Multi-link group addressed traffic transmission method, device, chip system, medium, and system

Abstract

To provide a multilink group addressed traffic transmission method and device useful for reducing power consumption of a station multilink device STA MLD.SOLUTION: In the method, group addressed traffic indication information sent by a first AP of an access point multilink device (AP MLD) indicates whether one AP of the AP MLD has group addressed traffic. The group addressed traffic indicates whether each AP in a plurality of or all APs of the AP MLD has the group addressed traffic, and thereby the first STA may learn whether the plurality of APs have the group addressed traffic. In this way, each STA of a STA MLD does not need to monitor whether each AP has the group addressed traffic, which may reduce power consumption.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present application relates to the field of communications technology, and in particular to a multi-link group addressed traffic transmission method and apparatus. [Background technology]

[0002] To significantly improve the service transmission speed of wireless local area network (WLAN) systems, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11ax standard further adopts orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDMA) technology based on the existing orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDM) technology. OFDMA technology supports multiple nodes to simultaneously transmit and receive data, achieving multi-station diversity gain. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) also announced a new open frequency band from 5925 to 7125 MHz, referred to as the sub-6 GHz band. Therefore, the operating range of 802.11ax-compliant devices is extended from 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz to 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, 6 GHz, and similar frequencies.

[0003] IEEE 802.11 next-generation Wi-Fi protocol extreme high throughput (EHT) devices must be forward compatible. Therefore, these devices also support the operating spectrum of 802.11ax-compliant devices, namely, the 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz frequency bands. IEEE 802.11ax next-generation Wi-Fi protocol EHT devices implement channel division based on the recently released vacant 6 GHz frequency band. The supported bandwidth, for example, 320 MHz, exceeds the maximum supported bandwidth of 160 MHz in 5 GHz.

[0004] The peak throughput for IEEE 802.11ax next-generation Wi-Fi ultra-high throughput devices can be increased by using ultra-wide bandwidth and by increasing the number of streams, for example, to 16, through cooperation of multiple frequency bands (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, 6 GHz) and the like. Furthermore, the peak throughput can be further increased by cooperation of multiple channels in the same frequency band, which reduces service transmission delay. In this specification, multiple frequency bands or multiple channels are collectively referred to as multiple links.

[0005] IEEE 802.11ax next-generation Wi-Fi EHT devices use multi-link cooperation technology to aggregate multiple discontinuous links to form ultra-wide bandwidth. In addition to aggregating higher bandwidth, multi-link cooperation technology can also be used to simultaneously transmit data packets of the same traffic to the same station. Thus, multi-link cooperation technology can significantly improve transmission speeds. However, downlink group-addressed traffic transmission consumes more energy because each station in the station multi-link device must be in an active state periodically to monitor whether each access point in the access point multi-link device is transmitting downlink group-addressed traffic. Summary of the Invention [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present application provides a multilink group addressed traffic transmission method and apparatus that helps reduce the power consumption of station multilink devices.

[0007] According to a first aspect, the present application provides a multi-link group-addressed traffic transmission method, in which a first access point (AP) in an access point multi-link device (AP MLD) generates group-addressed traffic indication information, which indicates whether one or more APs in the AP MLD have group-addressed traffic. The first AP transmits the group-addressed traffic indication information.

[0008] In one implementation, the group-addressed traffic indication information indicates whether one AP in the AP MLD has group-addressed traffic, and the AP is the first AP or another AP in the AP MLD. Compared with a scheme in which a station managed by the first AP can only know whether the first AP has group-addressed traffic, this implementation improves the flexibility of group-addressed traffic notification.

[0009] In another implementation, the group addressing traffic indication information indicates whether each AP among multiple APs in the AP MLD has group addressing traffic. Compared with a system in which a station managed by a first AP can only know whether the first AP has group addressing traffic, in this implementation, each STA in the STA MLD does not need to regularly monitor whether the corresponding AP has group addressing traffic. In other words, in this implementation, one station in the STA MLD can know whether multiple APs have group addressing traffic. This reduces the power consumption of the STA MLD.

[0010] In yet another implementation, the group addressing traffic indication information indicates whether each AP in the AP MLD has group addressing traffic. Compared with a system in which a station managed by a first AP can only know whether the first AP has group addressing traffic, in this implementation, each STA in the STA MLD does not need to regularly monitor whether the corresponding AP has group addressing traffic. In other words, in this implementation, one station in the STA MLD can know whether each AP has group addressing traffic. This reduces the power consumption of the STA MLD.

[0011] In one implementation, each bit of the group-addressed traffic indication information corresponds to each AP in one or more APs of the AP MLD, and each bit indicates whether the AP corresponding to the bit has group-addressed traffic, or the value of the bit indicates whether the AP corresponding to the bit has group-addressed traffic.

[0012] In one implementation, each bit of the group-addressed traffic indication information corresponds to each AP of the AP MLD. Each bit indicates whether the AP corresponding to the bit has group-addressed traffic, or the value of the bit indicates whether the AP corresponding to the bit has group-addressed traffic.

[0013] In one implementation, the correspondence between each bit of the group addressing traffic indication information and each AP of the AP MLD, or the correspondence between each bit of the group addressing traffic indication information and each AP in one or more APs of the AP MLD, may be configured by using an association response frame or a management frame between the STA MLD and the AP MLD.

[0014] In another implementation, the correspondence between each bit of the group addressing traffic indication information and each AP in the AP MLD or between each bit of the group addressing traffic indication information and each AP in one or more APs in the AP MLD is predefined. In another implementation, the group addressing traffic indication information is part of the bits in a partial virtual bitmap field in a traffic indication map TIM element.

[0015] In one implementation, the group-addressed traffic indication information is part of consecutive bits in the partial virtual bitmap field. For example, if the group-addressed traffic indication information is bits 1 to 7 in the partial virtual bitmap field, bits 1 to 7 in the partial virtual bitmap field may indicate whether each AP in the AP MLD has group-addressed traffic.

[0016] In another implementation, the group-addressed traffic indication information is part of non-contiguous bits of the partial virtual bitmap field. For example, if the group-addressed traffic indication information is bit 1, bit 2, and bit 4 in the partial virtual bitmap field, bit 1, bit 2, and bit 4 in the partial virtual bitmap field may indicate whether each AP in the AP MLD has group-addressed traffic.

[0017] In one implementation, the first AP of the AP MLD generates association identifier configuration information, and the association identifier configuration information indicates an association identifier corresponding to each AP of the AP MLD. The first AP transmits the association identifier configuration information. The AID of each AP corresponds to each bit of the group addressing traffic indication information. That is, each bit of the group addressing traffic indication information indicates whether the AP of the AID corresponding to that bit has group addressing traffic. The association identifier configuration information can be transmitted to the STA MLD in an association response frame or a management frame.

[0018] In another implementation, an AID corresponding to a first bit or a starting bit of a portion of consecutive bits corresponding to the group addressing traffic indication information is predefined. In other words, the first bit or the starting bit of the portion of consecutive bits is predefined. Alternatively, the starting bit arrangement of the group addressing traffic indication information in the partial virtual bitmap field in the TIM element is predefined. Alternatively, the AIDs of the APs in the AP MLD are allocated consecutively from AID x, and AID x is predefined. In this implementation, the group addressing traffic indication information is a portion of consecutive bits in the partial virtual bitmap field in the traffic indication map TIM element.

[0019] The association identifiers allocated to each AP in the AP MLD are different from the association identifiers allocated to stations associated with the AP. In other words, the association identifiers allocated to each AP in the AP MLD may not be allocated by the AP to stations managed by the AP. However, the AIDs allocated by different APs to stations managed by the AP are relatively independent. In other words, the AIDs allocated by different APs to stations managed by the AP may be the same.

[0020] In addition, if one or more APs in the AP MLD operate in multi-BSSID mode and are transmit BSSID APs, in the two implementations mentioned above, the AIDs of the APs in the AP MLD are allocated consecutively starting from AID x, where x is within the range of max{2^(N1), 2^(N2),...,2^(N y ),...,2^(N n )}, where n is the number of APs that transmit BSSIDs in AP MLD, and N y is the value of the Maximum Basic Service Set Identifier BSSID indicator field in the Multiple Basic Service Set Identifier (Multiple BSSID) element broadcast by the yth AP, which is the transmitting BSSID AP of the AP MLD.

[0021] Alternatively, the AIDs of APs in AP MLD are allocated consecutively starting from AID x, where x is max{2^(N1),2^(N2),...,2^(N y ),...,2^(N n )}, where n is the number of APs in AP MLD, and N y is the value of the Maximum Basic Service Set Identifier BSSID Indicator field in the Multiple Basic Service Set Identifier (Multiple BSSID) element broadcast by the yth AP in the AP MLD. The Maximum BSSID Indicator field value for a default non-transmitting AP or an AP not operating in multi-BSSID mode is 0.

[0022] In other words, the starting bit or first bit of the portion of consecutive bits in the partial virtual bitmap field that corresponds to group addressing traffic indication information is bit x, where x is a number in the range max{2^(N1),2^(N2),...,2^(N y ),...,2^(N n )}. Alternatively, the AID corresponding to the starting bit or first bit of the portion of consecutive bits in the partial virtual bitmap field that corresponds to group addressing traffic indication information is AID x, where x is equal to max{2^(N1),2^(N2),...,2^(Ny ),...,2^(N n )}. n and N y For the physical meaning of , see the explanation above, and the details will not be repeated here.

[0023] In addition, the group addressing traffic indication information corresponds to a portion of the bits in the partial virtual bitmap field in the TIM element. Therefore, the first AP determines the offset field and the length field in the TIM element based on the start byte N1 and the end byte N2 in the traffic indication virtual bitmap field of the group addressing traffic indication information. The first AP may transmit the offset field and the length field, which helps stations associated with the first AP and in the STA MLD to determine whether the AP corresponding to each bit of the group addressing traffic indication information has group-addressed traffic based on the group addressing traffic indication information, the offset field, and the length field.

[0024] Optionally, in this embodiment of the present application, the group addressing traffic indication information can be compressed by using an offset. In one implementation, the APs corresponding to each bit of the group addressing traffic indication information are sequentially allocated based on the size of the identifiers of the links on which each AP of the AP MLD operates, and it is assumed that none of the multiple APs with consecutive link identifiers has group addressing traffic. In this case, the group addressing traffic indication information may include only bits corresponding to APs other than the multiple APs, that is, the group addressing traffic indication information sent by the first AP may include bits corresponding to APs other than the multiple APs.

[0025] For ease of explanation, the group addressing traffic indication information generated by the first AP is referred to as the first group addressing traffic indication information, and the group addressing traffic indication information transmitted by the first AP is referred to as the second group addressing traffic indication information. The second group addressing traffic indication information may be the same as the first group addressing traffic indication information, or the second group addressing traffic indication information may be a part of the bits of the first group addressing traffic indication information. The offset of the second group addressing traffic indication information relative to the first group addressing traffic indication information is referred to as the offset of the second group addressing traffic indication information for short.

[0026] It is assumed that none of the APs corresponding to bits before byte N1 and all bits following byte N2 of the first group addressing traffic indication information have group addressing traffic, where N1 is greater than or equal to 0 and N2 is greater than or equal to 1. In this case, the second group addressing traffic indication information is all bits starting from byte N1 and ending at byte N2 of the first group addressing traffic indication information.

[0027] In this case, the length of the second group addressing traffic indication information sent by the first AP is N2-N1+1, and the offset of the second group addressing traffic indication information is N1 / 2. Furthermore, a station managed by the first AP in STA MLD may receive the length and the offset, and determine that the received second group addressing traffic indication information indicates whether the APs corresponding to bit N1*8 to bit ((N2+1)*8-1) have group addressing traffic, determine that the APs corresponding to all bits from bit 0 to bit N1*8-1 do not have group addressing traffic, and determine that the APs corresponding to bit (N2+1)*8 and all subsequent bits do not have group addressing traffic.

[0028] Bit a described in this application is the a-th bit, for example, bit 0 is the 0-th bit.

[0029] Assume that none of the APs corresponding to bit N0*8-1 to bit N1*8-1 of the first group addressing traffic indication information have group addressing traffic, and none of the APs corresponding to bit N2*8 and subsequent bits have group addressing traffic. In this case, the second group addressing traffic indication information is the bits starting from byte 0 and ending at byte N0-1 of the first group addressing traffic indication information and the bits starting from byte N1 and ending at byte N2 of the first group addressing traffic indication information. In this case, the length of the second group addressing traffic indication information sent by the first AP is N0+N2-N1+1, and the offset of the second group addressing traffic indication information is N1-N0. Furthermore, a station managed by the first AP in STA MLD may receive the length and offset, determine that the received second group addressing traffic indication information indicates bit 0 to bit (N0-1)*8-1, determine whether the APs corresponding to bit (N1-1)*8+1 to bit N2*8+1 have group addressing traffic, and determine that none of the APs corresponding to bit (N0-1)*8 to bit (N1-1)*8 have group addressing traffic.

[0030] In another implementation, when none of the APs with consecutive association identifiers have group-addressed traffic, the partial virtual bitmap field may carry bits corresponding to these association identifiers. That is, the amount of bits of group-addressed traffic indication information in the partial virtual bitmap field is reduced using an offset in the TIM element. Assume that the group-addressed traffic indication information is the partial virtual bitmap field in the TIM element.

[0031] If none of the APs of the AIDs corresponding to bits before byte N1 and all bits following byte N2 in the traffic indication virtual bitmap field have group-addressed traffic, and N1 is greater than or equal to 0 and N2 is greater than or equal to 1, the group-addressed traffic indication information is all bits starting from byte N1 and ending at byte N2 in the traffic indication virtual bitmap field. In this case, the length field of the TIM element sent by the first AP is N2-N1+1+3, and the offset of the TIM element is (1 / 2)N1. Furthermore, the station managed by the first AP in the STA MLD determines, based on the received length and offset, that the group-addressed traffic indication information indicates whether the APs of the AIDs corresponding to bits N1*8 to ((N2+1)*8-1)) have group-addressed traffic, determines that the APs of the AIDs corresponding to all bits from bit 0 to bit N1*8-1 do not have group-addressed traffic, and determines that the APs of the AIDs corresponding to bit (N2+1)*8 and all subsequent bits do not have group-addressed traffic.

[0032] If none of the APs of the AID corresponding to all bits from byte N0 to byte N1-1 of the Traffic Indication Virtual Bitmap field have group-addressed traffic, the group-addressed traffic indication information is the bits starting from byte 0 to byte N0-1 of the Traffic Indication Virtual Bitmap field and the bits starting from byte N1 to byte N2 of the Traffic Indication Virtual Bitmap field. In this case, the length field of the TIM element sent by the first AP is N0+N2-N1+1+3, and the offset of the TIM element is (N1-N0)½. Furthermore, the station managed by the first AP in the STA MLD may determine, based on the length field and the offset of the received TM element, that the received group addressing traffic indication information indicates bit 0 to bit (N0-1)*8-1, determine whether the AP with the AID corresponding to bit (N1-1)*8+1 to bit N2*8+1 has group addressing traffic, and determine that the AP with the AID corresponding to bit (N0-1)*8 to bit (N1-1)*8 does not have group addressing traffic.

[0033] Optionally, the group-addressed traffic indication information transmitted by the first AP is carried in a delivery traffic indication map (DTIM) beacon frame. Further, the first AP transmits the group-addressed traffic after transmitting the DTIM beacon frame.

[0034] Optionally, for beacon frames, the group-addressed traffic indication information is carried only in the DTIM beacon frame. Optionally, the group-addressed traffic indication information can be further carried in another frame, such as a TIM beacon frame, a management frame, a data frame, or a control frame.

[0035] Optionally, if the group-addressed traffic indication information is carried in a DTIM beacon frame, a management frame, a data frame, or a control frame, and if the first AP has an AP that provides the group-addressed traffic, the first AP may further transmit a distribution traffic indication map DTIM beacon frame and the group-addressed traffic after the DTIM beacon frame.

[0036] According to a second aspect, the present application further provides a multi-link group-addressed traffic transmission method, which is described from the perspective of a station multi-link device (STA MLD). In this method, a first station (STA) of the STA MLD receives group-addressed traffic indication information from an AP MLD, and the group-addressed traffic indication information indicates whether one or more APs of the AP MLD have group-addressed traffic.

[0037] Optionally, the first STA may determine or know whether one or more APs have group-addressed traffic based on the group-addressed traffic indication information.

[0038] In one implementation, the group-addressed traffic indication information indicates whether one AP in the AP MLD has group-addressed traffic, and the AP is the first AP in the AP MLD or another AP. In this implementation, the first STA can know whether the first AP in the AP MLD or another AP has group-addressed traffic. This improves the flexibility of group-addressed traffic notification.

[0039] In another implementation, the group-addressed traffic indication information indicates whether each AP among the multiple APs in the AP MLD has group-addressed traffic. In this implementation, the first STA may know whether the multiple APs have group-addressed traffic, so that each STA in the STA MLD does not need to periodically monitor whether the corresponding AP has group-addressed traffic. This reduces the power consumption of the STA MLD.

[0040] In yet another implementation, the group-addressed traffic indication information indicates whether each AP in the AP MLD has group-addressed traffic. In this implementation, the first STA may know whether each AP in the AP MLD has group-addressed traffic, so that each STA in the STA MLD does not need to periodically monitor whether the corresponding AP has group-addressed traffic. This reduces the power consumption of the STA MLD.

[0041] In one implementation, the first STA of the STA MLD is a station operating on a primary link, and the first STA of the STA MLD receiving group-addressed traffic indication information from the AP MLD includes the first STA of the STA MLD monitoring, on the primary link, for arrival of group-addressed traffic indication information from one AP of the AP MLD.

[0042] Optionally, for beacon frames, group-addressed traffic indication information is carried only in DTIM beacon frames.

[0043] Optionally, the group-addressed traffic indication information may be carried in another frame, such as a TIM beacon frame, a management frame, a data frame, or a control frame.

[0044] Optionally, the group-addressed traffic indication information is carried in another frame, such as a DTIM beacon frame, a management frame, a data frame, or a control frame. A first STA may receive the DTIM beacon frame and receive group-addressed traffic after receiving the DTIM beacon frame. In response, if another STA in the STA MLD learns that the corresponding AP also has group-addressed traffic based on the group-addressed traffic indication information, the other STA may receive the DTIM beacon frame and receive group-addressed traffic after receiving the DTIM beacon frame.

[0045] Optionally, the group-addressed traffic is carried in a DTIM beacon frame, and the first STA may receive the group-addressed traffic after receiving the DTIM beacon frame. In response, if another STA in the STA MLD learns that the corresponding AP also has group-addressed traffic based on the group-addressed traffic indication information, the other STA may receive the DTIM beacon frame and receive the group-addressed traffic after receiving the DTIM beacon frame.

[0046] In another implementation, if the AP on the link on which the first STA operates determines that it has group-addressed traffic, the first STA may receive a broadcast traffic indication map DTIM beacon frame from the AP on the link and the group-addressed traffic after receiving the DTIM beacon frame.

[0047] In one implementation, each bit of the group addressing traffic indication information corresponds to each AP of the AP MLD. The value of the bit indicates whether the AP corresponding to the bit has group addressing traffic. For related descriptions of this implementation, please refer to the related content of the first aspect. The details will not be described again here.

[0048] In another implementation, the group addressing traffic indication information is part of a bit in a partial virtual bitmap field in a traffic indication map TIM element. For a related description of this implementation, please refer to the related content of the first aspect. The details will not be described again here.

[0049] In yet another implementation, the group addressing traffic indication information is part of consecutive bits in a partial virtual bitmap field in a traffic indication map TIM element. For a related description of this implementation, please refer to the related content of the first aspect. The details will not be described again here.

[0050] AIDs corresponding to some bits in the partial virtual bitmap field are assigned to stations, and these bits individually indicate whether the corresponding stations have unicast traffic. Therefore, in this implementation, the association identifiers assigned to each AP in the AP MLD are different from the association identifiers assigned to stations associated with each AP. In other words, the association identifiers assigned to each AP in the AP MLD may not be assigned by the AP to stations managed by the AP. However, AIDs assigned by different APs to stations managed by the AP are relatively independent. In other words, AIDs assigned by different APs to stations managed by the AP may be the same.

[0051] In one implementation, a first STA of the STA MLD receives association identifier configuration information, where the association identifier configuration information indicates an association identifier AID corresponding to each AP of the AP MLD. The AID of the AP corresponds to each bit of the group addressing traffic indication information. The first STA determines the AID corresponding to the AP of the AP MLD based on the association identifier configuration information. For related descriptions of this implementation, please refer to the related content of the first aspect. Details will not be described again here.

[0052] In another implementation, an AID corresponding to a first bit of a part of consecutive bits in the partial virtual bitmap field corresponding to the group addressing traffic indication information is predefined. For a related description of this implementation, please refer to the related content of the first aspect. The details will not be described again here.

[0053] In yet another implementation, the AID corresponding to the first bit of the subset of consecutive bits is AID x, where x is a number in the range max{2^(N1), 2^(N2), ..., 2^(N y ),...,2^(N n )}, where n is the number of transmission basic service set identifiers AP in AP MLD, and N y The AP transmits the BSSID y The value of the largest basic service set identifier BSSID indication field in the multiple basic service set identifiers (BSSIDs) element broadcast by the AP. y is the y-th transmitting BSSID AP in the AP MLD. For related descriptions of this implementation, please refer to the related content of the first aspect. The details will not be described again here.

[0054] Optionally, in this embodiment of the present application, the group addressing traffic indication information can be compressed by using an offset. In one implementation, the APs corresponding to each bit of the group addressing traffic indication information are sequentially allocated based on the size of the identifiers of the links on which each AP of the AP MLD operates, and it is assumed that none of the multiple APs with consecutive link identifiers has group addressing traffic. In this case, the group addressing traffic indication information may include only bits corresponding to APs other than the multiple APs, that is, the group addressing traffic indication information sent by the first AP may include bits corresponding to APs other than the multiple APs. For related descriptions of this implementation, please refer to the related content of the first aspect. Details will not be described again here.

[0055] According to a third aspect, the present application provides an access point of an access point multilink device. The access point of the access point multilink device is an AP of AP MLD and has some or all of the functions of the first AP implemented in the example method of the first aspect. For example, the access point of the access point multilink device may have the functions of some or all of the embodiments of the present application, or may have the function of independently implementing any embodiment of the present application. This function may be implemented by hardware, or by the hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software may include one or more units or modules corresponding to the functions.

[0056] In one implementation, the structure of the access point of the access point multilink device may include a processing unit and a communication unit. The processing unit is configured to support the access point of the access point multilink device in performing corresponding functions in the aforementioned method. The communication unit is configured to support communication between the access point of the access point multilink device and another device. The access point of the access point multilink device may further include a storage unit. The storage unit may be coupled to the processing unit and the transmission unit, and the storage unit stores computer programs and data required for the access point of the access point multilink device.

[0057] In one implementation, the access point of the access point multi-link device: a processing unit configured to generate group-addressed traffic indication information, the group-addressed traffic indication information indicating whether one or more APs in the AP MLD have group-addressed traffic; and a communication unit configured to transmit group-addressed traffic indication information.

[0058] The group addressing traffic indication information generated by the processing unit at the access point of the access point multilink device can indicate whether the access point or another AP has group addressing traffic, and the communication unit then transmits the group addressing traffic indication information to the station multilink device. In this way, any station in the station multilink device can monitor the arrival of the group addressing traffic indication information. This improves the flexibility of group addressing traffic notification. In addition, if the group addressing traffic indication information indicates whether each AP or multiple APs in the AP MLD have group addressing traffic, any station in the station multilink device can know whether multiple APs have group addressing traffic. Therefore, all stations in the station multilink device do not need to monitor whether there is group addressing traffic on their respective links. This reduces the power consumption of the station multilink device.

[0059] In one example, the processing unit may be a processor, the communication unit may be a transceiver or a communication interface, and the storage unit may be a memory.

[0060] In another implementation, an access point of the access point multilink device: a processor configured to generate group-addressed traffic indication information, the group-addressed traffic indication information indicating whether one or more APs in an AP MLD have group-addressed traffic; and a transceiver configured to transmit group-addressed traffic indication information.

[0061] The group addressing traffic indication information generated by the processor in the access point of the access point multilink device can indicate whether the access point or another AP has group addressing traffic, and the transceiver then transmits the group addressing traffic indication information to the station multilink device. In this way, any station in the station multilink device can monitor the arrival of the group addressing traffic indication information. This improves the flexibility of group addressing traffic notification. In addition, if the group addressing traffic indication information indicates whether each AP or multiple APs in the AP MLD have group addressing traffic, any station in the station multilink device can know whether multiple APs have group addressing traffic. Therefore, all stations in the station multilink device do not need to monitor whether there is group addressing traffic on their respective links. This reduces the power consumption of the station multilink device.

[0062] Optionally, the access point of the access point multi-link device may further perform any one or more implementation forms of the first aspect, the details of which will not be described again here.

[0063] According to a fourth aspect, the present application further provides a station of a station multilink device. The station of the station multilink device is a STA of the STA MLD and has some or all of the functions of a first STA that implements the method example of the second aspect. For example, the station of the station multilink device may have the functions of some or all of the embodiments of the present application, or may have the function of independently implementing any embodiment of the present application. This function may be implemented by hardware, or may be implemented by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software may include one or more units or modules corresponding to those functions.

[0064] In one implementation, the structure of a station of the station multilink device may include a processing unit and a communication unit. The processing unit is configured to support the station of the station multilink device in performing corresponding functions in the above-mentioned method. The communication unit is configured to support communication between the station of the station multilink device and another device. The station of the station multilink device may further include a storage unit. The storage unit may be coupled to the processing unit and the transmission unit, and the storage unit stores computer programs and data required for the station of the station multilink device.

[0065] In one implementation, a station of a station multi-link device includes: The communication unit is configured to receive group-addressed traffic indication information from the AP MLD, the group-addressed traffic indication information indicating whether one or more APs of the AP MLD have group-addressed traffic.

[0066] Optionally, a station of the station multi-link device further comprises a processing unit.

[0067] The processing unit is configured to determine, based on the group-addressed traffic indication information, whether one or more APs have group-addressed traffic.

[0068] It can be seen that a processing unit in a station of a station multilink device can know whether one or more APs have group-addressed traffic based on the group addressing traffic indication information. Specifically, a station of a station multilink device can not only know whether an AP associated with the station has group addressing traffic, but also know whether another AP in the AP MLD has group addressing traffic. This improves the flexibility of group addressing traffic notification. In addition, the group addressing traffic indication information indicates whether multiple APs or each AP in the AP MLD have group addressing traffic. That is, any STA of the station multilink device can know whether multiple APs or each AP in the AP MLD have group addressing traffic. Therefore, all STAs in the STA MLD do not need to monitor whether their corresponding APs have group addressing traffic. This reduces the power consumption of the STA MLD.

[0069] In one example, the processing unit may be a processor, the communication unit may be a transceiver or a communication interface, and the storage unit may be a memory.

[0070] In another implementation, a station of the station multilink device: The method comprises: providing a transceiver configured to receive group-addressed traffic indication information from an AP MLD, the group-addressed traffic indication information indicating whether one or more APs in the AP MLD have group-addressed traffic;

[0071] Optionally, a station of the station multilink device further comprises a processor.

[0072] The processor is configured to determine, based on the group-addressed traffic indication information, whether one or more APs have group-addressed traffic.

[0073] It can be seen that a processor in a station of a station multilink device can know whether one or more APs have group-addressed traffic based on the group addressing traffic indication information. Specifically, a station of a station multilink device can not only know whether an AP associated with the station has group addressing traffic, but also know whether another AP in the AP MLD has group addressing traffic. This improves the flexibility of group addressing traffic notification. In addition, the group addressing traffic indication information indicates whether multiple APs or each AP in the AP MLD have group addressing traffic. That is, any STA in the STA MLD can know whether multiple APs or each AP in the AP MLD have group addressing traffic. Therefore, all STAs in the STA MLD do not need to monitor whether the corresponding AP has group addressing traffic. This reduces the power consumption of the STA MLD.

[0074] Optionally, the station of the station multi-link device may further perform any one or more implementation forms of the second aspect, the details of which will not be described again here.

[0075] According to a fifth aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a computer-readable storage medium configured to store a computer program which, when executed in a communications device, causes the communications device to perform the multilink group addressed traffic transmission method according to the first aspect.

[0076] According to a sixth aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a computer-readable storage medium configured to store a computer program which, when executed in a communications device, causes the communications device to perform the multilink group addressed traffic transmission method according to the second aspect.

[0077] According to a seventh aspect, the present application further provides a computer program product comprising a computer program that, when executed on a communications device, enables the communications device to perform the multilink group addressed traffic transmission method according to the first aspect.

[0078] According to an eighth aspect, the present application further provides a computer program product comprising a computer program that, when executed on a communications device, enables the communications device to perform the multilink group addressed traffic transmission method according to the second aspect.

[0079] According to a ninth aspect, the present application provides a chip system. The chip system includes at least one processor and an interface configured to support any AP, e.g., a first AP, of an AP MLD that implements the functionality of the first aspect, e.g., the functionality of determining or processing at least one of data and information in the manner described above. In a possible design, the chip system further includes a memory configured to store computer programs and data required by the AP of the AP MLD. The chip system may include a chip, or may include a chip and another discrete component.

[0080] According to a tenth aspect, the present application provides a chip system. The chip system includes at least one processor and an interface configured to support any STA, e.g., a first STA, of the STA MLD that implements the functionality of the second aspect, e.g., the functionality of determining or processing at least one of data and information in the manner described above. In a possible design, the chip system further includes a memory configured to store computer programs and data required by the STA of the STA MLD. The chip system may include a chip, or may include a chip and another discrete component. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0081] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of an AP MLD and a STA MLD according to an embodiment of the present application; [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic diagram of a frame format of a TIM element according to an embodiment of the present application; [Figure 3(a)] 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication system 100 according to an embodiment of the present application. [Figure 3(b)] 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication system 200 according to an embodiment of the present application. [Figure 3(c)] 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication system 300 according to an embodiment of the present application. [Figure 4] 1 is a schematic diagram of a group-addressed traffic transmission method 100 according to an embodiment of the present application; [Figure 5] 2 is a schematic flow chart of a multi-link group addressed traffic transmission method 200 according to an embodiment of the present application. [Figure 5a] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an MLD parameter field in a multi-link group addressed traffic transmission method according to an embodiment of the present application; [Figure 5b] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a capability information field in a multi-link group addressing traffic transmission method according to an embodiment of the present application; [Figure 5c] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of another capability information field in a multi-link group addressing traffic transmission method according to an embodiment of the present application; [Figure 5d] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an RNR element in a multi-link group addressed traffic transmission method according to an embodiment of the present application; [Figure 5e] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a TBTT information field in a multi-link group-addressed traffic transmission method according to an embodiment of the present application; [Figure 6] 1 is a schematic diagram of a multi-link group addressed traffic transmission method 300 according to an embodiment of the present application; [Figure 7] 4 is a schematic flow chart of a multi-link group addressed traffic transmission method 400 according to an embodiment of the present application. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a partial virtual bitmap field according to an embodiment of the present application; [Figure 9] 5 is a schematic diagram of a multi-link group addressed traffic transmission method 500 according to an embodiment of the present application. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a frame format of a BSSID element according to an embodiment of the present application; [Figure 11] 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device 100 according to an embodiment of the present application. [Figure 12] 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device 200 according to an embodiment of the present application. [Figure 13] 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device 300 according to an embodiment of the present application. [Figure 14] 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a chip according to an embodiment of the present application; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0082] Next, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly explained with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present application. to explain Reveal.

[0083] To better understand the multi-link group addressed traffic transmission method and related apparatus disclosed in the embodiments of the present application, the related concepts in the embodiments of the present application will be explained first.

[0084] 1. Multilink Device

[0085] A wireless communication system applicable to the embodiments of the present application may be a wireless local area network (WLAN) or a cellular network. The group-addressed traffic transmission method may be implemented by a communication device in the wireless communication system or a chip or processor in the communication device. The communication device may be a wireless communication device that supports simultaneous transmission performed on multiple links. For example, the communication device is referred to as a multi-link device or a multi-band device. Compared with a device that only supports single-link transmission, a multi-link device has higher transmission efficiency and higher throughput.

[0086] A multilink device includes one or more affiliated station (STA). An affiliate STA is a logical station and can operate on one link. An affiliate station may be an access point (AP) station or a non-access point station (non-AP STA). For ease of explanation, in this application, a multilink device whose affiliate station is an AP may be referred to as a multilink AP, a multilink AP device, or an AP multilink device (AP MLD). A multilink device whose affiliate station is a non-AP STA may be referred to as a multilink STA, a multilink STA device, or an STA multilink device (STA MLD). For ease of explanation, in the embodiments of this application, "a multilink device includes an affiliate STA" may also be briefly described as "a multilink device includes an STA."

[0087] Note that a multilink device contains multiple logical stations, each operating on one link, although multiple logical stations are permitted to operate on the same link.

[0088] A multilink device may implement wireless communication according to the 802.11 series of protocols. For example, a station that complies with Extremely High Throughput (EHT) or a station that complies with or is compatible with 802.11be may implement communication with another device. Indeed, the other device may or may not be a multilink device.

[0089] For example, the multilink device in this embodiment of the present application may be a single-antenna device or a multi-antenna device. For example, the multilink device may be a device with more than two antennas. The number of antennas provided in the multilink device is not limited in the embodiment of the present application. In the embodiment of the present application, the multilink device may allow traffic of the same access type to be transmitted on different links, or even allow the same data packet to be transmitted on different links. Alternatively, the multilink device may not allow traffic of the same access type to be transmitted on different links, but may allow traffic of different access types to be transmitted on different links.

[0090] For example, a multi-link device is a device having wireless communication capabilities, and this device may be a device itself, or a chip, processing system, or the like mounted on the device. The device to which the chip or processing system is attached may implement the methods and functions in the embodiments of the present application under the control of the chip or processing system. For example, the STA MLD in the embodiments of the present application may have wireless transceiver capabilities, support 802.11 series protocols, and communicate with an AP MLD, another STA MLD, or a single-link device. For example, the STA MLD is any user communication device that allows a user to communicate with an AP and further with a WLAN. For example, the STA MLD may be user equipment that can connect to a network, such as a tablet computer, desktop computer, laptop computer, notebook computer, ultra-mobile personal computer (UMPC), handheld computer, netbook, personal digital assistant (PDA), or mobile phone, or it may be an Internet of Things node in the Internet of Things, or it may be an in-vehicle communication device in the Internet of Vehicles. Alternatively, the STA MLD may be a chip and processing system in the aforementioned terminal.

[0091] The AP MLD in the embodiment of the present application is a device that provides services to the STA MLD and may support the 802.11 series of protocols. For example, the AP MLD may be a communication entity such as a communication server, a router, a switch, or a bridge, or may include various types of macro base stations, micro base stations, and relay stations. Indeed, the AP MLD may alternatively be a chip and processing system within various types of devices to implement the methods and functions in the embodiment of the present application. In addition, the multi-link device may support high-speed and low-latency transmission. With the continuous development of application scenarios for wireless local area networks, multi-link devices can be further applied to more scenarios, such as serving as sensor nodes in smart cities (e.g., smart water meters, smart power meters, or smart air detection nodes), smart devices in smart homes (e.g., smart cameras, projectors, display screens, televisions, stereos, refrigerators, or washing machines), nodes in the Internet of Things, entertainment terminals (e.g., AR, VR, or other wearable devices), smart devices in smart offices (e.g., printers or projectors), Internet of Vehicles devices in the Internet of Vehicles, or infrastructure in everyday life scenarios (e.g., vending machines, self-service navigation consoles, self-checkout devices, or self-service food machines). The specific forms of STA MLD and AP MLD are not particularly limited in the embodiments of the present application and are merely illustrative examples for the purposes of explanation herein. Furthermore, the 802.11 protocol may support 802.11be or be a protocol compatible with 802.11be.

[0092] The frequency bands in which a multi-link device operates may include, but are not limited to, sub 1 GHz, 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, 6 GHz, and high frequency 60 GHz.

[0093] For example, the multi-link device in the embodiment of the present application may be a single-antenna device or a multi-antenna device. For example, the multi-link device in the embodiment of the present application may be a device having more than two antennas. The number of antennas provided in the multi-link device is not limited in this embodiment of the present application. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing a structure in which the AP MLD has multiple antennas and the STA MLD has a single antenna. The 802.11 standard focuses on the physical layer (PHY) and media access control (MAC) layer parts of the AP MLD and the STA MLD.

[0094] 2. Link Identifier

[0095] A link identifier represents one station operating on one link. In other words, if there are multiple stations on one link, multiple link identifiers are needed to represent the multiple stations. A link, as described below, sometimes represents a station operating on a link.

[0096] During data transmission, the AP MLD and the STA MLD may use the link identifier to identify the link or the station on the link. Before communication, the AP MLD and the STA MLD may first negotiate or communicate with each other about the correspondence between the link identifier and the link or the station on the link. Therefore, during data transmission, the link identifier is carried without transmitting a large amount of signaling information to indicate the link or the station on the link. This reduces signaling overhead and improves transmission efficiency.

[0097] In one example, a management frame, such as a beacon frame, transmitted by an AP MLD when establishing a Basic Service Set (BSS) carries one element. The element includes multiple link identifier information fields. The link identifier information field may indicate a correspondence between a link identifier and a station operating on the link corresponding to the link identifier. The link identifier information field not only includes the link identifier but also one or more of a Media Access Control (MAC) address, an operating class, and a channel number. One or more of the MAC address, the operating class, and the channel number may indicate a link. For an AP, the MAC address of the AP is the AP's basic service set identifier (BSSID). In another example, in a multilink device association process, the AP MLD and the STA multilink device negotiate multiple link identifier information fields. A multilink device association means that an AP in the AP MLD is associated with a STA in the STA MLD once. This association can help multiple STAs in a STA MLD to associate with multiple APs in an AP MLD, and one STA to associate with one AP.

[0098] In subsequent communications, the AP MLD or STA multi-link device identifies or represents stations within the STA multi-link device by using a link identifier. The link identifier may further represent one or more attributes of the station's MAC address, operating class, and channel number. The MAC address may be replaced with the association identifier of the associated AP MLD. Optionally, when multiple stations operate on one link, the meaning represented by the link identifier (which is a numerical ID) includes not only the operating class and channel number to which the link is assigned, but also the identifier of the station operating on the link, such as the station's MAC address or the station's association identifier (AID).

[0099] 3. Traffic Indication Map Elements

[0100] The traffic indication map (TIM) beacon frame and the delivery traffic indication map (DTIM) beacon frame each carry a traffic indication map (TIM) element. The frame format of the TIM element field is shown in Figure 2.

[0101] Element Identifier (ID) Field: The element identifier field is used to identify that the element shown in FIG. 2 is a TIM element.

[0102] Length field: The length field indicates the length of the TIM element and counts the total length of the fields following the length field. Specifically, it counts the total length of the DTIM count field, DTIM period field, bitmap control field, and partial virtual bitmap field in bytes.

[0103] DTIM Count Field: The DTIM Count field indicates the number of remaining TIM beacon frames between the current beacon frame carrying a TIM element and the arrival of the next DTIM beacon frame. That is, the DTIM Count field is a count value, and the count value is variable. A value of 0 in the DTIM Count field indicates that the current beacon frame is a DTIM beacon frame. A value of 0 or non-zero in the DTIM Count field indicates that the current beacon frame is a TIM beacon frame.

[0104] DTIM Period Field: The DTIM Period field indicates the period duration, i.e., the interarrival time, of the DTIM beacon frame. The interarrival time is measured in units of the TIM beacon frame period. For example, if the DTIM Period is set to 1, the DTIM count in each TIM element field is equal to 0; in other words, each beacon frame is a DTIM beacon frame.

[0105] Bitmap control field: As shown in Figure 2, bit 0 in the bitmap control field indicates whether the access point AP will transmit group-addressed data traffic after transmitting a DTIM beacon frame. In other words, bit 0 of the bitmap control field in the DTIM beacon frame indicates whether the AP will buffer group-addressed traffic, and indicates that group-addressed traffic will not be transmitted by using the group-addressing AID. Bits 1 through 7 in the bitmap control field indicate the offset of the partial virtual bitmap, and the offset is in bytes (i.e., 8 bits).

[0106] Partial Virtual Bitmap: Each bit in the Partial Virtual Bitmap field corresponds to one association identifier (AID) and indicates whether the station corresponding to the AID has unicast traffic. Alternatively, each bit in the Partial Virtual Bitmap field corresponds to one group addressing AID and indicates whether the group of stations corresponding to the group addressing AID has downlink traffic. The Partial Virtual Bitmap field is a part of some bits in the Traffic Indication Virtual Bitmap field, which has 251 bytes and indicates whether the stations corresponding to AID 0 to AID 2007 have downlink traffic.

[0107] The Element ID field, Length field, DTIM Count field, DTIM Period field, and Bitmap Control field each occupy one byte.

[0108] Although embodiments of the present application are described using an IEEE 802.11-deployed network as an example, those skilled in the art will readily understand that various aspects of the present application can be extended to other networks using different standards or protocols, such as BLUETOOTH (Bluetooth®), High Performance Radio LAN (HIPERLAN) (a wireless standard similar to the IEEE 802.11 standard and used primarily in Europe), a wide area network (WAN), a wireless local area network (WLAN), a personal area network (PAN), or another known or later-developed network. Thus, various aspects provided herein are applicable to any suitable wireless network regardless of coverage and wireless access protocol.

[0109] The wireless local area network of FIG. 3(a) is used as an example to describe a communication system 100 to which an embodiment of the present application is applied. The communication system 100 includes a station 101 and a station 102. The station 101 may communicate with the station 102 via multiple links to improve throughput. The station 101 may be a multi-link device, and the station 102 may be a single-link device, a multi-link device, or the like. In one scenario, the station 101 is an AP MLD, and the station 102 is a STA MLD or station (e.g., a single-link station). In another scenario, the station 101 is an STA MLD, and the station 102 is an AP (e.g., a single-link AP) or an AP MLD. In yet another scenario, the station 101 is an AP MLD, and the station 102 is an AP MLD or an AP. In yet another scenario, the station 101 is an STA MLD, and the station 102 is a STA MLD or STA (e.g., a single-link station). Indeed, the wireless local area network may include additional devices. The number and types of devices shown in Figure 3(a) are merely examples.

[0110] 3(b) and 3(c) show schematic diagrams of the structure of the communication system 200 and the communication system 300. In the communication system 200 and the communication system 300, an example is used in which a multi-link device in a wireless local area network communicates with other devices via multiple links.

[0111] Figure 3(b) shows a scenario in which an AP MLD communicates with a STA MLD. The AP MLD includes affiliate AP1 and affiliate AP2. The STA MLD includes affiliate STA1 and affiliate STA2. The AP MLD and the STA MLD communicate in parallel on link 1 and link 2.

[0112] 3(c) illustrates a scenario in which an AP MLD 601 communicates with a STA MLD 602, a STA MLD 603, and a STA 604. The AP MLD 601 includes affiliate APs 601-1 through 601-3. The STA MLD 602 ​​includes three affiliate STAs, STA 602-1, STA 602-2, and STA 602-3. The STA MLD 603 includes two affiliate STAs, STA 603-1 and STA 603-2. The STAs 604-1 and 604 are single-link devices. The AP MLD 601 may communicate with the STA MLD 602 ​​using Link 1, Link 2, and Link 3 separately, with the STA MLD 603 using Link 2 and Link 3, and with the STA 604 using Link 1. In one example, STA 604 operates in the 2.4 GHz frequency band. In STA MLD 603, STA 603-1 operates in the 5 GHz frequency band, and STA 603-2 operates in the 6 GHz frequency band. In STA MLD 602, STA 602-1 operates in the 2.4 GHz frequency band, STA 602-2 operates in the 5 GHz frequency band, and STA 602-3 operates in the 6 GHz frequency band. AP 601-1, operating in the 2.4 GHz frequency band in AP MLD 601, may perform uplink or downlink data transmission with STA 604 and STA 602-2 in STA MLD 602 ​​via link 1. AP 601-2 operating in the 5 GHz frequency band with AP MLD 601 may perform uplink or downlink data transmission with STA 603-1 operating in the 5 GHz frequency band with STA MLD 603 via link 2, and may also perform uplink or downlink data transmission with STA 602-2 operating in the 5 GHz frequency band with STA MLD 602 ​​via link 2. AP 601-3 operating in the 6 GHz frequency band with AP MLD 601 may perform uplink or downlink data transmission with STA 602-3 operating in the 6 GHz frequency band with STA MLD 602 ​​via link 3, and may also perform uplink or downlink data transmission with STA 603-2 in the STA MLD via link 3.

[0113] Note that Figure 3(b) only shows that the AP MLD supports two frequency bands. Figure 3(c) only shows an example in which the AP MLD 601 supports three frequency bands (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz), each frequency band corresponds to one link, and the AP MLD 601 can operate on one or more links, link 1, link 2, or link 3. On the AP side or the STA side, the link here can be further understood as a station operating on the link. In actual applications, the AP MLD and the STA MLD may support more or fewer frequency bands. In other words, the AP MLD and the STA MLD may operate on more or fewer links. This is not limited in this embodiment of the present application.

[0114] Currently, a single-link device, such as a station STA in energy-saving mode, periodically monitors the arrival of a traffic indication map (TIM) beacon frame and determines whether there is group-addressed traffic after a delivery traffic indication map (DTIM) beacon frame based on bit 0 of the bitmap control field in the TIM beacon frame. However, in a multi-link device scenario, we assume that bit 0 in the bitmap control field is also used to determine whether there is group-addressed traffic after a DTIM beacon frame. In this case, in the communication system shown in Figures 3(a) to 3(c), each STA in the STA MLD needs to periodically monitor the arrival of TIM beacon frames on the link and, based on the value of bit 0 in the bitmap control field of the TIM beacon frame monitored by the STA, determine whether the AP of the link will send group-addressed traffic after transmitting the DTIM beacon frame. If there is group-addressed traffic, the STA receives the group-addressed traffic sent by the AP after receiving the corresponding DTIM beacon frame. Group-addressed traffic is transmitted immediately after the DTIM beacon frame, for example, after the SIFS (short inter-frame space) time following the DTIM beacon frame.

[0115] In the 802.11 protocol, a STA generally has two operating modes: non-power save mode and power save mode. When a STA operates in non-power save mode, the STA is in an active state (also referred to as an awake state) regardless of whether there is data to be transmitted on the STA. When a STA operates in power save mode, the STA may be in an active state when transmitting data with the AP. When there is no data transmission between the STA and the AP, the STA may be in a doze state to reduce power consumption. A STA may send a frame to the AP to notify whether the STA is in power save mode. If the power save bit in the frame control field in the MAC header of the frame is set to 1, the AP is notified that the STA is in power save mode. If the power save bit in the frame control field in the MAC header of the frame is set to 0, the AP is notified that the STA is in non-power save mode.

[0116] In the group-addressed traffic transmission method 100 shown in Figure 4, the communication between the AP MLD 601 and the STA MLD 602 ​​in Figure 3(c) is used as an example. STA 602-1 of the STA MLD 602 ​​monitors the arrival of TIM beacon frame 1 on link 1 and needs to know whether the AP 601-1 will transmit group-addressed traffic 1 after transmitting DTIM beacon frame 1 by using bit 0 of the bitmap control field in TIM beacon frame 1. STA 602-2 of the STA MLD 602 ​​monitors the arrival of TIM beacon frame 2 on link 2 and needs to know whether the AP 601-2 will transmit group-addressed traffic 2 after transmitting DTIM beacon frame 2 by using bit 0 of the bitmap control field in TIM beacon frame 2. STA 602-3 of STA MLD 602 ​​monitors the arrival of TIM beacon frame 3 on link 3 and needs to know whether AP 601-3 will transmit group-addressed traffic 3 after transmitting DTIM beacon frame 3 by using bit 0 of the bitmap control field in TIM beacon frame 3. It can be seen that if the number of links of STA MLD 602 ​​continues to increase, the power consumption of STA MLD 602 ​​will increase significantly.

[0117] Therefore, how to reduce the power consumption of STA MLD becomes an urgent problem to be solved.

[0118] The multi-link group addressing traffic transmission method provided in the embodiment of the present application can reduce the power consumption of the STA MLD.

[0119] In the embodiments of the present application, Embodiment 1 and Embodiment 2 are described separately. The difference between Embodiment 1 and Embodiment 2 is that Embodiment 1 is described by using an example in which each bit of group-addressed traffic indication information indicates whether the AP corresponding to that bit has group-addressed traffic, and Embodiment 2 is described by using an example in which the group-addressed traffic indication information is part of some bits in a partial virtual bitmap field in a TIM element.

[0120] Embodiment 1 5 is a multi-link group addressed traffic transmission method 200 according to one embodiment of the present application. The multi-link group addressed traffic transmission method 200 will be described by using an example in which the method 200 is implemented in a communication system including an AP MLD and a STA MLD. The AP MLD includes one or more APs, and the first AP is any one of the one or more APs. The STA MLD includes one or more STAs, and the first STA is any one of the one or more STAs. As described above, a multi-link association can be established between the AP MLD and the STA MLD. The multi-link group addressed traffic transmission method 200 may include, but is not limited to, the following steps:

[0121] Step S201: The first AP of the AP MLD generates group addressing traffic indication information.

[0122] The first AP is any AP in the AP MLD.

[0123] The group addressing traffic indication information may be referred to as a group addressing traffic indication field or a group addressing traffic indication. This is not limited in this embodiment of the present application. The description of the group addressing traffic indication information includes the following two expressions: (1) The group addressing traffic indication information indicates whether one or more APs in the AP MLD have group addressing traffic. (2) The group addressing traffic indication information indicates whether one or more APs in the AP MLD will transmit group addressing traffic after transmitting a DTIM beacon frame. In another example, the description of the group addressing traffic indication information includes the following two expressions: (3) The group addressing traffic indication information indicates whether one or more APs in the AP MLD will buffer group addressing traffic. (4) The group addressing traffic indication information indicates that the group addressing traffic of one or more APs in the AP MLD will not be transmitted in the form of a group addressing AID. In this embodiment of the present application, expression (1) is used as an example of the following description.

[0124] On the one hand, group-addressed traffic may include group-addressed management frames and group-addressed data frames, and the type of frame is indicated by the type field identifier of the frame control field in the MAC header. On the other hand, group-addressed traffic can be classified into broadcast traffic and multicast traffic. In other words, group-addressed traffic transmitted by an AP is sent to stations associated with the AP or stations associated with the AP in a broadcast or group-addressed manner. MLD will be sent to.

[0125] In the same AP MLD, each AP independently transmits group addressing management frames on the link on which the AP operates. The AP transmits the same group addressing data frames to each corresponding STA in the STA MLD associated with the AP on the link on which the AP operates. It can be understood that the group addressing management frames are at the link level and do not need to be received by conventional stations on another link or STA MLDs that have not established an association on the link. This reduces the power consumption of the corresponding stations. Each AP in the AP MLD transmits the same group addressing data frames on each link, so that stations in the single-radio STA MLD do not lose group addressing data frames or do not need to frequently switch links to receive group addressing data frames. In one optional implementation, the group addressing traffic indication information indicates whether one AP in the AP MLD has group addressing traffic. The AP may be the first AP or another AP in the AP MLD other than the first AP. 3(c), the first AP is AP 601-1, and the group-addressed traffic indication information generated by AP 601-1 may indicate whether AP 601-2 of AP MLD 601 has group-addressed traffic. Alternatively, the group-addressed traffic indication information generated by AP 601-1 may indicate whether AP 601-1 of AP MLD 601 has group-addressed traffic.

[0126] In another optional implementation, the group addressing traffic indication information indicates whether multiple APs in the AP MLD have group addressing traffic. The multiple APs may be a portion of the APs in the AP MLD or all APs in the AP MLD. For example, in FIG. 3(c), the first AP is AP 601-1, and AP 601-1 generates group addressing traffic indication information. The group addressing traffic indication information may indicate whether AP 601-1 in the AP MLD 601 has group addressing traffic and whether AP 601-2 has group addressing traffic. Alternatively, the group addressing traffic indication information may indicate whether AP 601-1 in the AP MLD 601 has group addressing traffic, whether AP 601-2 has group addressing traffic, and whether AP 601-3 has group addressing traffic.

[0127] In one optional implementation, each bit of the group addressing traffic indication information corresponds to each AP of the AP MLD. The value of each bit indicates whether the AP corresponding to that bit has group addressing traffic, or each bit indicates whether the AP corresponding to that bit has group addressing traffic. Optionally, each bit of the group addressing traffic indication information corresponds to each AP of the AP MLD based on the size of the identifier of the link on which the AP of the AP MLD operates. In other words, the bit order of the group addressing traffic indication information corresponds to the order of the link identifier, and the link identifier is the identifier of the link on which each AP of the AP MLD operates.

[0128] In another implementation, bits of the group addressing traffic indication information correspond one-to-one with links (or APs in AP MLD). For example, each bit of the group addressing traffic indication information is used with each link identifier. Optionally, each bit of the group addressing traffic indication information is placed in a target beacon transmission time (TBTT) information field in a reduced neighbor report (RNR) element. In particular, an MLD (multi-link device) parameters subfield shown in FIG. 5 is added to the TBTT information field, and the MLD parameters subfield includes a multi-link device identifier (MLD ID), a link ID, a change sequence, and a group addressing traffic indication. The multilink device identifier indicates the identifier of the MLD in which the reported AP is located, the link identifier is used to identify the sequence number of the reported AP in the AP MLD, the change sequence number indicates the update count value of the key BSS parameters of the reported AP, and the group addressing traffic indication indicates whether the reported AP has group addressing traffic. The group addressing traffic indication may occupy one bit. Optionally, the group addressing traffic may include group addressing management frame traffic and group address data frame traffic. In one implementation, the group addressing management frame traffic and group addressing data frame traffic are indicated by two fields. For example, each field occupies one bit.In particular, the group-addressed management frame traffic indication and the group-addressed data frame traffic indication indicate whether the reported AP has corresponding group-addressed management frame traffic or corresponding group-addressed data frame traffic, respectively. In another implementation, only one of the group-addressed management frame traffic and the group-addressed data frame traffic can be indicated by using one field. For example, the group-addressed management frame traffic indication field indicates whether the reported AP has corresponding group-addressed management frame traffic, or the group-addressed data frame traffic indication field indicates whether the reported AP has corresponding group-addressed data frame traffic.

[0129] Optionally, an AP sending group-addressed traffic indication information may still indicate whether the AP has downlink group-addressed traffic by using the existing method, i.e., bit 0 of the bitmap control field in the TIM element.

[0130] Generally, the RNR element is used to allow unassociated stations to discover neighboring APs, but associated stations may ignore interpreting the RNR element. Therefore, this embodiment of the present application provides a method for indicating whether a group-addressed traffic indication is present in the RNR element. Specifically, this method is implemented by using a capability information field in a beacon frame or a probe response frame. A group-addressed traffic flag is added to the capability information field to indicate whether at least one reported AP in the RNR element has group-addressed traffic. The group-addressed traffic flag may be indicated by using a bit. For example, if a bit in the group-addressed traffic flag is set to 1, it indicates that at least one reported AP has group-addressed traffic. In an equivalent alternative, the bit may alternatively be set to 0, indicating that at least one reported AP has group-addressed traffic. As shown in FIG. 5b, the group-addressed traffic flag is added to the capability information field in the probe response frame. When the capability information field indicates a value of "group-addressed traffic is present," an associated or unassociated station may be instructed to interpret the RNR element. The capability information field shown in FIG. 5b may further include a change sequence number updated flag (CSN updated flag) that indicates whether the value of the change sequence number field of the reported APs changes. When the CSN updated flag indicates that the value of the change sequence number field of at least one reported AP changes, an associated or unassociated station may be instructed to interpret the RNR element.

[0131] Alternatively, in another implementation, as shown in FIG. 5c, an RNR flag is added to the capability element to indicate whether the value of the change sequence number field of at least one reported AP changes or whether there is group-addressed traffic, in other words, to indicate that stations should interpret the RNR element. The RNR flag may be represented by a single bit. When the value of the RNR flag is set to 1, this indicates that at least one reported AP "has group-addressed traffic" or indicates that the value of the change sequence number field of at least one reported AP changes, and indicates that associated or unassociated stations should interpret the RNR element. Indeed, in an equivalent alternative, the value of the RNR flag herein is set to 1. Alternatively, the value of the RNR flag may be set to 0, thereby indicating that at least one reported AP "has group-addressed traffic" or indicates that the value of the change sequence number field of at least one reported AP changes.

[0132] In the two implementation forms shown in Figures 5b and 5c, the capability information field further includes an ESS (extended service set) field, an IBSS (independent basic service set) field, a Privacy field, a Short Preamble field, a Spectrum Management field, a QoS (quality of service) field, a Short Slot Time field, an APSD (automatic power save delivery) field, a Radio Measurement field, and an EPD (Ethertype Protocol Discrimination) field. For details, see Protocol 802.11 REVmd D 3.0. At the station end, for example, an associated station or an associated station MLD, whether to parse the RNR element can be selected by using a 1-bit RNR flag added to the capability element of a beacon frame, a 1-bit group-addressed traffic flag, or a probe response frame, or by default, the RNR element is always parsed.

[0133] For a better understanding of this embodiment of the present application, the RNR elements mentioned in the previous embodiment are explained below.

[0134] Reduced Neighbor Report element: An AP includes a Reduced Neighbor Report element in a management frame, such as a beacon frame or a probe response frame. During scanning, a STA receives the management frame sent by the AP, obtains information about surrounding APs based on the Reduced Neighbor Report element in the management frame, and then selects a suitable AP for association.

[0135] In particular, the RNR element typically carries one or more Neighbor AP info fields to describe information about one or more neighboring APs and the BSSs to which they belong. This information is hereinafter referred to as reduced neighbor AP information. Figure 5d shows the indication format. The fields included in the Reduced Neighbor Report element are shown in the figure.

[0136] The TBTT info header (target beacon transmission time, TBTT) field carries the following information:

[0137] TBTT info field type field: The TBTT info field type field indicates the type of the TBTT info field, which, together with the TBTT info length field, indicates the format of the TBTT info field.

[0138] Filtered Neighbor AP Field: The Filtered Neighbor AP field indicates whether the SSIDs of all BSSs carried in the Neighbor AP info field match the SSIDs in the probe request frame.

[0139] Reserved field (1 bit).

[0140] TBTT info count field: The TBTT info count field indicates the number of TBTT info fields included in the TBTT info set.

[0141] TBTT info Length field: The TBTT info length field indicates the length of each TBTT information field. Table 1 shows the format of specific information carried for different lengths. [Table 1]

[0142] Next, as shown in FIG. 5e, a specific format of the TBTT information (TBTT info) field when the TBTT information length is 12 bytes is shown.

[0143] Neighbor AP Target Beacon Transmission Time Offset (Neighbor AP TBTT Offset) field: The Neighbor AP TBTT Offset field indicates the beacon transmission time offset between the neighbor AP and the reporting AP.

[0144] BSS Identifier (BSSID) field: The BSS Identifier field indicates the BSS identifier corresponding to the neighbor AP.

[0145] Short Service Set Identifier (Short SSID) field: The Short Service Set Identifier field indicates the service set identifier to which the neighbor AP belongs.

[0146] The 20MHz power spectral density indicates the specified transmit power, which is the power spectrum density (PSD) equivalent isotropically radiated power (EIRP) and its unit is dBm / MHz.

[0147] BSS Parameter field: The BSS Parameter field indicates the relevant parameters of the neighboring APs. As shown in Fig. 5e, the BSS Parameter field includes the following information:

[0148] On-channel tunneling mechanism recommended (OCT recommended) field: The on-channel tunneling mechanism recommended indicates that the neighboring AP expects to exchange management-type MPDUs with the reporting AP by using the OCT mechanism.

[0149] Same Service Set Identifier (Same SSID) field: The Same Service Set Identifier indicates whether the neighbor AP and the reporting AP have the same SSID.

[0150] Multiple Basic Service Set Identifier (Multiple BSSID) field: The Multiple Basic Service Set Identifier indicates whether the neighboring AP is part of a multiple BSSID set.

[0151] Transmitted Basic Service Set Identifier (Transmitted BSSID) field: The Transmitted Basic Service Set Identifier indicates whether the neighboring AP is a Transmitted BSSID or a non-transmitted BSSID if the neighboring AP is part of a multiple BSSID set.

[0152] Member Of ESS With 2.4 / 5 GHz Co-Located AP Field: The Member Of ESS With 2.4 / 5 GHz Co-Located AP field indicates whether the neighboring AP shares a location with a 2.4 / 5 GHz AP (in other words, whether the neighboring AP is a 6 GHz only AP) and indicates that the neighboring AP is a member of the extended service set.

[0153] Unsolicited Probe Response Active field: The Unsolicited Probe Response Active field indicates whether the neighboring AP has enabled active probe responses.

[0154] Co-located AP field: The co-located AP field indicates whether the neighbor AP and the reporting AP are co-located.

[0155] For example, the AP MLD 601 includes three APs, and the group addressing traffic indication information is three bits, each corresponding to one of the three APs in descending order of the identifiers of the links on which the three APs operate. Assume that the identifiers of the links on which the three APs operate are as follows: If the link identifier of AP 601-1 is 3, the link identifier of AP 601-2 is 2, and the link identifier of AP 601-3 is 1, then the first bit of the group addressing traffic indication information corresponds to AP 601-1, the second bit of the group addressing traffic indication information corresponds to AP 601-2, and the third bit of the group addressing traffic indication information corresponds to AP 601-3. If the group addressing traffic indication information is 011, then this indicates that AP 601-1 does not have group addressing traffic, and AP 601-2 and AP 601-3 have group addressing traffic. Indeed, the three bits may correspond to the three APs in ascending order of the identifiers of the links on which the three APs operate.

[0156] In an optional implementation, the number of bits of the group addressing traffic indication information may alternatively be a fixed value. In the fixed number of bits, bits other than the bit corresponding to the number of APs may be set to zero by default. For example, the fixed number of bits is 4 bits, with the three most significant bits corresponding to the three APs of the AP MLD and one subsequent bit set to 0. That is, the fixed number of bits may be more than the number of APs of the AP MLD.

[0157] S202: The first AP sends group addressing traffic indication information.

[0158] S203: The first STA of the STA MLD receives the group-addressed traffic indication information.

[0159] The first STA is a station managed by the first AP or a peripheral station. The stations surrounding the first AP include stations managed by the first AP and unassociated stations. Next, the group-addressed traffic transmission method in this embodiment of the present application will be described by using a station managed by an AP as an example. Optionally, the first STA may be any station in the STA MLD, and may know whether each AP or some APs in the AP MLD have group-addressed traffic. Therefore, any station in the STA MLD may receive group-addressed traffic indication information from the AP associated with the station.

[0160] S204: The first STA determines, based on the group-addressed traffic indication information, whether one or more APs in the AP MLD have group-addressed traffic.

[0161] In one implementation, the multilink group-addressed traffic transmission method further includes: For an AP having group-addressed traffic in the AP MLD, the AP may transmit the group-addressed traffic after transmitting the DTIM beacon frame to be transmitted next after the group-addressed traffic indication information. Correspondingly, a station operating on the AP's link in the STA MLD may receive the DTIM beacon frame on the link and receive the subsequent group-addressed traffic. In particular, a station operating on the AP's link in the STA MLD may receive and analyze the group-addressed management frame after the DTIM beacon frame on the link, and discard the group-addressed data frame after the DTIM beacon frame on a link other than the link on which the first STA is located. In this case, the first STA in the STA MLD has already received the corresponding group-addressed data frame on the first STA's link. Optionally, the DTIM frame is the next DTIM beacon frame after the group-addressed traffic indication information. Optionally, the first AP may also have group-addressed traffic, and the first AP may transmit the group-addressed traffic after transmitting the DTIM beacon frame to be transmitted next after the group-addressed traffic indication information. Correspondingly, the first STA may receive the DTIM beacon frame after the group-addressed traffic indication information and receive the group-addressed traffic after the DTIM beacon frame.

[0162] In this embodiment of the present invention, the group-addressed traffic indication information may be carried in a management frame, for example, a beacon frame, a TIM frame, a data frame, a control frame, or another frame.

[0163] Optionally, the group-addressed traffic indication information may be placed in a DTIM beacon frame, and the beacon frame is a DTIM beacon frame in which the group-addressed traffic indication information is placed. In other words, for beacon frames, the group-addressed traffic indication information transmitted by the first AP may be placed only in the DTIM beacon frame. In particular, for an AP that has group-addressed traffic and is an AP in AP MLD, the AP may transmit the group-addressed traffic after transmitting the next DTIM beacon frame to be transmitted after the group-addressed traffic indication information. Correspondingly, a station corresponding to the AP may know that the AP has group-addressed traffic based on the group-addressed traffic indication information, receive the DTIM beacon frame, and receive the group-addressed traffic after receiving the DTIM beacon frame. In particular, a station in STA MLD operating on a link of the AP may receive and analyze group-addressed management frames after a DTIM beacon frame on the link, and discard group-addressed data frames after a DTIM beacon frame on links other than the link on which the first STA is located. In this case, the first STA in the STA MLD has already received the corresponding group-addressed data frame on the first STA's link. Optionally, the first AP also has group-addressed traffic, and the first AP may transmit the group-addressed traffic after the DTIM beacon frame carrying the group-addressed traffic indication information. Correspondingly, the first STA may receive the group-addressed traffic after the DTIM beacon frame carrying the group-addressed traffic indication information.

[0164] For example, in the communication system 300 shown in FIG. 3(c), assume that the group addressing traffic indication information transmitted by the AP 601-2 in the AP MLD 601 is 111, the first bit of the group addressing traffic indication information corresponds to the AP 601-1, the second bit of the group addressing traffic indication information corresponds to the AP 601-2, and the third bit of the group addressing traffic indication information corresponds to the AP 601-3. As shown in FIG. 3, the AP 601-2 communicates with the STA 603-1 in the STA MLD 603 and the STA 602-2 in the STA MLD 602 ​​on link 2. Therefore, the STA 603-1 and the STA 602-2 are monitoring and may detect that the group addressing traffic indication information transmitted by the AP 601-2 is 111.

[0165] In one implementation, the STA 602-2 may determine that the AP 601-1, the AP 601-2, and the AP 601-3 each have group-addressed traffic. Furthermore, the STA 602-1, operating on link 1 of the AP 601-1 in the STA MLD 602, monitors for the arrival of a DTIM beacon frame 1 and subsequent group-addressed traffic 1. The STA 602-2, operating on link 2 of the AP 601-2 in the STA MLD 602, monitors for the arrival of a DTIM beacon frame 2 and subsequent group-addressed traffic 2. The STA 602-3, operating on link 3 of the AP 601-3 in the STA MLD 602, monitors for the arrival of a DTIM beacon frame 3 and subsequent group-addressed traffic 3.

[0166] In another implementation, if group-addressed traffic indication information is carried in the DTIM beacon frame, the STA 602-2 that receives the DTIM beacon frame may receive group-addressed traffic after the DTIM beacon frame. Other STAs in the STA MLD 602 ​​also need to receive the DTIM beacon frame and subsequent group-addressed traffic on their respective links.

[0167] Optionally, the STA 604 may alternatively monitor the arrival of group-addressed traffic indication information on link 1. However, if the STA 604 does not care whether other APs indicated by the group-addressed traffic indication information have group-addressed traffic, the STA 604 may not receive the group-addressed traffic of these APs. If the STA 604 cares whether other APs indicated by the group-addressed traffic indication information have group-addressed traffic, for example, if the STA 604 has frequency band selection and reception capabilities, the STA 604 may know whether other APs have group-addressed traffic based on the group-addressed traffic indication information.

[0168] For STA MLD 603, STA 603-1 may determine that AP 601-1, AP 601-2, and AP 601-3 each have group-addressed traffic, and that STA MLD 603 has no stations operating on link 1 of AP 601-1. Thus, STA 603-1 operating on link 2 of AP 601-2 in STA MLD 603 monitors for the arrival of DTIM beacon frame 2 and subsequent group-addressed traffic 2. STA 603-2 operating on link 3 of AP 601-3 in STA MLD 603 monitors for the arrival of DTIM beacon frame 3 and subsequent group-addressed traffic 3.

[0169] In another implementation, if group-addressed traffic indication information is carried in the DTIM beacon frame, the STA 603-1 that receives the DTIM beacon frame may receive group-addressed traffic after the DTIM beacon frame. The other STAs in the STA MLD 603 also need to receive the DTIM beacon frame and subsequent group-addressed traffic on their respective links.

[0170] It should be noted that monitoring as referred to in the present invention may also be understood as receiving.

[0171] 6 illustrates a multilink group-addressed traffic transmission method 300 between an AP MLD 601 and a STA MLD 602 ​​in this example. As illustrated in FIG. 6, the STA MLD 602 ​​may use the STA 602-2 to monitor the arrival of group-addressed traffic indication information transmitted by the AP 601-2 to determine whether the APs 601-1 and 601-3 have group-addressed traffic. In the group-addressed traffic transmission method 100 illustrated in FIG. 4, each STA in the STA MLD 602 ​​needs to use a TIM beacon frame to monitor the arrival of a TIM beacon frame transmitted by the AP MLD 601 on each link to determine whether the AP MLD 601 transmits group-addressed traffic after the DTIM beacon frame. Compared with method 100, this method significantly reduces the power consumption of the STA MLD 602.

[0172] It can be seen that in this embodiment of the present application, the first AP in the AP MLD may generate and transmit group-addressed traffic indication information, and the group-addressed traffic indication information can indicate whether the AP in the AP MLD has group-addressed traffic. The AP may be the first AP or an AP other than the first AP in the AP MLD, so that the STA in the STA MLD can know whether the AP associated with the STA has group-addressed traffic or whether another AP in the AP MLD has group-addressed traffic. Compared with a scheme in which each STA in the STA MLD can only monitor whether the AP associated with the STA has group-addressed traffic, this embodiment of the present application can improve the flexibility of notifying group-addressed traffic through the AP MLD.

[0173] In this embodiment of the present application, the first AP of the AP MLD may generate and transmit group addressing indication information. The group addressing traffic indication information can indicate whether each AP of the AP MLD or some of the APs among the multiple APs has group addressing traffic, so that one station of the STA MLD can know whether multiple APs have group addressing traffic. Compared with a system in which each STA of the STA MLD can only monitor whether the AP associated with the STA has group addressing traffic, this embodiment of the present application can reduce the power consumption of the STA MLD.

[0174] In this embodiment of the present application, one or more APs in the AP MLD may send group-addressed traffic indication information, and one or more STAs in the STA MLD may monitor the arrival of group-addressed traffic indication information. Next, an optional implementation will be described.

[0175] Case 1: AP transmitting group addressing traffic indication information and STA monitoring the arrival of group addressing traffic indication information

[0176] In one optional implementation, each AP in the AP MLD may transmit group-addressed traffic indication information, and any STA in the STA MLD may monitor for the arrival of group-addressed traffic indication information on one link. Alternatively, any multiple STAs in the STA MLD may monitor for the arrival of group-addressed traffic indication information on the links on which each STA operates. For example, in FIG. 3(c), AP 601-1 and AP 601-3 may also perform steps S201 and S202 and each transmit group-addressed traffic indication information. Any one or more STAs in the STA MLD 602 ​​may monitor for the arrival of group-addressed traffic indication information on the corresponding links. The AP corresponding to each bit in the group-addressed indication information transmitted by each AP is fixed. When multiple STAs in the STA MLD 602 ​​monitor for the arrival of group-addressed traffic indication information on the corresponding links, the multiple STAs may be all or some of the STAs in the STA MLD. This implementation significantly improves the flexibility of monitoring for the arrival of group-addressed traffic indication information by the STA MLD. In addition, one or some of the STAs in the STA MLD may monitor the arrival of group-addressed traffic indication information, which may also reduce the power consumption of the STA MLD to some extent.

[0177] In another optional implementation, the first STA in steps S203 and S204 may be a station operating on a primary link in a STA MLD, and the first STA in the STA MLD monitors for the arrival of group-addressed traffic indication information transmitted by an AP operating on the primary link.

[0178] In yet another optional implementation, the first STA in steps S203 and S204 is a station operating on a primary link in the STA MLD. Optionally, the STA MLD may notify the AP MLD of the primary link on which the STA MLD operates. For example, a station on the primary link in the STA MLD notifies the AP corresponding to the STA in the AP MLD of the station's link identifier. In this way, an AP operating on the primary link in the AP MLD may transmit group-addressed traffic indication information, while another AP may not transmit group-addressed traffic indication information. This may help reduce the power consumption of the AP MLD or help the AP MLD transmit group-addressed traffic indication information more effectively, for example, by repeatedly transmitting group-addressed traffic indication information on multiple links.

[0179] Next, an implementation of how the AP MLD knows the primary link on which the STA MLD operates will be described.

[0180] In one implementation, the AP MLD may obtain the primary link identifier information determined by the STA MLD. For example, the primary link identifier information may include one or more of the following information: an operating class and a channel number corresponding to the primary link, a MAC address (or BSSID) of the primary link, or an identifier (ID) of the primary link. The specific content of the primary link identifier information is not limited in this embodiment of the present application. Any information that can be used to uniquely identify a station operating on the primary link may be the primary link identifier information described in this embodiment of the present application. The primary link MAC address may be the MAC address of the STA operating on the primary link or the MAC address of the AP operating on the primary link. If the primary link MAC address is the MAC address of the AP operating on the primary link, the primary link MAC address may also be referred to as a BSSID.

[0181] In one implementation, when the AP MLD is not associated with the STA MLD, the AP MLD obtaining the identifier information of the primary link may include the following: The AP MLD receives an association request frame from the STA MLD. The link used by the AP MLD to receive the association request frame is the primary link determined by the STA MLD. Alternatively, the association request frame received by the AP MLD carries the link identifier information of the primary link determined by the STA MLD. That is, the AP MLD may determine the station on the link on which the association request frame is received (or the station transmitting the association request frame) as the link identifier of the primary link. Alternatively, the AP MLD obtains the link identifier information of the primary link carried in the association request frame.

[0182] In another implementation, if the AP MLD is already associated with the STA MLD, the AP MLD obtaining link identifier information of the primary link may include: the AP MLD receiving a message frame from the STA MLD, the message frame carrying the link identifier information of the primary link determined by the STA MLD, the message frame being a management frame, a data frame, a control frame, or the like.

[0183] It can be understood that in this implementation, the message frame is used to notify the AP MLD of the changed primary link of the STA MLD. In other words, the primary link identifier information carried in the message frame is the link identifier information of the changed primary link. Optionally, the management frame may further include a change count indicating a countdown before the primary link is changed.

[0184] Optionally, the AP MLD alternatively selects a link as a primary link, and the link identifier of the primary link indicates an AP operating on the primary link. The AP needs to transmit the link identifier of the primary link to stations associated with the AP or peripheral stations. In step S201, the first AP is the AP operating on the primary link. Therefore, the group addressing traffic indication information transmitted by the first AP may indicate whether the first AP operating on the primary link has group addressing traffic. Alternatively, the group addressing traffic indication information may indicate whether an AP operating on the secondary link has group addressing traffic. Alternatively, the group addressing traffic indication information may indicate whether the first AP operating on the primary link has group addressing traffic and whether an AP operating on the secondary link has group addressing traffic. The secondary link is a link on which another AP other than the first AP in the AP MLD operates, or the secondary link includes a link other than the primary link among multiple links.

[0185] In this embodiment of the present application, the group addressing traffic indication information transmitted by the first AP may be a part or all of the bits of the group addressing traffic indication information generated by the first AP. If the group addressing traffic indication information transmitted by the first AP is a part of the bits of the group addressing traffic indication information generated by the first AP, signaling overhead can be reduced. This implementation will now be described.

[0186] Each bit of the group addressing traffic indication information corresponds to each AP of the AP MLD. If none of the APs corresponding to bits before the N1th bit of the group addressing traffic indication information have group addressing traffic, and none of the APs corresponding to bits after the N2th bit have group addressing traffic, the group addressing traffic indication information sent by the first AP may include only the N1th to N2th bits. N1 may be greater than or equal to 0 and less than the total number of bits of the generated group addressing traffic indication information. N2 may be greater than or equal to N1 and less than the total number of bits of the generated group addressing traffic indication information. It can be seen that this implementation helps reduce signaling overhead. In addition, in this case, the group addressing traffic indication information further includes an offset field and a length field. The offset indicates N1, and the length indicates N2-N1+1 of the group addressing traffic information.

[0187] For ease of explanation, hereinafter, the group addressing traffic indication information generated by the first AP is referred to as the first group addressing traffic indication information, and the group addressing traffic indication information transmitted by the first AP is referred to as the second group addressing traffic indication information. The second group addressing traffic indication information may be the same as the first group addressing traffic indication information, or the second group addressing traffic indication information may be a part of the bits of the first group addressing traffic indication information.

[0188] If the second group addressing traffic indication information is part of the bits of the first group addressing traffic indication information, the first AP needs to further transmit an offset and a length. The offset and the length are used by the first STA of the STA MLD to know which AP the bits of the second group addressing traffic indication information correspond to. The offset of the second group addressing traffic indication information relative to the first group addressing traffic indication information is referred to as the offset of the second group addressing traffic indication information for short. If the second group addressing traffic indication information is all the bits of the first group addressing traffic indication information, the first AP may transmit the offset and the length, or may not transmit the offset and the length.

[0189] The first group addressing traffic indication information includes a bit corresponding to each AP of the AP MLD. In addition, the correspondence between each bit of the first group addressing traffic indication information and each AP of the AP MLD may be notified by using the above-mentioned management frame or may be predefined based on the size of the identifier of the link on which each AP operates. Specifically, the total number of bits of the first group addressing traffic indication information may be equal to the total number of APs of the AP MLD. Optionally, the AP MLD may determine that each bit of the first group addressing traffic indication information has a one-to-one correspondence with each AP based on the size of the identifier of the link on which each AP of the AP MLD operates.

[0190] In the following, there are two cases, namely, Case 2.1 and Case 2.2, which describe that the second group addressing traffic indication information is part of the bits of the first group addressing traffic indication information.

[0191] Case 2.1: The second group addressing traffic indication information is all bits starting from byte N1 and ending at byte N2 of the first group addressing traffic indication information, where N1 is greater than or equal to 0 and N2 is greater than or equal to N1.

[0192] Assume that none of the APs corresponding to all bits from bit 0 to bit N1*8-1 of the first group addressing traffic indication information have group addressing traffic, and none of the APs corresponding to bit (N2+1)*8 and all subsequent bits have group addressing traffic, in this case, the second group addressing traffic indication information sent by the first AP may be all bits starting from byte N1 and ending at byte N2 of the first group addressing traffic indication information.

[0193] In this case, the length of the second group addressing traffic indication information sent by the first AP is N2-N1+1, and the offset of the second group addressing traffic indication information is N1. Furthermore, a station managed by the first AP in STA MLD may receive the length and the offset, and determine that the received second group addressing traffic indication information indicates whether the APs corresponding to bit N1*8 to bit ((N2+1)*8-1) have group addressing traffic, determine that the APs corresponding to all bits from bit 0 to bit N1*8-1 do not have group addressing traffic, and determine that the APs corresponding to bit (N2+1)*8 and all subsequent bits do not have group addressing traffic.

[0194] For example, assume that the first group addressing traffic indication information is 3 bytes, and none of the APs corresponding to the bits in byte 0 have group addressing traffic, and none of the APs corresponding to the bits in byte 2 have group addressing traffic. In this case, the second group addressing traffic indication information may include only the bits in byte 1. In this case, the length of the second group addressing traffic indication information is 1 byte, and the offset is 1 byte. In this way, after receiving the second group addressing traffic indication information, the length, and the offset, the first STA may know that the bits in the second group addressing traffic indication information indicate whether the APs corresponding to bits 8 to 15 have group addressing traffic, that none of the APs corresponding to bits in byte 0 have group addressing traffic, and that none of the APs corresponding to bits in byte 2 have group addressing traffic.

[0195] In another implementation, to reduce the signaling overhead required to transmit the offset, in other words, to reduce the number of bits required to indicate the offset, the offset of the second group addressing traffic indication information may be set to N1 / 2, where N1 must be an even number of bytes.

[0196] For example, if the offset sent by the first AP is 0 and the length is 1 byte, the second group addressing traffic indication information sent by the first AP includes bit 0 to bit 7 in the first group addressing traffic indication information. In this way, the first STA can know whether the AP corresponding to bit 0 to bit 7 has group addressing traffic based on the values ​​of bit 0 to bit 7. If the offset sent by the first AP is 1 and the length is 1 byte, the second group addressing traffic indication information sent by the first AP includes byte 2 in the first group addressing traffic indication information, i.e., bit 16 to bit 22. In this way, the first STA can know whether the AP corresponding to bit 16 to bit 22 has group addressing traffic based on the values ​​of bit 16 to bit 22.

[0197] In another example, assume that the offset sent by the first AP is 0, the length is 1 byte, the second group-addressed traffic indication information is 01100110, and bits 0 to 7 correspond to AP1 to AP8 in the AP MLD, respectively. In this case, the first STA may know that AP1, AP4, AP5, and AP8 do not have group-addressed traffic, and AP2, AP3, AP6, and AP7 have group-addressed traffic. Optionally, if bit 0 is predefined as meaningless, i.e., bit 0 does not correspond to any AP, bits 1 to 7 correspond to AP1 to AP7 in the AP MLD, respectively, and the first STA may know that AP1, AP2, AP5, and AP6 have group-addressed traffic, and that AP3, AP4, and AP7 do not have group-addressed traffic.

[0198] In Case 1, the correspondence between each AP in the AP MLD and each bit of the first group addressing traffic indication information is predefined or notified by using a management frame, and the second group addressing traffic indication information is a part of the bits of the first group addressing traffic indication information, thereby reducing signaling overhead.

[0199] Case 2.2: The second group addressing traffic indication information is the bits starting from byte 0 and ending at byte N0-1 of the first group addressing traffic indication information, and the bits starting from byte N1 and ending at byte N2 of the first group addressing traffic indication information.

[0200] In this case, it is assumed that none of the APs corresponding to bit N0*8-1 to bit N1*8-1 of the first group addressing traffic indication information have group addressing traffic, and none of the APs corresponding to bit N2*8 and the following bits have group addressing traffic. In this case, the second group addressing traffic indication information sent by the first AP is the bits starting from byte 0 and ending at byte N0-1 of the first group addressing traffic indication information, and the bits starting from byte N1 and ending at byte N2 of the first group addressing traffic indication information.

[0201] Correspondingly, the length of the second group addressing traffic indication information sent by the first AP is N0+N2-N1+1, and the offset of the second group addressing traffic indication information is N1-N0. Furthermore, a station managed by the first AP in STA MLD receives the length and offset, and the received second group addressing traffic indication information indicates bit 0 to bit (N0-1)*8-1, and can determine whether the APs corresponding to N1*8+1 to bit N2*8-1 have group-addressed traffic, and determine that none of the APs corresponding to bit (N0-1)*8 to bit (N1-1)*8 have group-addressed traffic.

[0202] In one implementation, to reduce the number of bits required for the offset, the offset of the second group addressing traffic indication information sent by the first AP is 1 / 2 of the actual offset. Therefore, in this case, the offset sent by the first AP is (N1-N0) / 2, and the length is N0+N2-N1+1 bytes. In addition, since the offset is (N1-N0) / 2, in this case, if N0 is odd, N1 is also odd. If N0 is even, N1 is also even.

[0203] Embodiment 2 7 is a schematic flow chart of a multilink group addressed traffic transmission method 400. In the multilink group addressed traffic transmission method 400, the group addressing traffic indication information is part of the bits of the partial virtual bitmap field in the traffic indication map TIM element. That is, the group addressing traffic indication information is part of the bits of the partial virtual bitmap field shown in FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 7, the multilink group addressed traffic transmission method 400 includes, but is not limited to, the following steps:

[0204] S401: A first AP of an AP MLD generates group addressing traffic indication information.

[0205] S402: The first AP transmits a TIM element.

[0206] The TIM element may be carried in a beacon frame or in another management frame, e.g., a TIM frame. A partial virtual bitmap field in the TIM element includes group addressing traffic indication information. Specifically, the group addressing traffic indication information is a portion of the bits in the partial virtual bitmap field in the traffic indication map TIM element.

[0207] In addition, as described in embodiment 1, optionally, for beacon frames, group addressing traffic indication information may be carried only in DTIM beacon frames. Optionally, group addressing traffic indication information may be carried in another frame, such as a management frame, a data frame, or a control frame.

[0208] For example, Figure 8 shows the bits of the Partial Virtual Bitmap field in Figure 2. For example, the Partial Virtual Bitmap field has 251 bytes, with each byte containing 8 bits. As shown in Figure 8, byte 0 contains bits 0 to 7, byte 1 contains bits 8 to 15, ..., and the rest can be inferred similarly. Byte 250 contains bits 2000 to 2007.

[0209] In one implementation, the group-addressed traffic indication information is part of consecutive bits in the partial virtual bitmap field. For example, if the group-addressed traffic indication information is bits 1 to 7 in the partial virtual bitmap field in FIG. 8, bits 1 to 7 in the partial virtual bitmap field may indicate whether each AP in the AP MLD has group-addressed traffic.

[0210] In another implementation, the group-addressed traffic indication information is part of non-contiguous bits of the partial virtual bitmap field in Figure 8. For example, if the group-addressed traffic indication information is bit 1, bit 2, and bit 4 in the partial virtual bitmap field, bit 1, bit 2, and bit 4 in the partial virtual bitmap field may indicate whether each AP in the AP MLD has group-addressed traffic.

[0211] S403: The first STA in the STA MLD receives the TIM element.

[0212] S404: The first STA reads the group-addressed traffic indication information of the partial virtual bitmap field from the TIM element, and determines whether one or more APs in the AP MLD have group-addressed traffic.

[0213] For a related description of step S401, please refer to the description of step S201 in the group addressing traffic transmission method 200 shown in Figure 5. The details will not be described again here.

[0214] Optionally, the multi-link group-addressed traffic transmission method 400 further includes: For an AP determined to have group-addressed traffic, STAs operating on the AP's link in the STA MLD receive the group-addressed traffic after the DTIM beacon frame.

[0215] For example, group-addressed traffic indication information may be carried in any beacon frame, including a TIM beacon frame and a DTIM beacon frame, where the DTIM beacon frame is a DTIM beacon frame that follows a TIM beacon frame or a DTIM beacon frame that carries group-addressed traffic indication information.

[0216] In another example, the group-addressed traffic indication information is carried only in the DTIM beacon frame within the beacon frame, where the DTIM beacon frame is a DTIM beacon frame that carries the group-addressed traffic indication information.

[0217] Optionally, the group-addressed traffic indication information may alternatively be carried in another frame, such as a management frame, a data frame, or a control frame.

[0218] In particular, for the method of operating another AP in AP MLD and another STA in STA MLD, please refer to the description in some of the embodiments, and the details will not be described again here.

[0219] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the partial virtual bitmap is a portion of some bits in the traffic indication virtual bitmap field, with each bit corresponding to one AID. Therefore, in this embodiment of the present application, the AP MLD allocates AIDs to APs included in the AP MLD and further indicates individually whether the AP of the AID has group-addressed traffic using the bit corresponding to the AID in the partial virtual bitmap field. That is, the group-addressed traffic indication information is the bit corresponding to the AID. The AID allocated to an AP cannot be used by any AP in the AP MLD to allocate to stations associated with the AP. Furthermore, it can be understood that the AID explicitly or implicitly allocated to an AP cannot be used in a STA MLD that establishes a multilink association with the AP MLD in which the AP is located. The AID allocated to all stations in the STA MLD is the same. "Explicitly" means that the management frames transmitted by the AP carry the association identifier of each AP or each AP other than the first AP in the AP MLD in which the AP is located, as described in Method 1 below. "Implicitly" refers to the AID corresponding to the bit occupied by the AP in the partial virtual bitmap field in the TIM element, as described in Method 2 below.

[0220] It can be seen that in the multi-link group-addressed traffic transmission method 400, the group-addressed traffic indication information is carried in a partial virtual bitmap field in a beacon frame, which can improve the flexibility of group-addressed traffic notification. In addition, when the group-addressed traffic indication information indicates whether there are multiple APs' group-addressed traffic, the power consumption of the STA MLD can also be reduced.

[0221] In the communication system 300 shown in FIG. 3(c), it is assumed that the AIDs of APs 601-1 to 601-3 in AP MLD 601 are AID1, AID2, and AID3. In this case, AID1, AID2, and AID3 correspond to three bits in the partial virtual bitmap field of the TIM beacon frame, respectively. In the multilink group-addressed traffic transmission method 500 shown in FIG. 9, AP 601-2 transmits beacon frame 2, and the partial virtual bitmap field in beacon frame 2 carries group-addressed traffic indication information. STA 602-1 monitors the arrival of beacon frame 2 on link 2 and reads the three bits corresponding to AID1, AID2, and AID3 from the partial virtual bitmap field in beacon frame 2 as 111. In this case, STA 602-1 can know that APs 601-1 to 601-3 each have group-addressed traffic after the corresponding DTIM beacon frame. Additionally, the STAs 602-1 through 602-3 may individually monitor for subsequent group-addressed traffic on the links on which they each operate. In this implementation, it can be seen that the STAs 602-1 and 602-3 in the STA MLD 602 ​​do not periodically monitor for incoming beacon frames to see if the corresponding AP has group-addressed traffic. This reduces the power consumption of the STA MLD 602.

[0222] Optionally, for beacon frames, if group-addressed traffic indication information is carried only in the DTIM beacon frame, the STA 602-1 receiving the DTIM beacon frame may receive group-addressed traffic after the DTIM beacon frame. Other STAs in the STA MLD 602 ​​also need to receive the DTIM beacon frame and subsequent group-addressed traffic on their respective links.

[0223] Next, two AID configuration methods are described. Specifically, in Method 1, the AP MLD explicitly allocates an AID to each AP included in the AP MLD, and the AP MLD allocates an AID to each AP by using association identifier configuration information. In Method 2, the AP MLD implicitly allocates an AID to each AP included in the AP MLD. Specifically, an AID corresponding to the first bit of a portion of consecutive bits in the partial virtual bitmap field that corresponds to group addressing traffic indication information is predefined. The method may further include two cases. Case 3.1 describes a method for predefining an AID corresponding to an AP when the AP in the AP MLD does not operate in multi-BSSID (basic service set identifier) ​​mode. Case 3.2 describes how to allocate an AID to each AP in the AP MLD when one or more APs in the AP MLD operate in multi-BSSID mode. In this case, the AID needs to be further allocated to multiple APs in multiple basic service set identifier sets in the partial virtual bitmap field of the TIM element. Therefore, the AID allocated to each AP in the AP MLD cannot be the same as the AIDs allocated to multiple APs in the multiple basic service set identifier set. In other words, the bits corresponding to each AP in the AP MLD in the partial virtual bitmap field are not repeated with the bits corresponding to multiple non-transmitting APs in the multiple basic service set identifier set in the partial virtual bitmap field.

[0224] Method 1: AP MLD explicitly allocates an AID to each AP contained in the AP.

[0225] Optionally, the AID configuration method includes, but is not limited to, the following steps: a first AP of an AP MLD generates association identifier configuration information, and the association identifier configuration information indicates an association identifier corresponding to each AP of the AP MLD. In particular, the association identifier configuration information includes one or more association identifier partial configuration information, each of the association identifier partial configuration information corresponds to one AP, and the association identifier partial configuration information indicates the association identifier of the AP. AID Optionally, the association sub-configuration information may be carried in a sub-element or field within an MLD element that stores information about a single AP and is used for information about one or more APs in the MLD. The first AP transmits the association identifier configuration information. Each bit of the group addressing traffic indication information indicates whether the AP with the AID corresponding to that bit has group addressing traffic. The AID of each AP corresponds to each bit of the group addressing traffic indication information.

[0226] In step S201, the first AP that generates and sends association identifier configuration information and the first AP that generates and sends group addressing traffic indication information may be the same AP in the AP MLD or different APs in the AP MLD.

[0227] In one implementation, if the AP MLD is not associated with the STA MLD, the association identifier configuration information may be carried in an association response frame transmitted by the STA MLD. In another implementation, if the AP MLD is associated with the STA MLD, the association identifier configuration information may be carried in a management frame transmitted by the STA MLD.

[0228] In this implementation, since the AP MLD allocates an AID to each AP in the AP MLD, the group addressing traffic indication information may be part of the bits of the partial virtual bitmap, or part of the bits may be contiguous or discontinuous.

[0229] Additionally, AIDs corresponding to some bits in the partial virtual bitmap field are assigned to stations, and these bits individually indicate whether the corresponding stations have unicast traffic. Therefore, in this implementation, the association identifiers assigned to each AP in the AP MLD are different from the association identifiers assigned to the stations associated with each AP. In other words, the association identifiers assigned to each AP in the AP MLD may not be assigned by the AP to stations managed by the AP. However, AIDs assigned by different APs to stations managed by the AP are relatively independent. In other words, AIDs assigned by different APs to stations managed by the AP may be the same. For example, in the communication system 300 shown in FIG. 3(c), assume that the AIDs assigned to APs 601-1 to 601-3 in the AP MLD 601 are AID1, AID2, and AID3. In this case, AID1, AID2, and AID3 cannot be allocated to stations associated with AP 601-1 to AP 601-3, such as the STA of STA MLD 602, the STA of STA MLD 603, and STA 604. However, the AID allocated by AP 601-1 to STA 602-1 of STA MLD 602 ​​may be the same as the AID allocated by AP 601-2 to STA 602-2 of STA MLD 602. Even if the AID of STA 602-1 is the same as the AID of STA 602-2, STA 602-1 and STA 602-2 operate on different links, i.e., link 1 and link 2. Therefore, STA 602-1 and STA 602-2 with the same AID will not be confused. It may be further understood that the AIDs explicitly or implicitly assigned to an AP in an AP MLD cannot be used in a STA MLD that establishes a multilink association with the AP MLD where the AP is located. The AIDs assigned to all stations in the STA MLD are the same. "Implicitly" refers to the AIDs corresponding to the bits occupied by the AP in the partial virtual bitmap field in the TIM element, as described in Method 2 below.

[0230] Optionally, since each STA in the STA MLD is in a different basic service set BSS, the AP MLD can allocate an AID to each STA MLD. In other words, the STAs in the STA MLD share one AID, and no confusion occurs. Alternatively, the AP MLD can allocate an AID to each STA in the STA MLD. In other words, each STA in the STA MLD has its own AID.

[0231] In this implementation, an AID is assigned to each AP in the AP MLD, and the partial virtual bitmap field in the TIM element is used to notify the STA MLD whether each AP in the AP MLD has group-addressed traffic. Compared to the method of group-addressed traffic processing 100, in which an AP on each link is notified of the presence of group-addressed traffic by using bit 0 in the bitmap control field in the TIM beacon frame on each link, this implementation can improve the flexibility of group-addressed traffic notification. In addition, when the group-addressed traffic indication information indicates whether multiple APs have group-addressed traffic, the power consumption of the STA MLD can also be reduced.

[0232] For example, in the communication system 300 shown in Figure 3(c), assume that the AIDs allocated to APs 601-1 to 601-3 in AP MLD 601 are AID1, AID2, and AID3, where AID1, AID2, and AID3 each correspond to one of three bits in the partial virtual bitmap field in the TIM element.

[0233] Optionally, the AIDs allocated to the APs in an AP MLD are consecutive.

[0234] Optionally, the partial virtual bitmap field may not carry group addressing traffic indication information of the AP sending the partial virtual bitmap field (referred to as the reporting AP), but may carry group addressing traffic indication information of another AP in the MLD in which the reporting AP is located. The group addressing traffic indication information of the reporting AP is also indicated by bit 0 of the bitmap control field.

[0235] There are two implementations in this specification that do not carry: one is an implementation in which the partial virtual bitmap field carries a bit corresponding to the reporting AP, but the bit is reserved and meaningless; and the other is an implementation in which the partial virtual bitmap field does not carry a bit corresponding to the reporting AP. This is applicable to another embodiment of the present invention, and the details will not be described again.

[0236] Method 2: AP MLD implicitly allocates an AID to each AP contained in the AP.

[0237] When the AP MLD implicitly allocates an AID to each AP included in the AP MLD, it needs to consider whether any AP in the AP MLD operates in the multiple basic service set identifier mode and whether the AP operating in the multiple basic service set identifier mode is a transmitting AP. Therefore, Method 2 is described separately for two cases. Specifically, Case 3.1 describes a method for allocating an AID to each AP included in the AP MLD when none of the APs in the AP MLD operates in the multiple basic service set identifier mode, and Case 3.2 describes a case where one or more APs in the AP MLD operate in the multiple basic service set identifier mode and at least one AP is a transmitting AP in the multiple basic service set identifier set.

[0238] For ease of understanding, the related concept of multiple Basic Service Set Identifiers (BSSIDs) will be explained first.

[0239] In one implementation, a multiple basic service set identifier set (sometimes referred to as a multiple BSSID set) can be understood as a set of several cooperating APs. All cooperating APs use the same operating class, channel number, and antenna interface. In a multiple BSSID set, there is only one transmitting BSSID AP, and the other APs are nontransmitting BSSID APs. Information about the multiple BSSID set (i.e., multiple BSSID elements) is carried in a beacon frame, probe response frame, or neighbor report transmitted by the transmitting BSSID AP. Information about the BSSID of the nontransmitted BSSID AP is derived by a station based on the multiple BSSID element in a beacon frame, probe response frame, neighbor report, or the like. The BSSID of the nontransmitted BSSID AP is calculated using the BSSID of the transmitting BSSID AP and the BSSID Index field in the multiple BSSID-index element in the nontransmitted BSSID profile of the transmitting BSSID AP. For specific methods, see the Draft 802.11REVmd_D 3.0 protocol.

[0240] In another implementation, it may be understood that a multi-BSSID set includes multiple APs, each managing one BSS, and different APs may have different SSIDs and permissions, e.g., security mechanisms or transmission opportunities.

[0241] In a multiple BSSID set, only APs whose BSSID is a transmitted BSSID can send beacon frames and probe response frames. Therefore, when a probe request frame sent by a STA is sent to an AP whose BSSID is a nontransmitted BSSID in a multiple BSSID set, the AP whose BSSID is a transmitted BSSID in the multiple BSSID set must help respond to the probe request frame and send a probe response frame.

[0242] The BSSID of one AP of the multiple APs in the multiple BSSID set is configured as a Transmitted BSSID, and the transmitted BSSID AP may be referred to as a Transmitted AP. The BSSID of another AP is configured as a Nontransmitted BSSID, and the nontransmitted BSSID AP may be referred to as a Nontransmitted AP.

[0243] The frame format of a Multiple BSSID element is shown in Figure 10. The Multiple BSSID element includes an Element ID field, a Length field, a Maximum BSSID Indicator field, and an optional Subelement field. The Maximum BSSID Indicator field indicates the maximum number n of BSSIDs included in the multiple BSSID set, and the optional Subelement field contains information about the BSSIDs of nontransmitted BSSID APs.

[0244] The maximum number of APs allowed in a multiple BSSID set is 2^(N n ) and N nis the value indicated by the MaxBSSID indicator field in the Multiple BSSID element of Figure 7. Therefore, bits 1 to 2^(N) of the Traffic Indication Virtual Bitmap field are used to indicate whether a non-transmitting BSSID AP whose NonTxBSS ID (identifier) ​​is 1 to 2n-1 has group-addressed traffic. n )-1 may be allocated to each non-transmitting BSSID AP in a multiple BSSID set. The value of NonTxBSS ID is equal to the value of the BSSID index field of the multiple BSSID-index element in the nontransmitted BSSID profile of the multiple BSSID element. The nontransmitted BSSID profile is in the optional subelement field.

[0245] Case 3.1: None of the APs in the AP MLD are operating in Multiple Basic Service Set Identifier mode.

[0246] In one implementation, each bit of the group addressing traffic indication information described in S201 corresponds to each AP of the AP MLD. Therefore, the starting bit placement of the group addressing traffic indication information in the partial virtual bitmap field in the TIM element can be determined in a predefined manner.

[0247] That is, the AIDs of APs in the AP MLD are allocated consecutively starting from AID x, e.g., the AIDs are allocated consecutively in descending or ascending order of the size of the identifiers of the links on which the APs operate. AID x is predefined. Alternatively, the first bit or starting bit of the group addressing traffic indication information in the partial virtual bitmap field in the TIM element is predefined.

[0248] In this implementation, some of the bits in the partial virtual bitmap field in the TIM element that correspond to the group addressing traffic indication information are contiguous, in other words, the group addressing traffic indication information corresponds to some of the contiguous bits in the partial virtual bitmap field in the TIM element.

[0249] For example, AP MLD implicitly allocates AIDs to multiple APs in the AP MLD, i.e., allocates a predetermined contiguous segment of AIDs to all APs in the AP MLD. For example, AIDs to all APs in the AP MLD are allocated contiguously by default, starting with AID 1. Assume that the AP MLD has three APs, i.e., AP 1, AP 2, and AP 3. In this case, AID 1, AID 2, and AID 3 are allocated to AP 1, AP 2, and AP 3, respectively, by default.

[0250] By default, AIDs are assigned in the order of the identifiers of the links on which the APs operate. If the link identifiers of AP1, AP2, and AP3 are link identifier 3, link identifier 2, and link identifier 1, respectively, AID3, AID2, and AID1 are assigned to AP1, AP2, and AP3, respectively, by default.

[0251] It can be seen that in this implementation, the AID corresponding to each AP does not need to be signaled to the stations managed by the AP by using an association response frame, management frame, or the like as described in the previous implementations, but is known to the stations by default, which helps reduce signaling overhead.

[0252] In addition, because non-transmitting APs in a multi-BSSID set cannot transmit beacon frames, this implementation is also applicable to scenarios in which one or more APs in an AP MLD operate in multi-BSSID mode, but one or more APs are non-transmitting APs. In other words, none of the APs in the MLD are transmitting APs in the multi-BSSID set.

[0253] Optionally, the partial virtual bitmap field may not carry group addressing traffic indication information of the AP (referred to as the reporting AP) that sends the partial virtual bitmap field, but may carry group addressing traffic indication information of another AP in the MLD where the reporting AP is located. The group addressing traffic indication information of the reporting AP is still indicated by bit 0 of the bitmap control field. In this case, the bits corresponding to the group addressing traffic indication information in the partial virtual bitmap field remain consecutive, and only the group addressing traffic indication information of the reporting AP is skipped. For example, AID1, AID2, and AID3 are implicitly assigned to AP1, AP2, and AP3, respectively, in the AP MLD, or AP1, AP2, and AP3 correspond to bits 1 to 3 in the traffic indication virtual bitmap field. When AP1 sends group addressing traffic indication information, the group addressing traffic indication information only includes group addressing traffic indications of AP2 and AP3, and bits 1 and 2 in the partial virtual bitmap field are used. When AP2 sends group addressing traffic indication information, the group addressing traffic indication information only includes group addressing traffic indications of AP1 and AP3, and bits 1 and 2 in the partial virtual bitmap field are used.

[0254] Case 3.2: One or more APs in the AP MLD operate in multi-BSSID mode, and at least one AP is a transmitting AP in the multi-BSSID set.

[0255] Assume that there are a total of n transmit BSSID APs in the AP MLD, the value indicated by the MaxBSSID indicator field of the multi-BSSID set in which the y-th transmit BSSID AP is located is Ny, and the configuration or pre-definition of bits corresponding to APs in the AP MLD starts from bit x of the Traffic Indication Virtual Bitmap field. Alternatively, assume that there are a total of n APs in the AP MLD, or that n APs belong to the multi-BSSID set. N of the APs not operating in multi-BSSID mode y is equal to 0, and N of the APs operating in multi-BSSID mode are non-transmitting BSSID APs. y is equal to 0, and N of the APs that operate in multi-BSSID mode and are transmit BSSID APs y is equal to the value indicated by the MaxBSSID indicator field of the multi-BSSID set in which the AP is located.

[0256] In one implementation, the group-addressed traffic indication information starts at bit x of the traffic indication virtual bitmap field, where x is max{2^(N1),2^(N2),...,2^(N y ),...,2^(N n )}.

[0257] In other words, the AID corresponding to the first bit of the part of consecutive bits in the partial virtual bitmap field that corresponds to the group-addressed traffic indication information is AID x. Alternatively, the AIDs of the APs in the AP MLD are allocated consecutively from AID x, where x is a number within the range max{2^(N1), 2^(N2), ..., 2^(N y ),...,2^(N n )}. Alternatively, the configuration or pre-definition of bits in the traffic indication virtual bitmap corresponding to APs in AP MLD starts from bit x, where x is a number in the range max{2^(N1),2^(N2),...,2^(N y ),...,2^(N n )}.

[0258] For example, an AP MLD has two APs, AP1 and AP2. Both AP1 and AP2 operate in multiple BSSID mode and are transmit BSSID APs. The Max BSSID indicator field in the multiple BSSID element sent by AP1 is 3, and the Max BSSID indicator field in the multiple BSSID element sent by AP2 is 2. In this case, the maximum number of nontransmitted BSSID APs in the multiple BSSID set supported by AP1 is 7, and the maximum number of nontransmitted BSSID APs in the multiple BSSID set supported by AP2 is 3. Therefore, the starting AID in the AIDs allocated to AP1 and AP2 by AP MLD is AID 8, or the starting bit of AP1 and AP2 in the traffic indication virtual bitmap field is bit 8.

[0259] In addition, this implementation is also applicable to scenarios in which one or more APs in the AP MLD operate in multiple BSSID mode. Optionally, the partial virtual bitmap field does not carry group addressing traffic indication information of the AP (referred to as the reporting AP) that sends the partial virtual bitmap field, but may carry group addressing traffic indication information of another AP in the MLD in which the reporting AP is located. The group addressing traffic indication information of the reporting AP is still indicated by bit 0 in the bitmap control field. In this case, the bits corresponding to the group addressing traffic indication information in the partial virtual bitmap field remain consecutive, and only the group addressing traffic indication information of the reporting AP is skipped. In the above example, the start bit of AP 1 and AP 2 in the traffic indication virtual bitmap field is bit 8, and AP 1 and AP 2 in the AP MLD correspond to bits 8 and 9 in the traffic indication virtual bitmap field. When AP 1 sends group addressing traffic indication information, the group addressing traffic indication information only includes the group addressing traffic indication of AP 2, and bit 8 in the partial virtual bitmap field is used. When AP 2 sends group-addressed traffic indication information, the group-addressed traffic indication information only includes the group-addressed traffic indication of AP 1, and bit 8 in the partial virtual bitmap field is used.

[0260] Similarly, the multilink group addressing traffic transmission method 400 and the multilink group addressing traffic transmission method 500 may alternatively be as described in the multilink group addressing traffic transmission method 200, where one or more APs in the AP MLD transmit beacon frames carrying group addressing traffic indication information, and one or more STAs in the STA MLD monitor the arrival of the beacon frames. The difference lies in that in the multilink group addressing traffic transmission method 400 and the multilink group addressing traffic transmission method 500, the group addressing traffic indication information is carried in a partial virtual bitmap field in the TIM element. Correspondingly, one or more APs in the AP MLD transmit beacon frames, and any number of STAs in the STA MLD monitor the arrival of the beacon frames. It can be seen that this implementation greatly improves the flexibility of the STA MLD to monitor the arrival of group addressing traffic indication information. In addition, one or some of the STAs in the STA MLD monitor the arrival of group addressing traffic indication information, which can also reduce the power consumption of the STA MLD. Optionally, the group-addressed traffic indication information may be carried only in the DTIM beacon frame.

[0261] In another implementation, the first STA in steps S203 and S204 may be a station operating on a primary link in a STA MLD, and the first STA in the STA MLD monitors for the arrival of a beacon frame transmitted by an AP operating on the primary link.

[0262] In yet another implementation, the first STA in steps S203 and S204 is a station operating on a primary link in the STA MLD. Optionally, the STA MLD may notify the AP MLD of the primary link on which the STA MLD operates. For example, a station on the primary link in the STA MLD notifies the AP corresponding to the STA in the AP MLD of the station's link identifier. In this way, an AP operating on the primary link in the AP MLD may transmit a beacon frame, while another AP may not transmit a beacon frame. This may help reduce the power consumption of the AP MLD or help the AP MLD transmit group-addressed traffic indication information more effectively, for example, by repeatedly transmitting group-addressed traffic indication information on multiple links.

[0263] In addition, for the implementation of how the AP MLD knows the primary link on which the STA MLD operates, please refer to the above description, and the details will not be described again here.

[0264] Similarly, in the multilink group addressing traffic transmission method 400 and the multilink group addressing traffic transmission method 500, the group addressing traffic indication information transmitted by the first AP may include bits corresponding to some AIDs of the AP or some AIDs of the station, thereby reducing the bit overhead required by the TIM element. It is assumed that the group addressing traffic indication information is a partial virtual bitmap field in the TIM element, and the partial virtual bitmap field is a portion of the bits of the traffic indication virtual bitmap field. The traffic indication virtual bitmap field of the AP is not transmitted or carried in the TIM element. The length field, offset, and partial virtual bitmap field (i.e., group addressing traffic indication information) in the TIM element in two cases, namely, Case 4.1 and Case 4.2, are described below.

[0265] Case 4.1: This case is applicable to Case 3.1 in Method 1 and Method 2.

[0266] In other words, the relevant content of Case 4.1 is applicable when each AP in AP MLD does not operate in multi-BSSID mode, or when each AP operates in multi-BSSID mode but is a non-transmitting AP. Optionally, this may also be applicable in other cases.

[0267] The group addressing traffic indication information is all bits starting from byte N1 and ending with byte N2 of the traffic indication virtual bitmap field, where N1 is greater than or equal to 0 and N2 is greater than or equal to N1.

[0268] In this case, a compression scheme in the protocol is used. When none of the APs with consecutive association identifiers has group-addressed traffic, the partial virtual bitmap field cannot carry bits corresponding to these association identifiers. That is, the amount of bits of group-addressed traffic indication information in the partial virtual bitmap field is reduced by using an offset in the TIM element.

[0269] The station with the AID corresponding to all bits before the most even byte N1 and following the least even byte N2 in the Traffic Indication Virtual Bitmap field is assumed to have no received downlink traffic or the AP with the corresponding AID is assumed to have no transmitted group-addressed traffic. In this case, the group-addressed traffic indication information is all bits starting from byte N1 to byte N2 in the Traffic Indication Virtual Bitmap field.

[0270] In order to reduce the signaling overhead required to transmit the offset, in other words, to reduce the number of bits required to indicate the offset, the offset of the second group addressing traffic indication information may be set to N1 / 2, where N1 is an even number of bytes.

[0271] In this case, the length field of the TIM element sent by the first AP is N2-N1+1+3, and the offset of the TIM element is (1 / 2)N1. Further, a station managed by the first AP in the STA MLD receives the length and offset, and determines that the group addressing traffic indication information indicates that a station with an AID corresponding to bits N1*8 to ((N2+1)*8-1)) has no received downlink traffic, or that an AP with the corresponding AID has no transmitted group addressing traffic, determines that an AP with an AID corresponding to all bits from bit 0 to bit N1*8-1 has no group addressing traffic, and determines that an AP with an AID corresponding to bits (N2+1)*8 and all subsequent bits has no group addressing traffic.

[0272] For example, if the offset in the TIM element sent by the first AP is 0 and the length field is 4 bytes (i.e., the partial virtual bitmap is 1 byte), the group addressing traffic indication information sent by the first AP is bit 0 to bit 7 in the partial virtual bitmap field. In this way, the AID of the AP is bit 0 From bit 7 If the AID of the AP is within the range of the AID corresponding to bit 0 to bit 7, the first STA can know whether the AP of the AID corresponding to bit 0 to bit 7 has group-addressed traffic based on the value of bit 0 to bit 7. If the AID of the AP is not within the range of the AID corresponding to bit 0 to bit 7, the AP will not send group-addressed traffic to the station associated with the AP or to the neighboring station.

[0273] In another example, when the offset sent by the first AP is 1 and the length is 4 bytes (i.e., the partial virtual bitmap is 1 byte), the group addressing traffic indication information sent by the first AP is byte 2 in the partial virtual bitmap field, i.e., bits 16 to 23. In this way, when the AID of the AP is within the range of the AIDs corresponding to bits 16 to 23, the first STA can know whether the AP of the AID corresponding to bits 16 to 23 has group addressing traffic based on the value of bits 16 to 23. When the AID of the AP is not within the range of the AIDs corresponding to bits 16 to 23, the AP does not send group addressing traffic to the station associated with the AP or the neighboring station.

[0274] In another example, assume that the offset sent by the first AP is 0, the length is 4 bytes, the partial virtual bitmap field is 01100110, and bits 0 to 7 correspond to AP1 to AP8 in the AP MLD, respectively. In this case, the first STA may know that AP1, AP4, AP5, and AP8 do not have group-addressed traffic, and that AP2, AP3, AP6, and AP7 have group-addressed traffic. Optionally, if bit 0 is predefined as meaningless, i.e., bit 0 does not correspond to any AP, bits 1 to 7 correspond to AP1 to AP7 in the AP MLD, respectively, and the first STA may know that AP1, AP2, AP5, and AP6 have group-addressed traffic, and that AP3, AP4, and AP7 do not have group-addressed traffic.

[0275] Case 4.2: This case is applicable to Case 3.2 in Method 2.

[0276] That is, the relevant content of Case 4.2 is applicable when one or more APs of the AP MLD operate in multi-BSSID mode and one AP is the transmitting AP. Optionally, this may also be applicable in other cases.

[0277] Method A: The group addressing traffic indication information is placed in the partial virtual bitmap field, which is the bits starting from byte 0 of the traffic indication virtual bitmap field and ending at byte N2. N2 is the minimum number of bytes, and the values ​​of bits (N2+1)*8 to 2007 of the traffic indication virtual bitmap field are all 0. The maximum number of bytes in the traffic indication virtual bitmap field is 251, and the corresponding maximum AID is 2^251-1=2007. In this case, the offset is 0 and the length field is N2+1+3.

[0278] Method B: Group addressing traffic indication information is placed in a partial virtual bitmap field, which is the bits starting from byte 0 and ending with byte N0-1 of the traffic indication virtual bitmap field, and the bits starting from byte N1 and ending with byte N2 of the traffic indication virtual bitmap field.

[0279] The maximum number of bytes in the traffic indication virtual bitmap field is 251 bytes, and the corresponding maximum AID is AID2007. In this case, the station with the AID corresponding to bit N0*8-1 to bit N1*8-1 of the traffic indication virtual bitmap field has no received downlink traffic, or the AP with the corresponding AID has no transmitted group-addressed traffic, and the station with the AID corresponding to bit N2*8 to bit 2007 has no received downlink traffic, or the AP with the corresponding AID has no transmitted group-addressed traffic. In this case, the group-addressed traffic indication information transmitted by the first AP may include bits starting from byte 0 to byte N0-1 of the traffic indication virtual bitmap field and bits starting from byte N1 to byte N2 of the traffic indication virtual bitmap field. In addition, it is required that N1 be an odd number if N0 is odd, and that N1 be an even number if N0 is even.

[0280] In this case, the offset of the TIM element is (N1-N0) / 2 and the length field is N0+N2-N1+4 bytes. In addition, the offset is (N1-N0) / 2.

[0281] Additionally, assume that the AP MLD operates in multiple BSSID mode, has APs that are Transmitting BSSID APs, and that the maximum value indicated by the MaxBSSID indicator field of each AP that operates in multiple BSSID mode and is a Transmitting BSSID AP is n. In this case, the minimum number of bytes, N0, must satisfy N0*8-2n-N_AP<8, where N_AP is the number of APs included in the AP MLD or the number of APs minus 1. In this case, the offset is (N1-N0) / 2 bytes, and the length is N0+N2-N1+4 bytes.

[0282] In the above-described embodiments of the present application, the methods provided in the embodiments of the present application are described separately from the perspectives of AP MLD and STA MLD. To implement the functions in the methods provided in the above-described embodiments of the present application, the AP MLD and STA MLD each include a hardware structure and a software module, and may implement the functions in the form of a hardware structure, a software module, or a combination of a hardware structure and a software module. Some of the functions may be implemented in the form of a hardware structure, a software module, or a combination of a hardware structure and a software module. Next, a communication device in the embodiments of the present application will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 11 to 14. The communication device may be an access point in an access point multilink device or a station in a station multilink device. Furthermore, the communication device may be a device in an AP MLD or a device in a STA MLD.

[0283] 11 is a schematic block diagram of a communication device 100. The communication device 100 corresponds to an AP MLD or any AP of an AP MLD described in any one of the above multilink group addressing traffic transmission methods 200 to 500. Optionally, the communication device 100 is an AP or device of an AP MLD in FIGS. 3(a) to 3(c).

[0284] The communication device 100 a processing unit 101 configured to generate group-addressed traffic indication information, the group-addressed traffic indication information indicating whether one or more APs in an AP MLD have group-addressed traffic; and a communication unit 102 configured to transmit group-addressed traffic indication information.

[0285] In the communication device 100, the group addressing traffic indication information generated by the processing unit 101 can indicate whether an access point or another AP has group addressing traffic, and the communication unit 102 then transmits the group addressing traffic indication information to the station multilink device. In this way, any station in the station multilink device can monitor the arrival of group addressing traffic indication information. This improves the flexibility of group addressing traffic notification. In addition, if the group addressing traffic indication information indicates whether each AP or multiple APs in the AP MLD have group addressing traffic, any station in the station multilink device can know whether multiple APs have group addressing traffic. Therefore, all stations in the station multilink device do not need to monitor whether there is group addressing traffic on their respective links. This reduces the power consumption of the station multilink device.

[0286] In one implementation, each bit of the group-addressed traffic indication information corresponds to each AP of the AP MLD. The value of the bit indicates whether the AP corresponding to the bit has group-addressed traffic. For details, please refer to the related contents in the embodiments shown in Figures 5 and 6 in the above-mentioned method embodiments.

[0287] In addition, the group addressing traffic indication information transmitted by the transceiver may be part of some bits of group addressing traffic indication information generated by the processor, which is, for example, the related content described in Case 2.1 to Case 2.2, and the details will not be described again here.

[0288] In another implementation, the group addressing traffic indication information is a portion of a bit in a partial virtual bitmap field in a traffic indication map TIM element. Alternatively, the group addressing traffic indication information is a portion of contiguous bits in a partial virtual bitmap field in a traffic indication map TIM element.

[0289] In this embodiment, the AP MLD allocates an AID to the AP included in the AP MLD, and further uses a bit corresponding to the AID in the partial virtual bitmap field to individually indicate whether the AP of the AID has group-addressed traffic. That is, the group-addressed traffic indication information is a bit corresponding to the AID. For details, please refer to the related contents shown in Figures 7 to 9 in the above-mentioned method embodiments.

[0290] In addition, the AID corresponding to each AP in the AP MLD may be explicitly allocated or implicitly predefined, or when the AP MLD operates in a multi-BSSID mode and has an AP that is a transmitting BSSID AP, how to determine the AID corresponding to each AP in the AP MLD can be referred to in the above-mentioned method embodiments, Method 1 and Method 2. The details will not be described again here.

[0291] For example, when an AID corresponding to each AP in the AP MLD is explicitly allocated, in the communication device, the processing unit 101 is further configured to generate association identifier configuration information, where the association identifier configuration information indicates an association identifier AID corresponding to each AP in the AP MLD, and the AID of the AP corresponds to each bit of the group addressing traffic indication information. The communication unit 102 is further configured to transmit the association identifier configuration information.

[0292] In addition, in this implementation, the AIDs corresponding to some bits in the partial virtual bitmap field are the AIDs of stations, so the association identifier AIDs corresponding to each bit of the group addressing traffic indication information are different from the AIDs of stations managed by each AP in the AP MLD.

[0293] In another example, an AID is predefined that corresponds to a first bit of a portion of consecutive bits in the partial virtual bitmap field that correspond to group addressing traffic indication information.

[0294] In another example, the AID corresponding to the first bit of the portion of consecutive bits in the partial virtual bitmap field in the traffic indication map TIM element that corresponds to group-addressed traffic indication information is AID x.

[0295] x is max{2^(N1),2^(N2),...,2^(N y ),...,2^(N n )}, n is the number of APs transmitting basic service set identifiers BSSIDs in AP MLD, and N y The AP transmits the BSSID y The maximum BSSID is the value of the BSSID indication field in the Multiple BSSID element broadcast by the AP. y is the y-th transmitting BSSID AP of the AP MLD.

[0296] In the communication device 100, the communication unit 102 is further configured to transmit a broadcast traffic indication map DTIM beacon frame and group-addressed traffic after the DTIM beacon frame. The communication unit 102 may perform this operation when the AP where the communication device 100 is located has group-addressed traffic.

[0297] It should be understood that the communication device 100 in this embodiment of the present application can correspondingly perform the multi-link group addressing traffic transmission method 200 and the multi-link group addressing traffic transmission method 500 in the embodiment of the present application. In addition, the above-mentioned operations or functions of the units in the communication device 100 are separately used to implement the corresponding procedures of the methods of Figures 5 and 7. For the sake of brevity, the details will not be described again here.

[0298] 12 is a schematic block diagram of a communication device 200. The communication device 200 corresponds to a STA MLD or any STA of the STA MLD, or a STA operating on the primary link of the STA MLD described in any one of the above multi-link group addressing traffic transmission methods 200 to 500. Optionally, the communication device 200 is a STA or device of the STA MLD in FIG. 1. Alternatively, the communication device 200 is a STA or device of the STA MLD in FIGS. 3(a) to 3(c).

[0299] The communication device 200 a communication unit 201 configured to receive group-addressed traffic indication information from an AP MLD, the group-addressed traffic indication information indicating whether one or more APs in the AP MLD have group-addressed traffic; and a processing unit 202 configured to determine whether one or more APs have group-addressed traffic based on the group-addressed traffic indication information.

[0300] It can be seen that in the communication device 200, the processing unit 202 can determine whether one or more APs have group-addressed traffic based on the group addressing traffic indication information. Specifically, the communication device 200 can not only determine whether the AP associated with the station has group addressing traffic, but also determine whether another AP in the AP MLD has group addressing traffic. This improves the flexibility of group addressing traffic notification. In addition, the group addressing traffic indication information indicates whether multiple APs or each AP in the AP MLD have group addressing traffic. That is, any STA in the STA MLD to which the communication device 200 is attached can determine whether multiple APs or each AP in the AP MLD have group addressing traffic. Therefore, all STAs in the STA MLD to which the communication device 200 is attached do not need to monitor whether the corresponding AP has group addressing traffic. This reduces the power consumption of the STA MLD to which the communication device 200 is attached.

[0301] In one implementation, the STA corresponding to the communication device 200 is a station of a STA MLD operating on a primary link. In this way, the communication unit 201 receiving the group-addressed traffic indication information from the AP MLD is particularly as follows: The communication unit 201 monitors the arrival of the group-addressed traffic indication information from one AP of the AP MLD on the primary link. In this implementation, other STAs of the STA MLD do not periodically monitor the arrival of the group-addressed traffic indication information, so that the power consumption of the STA MLD can be reduced.

[0302] For how the communication device 200 determines the primary link, please refer to the description in the previous method embodiment, and the details will not be described again here.

[0303] In one implementation, the communication unit 201 is further configured to receive a broadcast traffic indication map DTIM beacon frame and group-addressed traffic after the DTIM beacon frame. In this implementation, the communication unit 201 may perform this operation when the processing unit 202 determines that the AP corresponding to the processing unit 202 has group-addressed traffic.

[0304] In one implementation, each bit of the group-addressed traffic indication information corresponds to each AP of the AP MLD. The value of the bit indicates whether the AP corresponding to the bit has group-addressed traffic. For details, please refer to the related contents in the embodiments shown in Figures 5 and 6 in the above-mentioned method embodiments.

[0305] In addition, the group addressing traffic indication information transmitted by the transceiver may be part of the bits of the group addressing traffic indication information generated by the processor, which is, for example, the related content described in Case 2.1 to Case 2.2, and the details will not be described again here.

[0306] In another implementation, the group addressing traffic indication information is a portion of a bit in a partial virtual bitmap field in a traffic indication map TIM element. Alternatively, the group addressing traffic indication information is a portion of contiguous bits in a partial virtual bitmap field in a traffic indication map TIM element.

[0307] In this implementation, it can be seen that the AP MLD allocates AIDs to APs included in the AP MLD, and further uses a bit corresponding to the AID in the partial virtual bitmap field to individually indicate whether the AP of the AID has group-addressed traffic. That is, the group-addressed traffic indication information is a bit corresponding to the AID. For details, please refer to the related contents shown in Figures 7 to 9 in the above-mentioned method embodiments.

[0308] In addition, the AID corresponding to each AP in the AP MLD may be explicitly allocated or implicitly predefined, or when the AP MLD operates in a multi-BSSID mode and has an AP that is a transmitting BSSID AP, how to determine the AID corresponding to each AP in the AP MLD can be referred to in the above-mentioned method embodiments, Method 1 and Method 2. The details will not be described again here.

[0309] For example, if an AID corresponding to each AP in the AP MLD is explicitly allocated, in the communication device 200, the processing unit 201 is further configured to receive association identifier configuration information, where the association identifier configuration information indicates an association identifier AID corresponding to each AP in the AP MLD. The AID of the AP corresponds to each bit of the group addressing traffic indication information. The processing unit 202 is further configured to determine the AID corresponding to the AP in the AP MLD based on the association identifier configuration information.

[0310] In addition, in this implementation, the AIDs corresponding to some bits in the partial virtual bitmap field are the AIDs of stations, so the association identifier AIDs corresponding to each bit of the group addressing traffic indication information are different from the AIDs of stations managed by each AP in the AP MLD.

[0311] In another example, an AID is predefined that corresponds to a first bit of a portion of consecutive bits in the partial virtual bitmap field that correspond to group addressing traffic indication information.

[0312] In another example, the AID corresponding to the first bit of the portion of consecutive bits corresponding to group-addressed traffic indication information in the partial virtual bitmap field in the traffic indication map TIM element is AID x.

[0313] x is max{2^(N1),2^(N2),...,2^(N y ),...,2^(N n )}, where n is the number of APs transmitting BSSIDs in AP MLD, and N y The AP transmits the BSSID y The value of the largest basic service set identifier BSSID indication field in the multiple basic service set identifiers (BSSIDs) element broadcast by the AP. y is the y-th transmitting BSSID AP of the AP MLD.

[0314] It should be understood that the communication device 200 in this embodiment of the present application can correspondingly perform the multi-link group addressing traffic transmission method 200 and the multi-link group addressing traffic transmission method 500 in the embodiment of the present application. In addition, the above-mentioned operations or functions of the units in the communication device 200 are separately used to implement the corresponding procedures of one STA or the first STA of the STA MLD in the methods of Figures 5 and 7. For the sake of brevity, the details will not be described again here.

[0315] 13 is a schematic block diagram of a communication device 300. In one implementation, the communication device 300 corresponds to the AP MLD or any AP of the AP MLD described in any one of the above-mentioned multi-link group addressing traffic transmission methods 200 to 500. Optionally, the communication device 300 may be an AP or device of the AP MLD in FIG. 1. Alternatively, the communication device 300 is an AP or device of the AP MLD in FIGS. 3(a) to 3(c). Optionally, the communication device 300 is a chip, chip system, processor, or the like that implements the above-mentioned method embodiments. The communication device 300 may be configured to implement the methods described in the above-mentioned method embodiments. For details, please refer to the description of the above-mentioned method embodiments.

[0316] In another implementation, the communication device 300 corresponds to a STA MLD or any STA of the STA MLD, or a STA operating on a primary link of the STA MLD described in any one of the aforementioned multi-link group addressing traffic transmission methods 200 to 500. Optionally, the communication device 300 is a STA or device of the STA MLD in FIG. 1. Alternatively, the communication device 300 is a STA or device of the STA MLD in FIGS. 3(a) to 3(c). Optionally, the communication device 300 is a chip, chip system, processor, or the like, that implements the aforementioned method embodiments. The communication device 300 may be configured to implement the methods described in the aforementioned method embodiments. For details, please refer to the descriptions of the aforementioned method embodiments.

[0317] The communication device 300 may include one or more processors 301. The processor 301 may be a general-purpose processor, a special-purpose processor, or the like. For example, the processor 301 may be a baseband processor or a central processing unit. The baseband processor may be configured to process communication protocols and communication data, and the central processing unit may be configured to control a communication device (e.g., a base station, a baseband chip, a terminal, a terminal chip, a DU, or a CU) to execute computer programs and process data of the computer programs.

[0318] The communication device 300 may further include a transceiver 305. The transceiver 305 may be referred to as a transceiver unit, transceiver device, transceiver circuitry, or similar terminology and is configured to implement transceiver functionality. The transceiver 305 may include a receiver and a transmitter. The receiver may be referred to as a receiving circuitry, or similar terminology, and is configured to implement receiving functionality. The transmitter may be referred to as a transmitting circuitry, or similar terminology, and is configured to implement transmitting functionality. Optionally, the communication device 300 may further include an antenna 306.

[0319] Optionally, the communication device 300 may include one or more memories 302, and the memories 302 may store instructions 304. The instructions 304 may be computer programs. The computer programs may be executed on the communication device 300 to enable the communication device 300 to perform the methods described in the above method embodiments. Optionally, the memory 302 may further store data. The communication device 300 and the memory 302 may be disposed separately or integrated.

[0320] The communication device 300 is configured to implement the functions of the AP of AP MLD in the multi-link group addressed traffic transmission method 200 to the multi-link group addressed traffic transmission method 500 in the above method embodiments.

[0321] The processor 301 may be configured to perform step S201 of FIG. 5, step S401 of FIG. 7, and optional implementation forms of AIDs corresponding to APs in method 1 and method 2, for example, generating association identifier configuration information for a multi-link group addressed traffic transmission method.

[0322] The transceiver 305 may be configured to perform step S202 of FIG. 5, step S402 of FIG. 7, and optional implementations of the AID corresponding to the AP in method 1 and method 2, for example, transmitting association identifier configuration information.

[0323] The communication device 300 is configured to implement the functions of the STA of the ASTA MLD in the multi-link group addressed traffic transmission method 200 to the multi-link group addressed traffic transmission method 500 in the above method embodiments.

[0324] The transceiver 305 may be configured to perform step S203 of FIG. 5, step S403 of FIG. 7, and optional implementations of the AID corresponding to the AP in method 1 and method 2, for example, receiving association identifier configuration information.

[0325] The processor 301 may be configured to perform step S204 of FIG. 5 and step S404 of FIG. 7, as well as an optional implementation form of determining the AID of the AP in the above-mentioned method 1 and method 2, for example, determining the association identifier of each AP in the AP MLD based on association identifier configuration information.

[0326] In one implementation, the processor 301 may include a transceiver configured to implement receiving and transmitting functions. For example, the transceiver may be a transceiver circuit, an interface, or an interface circuit. The transceiver circuit, interface, or interface circuit configured to implement receiving and transmitting functions may be separate or integrated. The transceiver circuit, interface, or interface circuit may be configured to read and write code / data. Alternatively, the transceiver circuit, interface, or interface circuit may be configured to transmit or transfer signals.

[0327] In one implementation, the processor 301 may store instructions 303. The instructions may be a computer program. The computer program 303 executes on the processor 301 and enables the communication device 300 to perform the methods described in the preceding method embodiments. The computer program 303 may be fixed in the processor 301, in which case the processor 301 may be implemented by hardware.

[0328] In one implementation, the communication device 300 may include circuitry, which may implement the transmitting, receiving, or communication functions in the aforementioned method embodiments. The processors and transceivers described herein may be implemented in an integrated circuit (IC), an analog IC, a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC), a mixed-signal IC, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or a printed circuit board (PCB), electronic devices, and the like. The processors and transceivers may be fabricated using various IC technologies, such as complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS), n-type metal oxide semiconductor (nMOS), p-type channel metal oxide semiconductor (PMOS), bipolar junction transistor (BJT), bipolar CMOS (biCMOS), silicon germanium (SiGe), or gallium arsenide (GaAs).

[0329] The communication device described in the above embodiment may be an AP MLD or an AP of an AP MLD. However, the scope of the communication device described in this application is not limited thereto, and the structure of the communication device may not be limited by FIG. 13. The communication device may be an independent device or part of a larger device. For example, the communication device may be: (1) A standalone integrated circuit IC, chip, or chip system or subsystem; (2) a set including one or more ICs, optionally the IC set may further include a storage component configured to store data and computer programs; (3) ASIC, e.g., modem, (4) a module that can be incorporated into another device; (5) A receiver, terminal, intelligent terminal, mobile phone, wireless device, handheld device, mobile unit, in-vehicle device, network device, cloud device, artificial intelligence device, or the like; (6) It may be another device or the like.

[0330] If the communication device is a chip or chip system, please refer to the schematic diagram of the chip structure shown in Figure 14. The chip shown in Figure 14 comprises a processor 401 and an interface 402. There may be one or more processors 401 and multiple interfaces 402.

[0331] The chip is configured to implement the AP function of AP MLD in the multi-link group addressed traffic transmission method 200 to the multi-link group addressed traffic transmission method 500 in the above method embodiments.

[0332] In one implementation, The processor 401 is configured to generate group-addressed traffic indication information, where the group-addressed traffic indication information indicates whether one or more APs in the AP MLD have group-addressed traffic.

[0333] The interface 402 is configured to transmit group-addressed traffic indication information.

[0334] In the chip, the group addressing traffic indication information generated by the processor can indicate whether an access point or another AP has group addressing traffic, and the transceiver then transmits the group addressing traffic indication information to the station multilink device. In this way, any station in the station multilink device can monitor the arrival of group addressing traffic indication information. This improves the flexibility of group addressing traffic notification. In addition, if the group addressing traffic indication information indicates whether each AP or multiple APs in the AP MLD have group addressing traffic, any station in the station multilink device can know whether multiple APs have group addressing traffic. Therefore, all stations in the station multilink device do not need to monitor whether there is group addressing traffic on their respective links. This reduces the power consumption of the station multilink device.

[0335] Optionally, the chip may further perform the functions of the AP of AP MLD in the multi-link group addressing traffic transmission method 200 to the multi-link group addressing traffic transmission method 500. The details will not be described again here.

[0336] The chip is configured to implement the functions of the STA of the STA MLD in the multi-link group addressed traffic transmission method 200 to the multi-link group addressed traffic transmission method 500 in the above method embodiments.

[0337] In one implementation, the interface 402 is configured to receive group-addressed traffic indication information from the AP MLD, where the group-addressed traffic indication information indicates whether one or more APs in the AP MLD have group-addressed traffic.

[0338] Optionally, the processor 401 is configured to determine, based on the group-addressed traffic indication information, whether one or more APs have group-addressed traffic.

[0339] It can be seen that in the chip, the processor can know whether one or more APs have group-addressed traffic based on the group addressing traffic indication information. Specifically, the chip can not only know whether the AP associated with the station has group addressing traffic, but also know whether another AP in the AP MLD has group addressing traffic. This improves the flexibility of group addressing traffic notification. In addition, the group addressing traffic indication information indicates whether multiple APs or each AP in the AP MLD have group addressing traffic. That is, any STA in the STA MLD in which the chip is located can know whether multiple APs or each AP in the AP MLD has group addressing traffic. Therefore, all STAs in the STA MLD in which the chip is located do not need to monitor whether the corresponding AP has group addressing traffic. This reduces the power consumption of the STA MLD in which the chip is located.

[0340] Optionally, the chip may further perform the functions of the STA of the STA MLD in the multilink group addressing traffic transmission method 200 to the multilink group addressing traffic transmission method 500. The details will not be described again here.

[0341] Those skilled in the art may further understand that the various illustrative logic blocks and steps listed in the embodiments of the present application may be implemented by using electronic hardware, computer software, or a combination thereof. Whether these functions are implemented by using hardware or software depends on specific applications and overall system design requirements. Those skilled in the art may use various methods to implement the functions described for each specific application, and this should not be considered as going beyond the scope of the embodiments of the present application.

[0342] The present application further provides a computer-readable storage medium, which stores a computer program, and when the computer-readable storage medium is executed by a computer, implements the functions of any one of the above-mentioned method embodiments.

[0343] The present application further provides a computer program product, which, when executed by a computer, implements the functions of any one of the aforementioned method embodiments.

[0344] All or part of the above-described embodiments may be implemented using software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When software is used to implement an embodiment, all or part of the embodiment may be implemented in the form of a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer programs. When the computer programs are loaded and executed on a computer, the procedures or functions of the embodiments of the present application are generated in whole or in part. The computer may be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, or other programmable device. The computer program may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transmitted from a computer-readable storage medium to another computer-readable storage medium. For example, the computer program may be transmitted from a website, computer, server, or data center to another website, computer, server, or data center via a wired (e.g., coaxial cable, optical fiber, or digital subscriber line (DSL)) or wireless (e.g., infrared, radio, or microwave) method. The computer-readable storage medium may be any available medium accessible by a computer or a data storage device integrating one or more available media, such as a server or data center. The usable media may be magnetic media (e.g., floppy disks, hard disks, or magnetic tapes), optical media (e.g., high-density digital video discs (DVDs)), semiconductor media (e.g., solid-state drives (SSDs)), or the like.

[0345] Those skilled in the art will understand that the first, second, and various reference numerals in this application are merely distinguished for convenience of description and are not used to limit the scope of the embodiments of this application and to indicate a sequence.

[0346] In this application, "at least one" can alternatively be described as one or more, and "more than one" means two, three, four, or more. This is not limited in this application. In the embodiments of this application, "first," "second," "third," "A," "B," "C," "D," and the like are used to distinguish the technical features described by them. There is no chronological or dimensional order between the technical features described by "first," "second," "third," "A," "B," "C," and "D."

[0347] The correspondences shown in the tables of the present application may be configured or predefined. Furthermore, the values ​​of the information in the tables are merely examples, and other values ​​may be configured. This is not a limitation of the present application. When the correspondences between the information and each parameter are configured, not all of the correspondences shown in the tables need to be configured. For example, the correspondences shown in some rows in the tables of the present application may alternatively not be configured. In another example, appropriate modifications and adjustments, such as division or combination, may be performed based on the above table. The names of the parameters shown in the titles of the above table may alternatively be other names that can be understood by the communication device, and the values ​​or representations of the parameters may alternatively be other values ​​or representations that can be understood by the communication device. In implementing the above table, other data structures, such as arrays, queues, containers, stacks, linear tables, pointers, linked lists, trees, graphs, structures, classes, piles, hash tables, etc., may alternatively be used.

[0348] "Predefined" in this application may be understood as "defined," "predefined," "stored," "prestored," "prenegotiated," "preconfigured," "solidified," or "preburned."

[0349] Those skilled in the art may recognize that, in combination with the examples described in the embodiments disclosed herein, the units and algorithm steps may be implemented by electronic hardware or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are performed by hardware or software is determined by the specific application and the design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art may use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered to exceed the scope of this application.

[0350] For the sake of clarity and brevity, the detailed operating processes of the aforementioned systems, devices, and units may be clearly understood by those skilled in the art by referring to the corresponding processes in the aforementioned method embodiments, and the details will not be described again here.

[0351] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present application and is not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present application. Any modifications or replacements that can be easily thought of by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in the present application shall fall within the scope of protection of the present application. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present application shall be subject to the scope of protection of the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0352] 1 DTIM beacon frame 1 Subsequent group-addressed traffic 1, 2, 3 Link 2 Subsequent group-addressed traffic 2 DTIM beacon frames 3 DTIM beacon frames 3 Subsequent Group-Addressed Traffic 100 Communication Systems 100 Communication equipment 101 stations 101 Processing Unit 102 stations 102 communication unit 200 Communication Systems 200 Communication Equipment 200 Multilink group addressing traffic transmission method 300 Communication Systems 300 Communication equipment 300 Multilink Group Addressing Traffic Transmission Method 301 processor 302 memory 304 Command 305 Transceiver 306 Antenna 400 Multilink Group Addressing Traffic Transmission Method 401 processor 402 Interface 500 Multilink Group Addressing Traffic Transmission Method 601 AP MLD 601-1 Affiliate AP 601-3 Affiliate AP 602 STA MLD 602-1 STA 602-2 STA 602-3 STA 603 STA MLD 603-1 STA 603-2 STA 604 STA 604-1 STA

Claims

1. An access point multilink device (AP MLD), comprising: a first access point (AP) and one or more second APs, the first AP comprising: a processing unit used to generate group-addressed traffic indication information including a set of bits in a partial virtual bitmap field in a traffic indication map (TIM) element, wherein the set of bits in the partial virtual bitmap field in the TIM element indicates whether each AP of one or more second APs has group-addressed traffic; and a transmitting unit used to transmit the group-addressed traffic indication information.

2. The AP MLD of claim 1, wherein the value of a bit of the group-addressed traffic indication information indicates whether the AP corresponding to the bit has group-addressed traffic.

3. 3. The AP MLD of claim 1, wherein the set of bits in the partial virtual bitmap field in the traffic indication map (TIM) element are consecutive bits.

4. The association identifier (AID) corresponding to each bit of the group addressing traffic indication information is different from the AID of the station managed by each AP of the AP MLD; or The AP MLD according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein an AID corresponding to each bit of the group addressing traffic indication information is different from an AID of a station multilink device (STA MLD) associated with the AP MLD, and multiple stations (STAs) of the STA MLD share one AID.

5. 3. The AP MLD according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the group-addressed traffic indication information includes bit 0 of a bitmap control field in a TIM element, and bit 0 is used to indicate whether the first AP has group-addressed traffic.

6. The AP MLD according to claim 1 , wherein the number of bits corresponding to the AP MLD in the group-addressed traffic indication information is a fixed number of bits.

7. An AP MLD as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein for the set of bits in the partial virtual bitmap field, one or more bits corresponding to the AP MLD other than the bits corresponding to the AP of the AP MLD are set to 0 by default, and the bits corresponding to the AP of the AP MLD do not include a bit corresponding to the first AP.

8. An AP MLD as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein in the partial virtual bitmap field, one or more bits corresponding to each AP other than the first AP in the AP MLD are in ascending order by link identifier of the AP.

9. An AP MLD as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein in the group addressing traffic indication information, in the partial virtual bitmap field in the TIM element, the AIDs corresponding to the bits corresponding to the AP MLD are assigned sequentially in ascending or descending order of link identifiers of all APs except the first AP of the AP MLD.

10. The AP MLD of claim 1, wherein the group-addressed traffic indication information is carried in a Transmission Service Indication Bitmap (DTIM) beacon frame.

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