Communication method and apparatus

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of WLANs, and discloses a communication method and apparatus, capable of quickly and effectively verifying an initial control frame, thereby improving the efficiency of data transmission. The method comprises: acquiring an initial control frame, wherein the initial control frame comprises a first field and a frame check sequence field, the first field is used for bearing a second frame check sequence, the second frame check sequence is used for verifying a field before the first field in the initial control frame and some or all of bits in the first field other than the second frame check sequence, the frame check sequence field is used for bearing a first frame check sequence, and the first field is located before the frame check sequence field; and sending the initial control frame to a first multi-link device, wherein the initial control frame is used for instructing the first multi-link device to switch from a monitoring state to a wake-up state.

Description

Communication method and device

[0001] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the State Intellectual Property Office on February 26, 2024, with application number 202410218060.4 and application name “A Communication Method and Device”, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0002] The present application relates to the field of WLAN technology, and in particular to a communication method and device. Background Art

[0003] The wireless local area network (WLAN) standard introduces two states: doze and awake. In the doze state, the terminal has no sending or receiving capabilities. In the awake state, the terminal can send and receive data. To save power and reduce terminal communication latency, a listening state can be introduced. In the listening state, the terminal has limited sending and receiving capabilities. Specifically, when a peer station has data to send to the terminal, the peer station can send an initial control frame to the terminal to instruct it to transition from the listening state to the awake state.

[0004] In order to reserve more state transition time for the terminal, padding (MAC padding) is usually performed at the media access control (MAC) layer of the initial control frame so that the terminal can adjust the bandwidth / frequency within the time corresponding to the MAC padding.

[0005] However, since the terminal needs to check the frame check sequence (FCS) in the initial control frame before performing a state transition, and the FCS is located at the end of the initial control frame, the terminal cannot adjust the bandwidth / frequency within the time corresponding to the MAC padding, affecting the efficiency of data transmission. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The present application provides a communication method and apparatus for quickly and effectively verifying an initial control frame, thereby improving the efficiency of data transmission.

[0007] In a first aspect, a communication method is provided. The method can be executed by a second multi-link device, or by a component of the second multi-link device, such as a processor, chip, or chip system of the second multi-link device, or by a logic module or software that implements all or part of the functions of the second multi-link device. Alternatively, the method can be executed by a station in the second multi-link device, or by a component of the station, such as a processor, chip, or chip system of the station, or by a logic module or software that implements all or part of the functions of the station. The method includes:

[0008] Obtain an initial control frame, wherein the initial control frame includes a first field and a frame detection sequence field, the first field is used to carry the second frame detection sequence, the second frame detection sequence is used to verify the field before the first field in the initial control frame and some or all bits in the first field except the second frame detection sequence, the frame detection sequence field is used to carry the first frame detection sequence, and the first field is located before the frame detection sequence field; send the initial control frame to the first multi-link device, the initial control frame is used to instruct the first multi-link device to switch from a listening state to an awake state.

[0009] In the present application, the second communication device can obtain an initial control frame and send the initial control frame to the first communication device. Since the initial control frame includes a first field and a frame detection sequence field, the first field is used to carry the second frame detection sequence, and the frame detection sequence field is used to carry the first frame detection sequence. In this way, after receiving the initial control frame, the first communication device can verify the initial control frame based on the second frame detection sequence, and can also verify the initial control frame based on the first frame detection sequence, thereby realizing the verification process of the initial control frame, and can quickly and effectively verify the initial control frame, thereby improving the efficiency of data transmission.

[0010] In a possible design, the portion of the first field excluding the second frame detection sequence is the remaining bits of the first field excluding the second frame detection sequence and the association identifier 12 field.

[0011] Based on this possible design, since the portion of the first field other than the second frame detection sequence is the remaining bits of the first field other than the second frame detection sequence and the association identifier 12 field, the first multi-link device can verify the remaining bits of the first field other than the second frame detection sequence and the association identifier 12 field after receiving the initial control frame, and can accurately and effectively determine the correctness of the remaining bits, thereby improving the effectiveness of the initial control frame verification.

[0012] In one possible design, the first field includes a second field and a third field, the second field is used to carry the association identifier 12 field and the first part of the second frame detection sequence, and the third field is used to carry the association identifier 12 field and the second part of the second frame detection sequence.

[0013] Based on this possible design, the second field in the initial control frame carries the association identifier 12 field and the first part of the second frame detection sequence, and the third field in the initial control frame carries the association identifier 12 field and the second part of the second frame detection sequence. This ensures that the entire content of the second frame detection sequence can be carried in the initial control frame, thereby improving the effectiveness of verifying the initial control frame based on the second frame detection sequence.

[0014] In one possible design, the second field and / or the third field is also used to carry a reserved field.

[0015] Based on this possible design, carrying the reserved field in the second field and / or the third field can ensure the full use of the second field and the third field, improve the resource utilization rate of the communication process, and also help meet the diverse configurations in the future.

[0016] In one possible design, the first part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B24-B39 of the second field, and the second part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B24-B39 of the third field.

[0017] Based on this possible design, since the first part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B24-B29 of the second field, and the second part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B24-B39 of the third field, the first part of the second frame detection sequence is located after the reserved field carried in the second field, and the second part of the second frame detection sequence is also located after the reserved field carried in the third field. Therefore, the second frame detection sequence can be placed at a relatively later position in the second field and the third field, which conforms to the custom of placing the frame detection sequence after the checked field (including the association identifier 12 field and the reserved field, also called the checked bit), resulting in an aesthetically pleasing layout and convenient implementation.

[0018] In one possible design, the first part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B12-B39 of the second field, and the second part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B36-B39 of the third field.

[0019] Based on this possible design, since the first part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B12-B39 of the second field and the second part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B36-B39 of the third field, the second frame detection sequence can be placed relatively late in the second and third fields, which conforms to the custom of placing the frame detection sequence after the field being checked.

[0020] In one possible design, the first part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B36-B39 of the second field, and the second part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B12-B39 of the third field.

[0021] Based on this possible design, since the first part of the second frame detection sequence is located between B36 and B39 of the second field, and the second part of the second frame detection sequence is located between B12 and B39 of the third field, the second frame detection sequence can be placed relatively late in the second and third fields, which conforms to the custom of placing the frame detection sequence after the field being checked.

[0022] In one possible design, the first part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B12-B27 of the second field, and the second part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B12-B27 of the third field.

[0023] Based on this possible design, since the first part of the second frame detection sequence is located between B12 and B27 of the second field, and the second part of the second frame detection sequence is located between B12 and B27 of the third field, the first part of the second frame detection sequence is located before the reserved field carried in the second field, and the second part of the second frame detection sequence is also located before the reserved field carried in the third field. This means that the second frame detection sequence can be placed relatively early in the second and third fields, enabling the first communication device to parse the second frame detection sequence as early as possible, thereby improving the verification efficiency of the initial control frame.

[0024] In one possible design, the first part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B12-B39 of the second field, and the second part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B12-B15 of the third field.

[0025] Based on this possible design, since the first part of the second frame detection sequence is located between B12 and B39 of the second field, and the second part of the second frame detection sequence is located between B12 and B15 of the third field, the second frame detection sequence can be placed relatively early in the second and third fields, enabling the first communication device to parse the second frame detection sequence as early as possible, thereby improving the verification efficiency of the initial control frame.

[0026] In a second aspect, a communication method is provided. The method can be executed by a first multi-link device, or by a component of the first multi-link device, such as a processor, chip, or chip system of the first multi-link device, or by a logic module or software that implements all or part of the functions of the first multi-link device. Alternatively, the method can be executed by a station in the first multi-link device, or by a component of the station, such as a processor, chip, or chip system of the station, or by a logic module or software that implements all or part of the functions of the station. The method includes:

[0027] Receive an initial control frame sent by a second multi-link device, wherein the initial control frame includes a first field and a frame detection sequence field, the first field is used to carry the second frame detection sequence, the second frame detection sequence is used to verify the field before the first field in the initial control frame and some or all bits in the first field except the second frame detection sequence, the frame detection sequence field is used to carry the first frame detection sequence, and the first field is located before the frame detection sequence field; after the initial control frame is successfully verified, switch from the listening state to the awakening state.

[0028] In the present application, since the initial control frame includes a first field and a frame detection sequence field, the first field is used to carry the second frame detection sequence, and the frame detection sequence field is used to carry the first frame detection sequence. After receiving the initial control frame sent by the second communication device, the first communication device can verify the initial control frame based on the second frame detection sequence and can also verify the initial control frame based on the first frame detection sequence, thereby implementing the verification process of the initial control frame, and can quickly and effectively verify the initial control frame, thereby improving the efficiency of data transmission.

[0029] In a possible design, the portion of the first field excluding the second frame detection sequence is the remaining bits of the first field excluding the second frame detection sequence and the association identifier 12 field.

[0030] Based on this possible design, since the portion of the first field other than the second frame detection sequence is the remaining bits of the first field other than the second frame detection sequence and the association identifier 12 field, the first multi-link device can verify the remaining bits of the first field other than the second frame detection sequence and the association identifier 12 field after receiving the initial control frame, and can accurately and effectively determine the correctness of the remaining bits, thereby improving the effectiveness of the initial control frame verification.

[0031] In one possible design, the first field includes a second field and a third field, the second field is used to carry the association identifier 12 field and the first part of the second frame detection sequence, and the third field is used to carry the association identifier 12 field and the second part of the second frame detection sequence.

[0032] Based on this possible design, the second field in the initial control frame carries the association identifier 12 field and the first part of the second frame detection sequence, and the third field in the initial control frame carries the association identifier 12 field and the second part of the second frame detection sequence. This ensures that the entire content of the second frame detection sequence can be carried in the initial control frame, thereby improving the effectiveness of verifying the initial control frame based on the second frame detection sequence.

[0033] In one possible design, the second field and / or the third field is also used to carry a reserved field.

[0034] Based on this possible design, carrying the reserved field in the second field and / or the third field can ensure the full use of the second field and the third field, improve the resource utilization rate of the communication process, and also help meet the diverse configurations in the future.

[0035] In one possible design, the first part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B24-B39 of the second field, and the second part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B24-B39 of the third field.

[0036] Based on this possible design, since the first part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B24-B29 of the second field, and the second part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B24-B39 of the third field, the first part of the second frame detection sequence is located after the reserved field carried in the second field, and the second part of the second frame detection sequence is also located after the reserved field carried in the third field. Therefore, the second frame detection sequence can be placed at a relatively later position in the second field and the third field, which conforms to the custom of placing the frame detection sequence after the checked field (including the association identifier 12 field and the reserved field, also called the checked bit), resulting in an aesthetically pleasing layout and convenient implementation.

[0037] In one possible design, the first part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B12-B39 of the second field, and the second part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B36-B39 of the third field.

[0038] Based on this possible design, since the first part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B12-B39 of the second field and the second part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B36-B39 of the third field, the second frame detection sequence can be placed relatively late in the second and third fields, which conforms to the custom of placing the frame detection sequence after the field being checked.

[0039] In one possible design, the first part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B36-B39 of the second field, and the second part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B12-B39 of the third field.

[0040] Based on this possible design, since the first part of the second frame detection sequence is located between B36 and B39 of the second field, and the second part of the second frame detection sequence is located between B12 and B39 of the third field, the second frame detection sequence can be placed relatively late in the second and third fields, which conforms to the custom of placing the frame detection sequence after the field being checked.

[0041] In one possible design, the first part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B12-B27 of the second field, and the second part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B12-B27 of the third field.

[0042] Based on this possible design, since the first part of the second frame detection sequence is located between B12 and B27 of the second field, and the second part of the second frame detection sequence is located between B12 and B27 of the third field, the first part of the second frame detection sequence is located before the reserved field carried in the second field, and the second part of the second frame detection sequence is also located before the reserved field carried in the third field. This means that the second frame detection sequence can be placed relatively early in the second and third fields, enabling the first communication device to parse the second frame detection sequence as early as possible, thereby improving the verification efficiency of the initial control frame.

[0043] In one possible design, the first part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B12-B39 of the second field, and the second part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B12-B15 of the third field.

[0044] Based on this possible design, since the first part of the second frame detection sequence is located between B12 and B39 of the second field, and the second part of the second frame detection sequence is located between B12 and B15 of the third field, the second frame detection sequence can be placed relatively early in the second and third fields, enabling the first communication device to parse the second frame detection sequence as early as possible, thereby improving the verification efficiency of the initial control frame.

[0045] In one possible design, if the first multi-link device can parse the second frame detection sequence and is a non-target receiving station of the initial control frame, the field before the first field in the initial control frame and some or all bits in the first field other than the second frame detection sequence are checked based on the second frame detection sequence; when the field before the first field in the initial control frame and some or all bits in the first field other than the second frame detection sequence are successfully checked based on the second frame detection sequence, it is determined that the initial control frame check is successful.

[0046] Based on this possible design, if the first communication device can parse the second frame detection sequence, it means that the first communication device has the ability to parse (or identify) the second frame detection sequence, and the first communication device can verify the initial control frame based on the second frame detection sequence. At this time, when the first communication device is a non-target receiving site for the initial control frame, the first communication device can verify the field before the first field in the initial control frame and some or all bits in the first field except the second frame detection sequence based on the second frame detection sequence; when the field before the first field in the initial control frame and some or all bits in the first field except the second frame detection sequence are successfully verified based on the second frame detection sequence, it means that there is no abnormality / error in the transmission process of the initial control frame. At this time, the first communication device can determine that the initial control frame verification is successful, and can accurately and effectively determine the verification result of the initial control frame.

[0047] In one possible design, if the second frame detection sequence cannot be parsed, the initial control frame is checked based on the first frame detection sequence.

[0048] Based on this possible design, if the first communication device cannot parse the second frame detection sequence, it indicates that the first communication device does not have the ability to parse / recognize the second frame detection sequence, and specifically cannot verify the initial control frame based on the second frame detection sequence. In this case, the first communication device can verify the initial control frame based on the first frame detection sequence, ensuring the effective execution of the initial control frame verification process.

[0049] In a third aspect, a communication device is provided for implementing the various aforementioned methods. The communication device may be the second multi-link device described in the first aspect, or a device included in the second multi-link device, such as a chip; or the communication device may be a station in the second multi-link device described in the first aspect, or a device included in the station, such as a chip; or the communication device may be the first multi-link device described in the second aspect, or a device included in the first multi-link device, such as a chip; or the communication device may be a station in the first multi-link device described in the second aspect, or a device included in the station, such as a chip.

[0050] The communication device includes modules, units, or means corresponding to the above-mentioned method, which can be implemented by hardware, software, or hardware executing corresponding software implementation. The hardware or software includes one or more modules or units corresponding to the above-mentioned functions.

[0051] In some possible designs, the communication device may include a processing module and a transceiver module. The transceiver module may include a transmitting module and a receiving module, respectively configured to implement the transmitting and receiving functions of any of the above aspects and any possible designs thereof. The processing module may be configured to implement the processing functions of any of the above aspects and any possible designs thereof.

[0052] In a fourth aspect, a communication device is provided, comprising: a processor and a memory; the memory is configured to store computer instructions, which, when executed by the processor, cause the communication device to perform the method described in any of the above aspects. The communication device may be the second multi-link device described in the first aspect, or a device included in the second multi-link device, such as a chip; or the communication device may be a station in the second multi-link device described in the first aspect, or a device included in the station, such as a chip; or the communication device may be the first multi-link device described in the second aspect, or a device included in the first multi-link device, such as a chip; or the communication device may be a station in the first multi-link device described in the second aspect, or a device included in the station, such as a chip.

[0053] In a fifth aspect, a communication device is provided, comprising: a processor and a communication interface; the communication interface is configured to communicate with a module external to the communication device; the processor is configured to execute a computer program or instruction to cause the communication device to perform the method described in any of the above aspects. The communication device may be the second multi-link device described in the first aspect, or a device included in the second multi-link device, such as a chip; or the communication device may be a station in the second multi-link device described in the first aspect, or a device included in the station, such as a chip; or the communication device may be the first multi-link device described in the second aspect, or a device included in the first multi-link device, such as a chip; or the communication device may be a station in the first multi-link device described in the second aspect, or a device included in the station, such as a chip.

[0054] In a sixth aspect, a communication device is provided, comprising: a logic circuit and an interface circuit; the interface circuit is configured to input and / or output information; and the logic circuit is configured to execute the method described in any of the above aspects, processing the input information and / or generating output information. The communication device may be the second multi-link device described in the first aspect, or a device included in the second multi-link device, such as a chip; or the communication device may be a station in the second multi-link device described in the first aspect, or a device included in the station, such as a chip; or the communication device may be the first multi-link device described in the second aspect, or a device included in the first multi-link device, such as a chip; or the communication device may be a station in the first multi-link device described in the second aspect, or a device included in the station, such as a chip.

[0055] In a seventh aspect, a communication device is provided, comprising: an interface circuit and a processor. The interface circuit is a code / data read / write interface circuit, the interface circuit being configured to receive computer-executable instructions (the computer-executable instructions are stored in a memory, may be read directly from the memory, or may pass through other devices) and transmit them to the processor. The processor is configured to execute the computer-executable instructions so that the communication device performs the method described in any of the above aspects. The communication device may be the second multi-link device described in the first aspect, or a device included in the second multi-link device, such as a chip; or the communication device may be a station in the second multi-link device described in the first aspect, or a device included in the station, such as a chip; or the communication device may be the first multi-link device described in the second aspect, or a device included in the first multi-link device, such as a chip; or the communication device may be a station in the first multi-link device described in the second aspect, or a device included in the station, such as a chip.

[0056] In an eighth aspect, a communication device is provided, comprising: at least one processor configured to execute a computer program or instruction to cause the communication device to perform the method described in any of the above aspects. The communication device may be the second multi-link device described in the first aspect, or a device included in the second multi-link device, such as a chip; or the communication device may be a station in the second multi-link device described in the first aspect, or a device included in the station, such as a chip; or the communication device may be the first multi-link device described in the second aspect, or a device included in the first multi-link device, such as a chip; or the communication device may be a station in the first multi-link device described in the second aspect, or a device included in the station, such as a chip.

[0057] In some possible designs, the communication device includes a memory for storing necessary computer programs or instructions. The memory may be coupled to the processor or may be independent of the processor.

[0058] In some possible designs, the communication device may be a chip or a chip system. When the device is a chip system, the chip system may include the chip or may include the chip and other discrete devices.

[0059] In a ninth aspect, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, in which a computer program or instruction is stored. When the computer program or instruction is executed by a processor, the method described in any one of the above aspects is executed.

[0060] In a tenth aspect, a computer program product is provided, which, when executed by a processor, enables the method described in any one of the above aspects to be executed.

[0061] It can be understood that when the communication device provided in any one of the third aspect to the tenth aspect is a chip, the above-mentioned sending action / function can be understood as output information, and the above-mentioned receiving action / function can be understood as input information.

[0062] Among them, the technical effects brought about by any design method in the third to tenth aspects can refer to the technical effects brought about by different design methods in the above-mentioned first or second aspects, and will not be repeated here.

[0063] In an eleventh aspect, a communication system is provided, comprising the second multi-link device described in the first aspect and the first multi-link device described in the second aspect. Alternatively, the communication system comprises a station in the second multi-link device described in the first aspect and a station in the first multi-link device described in the second aspect.

[0064] It will be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are merely exemplary and explanatory and are not restrictive of the present application. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0065] FIG1 shows a schematic diagram of a multi-link communication provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0066] FIG2 shows a schematic structural diagram of a MU-RTS frame provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0067] FIG3 shows a schematic structural diagram of a communication system provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0068] FIG4 shows a flow chart of a communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0069] FIG5 shows a schematic structural diagram of an initial control frame provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0070] FIG6 shows a schematic diagram of the structure of a second field and a third field provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0071] FIG7 shows a schematic diagram of the structure of another second field and a third field provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0072] FIG8 shows a schematic diagram of the structure of another second field and a third field provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0073] FIG9 shows a schematic diagram of the structure of another second field and a third field provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0074] FIG10 shows a schematic diagram of the structure of another second field and a third field provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0075] FIG11 is a schematic diagram showing a flow chart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0076] FIG12 shows a schematic structural diagram of a second communication device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0077] FIG13 shows a schematic structural diagram of a first communication device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0078] FIG14 shows a schematic structural diagram of a communication device provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0079] In the description of this application, unless otherwise specified, " / " indicates that the objects associated before and after are in an "or" relationship, for example, A / B can represent A or B; "and / or" in this application is merely a description of the association relationship of associated objects, indicating that three relationships may exist, for example, A and / or B can represent: A exists alone, A and B exist at the same time, and B exists alone, where A and B can be singular or plural.

[0080] In the description of this application, unless otherwise specified, "plurality" means two or more than two. "At least one of the following" or similar expressions refers to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or plural items. For example, at least one of a, b, or c can mean: a, b, c, ab, ac, bc, or abc, where a, b, and c can be single or plural.

[0081] In addition, to facilitate the clear description of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, in the embodiments of the present application, the words "first" and "second" are used to distinguish between identical or similar items with substantially the same functions and effects. Those skilled in the art will understand that the words "first" and "second" do not limit the quantity or execution order, and the words "first" and "second" do not necessarily mean different.

[0082] In the embodiments of this application, words such as "exemplary" or "for example" are used to indicate examples, illustrations, or descriptions. Any embodiment or design described as "exemplary" or "for example" in the embodiments of this application should not be construed as being preferred or advantageous over other embodiments or designs. Rather, the use of words such as "exemplary" or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a concrete manner to facilitate understanding.

[0083] It will be understood that the “embodiment” mentioned throughout the specification means that the specific features, structures or characteristics related to the embodiment are included in at least one embodiment of the present application. Therefore, the various embodiments throughout the specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. In addition, these specific features, structures or characteristics can be combined in one or more embodiments in any suitable manner. It will be understood that in the various embodiments of the present application, the size of the sequence number of each process does not mean the order of execution. The execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiment of the present application.

[0084] It can be understood that in this application, "when" and "if" both mean that corresponding processing will be taken under certain objective circumstances, and do not limit the time, nor do they require any judgment action when implementing, nor do they mean that there are other limitations.

[0085] It will also be understood that the term “comprising” indicates the presence of described features, integers, steps, operations, elements and / or components, but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements and / or components.

[0086] It is understood that some optional features in the embodiments of the present application may, in certain scenarios, be implemented independently of other features, such as the solution on which they are currently based, to solve corresponding technical problems and achieve corresponding effects. They may also be combined with other features in certain scenarios as needed. Accordingly, the devices provided in the embodiments of the present application may also implement these features or functions accordingly, which will not be described in detail here.

[0087] In this application, unless otherwise specified, the same or similar parts between the various embodiments can refer to each other. In the various embodiments of this application, unless otherwise specified and there is no logical conflict, the terms and / or descriptions between different embodiments are consistent and can be referenced to each other, and the technical features in different embodiments can be combined to form new embodiments based on their inherent logical relationships. The following description of the embodiments of this application does not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of this application.

[0088] To facilitate understanding of the solutions provided in the embodiments of this application, some concepts involved in this application are first explained.

[0089] 1. Multi-link, multi-link device (MLD):

[0090] The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)'s next-generation wireless local area network (WLAN) standard, 802.11be, sets extremely high throughput (EHT) as its technical goal. One of the key technologies already in place is multi-link (ML) communication.

[0091] The core concept of multi-link communication is that WLAN devices supporting the next-generation IEEE 802.11 standard (also known as EHT devices) have the ability to transmit and receive on multiple frequency bands, allowing them to utilize a larger bandwidth for transmission and thereby improving throughput. WLAN devices supporting multi-link communication are referred to as MLDs. Exemplary frequency bands include, but are not limited to, the 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz bands.

[0092] In this application, the MLD includes at least two affiliated stations (STAs), namely, affiliated STAs, wherein the affiliated stations can be access point stations (AP STAs) or non-access point stations (non-AP STAs).

[0093] For ease of description, the following embodiments of this application refer to AP STAs as APs and non-AP STAs as STAs. A multi-link device whose subordinate station is an AP is called an AP multi-link device (AP MLD); a multi-link device whose subordinate station is a non-AP STA is called a non-access point multi-link device (non-AP MLD).

[0094] In this application, each subordinate site in the MLD can establish a link for communication, so the links established by multiple subordinate sites are called multi-links.

[0095] For example, as shown in FIG1 , taking the case where AP MLD includes subordinate AP1 and AP2, and non-AP MLD includes subordinate non-AP STA1 and non-AP STA2, link 1 can be established between AP1 and non-AP STA1, link 2 can be established between AP2 and non-AP STA2, and AP MLD and non-AP MLD can communicate through link 1 and link 2.

[0096] 2. Initial control frame:

[0097] To help multi-link devices save power, the WLAN standard introduces doze and awake states. In doze, a multi-link device has no transmit or receive capabilities. In awake, it can send and receive data. While keeping multi-link devices in doze as much as possible can help save power, this approach is inflexible and can introduce significant latency.

[0098] To save power and reduce terminal communication latency, a listening state can be introduced. The listening state can be understood as a special wake-up state. In the listening state, the multi-link device has limited sending and receiving capabilities and is in a low-power state.

[0099] When a peer station has data to send to a multi-link device, it sends an initial control frame to the multi-link device. After receiving the initial control frame, the multi-link device exits the listening state (or transitions from the listening state to the awake state), allowing the multi-link device to communicate in the awake state with stronger sending and receiving capabilities.

[0100] 3. Frame check sequence (FCS):

[0101] Also known as the frame check sequence or frame check sum, it is a sequence used to verify whether a data frame has any errors during transmission. It is usually appended to the end of a data frame for error detection at the receiver.

[0102] The multi-link device needs to verify the initial control frame based on the frame detection sequence, and then transition from the listening state to the awake state if the verification is successful / correct.

[0103] Exemplarily, as shown in FIG2 , the initial control frame may be a trigger frame, specifically a MU-RTS (multi user request to send) frame. The initial control frame includes a frame control (Frame Control) field, a duration (Duration) field, a receiver address (RA) field, a transmitter address (TA) field, a common information (Common Info) field, one or more user information (User Info) fields (including the n user information fields shown in FIG2 , where n ≥ 1), and a frame check sequence (FCS) field.

[0104] Specifically, the Frame Control field identifies the frame type, subtype, and other control information. The Duration field indicates the duration from the transmission of the Initial Control Frame until the channel is released for use by other devices. The Receiver Address field indicates the MAC address of the STA receiving the Initial Control Frame. The Transmitter Address field indicates the MAC address of the STA sending the Initial Control Frame. The User Information field includes the frame type, transmit address, receive address, and communication parameters. The Frame Detection Sequence field verifies the Initial Control Frame.

[0105] Furthermore, a user information field (for example, the first user information field) includes an association identifier (AID) 12 field, a resource unit allocation (RU) Allocation field, an uplink forward error correction coding type (FEC Coding Type) field, an uplink high efficiency modulation and coding scheme (HE-MCS) field, an uplink dual carrier modulation (DCM) field, a spatial stream allocation / random access and resource unit allocation information (SS Allocation / Random Access and Resource Unit Allocation Information) field, an uplink target receive power (RxPower) field, and a reserved field.

[0106] The Association Identifier 12 field is used to identify the 12-bit auxiliary identifier associated with the STA, which uniquely identifies each STA in the WLAN. The Resource Unit Allocation field is used to inform the station receiving the initial control frame which resource units will be used for the upcoming downlink transmission. The Uplink Forward Error Correction Coding Type field is used to indicate the forward error correction coding type to be used in the uplink transmission, ensuring the reliability of uplink data transmission. The Uplink High-Efficiency Coding and Modulation Strategy field is used to indicate the high-efficiency modulation and coding scheme to be used in the uplink transmission, ensuring the speed of uplink data transmission. The Uplink Dual Carrier Modulation field is used to indicate the data compression mode to be used in the uplink transmission, optimizing the efficiency and bandwidth of uplink data transmission. The Resource Unit Allocation Information field is used to indicate the spatial stream allocation for uplink transmission and related information such as random access or resource units, which is important for managing uplink multi-user transmission and allocating radio resources. The Uplink Target Received Power field is used to indicate the target received power for uplink transmission, ensuring the accuracy of uplink data transmission. The Reserved field is used to reserve specific information or functions for use in future standards or extensions.

[0107] It is understood that after receiving the initial control frame, the multi-link device will reply with an initial control response frame to notify the multi-link device that it has exited the listening state. The time interval between the frame end time of the initial control frame and the frame start time of the initial control response frame is the short interframe space (SIFS) time. During the state transition process of the multi-link device, if the bandwidth / frequency adjustment process is involved, the SIFS time may not be sufficient. To reserve more state transition time for the multi-link device, the media access control (MAC) layer padding (i.e., MAC padding) is usually added to the initial control frame to enable the multi-link device to adjust the bandwidth / frequency within the time corresponding to the MAC padding. Because the multi-link device needs to verify the initial control frame based on the frame detection sequence before performing the state transition, and the frame detection sequence is located at the end of the initial control frame, the multi-link device cannot adjust the bandwidth / frequency within the time corresponding to the MAC padding. In other words, the MAC padding is completely ineffective, thereby affecting data transmission efficiency.

[0108] In the embodiments of the present application, a new frame detection sequence may be added before the MAC padding. In the following embodiments, the newly added frame detection sequence (i.e., the frame detection sequence located before the MAC padding in the initial control frame) is referred to as the second frame detection sequence, and the frame detection sequence located after the MAC padding in the initial control frame is referred to as the first frame detection sequence. The embodiments of the present application do not specifically limit the names of the two frame detection sequences included in the initial control frame.

[0109] The following describes the solution of the present application in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The embodiments of the present application can be applied to WLAN scenarios, and can be applied to IEEE 802.11 system standards, such as 802.11a / b / g standards, 802.11n standards, 802.11ac standards, 802.11ax standards, or their next generations, such as 802.11be standards, also known as Wi-Fi 7 or extremely high-throughput (EHT) standards or even later generations. Alternatively, the embodiments of the present application can also be applied to wireless local area network systems such as Internet of Things (IoT) networks or Vehicle to X (V2X) networks. Of course, the embodiments of the present application can also be applied to other possible communication systems, such as long term evolution (LTE) system, LTE frequency division duplex (FDD) system, LTE time division duplex (TDD), universal mobile telecommunication system (UMTS), world-wide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX) communication system, and future fifth generation (5G) communication system.

[0110] First, the present application provides a WLAN communication system to which the embodiments of the present application are applicable. As shown in FIG3 , the WLAN communication system includes a first MLD and a second MLD.

[0111] The first MLD and the second MLD are different types of MLDs. For example, the first MLD may be an AP MLD, and the corresponding second MLD may be a non-AP MLD; or the first MLD may be a non-AP MLD, and the corresponding second MLD may be an AP MLD.

[0112] Optionally, the first MLD and the second MLD may be of the same type. For example, the first MLD and the second MLD may be AP MLDs, or the first MLD and the second MLD may be non-AP MLDs.

[0113] Optionally, the first MLD and the second MLD each include at least one site ( FIG3 is illustrative in an example where the first MLD includes three sites and the second MLD includes three sites). When the MLD is an AP MLD, the sites included are APs. When the MLD is a non-AP MLD, the sites included are STAs.

[0114] Optionally, the AP MLDs in the first and second MLDs can establish at least one link, and different sites of the non-AP MLD can be associated with different links established by the AP MLD. In other words, at least one link can exist between the first and second MLDs. This application uses the example of at least the first and second links between the first and second MLDs.

[0115] Optionally, the communication system may further include at least one third MLD, which is a non-AP MLD. A site of the third MLD may be associated with a link established between the first MLD and the AP MLD in the second MLD, that is, at least one link may exist between the AP MLD in the first MLD and the second MLD and the third AP MLD.

[0116] The non-AP MLD or STA included in the embodiments of the present application can be a wireless communication chip, a wireless sensor, or a wireless communication terminal. For example, a user terminal, a user device, an access device, a subscriber station, a subscriber unit, a mobile station, a user agent, or user equipment that supports Wi-Fi communication functions. The user terminal can include various handheld devices with wireless communication functions, vehicle-mounted devices, wearable devices, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, computing devices, or other processing devices connected to a wireless modem, as well as various forms of user equipment (UE), mobile phones, tablets, laptops, smart watches, smart TVs, mobile stations (MS), terminals, terminal equipment, portable communication devices, handheld devices, portable computing devices, entertainment devices, gaming devices or systems, global positioning system devices, or any other suitable devices configured to communicate over a wireless medium. In addition, the non-AP MLD can support 802.11be or the next generation of 802.11be. STA can also support multiple WLAN standards such as 802.11ax, 802.11ac, 802.11n, 802.11g, 802.11b and 802.11a.

[0117] The AP MLD or the AP included in the AP MLD involved in the embodiments of the present application can be a device deployed in a wireless communication network to provide wireless communication functions for its associated non-AP MLD. It is mainly deployed in homes, buildings, and campuses, with a typical coverage radius of tens to hundreds of meters. Of course, it can also be deployed outdoors. The AP MLD is equivalent to a bridge connecting wired and wireless networks. Its main function is to connect various wireless network clients together and then connect the wireless network to the Ethernet. Specifically, the AP MLD can be a communication device such as a base station, router, gateway, repeater, communication server, switch, or bridge with a Wi-Fi chip. The base station can include various forms of macro base stations, micro base stations, relay stations, etc. In addition, the AP MLD can support the 802.11be standard or the next generation standard of 802.11be. The AP can also support WLAN standards such as 802.11ax, 802.11ac, 802.11n, 802.11g, 802.11b, and 802.11a.

[0118] The method provided by the embodiment of the present application will be described below. It is understandable that in the embodiment of the present application, the execution subject can perform some or all of the steps in the embodiment of the present application, and these steps or operations are only examples. The embodiment of the present application can also perform other operations or variations of various operations. In addition, the various steps can be performed in a different order than those presented in the embodiment of the present application, and it is possible that not all operations in the embodiment of the present application need to be performed.

[0119] It can be understood that the names of the various fields provided in the embodiments of the present application are merely exemplary, and the various fields may also have other names. The present application does not specifically limit the names of the fields.

[0120] It can be understood that the lengths of the various fields involved in the embodiments of the present application are only exemplary. The embodiments of the present application do not limit the lengths of the various fields to the lengths given in the embodiments of the present application. The lengths may be longer or shorter than the lengths given in the embodiments of the present application.

[0121] It can be understood that the order of the fields, the positions of the fields, and the inclusion relationship between the fields provided in the embodiments of the present application are merely illustrative. The embodiments of the present application do not limit the order, position, and inclusion relationship of the fields to the order, position, and inclusion relationship given in the embodiments of the present application. Other implementations may also exist, and the embodiments of the present application do not make specific limitations on this.

[0122] The communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application is described below. As shown in FIG4 , the communication method includes the following steps:

[0123] S401: The second communication device obtains an initial control frame.

[0124] Optionally, the second communication device may be a second multi-link device. Alternatively, the second communication device may be any station (i.e., a sending station) in the second multi-link device for which a corresponding link (or working link) is available. For example, as shown in FIG3 , taking the example of a second MLD including stations 21, 22, and 23, where these three stations correspond to the first link, the second link, and the third link, respectively, if the first link, the second link, and the third link are available, the sending stations in the second communication device may be stations 21, 22, and 23.

[0125] Among them, the initial control frame includes a first field and a frame detection sequence field, the first field is used to carry the second frame detection sequence, the second frame detection sequence is used to check the field before the first field in the initial control frame and part or all of the bits in the first field except the second frame detection sequence, the frame detection sequence field is used to carry the first frame detection sequence, and the first field is located before the frame detection sequence field.

[0126] It should be understood that the first field is a user information field in the initial control frame, and the first field is also used to carry the association identifier (AID) 12 field. Alternatively, the first field is also used to carry the association identifier 12 field and the reserved field.

[0127] In an optional implementation, the portion of the first field other than the second frame detection sequence is the remaining bits of the first field except the second frame detection sequence and the association identifier 12 field.

[0128] In the embodiment of the present application, since the portion of the first field other than the second frame detection sequence is the remaining bits of the first field other than the second frame detection sequence and the association identifier 12 field, the first multi-link device can verify the remaining bits of the first field other than the second frame detection sequence and the association identifier 12 field after receiving the initial control frame, and can accurately and effectively determine the correctness of the remaining bits, thereby improving the effectiveness of the initial control frame verification.

[0129] In an optional implementation, the number of bits included in the second frame detection sequence is less than or equal to the number of bits included in the user information field (for example, the length of the second frame detection sequence is 2 bytes, i.e., 16 bits). In this case, one field (i.e., the first field) can carry the entire content of the second frame detection sequence. That is, the first field is used to carry the 12-bit association identifier 12 field, the 16-bit second frame detection sequence, and the 12-bit reserved field.

[0130] In another optional implementation, the number of bits included in the second frame detection sequence is greater than the number of bits included in the user information field (for example, the length of the second frame detection sequence is 4 bytes, i.e., 32 bits). In this case, a single field may not be able to carry the entire content of the second frame detection sequence. In this case, the first field may include a second field and a third field. In this case, the second field and the third field are each a user information field.

[0131] Exemplarily, as shown in Figure 5, the initial control frame includes a frame control field, a time length field, a receiving address field, a sending address field, a public information field, a first site user information field, a second site user information field, a second field, a third field, a padding field, and a frame detection sequence field.

[0132] Since the second and third fields correspond to the user information of the second frame detection sequence, they can also be recorded as the second frame detection sequence user information field. A site user information field (e.g., the first site user information field) corresponds to the user information of a site (i.e., the first site).

[0133] It can be understood that the padding field may or may not appear in the initial control frame (in this case, the length of the padding field is 0).

[0134] In an optional implementation, the second field is used to carry the association identifier 12 field and the first part of the second frame detection sequence, and the third field is used to carry the association identifier 12 field and the second part of the second frame detection sequence.

[0135] It should be understood that when the length of the second frame detection sequence is long (e.g., the length of the second frame detection sequence is 32 bits), the length of a user information field (i.e., the second field or the third field) is 40 bits, while the length of the association identifier 12 field carried in a user information field is 12 bits. That is, for a user information field, 28 bits remain after excluding the association identifier 12 field. This 28-bit length is insufficient for a 32-bit frame detection sequence, so two user information fields (i.e., the second field and the third field) are required to carry the second frame detection sequence.

[0136] Specifically, the second field carries the first part of the second frame detection sequence, and the third field carries the second part of the second frame detection sequence. Of course, the second field can also carry the second part of the second frame detection sequence. In this case, the second field is used to carry the first part of the second frame detection sequence. This embodiment of the application does not specifically limit which part of the second frame detection sequence is carried by the second field and the third field.

[0137] Optionally, for any user information field, the Association Identifier 12 field carried therein can be set to different values ​​to implement different functions. For example, the Association Identifier 12 field carried in the user information field can be set to a first value to indicate that the user information field is used to carry the second frame detection sequence. For another example, the Association Identifier 12 field carried in the user information field can be set to a second value to indicate that the user information field is used to carry other information (e.g., user information of the site).

[0138] Exemplarily, the first value may be any integer between 2008 and 2044, and the second value may be 1.

[0139] In an embodiment of the present application, the second field in the initial control frame carries the association identifier 12 field and the first part of the second frame detection sequence, and the third field in the initial control frame carries the association identifier 12 field and the second part of the second frame detection sequence, which can ensure that the entire content of the second frame detection sequence can be carried in the initial control frame, thereby improving the effectiveness of verifying the initial control frame based on the second frame detection sequence.

[0140] In an optional implementation, the second field and / or the third field is also used to carry a reserved field.

[0141] In combination with the description of the above embodiment, it should be understood that for the two user information fields (i.e., the second field and the third field) carrying the second frame detection sequence, in addition to the 24 bits occupied by the two association identification 12 fields and the 32 bits occupied by the second frame detection sequence, the second field and the third field have a total length of 24 bits left, and the 24 bits are the length of the reserved field.

[0142] Optionally, the reserved field carried in the second field and / or the third field may carry new signaling. For example, the reserved field may instruct the target receiving station to reply with a different response frame, or may instruct the non-target receiving station not to update the network allocation vector (NAV).

[0143] It can be understood that carrying the reserved field in the second field and / or the third field can ensure the full use of the second field and the third field, improve the resource utilization rate of the communication process, and also help meet future diversified configurations.

[0144] In one implementation of the embodiment of the present application, the first part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B24-B29 of the second field, and the second part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B24-B39 of the third field.

[0145] It should be understood that in this implementation, the reserved field carried in the second field is located at B12-B23 of the second field, and the reserved field carried in the third field is located at B12-B23 of the third field.

[0146] For example, as shown in Figure 6, the second field is used to carry the 12-bit Association Identifier 12 field, the 12-bit Reserved field, and the first part of the 16-bit second frame detection sequence. The first part of the 16-bit second frame detection sequence is located between B24 and B29 of the second field. The third field is used to carry the 12-bit Association Identifier 12 field, the 12-bit Reserved field, and the second part of the 16-bit second frame detection sequence. The second part of the 16-bit first frame detection sequence is located between B24 and B29 of the third field.

[0147] It can be understood that since the first part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B24-B29 of the second field, and the second part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B24-B39 of the third field, the first part of the second frame detection sequence is located after the reserved field carried in the second field, and the second part of the second frame detection sequence is also located after the reserved field carried in the third field. Therefore, the second frame detection sequence can be placed at a relatively later position in the second field and the third field, which conforms to the custom of placing the frame detection sequence after the checked field (including the association identifier 12 field and the reserved field, also called the checked bit), resulting in an aesthetically pleasing layout and convenient implementation.

[0148] In another implementation of the embodiment of the present application, the first part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B12-B39 of the second field, and the second part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B36-B39 of the third field.

[0149] It should be understood that in this implementation, the length of the first part of the second frame detection sequence is relatively long. Specifically, the length of the first part of the second frame detection sequence is equal to the target length (e.g., 28 bits). That is, the second field is already fully used to carry the association identifier 12 field and the first part of the second frame detection sequence. In this case, there is no reserved field in the second field. The reserved field carried in the third field is located at B12-B35 of the third field.

[0150] For example, as shown in Figure 7, the second field is used to carry the 12-bit Association Identifier 12 field and the first part of the 28-bit second frame detection sequence, with the 28-bit first part of the second frame detection sequence located between B12 and B39 of the second field. The third field is used to carry the 12-bit Association Identifier 12 field, the 24-bit reserved field, and the second part of the 4-bit second frame detection sequence, with the 4-bit second part of the second frame detection sequence located between B36 and B39 of the third field.

[0151] It can be understood that since the first part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B12-B39 of the second field and the second part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B36-B39 of the third field, the second frame detection sequence can be placed relatively late in the second and third fields, which conforms to the custom of placing the frame detection sequence after the field being checked.

[0152] In another implementation of the embodiment of the present application, the first part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B36-B39 of the second field, and the second part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B12-B39 of the third field.

[0153] It should be understood that in this implementation, the length of the second portion of the second frame detection sequence is longer. Specifically, the length of the second portion of the second frame detection sequence is equal to the target length. That is, the third field is already fully used to carry the association identifier 12 field and the second portion of the second frame detection sequence. In this case, there is no reserved field in the third field. The reserved field carried in the second field is located between B12 and B35 of the second field.

[0154] For example, as shown in Figure 8, the second field is used to carry the 12-bit Association Identifier 12 field, the 24-bit Reserved field, and the first part of the 4-bit second frame detection sequence. The first part of the 4-bit second frame detection sequence is located at B36-B39 of the second field. The third field is used to carry the 12-bit Association Identifier 12 field and the second part of the 28-bit second frame detection sequence.

[0155] It can be understood that since the first part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B36-B39 of the second field and the second part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B12-B39 of the third field, the second frame detection sequence can be placed relatively late in the second and third fields, which conforms to the custom of placing the frame detection sequence after the field being checked.

[0156] In an optional implementation, the first part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B12-B27 of the second field, and the second part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B12-B27 of the third field.

[0157] It should be understood that in this implementation, the reserved field carried in the second field is located at B28-B39 of the second field, and the reserved field carried in the third field is located at B28-B39 of the third field.

[0158] For example, as shown in Figure 9, the second field is used to carry the 12-bit Association Identifier 12 field, the first part of the 16-bit second frame detection sequence, and the 12-bit reserved field. The 16-bit first part of the second frame detection sequence is located between B12 and B27 of the second field. The third field is used to carry the 12-bit Association Identifier 12 field, the second part of the 16-bit second frame detection sequence, and the 12-bit reserved field. The 16-bit second part of the first frame detection sequence is located between B12 and B27 of the third field.

[0159] It can be understood that since the first part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B12-B27 of the second field, and the second part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B12-B27 of the third field, the first part of the second frame detection sequence is located before the reserved field carried in the second field, and the second part of the second frame detection sequence is also located before the reserved field carried in the third field. That is, the second frame detection sequence can be placed at a relatively front position in the second field and the third field, which enables the first communication device to parse the second frame detection sequence as early as possible, thereby improving the verification efficiency of the initial control frame.

[0160] In another optional implementation, the first part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B12-B39 of the second field, and the second part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B12-B15 of the third field.

[0161] It should be understood that in this implementation, the length of the first portion of the second frame detection sequence is relatively long. Specifically, the length of the first portion of the second frame detection sequence is equal to the target length. That is, the second field is already fully used to carry the association identifier 12 field and the first portion of the second frame detection sequence. In this case, there is no reserved field in the second field. The reserved field carried in the third field is located at B16-B39 of the third field.

[0162] For example, as shown in Figure 10, the second field is used to carry the 12-bit Association Identifier 12 field and the first part of the 28-bit second frame detection sequence, with the first part of the 28-bit second frame detection sequence located between B12 and B39 of the second field. The third field is used to carry the 12-bit Association Identifier 12 field, the second part of the 4-bit second frame detection sequence, and a 24-bit reserved field, with the second part of the 4-bit second frame detection sequence located between B12 and B15 of the third field.

[0163] It can be understood that since the first part of the second frame detection sequence is located between B12 and B39 of the second field, and the second part of the second frame detection sequence is located between B12 and B15 of the third field, the second frame detection sequence can be placed relatively early in the second and third fields, enabling the first communication device to parse the second frame detection sequence as early as possible, thereby improving the verification efficiency of the initial control frame.

[0164] S402: The second communication device sends an initial control frame to the first communication device. Correspondingly, the first communication device receives the initial control frame sent by the second communication device.

[0165] The initial control frame is used to instruct the first communication device to switch from a listening state to an awake state.

[0166] Optionally, when the second communication device is a second multi-link device, the first communication device may be a first multi-link device. When the second communication device is a sending site, the first communication device may be a site (received as a receiving site) corresponding to the sending site in the first multi-link device. For example, as shown in FIG3 , taking the example of a first MLD including sites 11, 12, and 13, where these three sites correspond to the first link, the second link, and the third link, respectively, if the first link, the second link, and the third link are available, the receiving sites in the first communication device may be sites 11, 12, and 13.

[0167] In combination with the description of the above embodiments, it should be understood that the initial control frame includes a first field and a frame detection sequence field, the first field is used to carry the second frame detection sequence, the second frame detection sequence is used to check the field before the first field in the initial control frame and part or all of the bits in the first field except the second frame detection sequence, the frame detection sequence field is used to carry the first frame detection sequence, and the first field is located before the frame detection sequence field.

[0168] S403: After the initial control frame check succeeds, the first communication device switches from the listening state to the awake state.

[0169] It should be understood that after receiving the initial control frame sent by the second communication device, the first communication device will check the initial control frame to determine whether there is any error / abnormality in the transmission process of the initial control frame.

[0170] In the embodiment of the present application, the first communication device may include at least one of the three types of sites.

[0171] In one case, the first communication device includes a type of site: a legacy site that only supports protocol versions before ultra high reliability (UHR) and a site of the UHR protocol version that does not support the two frame detection sequence feature. Because the above-mentioned site can recognize the first frame detection sequence but cannot recognize the second frame detection sequence, the verification result of the first frame detection sequence is used as the verification result of the initial control frame carrying the two frame detection sequences. Based on this, the communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application may also include the following step A.

[0172] Step A: If the first communication device cannot parse the second frame detection sequence, the first communication device verifies the initial control frame based on the first frame detection sequence.

[0173] It should be understood that if the first communication device cannot parse the second frame detection sequence, it indicates that the first communication device does not have the ability to parse / recognize the second frame detection sequence, and specifically cannot verify the initial control frame based on the second frame detection sequence. In this case, the first communication device can verify the initial control frame based on the first frame detection sequence, thereby ensuring the effective execution of the initial control frame verification process.

[0174] In another scenario, another type of station included in the first communication device is the receiving station of the initial control frame (i.e., the target receiving station). The target receiving station needs to perform a state transition and reply with an initial control response frame to the second communication device. The target receiving station begins the state transition after receiving the second frame detection sequence. During the state transition, it is unable to continue parsing the MAC padding and the first frame detection sequence. Therefore, the target receiving station uses the verification result of the second frame detection sequence as the verification result of the initial control frame.

[0175] Optionally, for the target receiving station, the verification result of the second frame detection sequence may be a verification error (or verification failure). In this case, the target receiving station has two options. The first option is to stop parsing the initial control frame and treat the initial control frame as an error frame. The second option is to continue parsing the initial control frame and then verify the first frame detection sequence. In the second option, the first frame detection sequence will most likely also be verified incorrectly because the portion before the second frame detection sequence has already been erroneous. In the second option, there is a very small probability that the first frame detection sequence will be verified correctly (or successfully). In this case, because MAC padding precedes the first frame detection sequence, the target receiving station does not have time to perform a state transition and can only reply to the second communication device with an initial control response frame within the SIFS period after the initial control frame. In this case, if the target receiving station continues to parse the first frame detection sequence after the second frame detection sequence verification error, it is not very meaningful. Therefore, if the verification result of the second frame detection sequence is a verification error, the target receiving station stops parsing the initial control frame, which can save power consumption.

[0176] In another case, another type of site included in the first communication device has the characteristic of supporting two frame detection sequences, but these sites are not the receiving sites of the initial control frame (i.e., non-target receiving sites), and the non-target receiving sites are capable of parsing the second frame detection sequence and the first frame detection sequence.

[0177] For example, the following Table 1 shows four cases in which a non-target receiving station parses the second frame detection sequence and the first frame detection sequence. In cases 1 and 4, the verification results of the second frame detection sequence are consistent with the verification results of the first frame detection sequence, while in cases 2 and 3, the verification results of the second frame detection sequence are inconsistent with the verification results of the first frame detection sequence.

[0178] Specifically, in case 2, since the portion before the second frame detection sequence is received correctly, but the MAC padding portion after the second frame detection sequence is received incorrectly, the probability of transmission in case 2 is very high. In case 3, since the portion before the second frame detection sequence is already erroneous, the first frame detection sequence will also verify this portion, and the probability of correct verification is very low.

[0179] In this way, the non-target receiving station uses the verification result of the second frame detection sequence as the verification result of the initial control frame.

[0180] Table 1

[0181] In this embodiment of the present application, an initial control frame may include one or more user information fields, each of which includes an association identifier 12 field. For a station, if the association identifier of the station matches the value of the association identifier 12 field, the station is a target receiving station. Conversely, if the association identifier of the station does not match the value of the association identifier 12 field, the station is a non-target receiving station.

[0182] Based on this, the communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application may also include the following steps B-C.

[0183] Step B: If the first communication device can parse the second frame detection sequence and the first communication device is a non-target receiving site of the initial control frame, the first communication device checks the field before the first field in the initial control frame and part or all of the bits in the first field except the second frame detection sequence based on the second frame detection sequence.

[0184] It should be understood that if the first communication device can parse the second frame detection sequence, it means that the first communication device has the ability to parse (or identify) the second frame detection sequence, and the first communication device can verify the initial control frame based on the second frame detection sequence. In this case, when the first communication device is a non-target receiving station of the initial control frame, the first communication device can verify the fields before the first field in the initial control frame and some or all bits in the first field other than the second frame detection sequence based on the second frame detection sequence, specifically verifying the initial control frame based on the second frame detection sequence.

[0185] Step C: When the fields before the first field in the initial control frame and part or all of the bits in the first field except the second frame detection sequence are successfully checked based on the second frame detection sequence, the first communication device determines that the initial control frame check is successful.

[0186] It should be understood that when the field before the first field in the initial control frame and part or all of the bits in the first field other than the second frame detection sequence are successfully checked based on the second frame detection sequence, it means that there is no abnormality / error in the transmission process of the initial control frame. At this time, the first communication device can determine that the initial control frame check is successful and can accurately and effectively determine the check result of the initial control frame.

[0187] Optionally, after the initial control frame fails to be checked, the first communication device may discard the initial control frame.

[0188] Optionally, the communication method shown in FIG4 may further include the following steps:

[0189] S404: The first communication device sends an initial control response frame to the second communication device. Correspondingly, the second communication device receives the initial control response frame sent by the first communication device.

[0190] The initial control response frame is used to notify the first communication device that the operation state is successfully converted.

[0191] It should be understood that after the second communication device receives the initial control response frame sent by the first communication device, it can be determined that the first communication device has exited the listening state, which can also be understood as having switched from the listening state to the awake state.

[0192] Based on the method provided in the above embodiment, the second communication device can obtain the initial control frame and send the initial control frame to the first communication device. Since the initial control frame includes a first field and a frame detection sequence field, the first field is used to carry the second frame detection sequence, and the frame detection sequence field is used to carry the first frame detection sequence. In this way, after receiving the initial control frame, the first communication device can verify the initial control frame based on the second frame detection sequence, and can also verify the initial control frame based on the first frame detection sequence, thereby realizing the verification process of the initial control frame, and can quickly and effectively verify the initial control frame, thereby improving the efficiency of data transmission.

[0193] In addition to the above method, the present application also provides a communication method that can determine which frame detection sequence's verification result is used as the verification result of the initial control frame when the initial control frame includes two frame detection sequences. Specifically, as shown in Figure 11, the communication method provided in the embodiment of the present application includes the following steps:

[0194] S1101. The second communication device obtains an initial control frame.

[0195] The initial control frame includes a first field and a frame detection sequence field, the first field is used to carry the second frame detection sequence, the frame detection sequence field is used to carry the first frame detection sequence, and the first field is located before the frame detection sequence field.

[0196] S1102: The second communication device sends an initial control frame to the first communication device. Correspondingly, the first communication device receives the initial control frame sent by the second communication device.

[0197] The initial control frame is used to instruct the first communication device to switch from a listening state to an awake state.

[0198] S1103: If the first communication device can parse the second frame detection sequence and the first communication device is a non-target receiving station of the initial control frame, the first communication device determines the verification result of the second frame detection sequence as the verification result of the initial control frame.

[0199] In an optional implementation, if the first communication device cannot parse the second frame detection sequence, the first communication device determines the verification result of the first frame detection sequence as the verification result of the initial control frame.

[0200] It is understandable that the explanation in S1103 is the same as or similar to the description in steps A to C in the above embodiment, and will not be repeated here.

[0201] Optionally, the method shown in FIG11 may further include the following steps:

[0202] S1104: After the initial control frame check succeeds, the first communication device switches from the listening state to the awake state.

[0203] S1105: The first communication device sends an initial control response frame to the second communication device. Correspondingly, the second communication device receives the initial control response frame sent by the first communication device.

[0204] The initial control response frame is used to notify the first communication device that the operation state is successfully converted.

[0205] In an embodiment of the present application, the second communication device can obtain an initial control frame and send the initial control frame to the first communication device. After receiving the initial control frame, the first communication device can determine whether the first communication device can parse the second frame detection sequence and whether the first communication device is a non-target receiving site of the initial control frame. If the first communication device can parse the second frame detection sequence and the first communication device is a non-target receiving site of the initial control frame, the first communication device can determine the verification result of the second frame detection sequence as the verification result of the initial control frame; if the first communication device cannot parse the second frame detection sequence, the first communication device can determine the verification result of the first frame detection sequence as the verification result of the initial control frame. It is possible to accurately and effectively determine which frame detection sequence's verification result is used as the verification result of the initial control frame based on the parsing capability of the first communication device and the specific type of the first communication device, thereby improving the verification accuracy of the initial control frame.

[0206] It is understood that in order to implement the functions in the above embodiments, the communication device includes hardware structures and / or software modules corresponding to the execution of each function. It should be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that, in combination with the units and method steps of each example described in the embodiments disclosed in this application, the present application can be implemented in the form of hardware or a combination of hardware and computer software. Whether a function is executed in hardware or in a manner driven by computer software depends on the specific application scenario and design constraints of the technical solution.

[0207] The communication method provided according to this embodiment is described in detail above with reference to FIG. 1 to FIG. 11 . The communication device provided according to this embodiment will be described below with reference to FIG. 12 and FIG. 13 .

[0208] The present application can divide the functional modules of the communication device according to the above method example. For example, each functional module can be divided according to each function, or two or more functions can be integrated into one processing module. The above integrated modules can be implemented in the form of hardware or software functional modules. It is understood that the division of modules in this application is schematic and is only a logical functional division. In actual implementation, other division methods may be used.

[0209] In one implementation scenario, taking the communication device as the second communication device in the above-described method embodiment as an example, FIG12 shows a schematic structural diagram of a second communication device 120. The second communication device can be a second multi-link device, or a station within the second multi-link device. The second communication device 120 includes an interface module 1201 and a processing module 1202. The interface module 1201, also known as an interface unit, is configured to perform transceiver operations and can be, for example, an interface circuit, a transceiver, a transceiver, or a communication interface. The processing module 1202, also known as a processing unit, is configured to perform operations other than transceiver operations and can be, for example, a processing circuit or a processor.

[0210] Processing module 1202 is used to obtain an initial control frame, which includes a first field and a frame detection sequence field. The first field is used to carry the second frame detection sequence. The second frame detection sequence is used to check the field before the first field in the initial control frame and part or all of the bits in the first field except the second frame detection sequence. The frame detection sequence field is used to carry the first frame detection sequence, and the first field is located before the frame detection sequence field.

[0211] The interface module 1201 is configured to send an initial control frame to a first multi-link device, where the initial control frame is used to instruct the first multi-link device to switch from a listening state to an awake state.

[0212] In a possible design, the portion of the first field excluding the second frame detection sequence is the remaining bits of the first field excluding the second frame detection sequence and the association identifier 12 field.

[0213] In one possible design, the first field includes a second field and a third field, the second field is used to carry the association identifier 12 field and the first part of the second frame detection sequence, and the third field is used to carry the association identifier 12 field and the second part of the second frame detection sequence.

[0214] In one possible design, the second field and / or the third field is also used to carry a reserved field.

[0215] In one possible design, the first part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B24-B39 of the second field, and the second part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B24-B39 of the third field.

[0216] In one possible design, the first part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B12-B39 of the second field, and the second part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B36-B39 of the third field.

[0217] In one possible design, the first part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B36-B39 of the second field, and the second part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B12-B39 of the third field.

[0218] In one possible design, the first part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B12-B27 of the second field, and the second part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B12-B27 of the third field.

[0219] In one possible design, the first part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B12-B39 of the second field, and the second part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B12-B15 of the third field.

[0220] In another implementation scenario, taking the communication device as the first communication device in the above-described method embodiment as an example, FIG13 shows a schematic structural diagram of a first communication device 130. The first communication device can be a first multi-link device, or a station within the first multi-link device. The first communication device 130 includes an interface module 1301 and a processing module 1302. Interface module 1301, also known as an interface unit, is used to perform transceiver operations and can be, for example, an interface circuit, a transceiver, a transceiver, or a communication interface. Processing module 1302, also known as a processing unit, is used to perform operations other than transceiver operations and can be, for example, a processing circuit or a processor.

[0221] The interface module 1301 is configured to receive an initial control frame sent by a second multi-link device. The initial control frame includes a first field and a frame detection sequence field. The first field is configured to carry a second frame detection sequence. The second frame detection sequence is configured to verify a field preceding the first field in the initial control frame and some or all bits of the first field except the second frame detection sequence. The frame detection sequence field is configured to carry the first frame detection sequence. The first field is located before the frame detection sequence field.

[0222] The processing module 1302 is configured to switch from the listening state to the awakening state after the initial control frame check succeeds.

[0223] In a possible design, the portion of the first field excluding the second frame detection sequence is the remaining bits of the first field excluding the second frame detection sequence and the association identifier 12 field.

[0224] In one possible design, the first field includes a second field and a third field, the second field is used to carry the association identifier 12 field and the first part of the second frame detection sequence, and the third field is used to carry the association identifier 12 field and the second part of the second frame detection sequence.

[0225] In one possible design, the second field and / or the third field is also used to carry a reserved field.

[0226] In one possible design, the first part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B24-B39 of the second field, and the second part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B24-B39 of the third field.

[0227] In one possible design, the first part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B12-B39 of the second field, and the second part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B36-B39 of the third field.

[0228] In one possible design, the first part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B36-B39 of the second field, and the second part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B12-B39 of the third field.

[0229] In one possible design, the first part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B12-B27 of the second field, and the second part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B12-B27 of the third field.

[0230] In one possible design, the first part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B12-B39 of the second field, and the second part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B12-B15 of the third field.

[0231] In one possible design, the processing module 1302 is further configured to, if the first multi-link device can parse the second frame detection sequence and the first multi-link device is a non-target receiving station of the initial control frame, check the field before the first field in the initial control frame and part or all of the bits in the first field other than the second frame detection sequence based on the second frame detection sequence.

[0232] The processing module 1302 is further configured to determine that the initial control frame check is successful when the fields before the first field in the initial control frame and some or all bits in the first field except the second frame detection sequence are successfully checked based on the second frame detection sequence.

[0233] In one possible design, the processing module 1302 is further configured to verify the initial control frame based on the first frame detection sequence if the second frame detection sequence cannot be parsed.

[0234] Regarding the communication device in the above embodiment, the specific manner in which each module performs operations and the beneficial effects possessed have been described in detail in the aforementioned method embodiment and will not be repeated here.

[0235] Figure 14 shows a schematic diagram of the structure of a possible communication device provided by an embodiment of the present application. It is understood that the communication device 140 includes necessary means, such as modules, units, elements, circuits, or interfaces, appropriately configured to implement the present solution. The communication device 140 can be the first multi-link device, the second multi-link device, a station in the first-link device, a station in the second-link device, a device included in the first multi-link device, such as a chip; or a device included in the second-link device, such as a chip, to implement the methods described in the above method embodiments. The communication device 140 includes one or more processors 141. The processors 141 can be general-purpose processors or dedicated processors. For example, they can be baseband processors or central processing units. The baseband processor can be used to process communication protocols and communication data, while the central processing unit can be used to control the communication device (e.g., the first multi-link device, the second multi-link device, a station in the first-link device, a station in the second-link device, a device included in the first multi-link device, such as a chip; or a device included in the second-link device, such as a chip), execute software programs, and process software program data.

[0236] Optionally, in one design, the processor 141 may include a program 143 (sometimes also referred to as code or instructions), which may be executed on the processor 141 to enable the communication device 140 to perform the methods described in the above embodiments. In another possible design, the communication device 140 includes a circuit (not shown in FIG. 14 ) configured to implement the transceiver functions in the above embodiments.

[0237] Optionally, the communication device 140 may include one or more memories 142 on which a program 144 (sometimes also referred to as code or instructions) is stored. The program 144 can be run on the processor 141 so that the communication device 140 executes the method described in the above method embodiment.

[0238] Optionally, data may be stored in the processor 141 and / or the memory 142. The processor and the memory may be provided separately or integrated together.

[0239] Optionally, the communication device 140 may further include a transceiver 145 and / or an antenna 146. The processor 141 may also be referred to as a processing unit, and controls a communication device (e.g., a first multi-link device, a second multi-link device, a station in the first-link device, a station in the second-link device, a device included in the first multi-link device, such as a chip; or a device included in the second-link device, such as a chip). The transceiver 145 may also be referred to as a transceiver unit, a transceiver, a transceiver circuit, or a transceiver, and is configured to implement the transceiver functions of the communication device through the antenna 146.

[0240] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the structure shown in FIG14 does not limit the communication device 140 and may include more or fewer components than shown, or combine certain components, or adopt a different component arrangement.

[0241] In addition, the present application also provides a computer-readable storage medium, including instructions, which, when executed by a communication device, enable the communication device to execute the communication method provided in the above embodiment.

[0242] In addition, the present application also provides a computer program product, including instructions, which, when executed by a communication device, enable the communication device to perform the communication method provided in the above embodiment.

[0243] In addition, the present application also provides a communication system, which includes the second multi-link device and the first multi-link device involved in the above embodiment. Alternatively, the communication system includes a station in the second multi-link device and a station in the first multi-link device involved in the above embodiment.

[0244] Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate other embodiments of the present application after considering the specification and practicing the invention disclosed herein. This application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the present application that follow the general principles of the present application and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not disclosed herein. The description and examples are to be considered merely as exemplary, and the true scope and spirit of the present application are indicated by the claims.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that: The method comprises: Obtain an initial control frame, where the initial control frame includes a first field and a frame detection sequence field, where the first field is used to carry a second frame detection sequence, the second frame detection sequence is used to verify a field preceding the first field in the initial control frame and some or all bits in the first field except the second frame detection sequence, the frame detection sequence field is used to carry a first frame detection sequence, and the first field is located before the frame detection sequence field; The initial control frame is sent to the first multi-link device, where the initial control frame is used to instruct the first multi-link device to switch from a listening state to an awake state.

2. The communication method according to claim 1, wherein: The portion of the first field excluding the second frame detection sequence is the remaining bits of the first field excluding the second frame detection sequence and the association identifier 12 field.

3. The communication method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The first field includes a second field and a third field, the second field is used to carry the association identifier 12 field and the first part of the second frame detection sequence, and the third field is used to carry the association identifier 12 field and the second part of the second frame detection sequence.

4. The communication method according to claim 3, wherein: The second field and / or the third field is also used to carry a reserved field.

5. The communication method according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that: The first part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B24-B39 of the second field, and the second part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B24-B39 of the third field.

6. The communication method according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that: The first part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B12-B39 of the second field, and the second part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B36-B39 of the third field.

7. The communication method according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that: The first part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B36-B39 of the second field, and the second part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B12-B39 of the third field.

8. The communication method according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that: The first part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B12-B27 of the second field, and the second part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B12-B27 of the third field.

9. The communication method according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that: The first part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B12-B39 of the second field, and the second part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B12-B15 of the third field.

10. A communication method, characterized in that: The method comprises: receiving an initial control frame sent by a second multi-link device, the initial control frame including a first field and a frame detection sequence field, the first field being used to carry a second frame detection sequence, the second frame detection sequence being used to verify a field preceding the first field in the initial control frame and some or all bits of the first field except the second frame detection sequence, the frame detection sequence field being used to carry a first frame detection sequence, and the first field being located before the frame detection sequence field; After the initial control frame is successfully checked, the state is switched from the listening state to the awakening state.

11. The communication method according to claim 10, wherein: The portion of the first field excluding the second frame detection sequence is the remaining bits of the first field excluding the second frame detection sequence and the association identifier 12 field.

12. The communication method according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that: The first field includes a second field and a third field, the second field is used to carry the association identifier 12 field and the first part of the second frame detection sequence, and the third field is used to carry the association identifier 12 field and the second part of the second frame detection sequence.

13. The communication method according to claim 12, wherein: The second field and / or the third field is also used to carry a reserved field.

14. The communication method according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that: The first part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B24-B39 of the second field, and the second part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B24-B39 of the third field.

15. The communication method according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that: The first part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B12-B39 of the second field, and the second part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B36-B39 of the third field.

16. The communication method according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that: The first part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B36-B39 of the second field, and the second part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B12-B39 of the third field.

17. The communication method according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that: The first part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B12-B27 of the second field, and the second part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B12-B27 of the third field.

18. The communication method according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that: The first part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B12-B39 of the second field, and the second part of the second frame detection sequence is located at B12-B15 of the third field.

19. The communication method according to any one of claims 10 to 18, characterized in that: The method further comprises: If the first multi-link device can parse the second frame detection sequence and the first multi-link device is a non-target receiving station of the initial control frame, checking a field preceding the first field in the initial control frame and some or all bits of the first field except the second frame detection sequence based on the second frame detection sequence; When the fields preceding the first field in the initial control frame and part or all of the bits in the first field except the second frame detection sequence are successfully checked based on the second frame detection sequence, it is determined that the initial control frame check is successful.

20. A communication device, characterized in that: The method comprises a unit or module for executing the method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, or comprises a unit or module for executing the method according to any one of claims 10 to 19.

21. A communication device, characterized in that: include: A processor, the processor being coupled to a memory, the memory being used to store a program or instruction, and when the program or instruction is executed by the processor, causing the communication device to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, or the method according to any one of claims 10 to 19.

22. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that The method comprises computer instructions, which, when executed on a communication device, cause the communication device to execute the method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, or to execute the method according to any one of claims 10 to 19.

23. A computer program product comprising instructions, characterized in that When the instruction is executed on a communication device, the communication device is caused to execute the method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, or execute the method according to any one of claims 10 to 19.

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