Simultaneous Transmit / Receive (STR) multi-link operation

Abstract

An apparatus and method for simultaneous transmit / receive (STR) multilink operation (MLO) are disclosed. In one embodiment, a multilink device (MLD) is configured to select at least one communication parameter value for a pair of wireless links to enable STR on the pair of wireless links between the MLD and a second MLD, the second MLD comprising a non-access point (non-AP) station (STA), and the selected at least one communication parameter value includes at least one value of at least one first communication parameter for a first link of the pair and at least one second communication parameter for a second link of the pair. In one embodiment, the MLD is configured to transmit information about the pair of wireless links and to perform multilink operation (MLO) on the pair of wireless links using the at least one communication parameter value based at least in part on the transmitted information.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to wireless communications, and more particularly to simultaneous transmit / receive (STR) multi-link operation, for example according to the extreme high throughput (EHT) standard. [Background technology]

[0002] The next-generation standard currently under development for the Institute of Electrical Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 wireless local area network (WLAN) standard is IEEE 802.11be (also referred to as Extremely High Throughput "EHT"). EHT introduces a new feature called multi-link (ML) operation, abbreviated as MLO. In MLO, a device called a multi-link device (MLD) has multiple associated stations (STAs), each of which can communicate using an independent wireless channel (link). Communication over multiple links via an MLD is referred to as multi-link operation (MLO). Note that in the context of this disclosure, the terms "channel" and "link" are used interchangeably. For example, an MLD may have two associated STAs, one of which communicates using a channel in the 5 GHz frequency band and the other of which communicates using a channel in the 6 GHz frequency band. Alternatively, as another example, an MLD may have two associated STAs, each of which communicates using a channel in the 6 GHz frequency band. In the context of this disclosure, an access point (AP) MLD refers to an MLD with two or more associated access point (AP) STAs, and a non-AP MLD refers to an MLD with two or more associated non-AP STAs.

[0003] An MLD can use its associated STAs and corresponding support channels to perform simultaneous transmit (TX) MLO, simultaneous receive (RX) MLO, or simultaneous transmit / receive (STR) MLO. This can further improve system throughput and latency performance while improving spectrum utilization, for example, compared to single-link (SL) devices. Simultaneous TX and RX MLO may be considered to impose somewhat strict constraints on operation because it requires the involved links to be synchronized to at least some degree. On the other hand, the STR function does not need to impose such constraints (and can enable asynchronous simultaneous TX and RX MLO). Therefore, the STR function can provide significantly better performance than synchronous simultaneous TX and RX MLO.

[0004] An MLD capable of implementing STR MLO is referred to as an STR-enabled MLD. In the context of this disclosure, if the STA associated with the STR-enabled MLD is an AP STA, the MLD is referred to as an STR-enabled AP MLD. Similarly, if the STA associated with the STR-enabled MLD is a non-AP STA, the MLD is referred to as an STR-enabled non-AP MLD.

[0005] An MLD attempting to implement STR MLO may face serious challenges due to self-interference (SI, or leakage) from its TX to RX channels. Self-interference is a challenge that is avoided in simultaneous TX and simultaneous RX operation, for example, by using scheduling. In other words, the leakage power of the TX signal in the channel of the desired RX signal may be several orders of magnitude higher than the power of the desired RX signal, thereby affecting the reception / sensing capabilities of the RX chain in the MLD. If an MLD can implement simultaneous TX and RX on a pair of supported links, the pair of links can be classified as STR. However, if TX operation on one link prevents RX operation on the other link (e.g., due to leakage issues), the pair of links can be classified as non-STR. An MLD can be configured to advertise its STR capabilities associated with all applicable pairs of supported links. This can assist in the setup and execution of STR MLO.

[0006] However, separating STR capabilities in a rigid binary classification such as STR-capable or non-STR-capable for each supported link pair can be inefficient.

[0007] It is agreed in the IEEE 802.11be Task Group (TGbe) that a non-AP MLD can update the classification of a link pair from non-STR to STR after ML setup. However, it is unclear how an STR-capable MLD can use such a link pair for the setup and / or execution of an STR MLO. Summary of the Invention

[0008] Some embodiments advantageously provide a method and apparatus for supporting STR MLO.

[0009] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a simultaneous transmission / reception (STR)-enabled multi-link device (MLD) including an access point (AP) station (STA). The MLD includes a processing circuit configured to cause the MLD to select at least one communication parameter value for a pair of wireless links to enable STR on the pair of wireless links between the MLD and a second MLD, the second MLD including a non-access point (non-AP) STA, the selected at least one communication parameter value including at least one of the following: at least one first communication parameter for a first link of the pair and at least one second communication parameter for a second link of the pair.

[0010] In some embodiments of this aspect, the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the MLD to use the selected at least one communication parameter value to perform multi-link operation (MLO) on the pair of wireless links. In some embodiments of this aspect, the at least one communication parameter value includes at least one of the following: a transmit power of a first link of the pair of wireless links; a transmit power of a second link of the pair of wireless links; a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) of the first link; an MCS of the second link; and a signal bandwidth of at least one of the first link and the second link. In some embodiments of this aspect, the selection is based in part on at least one of the following: a data load on each link in the pair of wireless links; an amount of self-interference caused by transmissions between the MLD and the second MLD for at least two different transmit powers; an association between the signal bandwidth of the pair of links and an SI suppression value; and an amount of frequency separation between each link in the pair of links.

[0011] In some embodiments of this aspect, the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the MLD to obtain information about the pair of wireless links, the information relating to at least one of a capability of the MLD and a capability of a second MLD for the pair of wireless links. In some embodiments of this aspect, the obtained information is used to select at least one communication parameter value for enabling STR on the pair of wireless links. In some embodiments of this aspect, the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the MLD to modify the at least one communication parameter value based at least in part on the obtained information. In some embodiments of this aspect, the obtained information includes at least one of a maximum transmit power value, a self-interference (SI) suppression value, and a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) associated with the pair of wireless links.

[0012] In some embodiments of this aspect, the processing circuit is configured to cause the MLD to select at least one communication parameter value to enable STR on the pair of wireless links based at least in part on a comparison of information about the capabilities of the MLD and information about the capabilities of a second MLD. In some embodiments of this aspect, the processing circuit is further configured to cause the MLD to request information about the pair of wireless links from the second MLD. In some embodiments of this aspect, the processing circuit is further configured to cause the MLD to reclassify the pair of wireless links from non-STR to STR based at least in part on the selection of the at least one communication parameter value. In some embodiments of this aspect, at least one of the following occurs: the pair of wireless links is an STR-constrained link pair; and the pair of wireless links is a non-STR link pair for a first set of communication parameter values ​​and the pair of wireless links is an STR link pair for a second set of communication parameter values, the first set being different from the second set.

[0013] In some embodiments of this aspect, the processing circuitry is configured to cause the MLD to select the at least one communication parameter value by: when a first link of a pair of wireless links is associated with a first data load and a second link of the pair of wireless links is associated with a second data load, and the first data load is greater than the second data load, causing the MLD to select a first communication parameter value for the first link as if the second link had no data load.

[0014] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a simultaneous transmission / reception (STR)-capable multilink device (MLD) including a non-access point (non-AP) station (STA) is provided. The MLD includes a processing circuit configured to cause the MLD to transmit information about a pair of wireless links to a second MLD and to perform multilink operation (MLO) on the pair of wireless links between the MLD and the second MLD, the pair of wireless links using at least one communication parameter value, the at least one communication parameter value being based at least in part on the transmitted information, and the at least one communication parameter value including at least one of the following: at least one first communication parameter for a first link of the pair and at least one second communication parameter for a second link of the pair.

[0015] In some embodiments of this aspect, the at least one communication parameter value is based at least in part on the transmitted information to enable STR on the pair of wireless links. In some embodiments of this aspect, the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the MLD to receive, from the second MLD, an indication of the at least one communication parameter value to use for the pair of wireless links. In some embodiments of this aspect, the at least one communication parameter value includes at least one of the following: a transmit power of a first link of the pair of wireless links; a transmit power of a second link of the pair of wireless links; a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) of the first link; an MCS of the second link; and a signal bandwidth of at least one of the first link and the second link.

[0016] In some embodiments of this aspect, the at least one communication parameter value is based in part on at least one of the following: the data load of each link in the pair of wireless links; the amount of self-interference caused by transmissions between the MLD and the second MLD for at least two different transmit powers; the association between the signal bandwidth of the pair of links and the SI suppression value; and the amount of frequency separation between each link in the pair of links. In some embodiments of this aspect, the transmitted information about the pair of wireless links includes at least one of a maximum transmit power value, a self-interference (SI) suppression value, and a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) associated with the pair of wireless links. In some embodiments of this aspect, the at least one communication parameter value is based at least in part on a comparison of the transmitted information about the capabilities of the MLD and information about the capabilities of the second MLD to enable STR on the pair of wireless links.

[0017] In some embodiments of this aspect, the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the MLD to receive a request for information about the pair of wireless links from a second MLD, and the transmission of the information about the pair of wireless links is in response to the received request. In some embodiments of this aspect, the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the MLD to reclassify the pair of wireless links from non-STR to STR based at least in part on the at least one communication parameter value. In some embodiments of this aspect, at least one of the following: the pair of wireless links is an STR-constrained link pair; and the pair of wireless links is a non-STR link pair for a first set of communication parameter values ​​and the pair of wireless links is an STR link pair for a second set of communication parameter values, the first set being different from the second set.

[0018] In some embodiments of this aspect, if a first link of a pair of wireless links is associated with a first data load and a second link of the pair of wireless links is associated with a second data load, and the first data load is greater than the second data load, the at least one communication parameter value includes a first communication parameter value for the first link as if the second link had no data load.

[0019] According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure, a method is provided for implementation in a simultaneous transmission / reception (STR)-enabled multi-link device (MLD) comprising an access point (AP) station (STA), the method including selecting at least one communication parameter value for a pair of wireless links to enable STR on the pair of wireless links between the MLD and a second MLD, the second MLD comprising a non-access point (non-AP) STA, the selected at least one communication parameter value including at least one value of at least one first communication parameter for a first link of the pair and at least one second communication parameter for a second link of the pair.

[0020] In some embodiments of this aspect, the method further includes using the selected at least one communication parameter value to perform multi-link operation (MLO) on the pair of wireless links. In some embodiments of this aspect, the at least one communication parameter value includes at least one of the following: a transmit power of a first link of the pair of wireless links; a transmit power of a second link of the pair of wireless links; a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) of the first link; an MCS of the second link; and a signal bandwidth of at least one of the first link and the second link. In some embodiments of this aspect, the selection is based in part on at least one of the following: a data load on each link in the pair of wireless links; an amount of self-interference caused by transmissions between the MLD and the second MLD for at least two different transmit powers; an association between the signal bandwidth of the pair of links and an SI suppression value; and an amount of frequency separation between each link in the pair of links.

[0021] In some embodiments of this aspect, the method further includes acquiring information about the pair of wireless links, the information relating to at least one of a capability of an MLD and a capability of a second MLD for the pair of wireless links. In some embodiments of this aspect, the acquired information is used to select at least one communication parameter value to enable STR on the pair of wireless links. In some embodiments of this aspect, the method further includes modifying the at least one communication parameter value based at least in part on the acquired information. In some embodiments of this aspect, the acquired information includes at least one of a maximum transmit power value, a self-interference (SI) suppression value, and a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) associated with the pair of wireless links.

[0022] In some embodiments of this aspect, the selecting includes selecting at least one communication parameter value based at least in part on a comparison of information regarding the capabilities of the MLD and information regarding the capabilities of a second MLD to enable STR on the pair of wireless links. In some embodiments of this aspect, the method further includes requesting information about the pair of wireless links from the second MLD. In some embodiments of this aspect, the method further includes reclassifying the pair of wireless links from non-STR to STR based at least in part on the selection of the at least one communication parameter value. In some embodiments of this aspect, at least one of the following occurs: the pair of wireless links is an STR-constrained link pair; and the pair of wireless links is a non-STR link pair for a first set of communication parameter values ​​and the pair of wireless links is an STR link pair for a second set of communication parameter values, the first set and the second set being different.

[0023] In some embodiments of this aspect, if a first link of the pair of wireless links is associated with a first data load and a second link of the pair of wireless links is associated with a second data load, and the first data load is greater than the second data load, selecting includes selecting the first communication parameter value for the first link as if the second link had no data load.

[0024] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a method is provided for implementation in a simultaneous transmit / receive (STR)-enabled multi-link device (MLD) comprising a non-access point (non-AP) station (STA). The method includes transmitting information about a pair of wireless links to a second MLD and performing multi-link operation (MLO) on the pair of wireless links between the MLD and the second MLD, the pair of wireless links using at least one communication parameter value, the at least one communication parameter value being based at least in part on the transmitted information, and the at least one communication parameter value including at least one of the following: at least one first communication parameter for a first link of the pair and at least one second communication parameter for a second link of the pair.

[0025] In some embodiments of this aspect, the at least one communication parameter value is based at least in part on information transmitted to enable STR on the pair of wireless links. In some embodiments of this aspect, the method further includes receiving, from the second MLD, an indication of at least one communication parameter value to use for the pair of wireless links. In some embodiments of this aspect, the at least one communication parameter value includes at least one of the following: a transmit power of a first link of the pair of wireless links; a transmit power of a second link of the pair of wireless links; a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) of the first link; an MCS of the second link; and a signal bandwidth of at least one of the first link and the second link. In some embodiments of this aspect, the at least one communication parameter value is based in part on at least one of the following: a data load on each link in the pair of wireless links; an amount of self-interference (SI) caused by transmissions between the MLD and the second MLD for at least two different transmit powers; an association between the signal bandwidth of the pair of links and an SI suppression value; and an amount of frequency separation between each link in the pair of links.

[0026] In some embodiments of this aspect, the transmitted information about the pair of wireless links includes at least one of a maximum transmit power value, a self-interference (SI) suppression value, and a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) associated with the pair of wireless links. In some embodiments of this aspect, the at least one communication parameter value is based at least in part on a comparison of the transmitted information about the capabilities of the MLD and information about the capabilities of a second MLD to enable STR on the pair of wireless links. In some embodiments of this aspect, the method further includes receiving a request for information about the pair of wireless links from the second MLD, and the transmission of the information about the pair of wireless links is in response to the received request.

[0027] In some embodiments of this aspect, the method further includes reclassifying the pair of wireless links from non-STR to STR based at least in part on the at least one communication parameter value. In some embodiments of this aspect, at least one of the following applies: the pair of wireless links is an STR-constrained link pair; and the pair of wireless links is a non-STR link pair for a first set of communication parameter values ​​and the pair of wireless links is an STR link pair for a second set of communication parameter values, the first set and the second set being different. In some embodiments of this aspect, if a first link of the pair of wireless links is associated with a first data load and a second link of the pair of wireless links is associated with a second data load, and the first data load is greater than the second data load, the at least one communication parameter value includes a first communication parameter value for the first link as if the second link has no data load.

[0028] A more complete understanding of the present embodiments and their attendant advantages and features will be more readily appreciated by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0029] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 illustrates another example system architecture according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] 1 illustrates yet another example system architecture and example hardware configurations of devices in the system, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] 1 is a flowchart of an example process in access point (AP) MLD, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] 10 is a flowchart of an example process at a non-AP, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a flow diagram illustrating an example process according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0030] As discussed above, existing solutions for STR MLO propose to classify supported link pairs in an MLD as either STR (meaning the link can be used to implement STR MLO) or non-STR (meaning the link cannot be used to implement STR MLO).

[0031] However, the STR capability for a particular link pair may actually depend on the values ​​of several communication parameters, such as TX power, RX power, modulation coding scheme (MCS), signal bandwidth (BW), and channel separation (e.g., channel edge separation, channel center frequency separation, etc.). Link pairs supported in MLD may be classified as STR for some combinations of such parameter values ​​and as non-STR for some other combinations, and these may be referred to as "STR-constrained" or, more specifically, "STR-constrained" link pairs. Thus, such STR-constrained link pairs may simply be classified as non-STR and likely will not be used for STR MLO (even if there are some combinations of parameter values ​​that would allow the STR-constrained link pair to be classified as STR). If such a blunt and unchanging classification approach is adopted, it may be inefficient and wasteful to declare a link pair non-STR if it cannot be used for STR MLO for only a subset of the value combinations of the relevant communication parameters. Thus, this disclosure addresses the problem of an STR-enabled MLD being unable to perform STR MLO using available channels due to the constraints of the underlying STR, or simply due to the device being ineffectively classified as non-STR.

[0032] Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide configurations that enable flexible setup and / or execution of STR MLO in devices, such as Wi-Fi devices, that comply with the EHT standard or later. Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a set of steps and / or processes that can be performed by an STR-enabled MLD to set up and / or execute STR MLO using a set of STR-constrained links (a set may mean one pair or two or more). The underlying concept of some embodiments is to allow flexibility in determining which communication parameter values ​​to select for a pair of STR-constrained links so that the MLD can execute STR MLO.

[0033] Some embodiments of the present disclosure propose that the corresponding choice / selection / determination of values ​​of one or more communication parameters, such as, for example, TX power and MCS, may be determined by the STR-capable AP MLD. In some embodiments, the choice / selection / determination of values ​​of one or more communication parameters may be subject to dynamic signaling evaluation and / or negotiation-based approaches, for example, between the STR-capable AP MLD and the non-AP STAs, depending on, for example, the scenario. Specifically, it should be noted that in some embodiments, an MLD involving two non-AP STAs may be STR-capable or non-STR-capable, depending on how these STAs are configured (e.g., with what values ​​of communication parameters, for example, TX power and MCS, these STAs are configured). In some embodiments, it is proposed that, rather than relying on the classification of the non-AP STAs' own operating channels as STR or non-STR, one or more of the values ​​of the non-AP STAs' communication parameters may be provided to the AP MLD, for example, for the AP MLD to make adjustments to enable the non-AP STAs to implement STR on such channels.

[0034] Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide for the configuration of a flexible set of steps for an STR-enabled MLD with STR constraints on a set of supported channels / links to perform STR MLO using those channels / links. Thus, some embodiments of the present disclosure can help prevent available links from being used for STR MLO because they are declared non-STR due to underlying STR constraints. Some embodiments of the proposed solution advantageously provide more efficient spectrum utilization compared to existing configurations, while also achieving lower latency communications compared to existing configurations.

[0035] Before describing exemplary embodiments in detail, it should be noted that the embodiments exist essentially as a combination of device components and processing steps related to STR MLO. Accordingly, components are suitably represented in the figures by conventional symbols and only specific details relevant to understanding the embodiments are shown, so as not to obscure the present disclosure with details that are readily apparent to those skilled in the art having the benefit of the description herein.

[0036] As used herein, relationship terms such as "first" and "second," "above" and "below," etc., may be used only to distinguish one entity or element from another and do not necessarily require or imply any physical or logical relationship or order between such entities or elements. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the concepts described herein. As used herein, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" are intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Additionally, the terms "comprise" and / or "include," when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but are understood not to exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof.

[0037] In the embodiments described herein, linking terms such as "communicate with" may be used to indicate electrical or data communication, which may be achieved, for example, by physical contact, induction, electromagnetic radiation, radio signaling, infrared signaling, or optical signaling. Those skilled in the art will recognize that multiple components may interact, and modifications and variations are possible to achieve electrical and data communication.

[0038] In some embodiments described herein, the terms "coupled," "connected," and the like, when used herein, may be used to indicate a connection, although not necessarily a direct connection, and may include wired and / or wireless connections.

[0039] In some embodiments, the non-limiting term “device” is used to describe a wireless device (WD) and / or user equipment (UE) that can be used to implement some embodiments of the present disclosure. The device may be a simultaneous transmit / receive (STR)-capable multilink device (MLD). In some embodiments, the STR-capable MLD may be and / or include an access point (AP) station (STA), in which case the STR-capable MLD may be referred to as an STR-capable AP MLD. In some embodiments, the STR-capable MLD may be and / or include a non-access point (AP) station (STA), in which case the STR-capable MLD may be referred to as an STR-capable non-AP MLD. In some embodiments, the device may be a single-link device, such as a single-link non-AP STA. In some embodiments, the device may be any type of wireless device that can communicate with a network node, such as an AP, via wireless signals. The device may be any wireless communication device, target device, portable device, device-to-device (D2D) device, machine-type device, or device capable of machine-to-machine communication (M2M), low-cost and / or low-complexity device, sensor equipped device, computer, tablet, mobile terminal, smartphone, laptop embedded equipment (LEE), laptop mounted equipment (LME), USB dongle, customer premises equipment (CPE), Internet of Things (IoT) device, or narrowband IoT (NB-IOT) device, etc.

[0040] In some embodiments, the terms “access point” or “AP” are used interchangeably and may include or be a network node, including any of a base station (BS), radio base station, base transceiver station (BTS), base station controller (BSC), radio network controller (RNC), gNodeB (gNB), evolved node B (eNB or eNodeB), Node B, a radio node of a multi-standard radio (MSR) such as an MSR BS, a multi-cell / multicast coordination entity (MCE), a relay node, an integrated access and backhaul (IAB), a donor node controlled relay, a wireless access point (AP), a transmission point, a transmitting node, a remote radio unit (RRU), a remote radio head (RRH), a core network node (e.g., a mobility management entity (MME), a self-organizing network (SON) node, a coordination node, a positioning node, an MDT node, etc.), an external node (e.g., a third-party node, a node outside the current network), a node in a distributed antenna system (DAS), a spectrum access system (SAS) node, an element management system (EMS), etc. The AP may also include test equipment. The AP may also include a wireless router, a wireless transceiver, a network controller, etc.

[0041] A device can be thought of as a node and can include physical components such as a processor, assigned processing elements or other computing hardware, computer memory, communication interfaces, and other supporting computing hardware. A node may use a dedicated physical component, or the node may be assigned the use of a physical component of another device, such as the resources of a computing device or data center, in which case the node is said to be virtualized. A node may have multiple physical components associated with it, which may be located in one location or distributed across multiple locations.

[0042] While the description herein may be described in the context of one of downlink (DL) and uplink (UL) communications, it should be understood that the disclosed basic principles may also be applicable to the other of DL and UL communications. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the principles may be considered applicable to transmitters and receivers. For DL ​​communications, the AP station is the transmitter and the receiver is a non-AP station. For UL communications, the transmitter is a non-AP station and the receiver is an AP station.

[0043] Signaling may generally include one or more symbols and / or signals and / or messages. A signal may include or represent one or more bits. An instruction may represent signaling and / or may be implemented as one signal or as multiple signals. One or more signals may be included in and / or represented by a message. Signaling, particularly control signaling, may include multiple signals and / or messages, which may be transmitted on different carriers and / or may be associated with different signaling processes, for example, representing and / or relating to one or more such processes and / or corresponding information. An instruction may include and / or be included in signaling and / or multiple signals and / or messages, which may be transmitted on different carriers and / or may be associated with different acknowledgment signaling processes, for example, representing and / or relating to one or more such processes. Signaling associated with a channel may be transmitted to represent signaling and / or information for that channel and / or such that the signaling is interpreted by a transmitter and / or receiver as belonging to that channel. Such signaling may generally conform to the transmission parameters and / or format for the channel.

[0044] The indication may generally indicate explicitly and / or implicitly the information it represents and / or indicates. An implicit indication may be based, for example, on the location and / or resources used for transmission. An explicit indication may be based, for example, on parameterization using one or more parameters representing the information, one or more indexes corresponding to a table, and / or one or more bit patterns.

[0045] In some embodiments, the terms "obtain" or "obtaining" are used herein and may refer to obtaining in memory, such as when information is predefined or predetermined. As used herein, the terms "obtain" or "obtaining" may also refer to obtaining by receiving signaling indicating the obtained information.

[0046] In some embodiments, a "set," as used herein, may be a set of one or more elements in a set.

[0047] It should also be noted that some embodiments of the present disclosure may be supported by the Institute of Electrical Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standard. IEEE 802.11 represents a set of wireless local area network (WLAN) communication interface standards developed by the IEEE 802.11 committee for short-range communications (e.g., tens of meters to hundreds of meters). Some embodiments may also be supported by standard documents disclosed in the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) technical specifications. That is, some embodiments of the present disclosure may be supported by the above-mentioned documents. In addition, all terms disclosed in this document may be explained by the above-mentioned standard documents.

[0048] It should be noted that, while terminology from one particular wireless system, such as IEEE 802.11be, 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), Long Term Evolution (LTE), 5th Generation (5G), and / or New Radio (NR), may be used in this disclosure, this should not be considered to limit the scope of this disclosure to only the above-mentioned systems. Other wireless systems, including, without limitation, Wide Band Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMax), Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB), and Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), can also benefit from utilizing concepts within the scope of this disclosure.

[0049] It should be further noted that functions described herein as being performed by a device (e.g., an MLD) are not limited to being performed by a single physical device, but may in fact be distributed among several physical devices.

[0050] Unless otherwise specified, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. It will be further understood that terms used herein should be interpreted to have a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the present specification and related art, and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly defined herein.

[0051] Referring again to the drawings, in which like elements are referred to by like reference numerals throughout, FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of a communication system 10 constructed in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure, according to one embodiment. The communication system 10 of FIG. 1 is a non-limiting example, and other embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented by one or more other systems and / or networks. Referring to FIG. 1, the system 10 may include a WLAN. Devices in the system 10 may communicate over one or more spectrums, such as unlicensed spectrum, which may include frequency bands traditionally used by Wi-Fi technology. One or more of the devices may further be configured to communicate over other frequency bands, such as shared licensed frequency bands. The system 10 may include a coverage area 12 that may be defined by an access point (AP) 14. The AP 14 may or may not be connectable to another network, such as a core network, over a wired or wireless connection. The AP 14 may be a simultaneous transmit / receive (STR)-capable AP station (STA) multilink device (MLD) (also referred to herein as an AP MLD 14). System 10 includes multiple non-AP devices, such as STR-enabled non-AP MLDs 16a, 16b, and 16c (collectively referred to as STR-enabled non-AP MLDs 16, or more simply non-AP MLDs 16). Each of non-AP MLDs 16 can be located within coverage area 12 and configured to wirelessly connect to AP MLD 14. Note that while one AP MLD 14 and three non-AP MLDs 16 are shown for convenience, a communication system may include many more non-AP STAs and APs.

[0052] It should be understood that system 10 may include additional nodes / devices not shown in Figure 1. Additionally, system 10 may include more connections / interfaces than shown in Figure 1.

[0053] It is also contemplated that a non-AP MLD 16 may be configured to be in simultaneous and / or separate communication with multiple APs 14 and types of APs 14 .

[0054] The AP MLD 14 is configured to include a selector 18 configured to select at least one communication parameter value for the pair of wireless links to enable STR on the pair of wireless links between the MLD and a second MLD, the second MLD comprising a non-access point (non-AP) STA, and the selected at least one communication parameter value includes at least one of the following: at least one first communication parameter for a first link of the pair, and at least one second communication parameter for a second link of the pair.

[0055] The non-AP MLD 16 is configured to include a multi-link (ML) operator 20 configured to cause the MLD 16 to transmit information about the pair of wireless links to a second MLD and to perform multi-link operation (MLO) on the pair of wireless links between the MLD and the second MLD, the pair of wireless links using at least one communication parameter value, the at least one communication parameter value being based at least in part on the transmitted information, and the at least one communication parameter value including at least one of the following: at least one first communication parameter for a first link of the pair and at least one second communication parameter for a second link of the pair.

[0056] Next, an exemplary implementation according to some embodiments of the AP MLD 14 and the non-AP MLD 16 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0057] AP MLD 14 includes a communication interface 22, processing circuitry 24, and memory 26. Communication interface 22 can be configured to communicate with any of the nodes / devices in system 10, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, wireless interface 22 can be formed as or include, for example, one or more radio frequency (RF) transmitters, one or more RF receivers, and / or one or more RF transceivers, and / or can be considered a wireless interface. In some embodiments, communication interface 22 can also include a wired interface.

[0058] Processing circuitry 24 may include one or more processors 28 and memory, such as memory 26. In particular, in addition to conventional processors and memory, processing circuitry 24 may comprise integrated circuits for processing and / or control, e.g., one or more processors and / or processor cores and / or FPGAs (field programmable gate arrays) and / or ASICs (application-specific integrated circuits) configured to execute instructions. Processor 28 may be configured to access (e.g., write and / or read) memory 26, which may comprise any type of volatile and / or non-volatile memory, e.g., cache and / or buffer memory and / or RAM (random access memory) and / or ROM (read-only memory) and / or optical memory and / or EPROM (erasable programmable read-only memory).

[0059] Thus, the AP MLD 14 further includes software, which may be stored internally, for example, in memory 26, or in an external memory (e.g., a database) accessible by the AP MLD 14 via an external connection. The software may be executable by the processing circuitry 24. The processing circuitry 24 may be configured to control and / or cause any of the methods and / or processes described herein to be performed, for example, by the AP MLD 14. The memory 26 is configured to store data, program software code, and / or other information described herein. In some embodiments, the software may include instructions stored in the memory 26 that, when executed by the processor 28 and / or selector 18, cause the processing circuitry 24 to perform and / or configure the AP MLD 14 to perform processes described herein with respect to the AP MLD 14 (e.g., processes described with reference to FIG. 3 and / or any of the other figures).

[0060] Non-AP MLD 16 includes a communications interface 30, processing circuitry 32, and memory 34. Communications interface 30 may be configured to communicate with AP MLD 14 and / or other elements in system 10 according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, wireless interface 30 may be formed as or include, for example, one or more radio frequency (RF) transmitters, one or more RF receivers, and / or one or more RF transceivers, and / or may be considered a wireless interface. In some embodiments, communications interface 30 may also include a wired interface.

[0061] Processing circuitry 32 may include one or more processors 36 and memory, such as memory 34. In particular, in addition to conventional processors and memory, processing circuitry 32 may comprise integrated circuits for processing and / or control, e.g., one or more processors and / or processor cores and / or FPGAs (field programmable gate arrays) and / or ASICs (application-specific integrated circuits) configured to execute instructions. Processor 36 may be configured to access (e.g., write and / or read) memory 34, which may comprise any type of volatile and / or non-volatile memory, e.g., cache and / or buffer memory and / or RAM (random access memory) and / or ROM (read-only memory) and / or optical memory and / or EPROM (erasable programmable read-only memory).

[0062] Thus, non-AP MLD 16 further includes software, which may be stored internally, e.g., in memory 34, or in an external memory (e.g., a database) accessible by non-AP MLD 16 via an external connection. The software may be executable by processing circuitry 32. Processing circuitry 32 may be configured to control and / or cause any of the methods and / or processes described herein to be performed, e.g., by non-AP MLD 16. Memory 34 is configured to store data, program software code, and / or other information described herein. In some embodiments, the software may include instructions stored in memory 34 that, when executed by processor 36 and / or ML operator 20, cause processing circuitry 32 to perform and / or configure non-AP MLD 16 to perform processes described herein with respect to non-AP MLD 16 (e.g., processes described with reference to FIG. 4 and / or any of the other figures).

[0063] 2, the connection between device AP MLD 14 and non-AP MLD 16 is shown without explicit reference to any intermediate devices or connections, however, it should be understood that intermediate devices and / or connections exist between these devices even if not explicitly shown.

[0064] 2 shows the selector 18 and the ML operator 20 as being within respective processors, it is contemplated that these elements may be implemented such that portions of the elements are stored in corresponding memories within the processing circuitry. In other words, the elements may be implemented in hardware or in a combination of hardware and software within the processing circuitry.

[0065] 3 is a flowchart of an example process in an AP, for example, for AP MLD 14, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. One or more blocks and / or functions and / or methods performed by AP MLD 14 may be implemented by one or more elements of AP MLD 14, such as by selector 18, memory 26, processor 28, communication interface 22, etc. in processing circuitry 24, in accordance with the example process / method. AP MLD 14 is a simultaneous transmit / receive (STR) capable multilink device (MLD) comprising at least one access point (AP) station (STA). The example process includes selecting (block S100), via selector 18, processing circuitry 24, memory 26, processor 28, and / or communication interface 22, etc., at least one communication parameter value for a pair of wireless links to enable STR on the pair of wireless links between the MLD and a second MLD, where the second MLD comprises a non-access point (non-AP) STA, and the selected at least one communication parameter value includes at least one of the following values: at least one first communication parameter for a first link of the pair, and at least one second communication parameter for a second link of the pair.

[0066] In some embodiments, the method further includes using the selected at least one communication parameter value to perform multi-link operation (MLO) on the pair of wireless links, such as via the selector 18, the processing circuitry 24, the memory 26, the processor 28, and / or the communication interface 22. In some embodiments, the at least one communication parameter value includes at least one of the following: a transmit power of a first link of the pair of wireless links; a transmit power of a second link of the pair of wireless links; a modulation coding scheme (MCS) of the first link; an MCS of the second link; and a signal bandwidth of at least one of the first link and the second link. In some embodiments, the selection is based in part on at least one of the following: a data load on each link in the pair of wireless links; an amount of self-interference caused by transmissions between the MLD and the second MLD for at least two different transmit powers; an association between the signal bandwidth of the pair of links and an SI suppression value; and an amount of frequency separation between each link in the pair of links.

[0067] In some embodiments, the method further includes acquiring information about the pair of wireless links, such as via the selector 18, the processing circuitry 24, the memory 26, the processor 28, and / or the communication interface 22, wherein the information relates to at least one of a capability of the MLD and a capability of a second MLD for the pair of wireless links. In some embodiments, the acquired information is used to select at least one communication parameter value to enable STR on the pair of wireless links. In some embodiments, the method further includes modifying the at least one communication parameter value based at least in part on the acquired information, such as via the selector 18, the processing circuitry 24, the memory 26, the processor 28, and / or the communication interface 22. In some embodiments, the acquired information includes at least one of a maximum transmit power value, a self-interference (SI) suppression value, and a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) associated with the pair of wireless links.

[0068] In some embodiments, the selecting includes selecting, via selector 18, processing circuitry 24, memory 26, processor 28, and / or communications interface 22, etc., at least one communication parameter value based at least in part on a comparison of information regarding the capabilities of the MLD and information regarding the capabilities of a second MLD to enable STR on the pair of wireless links. In some embodiments, the method further includes requesting information about the pair of wireless links from the second MLD, via selector 18, processing circuitry 24, memory 26, processor 28, and / or communications interface 22, etc. In some embodiments, the method further includes reclassifying the pair of wireless links from non-STR to STR based at least in part on the selection of the at least one communication parameter value, via selector 18, processing circuitry 24, memory 26, processor 28, and / or communications interface 22, etc.

[0069] In some embodiments, at least one of the following occurs: the pair of wireless links is a pair of STR constrained links; and the pair of wireless links is a pair of non-STR links for a first set of communication parameter values, and the pair of wireless links is a pair of STR links for a second set of communication parameter values, the first set being different from the second set. In some embodiments, if a first link of the pair of wireless links is associated with a first data load and a second link of the pair of wireless links is associated with a second data load, and the first data load is greater than the second data load, selecting includes selecting, via selector 18, processing circuitry 24, memory 26, processor 28, and / or communications interface 22, etc., the first communication parameter value for the first link as if the second link had no data load.

[0070] 4 is a flowchart of an example process in a non-AP STA, e.g., for a non-AP MLD 16, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. One or more blocks and / or functions and / or methods performed by the non-AP MLD 16 may be implemented by one or more elements of the non-AP MLD 16, such as by the ML operator 20, memory 34, processor 36, communication interface 30, etc. within processing circuitry 32, in accordance with the example process / method. The non-AP MLD 16 is a simultaneous transmit / receive (STR)-capable multilink device (MLD) comprising a non-access point (non-AP) station (STA). The example process includes transmitting information about the pair of wireless links to a second MLD (block S102) via the ML operator 20, processing circuitry 32, memory 34, processor 36, and / or communication interface 30, etc. The process includes performing multi-link operation (MLO) on a pair of wireless links between the MLD and a second MLD (block S104), such as via the ML operator 20, processing circuitry 32, memory 34, processor 36, and / or communication interface 30, the pair of wireless links using at least one communication parameter value, the at least one communication parameter value being based at least in part on the transmitted information, and the at least one communication parameter value including at least one of the following: at least one first communication parameter for a first link of the pair, and at least one second communication parameter for a second link of the pair.

[0071] In some embodiments, the at least one communication parameter value is based at least in part on the transmitted information to enable STR on the pair of wireless links. In some embodiments, the method further includes receiving, from the second MLD, an indication of the at least one communication parameter value to use for the pair of wireless links, such as via the MLD operator 20, the processing circuitry 32, the memory 34, the processor 36, and / or the communication interface 30. In some embodiments, the at least one communication parameter value includes at least one of the following: a transmit power of a first link of the pair of wireless links; a transmit power of a second link of the pair of wireless links; a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) of the first link; an MCS of the second link; and a signal bandwidth of at least one of the first link and the second link.

[0072] In some embodiments, the at least one communication parameter value is based in part on at least one of the following: a data load for each link in the wireless link pair; an amount of self-interference (SI) caused by transmissions between the MLD and a second MLD for at least two different transmit powers; an association between the signal bandwidth of the link pair and an SI suppression value; and an amount of frequency separation between each link in the link pair. In some embodiments, the transmitted information about the wireless link pair includes at least one of a maximum transmit power value, a self-interference (SI) suppression value, and a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) associated with the wireless link pair.

[0073] In some embodiments, the at least one communication parameter value is based at least in part on a comparison of the transmitted information regarding the capabilities of the MLD and information regarding the capabilities of a second MLD to enable STR on the pair of wireless links. In some embodiments, the method further includes receiving a request for information about the pair of wireless links from the second MLD, such as via the ML operator 20, the processing circuitry 32, the memory 34, the processor 36, and / or the communications interface 30, and the like, and the transmitting of the information about the pair of wireless links is in response to the received request. In some embodiments, the method further includes reclassifying the pair of wireless links from non-STR to STR based at least in part on the at least one communication parameter value, such as via the ML operator 20, the processing circuitry 32, the memory 34, the processor 36, and / or the communications interface 30.

[0074] In some embodiments, at least one of the following occurs: the pair of wireless links is a pair of STR constrained links; and the pair of wireless links is a pair of non-STR links for a first set of communication parameter values, and the pair of wireless links is a pair of STR links for a second set of communication parameter values, the first set and the second set being different. In some embodiments, a first link of the pair of wireless links is associated with a first data load and a second link of the pair of wireless links is associated with a second data load, and if the first data load is greater than the second data load, the at least one communication parameter value includes the first communication parameter value for the first link as if the second link had no data load.

[0075] Having generally described the configuration for STR multi-link operation, e.g., in an EHT, a more detailed description of some of the embodiments is provided below with reference to FIG. 5, which may be implemented by an AP MLD 14 and / or by a non-AP MLD 16.

[0076] MLO is a differentiating feature in EHT compared to previous standards. Supporting STR MLO can realize multiple benefits, such as simultaneous downlink (DL) and uplink (UL) transmissions, reduced latency, and overall improved spectrum utilization, among others.

[0077] STR-enabled MLDs, such as non-AP MLDs, can classify and announce supported link pairs as STR or non-STR. While such binary classification methods can simplify the decision-making process for setting up and executing STR MLOs, it has been pointed out that rigidly classifying constrained link pairs as non-STR may result in missed opportunities to execute STR MLOs.

[0078] Some embodiments of the present disclosure can minimize the possibility that two available channels / links cannot be used for STR. To help solve this problem, some embodiments of the present disclosure propose a series of steps and / or processes that can be configured and executed by the AP MLD 14 and / or non-AP MLD 16 during the setup and / or execution of an STR MLO.

[0079] 5 illustrates an example sequence of steps for setting up and running an STR MLO, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. It should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to all such steps in FIG. 5 being performed. In other words, the benefits of the present disclosure could be achieved even if one or more steps are not possibly performed, or if the steps are performed in a different order. Additionally, the exact manner in which different steps are performed could also be varied in other embodiments.

[0080] Step S106: Finding an empty channel In step S106, the STR-enabled MLDs (e.g., AP MLD 14 and / or non-AP MLD 16) scan the intermediates to identify a set of channels that are unoccupied and available for communication. Step S106 can be skipped in some situations, such as when the AP MLD 14 already has some non-AP MLDs 16 associated with it and its task is to determine whether a new non-AP MLD 16 to associate with the AP MLD 14 can use STR.

[0081] Step S108: Signaling and evaluation Based on previous information about other devices, the STR-enabled MLD (e.g., AP MLD 14 and / or non-AP MLD 16) initiates a signaling protocol (e.g., for probe signals and responses) to evaluate the STR capabilities of all STR-enabled MLDs with which it communicates that correspond to the channels identified as available in step S106. Step S108 may also be performed before step S106 in some embodiments, such as when the AP MLD 14 can initially determine the nature of non-AP STAs before scanning for empty channels.

[0082] In some embodiments, the signaling may involve the MLD including the AP (e.g., AP MLD 14) collecting information regarding the capabilities / features of non-AP STAs (e.g., included in non-AP MLD 16) to operate in STR mode. Such capabilities may include, for example, how much self-interference (SI) can be suppressed for various TX power values ​​and frequency separations. Such information can then be used in searching for an open channel (if steps S106 and S108 are swapped) and / or such information can also be used to schedule non-AP STAs using an appropriate TX power value and MCS.

[0083] Step S110: Negotiation and setup Based on the signaling and evaluation in step S108, the STR-enabled MLD (e.g., AP MLD 14) can negotiate with the involved devices (e.g., non-AP MLD 16). In some embodiments, one or more of the values ​​of different communication parameters, such as TX power, MCS, etc., may be determined / selected for all devices (e.g., AP MLD 14 and / or non-AP MLD 16). In some embodiments, step S108 may be omitted to some extent in situations where the AP MLD 14 schedules non-AP STAs (e.g., included in the non-AP MLD 16), including determining both TX power and MCS for uplink (UL) transmissions (i.e., transmissions from the non-AP MLD 16 to the AP MLD 14).

[0084] Step S112: Simultaneous transmission and reception In step S112, after one or more communication parameter values ​​are determined / selected for a supported link pair, e.g., to enable STR on the link pair, STR MLO may be performed (e.g., by the AP MLD 14 and / or the non-AP MLD 16) on the link pair.

[0085] The configuration of the above steps (mainly steps S108 and S110) for different STR MLO scenarios is discussed below.

[0086] In some embodiments, the ability of an MLD (e.g., the AP MLD 14 and / or the non-AP MLD 16) to perform STR using available links / channels may depend on one or more factors, such as values ​​of communication parameters, e.g., TX power, MCS, signal bandwidth (BW), and implementation-specific parameters, such as TX and RX radio frequency isolation, TX filtering, RX filtering, and SI suppression (the amount of TX signal cancellation relative to the RX channel). Implementation-specific parameters may be fixed and generally cannot be modified between instances of communication. Recognizing the impact of such implementation-specific parameters on STR functionality may be useful to an STR-enabled MLD in determining values ​​of variable communication parameters during the setup phase of an STR MLO. This disclosure provides the following guidelines for an STR-enabled MLD (e.g., the AP MLD 14 and / or the non-AP MLD 16) to appropriately select / determine communication parameter values, e.g., during the STR MLO setup phase when links / channels that may involve STR constraints are to be used.

[0087] 1.How to choose MCS: In STR MLO, the amount of SI that can be handled may depend to a large extent on which MCS is used for the received signal. An MCS using a higher modulation order and a higher coding rate (referred to as a high MCS in the context of this disclosure) may impose much more difficult requirements on SI suppression than when a lower MCS is used for the signal. Typically, the highest possible MCS is selected for a link / channel based on the received signal power. However, in some embodiments, for STR MLO, the MCS is selected for one or more links of a link pair based on, for example, interference levels rather than the power of the desired signal. Thus, in some embodiments, an appropriate value of the MCS may be selected / determined based, for example, on an estimated signal-to-interference ratio (SIR) or an estimated signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) so that the STR-enabled MLD (e.g., AP MLD 14 and / or non-AP MLD 16) can successfully receive the desired signal even in the presence of SI signals (e.g., resulting from leakage of simultaneous transmissions by the STR-enabled MLD).

[0088] 2.TX Power / PA Backoff Selection: While determining / selecting the TX power for an STR MLO, an STR-enabled MLD (e.g., the AP MLD 14 and / or the non-AP MLD 16) can determine / select a lower TX power for its transmission to reduce the resulting level of the SI signal. Lower TX power can be obtained by the STR-enabled MLD backing off the power amplifier (PA), which can help reduce the amount of distortion in the TX signal. Lower PA distortion components in the TX leakage may be beneficial from the perspective of reception of the desired RX signal because the TX leakage causes less interference to the RX signal. Lower PA distortion in the TX leakage may also lead to improved SI suppression, even when any SI cancellation algorithm is used by the STR-enabled MLD, thereby further enhancing the receiving capability of the MLD. While lower TX power may itself be beneficial to the STR-enabled MLD (e.g., the AP MLD 14 and / or the non-AP MLD 16) from the perspective of desired signal reception, it may also lower the desired signal power at the intended receiver (e.g., another STR-enabled MLD). Therefore, a trade-off exists, which can be addressed by implementing appropriate decision-making (e.g., communication parameter value selection) algorithms to ensure sufficient desired signal power for successful reception. It is important to emphasize that the impact of PA back-off can be highly non-linear. For example, backing off the PA by, say, 3 dB may reduce the SI by 10-20 dB. Therefore, in some embodiments, it may not be sufficient to signal how much SI can be suppressed (at a particular TX power); the amount of SI suppression may also be signaled for different relevant TX powers.

[0089] 3. How to choose a channel: Among the available links / channels, the STR-enabled MLD (e.g., AP MLD 14 and / or non-AP MLD 16) can select a TX link / channel such that the channel isolation between the TX link and the RX link in a pair of links is maximized, which can help reduce TX leakage from the perspective of the RX link.

[0090] 4. How to choose BW: In some embodiments, BW selection may be considered. In selecting a signal BW, an STR-enabled MLD (e.g., the AP MLD 14 and / or the non-AP MLD 16) may select its TX link / channel BW, for example, depending on knowledge of its corresponding TX spectral mask. Note that the resulting TX spectral mask may depend not only on the values ​​of communication parameters such as TX power and MCS, but also on implementation-specific aspects such as the amplitude response of the TX filter. Of the available options, it may be advantageous to select a BW that exhibits a more stringent TX spectral mask for the RX channel under consideration. This can help reduce the resulting SI. Additionally, the selection of a BW for one or more links in a link pair may be based on whether or how well it maximizes link / channel isolation between the TX and RX links / channels in the link pair compared to other potential BW choices.

[0091] A higher MCS is generally used with a larger PA backoff because a higher MCS requires the signal to be transmitted with less distortion. The STR capability of an STR-enabled MLD (e.g., AP MLD 14 and / or non-AP MLD 16) using a set of STR-constrained links (a set may mean one pair or more) may depend on the selection of the MCS and its TX power and RX link / signal. Therefore, it may be useful to select these appropriately, especially using information about SI suppression in the STR-enabled MLD. Therefore, some embodiments of the present disclosure propose that, for example, during the setup phase of an STR MLO, there may be a signaling step involving the sharing of appropriate information to evaluate the STR capability of one or both sides of the communication and to determine / select values ​​for one or more communication parameters, such as the MCS and TX power and RX link / signal. The objective of such determination / selection may include maximizing throughput in a highly loaded link under the constraint of minimum delay in a low-throughput link.

[0092] This disclosure provides examples of how an STR-enabled MLD (e.g., AP MLD 14 and / or non-AP MLD 16) appropriately selects / determines values ​​of communication parameters, for example, during an STR MLO setup phase in which links / channels involving STR constraints will be used, as well as after an initial setup phase. The selection / determination of communication parameters (e.g., parameters and parameter values) can be flexible. For example, any value of the same communication parameter (e.g., transmit power) may be selected for both links in an STR-constrained pair; or, a value of a certain communication parameter (e.g., transmit power) may be selected for one link, while a value of another communication parameter (e.g., MCS) may be selected for the other link in the STR-constrained pair. Some embodiments may provide values ​​of one or more communication parameters adjusted for one link as well as values ​​of one or more communication parameters adjusted for both links.

[0093] Thus, a feature of some embodiments of the present disclosure is to provide flexible methods to evaluate STR capabilities and assist in setting up communication parameter values ​​for performing and enabling STR MLO. Below are three examples that may be performed by the AP MLD 14 and / or non-AP MLD 16 for setting up communication parameter values ​​for performing and enabling / allowing STR MLO, for example, on a pair of STR-constrained links.

[0094] It should be noted that the examples described below may mainly relate to steps S108 and S110 shown in FIG.

[0095] Example 1: STR-capable AP MLD communicating with STR-capable non-AP MLD An STR-enabled AP MLD (e.g., AP MLD 14) requests an STR-enabled non-AP MLD (e.g., non-AP MLD 16) to signal parameters relevant to determining whether STR can be used. Non-limiting examples of such parameters include maximum TX power and the SI suppression corresponding to that different TX power at different frequency separations. The signal bandwidth impact of the SI suppression may also be reported.

[0096] In some embodiments, the above-described request can be made at any time and then used (e.g., by the AP MLD 14 and / or the non-AP MLD 16) to determine whether two links / channels separated by a particular distance constitute a feasible link / channel pair to be used for STR MLO. With reference to Figure 5, this can correspond to, for example, step S106, which may be skipped by the AP MLD 14 or may be performed in one of the other steps.

[0097] Alternatively, or additionally, in some embodiments, if step S106 is performed such that the AP MLD 14 already knows which link / channel to use for MLO, the AP MLD 14 may request the non-AP MLD 16 to report relevant parameters for STR operation using such particular channel, rather than having to report for all possible link / channel pair combinations.

[0098] In some embodiments, since the STR-enabled AP MLD 14 knows its own capabilities regarding SI suppression, TX power, etc., after receiving corresponding information from the STR-enabled non-AP MLD 16, the AP MLD 14 can use such information to select the TX power as well as the corresponding MCS for the link in such a way as to enable / enable STR. A numerical example of this is given below.

[0099] It should be noted that the STR-enabled AP MLD 14 may employ any suitable algorithm to select which link / channel to use for TX and which link / channel to use for RX among the channels identified as available. For example, the TX and RX links / channels may be selected (e.g., by the AP MLD 14) depending on, for example, the (estimated) uplink / downlink (UL / DL) traffic load. There are many different ways to signal the information described herein, and some options are provided below as examples. a. Instead of checking for maximum TX power and SI suppression for all MCSs, the STR-capable AP MLD 14 may simply request the STR-capable non-AP MLD 16 to signal its maximum TX power and corresponding SI suppression for the available TX and RX links / channels. These values ​​correspond to the lowest MCS, and the STR-capable AP MLD 14 can then independently calculate and estimate the rest. b. Instead of checking the SI suppression value, the STR-enabled AP MLD 14 may request the STR-enabled non-AP MLD 16 to signal a residual SI signal power value that corresponds to the maximum TX power for the MCS supported in the available TX and RX links / channels. c. The STR-enabled AP MLD 14 may request the STR-enabled non-AP MLD 16 to provide information about a specific signal BW combination, or some possible BW combinations, or all possible BW combinations, corresponding to the available TX and RX links / channels. This can assist the STR-enabled AP MLD 14 in selecting an appropriate signal BW. d. As an alternative to dynamically requesting information dependent on the particular combination of available TX and RX links / channels for each frame exchange, the STR-enabled AP MLD 14 may perform the above-described signaling only once, during the initial ML association of the STR-enabled non-AP MLD 16. The corresponding one-shot signaling may then involve requesting the above-described information from the STR-enabled non-AP MLD 16 for some or all possible combinations of TX and RX links / channels that it supports.

[0100] It should be noted that the above signaling may be appropriately configured when an STR-enabled AP MLD 14 communicates with multiple STR-enabled non-AP MLDs 16 simultaneously while deciding to perform STR MLO.

[0101] Example 2: STR-enabled AP MLD communicating with two non-AP STAs associated with different devices that may or may not be MLDs In some embodiments, when the STR-enabled AP MLD 14 identifies links / channels available for potential STR MLO and the non-AP STAs reside on different devices, it may be assumed that interference between the two non-AP STAs is not an issue (e.g., there is no SI on the non-AP STA side because the non-AP STAs reside on different physical devices, as in Example 1 above), and therefore the STR-enabled AP MLD 14 only needs to be aware of the SI suppression corresponding to its own maximum TX power and its supported MCS on such available links / channels.

[0102] Specifically, in some embodiments, the STR-enabled AP MLD 14 may be configured such that it cannot simultaneously transmit at its highest TX power while receiving a very weak desired signal. The AP MLD 14 may then choose to transmit using a reduced TX power if it is receiving a weak desired signal on another link; conversely, if the AP MLD 14 determines that the received desired signal strength is high, the AP MLD 14 may only transmit at its highest TX power. Note also that in this case, the AP MLD 14 may require non-AP STAs to use a low MCS (Robust Modulation Coding) even if the received desired signal power is high enough to tolerate a higher SI.

[0103] In some embodiments, when it is considered that there are limitations in the STR - compliant AP MLD14, in at least one of the links, and potentially in both links of a link pair, it may be determined to lower the MCS used. According to the UL / DL traffic load and information on its function, the STR - compliant AP MLD14 can select its own TX power and MCS, and can signal / show to the non - AP STA on the transmitting side which MCS and minimum TX power the non - AP STA should use. To enable STR MLO, for example, the parameter settings can be selected by the STR - compliant AP MLD14 so that there is a normal desired signal reception in the non - AP STA on the receiving side and itself. The following are examples of how this can be implemented: i. DL>UL: The STR - compliant AP MLD14 selects a high MCS with appropriate TX power based on path - loss (PL) estimation. The STR - compliant AP MLD14 estimates the possible SINR for its desired signal reception and signals / shows to the transmitting - side non - AP STA which MCS and TX power to use accordingly. ii. DL<UL: The STR - compliant AP MLD14 selects a lower MCS and appropriate TX power so that the transmitting - side non - AP STA can use a higher MCS with appropriate TX power. iii. DL≒UL: The STR - compliant AP MLD14 determines to select a similar MCS with appropriate TX power for itself and for the transmitting - side non - AP STA (e.g., non - AP MLD16).

[0104] Note that the above - mentioned signaling step can be appropriately configured when the STR - compliant AP MLD14 determines to implement STR MLO while communicating with two or more non - AP STAs, which may or may not be MLDs, in cooperation with different devices.

[0105] Example 3: Opportunistic STR In the two examples above, the objective may be to ensure that STR MLO can be achieved. This can be effectively done by reducing the data rate supported on one of the links or on both links of a link pair. There may be situations where the cost of enabling STR by reducing the data rate is prohibitive. One such situation is when data traffic is highly asymmetric, i.e., when more data moves in one direction than the other. In some embodiments, a technique that may be referred to as opportunistic STR is described. The general idea is to treat a link, especially one link that carries the majority of the data, as if it were an STR, even though it is not. Thus, this link is used opportunistically. This can be a successful technique because, in most cases, there is usually no data in the other direction. On the few occasions when there is actually data in the other direction, the high data rate link is a bottleneck, but the other link is designed to function. For example, if the high data rate link is DL and the UL only has data to transmit 1% of the time, this means that the DL efficiency is approximately 99%. On the other hand, the UL data rate is so low that most robust MCSs can be used on this low data rate link without significant absolute cost in terms of airtime. A robust MCS can be used to ensure that the UL access delay is minimized even with constant data transmission on the DL.

[0106] In some embodiments, a first link of a pair of wireless links is associated with a first data load and a second link of the pair of wireless links is associated with a second data load, where the first data load is greater than the second data load. In such an embodiment or scenario, the AP MLD 14 may select a value for a communication parameter (e.g., an MCS) for the first link, assuming that the second link has no data load. The general idea may be that the first link is established and used for the data / traffic load of the first link (ignoring the fact that the first link may not function if traffic is actually transmitted on the second link). For example, it is recognized that a high MCS may be used on the first link, but that the high MCS may fail if there is activity on the second link.

[0107] In some embodiments, DL delay may not be an issue due to very limited UL traffic, so this approach with the opportunistic STR approach may lead to very efficient use of the link / channel in terms of throughput and may also support low latency applications in both directions.

[0108] Exemplary Applications An example of the use of some embodiments of the present disclosure may be an STR MLO initiated and driven by the STR-capable AP MLD 14. If the STR-capable AP MLD 14 determines to set up an STR MLO with the STR-capable non-AP MLD 16 using a link / channel identified as available, the AP MLD 14 may use the proposed signaling-based approach to obtain information about the capabilities of the STR-capable non-AP MLD 16 corresponding to such link / channel. Once the STR capabilities have been obtained, received, and / or determined, the AP MLD 14 may select values ​​for one or more appropriate communication parameters as described throughout this disclosure. In some embodiments, the AP MLD 14 may select values ​​for one or more appropriate communication parameters depending, for example, on the UL / DL traffic and / or quality of service requirements of the link. Such signaling and parameter selection by the STR-capable AP MLD 14 is described below as an example: Assume that two 20 MHz links / channels are identified as available for potential STR MLO by the STR-enabled SP MLD14. Also assume that the PL estimate calculated by the STR-enabled AP MLD14 is 70 dB. The STR-enabled AP MLD 14 requests the STR-enabled non-AP MLD 16 to provide the maximum TX power and SI suppression corresponding to its supported MCS in two specific links / channels corresponding to the 20 MHz signal BW. The STR-enabled non-AP MLD 16 provides the following information given in Table 1: Table 1. Information provided by STR-enabled non-AP MLD16. TIFF0007807452000001.tif61170·It is assumed that the STR-enabled AP MLD14 has the following information about its functions, given in Table 2: Table 2. Information revealed by STR-enabled AP MLD14. TIFF0007807452000002.tif76170 As shown in Table 3, the STR-compatible AP MLD14 has the following information regarding the approximate minimum required SINR for normal reception of signals in various MCSs. Table 3. Approximate minimum required SINR for various MCSs. TIFF0007807452000003.tif56170 From Tables 1 to 3 above, using the information available to itself, the STR-compatible AP MLD14 makes the following selections regarding TX power and MCS based on the DL-to-UL traffic scenario: i. DL > UL: The STR-compatible AP MLD14 selects MCS = 5 and TX power = 13 dBm for itself, and MCS = 2 and TX power = 0 dBm for the STR-incompatible non-AP MLD16. The resulting SIR (≈SINR) in the STR-incompatible non-AP MLD16 is (13 - 70) - (0 - 75) = 18 dB, and the SIR (≈SINR) in the STR-compatible AP MLD14 is (0 - 70) - (13 - 95) = 12 dB. Based on Table 3, it can be seen that such resulting SIR (≈SINR) may be sufficient for normal desired signal reception in both devices. ii. DL < UL: The STR-compatible AP MLD14 selects MCS = 4 and TX power = 7 dBm for itself, and MCS = 8 and TX power = 10 dBm for the STR-incompatible non-AP MLD16. The resulting SIR (≈SINR) in the STR-incompatible non-AP MLD16 is (7 - 70) - (10 - 84) = 11 dB, and the SIR (≈SINR) in the STR-compatible AP MLD14 is (10 - 70) - (7 - 90) = 23 dB. Based on Table 3, it can be seen that such resulting SIR (≈SINR) may be sufficient for normal desired signal reception in both devices. iii. DL≈UL: The STR-enabled AP MLD 14 selects MCS=4 and TX power=10 dBm for itself and MCS=4 and TX power=7 dBm for the STR-enabled non-AP MLD 16. The SIR (≈SINR) for the STR-enabled non-AP MLD 16 is (10-70)-(7-78)=11 dB, and the SIR (≈SINR) for the STR-enabled AP MLD 14 is (7-70)-(10-90)=17 dB. Based on Table 3, we can see that such resulting SIR (≈SINR) may be sufficient for successful desired signal reception at both devices.

[0109] Several embodiments have been disclosed to support STR multilink operation. In some embodiments, a method for enabling STR MLO using two different links between two devices is provided. In some embodiments, the method can be characterized by a second device providing information to a first device about what requirements must be met in the second device for STR to be feasible / enabled, and the first device using this information to select values ​​of communication parameters, such as TX power for the two links, to enable STR.

[0110] In some further embodiments, the first device selects an MCS for the two links. In some further embodiments, selecting an MCS for the two links also considers the load within the two links when selecting the MCS. In some embodiments, the provided information also includes how much SI is caused by the transmission for at least two different transmit powers. In some embodiments, the provided information also indicates how the signal bandwidth of the links affects SI suppression.

[0111] Some embodiments may provide a method for enabling MLO for highly asymmetric data loads. In some embodiments, the method may be characterized in that the TX power and MCS for links with low data loads are selected such that links with high data loads use an MCS optimized for situations where there is no data transmitted on the other links, and in the presence of data, reception on the high data link fails, but reception of low data rates works successfully with a high probability.

[0112] Abbreviation Description AP Access point BW Bandwidth DL Downlink EHT Extremely High Throughput MCS Modulation and Coding Scheme ML Multilink MLD Multilink Device MLO Multi-Link Operation OFDMA Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access PL Path Loss RX Receiver or receiver SIR Signal to Interference Ratio SINR Signal to Interference Plus Noise Ratio STA Station TGbe IEEE802.11be Task Group TX Transmitter or transmitter UL Uplink

[0113] As will be recognized by those skilled in the art, the concepts described herein may be embodied as methods, data processing systems, and / or computer program products. Accordingly, the concepts described herein may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment, or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects, all generally referred to herein as "circuits" or "modules." Furthermore, the present disclosure may take the form of a computer program product on a tangible computer-usable storage medium having computer program code embodied in the medium, executable by a computer. Any suitable tangible computer-readable medium may be utilized, including a hard disk, a CD-ROM, an electronic storage device, an optical storage device, or a magnetic storage device.

[0114] Some embodiments are described herein with reference to flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams of methods, systems, and computer program products. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These program instructions can be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce machine-readable means for implementing the function(s) / act(s) specified in the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams.

[0115] These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable memory or storage medium that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable memory produce an article of manufacture that includes instruction means that implement the functions / acts specified in the flowchart and / or block diagram block(s).

[0116] Computer program instructions may also be loaded into a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus and cause a series of operational steps to be executed on the computer or other programmable apparatus to generate a computer-implemented process, whereby the instructions executed on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide steps to implement the function / act specified in the block(s) of the flowchart and / or block diagram. It will be understood that the functions / acts noted in the blocks may occur out of the order noted in the illustrations of the operations. For example, two blocks shown in succession may in fact be executed substantially in parallel, depending on the functions / acts involved, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order. Some of the figures include arrows on communication paths to indicate the primary direction of communication, but it will be understood that communication may occur in the opposite direction to that of the illustrated arrows.

[0117] Computer program code for carrying out operations of the concepts described herein may be written in an object-oriented programming language such as Java or C++. However, computer program code for carrying out operations of the present disclosure may also be written in conventional procedural programming languages ​​such as the "C" programming language. The program code may run entirely on the user's computer, partially on the user's computer, as a standalone software package, partially on the user's computer and partially on a remote computer, or entirely on a remote computer. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer through a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer (e.g., over the Internet using an Internet Service Provider).

[0118] Many different embodiments are described herein in connection with the above description and drawings. It is understood that a verbatim description and illustration of every combination and subcombination of these embodiments would be overly repetitive and unclear. Accordingly, all embodiments can be combined in any manner and / or combination, and this specification, including the drawings, shall be construed as constituting a complete written description of all combinations and subcombinations of the embodiments described herein, and the modes and processes for making and using them, and shall support the rights to any such combination or subcombination.

[0119] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments described herein are not limited to those specifically shown and described herein above. Furthermore, unless otherwise noted above, it should be noted that all of the accompanying drawings are not to scale. Various modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings without departing from the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. A simultaneous transmission / reception (STR) capable multi-link device (MLD) (14) comprising an access point (AP) station (STA), the MLD (14) comprising a processing circuit (24), the processing circuit (24) providing the MLD (14) with: and a second MLD (16) configured to select at least one communication parameter value for a pair of wireless links to enable STR on the pair of wireless links between the MLD (14) and the second MLD (16), the second MLD (16) comprising a non-access point (non-AP) STA, the selected at least one communication parameter value including at least one value of at least one first communication parameter for a first link of the pair and at least one second communication parameter for a second link of the pair, the at least one communication parameter value including at least a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) value of the first link and / or the second link; The MLD (14), wherein the selection is based at least in part on the amount of frequency separation between each link in the pair of links.

2. The at least one communication parameter value is: the transmit power of the first link of the pair of wireless links; the transmit power of the second link of the pair of wireless links; and a signal bandwidth of at least one of the first link and the second link; The MLD (14) of claim 1 further comprising at least one value of:

3. The processing circuit (24) instructs the MLD (14) 3. The MLD (14) of claim 1 or 2, further configured to obtain information about the pair of wireless links, the information relating to at least one of the capabilities of the MLD and the second MLD for the pair of wireless links.

4. A simultaneous transmission / reception (STR) capable multi-link device (MLD) (16) comprising a non-access point (non-AP) station (STA), the MLD (16) comprising a processing circuit (32), the processing circuit (32) providing the MLD (16) with: transmitting information about the pair of wireless links to a second MLD (14); and performing multi-link operation (MLO) on the pair of wireless links between the MLD (16) and the second MLD (14), wherein the pair of wireless links uses at least one communication parameter value, the at least one communication parameter value being based at least in part on the transmitted information, the at least one communication parameter value including at least one value of at least one first communication parameter for a first link of the pair and at least one second communication parameter for a second link of the pair, the at least one communication parameter value including at least a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) value for the first link and / or the second link; The at least one communication parameter value is based at least in part on an amount of frequency separation between each link in the pair of links.

5. 5. The MLD (16) of claim 4, wherein the at least one communication parameter value is based at least in part on the transmitted information for enabling STR on the pair of wireless links.

6. The processing circuit (32) instructs the MLD (16) 6. The MLD (16) of claim 4 or 5, further configured to receive from said second MLD (14) an indication of said at least one communication parameter value to use for said pair of wireless links.

7. The at least one communication parameter value is: the transmit power of the first link of the pair of wireless links; the transmit power of the second link of the pair of wireless links; and a signal bandwidth of at least one of the first link and the second link; The MLD (16) of any one of claims 4 to 6, further comprising at least one value of:

8. 8. The MLD (16) of claim 4, wherein the at least one communication parameter value is based at least in part on a comparison of the transmitted information about the capabilities of the MLD with information about the capabilities of the second MLD to enable the STR on the pair of wireless links.

9. The processing circuit (32) instructs the MLD (16) The MLD (16) of any one of claims 4 to 8, further configured to cause reclassification of the pair of wireless links from non-STR to STR based at least in part on the at least one communication parameter value.

10. the pair of wireless links is a pair of STR-constrained links, or the pair of wireless links is a non-STR link pair for a first set of communication parameter values, and the pair of wireless links is a STR link pair for a second set of communication parameter values, the first set being different from the second set; or The MLD (16) according to any one of claims 4 to 9,

11. A method implemented in a simultaneous transmission / reception (STR)-enabled multi-link device (MLD) (14) comprising an access point (AP) station (STA), the method comprising: selecting (S100) at least one communication parameter value for a pair of wireless links between the MLD (14) and a second MLD (16) to enable STR on the pair of wireless links, wherein the second MLD (16) comprises a non-access point (non-AP) STA, the selected at least one communication parameter value includes at least one value of at least one first communication parameter for a first link of the pair and at least one second communication parameter for a second link of the pair, and the at least one communication parameter value includes at least a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) value of the first link and / or the second link; The method, wherein the selection is based at least in part on an amount of frequency separation between each link in the pair of links.

12. The at least one communication parameter value is: the transmit power of the first link of the pair of wireless links; the transmit power of the second link of the pair of wireless links; and a signal bandwidth of at least one of the first link and the second link; The method of claim 11 , further comprising at least one value of:

13. Obtaining information about the pair of wireless links.

13. The method of claim 11 or 12, further comprising: wherein the information relates to at least one of the capabilities of the MLD and the capabilities of the second MLD for the pair of wireless links.

14. A method implemented in a simultaneous transmit / receive (STR) capable multi-link device (MLD) (16) comprising a non-access point (non-AP) station (STA), the method comprising: Sending information about the pair of wireless links to a second MLD (14) (S102); and performing (S104) a multi-link operation (MLO) on the pair of wireless links between the MLD (16) and the second MLD (14), wherein the pair of wireless links uses at least one communication parameter value, the at least one communication parameter value being based at least in part on the transmitted information, the at least one communication parameter value including at least one value of at least one first communication parameter for a first link of the pair and at least one second communication parameter for a second link of the pair, the at least one communication parameter value including at least a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) value of the first link and / or the second link; The method, wherein the at least one communication parameter value is based at least in part on an amount of frequency separation between each link in the pair of links.

15. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the at least one communication parameter value is based at least in part on the transmitted information for enabling STR on the pair of wireless links.

16. receiving from the second MLD (14) an indication of the at least one communication parameter value to use for the pair of wireless links; 16. The method of claim 14 or 15, further comprising:

17. The at least one communication parameter value is: the transmit power of the first link of the pair of wireless links; the transmit power of the second link of the pair of wireless links; and a signal bandwidth of at least one of the first link and the second link; 17. The method of claim 14, further comprising at least one value of:

18. 18. The method of claim 14, wherein the at least one communication parameter value is based at least in part on a comparison of the transmitted information regarding capabilities of the MLD and information regarding capabilities of the second MLD to enable the STR on the pair of wireless links.

19. reclassifying the pair of wireless links from non-STR to STR based at least in part on the at least one communication parameter value.

19. The method of any one of claims 14 to 18, further comprising:

20. the pair of wireless links is a pair of STR-constrained links, or the pair of wireless links is a non-STR link pair for a first set of communication parameter values, and the pair of wireless links is a STR link pair for a second set of communication parameter values, the first set being different from the second set; or 20. The method according to any one of claims 14 to 19, wherein

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