Electronic device that adaptively performs link aggregation

Abstract

An electronic device according to one embodiment may comprise one or more wireless communication modules for transmitting and receiving a wireless signal. The electronic device may comprise: one or more processors operatively connected to the wireless communication module; and a memory including instructions. When executed individually or collectively by the one or more processors, the instructions can cause the electronic device to: receive, for links associated through link aggregation, from the wireless communication module, characteristics of data to be transmitted through the links and characteristics of channels used by the links; calculate aggregation gain and aggregation loss on the basis of the characteristics of the data and the characteristics of the channels; and cause the wireless communication module to adaptively trigger multi-link aggregation of the links on the basis of a comparison result of the aggregation gain and the aggregation loss.

Description

Electronic devices that adaptively perform link aggregation

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to an electronic device that adaptively performs link aggregation.

[0002] With the advent of electronic devices such as smartphones, tablet PCs, and laptops, the demand for high-speed wireless connectivity has exploded. Fueled by this trend and the growing demand for high-speed wireless connectivity, the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) 802.11 wireless communication standard has firmly established itself as a representative and universal high-speed wireless communication standard in the IT (information technology) industry. Early wireless LAN technology, developed around 1997, could support transmission speeds of up to 1-2 Mbps. Since then, driven by the demand for faster wireless connections, wireless LAN technology has steadily evolved, leading to the development of new wireless LAN technologies that improve transmission speeds, such as IEEE 802.11n, 802.11ac, and 802.11ax. The latest standard, IEEE 802.11ax, currently supports peak transmission speeds of several Gbps.

[0003] Today, wireless LANs provide high-speed wireless connectivity to users in various public spaces, including offices, airports, stadiums, and stations, in addition to private spaces like homes. Consequently, wireless LANs have had a significant impact on people's lifestyles and culture, and wireless LANs have become an integral part of modern life.

[0004] An electronic device according to one embodiment may include one or more wireless communication modules configured to transmit and receive wireless signals. The electronic device may include one or more processors operatively connected to the wireless communication modules. The electronic device may include a memory comprising instructions. The instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the one or more processors, may cause the electronic device to receive, from the wireless communication modules, characteristics of data to be transmitted through the links and characteristics of channels used by the links, for associated links through link aggregation. The instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the one or more processors, may cause the electronic device to calculate an aggregation gain and an aggregation loss based on the characteristics of the data and the characteristics of the channels. The above instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the one or more processors, may cause the electronic device to cause the wireless communication module to adaptively trigger multi-link aggregation of the links based on a comparison result of the aggregation gain and the aggregation loss.

[0005] An operating method of an electronic device according to one embodiment may include an operation of receiving, for related links through link aggregation, characteristics of data to be transmitted through the links and characteristics of channels used by the links. The operating method may include an operation of calculating an aggregation gain and an aggregation loss based on the characteristics of the data and the characteristics of the channels. The operating method of the electronic device may include an operation of adaptively triggering multi-link aggregation of the links based on a comparison result of the aggregation gain and the aggregation loss.

[0006] An electronic device according to one embodiment may include one or more wireless communication modules configured to transmit and receive wireless signals. The electronic device may include one or more processors operatively connected to the wireless communication modules. The electronic device may include a memory including instructions. The instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the one or more processors, may cause the electronic device to receive, from the wireless communication modules, characteristics of data to be transmitted through the aggregated links and characteristics of channels used by the aggregated links, with respect to the links aggregated through link aggregation. The instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the one or more processors, may cause the electronic device to selectively terminate link aggregation of the aggregated links based on at least one of the characteristics of the data or the characteristics of the channels.

[0007] An operating method of an electronic device according to one embodiment may include an operation of receiving, for links aggregated through link aggregation, characteristics of data to be transmitted through the aggregated links and characteristics of channels used by the aggregated links. The operating method may include an operation of selectively canceling link aggregation of the aggregated links based on at least one of the characteristics of the data or the characteristics of the channels.

[0008] An electronic device according to one embodiment may include one or more wireless communication modules configured to transmit and receive wireless signals. The electronic device may include one or more processors operatively connected to the wireless communication modules. The electronic device may include a memory including instructions. The instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the one or more processors, may cause the electronic device to receive, from the wireless communication modules, characteristics of data to be transmitted through the links associated with the links through link aggregation and characteristics of channels used by the links. The instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the one or more processors, may cause the electronic device to adaptively trigger multi-link aggregation of the links based on the characteristics of the data and the characteristics of the channels. The characteristics of the data may include quality of service (QoS) requirements of a service executed through the electronic device, obtained based on a traffic specification (TSPEC) element.

[0009] An operating method of an electronic device according to one embodiment may include an operation of receiving, for related links through link aggregation, characteristics of data to be transmitted through the links and characteristics of channels used by the links. The operating method may include an operation of adaptively triggering multi-link aggregation of the links based on the characteristics of the data and the characteristics of the channels. The characteristics of the data may include QoS requirements of a service executed through the electronic device, obtained based on a traffic specification (TSPEC) element.

[0010] FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 are drawings for explaining a wireless LAN system according to one embodiment.

[0011] FIG. 3 is a drawing for explaining an MLD according to one embodiment.

[0012] FIG. 4 is a drawing for explaining MLO according to one embodiment.

[0013] Figure 5 is a diagram for explaining interference between antennas.

[0014] FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a non-STR mode of MLD according to one embodiment.

[0015] Figure 7 is a diagram for explaining link aggregation.

[0016] Figure 8 illustrates a schematic block diagram of a non-AP MLD according to one embodiment.

[0017] FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 are diagrams for explaining an operation of triggering link aggregation based on aggregation gain and aggregation loss according to one embodiment.

[0018] FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining an operation of triggering link aggregation based on characteristics of data and characteristics of channels according to one embodiment.

[0019] FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining an operation of selectively canceling link aggregation according to one embodiment.

[0020] FIG. 13 is a drawing for explaining a TSEPC element according to one embodiment.

[0021] Figures 14 to 16 are flowcharts of an operating method of an electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0022] FIG. 17 is a block diagram of an electronic device within a network environment, according to one embodiment.

[0023] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. In the description with reference to the attached drawings, identical components are assigned the same reference numerals regardless of the drawing numbers, and redundant descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0024]

[0025] FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 are diagrams for explaining a wireless LAN system according to one embodiment.

[0026] Referring to FIG. 1, according to one embodiment, a wireless LAN system (10) may represent an infrastructure mode in which an access point (AP) exists in the structure of a wireless LAN (WLAN) of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) 802.11. The wireless LAN system (10) may include one or more basic service sets (BSS) (e.g., BSS1, BSS2). The BSS (BSS1, BSS2) may refer to a set of an access point (AP) and a station (STA) (e.g., an electronic device (101), an electronic device (1702), and an electronic device (1704) of FIG. 17) that are capable of communicating with each other by being synchronized. BSS1 may include AP1 and STA1, and BSS2 may include AP2, STA2, and STA3.

[0027] According to one embodiment, a wireless LAN system (10) may include at least one STA (STA1 to STA3), a plurality of APs (AP1, AP2) providing a distribution service, and a distribution system (100) connecting the plurality of APs (AP1, AP2). The distribution system (100) may connect a plurality of BSSs (BSS1, BSS2) to implement an extended service set (ESS). The ESS may be used as a term indicating a network formed by connecting a plurality of APs (AP1, AP2) through the distribution system (100). A plurality of APs (AP1, AP2) included in a single ESS may have the same SSID (service set identification).

[0028] According to one embodiment, STAs (STA1 to STA3) may be any functional medium including medium access control (MAC) and a physical layer interface for a wireless medium according to the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standard. STAs (STA1 to STA3) may be used to mean both APs and non-AP STAs. STAs (STA1 to STA3) may also be referred to by various names, such as electronic devices, mobile terminals, wireless devices, wireless transmit / receive units (WTRUs), user equipment (UEs), mobile stations (MSs), mobile subscriber units, or simply users.

[0029] Referring to FIG. 2, according to one embodiment, unlike the wireless LAN system (10) of FIG. 1, the wireless LAN system (20) may represent an ad-hoc mode in which communication is performed by establishing a network between a plurality of STAs (STA1 to STA3) without an AP in the structure of a wireless LAN (WLAN) of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) 802.11. The wireless LAN system (20) may include a BSS operating in an ad-hoc mode, i.e., an independent basic service set (IBSS).

[0030] In one embodiment, an IBSS may not have a centralized management entity because it does not include APs. In an IBSS, STAs may be managed in a distributed manner. In an IBSS, all STAs may be mobile, and access to distributed systems is not permitted, creating a self-contained network.

[0031]

[0032] FIG. 3 is a drawing for explaining an MLD according to one embodiment.

[0033] Referring to FIG. 3, according to one embodiment, an access point multi-link device (AP MLD) (301) and a non-AP MLD (401) can perform multi-link operation (MLO) by communicating using multiple individual links (e.g., link 1, link 2, link 3). The AP MLD (301) may be a device including one or more APs (e.g., AP1, AP2, AP3). The AP MLD (301) may be a device connected to a logical link control (LLC) layer via one interface (e.g., MAC service access point (SAP)). One or more APs (e.g., AP1, AP2, AP3) included in the AP MLD (301) may share some functions in the medium access control (MAC) layer. The APs within the AP MLD (301) may operate on different links (e.g., AP1 operates via link 1, AP2 operates via link 2, and AP3 operates via link 3). APs (e.g., AP1, AP2, AP3) within AP MLD (301) can each be responsible for a corresponding link and can perform the role of an independent AP.

[0034] According to one embodiment, a non-AP MLD (401) may be a device including one or more non-APs (e.g., STA1, STA2, STA3). The non-AP MLD (401) may be a device connected to a logical link control (LLC) layer via one interface (e.g., MAC service access point (SAP)). One or more non-APs (e.g., STA1, STA2, STA3) included in the non-AP MLD (301) may share some functions in the MAC layer. STAs within the non-AP MLD (401) may operate on different links (e.g., STA1 operates via link 1, STA2 operates via link 2, and STA3 operates via link 3). STAs (e.g., STA1, STA2, STA3) within the non-AP MLD (401) may each be responsible for a corresponding link and may perform the role of an independent STA. Non-AP MLD may also be expressed as STA MLD.

[0035] According to one embodiment, when the AP MLD (301) includes multiple APs (e.g., AP1, AP2, AP3), each AP (e.g., AP1, AP2, AP3) may configure a separate link (e.g., link 1, link 2, link 3) to perform frame transmission and reception operations using multiple links with each STA (e.g., STA1, STA2, STA3) included in the non-AP MLD (401). The links may utilize specific channels (or bands). For example, each link may operate in the 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, or 6 GHz bands.

[0036]

[0037] Figure 4 is a drawing for explaining MLO according to one embodiment.

[0038] Referring to FIG. 4, according to one embodiment, a schematic diagram for communication (e.g., multi-link operation (MLO)) between an AP MLD (301) and a non-AP MLD (401) can be seen. The AP MLD (301) and / or the non-AP MLD (401) can transmit uplink data or downlink data through the multi-link operation. The AP MLD (301) can communicate with the non-AP MLD (401) through multiple links (e.g., link 1, link 2). STA 1 of the non-AP MLD (401) can communicate with AP 1 of the AP MLD (301) through link 1. STA 1 of the non-AP MLD (401) can receive data from AP 1 of the AP MLD (301) through link 1. Link 1 can be a downlink. STA 2 of the non-AP MLD (401) can communicate with AP 2 of the AP MLD (301) via link 2. STA 2 of the non-AP MLD (401) can transmit data to AP 2 of the AP MLD (301) via link 2. Link 2 may be an uplink.

[0039] According to one embodiment, the mode (e.g., operating mode) of MLO can be divided into STR (simultaneous transmit and receive operation) mode and non-STR mode (non-simultaneous transmit and receive operation). STR mode may be an ideal mode for performing individual simultaneous transmission and reception of links. Non-STR mode may be a mode utilized when individual simultaneous transmission and reception of links is not possible. Figure 4 illustrates an example of operation in STR mode, and Figure 6 illustrates an example of operation in non-STR mode.

[0040]

[0041] Figure 5 is a diagram for explaining interference between antennas.

[0042] Referring to FIG. 5, interference between antennas (e.g., in-device coexistence (IDC) interference) can be confirmed. The STR mode can be utilized in a situation where the separation distance (e.g., physical distance) between antennas is sufficient. If the separation distance between antennas is sufficient, interference between antennas (e.g., interference between TX (transmit) link 1 and RX (receive) link 2 of the AP MLD (501) or interference between RX link 1 and TX link 2 of the non-AP MLD (601)) can be ignored. Therefore, if the separation distance between antennas is sufficient, the transmission power of a link transmitting data may not affect another link receiving data (or scheduled to receive data). If there is no interference between antennas (or if it is negligible), the STR mode, which performs individual simultaneous transmission and reception, can be utilized.

[0043] If the interference between antennas is not negligible, while one link (e.g., TX link 1 of AP MLD (501)) is transmitting data, another link (e.g., RX link 2 of AP MLD (501)) may not be able to receive data smoothly. If the antenna of TX link 1 of AP MLD (501) and the antenna of RX link 2 of AP MLD (501) exist in an area of ​​mutual interference (e.g., are physically close to each other), RX link 2 of AP MLD (501) may not be able to receive data smoothly.

[0044] The disadvantages of antenna interference are not limited to data transmission. CSMA / CA (carrier sense multiple access / collision avoidance), a fundamental Wi-Fi process, can be performed on each link in the MLD. For the CSMA / CA process, each antenna responsible for a link senses the carrier, confirms that the medium is idle, and performs medium access. However, if the antennas are in an area of ​​mutual interference, the CSMA / CA process of each antenna can also be disrupted. In other words, if one link (e.g., link 1) is transmitting, transmission on that link must be terminated before CSMA / CA on the other link (e.g., link 2) can be performed.

[0045] If one link (e.g. link 1) is transmitting data while another link (link 2) is simultaneously attempting to initiate data transmission because its back-off counter has expired, the lagged link (e.g. link 2) can only access the channel once the task of the link transmitting data (e.g. link 1) has completed. In this situation where the transmissions of each link overlap, the lagged link (e.g. link 2) must wait until the data transmission of the leading link (e.g. link 1) is completed. Therefore, the benefits of multiple links cannot be obtained when interference between antennas exists. To solve this problem, a non-STR mode that takes interference between antennas into account can be used.

[0046]

[0047] FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a non-STR mode of MLD according to one embodiment.

[0048] Referring to FIG. 6, according to one embodiment, an AP MLD (access point multi-link device) (301) and a non-AP MLD (401) can synchronize at least one of the data transmission start time and / or data transmission end time of links in a non-STR mode.

[0049] In one embodiment, link aggregation may be applied to non-STR mode. Link aggregation may be a technology that utilizes multiple links as a single logical link to maximize the efficiency and utilization of multiple links. Link aggregation may be utilized in the non-STR mode among the STR and non-STR modes of Wi-Fi 7. Since the AP MLD (301) and non-AP MLD (401) perform transmission and reception of the aggregated links in a synchronized manner, they may be free from IDC interference.

[0050]

[0051] Figure 7 is a diagram for explaining link aggregation.

[0052] Referring to FIG. 7, according to one embodiment, the operation of aggregated links (e.g., link 1 and link 2) can be verified. Link 1 may be a leading link, and link 2 may be a lagged link. The back-off counter (701) of Link 1 may be smaller than the back-off counter (702) of Link 2. Link 1 may be the link scheduled to access the channel first. Note that Link 1 and Link 2 utilize different channels (e.g., frequency bands).

[0053] In one embodiment, since link 1 and link 2 have back-off counters (701, 702) with sizes of 4 and 7, respectively, link 1 accesses the channel first. However, if IDC interference exists between link 1 and link 2, link 2 may experience degraded reception quality as soon as link 1 starts transmitting. Therefore, the two link-aggregated links can synchronize the start time of data transmission in non-STR mode.

[0054] In one embodiment, the aggregated link, link 1, may start waiting (e.g., start counting an additional back-off counter (703)) when its back-off counter (701) expires. Link 1 and link 2 may simultaneously start transmitting data when the additional back-off counter (703) and the back-off counter (702) expire.

[0055] However, synchronous link aggregation also has areas that require improvement. There's no guarantee that both Link 1 and Link 2 will successfully access the channel. If Link 1 waits for the additional back-off counter (703), but either Link 1 or Link 2 fails to access the channel, the additional back-off counter (703) is wasted. This wasted time can severely reduce channel utilization from a radio resource perspective. Therefore, depending on the situation, it may be preferable to not utilize the additional back-off counter (703) (e.g., not utilizing link aggregation). In other words, link aggregation may be appropriately utilized adaptively depending on the channel conditions or the nature of the service being executed.

[0056]

[0057] Figure 8 illustrates a schematic block diagram of a non-AP MLD according to one embodiment.

[0058] According to one embodiment, an electronic device (801) (e.g., a non-AP MLD (401) of FIG. 3) can perform multi-link operations. The electronic device (801) can adaptively operate link aggregation in a non-STR mode. The electronic device (801) can adaptively operate link aggregation based on channel conditions used by the links and / or data to be transmitted through the links.

[0059] Referring to FIG. 8, according to one embodiment, an electronic device (801) may include a wireless communication module (810) (e.g., the wireless communication module 1792 of FIG. 17), one or more processors (820) (e.g., the processor 1720 of FIG. 17), and a memory (830) (e.g., the memory 1730 of FIG. 13). The wireless communication module (810) may be configured to transmit and receive wireless signals. The wireless communication module (810) may be a Wi-Fi chipset. The wireless communication module (810) may support multiple bands of 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and / or 6 GHz. The processor (820) may be operatively connected to the wireless communication module (810). The memory (830) may be electrically connected to the processor (820) and may store instructions executable by the processor (820). The electronic device (801) may correspond to the electronic device described in FIG. 17 (e.g., the electronic device (1701) of FIG. 17). Therefore, any description overlapping with that described with reference to FIG. 17 will be omitted.

[0060] According to one embodiment, the processor (820) may be implemented as a circuit (e.g., a processing circuit) such as a system on chip (SoC) or an integrated circuit (IC). The processor (820) may include one or more processors. For example, the processor (820) may include a combination of one or more processors such as a CPU, a GPU, an MPU, an AP, and a CP.

[0061] According to one embodiment, the memory (830) may include one or more memories. The instructions stored in the memory (830) may be stored in a single memory. The instructions stored in the memory (830) may be divided and stored in multiple memories. The instructions stored in the memory (830) may be individually or collectively executed by the processor (820) to enable the electronic device (801) to adaptively perform link aggregation according to one embodiment described below.

[0062] In one embodiment, the electronic device (801) may be a device capable of multi-link operation. The electronic device (801) may utilize the characteristics of data to be transmitted over the links and the characteristics of the channels used by the links.

[0063] In one embodiment, the characteristics of the data may include the size of the data. The characteristics of the data may include the quality of service (QoS) requirements of the service running through the electronic device (801). The characteristics of the data may include an access category that specifies the priority of the traffic.

[0064] In one embodiment, the characteristics of the channels may include channel congestion (e.g., channel congestion based on a probability of channel access success). The characteristics of the channels may include the number of channel access failures of the aggregated links.

[0065] According to one embodiment, an electronic device (801) can maximize the efficiency and utilization of multiple links by adaptively operating link aggregation in a non-simultaneous transmit and receive operation (non-STR) mode based on data characteristics and channel characteristics. The electronic device (801) can prevent in-device coexistence (IDC) interference, while reducing wasted time (e.g., latency) and efficiently utilizing wireless resources.

[0066]

[0067] FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 are diagrams for explaining an operation of triggering link aggregation based on aggregation gain and aggregation loss according to one embodiment.

[0068] Referring to FIG. 9, according to one embodiment, a non-AP MLD (801) (e.g., the non-AP MLD (401) of FIG. 3 (e.g., the electronic device) can trigger link aggregation (e.g., link aggregation of link 1 and link 2) based on aggregation gain and aggregation loss. The non-AP MLD (801) can trigger link aggregation when the aggregation gain is greater than the aggregation loss.

[0069] Referring to FIG. 10, according to one embodiment, a non-AP MLD (801) may calculate an aggregation gain and an aggregation loss. The aggregation gain and the aggregation loss may be calculated based on data characteristics (e.g., data size) and channel characteristics (e.g., channel access success probability of links). The aggregation gain and the aggregation loss may be calculated based on latency, which varies depending on channel access success and / or failure of links (e.g., link 1 and link 2). The latency may correspond to the time it takes for a data packet to be transmitted from a source to a destination over a wireless network.

[0070] According to one embodiment, the non-AP MLD (801) may calculate aggregation gain and aggregation loss based on four scenarios. The four scenarios may include a first scenario (1001) in which communication is performed with link aggregation disabled (e.g., default mode). The four scenarios may include a second scenario (1002) in which links (e.g., link 1 and link 2) successfully obtain channel access once with link aggregation enabled. The four scenarios may include a third scenario (1003) in which link 1 fails channel access once with link aggregation enabled. The four scenarios may include a fourth scenario (1004) in which link 2 fails channel access once with link aggregation enabled.

[0071] According to one embodiment, the delay time (e.g., Latency_A) in the first scenario (1001) (e.g., default mode) can be calculated via mathematical expression 1.

[0072]

[0073] [Mathematical Formula 1]

[0074] Latency_A = CW1+T+W+T = CW1+W+2T

[0075]

[0076] In mathematical expression 1, CW1 may be the back-off counter value of link 1, T may be the transmission time of link 1 (and the transmission time of link 2) (e.g., TXOP (transmission opportunity) time), and W may be the back-off counter value of link 2 minus the back-off counter value of link 1 (e.g., the remaining back-off counter value of link 2). Although the data transmission speeds of each link are different, the non-AP MLD (801) operating in the non-STR mode may schedule PPDUs (physical layer convergence procedure protocol data units) in advance so that the transmission times of link 1 and link 2 are substantially the same.

[0077] In one embodiment, the back-off counter of link 1 and the back-off counter of link 2 may be decremented simultaneously (e.g., during CW1). When the back-off counter of link 1 expires, the non-AP MLD (801) with link aggregation disabled may transmit data over link 1 (e.g., during T). When the data transmission over link 1 is completed, the remaining back-off counter of link 2 may be decremented (e.g., during W). When the back-off counter of link 2 expires, the non-AP MLD (801) may transmit data over link 2 (e.g., during T). The delay time (e.g., Latency_A) in the first scenario (1001) (e.g., default mode) may be CW1+W+2T in total.

[0078] According to one embodiment, the delay time (e.g., Latency_B) in the second scenario (1002) can be calculated using Equation 2.

[0079]

[0080] [Equation 2]

[0081] Latency_B = CW1+W+T

[0082]

[0083] In Equation 2, CW1 may be the back-off counter value of link 1, W may be the back-off counter value of link 2 minus the back-off counter value of link 1 (e.g., the additional back-off counter value of link 1), and T may be the transmission time of link 1 (and the transmission time of link 2).

[0084] In one embodiment, the back-off counter of link 1 and the back-off counter of link 2 can be decremented simultaneously (e.g., during CW1). When the back-off counter of link 1 expires, the non-AP MLD (801) with link aggregation enabled can generate an additional back-off counter of link 1 and decrement the additional back-off counter of link 1 and the remaining back-off counter of link 2 (e.g., during W). When the additional back-off counter of link 1 expires (e.g., when the back-off counter of link 2 expires), the non-AP MLD (801) can transmit data simultaneously over link 1 and link 2 (e.g., during T). The delay time (e.g., Latency_B) in the second scenario (1002) can be the total of CW1+W+T.

[0085] According to one embodiment, the delay time (e.g., Latency_C) in the third scenario (1003) can be calculated using Equation 3.

[0086]

[0087] [Equation 3]

[0088] Latency_C = CW1+W+T+CW1*+T

[0089]

[0090] In Equation 3, CW1 may be the back-off counter value of link 1, W may be the back-off counter value of link 2 minus the back-off counter value of link 1 (e.g., the additional back-off counter value of link 1), T may be the transmission time of link 2 (and the transmission time of link 1), and CW1* may be the back-off counter value reset due to a channel access failure of link 1.

[0091] In one embodiment, the back-off counter of link 1 and the back-off counter of link 2 may be decremented simultaneously (e.g., during CW1). When the back-off counter of link 1 expires, the non-AP MLD (801) with link aggregation enabled may generate an additional back-off counter of link 1 and decrement the additional back-off counter of link 1 and the remaining back-off counter of link 2 (e.g., during W). When the additional back-off counter of link 1 expires (e.g., when the back-off counter of link 2 expires), the non-AP MLD (801) may attempt channel access through link 1 and link 2. If the channel access of link 1 fails and only the channel access of link 2 succeeds, the non-AP MLD (801) may transmit data through link 2 (e.g., during T). When data transmission on Link 2 is completed, the non-AP MLD (801) can again decrement the back-off counter that was reset due to channel access failure on Link 1 (e.g., during CW1*). When the reset back-off counter on Link 1 expires, the non-AP MLD (801) can transmit data over Link 1 (e.g., during T). The delay time (e.g., Latency_C) in the third scenario (1003) may be a total of CW1+W+2T+CW1*.

[0092] According to one embodiment, the delay time (e.g., Latency_D) in the fourth scenario (1004) can be calculated using Equation 4.

[0093]

[0094] [Equation 4]

[0095] Latency_D = CW1+W+T+CW2*+T

[0096]

[0097] In Equation 4, CW1 may be the back-off counter value of link 1, W may be the back-off counter value of link 2 minus the back-off counter value of link 1 (e.g., the additional back-off counter value of link 1), T may be the transmission time of link 1 (and the transmission time of link 2), and CW2* may be the back-off counter value reset due to a channel access failure of link 2.

[0098] In one embodiment, the back-off counter of link 1 and the back-off counter of link 2 may be decremented simultaneously (e.g., during CW1). When the back-off counter of link 1 expires, the non-AP MLD (801) with link aggregation enabled may generate an additional back-off counter of link 1 and decrement the additional back-off counter of link 1 and the remaining back-off counter of link 2 (e.g., during W). When the additional back-off counter of link 1 expires (e.g., when the back-off counter of link 2 expires), the non-AP MLD (801) may attempt channel access through link 1 and link 2. If the channel access of link 2 fails and only the channel access of link 1 succeeds, the non-AP MLD (801) may transmit data through link 1 (e.g., during T). When data transmission on Link 1 is completed, the non-AP MLD (801) can decrement the back-off counter that was reset due to channel access failure on Link 2 again (e.g., during CW2*). When the reset back-off counter on Link 2 expires, the non-AP MLD (801) can transmit data over Link 2 (e.g., during T). The delay time (e.g., Latency_D) in the fourth scenario (1004) can be the total of CW1+W+2T+CW2*.

[0099] In one embodiment, the aggregation gain may be the latency reduction obtained by successfully accessing the channels of the links at once. The aggregation gain (e.g., AG) gain ) can be calculated using mathematical formula 5.

[0100]

[0101] [Equation 5]

[0102] AG_gain = (Latency_A-latency_B)*(P1*P2) = T(P1*P2)

[0103]

[0104] In mathematical expression 5, latency_A may be the delay time in the first scenario (1001), Latency_B may be the delay time in the second scenario (1002), P1 may be the channel access success probability of link 1, P2 may be the channel access success probability of link 2, and T may be the transmission time of link 1 and link 2.

[0105] According to one embodiment, the channel access success probability can be calculated based on channel information obtainable from the Android open source project (AOSP). For example, the channel access success probability (P) based on information obtainable from the AOSP succ ) can be calculated using mathematical formula 6.

[0106]

[0107] [Equation 6]

[0108]

[0109]

[0110] In mathematical expression 6, the channel access success probability is T on is the total time the Radio is on (RadioOnTime), T CCA may be busy time (CCABusyTime).

[0111] According to one embodiment, the channel access success probability may be calculated through a CU (channel utilization) value provided by an AP (access point) (e.g., AP MLD (301) of FIG. 3, AP MLD (901) of FIG. 9). The CU value can be confirmed through mathematical expression 7, and the channel access success probability (P) based on the CU value succ ) can be calculated using mathematical formula 8.

[0112]

[0113] [Equation 7]

[0114]

[0115]

[0116] [Equation 8]

[0117]

[0118]

[0119] In one embodiment, the aggregation loss may be the delay increase resulting from at least one failed channel access of links. Aggregation loss (e.g., AG loss ) can be calculated using mathematical formula 9.

[0120]

[0121] [Equation 9]

[0122] AG_loss = (1-P1)(P2*P1)(Latency_C-Latency_A) + (1-P2)(P1*P2)(Latency_D-LatencyA) + alpha

[0123] = (1-P1)(P2*P1)(CW1*) + (1-P2)(P1*P2)(CW2*) + alpha

[0124]

[0125] In mathematical expression 9, P1 may be the channel access success probability of link 1, P2 may be the channel access success probability of link 2, latency_C may be the delay time in the third scenario (1003), latency_A may be the delay time in the first scenario (1001), Latency_D may be the delay time in the fourth scenario (1004), alpha may be a margin value set in consideration of failure of repetitive channel access, CW1* may be a back off counter reset according to the channel access failure of link 1, and CW2* may be a back off counter reset according to the channel access failure of link 2.

[0126] In one embodiment, channel access failures may include multiple channel access failures of link 1 and / or link 2, in addition to the third scenario (1003) (e.g., link 1 fails once) and the fourth scenario (1004) (e.g., link 2 fails once). However, the probability of repeated channel access failures may be trivial compared to other terms, as the probability increases exponentially. Repeated channel access failures can be accounted for through the margin value alpha in Equation (9).

[0127] According to one embodiment, referring to Equation 5, the aggregation gain can be expressed as the product of the channel access success probability of each link (e.g., link 1, link 2) and the transmission time. The aggregation gain can be greater as the channel condition is better (e.g., the channel congestion is lower). The aggregation gain can be greater as the size of the data transmitted over the links (e.g., the size of the PPDU) is larger (e.g., the transmission time is longer).

[0128] According to one embodiment, referring to Equation 9, it can be seen that the aggregation loss depends on the channel access success probability of the link, CW1*, and CW2*. CW1* and CW2* may be back-off counters reset according to the channel access failure of the links. CW1* and CW2* may be exponentially increased compared to the value of the previous back-off counter (e.g., CW1, CW2). As the absolute value of the back-off counter (e.g., CW1, CW2) increases, CW1* and CW2* may increase exponentially. The aggregation loss may increase as the back-off counters of the links increase.

[0129] According to one embodiment, the trade-off relationship between aggregation gain and aggregation loss can be expressed as in Table 1.

[0130]

[0131] [Table 1]

[0132]

[0133]

[0134] The non-AP MLD (801) can maximize the efficiency and utilization of multiple links by adaptively operating link aggregation based on aggregation gain and aggregation loss.

[0135]

[0136] FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining an operation of triggering link aggregation based on characteristics of data and characteristics of channels according to one embodiment.

[0137] Referring to FIG. 11, according to one embodiment, a non-AP MLD (801) can trigger link aggregation (e.g., link aggregation of link 1 and link 2) based on data characteristics and channel characteristics. The non-AP MLD (801) can adaptively operate link aggregation by detecting a situation requiring link aggregation based on data characteristics and channel characteristics. The non-AP MLD (801) can also adaptively operate link aggregation without calculating aggregation gain and / or aggregation loss.

[0138] According to one embodiment, the characteristics of the channels may include channel congestion (e.g., channel congestion based on channel access success probability). The channel congestion may be based on the channel access success probability calculated through Equations 6 and 7. The channel congestion may vary depending on the number of terminals connected to an AP (e.g., AP MLD (901) of FIG. 11) and / or the number of terminals using WiFi around the terminal of the current user (e.g., non-AP MLD (801) of FIG. 9). The non-AP MLD (801) may monitor the characteristics of the data when the channel congestion is low (e.g., when the channel access success probability is high).

[0139] According to one embodiment, the non-AP MLD (801) may trigger link aggregation to satisfy the QoS requirements of a service by monitoring the characteristics of data when channel congestion is low. The non-AP MLD (801) may detect a service requiring high QoS (e.g., an AR service, a VR service, or a real-time game service) and trigger link aggregation. The non-AP MLD (801) may not trigger link aggregation if it detects a service requiring low QoS (e.g., web surfing).

[0140] According to one embodiment, the non-AP MLD (801) can utilize the access category (information of access category) that specifies the priority of traffic as a characteristic of data. The access categories can be classified into four (e.g., AC_VO, AC_VI, AC_BE, AC_BK). AC_VO can correspond to the highest priority packet, and AC_BK can correspond to the lowest priority packet (e.g., background data). The non-AP MLD (801) can detect whether a service to be executed in the non-AP MLD (801) requires high QoS based on the access category. For example, if the access category corresponds to AC_VO or AC_VI, the non-AP MLD (801) can determine that the service to be executed in the non-AP MLD (801) requires high QoS.

[0141] According to one embodiment, the non-AP MLD (801) can utilize the TSPEC element used in TSPEC negotiation as a data characteristic. The TSPEC element may specify QoS-related information (e.g., mean data rate, delay bound, and / or service interval) of a service to be executed in the non-AP MLD (801). The TSPEC element is described in detail with reference to FIG. 13. The non-AP MLD (801) can detect whether a service to be executed in the non-AP MLD (801) requires a high QoS based on the TSPEC element.

[0142]

[0143] FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining an operation of selectively canceling link aggregation according to one embodiment, and FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining a TSEPC element according to one embodiment.

[0144] Referring to FIG. 12, according to one embodiment, a non-AP MLD (801) can selectively terminate link aggregation of aggregated links (e.g., link 1 and link 2) based on data characteristics and channel characteristics. By appropriately terminating active link aggregation, the non-AP MLD (801) can prevent in-device coexistence (IDC) interference while reducing wasted time (e.g., latency) and efficiently utilizing wireless resources.

[0145] In one embodiment, the characteristics of the channels may include the number of channel access failures of the aggregated links. The non-AP MLD (801) may detect the number of channel access failures exceeding a threshold and terminate link aggregation of the aggregated links.

[0146] In one embodiment, the characteristics of the channels may include channel congestion (e.g., channel congestion based on channel access success probability). The channel congestion may be based on the channel access success probability calculated using Equations 6 and 7. The non-AP MLD (801) monitors the channel congestion of the aggregated links, and may terminate link aggregation if the channel congestion increases (e.g., if the channel access success probability decreases).

[0147] In one embodiment, the data characteristics may include an access category that specifies the priority of the traffic. The non-AP MLD (801) may monitor the priority of data to be transmitted through the aggregated links. The non-AP MLD (801) may detect a change in the priority of data to be transmitted through the aggregated links (e.g., detect a decrease in priority) and selectively terminate link aggregation of the aggregated links.

[0148] In one embodiment, the characteristics of the data may include QoS requirements of a service running through a non-AP MLD (801). The non-AP MLD (801) may monitor the QoS requirements of the service running through the non-AP MLD (801). The non-AP MLD (801) may maintain link aggregation if the QoS requirements of the service are satisfied through the aggregated links. The QoS requirements may be obtained from a TSPEC element used in TSPEC negotiation.

[0149] Referring to FIG. 13, according to one embodiment, a TSPEC element (1301) defined in IEEE 802.11 can be identified. The TSPEC element (1301) may include an element ID field, a length field, a traffic stream information (TSInfo) field, a nominal MAC service data unit (MSDU) size field, a maximum MSDU size field, a minimum service interval field, a maximum service interval field, an inactivity interval field, and a pause interval field. The TSPEC element (1301) may include a service start time field, a minimum data rate field, an average data rate field, a peak data rate field, a minimum PHY rate field, a surplus bandwidth allowance field, a media time field, a DMG attribute field, or a delay bound.

[0150] According to one embodiment, the Element ID field may indicate the type of the element (e.g., TSPEC element). The Length field may indicate the length of the TSPEC element. The TS (traffic stream) information field may provide traffic stream information. The Nominal MSDU Size field may indicate a variable length of a nominal MSDU or a nominal A-MSDU belonging to a TS. The Maximum MSDU Size field may indicate the maximum size of an MSDU or an A-MSDU. The Minimum Service Interval field may indicate the minimum time between the start times of two consecutive service periods (SPs). The Maximum Service Interval field may indicate the maximum time between the start times of two consecutive SPs. The Inactivity Interval field may indicate the maximum time interval before transmission arrival of an MSDU belonging to a TS. The Suspend Interval field may indicate the maximum time interval during which there is no arrival or transmission of an MSDU belonging to the TS before generation of continuous QoS(+)CF-Polls for the TS is stopped.

[0151] According to one embodiment, the Service Start Time field may indicate the start time of the first SP. The Minimum Data Rate field may indicate the lowest data rate specified by the MAC SAP for transmitting MSDUs or A-MSDUs belonging to the TS. The Average Data Rate field may indicate the average data rate specified by the MAC SAP for transmitting MSDUs or A-MSDUs belonging to the TS. The Peak Data Rate field may indicate the maximum data rate specified by the MAC SAP for transmitting MSDUs or A-MSDUs belonging to the TS. The Burst Size field may indicate the maximum burst of MSDUs or A-MSDUs belonging to the TS at the peak data rate. The Delay Bound field may be the maximum time for transmitting MSDUs or A-MSDUs belonging to the TS. The Minimum PHY Rate field may indicate the lowest PHY Rate for transmitting MSDUs or A-MSDUs belonging to the TS. The Medium Time field may indicate the time allowed for medium access. The DMG attribute field may be displayed when TSPEC is applied to a Directional Multi-Gigabit (DMG) BSS.

[0152]

[0153] Figures 14 to 16 are flowcharts of an operating method of an electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0154] Referring to FIG. 14, according to one embodiment, operations 1410 to 1430 may be performed sequentially, but are not necessarily performed sequentially. For example, the order of each operation (1410 to 1430) may be changed, and at least two operations may be performed in parallel.

[0155] According to one embodiment, in operation 1410, a processor (e.g., processor (820) of FIG. 8 or processor (1720) of FIG. 17) may receive, through link aggregation, characteristics of data to be transmitted through the links (e.g., size of the data) and characteristics of channels used by the links (e.g., channel access success probability) from a wireless communication module (e.g., wireless communication module (810) of FIG. 8 or wireless communication module (1792) of FIG. 17).

[0156] According to one embodiment, in operation 1420, the processor (820) may calculate an aggregation gain and an aggregation loss based on characteristics of the data and characteristics of the channels. The aggregation gain and the aggregation loss may be calculated based on latency, which varies depending on the success or failure of channel access.

[0157] According to one embodiment, at operation 1430, the processor (820) may adaptively trigger link aggregation of links by the wireless communication module (810) based on a comparison result of the aggregation gain and the aggregation loss. The link aggregation may include synchronizing at least one of a data transmission start time and / or a data transmission end time of the aggregated links in a non-simultaneous transmit and receive operation (non-STR) mode.

[0158] Referring to FIG. 15, according to one embodiment, operations 1510 and 1520 may be performed sequentially, but are not necessarily performed sequentially. For example, the order of each operation (1510-1520) may be changed, and at least two operations may be performed in parallel.

[0159] According to one embodiment, in operation 1510, a processor (e.g., processor 820 of FIG. 8 or processor 1720 of FIG. 17) may receive, from a wireless communication module (e.g., wireless communication module 810 of FIG. 8 or wireless communication module 1792 of FIG. 17), characteristics of data to be transmitted through the aggregated links (e.g., access category information specifying QoS requirements and / or traffic priorities of a service executed through an electronic device including a processor (e.g., electronic device 801 of FIG. 8 or electronic device 1701 of FIG. 17)) and characteristics of channels used by the aggregated links (e.g., channel congestion based on channel access success probability and / or number of channel access failures of the aggregated links).

[0160] According to one embodiment, in operation 1520, the processor (820) can cause the wireless communication module (810) to selectively terminate link aggregation of the aggregated links based on at least one of characteristics of the data or characteristics of the channels.

[0161] Referring to FIG. 16, according to one embodiment, operations 1610 and 1620 may be performed sequentially, but are not necessarily performed sequentially. For example, the order of each operation (1610-1620) may be changed, and at least two operations may be performed in parallel.

[0162] According to one embodiment, in operation 1610, a processor (e.g., processor (820) of FIG. 8 or processor (1720) of FIG. 17) may receive, through link aggregation, characteristics of data to be transmitted through the links and characteristics of channels used by the links from a wireless communication module (e.g., wireless communication module (810) of FIG. 8 or wireless communication module (1792) of FIG. 17).

[0163] According to one embodiment, at operation 1620, the processor (820) can adaptively trigger link aggregation of links by the wireless communication module (810) based on characteristics of data and characteristics of channels. The characteristics of the data can include QoS requirements of a service executed through an electronic device (e.g., electronic device (401) of FIG. 4 , electronic device (801) of FIG. 8 , or electronic device (1701) of FIG. 17 ), obtained based on a TSPEC element.

[0164]

[0165] FIG. 17 is a block diagram of an electronic device within a network environment, according to one embodiment.

[0166] Referring to FIG. 17, in a network environment (1700), an electronic device (1701) may communicate with an electronic device (1702) via a first network (1798) (e.g., a short-range wireless communication network), or may communicate with at least one of an electronic device (1704) or a server (1708) via a second network (1799) (e.g., a long-range wireless communication network). In one embodiment, the electronic device (1701) may communicate with the electronic device (1704) via the server (1708). According to one embodiment, the electronic device (1701) may include a processor (1720), a memory (1730), an input module (1750), an audio output module (1755), a display module (1760), an audio module (1770), a sensor module (1776), an interface (1777), a connection terminal (1778), a haptic module (1779), a camera module (1780), a power management module (1788), a battery (1789), a communication module (1790), a subscriber identification module (1796), or an antenna module (1797). In some embodiments, the electronic device (1701) may omit at least one of these components (e.g., the connection terminal (1778)), or may have one or more other components added. In some embodiments, some of these components (e.g., sensor module (1776), camera module (1780), or antenna module (1797)) may be integrated into a single component (e.g., display module (1760)).

[0167] The processor (1720) may, for example, execute software (e.g., a program (1740)) to control at least one other component (e.g., a hardware or software component) of the electronic device (1701) connected to the processor (1720) and perform various data processing or operations. According to one embodiment, as at least a part of the data processing or operations, the processor (1720) may store commands or data received from other components (e.g., a sensor module (1776) or a communication module (1790)) in a volatile memory (1732), process the commands or data stored in the volatile memory (1732), and store result data in a non-volatile memory (1734). According to one embodiment, the processor (1720) may include a main processor (1721) (e.g., a central processing unit or an application processor) or an auxiliary processor (1723) (e.g., a graphics processing unit, a neural processing unit (NPU), an image signal processor, a sensor hub processor, or a communication processor) that can operate independently or together with the main processor (1721). For example, when the electronic device (1701) includes the main processor (1721) and the auxiliary processor (1723), the auxiliary processor (1723) may be configured to use less power than the main processor (1721) or to be specialized for a given function. The auxiliary processor (1723) may be implemented separately from the main processor (1721) or as a part thereof.

[0168] The auxiliary processor (1723) may control at least a portion of functions or states associated with at least one component (e.g., a display module (1760), a sensor module (1776), or a communication module (1790)) of the electronic device (1701), for example, on behalf of the main processor (1721) while the main processor (1721) is in an inactive (e.g., sleep) state, or together with the main processor (1721) while the main processor (1721) is in an active (e.g., application execution) state. In one embodiment, the auxiliary processor (1723) (e.g., an image signal processor or a communication processor) may be implemented as a part of another functionally related component (e.g., a camera module (1780) or a communication module (1790)). In one embodiment, the auxiliary processor (1723) (e.g., a neural network processing unit) may include a hardware structure specialized for processing artificial intelligence models. The artificial intelligence models may be generated through machine learning. This learning can be performed, for example, on the electronic device (1701) where the artificial intelligence model is executed, or can be performed through a separate server (e.g., server (1708)). The learning algorithm can include, for example, supervised learning, unsupervised learning, semi-supervised learning, or reinforcement learning, but is not limited to the examples described above. The artificial intelligence model can include multiple artificial neural network layers.The artificial neural network may be one of a deep neural network (DNN), a convolutional neural network (CNN), a recurrent neural network (RNN), a restricted Boltzmann machine (RBM), a deep belief network (DBN), a bidirectional recurrent deep neural network (BRDNN), a deep Q-network, or a combination of two or more of the above, but is not limited to the examples described above. In addition to, or alternatively to, a hardware structure, an artificial intelligence model may include a software structure.

[0169] The memory (1730) can store various data used by at least one component (e.g., the processor (1720) or the sensor module (1776)) of the electronic device (1701). The data can include, for example, software (e.g., the program (1740)) and input data or output data for commands related thereto. The memory (1730) can include volatile memory (1732) or non-volatile memory (1734).

[0170] The program (1740) may be stored as software in memory (1730) and may include, for example, an operating system (1742), middleware (1744), or an application (1746).

[0171] The input module (1750) can receive commands or data to be used in a component of the electronic device (1701) (e.g., a processor (1720)) from an external source (e.g., a user) of the electronic device (1701). The input module (1750) can include, for example, a microphone, a mouse, a keyboard, a key (e.g., a button), or a digital pen (e.g., a stylus pen).

[0172] The audio output module (1755) can output audio signals to the outside of the electronic device (1701). The audio output module (1755) can include, for example, a speaker or a receiver. The speaker can be used for general purposes, such as multimedia playback or recording playback. The receiver can be used to receive incoming calls. In one embodiment, the receiver can be implemented separately from the speaker or as part of the speaker.

[0173] The display module (1760) can visually provide information to an external party (e.g., a user) of the electronic device (1701). The display module (1760) may include, for example, a display, a holographic device, or a projector, and a control circuit for controlling the device. In one embodiment, the display module (1760) may include a touch sensor configured to detect a touch, or a pressure sensor configured to measure the intensity of a force generated by the touch.

[0174] The audio module (1770) can convert sound into an electrical signal, or vice versa. According to one embodiment, the audio module (1770) can acquire sound through the input module (1750), output sound through the sound output module (1755), or an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device (1702)) (e.g., speaker or headphone) directly or wirelessly connected to the electronic device (1701).

[0175] The sensor module (1776) can detect the operating status (e.g., power or temperature) of the electronic device (1701) or the external environmental status (e.g., user status) and generate an electrical signal or data value corresponding to the detected status. According to one embodiment, the sensor module (1776) can include, for example, a gesture sensor, a gyro sensor, a barometric pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, an acceleration sensor, a grip sensor, a proximity sensor, a color sensor, an IR (infrared) sensor, a biometric sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, or an illuminance sensor.

[0176] The interface (1777) may support one or more designated protocols that may be used to directly or wirelessly connect the electronic device (1701) with an external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (1702)). In one embodiment, the interface (1777) may include, for example, a high definition multimedia interface (HDMI), a universal serial bus (USB) interface, an SD card interface, or an audio interface.

[0177] The connection terminal (1778) may include a connector through which the electronic device (1701) may be physically connected to an external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (1702)). In one embodiment, the connection terminal (1778) may include, for example, an HDMI connector, a USB connector, an SD card connector, or an audio connector (e.g., a headphone connector).

[0178] The haptic module (1779) can convert electrical signals into mechanical stimuli (e.g., vibration or movement) or electrical stimuli that a user can perceive through tactile or kinesthetic sensations. In one embodiment, the haptic module (1779) may include, for example, a motor, a piezoelectric element, or an electrical stimulation device.

[0179] The camera module (1780) can capture still images and videos. In one embodiment, the camera module (1780) may include one or more lenses, image sensors, image signal processors, or flashes.

[0180] The power management module (1788) can manage the power supplied to the electronic device (1701). According to one embodiment, the power management module (1788) can be implemented as, for example, at least a part of a power management integrated circuit (PMIC).

[0181] A battery (1789) may power at least one component of the electronic device (1701). In one embodiment, the battery (1789) may include, for example, a non-rechargeable primary battery, a rechargeable secondary battery, or a fuel cell.

[0182] The communication module (1790) may support the establishment of a direct (e.g., wired) communication channel or a wireless communication channel between the electronic device (1701) and an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device (1702), electronic device (1704), or server (1708)), and the performance of communication through the established communication channel. The communication module (1790) may operate independently from the processor (1720) (e.g., application processor) and may include one or more communication processors that support direct (e.g., wired) communication or wireless communication. According to one embodiment, the communication module (1790) may include a wireless communication module (1792) (e.g., a cellular communication module, a short-range wireless communication module, or a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) communication module) or a wired communication module (1794) (e.g., a local area network (LAN) communication module, or a power line communication module). Any of these communication modules may communicate with an external electronic device (1704) via a first network (1798) (e.g., a short-range communication network such as Bluetooth, wireless fidelity (WiFi) direct, or infrared data association (IrDA)) or a second network (1799) (e.g., a long-range communication network such as a legacy cellular network, a 5G network, a next-generation communication network, the Internet, or a computer network (e.g., a local area network or a wide area network)). These various types of communication modules may be integrated into a single component (e.g., a single chip) or implemented as multiple separate components (e.g., multiple chips). The wireless communication module (1792) may use subscriber information (e.g., an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI)) stored in the subscriber identification module (1796) to identify or authenticate the electronic device (1701) within a communication network such as the first network (1798) or the second network (1799).

[0183] The wireless communication module (1792) can support 5G networks and next-generation communication technologies following the 4G network, such as NR access technology (new radio access technology). The NR access technology can support high-speed transmission of high-capacity data (eMBB (enhanced mobile broadband)), minimization of terminal power and connection of multiple terminals (mMTC (massive machine type communications)), or high reliability and low latency communications (URLLC (ultra-reliable and low-latency communications)). The wireless communication module (1792) can support, for example, a high-frequency band (e.g., mmWave band) to achieve a high data transmission rate. The wireless communication module (1792) may support various technologies for securing performance in high-frequency bands, such as beamforming, massive multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO), full dimensional MIMO (FD-MIMO), array antenna, analog beam-forming, or large scale antenna. The wireless communication module (1792) may support various requirements specified in the electronic device (1701), an external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device (1704)), or a network system (e.g., the second network (1799)). According to one embodiment, the wireless communication module (1792) can support a peak data rate (e.g., 20 Gbps or more) for eMBB realization, a loss coverage (e.g., 164 dB or less) for mMTC realization, or a U-plane latency (e.g., 0.5 ms or less for downlink (DL) and uplink (UL), or 1 ms or less for round trip) for URLLC realization.

[0184] The antenna module (1797) can transmit or receive signals or power to or from an external device (e.g., an external electronic device). In one embodiment, the antenna module (1797) may include an antenna including a radiator formed of a conductor or a conductive pattern formed on a substrate (e.g., a PCB). In one embodiment, the antenna module (1797) may include a plurality of antennas (e.g., an array antenna). In this case, at least one antenna suitable for a communication method used in a communication network, such as the first network (1798) or the second network (1799), may be selected from the plurality of antennas by, for example, the communication module (1790). A signal or power may be transmitted or received between the communication module (1790) and the external electronic device via the at least one selected antenna. In some embodiments, in addition to the radiator, another component (e.g., a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC)) may be additionally formed as a part of the antenna module (1797).

[0185] In one embodiment, the antenna module (1797) may form a mmWave antenna module. In one embodiment, the mmWave antenna module may include a printed circuit board, an RFIC disposed on or adjacent a first side (e.g., a bottom side) of the printed circuit board and capable of supporting a designated high frequency band (e.g., a mmWave band), and a plurality of antennas (e.g., an array antenna) disposed on or adjacent a second side (e.g., a top side or a side side) of the printed circuit board and capable of transmitting or receiving signals in the designated high frequency band.

[0186] At least some of the above components can be interconnected and exchange signals (e.g., commands or data) with each other via a communication method between peripheral devices (e.g., a bus, GPIO (general purpose input and output), SPI (serial peripheral interface), or MIPI (mobile industry processor interface)).

[0187] According to one embodiment, commands or data may be transmitted or received between the electronic device (1701) and an external electronic device (1704) via a server (1708) connected to a second network (1799). Each of the external electronic devices (1702 or 1704) may be the same or a different type of device as the electronic device (1701). According to one embodiment, all or part of the operations executed in the electronic device (1701) may be executed in one or more of the external electronic devices (1702, 1704, or 1708). For example, when the electronic device (1701) is to perform a certain function or service automatically or in response to a request from a user or another device, the electronic device (1701) may, instead of or in addition to executing the function or service itself, request one or more external electronic devices to perform the function or at least a part of the service. One or more external electronic devices that receive the request may execute at least a portion of the requested function or service, or an additional function or service related to the request, and transmit the result of the execution to the electronic device (1701). The electronic device (1701) may process the result as is or additionally and provide it as at least a portion of a response to the request. For this purpose, cloud computing, distributed computing, mobile edge computing (MEC), or client-server computing technology may be used, for example. The electronic device (1701) may provide an ultra-low latency service using, for example, distributed computing or mobile edge computing. In another embodiment, the external electronic device (1704) may include an Internet of Things (IoT) device. The server (1708) may be an intelligent server utilizing machine learning and / or a neural network.According to one embodiment, an external electronic device (1704) or server (1708) may be included within the second network (1799). The electronic device (1701) may be applied to intelligent services (e.g., smart homes, smart cities, smart cars, or healthcare) based on 5G communication technology and IoT-related technology.

[0188]

[0189] An electronic device according to an embodiment disclosed in this document may take various forms. The electronic device may include, for example, a portable communication device (e.g., a smartphone), a computer device, a portable multimedia device, a portable medical device, a camera, a wearable device, or a home appliance. The electronic device according to an embodiment of this document is not limited to the aforementioned devices.

[0190] It should be understood that the embodiments of this document and the terminology used herein are not intended to limit the technical features described in this document to specific embodiments, but include various modifications, equivalents, or substitutes of the embodiments. In connection with the description of the drawings, similar reference numerals may be used for similar or related components. The singular form of a noun corresponding to an item may include one or more of the items, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In this document, each of the phrases "A or B", "at least one of A and B", "at least one of A or B", "A, B, or C", "at least one of A, B, and C", and "at least one of A, B, or C" can include any one of the items listed together in the corresponding phrase among those phrases, or all possible combinations thereof. Terms such as "first," "second," or "first" or "second" may be used merely to distinguish one component from another, and do not limit the components in any other respect (e.g., importance or order). When a component (e.g., a first component) is referred to as "coupled" or "connected" to another component (e.g., a second component), with or without the terms "functionally" or "communicatively," it means that the component can be connected to the other component directly (e.g., wired), wirelessly, or through a third component.

[0191] The term "module" used in one embodiment of this document may include a unit implemented in hardware, software, or firmware, and may be used interchangeably with terms such as logic, logic block, component, or circuit. A module may be an integral component, or a minimum unit or part of such a component that performs one or more functions. For example, according to one embodiment, a module may be implemented in the form of an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

[0192] An embodiment of the present document may be implemented as software (e.g., a program (1740)) including one or more instructions stored in a storage medium (e.g., an internal memory (1736) or an external memory (1738)) readable by a machine (e.g., an electronic device (1701)). For example, a processor (e.g., a processor (1720)) of a peripheral device (e.g., an electronic device (1701)) may call at least one instruction among the one or more instructions stored from the storage medium and execute it. This enables the machine to operate to perform at least one function according to the at least one called instruction. The one or more instructions may include code generated by a compiler or code executable by an interpreter. The machine-readable storage medium may be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. Here, 'non-transitory' simply means that the storage medium is a tangible device and does not contain signals (e.g., electromagnetic waves), and the term does not distinguish between cases where data is stored semi-permanently or temporarily on the storage medium.

[0193] According to one embodiment, the method according to one embodiment disclosed in the present document may be provided as a computer program product. The computer program product may be traded as a product between a seller and a buyer. The computer program product may be distributed in the form of a machine-readable storage medium (e.g., compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM)), or may be distributed online (e.g., downloaded or uploaded) via an application store (e.g., Play Store™) or directly between two user devices (e.g., smart phones). In the case of online distribution, at least a portion of the computer program product may be temporarily stored or temporarily generated in a machine-readable storage medium, such as the memory of a manufacturer's server, an application store's server, or an intermediary server.

[0194] According to one embodiment, each component (e.g., a module or a program) of the above-described components may include one or more entities, and some of the entities may be separated and placed in other components. According to one embodiment, one or more components or operations of the aforementioned components may be omitted, or one or more other components or operations may be added. Alternatively or additionally, a plurality of components (e.g., a module or a program) may be integrated into a single component. In such a case, the integrated component may perform one or more functions of each of the plurality of components identically or similarly to those performed by the corresponding component among the plurality of components prior to the integration. According to one embodiment, the operations performed by a module, program, or other component may be executed sequentially, in parallel, iteratively, or heuristically, or one or more of the operations may be executed in a different order, omitted, or one or more other operations may be added.

[0195]

[0196] An electronic device according to one embodiment (e.g., a non-AP MLD (401) of FIG. 4, a non-AP MLD (801) of FIG. 8, an electronic device (1701) of FIG. 17) may include one or more wireless communication modules configured to transmit and receive wireless signals (e.g., a wireless communication module (810) of FIG. 8, a wireless communication module (1792) of FIG. 17), one or more processors operatively connected to the wireless communication module (810) (e.g., a processor (820) of FIG. 8, a processor (1720) of FIG. 17), and a memory storing instructions (e.g., a memory (830) of FIG. 8, a memory (1730) of FIG. 17). The instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the one or more processors (820, 1720), may cause the electronic device (401; 801; 1701) to receive, from the wireless communication module (810), characteristics of data to be transmitted through the links and characteristics of channels used by the links, for the associated links through link aggregation. The instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the one or more processors (820, 1720), may cause the electronic device (401; 801; 1701) to calculate an aggregation gain and an aggregation loss based on the characteristics of the data and the characteristics of the channels.The above instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the one or more processors (820, 1720), may cause the electronic device (401; 801; 1701) to adaptively trigger link aggregation of the links, based on a comparison result of the aggregation gain and the aggregation loss.

[0197] According to one embodiment, the link aggregation may include the electronic device (801), which is a non-AP multi link device (MLD), synchronizing at least one of a data transmission start time and / or a data transmission end time of the aggregated links in a non-simultaneous transmit and receive operation (non-STR) mode.

[0198] According to one embodiment, each piece of data to be transmitted through the links may be pre-scheduled to have the same transmission time.

[0199] In one embodiment, the characteristics of the data may include the size of the data.

[0200] According to one embodiment, the characteristics of the channels may include a probability of channel access success of the links.

[0201] According to one embodiment, the channel access success probability may be calculated based on channel information obtainable from the AOSP (Android Open Source Project) of the electronic device (801) or a CU (Channel Utilization) value.

[0202] According to one embodiment, the aggregation gain and the aggregation loss may be calculated based on latency that varies depending on channel access success or failure of the links.

[0203] According to one embodiment, the aggregation gain may be calculated based on the channel access success probability of the links and the delay time when the links succeed in channel access at once while link aggregation is enabled.

[0204] According to one embodiment, the aggregation loss may be calculated based on a channel access success probability of the links and a delay time when the links fail to access the channel at least once while link aggregation is enabled.

[0205] According to one embodiment, the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the one or more processors (820, 1720), may cause the electronic device (401; 801; 1701) to trigger link aggregation if the aggregation gain is greater than the aggregation loss.

[0206] According to one embodiment, an electronic device (e.g., a non-AP MLD (401) of FIG. 4, a non-AP MLD (801) of FIG. 8, an electronic device (1701) of FIG. 17) may include one or more wireless communication modules configured to transmit and receive wireless signals (e.g., a wireless communication module (810) of FIG. 8, a wireless communication module (1792) of FIG. 17), one or more processors operatively connected to the wireless communication module (810) (e.g., a processor (820) of FIG. 8, a processor (1720) of FIG. 17), and a memory storing instructions (e.g., a memory (830) of FIG. 8, a memory (1730) of FIG. 17). The instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the one or more processors (820, 1720), may cause the electronic device (401; 801; 1701) to receive, from the wireless communication module, characteristics of data to be transmitted through the aggregated links and characteristics of channels used by the aggregated links. The instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the one or more processors (820, 1720), may cause the electronic device (401; 801; 1701) to selectively terminate link aggregation of the aggregated links based on at least one of the characteristics of the data or the characteristics of the channels.

[0207] In one embodiment, the characteristics of the channels may include channel congestion based on the channel access success probability of the links. The processor (820) may detect channel congestion exceeding a threshold and terminate link aggregation of the aggregated links.

[0208] According to one embodiment, the characteristics of the channels may include the number of channel access failures of the aggregated links. When the instructions are individually or collectively executed by the one or more processors (820, 1720), they may cause the electronic device (401; 801; 1701) to detect a number of channel access failures exceeding a threshold value and terminate link aggregation of the aggregated links.

[0209] According to one embodiment, the characteristics of the data may include QoS requirements of a service executed via the electronic device. When the instructions are individually or collectively executed by the one or more processors (820, 1720), they may cause the electronic device (401; 801; 1701) to maintain link aggregation of the aggregated links if the QoS requirements of the service are satisfied via the aggregated links.

[0210] According to one embodiment, the QoS requirement may be obtained from a TSPEC element used in TSPEC negotiation.

[0211] According to one embodiment, the characteristics of the data may include an access category that specifies a priority of the traffic. When the instructions are individually or collectively executed by the one or more processors (820, 1720), they may cause the electronic device (401; 801; 1701) to detect a change in the priority of data to be transmitted through the aggregated links and selectively terminate link aggregation of the aggregated links.

[0212] According to one embodiment, an electronic device (e.g., a non-AP MLD (401) of FIG. 4, a non-AP MLD (801) of FIG. 8, an electronic device (1701) of FIG. 17) may include one or more wireless communication modules configured to transmit and receive wireless signals (e.g., a wireless communication module (810) of FIG. 8, a wireless communication module (1792) of FIG. 17), one or more processors operatively connected to the wireless communication module (810) (e.g., a processor (820) of FIG. 8, a processor (1720) of FIG. 17), and a memory storing instructions (e.g., a memory (830) of FIG. 8, a memory (1730) of FIG. 17). The instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the one or more processors (820, 1720), may cause the electronic device (401; 801; 1701) to receive, from the wireless communication module (810), characteristics of data to be transmitted through the links and characteristics of channels used by the links, for the associated links through link aggregation. The instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the one or more processors (820, 1720), may cause the electronic device (401; 801; 1701) to adaptively trigger link aggregation of the links based on the characteristics of the data and the characteristics of the channels.

[0213] According to one embodiment, the characteristics of the data may include QoS requirements of a service executed through the electronic device (801), obtained based on a TSPEC element.

[0214] According to one embodiment, the characteristics of the channels may include channel congestion corresponding to the channel access success probability of the links.

[0215] According to one embodiment, the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the one or more processors (820, 1720), may cause the electronic device (401; 801; 1701) to trigger link aggregation of the links to satisfy the QoS requirements of the service when the channel congestion is lower than a threshold.

[0216] According to one embodiment, the channel congestion may be calculated based on channel information obtainable from the AOSP (Android Open Source Project) of the electronic device (801) or a CU (Channel Utilization) value.

Claims

1. In electronic devices (401; 801; 1701), One or more wireless communication modules (810; 1792) configured to transmit and receive wireless signals; One or more processors (820, 1720) operatively connected to the wireless communication module (810; 1792); and Memory containing instructions (830; 1730) Including, The above instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the one or more processors (820, 1720), cause the electronic device (401; 801; 1701) to: For the links associated with link aggregation, the characteristics of data to be transmitted through the links and the characteristics of channels used by the links are received from the wireless communication module (810; 1792), Based on the characteristics of the above data and the characteristics of the above channels, the aggregation gain and the aggregation loss are calculated, Based on the comparison result of the aggregation gain and the aggregation loss, the wireless communication module (810; 1792) adaptively triggers link aggregation of the links. Electronic devices (401; 801; 1701).

2. In paragraph 1, The above link aggregation is, The electronic device (401; 801; 1701), which is a non-AP MLD (multi link device), includes synchronizing at least one of the data transmission start time and / or data transmission end time of the aggregated links in a non-STR (non-simultaneous transmit and receive operation) mode. Electronic devices (401; 801; 1701).

3. In either of paragraphs 1 and 2, Each of the data to be transmitted through the above links, It is scheduled in advance so that the transmission time is the same, Electronic devices (401; 801; 1701).

4. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 3, The characteristics of the above data are: Including the size of the data, Electronic devices (401; 801; 1701).

5. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 4, The characteristics of the above channels are: Including the probability of channel access success of the above links, Electronic devices (401; 801; 1701).

6. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 5, The probability of success in accessing the above channel is The channel information obtainable from the AOSP (Android open source project) of the above electronic device (401; 801; 1701) or the CU (channel utilization) value is calculated based on the Electronic devices (401; 801; 1701).

7. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 6, The above aggregation gain and the above aggregation loss are, It is calculated based on the latency that varies depending on the success or failure of channel access of the above links. Electronic devices (401; 801; 1701).

8. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 7, The above aggregation gain is, It is calculated based on the channel access success probability of the above links and the delay time when the above links succeed in channel access at once while link aggregation is activated. The above aggregation loss is, The channel access success probability of the above links is calculated based on the delay time when the above links fail to access the channel at least once while link aggregation is enabled. Electronic devices (401; 801; 1701).

9. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 8, The above instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the one or more processors (820, 1720), cause the electronic device (401; 801; 1701) to: Triggering link aggregation when the above aggregation gain is greater than the above aggregation loss, Electronic devices (401; 801; 1701).

10. In electronic devices (401; 801; 1701), One or more wireless communication modules (810; 1792) configured to transmit and receive wireless signals; One or more processors (820, 1720) operatively connected to the wireless communication module (810; 1792); and Memory containing instructions (830; 1730) Including, The above instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the one or more processors (820, 1720), cause the electronic device (401; 801; 1701) to: For the links aggregated through link aggregation, the characteristics of data to be transmitted through the aggregated links and the characteristics of channels used by the aggregated links are received from the wireless communication module (810; 1792), Causing the wireless communication module (810; 1792) to selectively terminate link aggregation of the aggregated links based on at least one of the characteristics of the data or the characteristics of the channels. Electronic devices (401; 801; 1701).

11. In paragraph 10, The characteristics of the above channels are: Including channel congestion based on the channel access success probability of the above links, The above processor (820, 1720) Detecting channel congestion that exceeds a threshold value and canceling link aggregation of the aggregated links. Electronic devices (401; 801; 1701).

12. In either of paragraphs 10 and 11, The characteristics of the above channels are: Contains the number of channel access failures of the above aggregated links, The above instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the one or more processors (820, 1720), cause the electronic device (401; 801; 1701) to: Detecting the number of channel access failures that exceeds a threshold value, and canceling the link aggregation of the aggregated links. Electronic devices (401; 801; 1701).

13. In any one of paragraphs 10 to 12, The characteristics of the above data are: Contains QoS requirements of services running through the above electronic devices (401; 801; 1701), The above instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the one or more processors (820, 1720), cause the electronic device (401; 801; 1701) to: If the QoS requirement of the service is satisfied through the aggregated links, the link aggregation of the aggregated links is maintained. Electronic devices (401; 801; 1701).

14. In any one of paragraphs 10 to 13, The above QoS requirements are: Obtained from the TSPEC elements used in TSPEC negotiations, Electronic devices (401; 801; 1701).

15. In any one of paragraphs 10 to 14, The characteristics of the above data are: Includes access categories that prioritize traffic, The above instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the one or more processors (820, 1720), cause the electronic device (401; 801; 1701) to: Detecting a change in the priority of data to be transmitted through the aggregated links, and selectively canceling link aggregation of the aggregated links. Electronic devices (401; 801; 1701).

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