of the S160 (secondary 160 MHz) channel, the RU indicated by the TRS is included within S160. Therefore, when the TRS indicates an RU, it does not indicate in which subchannel of which preset bandwidth the RU is included. That is, for example, the RU within 320 MHz can be indicated by the TRS without signaling that serves a role such as the PS160 subfield included in the trigger frame above.

[0562] Referring to FIG. 33, the PPDU includes TRS 1 and TRS 2. TRS 1 and TRS 2 are TRSs that solicit the EHT TB PPDU. TRS 1 is transmitted within the P160 channel. In such a case, the RU indicated by TRS 1 is an RU within the P160 channel. Therefore, the STA that responds to TRS 1 responds using the RU within the P160 channel. Also, TRS 2 is transmitted within the S160 channel. In such a case, the RU indicated by TRS 2 is an RU within the S160 channel. Therefore, the STA that responds to TRS 2 responds using the RU within the S160 channel.

[0563] However, if the TRS is transmitted with an RU larger than a preset bandwidth (for example, 160 MHz), ambiguity occurs in such a rule.

[0564] Therefore, according to one embodiment, the RU including the TRS does not exceed the preset bandwidth. Taking a specific example, the RU including the TRS does not exceed 160 MHz. Also, if the RU including the TRS received by the STA exceeds the preset bandwidth, the received TRS is ignored and no response is made.

[0565] According to another embodiment, the RU including the TRS may exceed the preset bandwidth. At this time, rules for interpreting the assigned RU are defined. According to one embodiment of the present invention, if the RU including the TRS exceeds the preset bandwidth, the assigned RU is indicated by the RU located in the section exceeding the preset bandwidth. Or, only when the RU including the TRS exceeds the preset bandwidth, a response is made with the RU located in the section exceeding the preset bandwidth. Or, if the RU including the TRS exceeds the preset bandwidth, the assigned RU can exceed the preset bandwidth. Or, only when the RU including the TRS exceeds the preset bandwidth, a response is made with the RU exceeding the preset bandwidth.

[0566] More specifically, if the RU including the TRS exceeds 160 MHz, it indicates the RU spanning both the P160 subchannel and the S160 subchannel. Or, if the RU including the TRS exceeds 160 MHz, a response is made with the RU spanning both the P160 subchannel and the S160 subchannel.

[0567] Also, if the RU including the TRS exceeds the preset bandwidth, only the RU exceeding the preset bandwidth is indicated. Also, if the RU including the TRS is equal to or less than the preset bandwidth, only the RU equal to or less than the preset bandwidth is indicated.

[0568] Or, if the RU including the TRS exceeds the preset bandwidth, the RU indicated by the TRS is located in the subchannel of the preset bandwidth at the preset position. For example, the preset bandwidth is 160 MHz. If the RU including the TRS exceeds 160 MHz, the RU indicated by the TRS is located in the P160 channel.

[0569] Or, if the RU indicated by the TRS is greater than 160 MHz, 160 MHz of the indicated RUs is located in a 160 MHz channel including the RU in which the TRS is transmitted. That is, if the RU indicated by the TRS is greater than 160 MHz, two of the 996 - tone of the indicated RUs are located in a 160 MHz channel including the RU in which the TRS is transmitted.

[0570] Referring to FIG. 33, the TRS 3 solicits an EHT TB PPDU. Also, the bandwidth of the RU including the TRS 3 exceeds 160 MHz. For example, the bandwidth of the RU including the TRS 3 is 320 MHz. In such a case, the RU indicated by the TRS 3 or the RU used for response to the TRS 3 exceeds 160 MHz. Also, the RU indicated by the TRS 3 or the RU used for response to the TRS 3 exists in the P160 channel and the S160 channel.

[0571] FIG. 34 is a sequence diagram showing an example of a PPDU transmission method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0572] Referring to FIG. 34, the non - AP STA transmits a TB PPDU in a specific format based on a trigger frame instructing the transmission of the TB PPDU from the AP STA.

[0573] Specifically, the non - AP STA receives, at S34010, a frame instructing the transmission of a PPDU from the AP STA to one or more terminals.

[0574] At this time, the frame has the same format as the frame for instructing the transmission of the TB PPDU described in FIGS. 13 to 33. For example, the frame has a common information field and a user information field for each of the one or more terminals. At this time, the user information field includes an AID12 sub - field for instructing the use of the user information field.

[0575] The AID12 subfield is set to other values by the indicated TB PPDU as described in FIGS. 13 to 33. For example, if the PPDU indicated for transmission by the frame is an EHT PPDU, the value of the AID12 subfield is set to one of a plurality of values excluding at least one specific value.

[0576] At this time, at least one specific value is used to allocate resources for the uplink orthogonal frequency division multiple access (UORA) of at least one terminal supporting HE.

[0577] That is, the specific value of the user information field included in the frame or the AID12 subfield included in the user information field is used to indicate the RA-RU of the STA supporting HE. In this case, the specific value for indicating the RA-RU indicates that the response to the frame is a HE TB PPDU. Therefore, the value of the user information field or the AID12 subfield included in the user information field for indicating an EHT TB PPDU or a NEXT TB PPDU as a response to the frame is set to the remaining values excluding the specific value for indicating the UORA operation of HE.

[0578] For example, if the value of the user information field or the AID12 subfield included in the user information field is set to a first specific value (e.g., "2045") or a second specific value (e.g., "0") to indicate the RA-RU for the UORA operation of HE, the STA transmits a HE TB PPDU as a response to the frame. However, if the value of the user information field or the AID12 subfield included in the user information field is set to the remaining values excluding the first specific value or the second specific value, the STA transmits an EHT TB PPDU or a NEXT TB PPDU as a response to the frame.

[0579] The first specific value is used to indicate the RA-RU to the STA not associated with the AP, and the second specific value is used to indicate the RA-RU to the STA associated with the AP.

[0580] At this time, if the second specific value satisfies a specific condition, it is used to indicate the transmission of an EHT TB PPDU or a NEXT TB PPDU. For example, the specific condition is whether all STAs associated with the AP are not legacy STAs (for example, when all can transmit an EHT TB PPDU), when there is an EHT STA that is not HE and / or a legacy STA that cannot transmit an HE TB PPDU (that is, when the STA is other than a legacy STA that cannot transmit an EHT TB PPDU but can transmit an HE TB PPDU), when all the associated legacy STAs (terminals that cannot transmit an EHT TB PPDU) do not support the UORA operation, or when the frame indicating the transmission of the TB PPDU is transmitted included in the EHT PPDU. At this time, when all legacy STAs (terminals that cannot transmit an EHT TB PPDU) do not support the UORA operation, it includes the case of transmitting a value indicating that the STA does not support the UORA operation to the AP.

[0581] That is, when all legacy STAs (terminals that cannot transmit an EHT TB PPDU) do not support the UORA operation, it includes the case where the value of the capability subfield transmitted by the STA to the AP is set to a value indicating that it does not support the UORA operation, or when a STA that does not support the UORA operation itself is associated.

[0582] That is, when none of the STAs associated with the AP among the above conditions is a legacy terminal (for example, when none of them can transmit an EHT TB PPDU), it is also applicable when the AP is associated with one STA that can transmit an EHT TB PPDU. That is, since only STAs that can transmit an EHT TB PPDU exist among the STAs associated with the AP, in this case, "0", which is the second specific value, is used as the value of the AID12 subfield or the user information field. Therefore, in this case, the second specific value is determined to satisfy the specific conditions and is used to instruct the transmission of an EHT TB PPDU or a NEXT TB PPDU.

[0583] Also, the TB PPDU indicated by the AP via the frame indicates only one format of the TB PPDU. For example, the AP indicates only an HE TB PPDU or an EHT TB PPDU (or a NEXT TB PPDU) via the frame, and cannot indicate an HE TB PPDU and an EHT TB PPDU simultaneously. Therefore, when the frame indicates an EHT TB PPDU, the transmission of an HE TB PPDU cannot be instructed via the corresponding frame, and the value of the AID12 subfield included in the user information field or the user information field is not set to "2045".

[0584] Next, the non-AP STA performs S34020 of transmitting a PPDU as a response to the frame based on the AID12 subfield.

[0585] FIG. 35 is a sequence diagram showing an example of a frame transmission method for instructing the transmission of a PPDU according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0586] Referring to FIG. 35, the AP STA transmits a trigger frame instructing the non-AP STA to transmit a specific TB PPDU, and receives a TB PPDU of a specific format from the non-AP STA based on the frame.

[0587] Specifically, the AP STA transmits a frame that instructs one or more terminals to transmit a PPDU at S35010.

[0588] At this time, the frame has the same format as the frame for instructing the transmission of the TB PPDU described in FIGS. 13 to 33. For example, the frame includes a common information field and a user information field for each of the one or more terminals. At this time, the user information field includes an AID12 subfield that indicates the use of the user information field.

[0589] The AID12 subfield is set to one of a plurality of values excluding at least one specific value by the TB PPDU instructed as described in FIGS. 13 to 33. For example, if the PPDU instructed to be transmitted by the frame is an EHT PPDU, the value of the AID12 subfield is set to one of a plurality of values excluding at least one specific value.

[0590] At this time, at least one specific value is used to allocate resources for the uplink orthogonal frequency division multiple access (UORA) of the random access of at least one terminal that supports HE.

[0591] That is, the specific value of the user information field included in the frame or the AID12 subfield included in the user information field is used to indicate the RA...

Claims

1. In a terminal of a wireless communication system, a communication module, and a processor for controlling the communication module, and the processor receives a frame instructing transmission of a PPDU (Physical layer Protocol Data Unit) from an AP (Access Point) to one or more terminals, the frame including a common information field and one or more user information fields for the one or more terminals, each of the one or more user information fields including an AID12 (association identifier 12) sub-field indicating the use of the corresponding user information field among the one or more user information fields, the common information field and the corresponding user information field being used to indicate whether the type of the PPDU transmitted according to the frame is an HE (High Efficiency) type or an EHT (Extremely High Throughput) type, when the type of the PPDU indicates the EHT type by the common information field and the corresponding user information field, the AID12 sub-field is set to one value among a plurality of values different from at least one specific value, a terminal that transmits an EHT TB PPDU according to the frame.

2. The terminal according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of values are used to identify the corresponding user information field for each terminal.

3. The at least one specific value is used to allocate a resource unit for uplink orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) based random access (UORA) of at least one terminal that supports transmission of the HE type of the PPDU, the terminal according to claim 1, wherein a first specific value and a second specific value among the at least one specific value are used for resource unit allocation for UORA operation of the terminal.

4. The terminal according to claim 3, wherein the first specific value is "2045" and the second specific value is "0". The terminal according to claim 1, wherein whether the type of the PPDU is the EHT type or the HE type is identified based on the first bit of the common information field and the second bit of the corresponding user information field.

6. The terminal according to claim 5, wherein the type of the PPDU is indicated as the HE type when the first bit is set to "1" and the second bit is set to "0".

7. The terminal according to claim 5, wherein the AID12 subfield is set as one of the plurality of values and at least one specific value when the type of the PPDU is indicated as the HE type.

8. The terminal according to claim 5, wherein the AID12 subfield is set as one of the plurality of values when the type of the PPDU is indicated as the EHT type.

9. The frame includes a specific user information field, wherein the specific user information field includes a trigger-dependent user information field having a length of 4 octets when the type of the frame is MU (multi-user)-BAR (block acknowledgment request), and the terminal according to claim 1, wherein the specific user information field does not include the trigger-dependent user information field when the type of the frame is GCR (groupcast with retries) MU-BAR.

10. In a method for a terminal in a wireless communication system to transmit a frame, receiving, from an AP, a frame instructing transmission of a PPDU (Physical layer Protocol Data Unit) to one or more terminals; wherein the frame includes a common information field and one or more user information fields for the one or more terminals, and each of the one or more user information fields includes an AID12 (association identifier 12) subfield indicating the use of the corresponding user information field among the one or more user information fields. The common information field and the corresponding user information field are used to indicate whether the type of the PPDU transmitted according to the frame is a HE (High Efficiency) type or an EHT (Extremely High Throughput) type. When the type of the PPDU indicates the EHT type by the common information field and the corresponding user information field, the AID12 subfield is set to one of a plurality of values different from at least one specific value. A method including the step of transmitting an EHT TB PPDU according to the frame.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the plurality of values are used to identify the corresponding user information field for each terminal.

12. The at least one specific value is used to allocate a resource unit for uplink orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA)-based random access (UORA) of at least one terminal that supports transmission of the HE-type PPDU. The method according to claim 10, wherein a first specific value and a second specific value among the at least one specific value are used for resource unit allocation for UORA operation of a terminal.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the first specific value is "2045" and the second specific value is "0".

14. Whether the type of the PPDU is the EHT type or the HE type is identified based on a first bit of the common information field and a second bit of the corresponding user information field. The method according to claim 10.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the type of the PPDU is indicated as the HE type when the first bit is set to "1" and the second bit is set to "0".

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the AID12 subfield is set to one of the plurality of values and at least one specific value when the type of the PPDU is indicated as the HE type.

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein the AID12 subfield is set to one of the plurality of values when the type of the PPDU is indicated as the EHT type.

18. The frame includes a specific user information field, wherein, when the type of the frame is MU (multi - user)-BAR (block acknowledgment request), the specific user information field includes a trigger - dependent user information field having a length of 4 octets; The method according to claim 10, wherein, when the type of the frame is GCR (groupcast with retries) MU - BAR, the specific user information field does not include the trigger - dependent user information field.

Images