Multi-link device communication method and related device

Abstract

The embodiments of the present disclosure belong to the technical field of communications. Provided are a multi-link device communication method and a related device. The method is executed by a first multi-link device, and comprises: when it is detected that a first link, which transmits service data, between a first multi-link device and a second multi-link device is in a first state, generating a first request frame, which is used for requesting the second multi-link device to map a first service identifier of the service data to at least two links between the first multi-link device and the second multi-link device, wherein the first state indicates that the channel quality of the first link is lower than a threshold and / or there is congestion on the first link; sending the first request frame to the second multi-link device; receiving a first response frame which is returned by the second multi-link device and is used for responding to the first request frame; and if the first response frame indicates that the second multi-link device accepts the first request frame, concurrently transmitting the service data by means of the at least two links.

Description

Multi-link device communication method and related equipment

[0001] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the China Patent Office on March 5, 2024, with application number 202410254637.7, and invention name “Communication Methods and Related Equipment”, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0002] The present disclosure relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to a multi-link device communication method, a multi-link device, a computer-readable storage medium, and a computer program product. Background Art

[0003] The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) introduced the multi-link (ML) mechanism in the IEEE 802.11be protocol standard for wireless local access networks (WLANs). A multi-link device (MLD) supports data transmission over multiple links.

[0004] Technical content

[0005] An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a multi-link device communication method, the method being performed by a first multi-link device. The method comprises: upon detecting that a first link transmitting service data between the first multi-link device and a second multi-link device is in a first state, generating a first request frame, the first request frame being used to request the second multi-link device to map a first service identifier of the service data to at least two links between the first multi-link device and the second multi-link device; wherein the first state indicates that a channel quality of the first link is below a threshold and / or congestion exists; sending the first request frame to the second multi-link device; receiving a first response frame returned by the second multi-link device in response to the first request frame; and if the first response frame indicates that the second multi-link device accepts the first request frame, transmitting the service data through the at least two links simultaneously.

[0006] An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a multi-link communication method, performed by a second multi-link device, the method comprising: receiving a first request frame sent by a first multi-link device, the first request frame requesting mapping a first service identifier of service data to at least two links between the first multi-link device and the second multi-link device, wherein the service data is currently transmitted between the first multi-link device and the second multi-link device via a first link, and the first link is in a first state; the first state indicates that a channel quality of the first link is below a threshold and / or congestion exists; generating a first response frame in response to the first request frame; and sending the first response frame to the first multi-link device; wherein, when the second multi-link device accepts the first request frame, it simultaneously transmits the service data via the at least two links.

[0007] An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a multi-link device, comprising: one or more processors; and a memory configured to store one or more programs. When the one or more programs are executed by the one or more processors, the multi-link device implements the communication method described in the embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0008] An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon. When the computer program is run on a computer, the computer implements the communication method described in the embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0009] The embodiments of the present disclosure provide a computer program product, including a computer program. When the computer program is executed by a computer, the communication method described in the embodiments of the present disclosure is implemented.

[0010] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of a multi-link communication system provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0012] FIG2 is a schematic diagram of an application scenario of transmitting game data using multiple links provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0013] FIG3 schematically shows a flow chart of a multi-link device communication method according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0014] FIG4 schematically shows an interaction diagram of a multi-link device communication method according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0015] FIG5 schematically shows an interaction diagram of a multi-link device communication method according to other embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0016] FIG6 schematically shows a flow chart of a multi-link selection strategy method according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0017] FIG7 schematically shows a format diagram of a service-to-link mapping element according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0018] FIG8 schematically shows an interaction diagram of a multi-link device communication method according to still other embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0019] FIG9 schematically shows an interaction diagram of a multi-link device communication method according to still other embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0020] FIG10 schematically shows a flowchart of a multi-link device communication method according to other embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0021] FIG11 schematically shows a schematic structural diagram of a multi-link device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] To help those skilled in the art better understand the technical solutions of the present disclosure, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present disclosure are described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is clear that the described embodiments are only a portion of the embodiments of the present disclosure, not all of them. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort with respect to the embodiments of the present disclosure are within the scope of protection of the present disclosure.

[0023] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the term "module" or "unit" refers to a computer program or a part of a computer program that has a predetermined function and works together with other related parts to achieve a predetermined goal, and can be implemented in whole or in part by using software, hardware (such as processing circuits or memories) or a combination thereof. Similarly, a processor (or multiple processors or memories) can be used to implement one or more modules or units. In addition, each module or unit can be part of an overall module or unit that includes the function of the module or unit.

[0024] The terms "first," "second," and the like in the specification, claims, and drawings of this disclosure are used to distinguish between different objects, not to describe a particular order. Furthermore, the terms "including," "having," and any variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions. For example, a process, method, software, product, or apparatus comprising a series of steps or elements is not limited to the listed steps or elements but may also include steps or elements not listed, or other steps or elements inherent to the process, method, product, or apparatus.

[0025] References herein to "embodiments" mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiments may be included in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. The appearance of this phrase in various places in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor does it constitute an independent or alternative embodiment that is mutually exclusive of other embodiments. It is understood, both explicitly and implicitly, by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein may be combined with other embodiments.

[0026] The “network” and “system” that appear in the embodiments of the present disclosure express the same concept, and the communication system is the communication network.

[0027] The embodiments of the present disclosure can be applied to wireless local area networks (WLANs). Currently, WLANs use the IEEE 802.11 series of protocol standards. A WLAN may include multiple basic service sets (BSSs), and devices in a BSS may include access point stations (AP STAs, also referred to as APs or access points) and non-AP STAs (non-AP STAs, also referred to as STAs or stations). Furthermore, each BSS may include an access point and at least one station.

[0028] An access point can be an entity that provides network access to connected stations via a wireless medium. An access point can connect various wireless network clients to an Ethernet network. An access point can be a network device with a wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) chip. An access point can be a device that supports various IEEE 802.11 protocol standards. For example, an access point can be a device that supports IEEE 802.11ac, IEEE 802.11n, IEEE 802.11g, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE802.11ax, IEEE802.11be, next-generation WLAN protocol standards, etc. An access point can include a centralized controller, a base station (BS), a base transceiver station (BTS), a site controller, and a switch. An access point can include a device that provides wireless communication capabilities for a station, such as a chip system. The chip system can include a chip and may also include other discrete components, such as transceiver components. An access point can communicate with an Internet Protocol (IP) network. For example, the Internet, a private IP network or other data networks.

[0029] The station can be a wireless communication chip, a wireless sensor or a wireless communication terminal. For example, a user equipment (UE) supporting Wi-Fi communication function, a remote / remote terminal (remote UE), an access terminal, a user unit, a user station, a mobile device, a user terminal, a smart terminal, a wireless communication device, a user agent or a user device / cellular phone, a cordless phone, a session initiation protocol (SIP) phone, a wireless local loop (WLL) station, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a handheld device, a vehicle-mounted device, a wearable device, etc., without specific limitation. The station can include a non-access point enhanced high throughput station (none AP extremely high throughput station, non AP EHT STA) and a non-access point high efficiency station (none AP high efficiency station, non AP HE STA), etc. The station can include a device with a transceiver function, such as a chip system. The chip system can include a chip and can also include other discrete devices, such as a transceiver device, etc.

[0030] The multi-link communication system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is exemplarily described below with reference to FIG1 .

[0031] The IEEE 802.11be protocol standard introduces a multi-link mechanism. A Wi-Fi device that supports multi-link operation (MLO) is called a multi-link device (MLD). A multi-link device (MLD) can support data transmission over multiple links. A multi-link device can be an access point multi-link device (AP MLD) or a non-AP multi-link device (Non-AP MLD). An AP MLD can include multiple access points (APs; for example, FIG1 illustrates three APs, namely, AP1, AP2, and AP3, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto and may include more or fewer APs). A non-AP MLD can include multiple stations (STAs; for example, FIG1 illustrates three STAs, namely, STA1, STA2, and STA3, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto and may include more or fewer STAs). Different APs or STAs can operate on different carrier frequencies, such as 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz (abbreviated as 2.4G, 5G, and 6G, respectively, in FIG1 ), or different carrier frequencies within the same frequency band (e.g., 5 GHz). In the embodiments of the present disclosure, a non-AP MLD may be a user terminal that supports multi-link Wi-Fi 7 (i.e., the technical standard for wireless local area networks, IEEE 802.11be). An AP MLD may be a hotspot that supports multi-link Wi-Fi 7.

[0032] Multiple (two or more) links can be established between the AP MLD and the Non-AP MLD (called multi-link establishment or multi-link association), and data can be transmitted on the multiple links.

[0033] For example, as shown in Figure 1, assume that a link L1 (abbreviated as Link1, i.e., Link 1) is established between AP1 and STA1, a link L2 (abbreviated as Link2, i.e., Link 2) is established between AP2 and STA2, and a link L3 (abbreviated as Link3, i.e., Link 3) is established between AP3 and STA3. Each link is uniquely identified by a link ID (identity). Different links have different operating carrier frequencies. Figure 1 assumes that the operating carrier frequencies of L1, L2, and L3 are 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz, respectively, but the present disclosure is not limited to this.

[0034] In embodiments of the present disclosure, a service identifier for service data can be established or updated with a high-priority service identifier and mapped to multiple links between the AP MLD and the non-AP MLD. The service data corresponds to a critical service, a high-speed service, or a low-latency service, such as gaming, video, audio, or metaverse services. The following uses gaming as an example, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. A service identifier can be used to uniquely identify the type of service data, such as voice service, video service, best-effort transmission, or background traffic, to distinguish it from other types of services. The present disclosure does not limit its representation format; for example, a Traffic ID (TID) can be used. The TID is used to identify different types of traffic. By setting the TID value, different types of traffic can be distinguished, thereby providing different quality of service for different traffic types. For example, voice service is the most sensitive to latency and has the highest priority. Video service has a lower priority than voice service. Web access data traffic is best-effort, which has certain latency requirements but is not particularly sensitive. Background traffic is the least sensitive to latency. The following examples all use TID to represent the service identifier, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0035] For example, in FIG1 , it is assumed that TID0 to TID7 (the present disclosure is not limited to this, for example, TID0 to TID15 can also be used) can be used to represent different service identifiers, wherein the priority of the service data corresponding to TID6 or TID7 is higher than the priority of the service data corresponding to TID0-TID5. Assuming that the game service is a low-latency service, the TID of the service data of the game service can be set to or updated to TID6 or TID7, so that the service data of the game service has a higher priority than other services, thereby giving priority to the transmission of the data of the game service and reducing the transmission delay of the game service. For the game service whose service identifier is mapped to TID6 or TID7, its service identifier TID6 or TID7 can be mapped to multiple links. For example, in FIG1 , it is assumed that TID6 or TID7 of the game service is mapped to Link1, Link2 and Link3 at the same time, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. This makes it possible to transmit the game service data simultaneously through Link1, Link2 and Link3, thereby improving the game reliability or reducing the game delay in the IEEE protocol multi-link transmission.

[0036] In some embodiments, the multi-link communication system shown in FIG1 may further include other multi-link devices, access points, or stations in addition to the AP MLD and the Non-AP MLD, which is not specifically limited.

[0037] In some embodiments, the multi-link communication system shown in FIG1 may further include other network entities such as radio access network (RAN) equipment, core network (CN) equipment, network controller, and mobility management entity, without specific limitation.

[0038] In some embodiments, the communication between the AP MLD and the Non-AP MLD in the multi-link communication system shown in FIG. 1 may be wireless communication or wired communication, which is not specifically limited.

[0039] Based on the embodiment of Figure 1, assuming that TID6 or TID7 of the game service has been mapped to Link1 to Link3, as shown in Figure 2, the AP MLD and the Non-AP MLD can simultaneously transmit TID6 or TID7 game data (i.e., service data) through Link1 with a working carrier frequency of 2.4 GHz, Link2 with a working carrier frequency of 5 GHz, and Link3 with a working carrier frequency of 6 GHz.

[0040] The multi-link communication system provided by the disclosed embodiments can simultaneously utilize multiple antennas and spectrum resources for service data transmission, enabling AP MLDs and non-AP MLDs to communicate simultaneously on multiple frequency bands. This improves network throughput and stability, reduces congestion and interference, and enhances overall network performance. Multi-link transmission also enhances network reliability. Even if a frequency band or antenna experiences congestion or interference, AP MLDs and non-AP MLDs can still communicate by combining other available links, reducing the possibility of data loss.

[0041] The IEEE protocol introduces the Multi-Link Operation (MLO) feature. APs and STAs supporting MLO can transmit data on one of multiple established links (e.g., 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, 6 GHz, etc.), or simultaneously transmit data for the same service on multiple (two or more) communication links. Each communication link can complement each other, reducing data frame retransmissions and improving data transmission reliability. In this way, multiple links transmit service data with the same TID. For example, for gaming services, especially in environments with weak network coverage, transmitting game data over multiple links can greatly improve transmission reliability and enhance the gaming experience. The disclosed embodiment detects the service status and wireless channel environment of each link in multiple established communication links, and sends request frames (including a first request frame, and in some embodiments, a second request frame) to each other through negotiation for the Non-AP MLD and AP MLD supporting MLO to request modification of the TID mapping of the low-latency gaming service to the multiple established communication links, so that the multiple communication links send gaming data, thereby improving the reliability of data transmission and achieving the purpose of enhancing the gaming experience.

[0042] In the disclosed embodiments, "simultaneous transmission of data for the same service" refers to the parallel transmission of service data with the same service identifier, such as the same TID, on multiple links that have been established between the Non-AP MLD and the AP MLD. Furthermore, two modes can be adopted. One mode is multiple transmissions and single reception (replication mode), in which the AP / STA end simultaneously transmits the same data with the same TID to the receiving end (STA / AP) using multiple frequency bands / multiple links. The receiving end automatically selects the data of the fastest frequency band / link. If the frequency band is interfered with, the system accepts data from other frequency bands. This method can improve the stability of data transmission. The other mode is multiple transmissions and multiple receptions (joint mode), in which a piece of data with the same TID is split into multiple parts (for example, three parts), which are sent simultaneously through multiple (for example, three) frequency bands / multiple (for example, three) links. The receiving end combines the multiple data parts after receiving them. The multiple transmission and multiple reception mode can improve the speed of data transmission.

[0043] For example, when the service data is gaming data, "simultaneous transmission of gaming data for the same gaming service" means that the gaming data corresponding to the gaming service's TID is transmitted in parallel across multiple links established between the non-AP MLD and the AP MLD. Multiple copies of the same gaming data can be replicated and transmitted in parallel across multiple links to improve transmission reliability, for example, in weak channel conditions. Alternatively, the same gaming data can be split into multiple copies and transmitted in parallel across multiple links to increase transmission speed, for example, in situations of gaming service congestion.

[0044] In the disclosed embodiments, detecting link traffic conditions refers to detecting whether there is congestion in the data transmission of services (e.g., services) being transmitted on at least one link established between a non-AP MLD and an AP MLD. In some embodiments, the degree of congestion can be determined by detecting congestion information. Different congestion levels can be assigned to represent different congestion levels, or congestion information can be used to determine whether a link is in a congested state. For example, a ping packet (a data packet used to test network connectivity) can be periodically sent from a transmitter (non-AP MLD / AP MLD) to a receiver (AP MLD / non-AP MLD) on the detected link, and the receiver waits for a signal sent back from the receiver. This allows the transmitter to obtain the time required for the data packet to travel from the transmitter to the receiver and back. This time is referred to as the latency between the transmitter and the receiver, also known as the ping value. The ping value can be used to determine different congestion levels or determine whether the link is in a congested state. For example, if the ping value on a link exceeds a specified duration, the link can be determined to be congested; otherwise, it can be determined to be non-congested. The present disclosure is not limited to the above examples in the manner of detecting the service status of a link.

[0045] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, detecting the wireless channel environment of a link refers to detecting the channel quality information of at least one link established between the Non-AP MLD and the AP MLD, and judging whether the detected link is in a weak network environment by using the channel quality information. The channel quality information can be indicated by one or more indicators, such as a channel quality indicator (CQI), signal strength, signal-to-noise ratio, bit error rate, transmission rate, time delay of data transmission in the channel, etc. In the following embodiment, the wireless channel environment of the link is judged by detecting changes in relevant wireless communication indicators such as the received signal strength indication (RSSI), that is, the channel quality information includes RSSI. When it is detected that the RSSI of a link is lower than a threshold (the value of which can be set according to actual needs and is not limited by the present disclosure), it is judged that the link is in a weak network environment; otherwise, it is judged that the link is not in a weak network environment.

[0046] The communication method provided in the embodiment of FIG3 may be executed by the first multi-link device.

[0047] In some embodiments, the first multi-link device is an access point multi-link device (AP MLD, also referred to as an AP multi-link device) or a non-AP MLD, also referred to as a STA multi-link device. Multi-link refers to multiple communication links between an AP and a STA. Correspondingly, the second multi-link device referred to below is a non-AP MLD or an access point multi-link device (AP MLD).

[0048] In S310, when it is detected that a first link transmitting service data between a first multi-link device and a second multi-link device is in a first state, a first request frame is generated, where the first request frame is used to request the second multi-link device to map a service identifier of the service data to at least two links between the first multi-link device and the second multi-link device; wherein the first state indicates that a channel quality of the first link is lower than a threshold and / or congestion exists.

[0049] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, at least one link has been established between the AP MLD and the Non-AP MLD, and a first link has been determined from the at least one link for transmitting service data. Service data may refer to data of any service, such as any important service, high-priority service, latency-sensitive service / low-latency service, or high-speed service, and gaming service is used as an example below. The first link may include one link or two or more links. The following example illustrates that the first link includes one link (hereinafter referred to as Link 1 or Link1), but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The first link may be any one or more links among the at least one link that has been established between the AP MLD and the Non-AP MLD.

[0050] In some embodiments, the first status indicates that the channel quality of the first link is lower than a threshold, and / or that there is congestion in the traffic transmitted on the first link.

[0051] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, a link can transmit different services. The method proposed in the embodiment of the present disclosure is for any service, such as a gaming service with a latency requirement. When a link has multiple service data being transmitted, if congestion is detected according to the congestion detection mechanism, the AP MLD can make a selection based on the strategy, such as selecting two or three links to transmit the service data simultaneously, or switching to another link with good channel quality and no congestion for transmission. This strategy can be extended to other services, not just gaming services. In some embodiments, the TIDs of other services are not mapped to TID6 or TID7. TID6 or TID7 are specifically for gaming services with low latency requirements.

[0052] When the service data is transmitted between the AP MLD and the Non-AP MLD via the first link, the first multi-link device can detect channel quality information and / or congestion information of the first link, and determine whether the first link is in a first state based on the channel quality information and / or the congestion information. If the channel quality information indicates that the channel quality of the first link is lower than a threshold, i.e., the channel quality is poor, and / or the congestion information indicates that the service transmitted on the first link is congested or in a congested state, then the first link can be determined to be in the first state. If the channel quality information indicates that the channel quality of the first link is equal to or higher than a threshold, i.e., the channel quality is good, and the congestion information indicates that the service transmitted on the first link is not congested or is not in a congested state, then the first link can be determined to be not in the first state, i.e., not in a weak network environment and no congestion has occurred.

[0053] When the first multi-link device detects that the channel quality of the first link that is transmitting service data is poor and / or that there is congestion in service data transmission, the first multi-link device may generate a first request frame and send the first request frame to the second multi-link device to request the second multi-link device to map the service identifier corresponding to the service data (for example, the TID of the service) to at least two links between the AP MLD and the non-AP MLD.

[0054] In some embodiments, the first request frame generated by the first multi-link device may carry a mapping relationship between the at least two links and the service identifier recommended or required by the first multi-link device. In this case, the first multi-link device may determine the at least two links according to a multi-link selection policy.

[0055] The multi-link selection policy in the embodiments of the present disclosure refers to a method for selecting two or more links from the multiple links established between the AP MLD and the non-AP MLD for transmitting service data when two or more links are needed to transmit service data between the AP MLD and the non-AP MLD. This multi-link selection policy can be configured based on actual needs.

[0056] In some embodiments, before generating the first request frame, the method may further include:

[0057] If the first link is in the first state, detecting a state of at least one second link between the first multi-link device and the second multi-link device; the at least one second link is a link other than the first link among the links established between the first multi-link device and the second multi-link device;

[0058] At least one target second link in the second state or the third state is selected from the at least one second link, and the first link and the at least one target second link are determined as the at least two links.

[0059] In some embodiments, the channel quality of the at least one target second link in the second state is lower than a threshold and / or there is congestion;

[0060] The channel quality of the at least one target second link in the third state is higher than a threshold and there is no congestion.

[0061] For example, the multi-link selection strategy may include: if the first link currently transmitting service data is a link (using link 1 as an example), and the channel quality of the first link is poor and / or service transmission is congested, then detecting the channel quality information and / or congestion information of a second link that is not currently transmitting service data and is established between the AP MLD and the Non-AP MLD. The second link may be a remaining link other than the first link among the multiple links established between the AP MLD and the Non-AP MLD, the remaining links including at least one link, or any one of the remaining links. That is, the channel quality information and / or congestion information of each link other than the first link may be detected to determine whether each link other than the first link is in the second state. If the channel quality of a second link is poor and / or service is congested, the second link may be selected as the target second link. If multiple second links have poor channel quality and / or service are congested, any one of the multiple second links may be selected as the target second link. Alternatively, any link other than the first link is selected as the second link, and its channel quality information and / or congestion information is detected to determine whether the selected second link is in the second state. If the second link is in the second state, the second link is determined as the target second link; otherwise, a new second link is selected from the remaining links, and its channel quality information and / or congestion information is detected to determine whether the new second link is in the second state. This loop is performed until the target second link is determined from the remaining links. After the target second link is determined, the generated first request frame includes a mapping relationship between the service identifier and the first link and the target second link. That is, the service identifier is mapped to the first link and the target second link, so that service data can be transmitted simultaneously through the first link and the target second link. In other words, when the channel quality of a first link currently transmitting service data is poor and / or service congestion exists, two links with poor channel quality and / or service congestion can be sequentially selected to transmit service data simultaneously, thereby improving the reliability of service data transmission and reducing transmission latency.

[0062] It is understood that although the above example selects the first link and the target second link as two links for simultaneously transmitting service data, i.e., the first link continues to be used for transmitting service data, the present disclosure is not limited to this. For another example, if it is detected that the channel quality of multiple second links among the remaining links is poor and / or service congestion exists, any two second links can be selected from the multiple second links as target second links, and the first link is no longer used for transmitting the service data. In this case, the first request frame includes a mapping relationship between the two target second links and the service identifier.

[0063] For another example, the multi-link selection strategy may also include: if it is detected that one or more second links are in the third state, that is, one or more second links have good channel quality and there is no service congestion, then any second link can be selected as the target second link, and the first request frame is used to request that the first link be switched to the target second link, that is, the service data is transmitted through the target second link, that is, the first request frame carries the mapping relationship between the service identifier and the target second link.

[0064] For another example, the multi-link selection strategy may also include: if it is detected that multiple second links are in the third state, that is, there are multiple second links with good channel quality and no service congestion, then any two second links can be selected as target second links, and the first request frame is used to request that the service data be transmitted through the two target second links, that is, the first request frame carries the mapping relationship between the service identifier and the two target second links.

[0065] For another example, the multi-link selection strategy may also include: if it is detected that at least one second link is in the third state, that is, there is at least one second link with good channel quality and no service congestion, then any second link can be selected as the target second link, and the first request frame is used to request that the service data be transmitted through the first link and the target second link, that is, the first request frame carries the mapping relationship between the service identifier and the first link and the target second link.

[0066] It should be noted that, since the first multi-link device and the second multi-link device know in advance that the service identifier is mapped to the first link, when the first multi-link device requests, through a first request frame, that the service identifier be mapped to at least two links, the first request frame may only carry the mapping relationship between the service identifier and the target second link, that is, by default, the mapping relationship between the service identifier and the first link is retained.

[0067] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, different priorities can be bound to different links. Therefore, in the multi-link selection strategy, the at least two links to which the service identifier is mapped can also be selected based on the binding relationship between the link and the priority. For example, assuming that the first request frame requests to change the service identifier from a low-priority first service identifier to a high-priority second service identifier, and the high-priority second service identifier has been bound to a predetermined link, for example, the high-priority second service identifier has been bound to link 1, link 2, and link 3, then when the second multi-link device receives the first request frame, it can be known that the first multi-link device is requesting to map the service identifier to link 1, link 2, and link 3, that is, the first request frame requesting to map the service identifier to at least two links can be implicit, that is, it is not necessary to indicate the mapping relationship between the service identifier and the at least two links in the first request frame. For example, the link and priority can be bound at the beginning of the service. During the service, due to the mobility of the STA site, the channel quality may deteriorate or the data service of a certain link may be congested. At this time, the method provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure can be adopted to negotiate the mapping of the service TID and the link.

[0068] In some embodiments, the first request frame includes information instructing to convert the service identifier from a first service identifier to a second service identifier, wherein the priority of the second service identifier is higher than that of the first service identifier.

[0069] In the disclosed embodiment, it is assumed that, before generating the first request frame, the service identifier has been determined between the AP MLD and the Non-AP MLD to be the first service identifier, for example, TID2, and that TID2 is mapped to Link 1. When the first multi-link device detects poor channel quality and / or service congestion on Link 1, the first multi-link device may modify the service identifier to a second service identifier with a higher priority, for example, TID6 or TID7. In this case, the first request frame may carry information regarding the modification of the first service identifier to the second service identifier with the higher priority, requesting the second multi-link device to modify the first service identifier to the second service identifier. This allows the purpose of reducing latency by increasing the service priority.

[0070] In other embodiments, if the service identifier determined between the AP MLD and the Non-AP MLD before the first request frame is generated already has a higher priority, such as TID6 or TID7, the service identifier does not need to be modified.

[0071] The disclosed embodiments can be implemented through Quality of Service (QoS). QoS is a network security mechanism used to address issues such as network latency and congestion. When the network is overloaded or congested, QoS ensures that important services are not delayed or dropped, while also ensuring efficient network operation. For example, for gaming programs, the network priority of the gaming program can be increased, thereby reducing latency and improving the gaming experience.

[0072] In some embodiments, the first request frame is a TID-To-Link Mapping Request frame. Correspondingly, the first response frame generated by the second multi-link device in response to the first request frame may be a TID-To-Link Mapping Response frame. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. In other embodiments, the first request frame and the first response frame may have other names.

[0073] In some embodiments, the service-to-link mapping request frame includes a service-to-link mapping element (TID-To-Link Mapping element), which may carry a mapping relationship between the service identifier and the at least two links.

[0074] In some embodiments, the service-to-link mapping element includes a service-to-link mapping control (TID-To-Link Mapping Control) field. In some embodiments, the service-to-link mapping control field includes a link mapping presence indicator (Link Mapping Presence Indicator) subfield. The first value of the link mapping presence indicator subfield is used to indicate the presence of a service identifier to link mapping field (e.g., Link Mapping of TID6 or Link Mapping of TID7) in the service-to-link mapping element.

[0075] In some embodiments, the service identifier to link mapping field is used to indicate that the service identifier is mapped to at least two links between the first multi-link device and the second multi-link device.

[0076] It is understandable that the indication information carried by the first request frame for requesting mapping of the service identifier to at least two links is not limited to the above example, and can be explicit or implicit as long as it is any method that can represent the indication information.

[0077] In S320, the first request frame is sent to the second multi-link device. The second multi-link device receives the first request frame sent by the first multi-link device.

[0078] In S330, a first response frame returned by the second multi-link device in response to the first request frame is received; if the first response frame indicates that the second multi-link device accepts the first request frame, the service data is transmitted through the at least two links at the same time.

[0079] After receiving the first request frame, the second multi-link device may decide to accept or reject the first request frame based on its own situation, link situation, mapping relationship between links and services, network conditions, etc., or modify the mapping relationship carried in the first request frame, thereby generating a first response frame to be returned to the first multi-link device, and sending the generated first response frame to the first multi-link device.

[0080] In some embodiments, the mapping relationship carried in the first request frame is a first mapping relationship.

[0081] When the first response frame includes the second mapping relationship determined by the second multi-link device, if the first multi-link device accepts the second mapping relationship, the mapping relationship between the service identifier in the first multi-link device and the first link is updated to the second mapping relationship.

[0082] In some embodiments, when the first request frame does not carry a first mapping relationship and the first response frame contains a second mapping relationship, the second mapping relationship is a mapping relationship between the service identifier and the at least two links determined by the second multi-link device according to the first request frame.

[0083] In some embodiments, when the first request frame carries a first mapping relationship and the first response frame includes a second mapping relationship, the second mapping relationship is obtained by modifying the first mapping relationship by the second multi-link device.

[0084] In some embodiments, a first multi-link device (e.g., a STA or an AP) may only request a second multi-link device (e.g., an AP or a STA) to map the service identifier to at least two links. That is, the first request frame may not carry the at least two links requested or suggested by the first multi-link device. When the second multi-link device accepts the first request frame, the second multi-link device selects the at least two links mapped to the service identifier. The second multi-link device returns the mapping relationship between the at least two links selected by the second multi-link device and the service identifier to the first multi-link device via a first response frame. When the second multi-link device rejects the first request frame, the first response frame returned by the second multi-link device may include information indicating the rejection of the first request frame. In some embodiments, the first response frame may also include a reason for rejecting the first request frame.

[0085] In other embodiments, the first multi-link device may include in a first request frame a mapping relationship between at least two links required by the first multi-link device and the service identifier. Upon receiving the first request frame, the second multi-link device may only accept or reject the first request frame and may not propose a new mapping relationship between at least two links and the service identifier as suggested or required by the second multi-link device. If the second multi-link device accepts the first request frame, the first response frame returned to the first multi-link device includes information indicating acceptance of the first request frame. If the second multi-link device rejects the first request frame, the first response frame returned by the second multi-link device includes information indicating rejection of the first request frame. In some embodiments, the first response frame may also include a reason for rejecting the first request frame.

[0086] In some further embodiments, the first multi-link device may carry the mapping relationship between the at least two links proposed by the first multi-link device and the service identifier in a first request frame. Upon receiving the first request frame, the second multi-link device may choose to accept or reject the first request frame, or modify the mapping relationship between the at least two links proposed in the first request frame and the service identifier. Specifically, the second multi-link device may also propose a new mapping relationship between the at least two links proposed or required by the second multi-link device and the service identifier. If the second multi-link device modifies the mapping relationship between the at least two links proposed in the first request frame and the service identifier, the second multi-link device may select the new at least two links mapped to the service identifier. The second multi-link device returns the mapping relationship between the new at least two links selected by the second multi-link device and the service identifier to the first multi-link device via a first response frame. The new at least two links may be completely different from, or partially identical to, the at least two links in the first request frame, and the present disclosure is not limited thereto. If the second multi-link device accepts the first request frame, the first response frame returned to the first multi-link device includes information indicating acceptance of the first request frame. If the second multi-link device rejects the first request frame, the first response frame returned by the second multi-link device includes indication information of rejecting the first request frame. In some embodiments, the first response frame may also include a reason for rejecting the first request frame.

[0087] In some embodiments, the method provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure may further include: if the first response frame indicates that the second multi-link device accepts the first request frame, updating the mapping relationship between the service identifier in the first multi-link device and the first link to the first mapping relationship according to the first response frame.

[0088] When the second multi-link device receives the first request frame, the second multi-link device may update the mapping relationship between the service identifier and the first link in the second multi-link device to the first mapping relationship while generating a first response frame.

[0089] It is understood that the above embodiment is illustrated by an example in which a first request frame carries a first mapping relationship between the first link, the target second link, and the service identifier, and the second multi-link device accepts the first request frame. In other embodiments, if the second multi-link device modifies the first mapping relationship in the first request frame and proposes a new mapping relationship (a second mapping relationship), and the first multi-link device accepts the second mapping relationship carried in the first response frame, the first multi-link device and the second multi-link device respectively update the mapping relationship between the service identifier and the first link to the second mapping relationship. If the second multi-link device rejects the first request frame, or the first multi-link device rejects the new mapping relationship in the first response frame, neither the first multi-link device nor the second multi-link device updates the mapping relationship between the service identifier and the first link, i.e., the first link is still used to transmit service data.

[0090] In some embodiments, the method provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure may further include: transmitting the service data in parallel through the first link and the target second link. When the second multi-link device accepts the mapping relationship between the service identifier carried in the first request frame and the first link and the target second link, and returns a first response frame to the first multi-link device, the mapping relationship between the service identifier and the link on the second multi-link device is updated, that is, the mapping relationship between the service identifier and the first link is updated to the mapping relationship between the service identifier and the first link and the target second link. After the first multi-link device receives the first response frame, it updates the mapping relationship between the service identifier and the link on the first multi-link device. After the mapping relationship is updated, the first multi-link device and the second multi-link device can simultaneously transmit the service data through the first link and the target second link, that is, transmit service data with the same TID.

[0091] In some embodiments, the method provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure may further include: if it is detected that the transmission of the service data by the at least two links (e.g., the first link and the target second link) does not meet the service data transmission requirements, generating a second request frame to request that the service identifier be mapped to at least three links between the first multi-link device and the second multi-link device; receiving a second response frame returned by the second multi-link device in response to the second request frame; and if the second response frame indicates that the second multi-link device accepts the second request frame, transmitting the service data through the at least three links at the same time.

[0092] For example, when two links are used to simultaneously transmit service data with the same TID, it can be detected whether the service data transmission requirements are met by the two links. The service data transmission requirements can be determined based on the specific requirements of the service, such as the service data transmission delay requirements, transmission speed requirements, etc. If the service data transmission requirements are still not met by using the two links, the first multi-link device can generate a second request frame to request the second multi-link device to map the service identifier to three or more links.

[0093] The second request frame may also be a TID-To-Link Mapping Request frame, and correspondingly, the second response frame may be a TID-To-Link Mapping Response frame, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The generation and transmission process of the second request frame and the second response frame may refer to the first request frame and the first response frame described above.

[0094] The above-mentioned multi-link selection strategy may also include: if it is detected that the two links currently transmitting service data (e.g., the first link (taking link 1 as an example) and the target second link (taking link 2 as an example)) still cannot meet the service data transmission requirements, then detecting the channel quality information and / or congestion information of a third link that is not currently transmitting service data and has been established between the AP MLD and the Non-AP MLD. The third link may be the remaining links other than the first link and the target second link among the multiple links already established between the AP MLD and the Non-AP MLD. To determine whether the third link is in the second state, if the channel quality of the third link is poor and / or there is service congestion, a link may be selected from the third links as the target third link (taking link 3 as an example). After determining the target third link, the generated second request frame includes a mapping relationship between the service identifier and the first link, the target second link, and the target third link, that is, mapping the service identifier to the first link, the target second link, and the target third link, so that the service data can be transmitted simultaneously through the first link, the target second link, and the target third link. The target third link may be one or more links, which is not limited in this disclosure.

[0095] For another example, if, when determining the target second link as described above, the channel quality information and / or congestion information of multiple second links are detected, and there are multiple second links with poor channel quality and / or service congestion, and only some of the second links are selected as target second links, then when determining the target third link, a link can also be selected from the remaining second links as the target third link.

[0096] By setting the above-mentioned multi-link selection strategy, the embodiment of the present disclosure can achieve that when a small number of links transmitting business data cannot meet the business data transmission requirements, the links are gradually increased to transmit the business data in parallel. This can improve the reliability of business data transmission, reduce transmission latency, and avoid the business occupying too many links, resulting in waste of resources and affecting the data transmission of other businesses. The above-mentioned first request frame and second request frame are only used for illustration and do not actually limit the number and number of request frames sent by the first multi-link device to the second multi-link device. After each update of the mapping relationship, the first multi-link device can detect whether the new mapping relationship can meet the business data transmission requirements. If the requirements are not met, a new request frame can be generated and sent to the second multi-link device until the upper limit of the number of links between the first multi-link device and the second multi-link device is reached, that is, all the links established between the two have been used to transmit the business data.

[0097] It is understandable that in other embodiments, the following multi-link selection strategy may also be adopted: when it is detected that the first link is in the first state, in the first request frame, a request is made to map the service identifier to all links between the first multi-link device and the second multi-link device.

[0098] In some embodiments, both the first multi-link device and the second multi-link device support negotiation of service-to-link mapping. That is, before the first multi-link device of the embodiment of the present disclosure sends the first request frame to the second multi-link device, both the first multi-link device and the second multi-link device are capable of negotiating TID-To-Link Mapping.

[0099] The communication method provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure detects the service status and wireless channel environment of each link in multiple communication links that have established communication. For Non-AP MLD and AP MLD supporting MLO, they send request frames (for example, the first request frame and the second request frame mentioned above, which may be TID-To-Link Mapping Request frames) to each other through negotiation, requesting to modify the low-latency service identifier (for example, TID) to map the service identifier to two or more established communication links, so that the two or more communication links send service data (for example, game data) with the same TID to improve the reliability of data transmission, thereby achieving the purpose of improving the service experience.

[0100] The embodiment of Figure 4 is illustrated by taking a gaming service as an example, wherein the first multi-link device is a Non-AP MLD, and the first request frame is a TID-To-Link Mapping Request frame. As shown in Figure 4 , the method provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure may include the following steps.

[0101] In S41 , the Non-AP MLD and the AP MLD transmit game data via a link (eg, link 1 ).

[0102] In S42, the Non-AP MLD detects that the wireless channel environment of the transmitting link (eg, link 1) is poor or congested, uses multiple links for transmission, and generates a TID-To-Link Mapping Request frame to request mapping the TID of the gaming service to multiple links.

[0103] In S43 , the Non-AP MLD sends a TID-To-Link Mapping Request frame to the AP MLD.

[0104] Due to changes in the wireless environment, the non-AP MLD that is transmitting game data with the AP MLD will be affected. At the same time, the non-AP MLD detects changes in the relevant wireless communication indicators (such as RSSI) of the link or the congestion of the link in real time, and then selects to map the game TID to two or more links, generates a TID-To-Link Mapping Request frame, and sends the TID-To-Link Mapping Request frame to the AP MLD.

[0105] In S44 , the AP MLD sends a TID-To-Link Mapping Response frame to the Non-AP MLD.

[0106] After receiving the TID-To-Link Mapping Request frame, the AP MLD generates a TID-To-Link Mapping Response frame and replies to the Non-AP MLD with a TID-To-Link Mapping Response frame to inform the sender (i.e., the Non-AP MLD) whether to accept or reject the request. In some embodiments, in addition to accepting or rejecting the request, the AP MLD can also modify the TID-to-link mapping relationship requested in the TID-To-Link Mapping Request frame and then carry the modified TID-to-link mapping relationship in a TID-to-Link Mapping Response frame and return it to the Non-AP MLD.

[0107] In other embodiments, the AP MLD may also detect changes in the wireless environment and congestion of services being transmitted (detect congestion of the link being used to transmit data), and then select to map the game TID to two or more links, and simultaneously send a TID-To-Link Mapping Request frame to the Non-AP MLD. The Non-AP MLD receives the TID-To-Link Mapping Request frame and sends a TID-To-Link Mapping Response frame to the AP MLD, as shown in FIG5 :

[0108] In S51, the AP MLD detects that the wireless channel environment of the link being transmitted is poor or congested, adopts multiple links for transmission, generates a TID-To-Link Mapping Request frame to request mapping of the game TID to multiple links, and sends the generated TID-To-Link Mapping Request frame to the Non-AP MLD.

[0109] In S52 , the Non-AP MLD sends a TID-To-Link Mapping Response frame to the AP MLD.

[0110] After receiving the TID-To-Link Mapping Request frame, the Non-AP MLD replies with a TID-To-Link Mapping Response frame to the AP MLD, indicating whether the sender (i.e., the AP MLD) accepts or rejects the request. In some embodiments, in addition to accepting or rejecting the request, the Non-AP MLD can also modify the TID-to-link mapping relationship requested in the TID-To-Link Mapping Request frame and then carry the modified TID-to-link mapping relationship in a TID-to-Link Mapping Response frame and return it to the AP MLD.

[0111] Figure 6 schematically shows a flow chart of a multi-link selection strategy method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. It should be noted that the multi-link selection strategy shown in Figure 6 is only an example, and the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0112] In S61, the communication link 1 in which the game transmission is in progress is detected.

[0113] Assume that the AP MLD and the Non-AP MLD have established Link 1, Link 2, and Link 3. For example, the service is a game service, and it is initially determined that the game data is transmitted through Link 1.

[0114] In S62, it is determined whether the current channel quality of link 1 is poor or whether the game data is congested; if not, S63 is executed; if yes, S64 is executed.

[0115] In S63 , if the current channel quality of link 1 is good and the game data is not congested, the current communication link (eg link 1 ) is continued to transmit the game data.

[0116] In some embodiments, the process may return to step S61 to continue detecting the communication link 1 that is currently transmitting the game, and the above steps S61 to S63 may be executed in a loop.

[0117] In S64 , if the current channel quality of link 1 is poor or the game data is congested, the channel quality and data congestion of communication link 2 and link 3 are detected.

[0118] In S65 , it is determined whether the current channel quality of link 2 and link 3 is poor or the game data is congested; if not, S66 is executed; if yes, S67 is executed.

[0119] In S66, if the current channel quality of link 2 and link 3 is good and there is no congestion, link 2 or link 3 is selected to transmit the game data, that is, link 1 is switched to link 2 or link 3, and link 1 is no longer used to transmit game data.

[0120] In S67, if the current channel quality of link 2 or link 3 is poor or congested, link 2 or link 3 is selected to transmit the game data, and the game data is also transmitted on link 1. Then S68 is executed.

[0121] In S68, it is detected whether the transmission of the two links meets the game data transmission requirement; if not, execute S69; if so, execute S610.

[0122] In S69 , if the game data transmission requirement is not met, the game data is transmitted simultaneously on three links.

[0123] In S610, if the game data transmission requirement has been met, the game data is continued to be transmitted on the current two communication links.

[0124] In the disclosed embodiment, AP MLD or non-AP MLD monitors the communication link currently transmitting the game data in real time, assuming it is Link 1. When the channel quality of Link 1 is poor or the service on Link 1 is congested, it simultaneously monitors the channel quality and service congestion of other links, defined as Link 2 and Link 3. The same game data as Link 1 can be transmitted over Link 2 or Link 3. It then checks whether the transmission of the two links meets the game data transmission requirements. If so, the game data continues to be transmitted over the two links. If not, the same game data is transmitted simultaneously over Link 1, Link 2, and Link 3.

[0125] The embodiment of the present disclosure can implement the above negotiation process through two management frames in the IEEE series of protocols: TID-To-Link Mapping Request frame and TID-To-Link Mapping Response frame.

[0126] The TID-To-Link Mapping Request frame is sent by the Non-AP MLD to the AP MLD, or by the AP MLD to the Non-AP MLD, to negotiate and modify the mapping of the TID to multiple communication links. The format of the TID-To-Link Mapping Request frame can be shown in Table 1 below:

[0127] Table 1. TID-To-Link Mapping Request frame format

[0128] The TID-To-Link Mapping Response frame is mainly a response from the AP MLD or Non-AP MLD to the received TID-To-Link Mapping Request frame. The format of the TID-To-Link Mapping Response frame can be shown in Table 2 below:

[0129] Table 2. TID-To-Link Mapping Response frame format

[0130] Both the TID-To-Link Mapping Request frame and the TID-To-Link Mapping Response frame include a TID-To-Link Mapping (service-to-link mapping element). The data format of the TID-To-Link Mapping element is shown in Figure 7.

[0131] As shown in Figure 7, the TID-To-Link Mapping element includes an Element ID field, a Length field, an Element ID Extension field, a TID-To-Link Mapping Control field, a Mapping Switch Time field, and an Expected Duration field. The TID-To-Link Mapping Control field includes a Direction field, a Default Link Mapping bit, a Mapping Switch Time Present field, an Expected Duration Present field, a Link Mapping Size field, and a Reserved field. Optionally, the TID-To-Link Mapping Control field also includes a Link Mapping Presence Indicator subfield.

[0132] Among them, when the direction field is set to the first value (for example, 0), it indicates uplink; when it is set to the second value (for example, 1), it indicates downlink; when it is set to the third value, for example, 2, it indicates uplink and downlink; the fourth value, for example, 3, is a reserved value.

[0133] The default link mapping bit is used to indicate whether all TIDs are mapped to all links. When the default link mapping bit is set to the first value (e.g., 1), it indicates that all TIDs are mapped to all links. Assume that there are three communication links between the Non-AP MLD and the AP MLD: Link 1, Link 2, and Link 3. When the default link mapping bit is set to 1, TIDs 0 to 7 are mapped to Link 1, TIDs 0 to 7 are mapped to Link 2, and TIDs 0 to 7 are mapped to Link 3.

[0134] The Link Mapping Presence Indicator subfield indicates whether the "Link Mapping of TIDn" field exists in the TID-To-Link Mapping element. If the value of position n in the Link Mapping Presence Indicator subfield is the first value, such as 1, then the Link Mapping of TIDn field exists in the TID-To-Link Mapping element. Otherwise, the Link Mapping of TIDn field does not exist in the TID-To-Link Mapping element.

[0135] The Link Mapping Size field is used to indicate the size of the Link Mapping Of TIDn field, which can be 0, 1, or 2 bytes.

[0136] The link mapping field of TID0 is used to indicate which links TID0 is mapped to. For example, the field can carry a bitmap, and each bit in the bitmap can correspond to a link. If the value of a certain bit is 1, it means that TID0 is mapped to the link corresponding to the certain bit. For example, if the value of a certain bit is 0, it means that TID 0 is not mapped to the link corresponding to the certain bit. Exemplarily, the length of the above-mentioned bitmap can be equal to the maximum number of links that can be associated between the first multi-link device and the second multi-link device; or, the length of the above-mentioned bitmap can be a fixed value, such as 16 bits; or, the length of the above-mentioned bitmap can be equal to the number of associated links established between the first multi-link device and the second multi-link device, etc. The embodiment of the present disclosure does not limit the setting method of the length of the above-mentioned bitmap. For the description of the link mapping fields of other ITDs, please refer to the link mapping field of TID0, which will not be described in detail here. The TID0 to TID7 shown in the embodiments of this disclosure are merely examples. As the standard evolves, more service types may be added, such as TID0 to TID15. Therefore, the embodiments of this disclosure do not limit the number of link mapping fields for the TID in the service identification and link mapping element. For example, the number of link mapping fields for the TID in the service identification and link mapping element can be the same as the type of TID. For example, if the TIDs are expanded from TID0 to TID7 to TID0 to TID15, the number of link mapping fields for the TID can be equal to 16.

[0137] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, assuming that the service identifier of the game service is TID6 or TID7, and a request is made to map the game service to at least two links, for example, a request is made to map TID6 or TID7 to Link1 and Link2, then Link Mapping Of TID6 and Link Mapping Of TID7 exist in the TID-To-Link Mapping element, Link Mapping Of TID6 corresponds to a 3-bit bitmap, representing Link1 to 3 respectively, and the value of the bitmap is [1 1 0]; Link Mapping Of TID7 corresponds to a 3-bit bitmap, and the value of the bitmap is [1 1 0].

[0138] The Mapping Switch Time field can be used to indicate the effective start time or effective time of the service identifier and link mapping, or to indicate the effective start time or effective time of the mapping relationship between the service identifier and the link, or to indicate the time when the mapping relationship between the service identifier and the link is established. The Mapping Switch Time Present field is used to indicate whether the Mapping Switch Time field exists in the TID-To-Link Mapping element. The Expected Duration field can be used to indicate the expected end time of the mapping relationship between the service identifier and the link, or to indicate the expected end time of the service identifier and the link mapping. The Expected Duration Present field is used to indicate whether the Expected Duration field exists in the TID-To-Link Mapping element.

[0139] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, after the AP MLD and Non-AP MLD multi-links are successfully established, the Non-AP MLD can detect the wireless channel conditions of the communication link that is transmitting game data and the congestion conditions of the ongoing service. If the wireless channel is already below the set threshold value (poor channel quality) or the ongoing service is close to congestion or is already in a congested state, multiple links mapped with the service identifier are selected according to the multi-link selection strategy, and the STA MLD (i.e., the Non-AP MLD) actively sends a TID-To-Link Mapping negotiation message (such as the above-mentioned TID-To-Link Mapping request frame) to the AP MLD, suggesting that the low-latency game data TID be mapped to the high-level TID6 or TID7, and simultaneously mapped to two or more links in communication. In this way, low-latency game data can be transmitted over multiple links, improving the reliability of game data and the user's gaming experience.

[0140] In the disclosed embodiments, the AP MLD can perform multi-link mapping during the multi-link establishment process. Therefore, the first request frame can also be an Association Request Frame or a ReAssociation Request Frame, and correspondingly, the first response frame can be an Association Response Frame or a ReAssociation Response Frame. The Non-AP MLD / AP MLD can send the desired modified TID-link mapping to the AP MLD / Non-AP by detecting relevant indicators during service.

[0141] As shown in FIG8 , the method provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure may include the following steps:

[0142] In S81, the Non-AP MLD detects the service congestion and wireless channel conditions of the communicating link (e.g., link 1) in real time. When the communicating link is in a weak network environment or service congestion, it triggers TID-To-Link mapping negotiation, maps the gaming service data to the higher-level TID6 or TID7, and selects two or more communication links according to the strategy to map TID6 or TID7 to the selected links, while generating a TID-To-Link mapping request frame.

[0143] In S82 , the Non-AP MLD sends a TID-To-Link mapping request frame to the AP MLD.

[0144] In S83, the AP MLD receives the TID-To-Link Mapping Request frame, obtains the TID-To-Link Mapping element recommended by the STA in the Non-AP MLD, accepts the recommended TID-To-Link Mapping element, accepts mapping TID6 or TID7 to two or more communication links, and generates a TID-To-Link Mapping Response frame.

[0145] In some embodiments, the AP MLD may also choose to reject or modify the TID-To-Link mapping element recommended by the STA in the Non-AP MLD.

[0146] In S84 , the AP MLD sends a TID-To-Link mapping response frame to the Non-AP MLD.

[0147] In S85 , the AP MLD updates the TID-To-Link mapping element.

[0148] In S86, the Non-AP MLD updates the TID-To-Link mapping element.

[0149] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, AP MLD and Non-AP MLD simultaneously support TID-To-Link Mapping negotiation. The dot11MultiLinkActivated (multi-link activation field) and dot11TIDToLinkMappingActivated (service to link mapping activation field) carried in the association request frame or reassociation request frame, and the association response frame or reassociation response frame transmitted between AP MLD and Non-AP MLD are set to the first value (e.g., true), and the TID-To-Link Mapping Negotiation Support (service to link mapping negotiation support) in the Capabilities and Operations (capabilities and operations) in the Basic Multi-Link element field is set to non-zero (e.g., set to 3, but the present disclosure is not limited to this). The above indication information indicates that both AP MLD and Non-AP MLD support the service to link mapping function. For example, it can be shown in the following Table 3:

[0150] Table 3

[0151] Maximum Number Of Simultaneous Links, the maximum number of concurrent links, is used to indicate the maximum number of links on which service data of the same TID can be transmitted in parallel. SRS (single response scheduling) is a control frame. SRS Support can be used to indicate whether to accept the association request frame or reassociation request frame carrying SRS Control. AAR (AP assistance request) is also a control frame. AAR Support can be used to indicate whether to accept the association request frame or reassociation request frame carrying AAR Control. STR (simultaneous transmit and receive) refers to the interval between links in which reception occurs simultaneously in multiple links. Frequency Separation For STR / AP MLD Type Indication refers to the frequency separation of STR / AP MLD type indications.

[0152] When both AP MLD and Non-AP MLD support negotiation of TID-to-link mapping, the two negotiate to modify the TID mapping of a service to two or more communication links. In other embodiments, AP MLD can also negotiate with Non-AP MLD to modify the TID-to-communication link mapping, as shown in Figure 9, which may include the following steps:

[0153] In S91, the AP MLD detects the congestion and network coverage of the communication link for the ongoing gaming service in real time. When the congestion exceeds the set threshold or is in a weak network environment, it triggers TID-To-Link mapping negotiation, maps the gaming service data to a higher-level TID6 or TID7, and maps TID6 or TID7 to two or more communication links selected according to the policy, and generates a TID-To-Link mapping request frame at the same time.

[0154] In S92 , the AP MLD sends a TID-To-Link mapping request frame to the Non-AP MLD.

[0155] In S93, the Non-AP MLD receives the TID-To-Link Mapping Request frame, obtains the AP-recommended TID-To-Link Mapping element in the AP MLD, and accepts the AP-recommended TID-To-Link Mapping element, or recommends the TID-To-Link Mapping element to the sender (AP MLD), and generates a TID-To-Link Mapping Response frame.

[0156] In S94 , the Non-AP MLD sends a TID-To-Link mapping response frame to the AP MLD.

[0157] In S95, the Non-AP MLD updates the TID-To-Link mapping element.

[0158] In S96, the AP MLD updates the TID-To-Link mapping element.

[0159] The disclosed embodiments relate to a Wi-Fi wireless network where a wireless terminal (Non-AP MLD) performs low-latency services such as gaming services. In scenarios with weak network coverage or service congestion, an AP or STA that supports multi-link and TID-to-link mapping can independently detect whether the network coverage of the link with which it is communicating is weak or the service is congested, thereby deciding whether to trigger sending a request frame to the other party to modify the mapping relationship between the TID of the service and the link, mapping the TID of the service to two or more links. After receiving the request frame, the receiver sends a corresponding mapping response frame of the TID of the service to two or more links to inform the other party whether to accept or reject the request frame. If accepted, both parties will update the rules for mapping the TID to two or more links. Through the optimization of the above improvements, especially during the transmission of low-latency services, it is possible to adaptively optimize the transmission of service data on two or more links according to the network coverage and service congestion conditions. In particular, in scenarios with weak wireless network coverage or when the ongoing service is congested, it is possible to improve the reliability of service data transmission and enhance user perception. When the service is a game, the reliability of the game can be improved in IEEE protocol multi-link transmission.

[0160] The method provided in the embodiment of Figure 10 may be performed by the second multi-link device. As shown in Figure 10 , the method provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure may include the following steps.

[0161] In S1010, a first request frame sent by a first multi-link device is received, where the first request frame requests mapping of a service identifier of service data to at least two links between the first multi-link device and a second multi-link device, wherein the service data is currently transmitted between the first multi-link device and the second multi-link device via a first link, and the first link is in a first state; the first state indicates that a channel quality of the first link is lower than a threshold and / or is congested.

[0162] In S1020 , a first response frame is generated in response to the first request frame.

[0163] In S1030, a first response frame is sent to the first multi-link device; wherein, when the second multi-link device receives the first request frame, the service data is transmitted through the at least two links at the same time.

[0164] For other contents of the embodiment of FIG10 , reference may be made to the other embodiments described above.

[0165] Figure 11 schematically illustrates a schematic structural diagram of a multi-link device 1100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The multi-link device can be a non-AP MLD or an AP MLD. The multi-link device 1100 shown in Figure 11 includes a processor 1110, which can call and execute a computer program from a memory to implement the method in the embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0166] In some embodiments, as shown in Figure 11, the multi-link device 1100 may further include a memory 1120. The processor 1110 may call and execute a computer program from the memory 1120 to implement the method in the embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0167] The memory 1120 may be a separate device independent of the processor 1110 , or may be integrated into the processor 1110 .

[0168] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG11 , the multi-link device 1100 may further include a transceiver 1130 . The processor 1110 may control the transceiver 1130 to communicate with other devices. Specifically, the transceiver 1130 may send information or data to other devices or receive information or data sent by other devices.

[0169] The transceiver 1130 may include a transmitter and a receiver. The transceiver 1130 may further include an antenna, and the number of antennas may be one or more.

[0170] In some embodiments, the processor 1110 , the memory 1120 , and the transceiver 1130 may implement bidirectional communication with each other via the communication bus 1140 .

[0171] It should be understood that the processor of the embodiment of the present disclosure may be an integrated circuit chip with signal processing capabilities. During implementation, each step of the above method embodiment may be completed by hardware integrated logic circuits in the processor or software instructions.

[0172] The above-mentioned processor can be a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, a discrete gate or transistor logic device, or a discrete hardware component. The various methods, steps, and logic block diagrams disclosed in the embodiments of the present disclosure can be implemented or executed. The general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor or the processor can also be any conventional processor. The steps of the method disclosed in conjunction with the embodiments of the present disclosure can be directly embodied as being executed by a hardware decoding processor, or can be executed by a combination of hardware and software modules in the decoding processor. The software module can be located in a mature storage medium in the art, such as a random access memory, a flash memory, a read-only memory, a programmable read-only memory, or an electrically erasable programmable memory, a register, etc. The storage medium is located in the memory, and the processor reads the information in the memory and completes the steps of the above-mentioned method in combination with its hardware.

[0173] It is understood that the memory in the embodiments of the present disclosure may be a volatile memory or a non-volatile memory, or may include both volatile and non-volatile memories. Among them, the non-volatile memory may be a read-only memory (ROM), a programmable read-only memory (PROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), or a flash memory. The volatile memory may be a random access memory (RAM), which is used as an external cache. By way of example and not limitation, many forms of RAM are available, such as static random access memory (SRAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), double data rate synchronous dynamic random access memory (DDR SDRAM), enhanced synchronous dynamic random access memory (ESDRAM), synchronous link dynamic random access memory (SLDRAM), and direct RAM bus random access memory (DR RAM). It should be noted that the memory of the systems and methods described herein is intended to include, but is not limited to, these and any other suitable types of memory. It should be understood that the above-mentioned memory is by way of example and not limitation.

[0174] The present disclosure also provides a computer-readable storage medium for storing a computer program. In some embodiments, the computer-readable storage medium can be applied to a non-AP MLD or AP MLD in the present disclosure. The computer program causes the non-AP MLD or AP MLD to execute the corresponding processes implemented by the non-AP MLD or AP MLD in the various methods of the present disclosure. For the sake of brevity, these processes are not further described here.

[0175] The present disclosure also provides a computer program product including computer program instructions. In some embodiments, the computer program product can be applied to a non-AP MLD or an AP MLD in the present disclosure. The computer program instructions cause the non-AP MLD or the AP MLD to execute the corresponding processes implemented by the non-AP MLD or the AP MLD in the various methods of the present disclosure. For the sake of brevity, these instructions are not further described here.

[0176] The present disclosure also provides a computer program. In some embodiments, the computer program can be applied to a non-AP MLD or AP MLD in the present disclosure. When the computer program is executed on the non-AP MLD or AP MLD, the non-AP MLD or AP MLD executes the corresponding processes implemented by the non-AP MLD or AP MLD in the various methods of the present disclosure. For the sake of brevity, these processes are not further described here.

[0177] The network architecture and business scenarios described in the embodiments of the present disclosure are intended to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present disclosure, and do not constitute a limitation on the technical solutions provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure. A person skilled in the art will appreciate that with the evolution of network architecture and the emergence of new business scenarios, the technical solutions provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure are equally applicable to similar technical problems.

Claims

1. A multi-link device communication method, performed by a first multi-link device, the method comprising: generating a first request frame when detecting that a first link transmitting service data between the first multi-link device and the second multi-link device is in a first state, wherein the first request frame is used to request the second multi-link device to map a first service identifier of the service data to at least two links between the first multi-link device and the second multi-link device; wherein the first state indicates that a channel quality of the first link is lower than a threshold and / or is congested; Sending the first request frame to the second multi-link device; receiving a first response frame returned by the second multi-link device in response to the first request frame; If the first response frame instructs the second multi-link device to accept the first request frame, the service data is transmitted through the at least two links at the same time.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein The first request frame includes a first mapping relationship between the first service identifier and the at least two links.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising: If the first link is in the first state, detecting a state of at least one second link between the first multi-link device and the second multi-link device; The at least one second link is a link other than the first link among the links established between the first multi-link device and the second multi-link device; At least one target second link in the second state or the third state is selected from the at least one second link, and the first link and the at least one target second link are determined as the at least two links.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein: The channel quality of the at least one target second link in the second state is lower than a threshold and / or is congested; The channel quality of the at least one target second link in the third state is higher than a threshold and there is no congestion.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising: If it is detected that the transmission of the service data by the at least two links does not meet the transmission requirement, generating a second request frame to request mapping the first service identifier to at least three links between the first multi-link device and the second multi-link device; receiving a second response frame returned by the second multi-link device in response to the second request frame; If the second response frame indicates that the second multi-link device accepts the second request frame, the service data is transmitted through the at least three links at the same time.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising: If the first response frame indicates that the second multi-link device accepts the first request frame, updating the mapping relationship between the first service identifier and the first link in the first multi-link device to the first mapping relationship according to the first response frame; If the first response frame indicates that the second multi-link device rejects the first request frame, the service data continues to be transmitted through the first link.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising: When the first response frame includes the second mapping relationship determined by the second multi-link device, if the first multi-link device accepts the second mapping relationship, updating the mapping relationship between the first service identifier and the first link in the first multi-link device to the second mapping relationship; The second mapping relationship is a mapping relationship between the first service identifier and the at least two links determined by the second multi-link device according to the first request frame; or the second mapping relationship is obtained by the second multi-link device modifying the first mapping relationship between the first service identifier and the at least two links included in the first request frame.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first request frame includes information indicating that the first service identifier is changed to a second service identifier, wherein: The priority of the second service identifier is higher than the priority of the first service identifier.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising: According to the binding relationship between the link and the priority, the link bound to the second service identifier is used as the at least two links.

10. The method according to claims 1 to 7, wherein the first request frame is a service-to-link mapping request frame; The service-to-link mapping request frame includes a service-to-link mapping element; The service-to-link mapping element includes a service-to-link mapping control field; The service-to-link mapping control field includes a link mapping presence indication subfield, and a first value of the link mapping presence indication subfield is used to indicate that a service identifier-to-link mapping field exists in the service-to-link mapping element; The service identifier to link mapping field is used to indicate that the first service identifier is mapped to at least two links between the first multi-link device and the second multi-link device.

11. A multi-link device communication method, performed by a second multi-link device, the method comprising: receiving a first request frame sent by a first multi-link device, wherein the first request frame requests mapping a first service identifier of service data to at least two links between the first multi-link device and the second multi-link device, wherein the service data is currently transmitted between the first multi-link device and the second multi-link device via a first link, and the first link is in a first state; The first state indicates that the channel quality of the first link is lower than a threshold and / or there is congestion; generating a first response frame in response to the first request frame; The first response frame is sent to the first multi-link device; wherein, when the second multi-link device receives the first request frame, the service data is transmitted through the at least two links at the same time.

12. A multi-link device comprising: processor; A memory configured to store a computer program or instruction, which, when executed by the processor, causes the multi-link device to implement the method according to any one of claims 1 to 10; or implement the method according to claim 11.

13. A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program, characterized in that: When the computer program is run on a computer, the computer is enabled to execute the method according to any one of claims 1 to 10; or to implement the method according to claim 11.

14. A computer program product comprising a computer program, characterized in that When the computer program is executed by a processor, the computer program implements the method according to any one of claims 1 to 10; or the computer program implements the method according to claim 11.

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