Wireless communication method, apparatus, system and device, medium and product

Abstract

Provided in the embodiments of the present application are a wireless communication method, apparatus, system and device, a medium and a product. The wireless communication method is executed by a primary access point, and comprises: negotiating with sub-access points to determine target wake time (TWT) session parameters, the TWT session parameters comprising indications of sub-access point groups and service periods; and performing within the service periods data interaction with corresponding sub-access point groups, wherein each sub-access point group comprises one or multiple sub-access points, and different sub-access point groups correspond to different service periods. In the embodiments of the present application, a primary access point and a plurality of sub-access points negotiate TWT session parameters, so as to carry out TDMA transmission, thus achieving more flexible and convenient slot configuration and higher-precision TDMA-based backhaul networks.

Description

A wireless communication method, device, system, equipment, medium and product Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to a wireless communication method, apparatus, system, equipment, medium and product. Background Art

[0002] Wi-Fi technology was originally designed to support short-range communications in wireless local area networks (WLANs) and is widely used in home wireless networks. Wi-Fi uses CSMA / CA (Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Avoidance) access technology, a contention-based protocol that allows multiple devices to send data simultaneously, but requires a certain amount of contention before transmission to avoid data collisions and data loss. Specifically, when a device wants to send data, it first monitors the data transmission status on the channel. If no other device is sending data on the channel, it can begin sending data. If another device is already sending data on the channel, the device needs to wait for a period of time and then monitor the channel status again to determine whether it can send data. This waiting period is called the backoff time, and its length is random and recalculated before each transmission.

[0003] With the growing popularity of Wi-Fi and the continuous evolution of its protocols, Wi-Fi is beginning to make its way outdoors. Wireless backhaul networks are a key application for outdoor wireless networking. Multiple, dispersed access points (APs) relay signals to a primary AP to extend wireless network coverage. To ensure wide coverage, the APs are typically separated by large distances and are often hidden nodes. Using CSMA / CA access technology in these scenarios can increase inter-device conflicts, significantly degrading network performance.

[0004] The TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access) channel access method is used to share the transmission medium between nodes available within a common transmission range. By dividing the transmission time into multiple discrete time slots, it allows multiple stations to share the same channel and ensures non-overlapping transmissions between stations to avoid conflicts. However, the scheduling-based TDMA scheme requires a management node to allocate time slots. The effectiveness of this allocation is entirely determined by the management node's algorithms and performance. Each scheduling may affect the next scheduling for other nodes. Therefore, the time allocated to each node cannot be accurately predicted. In addition, the adjustment process of time slots is relatively complex when nodes in the network change, resulting in longer transmission delays for nodes.

[0005] Summary of the Invention

[0006] The embodiments of the present application provide a wireless communication method, apparatus, system, device, medium and product to solve the technical problems of poor flexibility in TDMA time slot allocation and low scheduling accuracy in related technologies, thereby achieving more flexible and convenient time slot configuration and a higher-precision TDMA wireless backhaul network.

[0007] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a wireless communication method, performed by a primary access point, comprising:

[0008] Negotiating with the child access points to determine target wake time (TWT) session parameters, the TWT session parameters including an indication of the child access point grouping and service period;

[0009] Performing data interaction with corresponding sub-access point groups during the service period;

[0010] The sub-access point group includes one or more sub-access points, and different sub-access point groups correspond to different service time periods.

[0011] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a wireless communication method, performed by a sub-access point, including:

[0012] Negotiating with the master access point to determine target wake time (TWT) session parameters, the TWT session parameters including an indication of a grouping of child access points and their service periods;

[0013] Interacting data with the master access point during a service period corresponding to the sub-access point;

[0014] The sub-access point group includes one or more sub-access points, and different sub-access point groups correspond to different service time periods.

[0015] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a wireless communication device, applied to a primary access point, including:

[0016] A first negotiation module is configured to negotiate with the sub-access point to determine TWT session parameters, wherein the TWT session parameters include an indication of the sub-access point grouping and the service period;

[0017] a first transceiver module configured to perform data exchange with corresponding sub-access point groups during the service period;

[0018] The sub-access point group includes one or more sub-access points, and different sub-access point groups correspond to different service time periods.

[0019] In a fourth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a wireless communication device, applied to a sub-access point, including:

[0020] a second negotiation module configured to negotiate with the master access point to determine TWT session parameters, wherein the TWT session parameters include an indication of a sub-access point group and a service period thereof;

[0021] a second transceiver module, configured to exchange data with the master access point during a service period corresponding to the sub-access point;

[0022] The sub-access point group includes one or more sub-access points, and different sub-access point groups correspond to different service time periods.

[0023] In a fifth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a wireless communication system, including:

[0024] A master access point, comprising the wireless communication device according to the third aspect;

[0025] Multiple sub-access points include the wireless communication device as described in the fourth aspect.

[0026] In a sixth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a wireless communication device, including:

[0027] memory and one or more processors;

[0028] The memory is used to store one or more programs;

[0029] When the one or more programs are executed by the one or more processors, the one or more processors implement the wireless communication method as described in the first aspect or the second aspect.

[0030] In a seventh aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a non-volatile storage medium storing computer-executable instructions, which, when executed by a computer processor, are used to execute the wireless communication method as described in the first aspect or the second aspect.

[0031] In an eighth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a computer program product, comprising a computer program, which, when executed by a processor, implements the wireless communication method as described in the first aspect or the second aspect.

[0032] One or more technical solutions provided in the embodiments of the present application determine the target wake-up time (TWT) session parameters through negotiation between the main access point and the sub-access point, group the sub-access points and assign different service time periods. Each sub-access point group communicates with the main access point only during the assigned service time period, thereby achieving a more flexible and convenient time slot configuration and a higher-precision TDMA backhaul network compared to the scheduling-based TDMA solution; if the sub-access point changes, the service time period can be reallocated by updating the TWT session parameters, thereby reducing transmission delay and improving transmission efficiency. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of a topology of a wireless backhaul network in the related art;

[0034] FIG2 is a flow chart of a wireless communication method provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0035] FIG3 is a flow chart of a wireless communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0036] FIG4 is a flow chart of a wireless communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0037] FIG5 is a flowchart of a wireless communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0038] FIG6 is a schematic structural diagram of a wireless communication device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0039] FIG7 is a schematic structural diagram of a wireless communication device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0040] FIG8 is a flowchart of a TWT session parameter negotiation provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0041] FIG9 is a schematic diagram of TDMA+OFDMA communication provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0042] FIG10 is a schematic structural diagram of a wireless communication device provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0043] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the present application clearer, the specific embodiments of the present application are further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present application and are not intended to limit the present application. It should also be noted that, for ease of description, only some, but not all, of the contents related to the present application are shown in the accompanying drawings. Before discussing the exemplary embodiments in more detail, it should be mentioned that some exemplary embodiments are described as processes or methods depicted as flow charts. Although the flow charts describe each operation (or step) as a sequential process, many of the operations therein can be implemented in parallel, concurrently or simultaneously. In addition, the order of the operations can be rearranged. The above process can be terminated when its operation is completed, but it can also have additional steps not included in the accompanying drawings. The above process can correspond to a method, function, procedure, subroutine, subprogram, etc.

[0044] The wireless communication method provided in the embodiments of the present application is applied to a wireless backhaul network scenario. FIG1 is a schematic diagram of the topology of a wireless backhaul network in the related art. In this exemplary scenario, there is a master access point (master AP, or root AP) 11 and multiple sub-access points (sub-APs) 12. Each sub-AP 12 is connected to the master AP 11 at one end and to a user station (STA) 13 at the other end, thereby expanding the network coverage. It can be understood that in order to ensure coverage, the sub-APs are usually far apart. A sub-AP cannot monitor whether other sub-APs are sending signals, making it unsuitable to use the CSMA / CA backoff mechanism. Instead, the master AP needs to perform centralized control to reduce the probability of collision between sub-APs. The currently commonly used TDMA scheme is based on scheduling, using the POLL mechanism to implement point coordination function (PCF) control of each node in the network. The effectiveness of this scheme is entirely determined by the algorithm and performance of the master AP, and each scheduling may affect the next scheduling for other nodes, making it impossible to accurately predict the time allocated to each sub-AP, and the scheduling accuracy is at a low level of 2ms.

[0045] Starting with Wi-Fi 6, the protocol adopts a new energy-saving mechanism - Target Wake Time (TWT). The TWT mechanism allows a specific time or a set of times to be used for STA to wake up and exchange frames with the AP. It is designed as a predictable sleep mechanism to improve the battery life of Internet of Things (IoT) devices. The embodiment of the present application applies the TWT mechanism to the backhaul network between multiple APs, negotiates TWT session parameters between the main AP and the sub-AP, thereby realizing a TDMA backhaul network based on TWT sessions rather than scheduling.

[0046] FIG2 shows a flow chart of a wireless communication method provided by an embodiment of the present application. Exemplarily, the method is applied to a wireless backhaul network scenario and is executed by a master access point. Referring to FIG2 , the wireless communication method includes:

[0047] S210: Negotiate with the sub-AP to determine target wake time (TWT) session parameters, where the TWT session parameters include an indication of the sub-AP grouping and service period;

[0048] The wireless backhaul network has multiple sub-APs, and the main AP negotiates TWT session parameters with each sub-AP. Exemplarily, the negotiation of the TWT session parameters is initiated by the sub-AP by sending a request frame to the main AP.

[0049] Exemplarily, the TWT session parameters include an indication of the subAP grouping and an indication of the service period. The indication of the subAP grouping includes the group number and the subAP identifier within the group, etc. The indication of the service period (Sevice Period, SP) includes the target wake-up time, TWT wake-up duration, TWT wake-up interval, etc. The service period indicated by these parameters is the TDMA time slot allocated to the subAP. By negotiating and determining the TWT session parameters, the master AP groups multiple subAPs in the network and allocates a corresponding service period to each subAP group. The service periods corresponding to different subAP groups can have the same or different durations. Exemplarily, the master AP allocates a service period to each subAP group in each beacon period (Beacon Period).

[0050] In one embodiment, after determining the TWT session parameters, the master AP sends the TWT session parameters of each sub-AP to the sub-AP accordingly, and each sub-AP only knows its own TWT session parameters. As a result, the amount of data sent to each sub-AP for processing is relatively small.

[0051] In one embodiment, after determining the TWT session parameters, the master AP sends the TWT session parameters of all sub-APs to each sub-AP. Thus, the master AP uniformly maintains a record of all session parameters, which is easy to manage, and each sub-AP can know the TWT session parameters of other sub-APs, so that it can actively initiate TWT session updates based on its own needs.

[0052] In this step, the TWT session parameters can be negotiated and determined in any manner that complies with the TWT mechanism.

[0053] S220: Perform data exchange with a corresponding sub-access point group within the service period; wherein the sub-access point group includes one or more sub-access points, and different sub-access point groups correspond to different service periods.

[0054] During the service period corresponding to a sub-AP group, the master AP receives data from or sends data to the sub-APs in that sub-AP group. After the service period ends, the master AP no longer sends or receives data to the sub-APs in that sub-AP group. In other words, the master AP exchanges data with different sub-AP groups during different service periods. Different service periods refer to time intervals that do not overlap. For example, one service period is 0-3ms, while another service period is 4-7ms.

[0055] In the wireless communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application, the main access point determines the target wake-up time (TWT) session parameters by negotiation with the sub-access point, groups the sub-access points and allocates service time periods, and communicates with the corresponding sub-access point groups only within the allocated service time periods, thereby realizing flexible and convenient time slot configuration and a high-precision TDMA backhaul network; if the sub-access point changes, the service time period can be reallocated by updating the TWT session parameters. The adjustment process is simple and time-saving. The main access point and the sub-access point can resume communication without waiting for a long time, thereby reducing transmission delays and improving the transmission efficiency of the wireless backhaul network.

[0056] In one embodiment, the sub-AP group enters a dormant state outside of its service period. This dormant state is a mode in which the sub-APs in the sub-AP group disable some of their functions to conserve power, such as functions related to communication with the master AP. This significantly reduces the power consumption of each sub-AP node.

[0057] In one embodiment, before exchanging data with the sub-AP group, the method further includes:

[0058] A target beacon transmission time (TBTT) interrupt is sent to the sub-AP to complete clock synchronization with the sub-AP.

[0059] Exemplarily, the master AP sends a TBTT interrupt at the beginning of each beacon period, thereby periodically performing clock synchronization according to the beacon interval.

[0060] Since the accuracy of TBTT interruption is within 5 microseconds (μs), each sub-AP completes the clock synchronization with the main AP through TBTT interruption, which can ensure the local clock accuracy of each sub-AP and prevent the performance of the TDMA backhaul network from degrading as the operating time increases.

[0061] In one embodiment, after determining the TWT session parameters through negotiation with the sub-access point, the method further includes:

[0062] The master access point timer is set according to the TWT session parameters to determine whether the current time reaches the service period.

[0063] The master access point sets multiple master AP timers, each corresponding to the service period of a sub-AP group. A master AP timer interrupt indicates the arrival of the corresponding service period. For example, when the service period arrives, the master AP sends a trigger frame to the corresponding sub-AP group to trigger data exchange. Because the timers set based on the TWT mechanism have high accuracy, reaching less than 1μs, smaller TWT service periods (SPs) and TWT wake-up intervals can be set. This allows more sub-APs to communicate with the master AP and achieves higher-frequency data exchange, improving the transmission efficiency of the wireless backhaul network.

[0064] During the operation of the wireless backhaul network, the status of the sub-AP may change, and it is necessary to reallocate the sub-AP groups and service periods. To this end, in one embodiment, the method further includes:

[0065] When the state of at least one sub-AP changes, time division multiple access (TDMA) topology information is generated and sent to all sub-APs to update the TWT session parameters.

[0066] Exemplarily, sub-AP status changes include adding a new sub-AP, exiting an existing sub-AP, or changing sub-AP resource requirements, etc. The master AP may learn of sub-AP status changes by receiving request frames from the sub-AP or through topology discovery.

[0067] For example, the TDMA topology information includes group information and TDMA information. The group information includes the group number of the sub-AP group, the number of sub-APs in the group, the sub-AP identifier, and other information. The TDMA information includes the TWT wake-up duration, the TWT wake-up interval, the main AP identifier, and other information. The AP identifier is, for example, a MAC address.

[0068] Sub-APs can update TWT session parameters based on TDMA topology information, determine new sub-AP groups, and determine corresponding service time periods. Therefore, by sending TDMA topology information to update TWT session parameters, service time periods can be reallocated. This adjustment process is simple and time-efficient, allowing the master access point and sub-APs to resume communication without waiting for a long time, thereby reducing transmission delays and improving the transmission efficiency of the wireless backhaul network.

[0069] In the above embodiment, for a sub-AP group including multiple sub-APs, the multiple sub-APs in the group correspond to the same service period, and within the same service period, there is still a possibility of conflict between the multiple sub-APs in the same group. In this regard, in one embodiment, the method further includes:

[0070] determining and sending an indication of a serving frequency band for each sub-AP within the sub-AP group;

[0071] Interacting data with the corresponding sub-AP on the service frequency band;

[0072] Different sub-APs in the sub-AP group correspond to different service frequency bands.

[0073] Exemplarily, the master AP divides the available communication band into multiple service bands based on the number of subAPs in the subAP group, allocates these bands to different subAPs, generates and transmits service band indications, and thereby implements Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA). The master AP can divide the entire available communication band into multiple service bands, or select a portion of the available communication band to divide into multiple service bands. Exemplarily, service bands are allocated in resource units (RUs).

[0074] In one embodiment, the service frequency band allocated to one sub-AP is continuous.

[0075] In one embodiment, the service frequency band allocated to one sub-AP is non-contiguous.

[0076] In one embodiment, the bandwidths of the service bands allocated to the multiple sub-APs are equal, that is, evenly allocated.

[0077] In one embodiment, the bandwidth of the service bands allocated to multiple sub-APs is unequal, i.e., unevenly distributed. For example, if two sub-APs connect to different numbers of STAs or different service types, and therefore require different amounts of data to communicate with the master AP, service bands of different bandwidths can be allocated to the sub-APs based on their data exchange requirements. Sub-APs with greater data exchange requirements can be allocated a wider service band.

[0078] In one embodiment, the indication of the serving frequency band is sent via the TWT session, for example, the indication of the serving frequency band is included in the TWT session parameters;

[0079] In another embodiment, the indication of the service frequency band is sent in a Trigger Based OFDMA manner, for example, a separate trigger frame is sent, and the trigger frame includes an indication of the service frequency band of the sub-AP.

[0080] In one embodiment, at the beginning of each service period, an indication of the service frequency band of each sub-AP in the sub-AP group is determined and sent, thereby enabling dynamic adjustment of the service frequency band allocation scheme.

[0081] In this way, the combination of TDMA and OFDMA is realized, which greatly improves the network capacity and networking flexibility.

[0082] FIG3 shows a flow chart of a wireless communication method provided by an embodiment of the present application. Based on the embodiment shown in FIG2 , this embodiment provides a more specific description of the situation where a sub-AP group includes multiple sub-APs. As shown in FIG3 , the method of this embodiment is executed by the master AP and may include the following steps:

[0083] S310: Negotiate with the sub-AP to determine TWT session parameters, where the TWT session parameters include an indication of the sub-AP grouping and service period;

[0084] S320: For a sub-AP group including a plurality of sub-APs, determining and sending an indication of a service frequency band for each sub-AP in the sub-AP group;

[0085] S330: During the service period corresponding to the sub-AP group, data is exchanged with each sub-AP in the group on the corresponding service frequency band.

[0086] In the above embodiments of the present application, the master AP allocates a different service frequency band to each sub-AP in a group including multiple sub-APs, thereby realizing OFDMA communication and avoiding communication conflicts between multiple sub-APs in the same group.

[0087] FIG4 shows a flow chart of a wireless communication method provided by an embodiment of the present application. Exemplarily, the method is applied to a wireless backhaul network scenario and is executed by a sub-access point. Referring to FIG4 , the wireless communication method includes:

[0088] S410: Negotiate with the master access point to determine target wake time (TWT) session parameters, where the TWT session parameters include an indication of a sub-access point group and its service period;

[0089] Exemplarily, the sub-AP sends a request frame to the main AP to initiate negotiation of TWT session parameters.

[0090] In one embodiment, each sub-AP receives only its own corresponding TWT session parameters, but does not receive the TWT session parameters of other sub-APs, thereby reducing the amount of data that needs to be interacted and processed.

[0091] In one embodiment, each sub-AP receives the TWT session parameters of all sub-APs, so as to proactively initiate the update of the TWT session based on its own needs.

[0092] Similarly, in this step, other methods that follow the TWT mechanism can also be used to negotiate and determine the TWT session parameters.

[0093] S420: Perform data exchange with the main access point during the service period corresponding to the sub-access point; wherein the sub-access point group includes one or more sub-access points, and different sub-access point groups correspond to different service periods.

[0094] Each sub-AP sends data to or receives data from the main AP only during its corresponding service period. After the service period ends, the sub-AP no longer sends or receives data with the main AP and waits for the next service period to arrive.

[0095] In the wireless communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application, the sub-access points determine the target wake-up time (TWT) session parameters through negotiation with the main access point, are grouped and assigned service time periods, and each sub-access point communicates with the main access point only during the assigned service time period, thereby realizing flexible and convenient time slot configuration and a high-precision TDMA backhaul network; if the sub-access point changes, the service time period can be reallocated by updating the TWT session parameters, thereby reducing transmission delay and improving transmission efficiency.

[0096] In one embodiment, the sub-AP enters a dormant state outside of its service period, thereby reducing the node power consumption of the sub-AP.

[0097] In one embodiment, before interacting with the primary AP, the method further includes:

[0098] Receive the target beacon transmit time (TBTT) interrupt from the master AP to synchronize its clock with the master AP. For example, the slave AP periodically receives TBTT interrupts at the beacon interval and adjusts its own clock signal based on the received TBTT interrupts to achieve synchronization. This ensures the accuracy of the slave AP's local clock, preventing TDMA network performance degradation over time.

[0099] In one embodiment, after determining the TWT session parameters through negotiation with the primary access point, the method further includes:

[0100] The sub-access point timer is set according to the TWT session parameters to determine whether the current time reaches the service period.

[0101] The sub-AP sets a sub-AP timer based on its corresponding service period. An interruption in the sub-AP timer indicates the arrival of the sub-AP's service period. For example, when the service period arrives, the sub-AP wakes up from its dormant state and receives a trigger frame from the master AP to trigger data exchange. "Waking up" refers to the sub-AP reactivating functions that were disabled in its dormant state, such as enabling communication with the master AP.

[0102] Therefore, the transmission efficiency can be improved by setting a high-precision timer based on the TWT mechanism.

[0103] Regarding the situation where the sub-AP status in the wireless backhaul network changes, in one embodiment, the method further includes:

[0104] Receiving TDMA topology information from the master AP;

[0105] Updating TWT session parameters according to the TDMA topology information;

[0106] The TDMA topology information is generated when the state of at least one sub-AP changes.

[0107] For example, the TDMA topology information includes grouping information and TDMA information. The grouping information includes the group number of the sub-AP group, the number of sub-APs in the group, the identification of the sub-AP, and other information. The TDMA information includes the TWT wake-up duration, the TWT wake-up interval, the identification of the main AP, and other information. The identification of the AP can be a MAC address.

[0108] Therefore, when the sub-AP status changes, the TWT session parameters can be updated through TDMA topology messages. The solution adjustment process is simple and time-saving. The main access point and sub-access point can resume communication without waiting for a long time, thereby reducing transmission delays and improving the transmission efficiency of the wireless backhaul network.

[0109] In the above embodiment, if the sub-AP is in a group that includes other sub-APs, they all correspond to the same service period and there is still a possibility of conflict. In this regard, in one embodiment, the method executed by the sub-AP further includes:

[0110] receiving an indication of a service band from a primary AP;

[0111] Interacting data with the primary AP on the service frequency band;

[0112] Different sub-APs in the sub-AP group correspond to different service frequency bands.

[0113] The indication of the service band is generated by the master AP allocating the service band to different sub-APs according to the number of sub-APs in the sub-AP group. Exemplarily, the service band is allocated in resource units (RUs).

[0114] The service frequency band allocated to a sub-AP may be continuous or non-continuous, and the bandwidths of the service frequency bands allocated to different sub-APs in a sub-AP group may be equal or unequal.

[0115] In one embodiment, the indication of the serving frequency band is included in the TWT session parameters;

[0116] In another embodiment, the indication of the serving frequency band is included in a separately transmitted trigger frame.

[0117] In one embodiment, at the beginning of each service period, the sub-AP corresponding to the service period receives an indication of a service frequency band.

[0118] In this way, the combination of TDMA and OFDMA is realized, which greatly improves the network capacity and networking flexibility.

[0119] FIG5 shows a flow chart of a wireless communication method provided by an embodiment of the present application. Based on the embodiment shown in FIG4 , this embodiment provides a more detailed description of a situation where a sub-AP group includes multiple sub-APs. As shown in FIG5 , this embodiment is executed by a sub-AP in a group including multiple sub-APs, and includes the following steps:

[0120] S510: Negotiate with the master AP to determine TWT session parameters, where the TWT session parameters include an indication of sub-AP grouping and service period;

[0121] S520: Receive an indication of a service frequency band from the primary AP;

[0122] S530: Perform data interaction with the master AP in the corresponding service period and on the indicated service frequency band.

[0123] FIG6 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a wireless communication device provided in an embodiment of the present application. The wireless communication device is applied to a wireless backhaul network scenario and can be implemented in a master AP of the wireless backhaul network. Referring to FIG6 , the wireless communication device 60 provided in this embodiment includes a first negotiation module 61 and a first transceiver module 62, wherein:

[0124] A first negotiation module 61 is configured to negotiate with the sub-access point to determine TWT session parameters, wherein the TWT session parameters include an indication of the sub-access point grouping and service period;

[0125] The first transceiver module 62 is configured to exchange data with the corresponding sub-access point group within the service period; wherein the sub-access point group includes one or more sub-access points, and different sub-access point groups correspond to different service periods.

[0126] In one embodiment, the sub-AP group enters a dormant state outside of its service period.

[0127] In one embodiment, the first transceiver module 62 is further configured to send a target beacon transmission time (TBTT) interrupt to the sub-AP before exchanging data with the sub-AP group to complete clock synchronization with the sub-AP.

[0128] In one embodiment, the wireless communication device 60 further includes a timer module (not shown) configured to set a master access point timer according to the TWT session parameters to determine whether the current time reaches the service period.

[0129] In one embodiment, the first negotiation module 61 is further configured to generate time division multiple access (TDMA) topology information and send it to all sub-APs to update the TWT session parameters when the state of at least one sub-AP changes.

[0130] In one embodiment, the wireless communication device 60 further includes a service frequency band indication module (not shown) configured to determine and send an indication of a service frequency band of each sub-AP in the sub-AP group.

[0131] The first transceiver module 62 is further configured to perform data exchange with the corresponding sub-AP on the service frequency band, wherein different sub-APs in the sub-AP group correspond to different service frequency bands.

[0132] The wireless communication device 60 provided with reference to FIG6 can execute the wireless communication method shown in FIG2 and FIG3 provided in the embodiments of the present application, and has the functional modules and beneficial effects corresponding to the execution method. Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that for the convenience and brevity of description, the specific working process and beneficial effects of the above-described device embodiment can refer to the corresponding content in the method embodiment, and will not be repeated here.

[0133] FIG7 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a wireless communication device provided in an embodiment of the present application. The wireless communication device can be implemented in a sub-AP of a wireless backhaul network. Referring to FIG7 , the wireless communication device 70 provided in this embodiment includes a second negotiation module 71 and a second transceiver module 72, wherein:

[0134] A second negotiation module 71 is configured to negotiate with the master access point to determine TWT session parameters, wherein the TWT session parameters include an indication of a sub-access point group and its service period;

[0135] The second transceiver module 72 is configured to exchange data with the main access point during the service period corresponding to the sub-access point; wherein the sub-access point group includes one or more sub-access points, and different sub-access point groups correspond to different service periods.

[0136] In one embodiment, the sub-AP group enters a dormant state outside of its service period.

[0137] In one embodiment, the second transceiver module 72 is further configured to receive a TBTT interrupt from the master AP before performing data interaction with the master AP to complete clock synchronization with the master AP.

[0138] In one embodiment, the wireless communication device 70 further includes a timer module (not shown) configured to set a sub-access point timer according to the TWT session parameters to determine whether the current time reaches the service period.

[0139] In one embodiment, the second transceiver module 72 is further configured to receive TDMA topology information from the main AP, and the second negotiation module 71 is further configured to update the TWT session parameters based on the TDMA topology information; wherein, the TDMA topology information is generated when the state of at least one sub-AP changes.

[0140] In one embodiment, the second transceiver module 72 is further configured to receive a service frequency band indication from the master AP and perform data exchange with the master AP on the service frequency band; wherein different sub-APs in the sub-AP group correspond to different service frequency bands.

[0141] The wireless communication device 70 provided with reference to FIG7 can execute the wireless communication method shown in FIG4 and FIG5 provided in the embodiments of the present application, and has the functional modules and beneficial effects corresponding to the execution method. Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that for the convenience and brevity of description, the specific working process and beneficial effects of the above-described device embodiment can refer to the corresponding content in the method embodiment, and will not be repeated here.

[0142] The present application also provides a wireless communication system for implementing a wireless backhaul network. The wireless communication system includes a master access point and multiple slave access points, wherein:

[0143] A master access point, comprising a wireless communication device 60 as shown in the embodiment of FIG6 ;

[0144] The plurality of sub-access points include a wireless communication device 70 as shown in the embodiment of FIG. 7 .

[0145] Thus, the master access point is configured to execute the wireless communication method shown in the embodiments of FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 , and the slave access point is configured to execute the wireless communication method shown in the embodiments of FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 .

[0146] One end of each sub-AP is connected to the main AP, and the other end is connected to the STA. The number of sub-APs in the wireless communication system is a natural number greater than 1, for example, 4.

[0147] The following takes a wireless communication system including one master AP and four slave APs as an example to introduce its specific working process.

[0148] First, the main AP negotiates with the sub-AP to determine the target wake-up time (TWT) session parameters. Figure 8 is a flowchart of a TWT session parameter negotiation provided by an embodiment of the present application. In 801 of Figure 8, the main AP 81 and the sub-AP 82 negotiate and determine the parameters for the first TWT session; in 802, the main AP 81 and the sub-AP 83 negotiate and determine the parameters for the second TWT session; in 803, the main AP 81 and the sub-AP 84 negotiate and determine the parameters for the third TWT session; in 804, the main AP 81 and the sub-AP 85 negotiate and determine the parameters for the fourth TWT session. TWT session parameters include the group number of the sub-AP group, the sub-AP identifier within the group, the target wake-up time, the TWT wake-up duration, the TWT wake-up interval, the periodicity, the protection interval, etc. In one embodiment, 801, 802, 803, and 804 in Figure 8 include sub-APs 82, 83, 84, and 85 sending TWT request frames respectively to initiate TWT session parameter negotiations with the main AP 81. It should be noted that steps 801, 802, 803, and 804 are independent negotiation processes that are not limited to a specific order and can be executed in parallel. At step 805, the master AP 81 transmits a beacon to the sub-APs 82, 83, 84, and 85. The beacon includes the parameters of each TWT session, that is, all TWT session parameters are transmitted to each sub-AP separately.

[0149] Based on the TWT session parameters determined by negotiation, the sub-APs in the system are divided into multiple sub-AP groups, each sub-AP group includes one or more sub-APs, each sub-AP group has a corresponding service period, and the service periods of different sub-AP groups are different, thereby realizing the TDMA scheme of the wireless backhaul network. Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of TDMA+OFDMA communication provided by an embodiment of the present application. After the TWT session parameters are determined through negotiation, the TDMA scheme shown in Figure 9 is obtained. Among them, the four sub-APs 82, 83, 84, and 85 are divided into three sub-AP groups (Groups), Group 1 includes sub-AP 82, Group 2 includes sub-AP 83, and Group 3 includes sub-AP 84 and sub-AP 85. After negotiation, the main AP and sub-AP determine the service time periods corresponding to the three sub-AP groups in each beacon period. Group 1 corresponds to the first service period SP1, Group 2 corresponds to the second service period SP2, and Group 3 corresponds to the third service period SP3. As an example, the beacon period is 100ms, and the duration of each service period (i.e., the TWT wake-up duration) is 3ms. The service period is periodic, and the TWT wake-up interval (i.e., the interval between adjacent service periods) of each sub-AP group is 6ms.

[0150] Group 3 includes two sub-APs, sub-AP 84 and sub-AP 85, both of which have the same third service period SP3. Subsequently, to avoid communication conflicts between the two, master AP 81 divides the service band within third service period SP3 into two parts: the first part, for example, the upper half of the available communication band, is allocated to sub-AP 84, and the second part, for example, the lower half of the available communication band, is allocated to sub-AP 85. The service bands allocated to each sub-AP are contiguous, and the bandwidths of the service bands allocated to both sub-APs are equal. After master AP 81 determines the service band allocation scheme for Group 3, it encapsulates it in a trigger frame and sends this trigger frame to sub-APs 84 and 85 in Group 3, informing each sub-AP of its corresponding service band. Simultaneously, each sub-AP also learns the service bands of other sub-APs in its group.

[0151] After the above steps, master AP 81 evenly allocates corresponding service time periods to each sub-AP group, Group 1, Group 2, and Group 3. Different sub-AP groups have different service time periods. Master AP 81 also evenly allocates corresponding service frequency bands to sub-APs 84 and 85 in Group 3, which includes two sub-APs. Sub-APs 84 and 85 have different service frequency bands, thus implementing TDMA+OFDMA wireless backhaul network communication. Master AP 81 has information about all TWT session parameters and service frequency band allocations. Each sub-AP has information about the TWT session parameters of all sub-APs. For Group 3, which includes multiple sub-APs, sub-APs 84 and 85 within the group also have information about the service frequency bands corresponding to each sub-AP within Group 3.

[0152] To accurately identify the service period, the master AP locally sets a master timer based on the service period information in the determined TWT session parameters to determine whether the current time has reached the service period of a sub-AP group. A sub-AP locally sets a sub-AP timer based on the service period information corresponding to its group in the determined TWT session parameters to determine whether the current time has reached its own service period. All sub-APs are interrupted only by the timer set by TWT, which has an accuracy of less than 1μs.

[0153] As shown in Figure 9, before master AP 81 and slave APs 82, 83, 84, and 85 exchange data, the master AP sends a TBTT interrupt to each slave AP. The slave AP adjusts its local clock based on the received TBTT interrupt to achieve clock synchronization between the master and the slave APs. This TBTT interrupt is sent periodically at a 100ms beacon interval, at the beginning of each beacon cycle. The master and sub APs regularly synchronize their clocks, and the TBTT interrupt has an accuracy of less than 5μs, thus ensuring the local clock accuracy of each sub AP.

[0154] After sending the TBTT interrupt, master AP 81's master AP timer runs and is interrupted when the current time reaches the first service period SP1. Master AP 81 then sends a trigger frame to slave AP 82. After receiving the TBTT interrupt and completing clock synchronization, each slave AP's sub-AP timer runs and enters a dormant state. When the current time reaches the first service period SP1, sub-AP 82's sub-AP timer is interrupted, causing it to wake up and, upon receiving the trigger frame from master AP 81, exchange data with master AP 81. When the first service period SP1 expires, master AP 81 and sub-AP 82 also terminate data exchange, and sub-AP 82 enters a dormant state, waiting to wake up at the next first service period SP1 and repeat the aforementioned data exchange process.

[0155] Similarly, sub-AP 83 wakes up when the second service period SP2 arrives and exchanges data with master AP 81. Sub-APs 84 and 85 wake up when the third service period SP3 arrives and exchange data with master AP 81. Sub-AP 84 communicates on a service band with a higher frequency, while sub-AP 85 communicates on a service band with a lower frequency. The service bands of sub-AP 84 and sub-AP 85 each account for half of the available frequency band.

[0156] Based on the above practical example, an embodiment of the present application further provides a wireless communication device. Referring to Figure 10, the wireless communication device includes: a processor 101, a memory 102, a communication module 103, an input device 104 and an output device 105. The memory, as a computer-readable storage medium, can be configured to store software programs, computer executable programs and modules, such as program instructions / modules corresponding to the wireless communication method described in any embodiment of the present application. The communication module is configured to perform data transmission. The processor executes various functional applications and data processing of the device by running the software programs, instructions and modules stored in the memory, thereby realizing the above-mentioned wireless communication method. The input device can be configured to receive input digital or character information, and generate key signal input related to the user settings and function control of the device. The output device may include a display device such as a display screen. The wireless communication device provided above can be configured to execute the wireless communication method provided in the above embodiment, and has corresponding functions and beneficial effects.

[0157] Based on the above embodiments, embodiments of the present application further provide a computer-readable storage medium, wherein the computer-readable storage medium stores computer-executable instructions. When the computer-executable instructions are executed by a computer processor, the computer-executable instructions are configured to execute a wireless communication method. The storage medium can be any of various types of memory devices or storage devices. Of course, the computer-executable instructions of the computer-readable storage medium provided in embodiments of the present application are not limited to the wireless communication method described above, and can also execute related operations in the wireless communication method provided in any embodiment of the present application.

[0158] Based on the above embodiments, the embodiments of the present application also provide a computer program product. The technical solution of the present application, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or all or part of the technical solution can be embodied in the form of a software product. The computer program product is stored in a storage medium and includes a number of instructions for enabling a computer device, a mobile terminal or a processor therein to execute all or part of the steps of the wireless communication method described in each embodiment of the present application.

Claims

1. A wireless communication method, performed by a master access point, wherein: include: Negotiating with the child access points to determine target wake time (TWT) session parameters, the TWT session parameters including an indication of the child access point grouping and service period; Performing data interaction with corresponding sub-access point groups during the service period; The sub-access point group includes one or more sub-access points, and different sub-access point groups correspond to different service time periods.

2. The wireless communication method according to claim 1, wherein: Also includes: The sub-AP group enters a dormant state outside its service period.

3. The wireless communication method according to claim 1, wherein: Before performing data interaction with the corresponding sub-access point group within the service period, the method further includes: A target beacon transmit time (TBTT) interrupt is sent to the slave access point to complete clock synchronization with the slave access point.

4. The wireless communication method according to claim 3, wherein: After determining the target wake time (TWT) session parameters through negotiation with the sub-access point, the method further includes: The master access point timer is set according to the TWT session parameters to determine whether the current time reaches the service period.

5. The wireless communication method according to claim 1, wherein: Also includes: When the state of at least one sub-access point changes, time division multiple access (TDMA) topology information is generated and sent to all sub-access points to update the TWT session parameters.

6. The wireless communication method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein: For a sub-access point group including a plurality of sub-access points, the method further includes: determining and sending an indication of a serving frequency band for each sub-access point in the sub-access point group; Interacting data with a corresponding sub-access point on the service frequency band; Different sub-access points in the sub-access point group correspond to different service frequency bands.

7. A wireless communication method, performed by a sub-access point, wherein: include: Negotiating with the master access point to determine target wake time (TWT) session parameters, the TWT session parameters including an indication of a grouping of child access points and their service periods; Interacting data with the master access point during a service period corresponding to the sub-access point; The sub-access point group includes one or more sub-access points, and different sub-access point groups correspond to different service time periods.

8. The wireless communication method according to claim 7, wherein: Also includes: The sub-access point group enters a dormant state outside a corresponding service period.

9. The wireless communication method according to claim 7, wherein: Before the data exchange with the master access point within the service period corresponding to the sub-access point, the method further includes: Receive a target beacon transmit time (TBTT) interrupt from a master access point to complete clock synchronization with the master access point.

10. The wireless communication method according to claim 9, wherein: After determining the target wake time (TWT) session parameters through negotiation with the primary access point, the method further includes: The sub-access point timer is set according to the TWT session parameters to determine whether the current time reaches the service period.

11. The wireless communication method according to claim 7, wherein: Also includes: receiving time division multiple access (TDMA) topology information from the primary access point; Updating TWT session parameters according to the TDMA topology information; The TDMA topology information is generated when the state of at least one sub-access point changes.

12. The wireless communication method according to any one of claims 7 to 11, wherein: If the group to which the sub-access point belongs includes multiple sub-access points, the method further includes: receiving an indication of a serving frequency band from a primary access point; performing data interaction with the primary access point on the service frequency band; The indication of the service frequency band is determined and sent by the main access point, and different sub-access points in the sub-access point group correspond to different service frequency bands.

13. A wireless communication device, applied to a master access point, wherein: include: A first negotiation module is configured to negotiate with the sub-access point to determine TWT session parameters, wherein the TWT session parameters include an indication of the sub-access point grouping and the service period; a first transceiver module configured to perform data exchange with corresponding sub-access point groups during the service period; The sub-access point group includes one or more sub-access points, and different sub-access point groups correspond to different service time periods.

14. A wireless communication device, applied to a sub-access point, wherein: include: a second negotiation module configured to negotiate with the master access point to determine TWT session parameters, wherein the TWT session parameters include an indication of a sub-access point group and a service period thereof; a second transceiver module, configured to exchange data with the master access point during a service period corresponding to the sub-access point; The sub-access point group includes one or more sub-access points, and different sub-access point groups correspond to different service time periods.

15. A wireless communication system, wherein: include: A master access point comprising the wireless communication device according to claim 13; A plurality of sub-access points include the wireless communication device according to claim 14.

16. A wireless communication device, wherein: include: memory and one or more processors; The memory is used to store one or more programs; When the one or more programs are executed by the one or more processors, the one or more processors implement the wireless communication method according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

17. A non-volatile storage medium storing computer-executable instructions, wherein: When the computer executable instructions are executed by a computer processor, they are used to perform the wireless communication method according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

18. A computer program product comprising a computer program, wherein When the computer program is executed by a processor, the wireless communication method according to any one of claims 1 to 12 is implemented.

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