Power consumption management method, apparatus, device, medium, and program product

Abstract

The present application relates to the field of WiFi, and discloses a power consumption management method, an apparatus, a device, a medium, and a program product. The method is executed by a first multi-link device; the first multi-link device has established and / or enabled one or more links with a second multi-link device; and the plurality of links comprise a first link and a second link. The method comprises: sending a first frame on a first link, wherein the first frame is used for indicating a first power consumption management mode in which attached station(s) corresponding to a second link and / or a first link are / is to operate, and the second link is a link among the plurality of links that is different from the first link. In the method, cross-link indication of a first power consumption management mode in which one or more attached stations are to operate can be performed, or multi-link indication of a first power consumption management mode in which a plurality of attached stations are to operate can be performed, thereby reducing the number of frame exchanges, and thus improving the indication efficiency.

Description

Power consumption management method, device, apparatus, medium and program product TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the field of Wireless-Fidelity (Wi-Fi), and particularly relates to a power consumption management method, device, apparatus, medium and program product. BACKGROUND

[0002] The power consumption management mode of a Multi-Link Device (MLD) includes an active mode and a power saving mode. When the MLD expects to enter the power saving mode on multiple links, frame exchange must be initiated on each link to indicate that the affiliated stations corresponding to the MLD switch to the power saving mode.

[0003] However, this method indicates the power consumption management mode to which each link-associated affiliated station will switch, and each affiliated station needs to be indicated to switch the power consumption management mode through frame exchange respectively, which is low in indication efficiency.

[0004] SUMMARY

[0005] The present application provides a power consumption management method, device, apparatus, medium and program product, which at least includes:

[0006] According to an aspect of an embodiment of the present application, a power consumption management method is provided, which is performed by a first MLD, the first MLD having established and / or enabled one or more links with a second MLD, the multiple links including a first link and a second link, and the method including:

[0007] sending a first frame on the first link, the first frame being used to indicate a first power consumption management mode in which an affiliated station corresponding to the second link and / or the first link will be in; wherein the second link is a link different from the first link in the multiple links.

[0008] According to another aspect of an embodiment of the present application, a power consumption management method is provided, which is performed by a second MLD, the second MLD having established and / or enabled one or more links with a first MLD, the multiple links including a first link and a second link, and the method including:

[0009] receiving a first frame sent by the first MLD on the first link, the first frame being used to indicate a first power consumption management mode in which an affiliated station corresponding to the second link and / or the first link will be in; wherein the second link is a link different from the first link in the multiple links.

[0010] According to another aspect of embodiments of the present application, a first multi-link device is provided, the first multi-link device having established and / or enabled one or more links with a second multi-link device, the one or more links including a first link and a second link, the device comprising:

[0011] a sending module configured to send, on the first link, a first frame indicating a first power consumption management mode in which a station corresponding to the second link and / or the first link is to be in; wherein the second link is a link of the one or more links different from the first link.

[0012] According to another aspect of embodiments of the present application, a second multi-link device is provided, the second multi-link device having established and / or enabled one or more links with a first multi-link device, the one or more links including a first link and a second link, the device comprising:

[0013] a receiving module configured to receive, from the first multi-link device, a first frame sent on the first link, the first frame indicating a first power consumption management mode in which a station corresponding to the second link and / or the first link is to be in; wherein the second link is a link of the one or more links different from the first link.

[0014] According to another aspect of embodiments of the present application, a first MLD is provided, the first MLD comprising:

[0015] a processor; a transceiver connected to the processor; a memory for storing executable instructions of the processor; wherein the processor is configured to load and execute the executable instructions to implement the power consumption management method according to any of the above aspects.

[0016] According to another aspect of embodiments of the present application, the first MLD includes at least two stations, the at least two stations including a first station and a second station, the first MLD having established and / or enabled one or more links with a second MLD, the one or more links including a first link and a second link, the first station configured to send, on the first link, a first frame indicating a first power consumption management mode in which a station corresponding to the second link and / or the first link is to be in; wherein the second link is a link of the one or more links different from the first link.

[0017] According to another aspect of embodiments of the present application, a second MLD is provided, the second MLD comprising:

[0018] a processor; a transceiver connected to the processor; a memory for storing executable instructions of the processor; wherein the processor is configured to load and execute the executable instructions to implement the power consumption management method according to any of the above aspects.

[0019] According to a further aspect of the embodiments of the present application, the second MLD comprises at least two affiliated stations, the at least two affiliated stations comprising a third affiliated station and a fourth affiliated station, the second MLD having established and / or enabled one or more links with the first MLD, the plurality of links comprising a first link and a second link, the third affiliated station being configured to receive a first frame sent by the first MLD on the first link, the first frame being configured to indicate a first power consumption management mode in which the first MLD and / or the affiliated station corresponding to the first link will be in, wherein the second link is a link different from the first link in the plurality of links.

[0020] According to a further aspect of the embodiments of the present application, a computer readable storage medium is provided, the computer readable storage medium storing at least one program, the at least one program being loaded and executed by a processor to implement the power consumption management method according to any one of the above aspects.

[0021] According to a further aspect of the embodiments of the present application, a chip is provided, the chip comprising a programmable logic circuit and / or program instructions, when the chip is running on the first MLD or the second MLD, the chip being configured to implement the power consumption management method according to any one of the above aspects.

[0022] According to a further aspect of the embodiments of the present application, a computer program product or a computer program is provided, the computer program product or the computer program comprising computer instructions, the computer instructions being stored in a computer readable storage medium, a processor acquiring the computer instructions from the computer readable storage medium, and the processor executing the computer instructions to implement the power consumption management method according to any one of the above aspects.

[0023] The technical solutions provided by the embodiments of the present application can include the following beneficial effects:

[0024] The present solution sends a first frame on the first link, the first frame being configured to indicate a first power consumption management mode in which the affiliated station corresponding to the second link and / or the first link will be in, thereby achieving cross-link indication or multi-link indication of the power consumption management mode in which the affiliated station will be in, compared with the related art, the present solution can cross-link indicate the first power consumption management mode in which one or more affiliated stations will be in, or multi-link indicate the first power consumption management mode in which a plurality of affiliated stations will be in, thereby reducing the number of frame exchanges and improving the indication efficiency. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0025] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the drawings needed in the embodiment description will be briefly introduced as follows. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present application, and other drawings can be obtained by those skilled in the art without any creative effort.

[0026] FIG. 1 shows a diagram of power saving operation in multi-link operation provided by the related art;

[0027] FIG. 2 shows a diagram of a communication system provided by one example embodiment of the present application;

[0028] FIG. 3 shows a flowchart of a power consumption management method provided by one example embodiment of the present application;

[0029] FIG. 4 shows a diagram of a power consumption management method provided by one example embodiment of the present application;

[0030] FIG. 5 shows a diagram of a power consumption management method provided by one example embodiment of the present application;

[0031] FIG. 6 shows a flowchart of a power consumption management method provided by one example embodiment of the present application;

[0032] FIG. 7 shows a diagram of a format of a multi-link power consumption management mode indication element provided by one example embodiment of the present application;

[0033] FIG. 8 shows a diagram of a format of a multi-link power consumption management mode indication control field provided by one example embodiment of the present application;

[0034] FIG. 9 shows a diagram of a format of a per-station power consumption management mode indication information sub-element provided by one example embodiment of the present application;

[0035] FIG. 10 shows a diagram of a format of a station power consumption management mode indication control field provided by one example embodiment of the present application;

[0036] FIG. 11 shows a diagram of a format of a link identification information field provided by one example embodiment of the present application;

[0037] FIG. 12 shows a diagram of a format of a capability adaptation power saving control field provided by one example embodiment of the present application;

[0038] FIG. 13 shows a diagram of a format of a station power consumption management mode indication information field provided by one example embodiment of the present application;

[0039] FIG. 14 shows a diagram of a format of a capability adaptation power saving delay parameter field provided by one example embodiment of the present application;

[0040] FIG. 15 shows a diagram of a format of a low capability operation mode parameter field provided by one example embodiment of the present application;

[0041] FIG. 16 shows a diagram of a format of a high capability operation mode parameter field provided by one example embodiment of the present application;

[0042] FIG. 17 shows a diagram of a format of a multi-link power management mode control subfield according to an example embodiment of the present application;

[0043] FIG. 18 shows a diagram of a format of a multi-link dynamic power save mode enable control subfield according to an example embodiment of the present application;

[0044] FIG. 19 shows a diagram of a format of a cross-link power management mode control subfield according to an example embodiment of the present application;

[0045] FIG. 20 shows a diagram of a format of a capability adaptation power save operation mode parameters control subfield according to an example embodiment of the present application;

[0046] FIG. 21 shows a diagram of a power management method according to an example embodiment of the present application;

[0047] FIG. 22 shows a diagram of a power management method according to an example embodiment of the present application;

[0048] FIG. 23 shows a diagram of a power management method according to an example embodiment of the present application;

[0049] FIG. 24 shows a diagram of a power management method according to an example embodiment of the present application;

[0050] FIG. 25 shows a diagram of a power management method according to an example embodiment of the present application;

[0051] FIG. 26 shows a diagram of a power management method according to an example embodiment of the present application;

[0052] FIG. 27 shows a diagram of a power management method according to an example embodiment of the present application;

[0053] FIG. 28 shows a diagram of a format of a common information field of a basic multi-link element according to an example embodiment of the present application;

[0054] FIG. 29 shows a diagram of a format of a multi-link power management mode indication capability field according to an example embodiment of the present application;

[0055] FIG. 30 shows a block diagram of a first multi-link device according to an example embodiment of the present application;

[0056] FIG. 31 shows a block diagram of a second multi-link device according to an example embodiment of the present application;

[0057] FIG. 32 shows a diagram of a structure of the first multi-link device or the second multi-link device according to an example embodiment of the present application;

[0058] FIG. 33 shows a structure diagram of a first multi-link device and a second multi-link device according to an example embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0059] For the purpose of clarity, technical solution and advantages of the present application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Herein, the example embodiments will be described in detail, and the examples are shown in the accompanying drawings. When the following description refers to the accompanying drawings, the same numbers on different drawings represent the same or similar elements unless otherwise represented. The embodiments described in the following example embodiments do not represent all the embodiments consistent with the present application. Rather, they are merely examples of apparatuses and methods consistent with some aspects of the present application as detailed in the appended claims.

[0060] The terminology used in the present disclosure is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure. As used in the present disclosure and the appended claims, the singular forms "a," "an" and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms "comprises" and / or "comprising," when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof.

[0061] It will be understood that, although the terms first, second, third, etc. can be used herein to describe various information, the information should not be limited to these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish one piece of information from another piece of information. For example, a first information can also be termed a second information, and similarly, a second information can also be termed a first information without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Depending on the context, the word "if' as used herein can be interpreted as meaning "when" or "in response to determining" or "in response to ascertaining."

[0062] The technical solutions described in some embodiments of the present application can be applied to various communication systems, for example: a Long Term Evolution (LTE) system, an Advanced Long Term Evolution (LTE-A) system, a New Radio (NR) system, an evolved system of the NR system, an LTE-based access to unlicensed spectrum (LTE-U) system, an NR-based access to unlicensed spectrum (NR-U) system, a Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) system, a Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS), a Wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN), a Wireless Fidelity (WiFi), a 5th-Generation (5G) system, a cellular Internet of Things system, a cellular passive Internet of Things system, and can also be applied to an evolved system of the 5G NR system, and can also be applied to a 6G and an evolved system thereafter.

[0063] It should be understood that in some embodiments of the present application, "5G" can also be referred to as "5G NR" or "NR".

[0064] It should be understood that in the description of the embodiments of the present application, the term "corresponding" can represent a direct or indirect corresponding relationship between the two, can also represent an associated relationship between the two, and can also indicate a relationship such as indicated, configured, and the like.

[0065] In the embodiments of the present application, "predefined" can be implemented by pre-saving corresponding codes, tables or other means for indicating related information in devices (for example, including terminal devices and network devices), and the present application does not limit the specific implementation manner thereof. For example, predefined can refer to defined in a protocol.

[0066] In the embodiments of the present application, "protocol" can refer to a standard protocol in the communication field, for example, can include an LTE protocol, an NR protocol and a related protocol applied to a future communication system, and the present application does not limit the same.

[0067] Next, the power management (PM) in the related art is introduced:

[0068] A station (STA) defined in the current related protocol can adopt the following two power consumption management modes:

[0069] 1. Active mode: When the STA is in an awake state, the STA can receive and transmit frames at any time. A non-high-efficiency (HE) STA remains in an awake state in the active mode, and a HE STA also remains in an awake state in the active mode unless the STA is unavailable, and an unavailable STA cannot receive a physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU). In specific scenarios described in opportunistic power save, intra-PPDU power save of a HE STA, and target wake time (TWT) information frame exchange of a flexible wake-up time, the STA is allowed to be unavailable.

[0070] 2. Power save (PS) mode: A STA in the PS mode has two power states:

[0071] (1) Awake state: The STA is fully powered and in a fully powered state;

[0072] (2) Doze state: The STA cannot transmit or receive a PPDU, and the power consumption is very low. When the STA enters an awake state, a frame is received or transmitted; at other times in the power save mode, the STA remains in a doze state.

[0073] Next, multi-link power management is introduced:

[0074] In the related protocol, each STA attached to a non-access point multi-link device (non-AP MLD) operating on an enabled link should maintain its own power management mode and power state. When a STA attached to the non-AP MLD operating on the link is in an awake state, frame exchange can be initiated on the enabled link, and an example of power saving operation in multi-link operation (MLO) is shown in FIG. 1.

[0075] FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of power saving operation in multi-link operation provided by the related art. It is assumed that all traffic identifiers (TIDs) are mapped to all links or a subset of all links. Initially, both STAs (STA 1 and STA 2) affiliated to the non-AP MLD are in the active mode and exchange frames with the AP on the corresponding link of the AP MLD, i.e., STA 1 exchanges frames with AP 1 and STA 2 exchanges frames with AP 2. Here, both STAs affiliated to the non-AP MLD indicate that they are in the active mode by setting the power management subfield (i.e., PM bit in the figure) in the frame control field of the frames they send to 0. Then, at a certain point in time, STA 2 running on link 2 indicates to AP 2 that it enters the power saving mode (i.e., sets the PM bit to 1) and switches to the sleep state after the frame exchange is successful. Next, STA 2 remains in the sleep state for the rest of the time as shown in FIG. 1. In addition, STA 1 running on link 1 indicates to AP 1 that it enters the power saving mode (i.e., sets the PM bit to 1) and enters the power saving mode after the frame exchange is successful. When STA 1 is in the power saving mode, it can wake up to receive the beacon frames sent by AP 1 and determine that there are buffered units for the non-AP MLD on the AP MLD. Based on this determination, STA 1 indicates to AP 1 that it has entered the wake-up state by sending a power save poll (PS-Poll) frame or an unscheduled automatic power save delivery (U-APSD) trigger frame on link 1, and then STA 1 exchanges frames with AP 1 in the wake-up state.

[0076] FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of a communication system 10 provided by an example embodiment of the present application. The communication system 10 includes terminals and terminals, or terminals and network devices, or APs and STAs, which are not limited by the embodiments of the present application. In the embodiments of the present application, the communication system 10 includes an AP MLD 110 (AP) and a non-AP MLD 120 (STA) as an example.

[0077] In some scenarios, the AP can be referred to as an AP STA, i.e., in a certain sense, the AP is also a kind of STA. In some scenarios, the STA can be referred to as a non-AP STA (non-AP STA).

[0078] In some embodiments, the STA includes an AP STA and a non-AP STA.

[0079] The communication in the communication system can be between an AP and a non-AP STA, between non-AP STAs, or between a STA and a peer STA, where the peer STA refers to a device that communicates with the STA, and the peer STA can be an AP or a non-AP STA.

[0080] The AP serves as a bridge between a wired network and a wireless network, and mainly functions to connect various wireless network clients together and then access the wireless network to the Ethernet. The AP device can be a terminal device (such as a mobile phone) or a network device (such as a router) with a Wi-Fi chip.

[0081] It should be understood that the role of the STA in the communication system is not absolute. For example, in some scenarios, when a mobile phone is connected to a router, the mobile phone is a non-AP STA, and when the mobile phone serves as a hotspot for other mobile phones, the mobile phone plays the role of an AP.

[0082] The AP and the non-AP STA can be devices applied in the Internet of Vehicles, Internet of Things (IoT) nodes, sensors, smart cameras, smart remote controllers, smart water and electricity meters, and sensors in smart cities.

[0083] In some embodiments, the non-AP STA can support, but is not limited to, the 802.11be standard. The non-AP STA can also support the 802.11ax, 802.11ac, 802.11n, 802.11g, 802.11b, 802.11a, and other current and future 802.11 family wireless local area network (WLAN) standards.

[0084] In some embodiments, the AP can be a device supporting the 802.11be standard. The AP can also be a device supporting the 802.11ax, 802.11ac, 802.11n, 802.11g, 802.11b, 802.11a, and other current and future 802.11 family WLAN standards.

[0085] In some embodiments, a STA can be a mobile phone, a tablet, a computer, a Virtual Reality (VR) device, an Augmented Reality (AR) device, a wireless device in industrial control, a set-top box, a wireless device in self-driving, a vehicle-mounted communication device, a wireless device in telemedicine, a wireless device in smart grid, a wireless device in transportation safety, a wireless device in smart city, or a wireless device in smart home, a wireless communication chip, etc. supporting WLAN / Wi-Fi technology.

[0086] WLAN technology can support frequency bands including, but not limited to, low frequency bands (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, 6 GHz), high frequency bands (60 GHz).

[0087] There is one or more links between a station and an access point. In some embodiments, the station and the access point support multi-band communication, for example, simultaneously communicating on 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, 6 GHz and 60 GHz frequency bands, or simultaneously communicating on different channels of the same frequency band (or different frequency bands), to improve the communication throughput and / or reliability between devices. Such devices are often referred to as multi-band devices, or multi-link devices, sometimes also referred to as multi-link entities or multi-band entities. A multi-link device can be an access point device or a station device. If the multi-link device is an access point device, the multi-link device contains one or more APs; if the multi-link device is a station device, the multi-link device contains one or more non-AP STAs.

[0088] A multi-link device containing one or more APs, or an AP, or a multi-link device containing one or more non-AP STAs, or a non-AP, in some embodiments, a non-AP can be referred to as a STA.

[0089] In some embodiments, an AP can include multiple affiliated APs, and a non-AP can include multiple affiliated STAs. Multiple affiliated APs in an AP and multiple affiliated STAs in a non-AP can form multiple links, and affiliated APs in an AP and corresponding affiliated STAs in a non-AP can communicate data through corresponding links. As shown in FIG. 2, non-AP MLD 120 and AP MLD 110 communicate data through multiple links.

[0090] An AP is a device that provides wireless communication functions for STAs in a wireless local area network, and the STAs can include a user equipment (UE), an access terminal, a user unit, a user station, a mobile station, a mobile station, a remote station, a remote terminal, a mobile device, a wireless communication device, a user agent, or a user apparatus. Alternatively, the STA can also be a 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 with wireless communication functions, a computing device, or other processing devices connected to a wireless modem, a vehicle-mounted device, a wearable device, and the like, which are not limited in the embodiments of the present application.

[0091] The power consumption management mode of a multi-link device (MLD) includes an active mode and a power saving mode. When the MLD expects to enter the power saving mode on multiple links, frame exchanges must be initiated on each link to indicate that the affiliated stations of the MLD switch to the power saving mode. However, this method indicates the power consumption management mode to which each link-associated affiliated station will switch, and each affiliated station needs to be indicated to switch the power consumption management mode through frame exchanges, which is low in indication efficiency. To solve the above problem, the embodiments of the present application provide a power consumption management method. FIG. 3 shows a flowchart of a power consumption management method provided by an example embodiment of the present application, which is performed by a first MLD that has established and / or enabled one or more links with a second MLD, the multiple links including a first link and a second link, and the method includes:

[0092] Step 310: sending a first frame on the first link.

[0093] The first frame is used to indicate a first power consumption management mode in which the affiliated stations corresponding to the second link and / or the first link will be in, and the second link is a link different from the first link in the multiple links, and the peer device associated with the second MLD is the first MLD. In the embodiments of the present application, the affiliated station can be referred to as a station.

[0094] In some embodiments, the first power consumption management mode to which the second link and / or the first link corresponding affiliated station is to be in can be understood or replaced as any one of the following: indicating that the multi-link power consumption management mode operation of the second link and / or the first link corresponding affiliated station is being changed; indicating that the second link and / or the first link corresponding affiliated station is to be switched from the current power consumption management mode to the first power consumption management mode; indicating whether the dynamic (adaptive capability) power saving operation of the second link and / or the first link corresponding affiliated station is enabled. The embodiments of the present application do not limit this, and are generally illustrated by taking "the first power consumption management mode to which the second link and / or the first link corresponding affiliated station is to be in" as an example.

[0095] The first power consumption management mode to be in is for a link, which is any one of one or more links. The first power consumption management mode corresponding to each link can be the same or different. The first power consumption management mode to which the second link corresponding affiliated station is to be in is mainly illustrated in the present application, which is also applicable to the first power consumption management mode to which the first link corresponding affiliated station is to be in. The embodiments of the present application do not limit this.

[0096] In some embodiments, the opposite end device of the first MLD association is the second MLD, the first MLD is a non-AP multi-link device (non-AP MLD), and the second MLD is an AP multi-link device (AP MLD); or, the first MLD is an AP MLD, and the second MLD is a non-AP MLD.

[0097] Wherein, the non-AP MLD includes one or more affiliated stations (STAs, or non-AP STAs), and the AP MLD includes one or more affiliated access points (APs). The specific types of the first MLD and the second MLD are not limited in the embodiments of the present application, and are generally illustrated by taking the first MLD as a non-AP MLD and the second MLD as an AP MLD.

[0098] In some embodiments, the second link is a link different from the first link, or the second link is a plurality of links different from the first link.

[0099] In some embodiments, the first power consumption management mode includes at least one of the following: an active mode and a power saving mode; wherein being in the active mode means being in the wake-up state at all times, and being in the power saving mode means being in the wake-up state or the sleep state, or the unavailable state.

[0100] The power consumption management mode includes at least one of the following: an active mode and a power saving mode; wherein being in the active mode means being in the wake-up state at all times, and being in the power saving mode means being in the wake-up state or the sleep state, or the unavailable state.

[0101] The first power consumption management mode is one of the one or more power consumption management modes for each corresponding affiliated station on the link.

[0102] When the affiliated station is in the wake-up state, the affiliated station can perform operations such as transmitting and receiving data, listening to a channel, and the like; when the affiliated station is in the sleep state, the affiliated station cannot transmit and receive data, but can listen to a channel; and when the affiliated station is in the unavailable state, the affiliated station cannot perform operations such as transmitting and receiving data, listening to a channel, and the like.

[0103] In some embodiments, the power saving modes include a full-power power saving mode or a capability-adaptive power saving mode, and the capability-adaptive power saving mode includes a static capability-adaptive power saving mode or a dynamic capability-adaptive power saving mode.

[0104] By way of example and not limitation, the wake-up state in the power saving mode includes at least one of: a wake-up state in the dynamic capability-adaptive power saving mode; a wake-up state in the static capability-adaptive power saving mode; and a wake-up state in the full-power power saving mode.

[0105] In the wake-up state in the full-power power saving mode, the affiliated station is maintained in a full-capability operation mode or a high-capability operation mode, that is, a higher bandwidth, more receive chains, more spatial streams, a higher data rate, a high-order Modulation and Coding Scheme (MCS), a high-processing-overhead PPDU format, and the like are used within the capability range supported by the affiliated station, and operations such as transmitting and receiving data, listening to a channel, and the like are performed. The full-power power saving mode can also be referred to as a non-capability-adaptive power saving mode or a full-power mode.

[0106] In the wake-up state in the static capability-adaptive power saving mode, the affiliated station is maintained in a low-capability operation mode, that is, a low bandwidth, fewer receive chains, fewer spatial streams, a low data rate, a low-order MCS, a low-processing-overhead PPDU format, and the like are used, and operations such as transmitting and receiving data, listening to a channel, and the like are performed. The static capability-adaptive power saving mode can also be referred to as a non-dynamic capability-adaptive power saving mode.

[0107] In the wake-up state in the dynamic capability-adaptive power saving mode, the affiliated station is generally in a low-capability operation mode, and when a specific frame (such as an initial frame including an initial control frame, or other defined frames for mode switching) sent to it is received, the affiliated station switches to a high-capability (or full-capability) operation mode according to an indication of the specific frame, and returns to the low-capability operation mode after the current frame exchange ends.

[0108] In some embodiments, the dynamic capability adaptation energy saving mode and the dynamic energy saving mode have the same meaning, the non-dynamic capability adaptation energy saving mode and the non-dynamic energy saving mode have the same meaning, and the static capability adaptation energy saving mode and the static energy saving mode have the same meaning.

[0109] By refining the specific type of the first power consumption management mode, and compared with the power consumption management mode only having the active mode and the energy saving mode in the related art, the power consumption management mode of the multi-link device is more accurately indicated, the power consumption management mode of the affiliated station on all links or part of the links is simultaneously changed, the power consumption management mode of the affiliated station on one or more links is accurately changed, and the first power consumption management mode of the affiliated station on different links can be different after being changed, for example, the affiliated station STA1 on the link 1 is changed to the static capability adaptation energy saving mode, and the affiliated station STA2 on the link 2 is changed to the dynamic capability adaptation energy saving mode, so that different power consumption management modes are used according to actual requirements in different application scenarios.

[0110] There are two design schemes of the present application for the first frame, design scheme one: the first frame is a multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame; design scheme two: the first frame is a frame carrying multi-link power consumption management mode indication information.

[0111] Design scheme one is to newly design a special frame, and the special frame is used to indicate the first power consumption management mode in which the affiliated station corresponding to the second link and / or the first link will be in;

[0112] Design scheme two is to define one or more control fields in the existing frame format, and the first power consumption management mode in which the affiliated station corresponding to the second link and / or the first link will be in is indicated through the control field.

[0113] The first frame is a multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame:

[0114] When a first MLD (for example, a non-AP MLD) supporting multi-link power consumption management mode indication indicates the power consumption management mode in which the affiliated station corresponding to the link (or the enabled link) established by the MLD will be in, and the operation parameters to be adopted by the corresponding power consumption management mode, the MLD can send a multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame to a second MLD (such as an AP MLD associated with the non-AP MLD), as shown in FIG. 4.

[0115] FIG. 4 shows a diagram of a multi-link power management mode indication according to an example embodiment. Take a first MLD as a non-AP MLD and a second MLD as an AP MLD for example. The non-AP MLD and the AP MLD have successfully established two links (link 1 and link 2). Both link 1 and link 2 of the non-AP MLD are enabled links. The corresponding affiliated stations STA1 and STA2 on the two links are in the full power state in the active mode.

[0116] When the non-AP MLD is ready to change the power management state of STA1, i.e., STA1 is to switch from the active mode to another power management mode, such as the dynamic capability adaptation power saving mode, the non-AP MLD can send a multi-link power management mode indication notification frame to the AP MLD on link 2.

[0117] For example, the affiliated station STA2 of the non-AP MLD sends a first multi-link power management mode indication notification frame to the affiliated access point AP2 of the AP MLD on link 2. After receiving the first multi-link power management mode indication notification frame, the AP2 sends a first acknowledgement frame. Optionally, the interval between the first acknowledgement frame and the first multi-link power management mode indication notification frame is a short interframe space (SIFS).

[0118] By way of example and not limitation, the multi-link power management mode indication notification frame carries a link identification subfield and a power management subfield. The link identification subfield is used to indicate the link identification of link 1. For example, the value of the link identification subfield is 1 to indicate that the link identification of link 1 is 1. The power management subfield is set to 1 to indicate that STA1 is to be in the power saving mode.

[0119] By way of example and not limitation, the multi-link power management mode indication notification frame carries a capability adaptation power saving enable field and a capability adaptation power saving mode field. The capability adaptation power saving enable field is set to 1 to indicate that STA1 enables the capability adaptation power saving mode. The capability adaptation power saving mode field is set to 1 to indicate that STA1 is to enter the dynamic capability adaptation power saving mode.

[0120] In some embodiments, after the second MLD (e.g., the AP MLD) receives the first multi-link power management mode indication notification frame, as a response to the received first multi-link power management mode indication notification frame, the second MLD can send a second multi-link power management mode indication notification frame to the first MLD (e.g., the non-AP MLD) through link 1 or link 2 within a multi-link power management mode indication conversion timeout time (or conversion timeout time) and at least one of the following rules is applied:

[0121] 1) In some embodiments, a management frame (e.g. Beacon frame, Association Response frame) sent by an affiliated AP of the second MLD carries the Multi-Link Power Management Mode Indication Transition Timeout Time subfield, which is used to indicate the Multi-Link Power Management Mode Indication Transition Timeout Time.

[0122] For example, in FIG. 4, the Beacon frame sent by the AP1 carries the Multi-Link Power Management Mode Indication Transition Timeout Time subfield.

[0123] In addition to the authentication frame sent by the affiliated AP, the Basic Multi-Link element in all management frames carrying the Basic Multi-Link element can include the Multi-Link Power Management Mode Indication Transition Timeout Time subfield in the Multi-Link Power Management Mode Indication Capability subfield.

[0124] 2) In some embodiments, the Multi-Link Power Management Mode Indication Transition Timeout Time starts from the end of the PPDU[+SigExt] which is the first PPDU sent by the second MLD carrying the Acknowledgement (ACK) sent to the first Multi-Link Power Management Mode Indication announcement frame; wherein the PPDU[+SigExt] represents the first PPDU plus a signal extension (if the signal extension exists) after the first PPDU, or the first PPDU (if the signal extension does not exist).

[0125] As shown in FIG. 4, the above-mentioned first PPDU is the first acknowledgement frame corresponding to the first Multi-Link Power Management Mode Indication announcement frame, and in the case where the signal extension does not exist, the Multi-Link Power Management Mode Indication Transition Timeout Time (referred to as Transition Timeout Time) starts from the end of the first PPDU, and the length of the Transition Timeout Time is indicated by the above-mentioned Multi-Link Power Management Mode Indication Transition Timeout Time subfield.

[0126] 3) In some embodiments, the subfield in the second Multi-Link Power Management Mode Indication announcement frame has the same value as the subfield in the first Multi-Link Power Management Mode Indication announcement frame.

[0127] For example, the Multi-Link Power Management Mode Indication Control subfield in the second Multi-Link Power Management Mode Indication announcement frame has the same value as the Multi-Link Power Management Mode Indication Control subfield in the first Multi-Link Power Management Mode Indication announcement frame; the Link Power Management Mode Indication Information subfield in the second Multi-Link Power Management Mode Indication announcement frame has the same value as the Link Power Management Mode Indication Information subfield in the first Multi-Link Power Management Mode Indication announcement frame.

[0128] It is an optional design that the values of the subfields in the second multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame are the same as those in the first multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame. In other designs, some subfields can be the same and some subfields can be different; all subfields can be the same; or the subfields in the second multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame do not include the subfields in the first multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame, which is not limited in the embodiments of the application.

[0129] In the case that the first frame is a multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame, by newly designing a multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame as a dedicated frame to indicate the multi-link power consumption management mode in which the affiliated station will be, the reliability of information transmission can be improved, and the possibility of conflict with other information transmission can be reduced.

[0130] The first frame is a frame carrying multi-link power consumption management mode indication information:

[0131] In some embodiments, the first frame is a physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU) carrying one or more individually addressed Quality of Service (QoS) data frames, QoS null frames, and third type management frames.

[0132] In some embodiments, the multi-link power consumption management mode indication operation is used to indicate the multi-link power consumption management mode in which the affiliated station corresponding to the established link (or enabled link) of the first MLD will be, or is changing the multi-link power consumption management mode operation of the corresponding affiliated station and / or whether to enable the dynamic energy saving operation.

[0133] In some embodiments, the MLD or MLD affiliated station that sends the first frame is defined as the initiator of the multi-link power consumption management mode indication operation, and the MLD or MLD affiliated station that receives the first frame is defined as the responder of the multi-link power consumption management mode indication operation.

[0134] The first frame includes a multi-link power consumption management mode control subfield, and / or a multi-link dynamic energy saving mode enablement control subfield, and / or a cross-link power consumption management mode control subfield.

[0135] FIG. 5 shows a schematic diagram of the multi-link power consumption management mode indication according to an example embodiment of the present application. A first MLD (e.g., a non-AP MLD) can send a first frame to a second MLD (e.g., an AP MLD) on one of the established links (or enabled links) as a multi-link power consumption management mode indication operation initiator, the first frame being a PPDU carrying one or more individually addressed QoS data frames, QoS null frames, or third category management frames. The first MLD requests the second MLD as a multi-link power consumption management mode indication operation responder to immediately confirm the multi-link power consumption management mode operation and / or dynamic energy saving operation change. After receiving the first frame, the second MLD sends a second frame (e.g., an acknowledgement frame) as a response to the request of the first MLD. Optionally, the interval between the second frame and the first frame is SIFS.

[0136] In the case that the first frame is a frame carrying multi-link power consumption management mode indication information, a dedicated frame does not need to be newly designed to transmit the multi-link power consumption management mode indication information. One or more control fields can be defined in the existing frame format, and the first power consumption management mode in which the second link and / or the first link corresponding to the affiliated station will be in can be indicated through the control field, so as to better utilize the existing frame format.

[0137] In summary, the method provided by the embodiment transmits a first frame on the first link, and the first frame is used to indicate the first power consumption management mode in which the second link and / or the first link corresponding to the affiliated station will be in, so as to achieve cross-link indication or multi-link indication of the power consumption management mode in which the affiliated station will be in. Compared with related technologies, the first power consumption management mode in which one or more affiliated stations will be in can be cross-link indicated, or the first power consumption management mode in which multiple affiliated stations will be in can be multi-link indicated, the number of frame exchanges is reduced, and the indication efficiency is improved.

[0138] FIG. 6 shows a flowchart of a power consumption management method according to an example embodiment of the present application, the method being performed by a second MLD, the second MLD having established and / or enabled one or more links with a first MLD, the multiple links including a first link and a second link, and the method including:

[0139] Step 610: receiving a first frame sent by the first MLD on the first link.

[0140] The first frame is used to indicate the first power consumption management mode in which the second link and / or the first link corresponding to the affiliated station will be in, the second link being a link different from the first link in the multiple links, and the peer device associated with the second MLD being the first MLD.

[0141] In some embodiments, the first power consumption management mode to which the second link and / or the first link corresponding affiliated station is to be in can be understood or replaced as any one of the following: indicating that the multi-link power consumption management mode operation of the second link and / or the first link corresponding affiliated station is being changed; indicating that the second link and / or the first link corresponding affiliated station is to be switched from the current power consumption management mode to the first power consumption management mode; indicating whether the dynamic (adaptive capability) power saving operation of the second link and / or the first link corresponding affiliated station is enabled. The embodiments of the present application do not limit this, and are generally illustrated by taking "the first power consumption management mode to which the second link and / or the first link corresponding affiliated station is to be in" as an example.

[0142] The first power consumption management mode to be in is for a link, which is any one of one or more links. The first power consumption management mode corresponding to each link can be the same or different. The first power consumption management mode to which the second link corresponding affiliated station is to be in is mainly illustrated in the present application, which is also applicable to the first power consumption management mode to which the first link corresponding affiliated station is to be in. The embodiments of the present application do not limit this.

[0143] In some embodiments, the opposite device of the first MLD association is the second MLD, the first MLD is a non-AP multi-link device (non-AP MLD), and the second MLD is an AP multi-link device (AP MLD); or, the first MLD is an AP MLD, and the second MLD is a non-AP MLD.

[0144] Wherein, the non-AP MLD includes one or more affiliated stations (STAs, or non-AP STAs), and the AP MLD includes one or more affiliated access points (APs). The specific types of the first MLD and the second MLD are not limited in the embodiments of the present application, and are generally illustrated by taking the first MLD as a non-AP MLD and the second MLD as an AP MLD.

[0145] In some embodiments, the second link is a link different from the first link, or the second link is a plurality of links different from the first link.

[0146] In some embodiments, the first power consumption management mode includes at least one of the following: an active mode and a power saving mode; wherein being in the active mode means being in the wake-up state at all times, and being in the power saving mode means being in the wake-up state or the sleep state, or the unavailable state.

[0147] The power consumption management mode includes at least one of the following: an active mode and a power saving mode; wherein being in the active mode means being in the wake-up state at all times, and being in the power saving mode means being in the wake-up state or the sleep state, or the unavailable state.

[0148] The first power consumption management mode is one of the one or more power consumption management modes for each corresponding affiliated station on each link.

[0149] The affiliated station can perform operations such as data transmission and reception, channel listening, etc. when the affiliated station is in the wake-up state; the affiliated station can perform channel listening, although it cannot perform data transmission and reception, when the affiliated station is in the sleep state; and the affiliated station cannot perform operations such as data transmission and reception, channel listening, etc. when the affiliated station is in the unavailable state.

[0150] In some embodiments, the power saving modes include a full-power power saving mode or a capability-adaptive power saving mode, and the capability-adaptive power saving mode includes a static capability-adaptive power saving mode or a dynamic capability-adaptive power saving mode.

[0151] By way of example and not limitation, the wake-up state in the power saving mode includes at least one of the following: a wake-up state in the dynamic capability-adaptive power saving mode; a wake-up state in the static capability-adaptive power saving mode; and a wake-up state in the full-power power saving mode.

[0152] In the wake-up state in the full-power power saving mode, the affiliated station is maintained in a full-capability operation mode or a high-capability operation mode, i.e. a higher bandwidth, more receive chains, more spatial streams, a higher data rate, a high-order MCS, a high-processing-overhead PPDU format, are used within the capability range supported by the affiliated station, and the affiliated station performs operations such as data transmission and reception, channel listening, etc. The full-power power saving mode can also be referred to as a non-capability-adaptive power saving mode or a full-power mode.

[0153] In the wake-up state in the static capability-adaptive power saving mode, the affiliated station is maintained in a low-capability operation mode, i.e. a low bandwidth, fewer receive chains, fewer spatial streams, a low data rate, a low-order MCS, a low-processing-overhead PPDU format, are used, and the affiliated station performs operations such as data transmission and reception, channel listening, etc. The static capability-adaptive power saving mode can also be referred to as a non-dynamic capability-adaptive power saving mode.

[0154] In the wake-up state in the dynamic capability-adaptive power saving mode, the affiliated station is usually in a low-capability operation mode, and when a specific frame (such as an initial frame including an initial control frame, or other defined frames for mode switching) sent to it is received, the affiliated station switches to a high-capability (or full-capability) operation mode according to the indication of the specific frame, and returns to the low-capability operation mode after the current frame exchange ends.

[0155] In some embodiments, the dynamic capability-adaptive power saving mode and the dynamic power saving mode have the same meaning, the non-dynamic capability-adaptive power saving mode and the non-dynamic power saving mode have the same meaning, and the static capability-adaptive power saving mode and the static power saving mode have the same meaning.

[0156] By refining the specific type of the first power consumption management mode, compared with the power consumption management mode only having the active mode and the energy saving mode in the related art, the power consumption management mode of the multi-link device is more accurately indicated, the power consumption management mode of the affiliated station on all links or part of the links is simultaneously changed, the power consumption management mode of the affiliated station on one or more links is accurately changed, and the first power consumption management mode of the affiliated station on different links can be different after being changed, for example, the affiliated station STA1 on the link 1 changes to the static capability adaptation energy saving mode, and the affiliated station STA2 on the link 2 changes to the dynamic capability adaptation energy saving mode, so that different power consumption management modes are used according to actual needs in different application scenarios.

[0157] There are two design schemes for the first frame in the present application, design scheme one: the first frame is a multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame; design scheme two: the first frame is a frame carrying multi-link power consumption management mode indication information.

[0158] Design scheme one is to newly design a special frame, and the special frame is used to indicate the first power consumption management mode in which the affiliated station corresponding to the second link and / or the first link will be in;

[0159] Design scheme two is to define one or more control fields in the existing frame format, and the first power consumption management mode in which the affiliated station corresponding to the second link and / or the first link will be in is indicated through the control field.

[0160] The first frame is a multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame:

[0161] When a first MLD (for example, a non-AP MLD) supporting multi-link power consumption management mode indication indicates the power consumption management mode in which the affiliated station corresponding to the established link (or enabled link) will be in, and the operation parameters to be adopted by the corresponding power consumption management mode, the MLD can send a multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame to a second MLD (such as an AP MLD associated with the non-AP MLD), as shown in FIG. 4.

[0162] FIG. 4 shows a schematic diagram of multi-link power consumption management mode indication provided by an example embodiment of the present application. Taking a first MLD as a non-AP MLD and a second MLD as an AP MLD as an example, the non-AP MLD and the AP MLD successfully establish two links (link 1 and link 2), the link 1 and the link 2 of the non-AP MLD are both enabled links, and the corresponding affiliated stations STA1 and STA2 on the two links are both in the full power state in the active mode.

[0163] When the non-AP MLD is preparing to change the power management state of STA1, i.e. STA1 is going to switch from active mode to other power management mode, such as dynamic capability adaptation power save mode, the non-AP MLD can send a multi-link power management mode indication notification frame to the AP MLD over link 2.

[0164] For example, the affiliated station STA2 of the non-AP MLD sends a first multi-link power management mode indication notification frame to the affiliated access point AP2 of the AP MLD over link 2, and the AP2 sends a first acknowledgement frame after receiving the first multi-link power management mode indication notification frame. Optionally, the interval between the first acknowledgement frame and the first multi-link power management mode indication notification frame is SIFS.

[0165] For example, but not limitation, the multi-link power management mode indication notification frame carries a link identification subfield and a power management subfield, the link identification subfield is used to indicate the link identification of link 1, for example, the value of the link identification subfield is 1 is used to indicate the link identification of link 1 is 1, and the power management subfield is set to 1 is used to indicate that STA1 will be in power save mode.

[0166] For example, but not limitation, the multi-link power management mode indication notification frame carries a capability adaptation power save enable field and a capability adaptation power save mode field, the capability adaptation power save enable field is set to 1 is used to indicate that STA1 enables the capability adaptation power save mode, and the capability adaptation power save mode field is set to 1 is used to indicate that STA1 will enter the dynamic capability adaptation power save mode.

[0167] In some embodiments, when the second MLD (e.g. AP MLD) receives the first multi-link power management mode indication notification frame, as a response to the received first multi-link power management mode indication notification frame, the second MLD can send a second multi-link power management mode indication notification frame to the first MLD (e.g. non-AP MLD) over link 1 or link 2 within the multi-link power management mode indication conversion timeout time (or called conversion timeout time), and at least one of the following rules is applied:

[0168] 1) In some embodiments, the management frame (e.g. beacon frame, association response frame) sent by an affiliated AP of the second MLD carries a multi-link power management mode indication conversion timeout time subfield, which is used to indicate the multi-link power management mode indication conversion timeout time.

[0169] For example, in FIG. 4, the beacon frame sent by AP1 carries a multi-link power management mode indication conversion timeout time subfield.

[0170] In addition to the authentication frame sent by the affiliated AP, the basic multi-link element in all management frames carrying the basic multi-link element can include the multi-link power consumption management mode indication transition timeout time subfield in the multi-link power consumption management mode indication capability subfield.

[0171] 2) In some embodiments, the multi-link power consumption management mode indication transition timeout time starts from the end of the PPDU[+SigExt] which is the first PPDU sent by the second MLD, carrying an acknowledgement (ACK) sent to the first multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame; wherein the PPDU[+SigExt] represents the first PPDU plus a signal extension after the first PPDU (if the signal extension exists), or the first PPDU (if the signal extension does not exist).

[0172] As shown in FIG. 4, the above-mentioned first PPDU is the first acknowledgement frame corresponding to the first multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame, and in the case where the signal extension does not exist, the multi-link power consumption management mode indication transition timeout time (transition timeout time) starts from the end of the first PPDU.

[0173] 3) In some embodiments, the subfields in the second multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame have the same values as the subfields in the first multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame.

[0174] For example, the multi-link power consumption management mode indication control subfield in the second multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame has the same value as the multi-link power consumption management mode indication control subfield in the first multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame; and the link power consumption management mode indication information subfield in the second multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame has the same value as the link power consumption management mode indication information subfield in the first multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame.

[0175] The above-mentioned subfields in the second multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame having the same values as the subfields in the first multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame is an optional design. In other designs, some subfields can be the same and some subfields can be different; all subfields can be the same; or the subfields in the second multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame can not include the subfields in the first multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame, which is not limited by the embodiments of the present application.

[0176] In the case where the first frame is a multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame, by newly designing a multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame as a dedicated frame to indicate the multi-link power consumption management mode in which the affiliated station will be, the reliability of information transmission can be improved, and the possibility of conflict with other information transmission can be reduced.

[0177] The first frame is a frame carrying multi-link power management mode indication information:

[0178] In some embodiments, the first frame is a physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU) carrying one or more individually addressed QoS data frames, QoS null frames, or third category management frames.

[0179] In some embodiments, the multi-link power management mode indication operation is used to indicate the multi-link power management mode in which the first MLD has established link (or has enabled link) corresponding affiliated stations will be in, or is changing the multi-link power management mode operation of the corresponding affiliated stations and / or whether to enable dynamic energy saving operation.

[0180] In some embodiments, the MLD or MLD affiliated station that sends the first frame is defined as the initiator of the multi-link power management mode indication operation; the MLD or MLD affiliated station that receives the first frame is defined as the responder of the multi-link power management mode indication operation.

[0181] The first frame includes a multi-link power management mode control subfield, and / or a multi-link dynamic energy saving mode enablement control subfield, and / or a cross-link power management mode control subfield.

[0182] FIG. 5 shows a schematic diagram of multi-link power management mode indication according to an example embodiment of the present application. The first MLD (e.g., a non-AP MLD) as the initiator of the multi-link power management mode indication operation can send a first frame to the second MLD (e.g., an AP MLD) on one of the established links (or enabled links), and the first frame is a PPDU carrying one or more individually addressed QoS data frames, QoS null frames, or third category management frames. The first MLD requests the second MLD as the responder of the multi-link power management mode indication operation to immediately confirm the change of the multi-link power management mode operation and / or dynamic energy saving operation. After receiving the first frame, the second MLD sends a second frame (e.g., an acknowledgement frame) as a response to the request of the first MLD. Optionally, the interval between the second frame and the first frame is SIFS.

[0183] In the case that the first frame is a frame carrying multi-link power management mode indication information, a dedicated frame does not need to be newly designed to transmit the multi-link power management mode indication information. One or more control fields can be defined in the existing frame format, and the first power management mode in which the second link and / or the first link corresponding affiliated stations will be in can be indicated through the control fields, so as to better utilize the existing frame format.

[0184] In conclusion, the method provided in the embodiment receives a first frame sent by a first MLD on a first link, and the first frame is used to indicate a first power consumption management mode in which a dependent station corresponding to the second link and / or the first link will be in; the second link is a link different from the first link in a plurality of links, so as to achieve cross-link indication or multi-link indication of the power consumption management mode in which the dependent station will be in, and compared with related technologies, the power consumption management mode in which one or more dependent stations will be in can be cross-link indicated, or the power consumption management mode in which a plurality of dependent stations will be in can be multi-link indicated, the number of frame exchanges is reduced, and the indication efficiency is improved.

[0185] On the basis of the above-mentioned embodiment of FIG. 3 or the embodiment of FIG. 6, in the case where the first frame is a multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame, the format of the multi-link power consumption management mode indication element associated with the first frame is as follows.

[0186] Multi-link power consumption management mode indication element:

[0187] FIG. 7 shows a schematic diagram of the format of the multi-link power consumption management mode indication element provided in an example embodiment of the present application, and the multi-link power consumption management mode indication element includes at least one of the following: an element ID (Element ID) field, a length (Length) field, an element ID extension (Element ID Extension) field, a multi-link power consumption management mode indication control field, and a link power consumption management mode indication information field. In the embodiment of the present application, the meanings of the subfields and the fields are the same.

[0188] The element ID field occupies 1 byte, the length field occupies 1 byte, the element ID extension field occupies 1 byte, the multi-link power consumption management mode indication control field occupies a variable number of bytes, and the link power consumption management mode indication information field occupies a variable number of bytes. The element ID field, the length field, and the element ID extension field comply with the definition of the element (Elements) related section in the related standard.

[0189] Multi-link power consumption management mode indication control field:

[0190] In some embodiments, the first frame carries a control field, and the control field is used to indicate the first power consumption management mode.

[0191] In some embodiments, the control field includes at least one of the following: a first control field used to indicate whether the first power consumption management mode is an active mode or a power saving mode; a second control field used to indicate whether the power saving mode is a full power saving mode or a capability adaptation power saving mode; and a third control field used to indicate whether the capability adaptation power saving mode is a non-dynamic capability adaptation power saving mode or a dynamic capability adaptation power saving mode.

[0192] For example, the first control field is a multi-link power consumption management mode indication bitmap field, the second control field is a multi-link power saving mode indication bitmap field, and the third control field is a multi-link dynamic power saving mode indication bitmap field.

[0193] In some embodiments, at least one of the first control field, the second control field, and the third control field is a bitmap field; a bit position i in the bitmap field corresponds to a link with a link ID i, and is used to indicate a first power consumption management mode of a corresponding affiliated station of the link with the link ID i, where i is an integer.

[0194] In some embodiments, the first control field is a first bitmap field, and a bit position i in the first bitmap field corresponds to a link with a link ID i, and is used to indicate whether the first power consumption management mode of a corresponding affiliated station of the link with the link ID i is an active mode or a power saving mode, where i is an integer.

[0195] In some embodiments, the second control field is a second bitmap field, and a bit position i in the second bitmap field corresponds to a link with a link ID i, and is used to indicate whether the first power consumption management mode of a corresponding affiliated station of the link with the link ID i is a full-power power saving mode or a capability adaptation power saving mode, where i is an integer.

[0196] In some embodiments, the third control field is a third bitmap field, and a bit position i in the third bitmap field corresponds to a link with a link ID i, and is used to indicate whether the first power consumption management mode of a corresponding affiliated station of the link with the link ID i is a non-dynamic capability adaptation power saving mode or a dynamic capability adaptation power saving mode, where i is an integer.

[0197] For example, the control field is a multi-link power consumption management mode indication control field, and for the multi-link power consumption management mode indication control field, FIG. 8 shows a schematic diagram of a format of a multi-link power consumption management mode indication control field provided by an example embodiment of the present application, which includes at least one of the following: a link power consumption management mode indication information present field, a multi-link power consumption management mode indication bitmap present field, a multi-link power saving mode indication bitmap present field, a multi-link dynamic power saving mode indication bitmap present field, a power consumption management indication time present field, an expected duration present field, a multi-link power consumption management mode indication bitmap field, a multi-link power saving mode indication bitmap field, a multi-link dynamic power saving mode indication bitmap field, a power consumption management indication time field, an expected duration field, and a reserved field.

[0198] The link power management mode indication information present field occupies 1 bit, the multi-link power management mode indication bitmap present field occupies 1 bit, the multi-link power saving mode indication bitmap present field occupies 1 bit, the multi-link dynamic power saving mode indication bitmap present field occupies 1 bit, the power management indication time present field occupies 1 bit, the expected duration present field occupies 1 bit, the multi-link power management mode indication bitmap field occupies 0 or 16 bits, the multi-link power saving mode indication bitmap field occupies 0 or 16 bits, the multi-link dynamic power saving mode indication bitmap field occupies 0 or 16 bits, the power management indication time field occupies 0 or 16 bits, the expected duration field occupies 0 or 24 bits, and the reserved field occupies 2 bits.

[0199] The link power management mode indication information present field indicates whether the link power management mode indication information field exists in the multi-link power management mode indication element. If the link power management mode indication information field exists in the multi-link power management mode indication element, the link power management mode indication information present field is set to 1; otherwise, the link power management mode indication information present field is set to 0.

[0200] The multi-link power management mode indication bitmap present field indicates whether the multi-link power management mode indication bitmap field exists. If the multi-link power management mode indication bitmap field exists in the multi-link power management mode indication control field, the multi-link power management mode indication bitmap present field is set to 1; otherwise, the multi-link power management mode indication bitmap present field is set to 0.

[0201] The multi-link power saving mode indication bitmap present field indicates whether the multi-link power saving mode indication bitmap field exists. If the multi-link power saving mode indication bitmap field exists in the multi-link power management mode indication control field, the multi-link power saving mode indication bitmap present field is set to 1; otherwise, the multi-link power saving mode indication bitmap present field is set to 0.

[0202] The power management indication time present field indicates whether the power management indication time field exists. If the power management indication time field exists in the multi-link power management mode indication control field, the power management indication time present field is set to 1; otherwise, the power management indication time present field is set to 0.

[0203] The expected duration present field indicates whether the expected duration field exists. If the expected duration field exists in the multi-link power management mode indication control field, the expected duration present field is set to 1; otherwise, the expected duration present field is set to 0.

[0204] The multi-link power consumption management mode indication bitmap field indicates the power consumption management mode of the affiliated stations corresponding to the links established (or enabled) by the MLD, i.e., indicates which of the stations corresponding to the links established (or enabled) by the MLD will be in the active mode or the power saving mode.

[0205] The bit position i of the multi-link power consumption management mode indication bitmap field corresponds to the link with the link ID field i. The i-th bit is set to 1 to indicate that the affiliated station corresponding to the link with the link ID field i will be in the power saving mode, i.e., in the sleep state or in the wake-up state; the i-th bit is set to 0 to indicate that the affiliated station corresponding to the link with the link ID field i will be in the active mode, i.e., in the wake-up state in the full-power power saving mode or in the wake-up state in the dynamic capability adaptation power saving mode (or dynamic power saving mode); wherein the link with the link ID field i is a link established or enabled by the MLD. In the embodiments of the present application, the affiliated station is referred to as a station.

[0206] The multi-link power consumption management mode indication bitmap field indicates the power consumption management mode of the affiliated stations corresponding to the links established (or enabled) by the MLD, i.e., indicates which of the stations corresponding to the links established (or enabled) by the MLD will be in the active mode or the power saving mode.

[0207] In some embodiments, the bit position i of the multi-link power consumption management mode indication bitmap field corresponds to the link with the link ID field i. The i-th bit is set to 1 to indicate that the affiliated station corresponding to the link with the link ID field i will be in the power saving mode, i.e., in the sleep state or in the wake-up state; the i-th bit is set to 0 to indicate that the affiliated station corresponding to the link with the link ID field i will be in the active mode, i.e., in the wake-up state in the full-power power saving mode or in the wake-up state in the dynamic capability adaptation power saving mode (or dynamic power saving mode); wherein the link with the link ID field i is a link established or enabled by the MLD. In the embodiments of the present application, the affiliated station is referred to as a station.

[0208] The capability adaptation power saving mode (or capability adaptation power saving operation mode) allows a station with one or more receive chains to perform listening operation or transceiving operation on the operating channel in a low capability operation mode (i.e., in a low bandwidth, fewer receive chains, fewer spatial streams, lower data rate, low-order MCS, PPDU format with low processing overhead, or referred to as low capability mode) in the wake-up state. When a specific frame (such as an initial frame including an initial control frame, or other defined frames for power consumption management mode switching) sent to it is received, it can be determined whether to switch to a high capability operation mode (i.e., in a higher bandwidth, more receive chains, more spatial streams, higher data rate, high-order MCS, PPDU format with high processing overhead, or referred to as high capability mode) according to the operation mode and type of the capability adaptation power saving mode in which the station is located.

[0209] For the capability adaptation energy saving mode, in the non-dynamic capability adaptation energy saving mode, the station only maintains in the low capability operation mode for operation. When the station operates in the dynamic capability adaptation energy saving mode, in the wake-up state, the station performs the listening operation or the transceiving operation on the operating channel in the low capability operation mode. When the station receives a specific frame sent to it, the station switches to the high capability (or full capability) operation mode according to the indication of the specific frame, and returns to the listening operation or the transceiving operation in the low capability operation mode after the end of the frame exchange sequence in which the specific frame is exchanged.

[0210] The multi-link dynamic energy saving mode indication bitmap field indicates that the stations corresponding to the MLD-established links (or the enabled links) will be in the dynamic capability adaptation energy saving mode, that is, indicates which stations among the stations corresponding to the MLD-established links (or the enabled links) will be in the dynamic capability adaptation energy saving mode.

[0211] The bit position i of the multi-link dynamic energy saving mode indication bitmap field corresponds to the link with the link ID field being i. The i-th bit is set to 1 to indicate that the station corresponding to the link with the link ID field being i will be in the dynamic capability adaptation energy saving mode, and the i-th bit is set to 0 to indicate that the station corresponding to the link with the link ID field being i will be in the non-dynamic capability adaptation energy saving mode (or referred to as the static capability adaptation energy saving mode).

[0212] The link with the link ID field being i is an MLD-established link or an enabled link. When the station operates in the dynamic capability adaptation energy saving mode, in the wake-up state, the station performs the listening operation or the transceiving operation on the operating channel in the low capability operation mode. When the peer station (for example, the AP to which the station is associated) of the station sends a PPDU carrying a specific frame to the station, in the process of receiving the specific frame, the station adopts the bandwidth capability, the receive chain capability, the spatial stream capability, the data rate, the MCS, the PPDU format and the like parameters, which are constrained by the capability parameters corresponding to the low capability operation mode, or the constraints of the operation mode notification, or the constraints of the operation mode indicated by the Operating Mode Indication (OMI) procedure. After receiving the specific frame, the station is capable of supporting the bandwidth capability, the receive chain capability, the spatial stream capability, the data rate, the MCS, the PPDU format and the like parameters corresponding to the high capability operation mode, until the end of the frame exchange sequence in which the specific frame is exchanged.

[0213] In some embodiments, the first frame further carries at least one of the following fields: a first indication time subfield, used to indicate an expected effective time point of the first power consumption management mode, the expected effective time point being a time point at which the second station is expected to enter the first power consumption management mode by the first MLD; and a first duration subfield, used to indicate a required duration for which the first power consumption management mode is expected to be effective.

[0214] For example, the first indication time subfield is the power consumption management indication time field, and the first time length subfield is the expected time length field.

[0215] The power consumption management indication time field is set to a future time point at which the multi-link power consumption management indication is expected to take effect, and it adopts a Time Synchronization Function (TSF) value corresponding to a Basic Service Set (BSS) in which a station sending a frame carrying a multi-link power consumption management mode indication element is located as a time, that is, the 10th to 25th bits of the TSF.

[0216] The expected time length field indicates a duration required for the indicated multi-link power consumption management mode to be expected to be effective, and the start point of the duration is the end time of the second PPDU or the end time of the second PPDU plus a signal extension (if the signal extension exists) immediately following the second PPDU, and ends after a duration corresponding to the duration indicated by the expected time length field. The second PPDU is sent by a first MLD receiving the second frame and carries an acknowledgement (ACK) for the second frame, and the second frame is sent by a second MLD on a second link or a first link in response to the first frame. The expected time length field is in units of Time Units (TUs), and 1 TU is a time measurement unit equal to 1024 microseconds.

[0217] For example, in FIG. 4, in the case where the first frame is a first multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame, the second frame is a second multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame, and the second frame carries an expected time length field, the second PPDU is a second acknowledgement frame for the second multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame, and assuming that the signal extension does not exist, the start point of the duration is the end time of the second acknowledgement frame.

[0218] The above multi-link power consumption management mode indication element format and multi-link power consumption management mode indication control field format are exemplary possible cases, and in different embodiments or different designs, at least one of the following can be changed: the position of the above fields in the frame, the arrangement order between the fields, the number of bytes occupied, the number of bits occupied, the element name, and the field name, and the present embodiment does not limit this.

[0219] The link power consumption management mode indication information field:

[0220] The link power consumption management mode indication information field carries one or more power consumption management mode indication information to which an affiliated station corresponding to an MLD-established link (or an enabled link) will be in, and the field is optional.

[0221] In some embodiments, the link power consumption management mode indication information field can carry one or more sub-elements, which carry the identification of optional sub-elements as shown in Table 1. When the link power consumption management mode indication information field exists, it contains one or more Per-STA power management Indication Info sub-elements, wherein each Per-STA power management Indication Info sub-element carries the power consumption management mode indication information of the affiliated station of the MLD established link (or enabled link) corresponding to the MLD, and by default, it carries the power consumption management mode indication information of the station, i.e., the power saving mode information of the station, including the dynamic power saving mode information of the station.

[0222] Table 1

[0223] Per-STA power management Indication Info sub-element:

[0224] FIG. 9 shows a schematic diagram of the format of the Per-STA power management Indication Info sub-element according to an example embodiment of the present application, which includes at least one of the following: a sub-element ID field, a length field, a station power consumption management mode indication control field, and a station power consumption management mode indication information field.

[0225] The sub-element ID field occupies 1 byte, the length field occupies 1 byte, the station power consumption management mode indication control field occupies a variable number of bytes, and the station power consumption management mode indication information field occupies a variable number of bytes.

[0226] Station power consumption management mode indication control field:

[0227] For the above-mentioned station power consumption management mode indication control field, FIG. 10 shows a schematic diagram of the format of the station power consumption management mode indication control field according to an example embodiment of the present application, which includes at least one of the following: a link ID information field, a power consumption management field, a capability adaptation power saving control present field, and a capability adaptation power saving control field.

[0228] The link ID information field occupies 8 bits, the power consumption management field occupies 1 bit, the capability adaptation power saving control present field occupies 1 bit, and the capability adaptation power saving control field occupies 0 or 16 bits.

[0229] Link ID information field:

[0230] For the above-mentioned link ID information field, FIG. 11 shows a schematic diagram of the format of the link ID information field according to an example embodiment of the present application, which includes at least one of the following: a link ID field, and a reserved field.

[0231] wherein the Link ID field occupies B0-B3, and the reserved field occupies B4-B7.

[0232] wherein the Link ID field indicates the identification of the link corresponding to one station in the MLD-established link (or enabled link) described by the per-station power consumption management mode indication information element.

[0233] In some embodiments, the Link ID is an integer ranging from 0 to 14, used to uniquely identify the affiliated station of the AP MLD corresponding to the link.

[0234] The power consumption management field indicates the power consumption management mode of the station (i.e., the affiliated station corresponding to the link indicated by the Link ID information field carried thereby) described by the per-station power consumption management mode indication information element. The power consumption management field is set to 1, indicating that the station will be in the power saving mode (wake-up state or sleep state), and the power consumption management field is set to 0, indicating that the station will be in the active mode, i.e., the station is in the wake-up state, including the wake-up state under full power or the wake-up state under dynamic capability adaptation power saving or the wake-up state under dynamic power saving.

[0235] Capability adaptation power saving control field:

[0236] For the above capability adaptation power saving control field, FIG. 12 shows a schematic diagram of the format of the capability adaptation power saving control field according to an example embodiment of the present application. The capability adaptation power saving control field includes at least one of the following: capability adaptation power saving enable field, capability adaptation power saving mode field, switching mode field, default low capability operation field, default high capability operation field, capability adaptation power saving delay parameter control field, low capability operation parameter control field, high capability operation parameter control field, and reserved field.

[0237] wherein the capability adaptation power saving enable field occupies B0, the capability adaptation power saving mode field occupies B1, the switching mode field occupies B2-B3, the default low capability operation field occupies B4, the default high capability operation field occupies B5, the capability adaptation power saving delay parameter control field occupies B6, the low capability operation parameter control field occupies B7, the high capability operation parameter control field occupies B8, and the reserved field occupies B9-B15.

[0238] The Capability Adaptation Power Save Enabled (CAA PS Enabled) field indicates whether the capability adaptation power save is enabled at the station. For example, when the CAA PS Enabled subfield is set to 1, it indicates that the capability adaptation power save is enabled at the station; when the CAA PS Enabled subfield is set to 0, it indicates that the capability adaptation power save is not enabled at the station, i.e., the capability adaptation power save function is turned off.

[0239] The CAA PS Mode field indicates the operation mode of the capability adaptation power save. For example, when the CAA PS Mode field is set to 1, it indicates the dynamic capability adaptation power save mode; when the CAA PS Mode field is set to 0, it indicates the non-dynamic capability adaptation power save mode (or static capability adaptation power save mode). Alternatively, when the CAA PS Mode field is set to 0, it indicates the dynamic capability adaptation power save mode; when the CAA PS Mode field is set to 1, it indicates the non-dynamic capability adaptation power save mode.

[0240] In the non-dynamic capability adaptation power save mode, the station only maintains the low capability operation mode for operation. In some embodiments, when the station is in the non-dynamic capability adaptation power save mode, the station maintains the low capability operation mode for operation in the frame exchange process initiated by the AP associated with the station.

[0241] In some embodiments, the first frame is further used to indicate the operation parameters adopted by the second station and / or the first station in the first power consumption management mode.

[0242] In some embodiments, the first power consumption management mode is the dynamic capability adaptation power save mode, and the operation parameters include at least one of the following:

[0243] the operation mode and type of the dynamic capability adaptation power save mode, the operation parameters in the first capability operation mode, and the operation parameters in the second capability operation mode, wherein the capability corresponding to the first capability operation mode is lower than the capability corresponding to the second capability operation mode.

[0244] For example, the first capability operation mode is the low capability operation mode, and the second capability operation mode is the high capability operation mode.

[0245] In some embodiments, the first frame further carries at least one of the following fields:

[0246] the switching mode subfield, used to indicate the operation mode and type of the dynamic capability adaptation power save mode; the first capability operation parameter subfield, used to indicate the operation parameters in the first capability operation mode; and the second capability operation parameter subfield, used to indicate the operation parameters in the second capability operation mode.

[0247] For example, the switching manner subfield can be referred to as a switching manner field, the first capability operation parameter subfield can be referred to as a low capability operation mode parameter field, and the second capability operation parameter subfield can be referred to as a high capability operation mode parameter field.

[0248] The switching manner field indicates the manner in which a station in a dynamic capability adaptation energy saving mode switches from a low capability operation mode to a high capability operation mode. In some embodiments, the switching manner field indicates the specific operation mode and type of dynamic capability adaptation energy saving mode that the station will enter, such as a default operation based dynamic capability adaptation energy saving mode, a mandatory control based dynamic capability adaptation energy saving mode. The specific definition of the switching manner field is shown in Table 2.

[0249] Table 2

[0250] The default switching manner indicates that when the station receives an initial frame sent to it, it switches to the high capability operation mode for frame exchange, and after the current frame exchange ends, it falls back to the listening operation or the transceiving operation using the low capability operation mode. Here, the sending of the initial frame needs to satisfy the receiving capability requirement of the station in the low mode operation mode, so that the station can receive the frame in the low capability operation mode.

[0251] In some embodiments, the default switching manner corresponds to a default operation based dynamic capability adaptation energy saving mode.

[0252] The first non-default switching manner (non-default switching manner 1) indicates that when the station receives an initial control frame sent to it, it switches to the high capability operation mode for frame exchange, and after the current frame exchange ends, it falls back to the listening operation or the transceiving operation using the low capability operation mode; if the station receives an initial frame that is not an initial control frame, it determines whether to switch to the high capability operation mode for frame exchange in the current frame exchange sequence according to the indication of the initial frame.

[0253] In some embodiments, the first non-default switching manner corresponds to a mandatory control based dynamic capability adaptation energy saving mode.

[0254] The second non-default switching manner (non-default switching manner 2) indicates that the station determines whether to switch to the high capability operation mode for frame exchange in the current frame exchange sequence according to the switching indication carried by the frame sent to it, and the switching indication is a mandatory indication.

[0255] In some embodiments, the second non-default switching manner corresponds to another mandatory control based dynamic capability adaptation energy saving mode, and the second non-default switching manner and the first non-default switching manner are different mandatory control based dynamic capability adaptation energy saving modes.

[0256] The default low capability operation field indicates whether the default low capability operation mode is adopted. If the station adopts the default low capability operation mode, the default low capability operation field is set to 1; otherwise, the default low capability operation field is set to 0.

[0257] In some embodiments, the default low capability operation mode can be defined as follows: the listening capability includes the capability of performing CCA and receiving the initial frame of the frame exchange initiated by the opposite station; the operation bandwidth is 20 MHz; the non-high throughput PPDU (non-HT PPDU) or non-high throughput duplicate PPDU (non-HT duplicate PPDU) can be received; the rate of 6 Mb / s, 12 Mb / s or 24 Mb / s is supported.

[0258] The default high capability operation field indicates whether the default high capability operation mode is adopted. If the station adopts the default high capability operation mode, the default high capability operation field is set to 1; otherwise, the default high capability operation field is set to 0.

[0259] In some embodiments, the default high capability operation mode can be defined as the full capability mode, i.e., the operation mode declared by the station corresponds to the capability of the capability element carried in the association and / or the operation mode defined by the exchanged operation mode notification frame.

[0260] The capability adaptation energy saving delay parameter control field indicates whether the capability adaptation energy saving delay parameter field exists in the capability adaptation energy saving frame. When the capability adaptation energy saving mode field is equal to 1 and the capability adaptation energy saving delay parameter field exists in the capability adaptation energy saving frame, the capability adaptation energy saving control field is set to 1; otherwise, the capability adaptation energy saving control field is set to 0.

[0261] In some embodiments, when the capability adaptation energy saving delay parameter field exists in the frame sent by the AP, the capability adaptation energy saving control field is set to 0.

[0262] The low capability operation parameter control field indicates whether the low capability operation parameter field exists. If the low capability operation parameter field exists, the low capability operation parameter control field is set to 1; otherwise, the low capability operation parameter control field is set to 0.

[0263] The format of the link power consumption management mode indication information field, the format of the per-site power consumption management mode indication information sub-element, the format of the site power consumption management mode indication control field, the format of the link ID information field, the format of the capability adaptation energy saving control field, and the format of the site power consumption management mode indication information field are exemplary, and in different embodiments or different designs, at least one of the following can be changed: the position of the fields in the frame, the arrangement order between the fields, the number of bytes occupied, the number of bits occupied, the element name, and the field name, and the present embodiment is not limited in this regard.

[0264] The site power consumption management mode indication information field includes at least one of the following: a capability adaptation energy saving delay parameter field, a low capability operation mode parameter field, and a high capability operation mode parameter field.

[0265] The format of the site power consumption management mode indication information field is shown in FIG. 13, and the site power consumption management mode indication information field includes at least one of the following: a capability adaptation energy saving delay parameter field, a low capability operation mode parameter field, and a high capability operation mode parameter field.

[0266] The capability adaptation energy saving delay parameter field occupies 2 or 4 bytes, the low capability operation mode parameter field occupies 3 bytes, and the high capability operation mode parameter field occupies 3 bytes.

[0267] The capability adaptation energy saving delay parameter field includes at least one of the following: a capability adaptation energy saving padding delay 1 field, a capability adaptation energy saving transition delay 1 field, a capability adaptation energy saving padding delay 2 field, and a capability adaptation energy saving transition delay 2 field.

[0268] The format of the capability adaptation energy saving delay parameter field is shown in FIG. 14, and the capability adaptation energy saving delay parameter field includes at least one of the following: a capability adaptation energy saving padding delay 1 field, a capability adaptation energy saving transition delay 1 field, a capability adaptation energy saving padding delay 2 field, and a capability adaptation energy saving transition delay 2 field.

[0269] The capability adaptation energy saving padding delay 1 field occupies 1 byte, the capability adaptation energy saving transition delay 1 field occupies 1 byte, the capability adaptation energy saving padding delay 2 field occupies 0 or 1 byte, and the capability adaptation energy saving transition delay 2 field occupies 0 or 1 byte.

[0270] The capability adaptation energy saving padding delay field indicates the minimum medium access control (MAC) padding duration of the initial frame requested by the site.

[0271] In some embodiments, the capability adaptation energy saving padding latency 1 field indicates the minimum MAC padding duration of the initial frame required by the station to switch from the low capability operation mode to the full capability operation mode. The capability adaptation energy saving padding latency 2 indicates the minimum MAC padding duration of the initial frame required by the station to switch from the low capability operation mode to the high capability operation mode. When the high capability operation capability mode is equal to the full capability operation capability mode, the capability adaptation energy saving padding latency 2 field is not present. The capability adaptation energy saving padding latency field is encoded as shown in Table 3.

[0272] Table 3

[0273] The capability adaptation energy saving transition latency indicates the minimum latency required by the station operating in the capability adaptation energy saving operation mode to switch from the high capability operation mode to the low capability operation mode during the frame exchange.

[0274] In some embodiments, the capability adaptation energy saving transition latency 1 field indicates the minimum latency required by the station operating in the capability adaptation energy saving operation mode to switch from the full capability operation mode to the low capability operation mode during the frame exchange; the capability adaptation energy saving transition latency 2 field indicates the minimum latency required by the station operating in the capability adaptation energy saving operation mode to switch from the high capability operation mode to the low capability operation mode during the frame exchange. When the high capability operation capability mode is equal to the full capability operation capability mode, the capability adaptation energy saving transition latency 2 field is not present. The capability adaptation energy saving transition latency field is encoded as shown in Table 4.

[0275] Table 4

[0276] The low capability operation mode parameter field:

[0277] In some embodiments, the first capability operation parameter subfield carries at least one of the following fields:

[0278] The first capability operation bandwidth field; the first capability support highest order modulation corresponding MCS index field; the first capability receive maximum spatial stream field; the first capability transmit maximum spatial stream field; the first capability support PPDU format field;

[0279] The first capability operation bandwidth field is used for indicating an operation bandwidth supported for receiving and / or transmitting in the first capability operation mode; the first capability supported highest order modulation corresponding MCS index field is used for indicating an MCS index corresponding to a highest order modulation supported in the first capability operation mode; the first capability receiving maximum spatial stream field is used for indicating a maximum spatial stream supported for receiving in the first capability operation mode; the first capability transmitting maximum space-time stream field is used for indicating a maximum space-time stream supported for transmitting in the first capability operation mode; and the first capability supported PPDU format field is used for indicating a PPDU format supported for receiving and / or transmitting in the first capability operation mode.

[0280] For example, the first capability operation parameter subfield is a low capability operation mode parameter field, the first capability operation bandwidth field is a low capability operation bandwidth field, the first capability supported highest order modulation corresponding MCS index field is a low capability supported highest order modulation corresponding MCS index field, the first capability receiving maximum spatial stream field is a low capability receiving spatial stream number field, the first capability transmitting maximum space-time stream field is a low capability transmitting space-time stream number field, and the first capability supported PPDU format field is a low capability supported PPDU format field.

[0281] For the low capability operation mode parameter field, FIG. 15 shows a schematic diagram of a format of the low capability operation mode parameter field according to an example embodiment of the present application. The low capability operation mode parameter field includes at least one of the following: a low capability operation bandwidth field, a low capability supported highest order modulation corresponding MCS index field, a low capability receiving spatial stream number (RX NSS) field, a low capability transmitting space-time stream number (TX NSTS) field, and a low capability supported PPDU format field.

[0282] The low capability operation bandwidth field occupies B0-B3, the low capability supported highest order modulation corresponding MCS index field occupies B4-B6, the low capability RX NSS field occupies B7-B10, the low capability TX NSTS field occupies B11-B14, and the low capability supported PPDU format field occupies B15-B17.

[0283] The low capability operating bandwidth field indicates the operating bandwidth supported by the station for reception and transmission in the low capability operating mode. Optionally, the low capability operating bandwidth field can be encoded as follows: 0 for 20MHz; 1 for 40MHz; 2 for 80MHz; 3 for 160MHz and 80MHz+80MHz; 4 for 320MHz; and other encodings are reserved.

[0284] The low capability support highest order modulation corresponding MCS index field indicates the highest order modulation corresponding MCS index supported by the station in the low capability operating mode. Optionally, the corresponding MCS index of this field can be encoded as follows: 0 for Binary Phase Shift Keying (BPSK), 1 for Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (QPSK), 2 for 16-Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (16-QAM), …, 6 for 2048-QAM, and 7 for 4096-QAM.

[0285] The low capability RX NSS field indicates the maximum number of spatial streams (NSS) supported by the station for reception in the low capability operating mode, which can be set as NSS-1.

[0286] The low capability TX NSTS field indicates the maximum number of space-time streams (NSTS) supported by the station for transmission in the low capability operating mode, which can be set as NSTS-1.

[0287] The low capability support PPDU format field indicates the PPDU formats supported by the station for reception and / or transmission in the low capability operating mode, as shown in Table 5. By default, when the processing capability requirement of a certain PPDU format is less than or equal to the PPDU formats supported by the station, it means that the station also supports receiving and / or transmitting the PPDU format.

[0288] Table 5

[0289] The high capability operating mode parameter field:

[0290] In some embodiments, the second capability operating parameter subfield carries at least one of the following fields:

[0291] The second capability operating bandwidth field; the second capability support highest order modulation corresponding MCS index field; the second capability receive maximum spatial stream field; the second capability transmit maximum space-time stream field; the second capability support PPDU format field;

[0292] The second capability operation bandwidth field is used for indicating an operation bandwidth supported for receiving and / or transmitting in the second capability operation mode; the second capability supported highest order modulation corresponding MCS index field is used for indicating an MCS index corresponding to a highest order modulation supported in the second capability operation mode; the second capability receiving maximum spatial stream field is used for indicating a maximum spatial stream supported for receiving in the second capability operation mode; the second capability transmitting maximum space-time stream field is used for indicating a maximum space-time stream supported for transmitting in the second capability operation mode; and the second capability supported PPDU format field is used for indicating a PPDU format supported for receiving and / or transmitting in the second capability operation mode.

[0293] For example, the second capability operation parameter subfield is the high capability operation mode parameter field, the second capability operation bandwidth field is the high capability operation bandwidth field, the second capability supported highest order modulation corresponding MCS index field is the high capability supported highest order modulation corresponding MCS index field, the second capability receiving maximum spatial stream field is the high capability receiving spatial stream number field, the second capability transmitting maximum space-time stream field is the high capability transmitting space-time stream number field, and the second capability supported PPDU format field is the high capability supported PPDU format field.

[0294] For the high capability operation mode parameter field, FIG. 16 shows a schematic diagram of a format of the high capability operation mode parameter field according to an example embodiment of the present application. The high capability operation mode parameter field includes at least one of the following: a high capability operation bandwidth field, a high capability supported highest order modulation corresponding MCS index field, a high capability RX NSS field, a high capability TX NSTS field, and a high capability supported PPDU format field.

[0295] The high capability operation bandwidth field occupies B0-B3, the high capability supported highest order modulation corresponding MCS index field occupies B4-B6, the high capability RX NSS field occupies B7-B10, the high capability TX NSTS field occupies B11-B14, and the high capability supported PPDU format field occupies B15-B17.

[0296] The high capability operation bandwidth field indicates an operation bandwidth supported for receiving and transmitting in the high capability operation mode. Optionally, the high capability operation bandwidth field can be encoded as follows: 0 for 20MHz; 1 for 40MHz; 2 for 80MHz; 3 for 160MHz and 80MHz+80MHz; 4 for 320MHz; and other encoding modes are reserved.

[0297] The high capability support highest order modulation corresponding MCS index field indicates the highest order modulation corresponding MCS index supported by the station in the high capability operation mode. Optionally, the corresponding MCS index of this field can be encoded as follows: 0 for BPSK, 1 for QPSK, 2 for 16-QAM, …, 6 for 2048-QAM, 7 for 4096-QAM.

[0298] The high capability RX NSS field indicates the maximum spatial stream (NSS) supported by the station for reception in the high capability operation mode, whose value can be set as NSS minus 1.

[0299] The high capability TX NSTS field indicates the maximum space-time stream (NSTS) supported by the station for transmission in the high capability operation mode, whose value can be set as NSTS minus 1.

[0300] The high capability support PPDU format field indicates the PPDU format supported by the station for reception and / or transmission in the high capability operation mode, as shown in Table 5. By default, when the processing capability requirement of a certain PPDU format is less than or equal to the PPDU format indicated to be supported by the station, it means that the station also supports receiving and / or transmitting the PPDU format.

[0301] The above-mentioned station power consumption management mode indication information field format, capability adaptation energy saving delay parameter field format, low capability operation mode parameter field format, and high capability operation mode parameter field format are exemplary possible cases. In different embodiments or different designs, at least one of the following can change: the position of the above-mentioned fields in the frame, the arrangement order between the fields, the number of bytes occupied, the number of bits occupied, the element name, and the field name, and the present embodiment does not limit this.

[0302] Multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame and related fields:

[0303] The multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame is used to indicate the power consumption management mode in which the relevant affiliated stations of the multi-link device sending the notification frame will be in, and the operation parameters to be adopted by the corresponding power consumption management mode, or is used by the AP MLD as a response to the multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame received from the non-AP MLD.

[0304] The action field of the multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame contains information as shown in Table 6.

[0305] Table 6

[0306] Among them, the category field is defined according to the relevant content in the IEEE 802.11 standard.

[0307] The Protected UHR Action field contains 1 octet, which follows the Category field, to distinguish the UHR Action frame format.

[0308] The Dialog Token field is set to a non-zero value of its choice by an MLD indicating a multi-link power management mode, and is set to the value copied from the corresponding received Multi-Link Power Management Mode Indication Advertisement frame by the opposite end station (such as an associated AP MLD).

[0309] The Multi-Link Power Management Mode Indication element is used to indicate the power management mode (such as active mode, power save mode, dynamic capability adaptation power save mode) that the relevant affiliated station of a multi-link device (MLD) will be in and the operation parameters that the corresponding power management mode will adopt. The definition of the Multi-Link Power Management Mode Indication element is referred to the above description, which is not repeated here.

[0310] On the basis of the above-mentioned embodiment of FIG. 3 or the embodiment of FIG. 6, in the case where the first frame is a frame carrying multi-link power management mode indication information, the format of the multi-link power management mode indication related control subfield associated with the first frame is as follows.

[0311] Multi-link power management mode indication related control subfield variants:

[0312] In the Medium Access Control (MAC) frame format defined in the related protocol, the High Throughput (HT) control field can be carried in the Quality of Service (QoS) data frame, QoS Null, management frame, and Control Wrapper frame. The HT control field is 32 bits, and when B0 and B1 in it are both set to 1, it indicates that the HT control field is an HE variant HT control field, and B2-B31 are Aggregation-Control (A-Control) subfields. The A-Control subfield contains a control list subfield and a padding subfield, and the control list subfield contains one or more control subfields. Each control subfield contains a 4-bit Control ID subfield and a variable-length control information subfield, wherein the Control ID subfield indicates the type of information carried in the control information subfield.

[0313] In some embodiments, the first frame carries a control field, and the control field includes at least one of the following:

[0314] The fourth control field is used to indicate a first power consumption management mode in which a corresponding affiliated station of each link in the plurality of links will be in, and the first power consumption management mode includes an active mode or a power saving mode; the fifth control field is used to indicate whether a dynamic capability adaptation power saving mode is enabled for the corresponding affiliated station of each link in the plurality of links; and the sixth control field is used to indicate a first power consumption management mode in which the corresponding affiliated station of the link with the link ID i will be in, and the first power consumption management mode is the active mode, the power saving mode or the dynamic capability adaptation power saving mode.

[0315] For example, the fourth control field is a multi-link power consumption management mode control subfield, the fifth control field is a multi-link dynamic power saving mode enabling control subfield, and the sixth control field is a cross-link power consumption management mode control subfield.

[0316] In some embodiments, at least one of the fourth control field, the fifth control field and the sixth control field includes an expected effective duration subfield; or none of the fourth control field, the fifth control field and the sixth control field includes the expected effective duration subfield; wherein the expected effective duration subfield is used to indicate a duration required for the first power consumption management mode to take effect.

[0317] For the convenience of multi-link power consumption management mode indication operation, the multi-link power consumption management mode control subfield, the multi-link dynamic power saving mode enabling control subfield and the cross-link power consumption management mode control subfield are defined, as shown in Table 7.

[0318] Table 7

[0319] The multi-link power consumption management mode control subfield:

[0320] The multi-link power consumption management mode control subfield is used to indicate the power consumption management mode (including the active mode and the power saving mode) in which the corresponding affiliated station of one or more established links (or enabled links) of an MLD will be in. The control information subfield of the multi-link power consumption management mode control subfield contains the power consumption management mode information in which the corresponding affiliated station of one or more established links (or enabled links) of the MLD will be in.

[0321] In some embodiments, the fourth control field includes a fourth bitmap field, and a bit position i of the fourth bitmap field corresponds to a link with the link ID i, and is used to indicate that the first power consumption management mode of the corresponding affiliated station of the link with the link ID i is the active mode or the power saving mode, and i is an integer.

[0322] Figure 17 shows a diagram of a format of a multi-link power management mode control subfield according to an example embodiment of the application, the multi-link power management mode control subfield including at least one of: a multi-link power management mode indication bitmap field, an expected duration of validity field, a reserved field.

[0323] In some embodiments, the multi-link power management mode indication bitmap field occupies 16 bits, the expected duration of validity field occupies 12 bits, and the reserved field occupies 4 bits.

[0324] The multi-link power management mode indication bitmap subfield indicates the power management mode of the affiliated stations corresponding to the links (or enabled links) established by the MLD, i.e., indicates which of the affiliated stations corresponding to the links (or enabled links) established by the MLD will be in the active mode or the power saving mode.

[0325] In some embodiments, the bit position i of the multi-link power management mode indication bitmap subfield corresponds to the link whose link ID subfield is i. The i-th bit is set to 1 to indicate that the affiliated station corresponding to the link whose link ID subfield is i will be in the power saving mode, i.e., in the sleep state or in the wake-up state; the i-th bit is set to 0 to indicate that the affiliated station corresponding to the link whose link ID subfield is i will be in the active mode, i.e., in the wake-up state in the full-power power saving mode, or in the wake-up state in the dynamic power saving mode. The link whose link ID subfield is i is a link established by the MLD or an enabled link.

[0326] The expected duration of validity field indicates the duration required for the indicated multi-link power management mode to take effect, in TUs, 1 TU being a time measurement unit equal to 1024 microseconds. The start of the duration is the end of the second PPDU, or the end of the second PPDU plus a signal extension immediately following the second PPDU if the signal extension exists, and ends after the duration corresponding to the duration indicated by the expected duration of validity field. The second PPDU is sent by the second MLD receiving the first frame and carries an acknowledgement for the first frame.

[0327] For example, in Figure 5, in the case where the first frame carries the expected duration of validity field, the second frame is the second PPDU, the second PPDU carries an acknowledgement for the first frame, and assuming that the signal extension does not exist, the start of the duration is the end of the second PPDU.

[0328] In some embodiments, the multi-link power management mode control subfield, the multi-link dynamic power saving mode enablement control subfield, and the cross-link power management mode control subfield share one expected duration of validity field.

[0329] In some embodiments, the multi-link power consumption management mode control subfield, the multi-link dynamic energy saving mode enable control subfield, and the cross-link power consumption management mode control subfield respectively carry a desired effective duration field.

[0330] In the case that each of the three subfields carries a desired effective duration field, the desired effective duration fields are different or the same for the affiliated stations on different links.

[0331] The multi-link dynamic energy saving mode enable control subfield:

[0332] The multi-link dynamic energy saving mode enable control subfield is used for the MLD to indicate whether the dynamic energy saving mode is enabled for the affiliated station corresponding to one or more established links (or enabled links) of the MLD. The control information subfield of the multi-link dynamic energy saving mode enable control subfield is used to indicate whether the dynamic energy saving mode is enabled for the affiliated station corresponding to one or more established links (or enabled links) of the MLD.

[0333] In some embodiments, the fifth control field includes a fifth bitmap field, and a bit position i of the fifth bitmap field corresponds to a link with a link ID of i, and is used to indicate whether the first power consumption management mode of the affiliated station corresponding to the link with the link ID of i enables the dynamic capability adaptation energy saving mode, where i is an integer.

[0334] FIG. 18 shows a schematic diagram of a multi-link dynamic energy saving mode enable control subfield format according to an example embodiment of the present application, which includes at least one of the following: a multi-link dynamic energy saving mode indication bitmap field, a desired effective duration field, and a reserved field.

[0335] The multi-link dynamic energy saving mode indication bitmap field occupies 16 bits, the desired effective duration field occupies 12 bits, and the reserved field occupies 4 bits.

[0336] The definition of the multi-link dynamic energy saving mode indication bitmap subfield is described above with reference to the embodiment of FIG. 8, which will not be described here again.

[0337] The desired effective duration field is described above with reference to the multi-link power consumption management mode control subfield, which will not be described here again.

[0338] The cross-link power consumption management mode control subfield:

[0339] The cross-link power consumption management mode control subfield is used for the MLD to indicate the power consumption management mode (including the active mode and the energy saving mode and whether the dynamic energy saving mode is enabled) in which the affiliated station corresponding to one established link (or enabled link) of the MLD will be in, and the established link (or enabled link) is a different link from the first link.

[0340] The control information subfield of the cross-link power consumption management mode control subfield contains power consumption management mode information of the affiliated station corresponding to one established link (or enabled link) of the MLD, specifically including information of whether to be in an active mode or a power saving mode, and whether to enable a dynamic power saving mode.

[0341] In some embodiments, the sixth control field includes at least one of the following fields: a link ID subfield, a power consumption management mode subfield, and a capability adaptation power saving control subfield; the link ID subfield is used to indicate a link ID, the power consumption management mode subfield is used to indicate that the first power consumption management mode of the affiliated station corresponding to the link with the link ID i is an active mode or a power saving mode, and the capability adaptation power saving control subfield is used to indicate that the first power consumption management mode of the affiliated station corresponding to the link with the link ID i is a non-dynamic capability adaptation power saving mode or a dynamic capability adaptation power saving mode.

[0342] In some embodiments, the sixth control field further carries at least one of the following fields:

[0343] a first capability operation parameter information subfield and a second capability operation parameter information subfield; the capability corresponding to the first capability operation parameter information subfield is lower than the capability corresponding to the second capability operation parameter information subfield.

[0344] For example, the first capability operation parameter information subfield is a low capability operation parameter information field, and the second capability operation parameter information subfield is a high capability operation parameter information field.

[0345] In some embodiments, the format of the first capability operation parameter information subfield includes a mode index subfield or a first capability operation parameter subfield, and the first capability operation parameter subfield is used to indicate an operation parameter in a first capability operation mode; the format of the second capability operation parameter information subfield includes a mode index subfield or a second capability operation parameter subfield, and the second capability operation parameter subfield is used to indicate an operation parameter in a second capability operation mode; the capability corresponding to the first capability operation mode is lower than the capability corresponding to the second capability operation mode, and the mode index value of the mode index subfield is used to indicate an operation parameter corresponding to a capability adaptation power saving operation mode parameter control subfield carrying the mode index value.

[0346] For example, the first capability operation parameter subfield is a low capability operation mode parameter subfield, and the second capability operation parameter subfield is a high capability operation mode parameter subfield.

[0347] FIG. 19 shows a schematic diagram of a format of a cross-link power management mode control subfield according to an example embodiment of the present application, which includes at least one of the following: a link ID field, a power management mode field, a capability adaptation power saving control field, a capability adaptation power saving latency parameter field, a low capability operation parameter information field, and a high capability operation parameter information field.

[0348] In some embodiments, the link ID field occupies 4 bits, the power management mode field occupies 1 bit, the capability adaptation power saving control field occupies 7 bits, the capability adaptation power saving latency parameter field occupies 6 bits, the low capability operation parameter information field occupies 0 or 4 or 18 bits, and the high capability operation parameter information field occupies 0 or 4 or 18 bits.

[0349] The link ID subfield indicates the identity of the link on which the station corresponding to the MLD that has established the link (or enabled the link) described by the cross-link power management mode control subfield is located.

[0350] In some embodiments, the link ID is an integer ranging from 0 to 14, which is used to uniquely identify the affiliated station of the AP MLD corresponding to the link.

[0351] The power management mode subfield indicates that the affiliated station indicated by the link identification subfield will be in an active mode or a power saving mode. Wherein, the bit is set to 1 to indicate that the station indicated by the link identification subfield will be in a power saving mode, i.e. in a sleep state or in a wake-up state; the bit is set to 0 to indicate that the station indicated by the link identification subfield will be in an active mode, i.e. in a wake-up state in a full power saving mode, or in a wake-up state in a dynamic power saving mode.

[0352] The definition of the capability adaptation power saving control subfield is referred to the description of the embodiment of FIG. 12 above, which will not be repeated here.

[0353] The definition of the capability adaptation power saving latency parameter subfield is referred to the description of the embodiment of FIG. 14 above, which will not be repeated here.

[0354] The low capability operation parameter information field adopts one of the following two formats:

[0355] 1) a mode index subfield, the value of which is used to indicate the corresponding operation parameter defined by the capability adaptation power saving operation mode parameter control subfield carrying the mode index value; the capability adaptation power saving operation mode parameter control subfield is used to define the operation parameter corresponding to a specified low capability operation that the station can adopt after enabling (or entering) the capability adaptation power saving operation mode, and the corresponding operation mode can be identified by the mode index.

[0356] 2) Low capability operation mode parameter subfield, refer to the description of the embodiment of Fig. 15 above, which will not be repeated here.

[0357] The high capability operation parameter information field adopts one of the following two formats:

[0358] 1) Mode index subfield, the value of which is used to indicate the corresponding operation parameter defined by the capability adaptation energy saving operation mode parameter control subfield carrying the mode index value; the capability adaptation energy saving operation mode parameter control subfield is used to define the operation parameter corresponding to a specified high capability operation that the station can adopt after enabling (or entering) the capability adaptation energy saving operation mode, and the corresponding operation mode can be identified by the mode index.

[0359] 2) High capability operation mode parameter subfield, refer to the description of the embodiment of Fig. 16 above, which will not be repeated here.

[0360] Capability adaptation energy saving operation mode parameter control subfield:

[0361] The capability adaptation energy saving operation mode parameter control subfield is used to define the operation parameter corresponding to a specified low capability operation or high capability operation that the station can adopt after enabling (or entering) the capability adaptation energy saving operation mode, and the corresponding operation mode can be identified by the mode index, and its format is shown in Fig. 20. Fig. 20 shows a schematic diagram of the format of the capability adaptation energy saving operation mode parameter control subfield according to an example embodiment of the present application, which includes at least one of the following: mode index field, operation bandwidth field, supported MCS index field corresponding to the highest order modulation, RX NSS field, TX NSTS field, and supported PPDU format field.

[0362] Among them, the mode index field occupies B0-B3, the operation bandwidth field occupies B4-B7, the supported MCS index field corresponding to the highest order modulation occupies B8-B10, the RX NSS field occupies B11-B14, the TX NSTS field occupies B15-B18, and the supported PPDU format field occupies B19-B21.

[0363] The mode index subfield indicates the identification of the operation mode for capability adaptation energy saving defined by the capability adaptation energy saving operation mode parameter subfield where the mode index subfield is located.

[0364] The definitions of other subfields refer to the description of the embodiment of Fig. 15 or the embodiment of Fig. 16 above, which will not be repeated here.

[0365] The multi-link power management mode indication announcement frame and the related field format, the multi-link power management mode indication related control subfield variant format, the multi-link power management mode control subfield format, the multi-link dynamic energy saving mode enabling control subfield format, the cross-link power management mode control subfield format, and the capability adaptation energy saving operation mode parameter control subfield format are exemplary possible cases. In different embodiments or different designs, at least one of the following can be changed: the position of the above-mentioned fields in the frame, the arrangement order between the fields, the number of bytes occupied, the number of bits occupied, the element name, and the field name. The present embodiment does not limit this.

[0366] The actual effective time point at which the first MLD enters the first power management mode at the affiliated site corresponding to the second link is:

[0367] In the above embodiment, the opposite device associated with the first MLD is the second MLD, and the actual effective time point at which the first MLD enters the first power management mode at the affiliated site corresponding to the second link is determined based on one of the following time points:

[0368] The first time point is the end time of the second PPDU, the second PPDU carries an acknowledgement of the first frame or an acknowledgement of the second frame, the second frame is sent by the second MLD on the second link or the first link, and the second frame is used to respond to the first frame. The second time point is the transition timeout time point or the expected effective time point of the first power management mode, and the expected effective time point is the time point at which the first MLD is expected to enter the first power management mode at the affiliated site corresponding to the second link. The third time point is the time point at which the first MLD completes frame exchange at the affiliated site corresponding to the second link.

[0369] In some embodiments, the actual effective time point at which the first MLD enters the first power management mode at the affiliated site corresponding to the first link is determined based on one of the following time points:

[0370] The first time point is the end time of the second PPDU, the second PPDU carries an acknowledgement of the first frame or an acknowledgement of the second frame, the second frame is sent by the second MLD on the first link, and the second frame is used to respond to the first frame. The second time point is the transition timeout time point or the expected effective time point of the first power management mode, and the expected effective time point is the time point at which the first MLD is expected to enter the first power management mode at the affiliated site corresponding to the first link. The third time point is the time point at which the first MLD completes frame exchange at the affiliated site corresponding to the first link.

[0371] The expected effective time point is a time point at which the affiliated station corresponding to at least one of the plurality of links is expected to enter the first power consumption management mode, and the at least one link includes the first link and / or the second link.

[0372] The first power consumption management mode is for a link, and the link is any one of the one or more links. The first power consumption management mode corresponding to each link can be the same or different. The actual effective time point corresponding to each link can be the same or different. In this application, the first power consumption management mode in which the affiliated station corresponding to the second link will be in is mainly exemplified, and is also applicable to the first power consumption management mode in which the affiliated station corresponding to the first link will be in, and the embodiments of this application do not limit this.

[0373] The first time point:

[0374] In some embodiments, the actual effective time point is the first time point.

[0375] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 21, the second MLD is an AP MLD, the second link is link 1, the first frame is a first multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame, the second frame is a second multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame, and the second PPDU is a second acknowledgement frame, in a case where the second PPDU carries an acknowledgement of the first frame.

[0376] The second multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame is sent by an affiliated access point AP1 of the AP MLD on link 1, the affiliated station of the first MLD on the second link is STA1, and the actual effective time point at which STA1 enters the first power consumption management mode is the end time of the second acknowledgement frame.

[0377] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 22, the second PPDU is a block acknowledgement frame, the second link is link 4, the affiliated station of the first MLD on the second link is STA4, and the actual effective time point at which STA4 enters the first power consumption management mode is the end time of the block acknowledgement frame, in a case where the second PPDU carries an acknowledgement of the first frame.

[0378] In some embodiments, the first time point is: an end time of the second PPDU; or, an end time of signal extension after the second PPDU.

[0379] In some embodiments, the first frame and / or the second frame are also used to indicate an expected effective time point, and the expected effective time point is a time point at which the affiliated station of the first MLD on the second link and / or the first link is expected to enter the first power consumption management mode.

[0380] For example, in FIG. 21, the second multi-link power consumption management mode indication announcement frame is a second frame, and is used to indicate an expected effective time point of the first power consumption management mode, and the expected effective time point is the end time of the second confirmation frame; in FIG. 22, the first frame is used to indicate an expected effective time point of the first power consumption management mode, and the expected effective time point is the end time of the block confirmation frame.

[0381] In some embodiments, the first frame and / or the second frame are further used to indicate an expected effective time point, and the expected effective time point is a time point at which the first MLD expects the first power consumption management mode to be entered at a station affiliated to the first link.

[0382] In some embodiments, the second frame carries at least one of the following fields: a first indication time subfield, used to indicate an expected effective time point of the first power consumption management mode, and the expected effective time point is a time point at which the first MLD expects the first power consumption management mode to be entered at a station affiliated to the second link; and a first duration subfield, used to indicate a duration required for the first power consumption management mode to be expected to be effective, and the duration starts from the end of the second PPDU, or the duration starts from the end of a signal extension after the second PPDU. For specific implementation details, reference is made to the embodiment of FIG. 8, which will not be described here again.

[0383] In some embodiments, the second frame carries at least one of the following fields: a first indication time subfield, used to indicate an expected effective time point of the first power consumption management mode, and the expected effective time point is a time point at which the first MLD expects the first power consumption management mode to be entered at a station affiliated to the second link; and a first duration subfield, used to indicate a duration required for the first power consumption management mode to be expected to be effective, and the duration starts from the end of the second PPDU, or the duration starts from the end of a signal extension after the second PPDU.

[0384] In some embodiments, in a case where the second station is not a transmission opportunity holder or a transmission opportunity responder, the second station enters the first power consumption management mode at a time point after the first time point and corresponding to a first determination delay; the second station is one of a plurality of stations affiliated to the first MLD, and the second station is associated with the second link, and the first determination delay is a delay caused by the second station for determining whether the second station is the transmission opportunity holder or the transmission opportunity responder.

[0385] In some embodiments, in a case where the first station is not a transmission opportunity holder or a transmission opportunity responder, the first station enters the first power consumption management mode at a time point after the first time point and corresponding to a first determination delay; the first station is one of a plurality of stations affiliated to the first MLD, and the first station is associated with the first link, and the first determination delay is a delay caused by the first station for determining whether the first station is the transmission opportunity holder or the transmission opportunity responder.

[0386] In some embodiments, in a case where the second station is not a transmission opportunity holder or a transmission opportunity responder, the actual effective time point at which the second station enters the first power consumption management mode is a time point corresponding to a first determination delay after the first time point; wherein the second station is one of a plurality of affiliated stations of the first MLD, the second station is associated with the second link, and the first determination delay is a delay caused by the second station for determining whether it is a transmission opportunity holder or a transmission opportunity responder.

[0387] In some embodiments, in a case where the first station is not a transmission opportunity holder or a transmission opportunity responder, the actual effective time point at which the first station enters the first power consumption management mode is a time point corresponding to a first determination delay after the first time point; wherein the first station is one of a plurality of affiliated stations of the first MLD, the first station is associated with the second link, and the first determination delay is a delay caused by the first station for determining whether it is a transmission opportunity holder or a transmission opportunity responder.

[0388] In a case where the actual effective time point is the first time point, the first power consumption management mode can be entered after receiving the confirmation, without waiting for a long time.

[0389] The second time point:

[0390] In some embodiments, at the second time point, the second station enters the first power consumption management mode; wherein the second station is one of a plurality of affiliated stations of the first MLD, and the second station is associated with the second link.

[0391] In some embodiments, at the second time point, the first station enters the first power consumption management mode; wherein the first station is one of a plurality of affiliated stations of the first MLD, and the first station is associated with the first link.

[0392] In some embodiments, the actual effective time point at which the second station enters the first power consumption management mode is the second time point; wherein the second station is one of a plurality of affiliated stations of the first MLD, and the second station is associated with the second link.

[0393] In some embodiments, the actual effective time point at which the first station enters the first power consumption management mode is the second time point; wherein the first station is one of a plurality of affiliated stations of the first MLD, and the first station is associated with the first link.

[0394] In some embodiments, the first MLD receives a third frame sent by the second MLD before the first MLD sends the first frame, and the third frame is used to indicate the conversion timeout time point.

[0395] In some embodiments, the second MLD transmits a third frame before the first MLD transmits the first frame, the third frame being used to indicate a transition timeout time point.

[0396] In some embodiments, the transition timeout time point is a time point indicated by the transition timeout time after a first time, the first time being an end of the first PPDU, or the first time being an end of a signal extension after the first PPDU, the first PPDU carrying an acknowledgement of the first frame.

[0397] As shown in FIG. 23, the first MLD is a non-AP MLD, the second MLD is an AP MLD, the second station is STA1, the first frame is a multi-link power management mode indication notification frame, the third frame is a beacon frame, the first PPDU is an acknowledgement frame, and the first time is an end of the first PPDU, and the transition timeout time point is a time point indicated by the transition timeout time after the end of the first PPDU.

[0398] The transition timeout time point is an actual power management mode switching effective time point of STA1, and at the transition timeout time point, STA1 enters the first power management mode.

[0399] As shown in FIG. 24, the first MLD is a non-AP MLD, the second MLD is an AP MLD, the second station is STA2, the third frame is a beacon frame, the first PPDU is a block acknowledgement frame, the first time is an end of the first PPDU, and the transition timeout time point is a time point indicated by the transition timeout time after the end of the first PPDU.

[0400] The transition timeout time point is an actual power management mode switching effective time point of STA2, and at the transition timeout time point, STA2 enters the first power management mode.

[0401] In some embodiments, at a second time point, the second station enters the first power management mode, in a case that the second station does not initiate or is not in frame exchange at an expected effective time point; the expected effective time point being a time point at which the first MLD expects the affiliated station corresponding to the second link to enter the first power management mode.

[0402] In some embodiments, at a second time point, the first station enters the first power management mode, in a case that the first station does not initiate or is not in frame exchange at an expected effective time point; the expected effective time point being a time point at which the first MLD expects the affiliated station corresponding to the first link to enter the first power management mode.

[0403] In some embodiments, the actual effective time point at which the second station enters the first power consumption management mode is the second time point in a case that the second station does not initiate or is not in the frame exchange at the expected effective time point; wherein the expected effective time point is a time point at which the first MLD expects the affiliated station corresponding to the second link to enter the first power consumption management mode.

[0404] In some embodiments, the actual effective time point at which the first station enters the first power consumption management mode is the second time point in a case that the first station does not initiate or is not in the frame exchange at the expected effective time point; wherein the expected effective time point is a time point at which the first MLD expects the affiliated station corresponding to the first link to enter the first power consumption management mode.

[0405] In some embodiments, the second station enters the first power consumption management mode at a time point corresponding to a second determination delay after the second time point in a case that the second station does not initiate or is not in the frame exchange at the expected effective time point; wherein the second determination delay is a delay caused by the first MLD for determining whether to initiate the frame exchange with the second MLD.

[0406] In some embodiments, the first station enters the first power consumption management mode at a time point corresponding to a second determination delay after the second time point in a case that the first station does not initiate or is not in the frame exchange at the expected effective time point; wherein the second determination delay is a delay caused by the first MLD for determining whether to initiate the frame exchange with the second MLD.

[0407] In some embodiments, the actual effective time point at which the second station enters the first power consumption management mode is a time point corresponding to a second determination delay after the second time point in a case that the second station does not initiate or is not in the frame exchange at the expected effective time point; wherein the second determination delay is a delay caused by the first MLD for determining whether to initiate the frame exchange with the second MLD.

[0408] In some embodiments, the actual effective time point at which the first station enters the first power consumption management mode is a time point corresponding to a second determination delay after the second time point in a case that the first station does not initiate or is not in the frame exchange at the expected effective time point; wherein the second determination delay is a delay caused by the first MLD for determining whether to initiate the frame exchange with the second MLD.

[0409] In some embodiments, the second station does not initiate the frame exchange during the current acquired transmission opportunity in a case that the second station does not initiate or is not in the frame exchange at the expected effective time point.

[0410] In some embodiments, the frame exchange is not initiated in a case that the second station determines that the received PPDU is not sent to itself.

[0411] In the case that the actual effective time point is the second time point, the first power consumption management mode can be entered after the conversion timeout time elapses, without waiting for the channel to exit the busy state before entering the first power consumption management mode, reducing the waiting time.

[0412] The third time point:

[0413] In some embodiments, at the third time point, the second station enters the first power consumption management mode in the case that the second station initiates or is in frame exchange at an expected effective time point, and / or in the case that the second station is a transmission opportunity holder; wherein the second station is one of a plurality of affiliated stations of the first MLD, the second station is associated with the second link, and the expected effective time point is a time point at which the first MLD expects the affiliated station corresponding to the second link to enter the first power consumption management mode.

[0414] In some embodiments, at the third time point, the first station enters the first power consumption management mode in the case that the first station initiates or is in frame exchange at an expected effective time point, and / or in the case that the first station is a transmission opportunity holder; wherein the first station is one of a plurality of affiliated stations of the first MLD, the first station is associated with the first link, and the expected effective time point is a time point at which the first MLD expects the affiliated station corresponding to the first link to enter the first power consumption management mode.

[0415] In some embodiments, the actual effective time point at which the second station enters the first power consumption management mode is the third time point in the case that the second station initiates or is in frame exchange at an expected effective time point, and / or in the case that the second station is a transmission opportunity holder; wherein the second station is one of a plurality of affiliated stations of the first MLD, the second station is associated with the second link, and the expected effective time point is a time point at which the first MLD expects the affiliated station corresponding to the second link to enter the first power consumption management mode.

[0416] In some embodiments, the actual effective time point at which the first station enters the first power consumption management mode is the third time point in the case that the first station initiates or is in frame exchange at an expected effective time point, and / or in the case that the first station is a transmission opportunity holder; wherein the first station is one of a plurality of affiliated stations of the first MLD, the first station is associated with the first link, and the expected effective time point is a time point at which the first MLD expects the affiliated station corresponding to the first link to enter the first power consumption management mode.

[0417] As shown in FIG. 25, the first MLD is a non-AP MLD, the second MLD is an AP MLD, the second station is STA1, the expected effective time point is the switching timeout time point, and the third time point is the time point at which the second station completes the frame exchange. Since the first MLD and the second MLD do not complete the frame exchange at the switching timeout time point, the STA1 enters the first power consumption management mode at the time point at which the frame exchange is completed.

[0418] As shown in FIG. 26, the first MLD is a non-AP MLD, the second MLD is an AP MLD, the second station is STA1, the expected effective time point is the switching timeout time point, and the third time point is the time point at which the second station completes the frame exchange. Since the first MLD and the second MLD do not complete the frame exchange at the switching timeout time point, the STA1 enters the first power consumption management mode at the time point at which the frame exchange is completed.

[0419] In some embodiments, before the expected effective time point, the second access point does not actively initiate the frame exchange with the second station in a case where the second access point is a transmission opportunity holder; wherein the second access point is an affiliated access point of the second MLD, and the second access point is associated with the second link.

[0420] In some embodiments, before the expected effective time point, the first access point does not actively initiate the frame exchange with the first station in a case where the first access point is a transmission opportunity holder; wherein the second access point is an affiliated access point of the second MLD, and the first access point is associated with the first link.

[0421] In some embodiments, the frame exchange is initiated in a case where the second station determines that the received PPDU is sent to itself.

[0422] In some embodiments, the frame exchange is initiated by the first MLD or by the second MLD.

[0423] In a case where the actual effective time point is the third time point, the first power consumption management mode is entered after the frame exchange is completed, so as not to affect the normal execution of the frame exchange.

[0424] The expected effective time point:

[0425] The first power consumption management mode in which the affiliated station is to be is for a link, and the link is any one of one or more links. The first power consumption management mode corresponding to each link can be the same or different. The expected effective time points corresponding to each link can be the same or different. In this application, the first power consumption management mode in which the affiliated station corresponding to the second link is taken as an example for illustration, and it is also applicable to the first power consumption management mode in which the affiliated station corresponding to the first link is taken, which is not limited in the embodiments of the application.

[0426] In some embodiments, the expected taking effect time point is determined based on at least one of the following:

[0427] the first time point; a transition timeout time point of the first power consumption management mode; a field in the first frame for indicating the expected taking effect time point; wherein the expected taking effect time point is a time point at which the first MLD expects the affiliated station corresponding to the second link and / or the first link to enter the first power consumption management mode, and the transition timeout time point is indicated by the third frame sent by the second MLD.

[0428] determined based on the first time point:

[0429] In some embodiments, in a case where the first frame does not carry the field for indicating the expected taking effect time point and the first MLD receives the second frame, the expected taking effect time point is determined based on the first time point.

[0430] In a case where the first frame is the multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame, if the power consumption management indication time subfield and / or the expected duration subfield in the multi-link power consumption management mode indication element do not exist, and the first MLD receives the second frame sent by the second MLD, then the expected taking effect time point is determined based on the first time point.

[0431] The first time point is a moment of the end of the second PPDU, the second PPDU carries an acknowledgement of the first frame or an acknowledgement of the second frame, the second frame is sent by the second MLD on the second link or the first link, and the second frame is used to respond to the first frame. For specific implementation details, refer to the above embodiments related to the first time point, which will not be described here.

[0432] determined based on the transition timeout time point of the first power consumption management mode:

[0433] In some embodiments, in a case where the first frame does not carry the field for indicating the expected taking effect time point and the first MLD does not receive the second frame, the expected taking effect time point is determined based on the transition timeout time point of the first power consumption management mode.

[0434] In a case where the first frame is the multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame, if the power consumption management indication time subfield and / or the expected duration subfield in the multi-link power consumption management mode indication element do not exist, and the first MLD does not receive the second frame sent by the second MLD, then the expected taking effect time point is determined based on the transition timeout time point of the first power consumption management mode.

[0435] Specifically, the conversion timeout time starts from the end of PPDU[+SigExt], which is the first PPDU sent by the second MLD, carrying the acknowledgement to the first frame; wherein PPDU[+SigExt] represents the first PPDU plus a signal extension after the first PPDU (if the signal extension exists), or the first PPDU (if the signal extension does not exist).

[0436] As shown in FIG. 4, in the case where the first frame is the first multi-link power management mode indication notification frame, the above-mentioned first PPDU is the first acknowledgement frame to the first multi-link power management mode indication notification frame, and the conversion timeout time starts from the end of the first acknowledgement frame, assuming that the signal extension does not exist.

[0437] In the case where the first frame is the frame carrying the multi-link power management mode indication information, if the multi-link power management mode control subfield carried by the first MLD, and / or the multi-link dynamic energy saving mode enablement control subfield, and / or the cross-link power management mode control subfield does not contain the expected effective duration subfield, or the expected effective duration subfield value carried is 0, then the expected effective time point is determined based on the conversion timeout time point of the first power management mode.

[0438] Specifically, the conversion timeout time starts from the end of PPDU[+SigExt], which is the first PPDU sent by the second MLD, carrying the acknowledgement to the first frame; wherein PPDU[+SigExt] represents the first PPDU plus a signal extension after the first PPDU (if the signal extension exists), or the first PPDU (if the signal extension does not exist).

[0439] As shown in FIG. 5, in the case where the first frame is the frame carrying the multi-link power management mode indication information, the above-mentioned first PPDU is the second frame to the first frame, carrying the acknowledgement to the first frame, and at this time the second frame is both the first PPDU and the second PPDU. Assuming that the signal extension does not exist, the start point of the conversion timeout time is the end of the second frame.

[0440] Based on the field for indicating the expected effective time point:

[0441] In some embodiments, in the case where the first frame carries the field for indicating the expected effective time point, the expected effective time point is determined based on the field for indicating the expected effective time point.

[0442] In the case that the first frame is a multi-link power management mode indication information carrying frame, if the multi-link power management mode indication time subfield and / or the expected duration subfield in the multi-link power management mode indication element exist, the expected taking effect time point is determined based on the multi-link power management mode indication time subfield and / or the expected duration subfield.

[0443] In the case that the first frame is a multi-link power management mode indication information carrying frame, if the multi-link power management mode control subfield, and / or the multi-link dynamic power saving mode enable control subfield, and / or the cross-link power management mode control subfield carried by the first MLD contains the expected taking effect duration subfield, the expected taking effect time point is determined based on the expected taking effect duration subfield.

[0444] Specifically, the expected taking effect duration starts from the end of the PPDU[+SigExt] of the first PPDU sent by the second MLD, which carries the acknowledgement for the first frame; wherein the PPDU[+SigExt] represents the first PPDU plus a signal extension (if the signal extension exists) after the first PPDU, or the first PPDU (if the signal extension does not exist).

[0445] Since the order of magnitude of the expected taking effect duration is usually milliseconds, and the order of magnitude of the conversion timeout time is usually microseconds, in general cases, the expected taking effect duration is greater than the conversion timeout time.

[0446] As shown in FIG. 5, in the case that the first frame is a multi-link power management mode indication information carrying frame, the above-mentioned first PPDU is a second frame for the first frame, which carries the acknowledgement for the first frame, at this time the second frame is both the first PPDU and the second PPDU. Assuming that the signal extension does not exist, the starting point of the conversion timeout time is the end time of the second frame.

[0447] In some embodiments, the first frame is a multi-link power management mode indication information carrying frame, the first frame carries a power management indication time subfield and / or an expected duration subfield, the power management indication time subfield and / or the expected duration subfield are used to indicate an expected taking effect time point, and the actual taking effect time point of the first MLD for the affiliated station corresponding to the second link entering the first power management mode is the expected taking effect time point.

[0448] As shown in FIG. 27, the first MLD is a non-AP MLD, the second MLD is an AP MLD, the first MLD is STA1 for the affiliated station corresponding to the second link, the first frame is a multi-link power management mode indication information carrying frame, the first frame carries a power management indication time subfield and / or an expected duration subfield, and the power management indication time subfield and / or the expected duration subfield are used to indicate an expected taking effect time point.

[0449] The expected effective time point and the actual power consumption management mode switching effective time point of STA1 are the same. At the expected effective time point, STA1 enters the first power consumption management mode.

[0450] For the above multi-link power consumption management mode, when the first MLD (non-AP MLD) is associated with the second MLD (AP MLD), and a plurality of links (such as link 1 and link 2) are established with the AP MLD, the non-AP MLD (or the AP MLD) can indicate the multi-link power consumption management mode in which the affiliated station corresponding to the link (or the enabled link) of the MLD will be in, or is changing the multi-link power consumption management mode operation of the corresponding affiliated station and / or whether to enable the dynamic energy saving operation, through the multi-link (or cross-link) power consumption management mode indication operation. The operation rules of the multi-link (or cross-link) power consumption management mode indication operation are as follows.

[0451] 1. For the multi-link (or cross-link) power consumption management mode indication initiated by the first MLD (non-AP MLD), when one of the affiliated stations of the first MLD is the station (for example, STA1) indicated to be in the first power consumption management mode, and the power consumption management mode of the station is switched from the active mode to the indicated energy saving mode, or from the wake-up state in the dynamic energy saving mode to the sleep state, or from the active mode to the wake-up state in the dynamic energy saving mode, or from the wake-up state in one dynamic energy saving mode to the wake-up state in another indicated dynamic energy saving mode (for example, the dynamic energy saving operation parameter such as the low capability operation parameter or the high capability operation parameter is updated), at least one of the following rules needs to be followed.

[0452] (1) At the expected effective time point (T0) of the power consumption management mode, if the affiliated station of the non-AP MLD is neither a transmission opportunity holder (TXOP holder) nor a transmission opportunity responder (TXOP responder), the affiliated station enters the indicated power consumption management mode after T0+T-delay, where T-delay is the possible delay for the affiliated station to determine that it is neither a transmission opportunity holder nor a transmission opportunity responder, and T-delay can be 0.

[0453] In some embodiments, if the affiliated station is receiving a PPDU at the expected effective time point, the indicated power consumption management mode is entered after confirming that the PPDU is not sent to itself, that is, T-delay is taken as the time interval between the expected effective time point and the time when it is confirmed that the PPDU is not sent to itself.

[0454] (2) At the expected entry time of the power management mode, if the AP MLD corresponding to the affiliated AP to which the affiliated station (set as STA1) of the non-AP MLD is associated is the TXOP holder and has initiated a frame exchange with STA1, STA1 enters the indicated power management mode after the frame exchange ends.

[0455] In some embodiments, if the affiliated station is receiving a PPDU at the expected entry time of the power management mode, it participates in a frame exchange after confirming that the PPDU is addressed to itself until the frame exchange ends; STA1 enters the indicated power management mode after the frame exchange ends.

[0456] (3) At the expected entry time of the power management mode, if the affiliated station (set as STA1) of the non-AP MLD is the TXOP holder and has initiated or is initiating a frame exchange with the AP, STA1 enters the indicated power management mode after the frame exchange ends (or the TXOP ends).

[0457] (4) At the expected entry time of the power management mode, if the AP MLD corresponding to the affiliated AP (set as AP1) to which the affiliated station (STA1) of the non-AP MLD is associated is the TXOP holder and has not initiated a frame exchange with STA1 or the PPDU being sent does not carry a frame addressed to STA1, AP1 does not initiate a frame exchange with STA1 during the current acquired TXOP.

[0458] 2. For a multi-link (or cross-link) power management mode indication initiated by the first MLD (non-AP MLD), when one of the affiliated stations of the first MLD is the station (set as STA1) that is indicated to change the power management mode, and the power management mode of the station is switched from the current power saving mode (i.e., in the sleep state or the wake-up state) or the sleep state to the indicated active mode or the wake-up state in the dynamic power saving mode, at least one of the following rules needs to be followed.

[0459] (1) At the expected entry time of the power management mode, if the affiliated station (set as STA1) of the non-AP MLD is the TXOP holder and / or has initiated or is initiating a frame exchange with the AP, STA1 enters the indicated power management mode after the frame exchange ends (or the TXOP ends); if STA1 does not initiate a frame exchange with the AP, STA1 enters the indicated power management mode at the expected entry time.

[0460] (2) If the AP MLD corresponding to the AP to which the non-AP MLD's station (STA1) is associated (set as AP1) is the TXOP holder at the expected entry time of the power management mode, the STA1 does not actively initiate frame exchange with the STA1.

[0461] 3. For the multi-link (or cross-link) power management mode indication initiated by the first MLD (non-AP MLD), when one of the first MLD's stations is the station (set as STA1) indicated to change the power management mode, and the power management mode of the station is switched from the wake-up state in the dynamic energy saving mode to the active mode, or from the wake-up state in one dynamic energy saving mode to the wake-up state in another indicated dynamic energy saving mode (such as the update of the low-capability operation parameter or the high-capability operation parameter, etc. dynamic energy saving operation parameter), at least one of the following rules needs to be followed.

[0462] (1) If the non-AP MLD's station (set as STA1) is in frame exchange with the AP MLD's station at the expected entry time of the power management mode, the STA1 enters the indicated power management mode after the frame exchange (or TXOP) ends.

[0463] (2) If the STA1 is not in frame exchange with the AP at the expected entry time of the power management mode, the STA1 enters the indicated power management mode after the expected entry time + decision delay, where the decision delay is the possible delay for the STA1 to determine whether it is currently participating in the AP frame exchange, and the decision delay can be 0.

[0464] In some embodiments, if the station is receiving a PPDU at the expected entry time, it enters the indicated power management mode after confirming that the PPDU is not intended for itself, i.e. the decision delay is the time interval between the expected entry time and the time when it is confirmed that the PPDU is not intended for itself.

[0465] The capability information of the second MLD:

[0466] In some embodiments, the first MLD receives the capability information sent by the second MLD; wherein the second MLD is a peer device associated with the first MLD, and the capability information is used to indicate that the second MLD supports cross-link power management capability or multi-link power management capability.

[0467] In some embodiments, the second MLD sends the capability information; wherein the capability information is used to indicate that the second MLD supports cross-link power management capability or multi-link power management capability.

[0468] In some embodiments, the multi-link power management mode indication capability subfield can be used to indicate that the second MLD supports a cross-link power management capability or a multi-link power management capability.

[0469] The multi-link power management mode indication capability subfield indicates whether the multi-link (or cross-link) power management mode is supported, and the multi-link power management mode indication transition timeout time; wherein the basic multi-link element includes the multi-link power management mode indication capability subfield, and the basic multi-link element is carried in a management frame. For example, the multi-link power management mode indication capability subfield is added in the common information field of the basic multi-link element, as shown in FIG. 28.

[0470] Common information field of the basic multi-link element:

[0471] FIG. 28 shows a schematic diagram of a common information field format of a basic multi-link element according to an example embodiment of the present application. The common information field of the basic multi-link element includes at least one of the following: a common information length field, an MLD MAC address field, a link ID information field, a BSS parameter change count field, a medium synchronization delay information field, an enhanced multi-link (EML) capability field, an MLD capability and operation field, an AP MLD ID field, an extended MLD capability and operation field, and a multi-link power management mode indication capability field.

[0472] The common information length field occupies 1 byte, the MLD MAC address field occupies 6 bytes, the link ID information field occupies 0 or 1 byte, the BSS parameter change count field occupies 0 or 1 byte, the medium synchronization delay information field occupies 0 or 2 bytes, the EML capability field occupies 0 or 2 bytes, the MLD capability and operation field occupies 0 or 2 bytes, the AP MLD ID field occupies 0 or 1 byte, the extended MLD capability and operation field occupies 0 or 2 bytes, and the multi-link power management mode indication capability field occupies 0 or 1 byte.

[0473] The multi-link power management mode indication support (sub) field indicates whether the MLD described in the basic multi-link element supports the multi-link power management mode indication operation. If the MLD supports the multi-link power management mode indication operation, the multi-link power management mode indication support subfield is set to 1; otherwise, it is set to 0. Alternatively, if the MLD supports the multi-link power management mode indication operation, the multi-link power management mode indication support subfield is set to 0; otherwise, it is set to 1.

[0474] The (sub-)field of the multi-link power management mode indication transition timeout indicates a timeout value of the exchange of the multi-link power management mode indication announcement frame when the multi-link power management mode indication is performed.

[0475] The (sub-)field of the multi-link power management mode indication capability field includes at least one of the following: the multi-link power management mode indication support field, the multi-link power management mode indication transition timeout field, and the reserved field.

[0476] For the multi-link power management mode indication capability (sub-)field, FIG. 29 shows a schematic diagram of the format of the multi-link power management mode indication capability field according to an example embodiment of the present application. The multi-link power management mode indication capability field includes at least one of the following: the multi-link power management mode indication support field, the multi-link power management mode indication transition timeout field, and the reserved field.

[0477] The multi-link power management mode indication support field occupies 1 bit, the multi-link power management mode indication transition timeout field occupies 4 bits, and the reserved field occupies 3 bits.

[0478] In the case where the multi-link power management mode indication transition timeout subfield is included in the frame sent by the affiliated AP of the AP MLD, the setting of the multi-link power management mode indication transition timeout subfield can be defined by using the encoding example of the multi-link power management mode indication transition timeout subfield defined in Table 8. 1TU is a time measurement unit equal to 1024 microseconds.

[0479] Table 8

[0480] The format of the common information field of the basic multi-link element and the format of the multi-link power management mode indication capability field are example possible cases. In different embodiments or different designs, at least one of the following can change: the position of the field in the frame, the arrangement order between the fields, the number of bytes occupied, the number of bits occupied, the element name, and the field name, and the present embodiment does not limit this.

[0481] For the first frame being the multi-link power management mode indication announcement frame, or the first frame being the frame carrying the multi-link power management mode indication information, and the actual effective time point of the affiliated station corresponding to the second link of the first MLD entering the first power management mode, the present application provides the following embodiments as examples.

[0482] Embodiment 1: The first frame is the multi-link power management mode indication announcement frame, and the actual effective time point is the first time point.

[0483] Figure 21 shows a diagram of a power consumption management method according to an example embodiment. The first MLD is a non-AP MLD, and the second MLD is an AP MLD. The non-AP MLD is associated with the AP MLD, and the non-AP MLD has established two links (link 1 and link 2) with the AP MLD.

[0484] The AP MLD carries a basic multi-link element and a multi-link power consumption management mode indication transition time (or transition time) in a transmitted beacon frame, and indicates that the multi-link power consumption management mode indication is supported (i.e., the multi-link power consumption management mode indication support subfield is set to 1). The multi-link power consumption management mode indication transition time is indicated by the multi-link power consumption management mode indication transition time subfield.

[0485] Before switching the power consumption management mode, the affiliated stations STA1 and STA2 of the non-AP MLD are in the active mode.

[0486] The non-AP MLD can indicate the multi-link power consumption management mode in which the affiliated stations of the non-AP MLD have established links (or have enabled links) will be in, or is changing the multi-link power consumption management mode of the affiliated stations and / or whether to enable the dynamic energy saving operation, through the multi-link (or cross-link) power consumption management mode indication operation.

[0487] For example, the affiliated station STA2 of the non-AP MLD obtains a transmission opportunity (TXOP) on the link 2, and sends a first multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame indicating that the STA1 on the link 1 is switched from the active mode to the dynamic capability adaptation energy saving mode. After the AP MLD receives the first multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame on the link 2, the AP MLD sends a first acknowledgement frame, and within the transition time, sends a corresponding second multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame to the STA1 on the link 1. After the STA1 receives the second multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame, the STA1 returns a second acknowledgement frame. At the first time point, the power consumption management mode of the STA1 is switched from the active mode to the dynamic capability adaptation energy saving mode.

[0488] Embodiment 2: The first frame is a multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame, and the actual effective time point is the second time point.

[0489] Figure 23 shows a diagram of a power consumption management method according to an example embodiment. The first MLD is a non-AP MLD, and the second MLD is an AP MLD. The non-AP MLD is associated with the AP MLD, and the non-AP MLD has established two links (link 1 and link 2) with the AP MLD.

[0490] The AP MLD carries the basic multi-link element and the multi-link power management mode indication transition timeout time (or transition timeout time) in the transmitted beacon frame, and indicates that the multi-link power management mode indication is supported (i.e., the multi-link power management mode indication support subfield is set to 1). The multi-link power management mode indication transition timeout time is indicated by the multi-link power management mode indication transition timeout time subfield.

[0491] Before switching the power management mode, the affiliated stations STA1 and STA2 of the non-AP MLD are in the active mode.

[0492] The non-AP MLD can indicate, through the multi-link (or cross-link) power management mode indication operation, the multi-link power management mode in which the affiliated stations corresponding to the established links (or enabled links) will be in, or is changing the multi-link power management mode operation of the corresponding affiliated stations and / or whether to enable the dynamic energy saving operation.

[0493] For example, the affiliated station STA2 of the non-AP MLD obtains the transmission opportunity on the link 2, and sends the multi-link power management mode indication notification frame, indicating that STA1 on the link 1 is switched from the active mode to the energy saving mode (sleep state or wake-up state). After the AP MLD receives the multi-link power management mode indication notification frame on the link 2, the confirmation frame is sent. However, the affiliated AP (AP1) of the AP MLD is in the channel busy state, and cannot send the corresponding multi-link power management mode indication notification frame to STA1 within the multi-link power management mode indication transition timeout time. After the transition timeout time, STA1 is still in the channel busy state, but is not in the frame exchange state, so at the second time point (the transition timeout time point), the power management mode of STA1 is switched from the active mode to the energy saving mode (sleep state or wake-up state).

[0494] Embodiment 3: The first frame is the multi-link power management mode indication notification frame, and the actual effective time point is the third time point.

[0495] FIG. 25 shows a schematic diagram of a power management method according to an example embodiment of the present application. The first MLD is a non-AP MLD, and the second MLD is an AP MLD. The non-AP MLD is associated with the AP MLD, and the non-AP MLD and the AP MLD establish two links (link 1 and link 2).

[0496] The AP MLD carries the basic multi-link element and the multi-link power management mode indication transition timeout time (or transition timeout time) in the transmitted beacon frame, and indicates that the multi-link power management mode indication is supported (i.e., the multi-link power management mode indication support subfield is set to 1). The multi-link power management mode indication transition timeout time is indicated by the multi-link power management mode indication transition timeout time subfield.

[0497] Before switching the power management mode, the affiliated stations STA1 and STA2 of the non-AP MLD are in the active mode.

[0498] The non-AP MLD can indicate the multi-link power management mode in which the affiliated stations corresponding to the established links (or enabled links) will be in, or is changing the multi-link power management mode operation of the corresponding affiliated stations and / or whether to enable the dynamic energy saving operation, by the multi-link (or cross-link) power management mode indication operation.

[0499] For example, the affiliated station STA2 of the non-AP MLD obtains the transmission opportunity on the link 2, and sends the multi-link power management mode indication notification frame to indicate that STA1 on the link 1 is switched from the active mode to the dynamic capability adaptation energy saving mode. After the AP MLD receives the multi-link power management mode indication notification frame on the link 2, the confirmation frame is sent, but the corresponding multi-link power management mode indication notification frame is not sent to the non-AP MLD within the transition timeout time. After the transition timeout time is passed, since STA1 is in the frame exchange state, the power management mode is not immediately switched, until the frame exchange in which STA1 participates is ended. After the frame exchange in which STA1 participates is ended, the power management mode of STA1 is switched from the active mode to the dynamic capability adaptation energy saving mode.

[0500] Embodiment 4: the first frame is the frame carrying the multi-link power management mode indication information.

[0501] FIGS. 22, 24 and 26 respectively show the schematic diagrams of the power management method provided by an example embodiment of the present application. The three embodiments can be used in combination, the first MLD is a non-AP MLD, and the second MLD is an AP MLD. The non-AP MLD is associated with the AP MLD, and the non-AP MLD and the AP MLD establish four links (link 1, link 2, link 3 and link 4).

[0502] The AP MLD carries the basic multi-link element and the multi-link power management mode indication transition timeout time (or called transition timeout time) in the transmitted beacon frame, and indicates that the multi-link power management mode indication is supported (i.e., the multi-link power management mode indication support subfield is set to 1). The multi-link power management mode indication transition timeout time is indicated by the multi-link power management mode indication transition timeout time subfield.

[0503] Before switching the power management mode, the affiliated stations STA1, STA3 and STA4 of the non-AP MLD are in the active mode; and STA2 is in the wake-up state in the dynamic capability adaptation energy saving mode.

[0504] The non-AP MLD can indicate, through the multi-link (or cross-link) power management mode indication operation, the multi-link power management mode in which the affiliated stations corresponding to the established links (or enabled links) of the non-AP MLD will be in, or is changing the multi-link power management mode operation of the corresponding affiliated stations and / or whether to enable the dynamic energy saving operation.

[0505] For example, the affiliated station STA3 of the non-AP MLD acquires the transmission opportunity on the link 3, and transmits the first frame carrying one or more individually addressed QoS data frames, QoS null frames or Class 3 management frames. The first frame can include the multi-link power management mode control subfield, and / or the multi-link dynamic energy saving mode enablement control subfield, and / or the cross-link power management mode control subfield. These subfields are used to indicate that STA1 and STA4 will switch from the active mode to the dynamic capability adaptation energy saving mode; and STA2 will switch from the wake-up state in the dynamic capability adaptation energy saving mode to the PS mode (sleep state or wake-up state).

[0506] After the AP MLD receives the first frame on the link 2, a block acknowledgement frame is returned. Then, after the transition timeout time, since STA1 is in the frame exchange state, the power management mode is not immediately switched until the frame exchange in which STA1 participates ends. After the frame exchange in which STA1 participates ends, the power management mode of STA1 is switched from the active mode to the dynamic capability adaptation energy saving mode. STA2 does not participate in the frame exchange at the transition timeout time, and therefore at the transition timeout time, STA2 switches from the wake-up state in the dynamic capability adaptation energy saving mode to the PS mode (sleep state or wake-up state). STA4 switches from the active mode to the dynamic capability adaptation energy saving mode at the end of the block acknowledgement frame.

[0507] In the above embodiments, the embodiment corresponding to FIG. 3 and the embodiment corresponding to FIG. 6 can be implemented separately or in combination, which is not limited in the present application.

[0508] FIG. 30 shows a block diagram of a first multi-link device according to an example embodiment of the present application, which can be implemented by software or hardware or a combination of both to become a first MLD or a part of the first MLD, the first multi-link device having established and / or enabled one or more links with a second multi-link device, the one or more links including a first link and a second link, the device including:

[0509] The sending module 3010 is configured to send a first frame on the first link, the first frame being used to indicate a first power consumption management mode in which a station corresponding to the second link and / or the first link is to be in; wherein the second link is a link different from the first link in the one or more links, and the peer device associated with the second multi-link device is the first multi-link device.

[0510] In a possible design of the present embodiment, the first power consumption management mode in which the station corresponding to the second link and / or the first link is to be in can be understood as or replaced by any of the following: a multi-link power consumption management mode operation of the station corresponding to the second link and / or the first link is being changed; the station corresponding to the second link and / or the first link is to be switched from a current power consumption management mode to the first power consumption management mode; and whether the station corresponding to the second link and / or the first link enables a dynamic (adaptation capability) power saving operation. The present embodiment does not limit this, and generally takes the first power consumption management mode in which the station corresponding to the second link and / or the first link is to be in as an example for illustration.

[0511] The first power consumption management mode is for a link, which is any of the one or more links. The first power consumption management mode corresponding to each link can be the same or different. The present application mainly takes the first power consumption management mode in which the station corresponding to the second link is to be in as an example for illustration, which is also applicable to the first power consumption management mode in which the station corresponding to the first link is to be in. The present embodiment does not limit this.

[0512] In a possible design of the present embodiment, the second link is a link different from the first link, or the second link is a plurality of links different from the first link.

[0513] In a possible design of the present embodiment, the first power consumption management mode includes at least one of the following: an active mode and a power saving mode; wherein being in the active mode means being in a wake-up state all the time, and being in the power saving mode means being in a wake-up state or a sleep state, or an unavailable state.

[0514] The power consumption management mode comprises at least one of an active mode and a power saving mode, wherein the active mode means always in an awake state, and the power saving mode means in an awake state or a sleep state, or an unavailable state.

[0515] The first power consumption management mode is one of the one or more power consumption management modes for each corresponding affiliated station on each link.

[0516] When the affiliated station is in the awake state, the affiliated station can perform operations such as transmitting and receiving data, and listening to a channel; when the affiliated station is in the sleep state, the affiliated station can listen to a channel although it cannot transmit and receive data; and when the affiliated station is in the unavailable state, the affiliated station cannot perform operations such as transmitting and receiving data, and listening to a channel.

[0517] In a possible design of the embodiment, the power saving mode comprises a full-power power saving mode or a capability-adaptive power saving mode, and the capability-adaptive power saving mode comprises a static capability-adaptive power saving mode or a dynamic capability-adaptive power saving mode.

[0518] By way of example but not limitation, the awake state in the power saving mode comprises at least one of the following: an awake state in the dynamic capability-adaptive power saving mode; an awake state in the static capability-adaptive power saving mode; and an awake state in the full-power power saving mode.

[0519] In the awake state in the full-power power saving mode, the affiliated station is maintained in a full-capability operation mode or a high-capability operation mode, that is, a higher bandwidth, more receive chains, more spatial streams, a higher data rate, a high-order MCS, a high-processing-overhead PPDU format, and the like are used within the capability supported by the affiliated station to perform operations such as transmitting and receiving data, and listening to a channel. The full-power power saving mode can also be referred to as a non-capability-adaptive power saving mode or a full-power mode.

[0520] In the awake state in the static capability-adaptive power saving mode, the affiliated station is maintained in a low-capability operation mode, that is, a low bandwidth, fewer receive chains, fewer spatial streams, a low data rate, a low-order MCS, a low-processing-overhead PPDU format, and the like are used to perform operations such as transmitting and receiving data, and listening to a channel. The static capability-adaptive power saving mode can also be referred to as a non-dynamic capability-adaptive power saving mode.

[0521] In the awake state in the dynamic capability-adaptive power saving mode, the affiliated station is generally in a low-capability operation mode, and when a specific frame (such as an initial frame including an initial control frame, or other defined frames for mode switching) sent to it is received, the affiliated station switches to a high-capability (or full-capability) operation mode according to an indication of the specific frame, and returns to the low-capability operation mode after a current frame exchange ends.

[0522] In one possible design of the embodiment, the dynamic capability-adaptive energy saving mode and the dynamic energy saving mode have the same meaning, the non-dynamic capability-adaptive energy saving mode and the non-dynamic energy saving mode have the same meaning, and the static capability-adaptive energy saving mode and the static energy saving mode have the same meaning.

[0523] By refining the specific type of the first power consumption management mode, compared with the power consumption management mode in the related art having only the active mode and the energy saving mode, the power consumption management mode of the multi-link device is more accurately indicated, the power consumption management mode of the affiliated station on all links or part of the links is simultaneously changed, the power consumption management mode of the affiliated station on one or more links is accurately changed, and the first power consumption management mode of the affiliated station on different links can be different after the change, for example, the affiliated station STA1 on link 1 changes to the static capability-adaptive energy saving mode, and the affiliated station STA2 on link 2 changes to the dynamic capability-adaptive energy saving mode, so that different power consumption management modes are used in different application scenarios according to actual needs.

[0524] There are two design schemes of the present application for the first frame, design scheme one: the first frame is a multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame; design scheme two: the first frame is a frame carrying multi-link power consumption management mode indication information.

[0525] Design scheme one is to design a special frame, and the special frame is used to indicate the first power consumption management mode in which the affiliated station corresponding to the second link and / or the first link will be in;

[0526] Design scheme two is to define one or more control fields in the existing frame format, and the first power consumption management mode in which the affiliated station corresponding to the second link and / or the first link will be in is indicated through the control field.

[0527] The first frame is a multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame:

[0528] When the first multi-link device (for example, a non-AP MLD) supporting the multi-link power consumption management mode indication indicates the power consumption management mode in which the affiliated station corresponding to the established link (or enabled link) will be in and the operation parameters to be adopted by the corresponding power consumption management mode, the MLD can send a multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame to a second multi-link device (such as an AP MLD associated with the non-AP MLD), as shown in FIG. 4.

[0529] FIG. 4 shows a diagram of a multi-link power management mode indication according to an example embodiment. Take a first multi-link device as a non-AP MLD and a second multi-link device as an AP MLD as an example. The non-AP MLD and the AP MLD have successfully established two links (link 1 and link 2). The link 1 and the link 2 of the non-AP MLD are both enabled links. The corresponding affiliated stations STA1 and STA2 on the two links are both in the full power state in the active mode.

[0530] When the non-AP MLD is ready to change the power management state of the STA1, i.e., the STA1 is to switch from the active mode to another power management mode, such as the dynamic capability adaptation power save mode, the non-AP MLD can send a multi-link power management mode indication notification frame to the AP MLD on the link 2.

[0531] For example, the affiliated station STA2 of the non-AP MLD sends a first multi-link power management mode indication notification frame to the affiliated access point AP2 of the AP MLD on the link 2. After receiving the first multi-link power management mode indication notification frame, the AP2 sends a first acknowledgement frame. Optionally, the interval between the first acknowledgement frame and the first multi-link power management mode indication notification frame is a short interframe space (SIFS).

[0532] By way of example and not limitation, the multi-link power management mode indication notification frame carries a link identification subfield and a power management subfield. The link identification subfield is used to indicate the link identification of the link 1. For example, the value of the link identification subfield is 1, which is used to indicate that the link identification of the link 1 is 1. The power management subfield is set to 1, which is used to indicate that the STA1 is to be in the power save mode.

[0533] By way of example and not limitation, the multi-link power management mode indication notification frame carries a capability adaptation power save enable field and a capability adaptation power save mode field. The capability adaptation power save enable field is set to 1, which is used to indicate that the STA1 enables the capability adaptation power save mode. The capability adaptation power save mode field is set to 1, which is used to indicate that the STA1 is to enter the dynamic capability adaptation power save mode.

[0534] In a possible design of the embodiment, when the second multi-link device (e.g., the AP MLD) receives the first multi-link power management mode indication notification frame, as a response to the received first multi-link power management mode indication notification frame, the second multi-link device can send a second multi-link power management mode indication notification frame to the first multi-link device (e.g., the non-AP MLD) through the link 1 or the link 2 within a multi-link power management mode indication conversion timeout time (or conversion timeout time) and at least one of the following rules is applied:

[0535] 1) In a possible design of the embodiment, a management frame (e.g. a beacon frame, an association response frame) sent by an affiliated AP of the second multi-link device carries a multi-link power management mode indication transition timeout time subfield, which is used to indicate the multi-link power management mode indication transition timeout time.

[0536] For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the beacon frame sent by the AP1 carries the multi-link power management mode indication transition timeout time subfield.

[0537] In addition to the authentication frame sent by the affiliated AP, the basic multi-link element in all management frames carrying the basic multi-link element can include the multi-link power management mode indication transition timeout time subfield in the multi-link power management mode indication capability subfield.

[0538] 2) In a possible design of the embodiment, the multi-link power management mode indication transition timeout time starts from the end of the PPDU[+SigExt], which is the first PPDU sent by the second multi-link device, carrying an acknowledgement (ACK) sent to the first multi-link power management mode indication notification frame; wherein the PPDU[+SigExt] represents the first PPDU plus a signal extension after the first PPDU (if the signal extension exists), or the first PPDU (if the signal extension does not exist).

[0539] As shown in FIG. 4, the first PPDU is the first acknowledgement frame corresponding to the first multi-link power management mode indication notification frame, and in the case where the signal extension does not exist, the multi-link power management mode indication transition timeout time (transition timeout time) starts from the end of the first PPDU, and the length of the transition timeout time is indicated by the multi-link power management mode indication transition timeout time subfield.

[0540] 3) In a possible design of the embodiment, the subfields in the second multi-link power management mode indication notification frame have the same values as the subfields in the first multi-link power management mode indication notification frame.

[0541] For example, the multi-link power management mode indication control subfield in the second multi-link power management mode indication notification frame has the same value as the multi-link power management mode indication control subfield in the first multi-link power management mode indication notification frame; and the link power management mode indication information subfield in the second multi-link power management mode indication notification frame has the same value as the link power management mode indication information subfield in the first multi-link power management mode indication notification frame.

[0542] It is an optional design that the values of the subfields in the second multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame are the same as those in the first multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame. In other designs, some subfields can be the same and some subfields can be different; all subfields can be the same; or the subfields in the second multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame do not include the subfields in the first multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame, which is not limited in the embodiments of the present application.

[0543] In the case that the first frame is a multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame, the reliability of information transmission can be improved and the possibility of conflict with other information transmission can be reduced by newly designing a multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame as a dedicated frame to indicate the multi-link power consumption management mode in which the affiliated station will be.

[0544] The first frame is a frame carrying multi-link power consumption management mode indication information:

[0545] In a possible design of the embodiment, the first frame is a physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU) carrying one or more individually addressed quality of service (QoS) data frames, QoS null frames, and third type management frames.

[0546] In a possible design of the embodiment, the multi-link power consumption management mode indication operation is used to indicate the multi-link power consumption management mode in which the affiliated station corresponding to the link (or the enabled link) established by the first multi-link device will be, or the multi-link power consumption management mode operation of the corresponding affiliated station is being changed and / or whether the dynamic energy saving operation is enabled.

[0547] In a possible design of the embodiment, the MLD or MLD affiliated station that sends the first frame is defined as the initiator of the multi-link power consumption management mode indication operation; and the MLD or MLD affiliated station that receives the first frame is defined as the responder of the multi-link power consumption management mode indication operation.

[0548] The first frame includes a multi-link power consumption management mode control subfield, and / or a multi-link dynamic energy saving mode enabling control subfield, and / or a cross-link power consumption management mode control subfield.

[0549] Figure 5 shows a diagram of the indication of the multi-link power management mode according to an example embodiment of the present application. The first multi-link device (e.g. non-AP MLD) as the initiator of the indication of the multi-link power management mode operation can send a first frame to the second multi-link device (e.g. AP MLD) on one of the established links (or enabled links), the first frame being a PPDU carrying one or more individually addressed QoS data frames, QoS null frames or third category management frames. The first multi-link device requests the second multi-link device as the responder of the indication of the multi-link power management mode operation to immediately acknowledge the change of the multi-link power management mode operation and / or the dynamic energy saving operation, and the second multi-link device sends a second frame (e.g. acknowledgement frame) as the response to the request of the first multi-link device after receiving the first frame. Optionally, the interval between the second frame and the first frame is SIFS.

[0550] In the case that the first frame is the frame carrying the indication information of the multi-link power management mode, a dedicated frame does not need to be newly designed to transmit the indication information of the multi-link power management mode, and one or more control fields can be defined in the existing frame format to indicate the first power management mode in which the second link and / or the first link corresponding to the affiliated station will be in, so as to better utilize the existing frame format.

[0551] In the case that the first frame is the indication notification frame of the multi-link power management mode, the format of the multi-link power management mode indication element associated with the first frame is shown as follows.

[0552] Multi-link power management mode indication element: Figure 7 shows a diagram of the format of the multi-link power management mode indication element according to an example embodiment of the present application. For specific implementation details, reference is made to the embodiment of Figure 7, which will not be described here.

[0553] Multi-link power management mode indication control field:

[0554] In a possible design of the present embodiment, the first frame carries the control field, and the control field is used to indicate the first power management mode.

[0555] Taking the control field as the multi-link power management mode indication control field as an example, Figure 8 shows a diagram of the format of the multi-link power management mode indication control field according to an example embodiment of the present application. For specific implementation details, reference is made to the embodiment of Figure 8, which will not be described here.

[0556] In a possible design of the embodiment, the control field includes at least one of: a first control field, used to indicate whether the first power consumption management mode is the active mode or the power saving mode; a second control field, used to indicate whether the power saving mode is the full power saving mode or the capability adaptation power saving mode; and a third control field, used to indicate whether the capability adaptation power saving mode is the non-dynamic capability adaptation power saving mode or the dynamic capability adaptation power saving mode.

[0557] For example, the first control field is a multi-link power consumption management mode indication bitmap field, the second control field is a multi-link power saving mode indication bitmap field, and the third control field is a multi-link dynamic power saving mode indication bitmap field.

[0558] In a possible design of the embodiment, at least one of the first control field, the second control field, and the third control field is a bitmap field; a bit position i in the bitmap field corresponds to a link with a link ID i, and is used to indicate the first power consumption management mode of a corresponding affiliated station of the link with the link ID i, where i is an integer.

[0559] In a possible design of the embodiment, the first control field is a first bitmap field, and a bit position i in the first bitmap field corresponds to a link with a link ID i, and is used to indicate whether the first power consumption management mode of a corresponding affiliated station of the link with the link ID i is the active mode or the power saving mode, where i is an integer.

[0560] In a possible design of the embodiment, the second control field is a second bitmap field, and a bit position i in the second bitmap field corresponds to a link with a link ID i, and is used to indicate whether the first power consumption management mode of a corresponding affiliated station of the link with the link ID i is the full power saving mode or the capability adaptation power saving mode, where i is an integer.

[0561] In a possible design of the embodiment, the third control field is a third bitmap field, and a bit position i in the third bitmap field corresponds to a link with a link ID i, and is used to indicate whether the first power consumption management mode of a corresponding affiliated station of the link with the link ID i is the non-dynamic capability adaptation power saving mode or the dynamic capability adaptation power saving mode, where i is an integer.

[0562] The multi-link power consumption management mode indication bitmap field indicates the power consumption management modes of the affiliated stations of the MLD-established links (or enabled links), i.e., indicates which of the affiliated stations of the MLD-established links (or enabled links) will be in the active mode or the power saving mode.

[0563] The bit position i of the multi-link power consumption management mode indication bitmap field corresponds to the link with the link ID field being i. The i-th bit is set to 1 to indicate that the affiliated station corresponding to the link with the link ID field being i will be in the power saving mode, i.e., in the sleep state or in the wake-up state; the i-th bit is set to 0 to indicate that the affiliated station corresponding to the link with the link ID field being i will be in the active mode, i.e., in the wake-up state in the full-power power saving mode or in the wake-up state in the dynamic capability adaptation power saving mode (or dynamic power saving mode); and the link with the link ID field being i is an MLD-established link or an enabled link. In the embodiments of the present application, the affiliated station is referred to as a station.

[0564] The multi-link power saving mode indication bitmap field indicates the power saving mode in which the affiliated stations corresponding to the MLD-established links (or enabled links) will be in, i.e., indicates which of the stations among the affiliated stations corresponding to the MLD-established links (or enabled links) will be in the capability adaptation power saving mode.

[0565] In a possible design of the embodiments, the first frame further carries at least one of the following fields: a first indication time subfield, used to indicate an expected effective time point of the first power consumption management mode, the expected effective time point being a time point at which the first MLD expects the affiliated stations corresponding to the second link to enter the first power consumption management mode; and a first duration subfield, used to indicate a duration required for the first power consumption management mode to be expected to be effective.

[0566] For example, the first indication time subfield is a power consumption management indication time field, and the first duration subfield is an expected duration field.

[0567] The link power consumption management mode indication information field:

[0568] The link power consumption management mode indication information field carries one or more pieces of power consumption management mode indication information specific to the power consumption management mode in which the affiliated stations corresponding to the MLD-established links (or enabled links) will be in, and the field is optional. For specific implementation details, refer to the method-side link power consumption management mode indication information field, which will not be described here again.

[0569] The per-station power consumption management mode indication information subelement:

[0570] FIG. 9 shows a schematic diagram of a format of a per-station power consumption management mode indication information subelement according to an example embodiment of the present application. The per-station power consumption management mode indication information subelement includes at least one of the following: a subelement ID field, a length field, a station power consumption management mode indication control field, and a station power consumption management mode indication information field. For specific implementation details, refer to the embodiment of FIG. 9, which will not be described here again.

[0571] The station power consumption management mode indication control field:

[0572] For the station power consumption management mode indication control field, FIG. 10 shows a diagram of a format of the station power consumption management mode indication control field according to an example embodiment of the present application. The station power consumption management mode indication control field includes at least one of the following: a link ID information field, a power consumption management field, a capability adaptation energy saving control present field, and a capability adaptation energy saving control field. For details, refer to the embodiment of FIG. 10, which will not be repeated here.

[0573] The link ID information field includes at least one of the following: a link ID field, and a reserved field.

[0574] For the link ID information field, FIG. 11 shows a diagram of a format of the link ID information field according to an example embodiment of the present application. The link ID information field includes at least one of the following: a link ID field, and a reserved field. For details, refer to the embodiment of FIG. 11, which will not be repeated here.

[0575] The capability adaptation energy saving control field includes at least one of the following: a capability adaptation energy saving enable field, a capability adaptation energy saving mode field, a switching mode field, a default low capability operation field, a default high capability operation field, a capability adaptation energy saving delay parameter control field, a low capability operation parameter control field, a high capability operation parameter control field, and a reserved field.

[0576] For the capability adaptation energy saving control field, FIG. 12 shows a diagram of a format of the capability adaptation energy saving control field according to an example embodiment of the present application. The capability adaptation energy saving control field includes at least one of the following: a capability adaptation energy saving enable field, a capability adaptation energy saving mode field, a switching mode field, a default low capability operation field, a default high capability operation field, a capability adaptation energy saving delay parameter control field, a low capability operation parameter control field, a high capability operation parameter control field, and a reserved field. For details, refer to the embodiment of FIG. 12, which will not be repeated here.

[0577] In a possible design of the embodiment, the first frame is further used to indicate operation parameters adopted by the affiliated station corresponding to the second link and / or the first link in the first power consumption management mode.

[0578] In a possible design of the embodiment, the first power consumption management mode is a dynamic capability adaptation energy saving mode, and the operation parameters include at least one of the following:

[0579] The operation mode and type of the dynamic capability adaptation energy saving mode, operation parameters in a first capability operation mode, and operation parameters in a second capability operation mode, wherein the capability corresponding to the first capability operation mode is lower than the capability corresponding to the second capability operation mode.

[0580] For example, the first capability operation mode is a low capability operation mode, and the second capability operation mode is a high capability operation mode.

[0581] In a possible design of the embodiment, the first frame further carries at least one of the following fields: a switching mode subfield, used to indicate the operation mode and type of the dynamic capability adaptation energy saving mode; a first capability operation parameter subfield, used to indicate the operation parameter in the first capability operation mode; and a second capability operation parameter subfield, used to indicate the operation parameter in the second capability operation mode.

[0582] For example, the switching mode subfield can be referred to as a switching mode field, the first capability operation parameter subfield can be referred to as a low capability operation mode parameter field, and the second capability operation parameter subfield can be referred to as a high capability operation mode parameter field.

[0583] The station power consumption management mode indication information field includes at least one of the following: a capability adaptation energy saving delay parameter field, a low capability operation mode parameter field, and a high capability operation mode parameter field.

[0584] For the station power consumption management mode indication information field, FIG. 13 shows a schematic diagram of a format of the station power consumption management mode indication information field according to an example embodiment of the present application. The station power consumption management mode indication information field includes at least one of the following: a capability adaptation energy saving delay parameter field, a low capability operation mode parameter field, and a high capability operation mode parameter field. For specific implementation details, refer to the embodiment of FIG. 13, which will not be described here again.

[0585] The capability adaptation energy saving delay parameter field includes at least one of the following: a capability adaptation energy saving padding delay 1 field, a capability adaptation energy saving conversion delay 1 field, a capability adaptation energy saving padding delay 2 field, and a capability adaptation energy saving conversion delay 2 field.

[0586] For the capability adaptation energy saving delay parameter field, FIG. 14 shows a schematic diagram of a format of the capability adaptation energy saving delay parameter field according to an example embodiment of the present application. The capability adaptation energy saving delay parameter field includes at least one of the following: a capability adaptation energy saving padding delay 1 field, a capability adaptation energy saving conversion delay 1 field, a capability adaptation energy saving padding delay 2 field, and a capability adaptation energy saving conversion delay 2 field. For specific implementation details, refer to the embodiment of FIG. 14, which will not be described here again.

[0587] The low capability operation mode parameter field includes at least one of the following:

[0588] In a possible design of the embodiment, the first capability operation parameter subfield carries at least one of the following fields:

[0589] a first capability operation bandwidth field, a first capability support MCS index field corresponding to the highest order modulation, a first capability receive maximum spatial stream field, a first capability transmit maximum spatial stream field, and a first capability support PPDU format field.

[0590] The first capability operation bandwidth field is used for indicating an operation bandwidth supported for receiving and / or transmitting in the first capability operation mode; the first capability supported highest order modulation corresponding MCS index field is used for indicating an MCS index corresponding to a highest order modulation supported in the first capability operation mode; the first capability receiving maximum spatial stream field is used for indicating a maximum spatial stream supported for receiving in the first capability operation mode; the first capability transmitting maximum space-time stream field is used for indicating a maximum space-time stream supported for transmitting in the first capability operation mode; and the first capability supported PPDU format field is used for indicating a PPDU format supported for receiving and / or transmitting in the first capability operation mode.

[0591] For example, the first capability operation parameter subfield is a low capability operation mode parameter field, the first capability operation bandwidth field is a low capability operation bandwidth field, the first capability supported highest order modulation corresponding MCS index field is a low capability supported highest order modulation corresponding MCS index field, the first capability receiving maximum spatial stream field is a low capability receiving spatial stream number field, the first capability transmitting maximum space-time stream field is a low capability transmitting space-time stream number field, and the first capability supported PPDU format field is a low capability supported PPDU format field.

[0592] For the low capability operation mode parameter field, FIG. 15 shows a schematic diagram of a format of the low capability operation mode parameter field according to an example embodiment of the present application. The low capability operation mode parameter field includes at least one of the following: a low capability operation bandwidth field, a low capability supported highest order modulation corresponding MCS index field, a low capability receiving spatial stream number (RX NSS) field, a low capability transmitting space-time stream number (TX NSTS) field, and a low capability supported PPDU format field. For specific implementation details, refer to the embodiment of FIG. 15, which will not be described here again.

[0593] The high capability operation mode parameter field includes at least one of the following:

[0594] In a possible design of the present embodiment, the second capability operation parameter subfield carries at least one of the following fields:

[0595] The second capability operation bandwidth field, the second capability supported highest order modulation corresponding MCS index field, the second capability receiving maximum spatial stream field, the second capability transmitting maximum space-time stream field, and the second capability supported PPDU format field;

[0596] The second capability operation bandwidth field is used to indicate an operation bandwidth supported for receiving and / or transmitting in the second capability operation mode; the second capability supported highest order modulation corresponding MCS index field is used to indicate an MCS index corresponding to a highest order modulation supported in the second capability operation mode; the second capability receiving maximum spatial stream field is used to indicate a maximum spatial stream supported for receiving in the second capability operation mode; the second capability transmitting maximum space-time stream field is used to indicate a maximum space-time stream supported for transmitting in the second capability operation mode; and the second capability supported PPDU format field is used to indicate a PPDU format supported for receiving and / or transmitting in the second capability operation mode.

[0597] For example, the second capability operation parameter subfield is a high capability operation mode parameter field, the second capability operation bandwidth field is a high capability operation bandwidth field, the second capability supported highest order modulation corresponding MCS index field is a high capability supported highest order modulation corresponding MCS index field, the second capability receiving maximum spatial stream field is a high capability receiving spatial stream quantity field, the second capability transmitting maximum space-time stream field is a high capability transmitting space-time stream quantity field, and the second capability supported PPDU format field is a high capability supported PPDU format field.

[0598] For the high capability operation mode parameter field, FIG. 16 shows a schematic diagram of a format of the high capability operation mode parameter field according to an example embodiment of the present application. The high capability operation mode parameter field includes at least one of the following: a high capability operation bandwidth field, a high capability supported highest order modulation corresponding MCS index field, a high capability RX NSS field, a high capability TX NSTS field, and a high capability supported PPDU format field. For specific implementation details, reference is made to the embodiment of FIG. 16, which will not be described here again.

[0599] Multi-link power consumption management mode indication announcement frame and related fields:

[0600] The multi-link power consumption management mode indication announcement frame is used to indicate a power consumption management mode in which a related affiliated station of a multi-link device sending the announcement frame will be in, and operation parameters to be adopted by the corresponding power consumption management mode, or is used by an AP MLD as a response to a multi-link power consumption management mode indication announcement frame received from a non-AP MLD.

[0601] In the case where the first frame is a frame carrying multi-link power consumption management mode indication information, a format of a multi-link power consumption management mode indication related control subfield associated with the first frame is as follows.

[0602] Variants of the multi-link power consumption management mode indication related control subfield:

[0603] In the MAC frame format defined in the related protocol, the HT control field can be carried in a QoS data frame, a QoS null frame, a management frame, and a control wrapper frame. The HT control field is 32 bits, and when B0 and B1 in the HT control field are both set to 1, it indicates that the HT control field is an HE variant HT control field, and B2-B31 are A-Control subfields. The A-Control subfield includes a control list subfield and a padding subfield, and the control list subfield includes one or more control subfields. Each control subfield includes a 4-bit control ID subfield and a variable-length control information subfield, where the control ID subfield indicates the type of information carried in the control information subfield.

[0604] In a possible design of the embodiment, the first frame carries a control field, and the control field includes at least one of the following:

[0605] A fourth control field, used to indicate a first power consumption management mode in which a corresponding station of each link in the plurality of links will be in, the first power consumption management mode including an active mode or a power saving mode; a fifth control field, used to indicate whether a dynamic capability adaptation power saving mode is enabled for the corresponding station of each link in the plurality of links; and a sixth control field, used to indicate a first power consumption management mode in which the corresponding station of the link with the link ID i will be in, the first power consumption management mode being the active mode, the power saving mode, or the dynamic capability adaptation power saving mode.

[0606] For example, the fourth control field is a multi-link power consumption management mode control subfield, the fifth control field is a multi-link dynamic power saving mode enabling control subfield, and the sixth control field is a cross-link power consumption management mode control subfield.

[0607] In a possible design of the embodiment, at least one of the fourth control field, the fifth control field, and the sixth control field includes an expected validity duration subfield; or none of the fourth control field, the fifth control field, and the sixth control field includes the expected validity duration subfield; where the expected validity duration subfield is used to indicate a duration required for the first power consumption management mode to take effect.

[0608] To facilitate the multi-link power consumption management mode indication operation, a multi-link power consumption management mode control subfield, a multi-link dynamic power saving mode enabling control subfield, and a cross-link power consumption management mode control subfield are defined, as shown in Table 7.

[0609] The multi-link power consumption management mode control subfield includes at least one of the following:

[0610] The multi-link power consumption management mode control subfield is used for the MLD to indicate the power consumption management mode (including the active mode and the power saving mode) in which the affiliated station corresponding to one or more established links (or enabled links) of the MLD will be in. The control information subfield of the multi-link power consumption management mode control subfield contains the power consumption management mode information in which the affiliated station corresponding to one or more established links (or enabled links) of the MLD will be in.

[0611] In a possible design of the embodiment, the fourth control field includes a fourth bitmap field, and a bit position i of the fourth bitmap field corresponds to a link with a link ID of i, and is used to indicate whether the first power consumption management mode of the affiliated station corresponding to the link with the link ID of i is the active mode or the power saving mode, where i is an integer.

[0612] FIG. 17 shows a schematic diagram of a format of a multi-link power consumption management mode control subfield according to an example embodiment of the present application, and the multi-link power consumption management mode control subfield includes at least one of a multi-link power consumption management mode indication bitmap field, an expected validity duration field, and a reserved field. For specific implementation details, refer to the embodiment of FIG. 17, which will not be described here again.

[0613] The multi-link dynamic power saving mode enabling control subfield:

[0614] The multi-link dynamic power saving mode enabling control subfield is used for the MLD to indicate whether the dynamic power saving mode is enabled for the affiliated station corresponding to one or more established links (or enabled links) of the MLD. The control information subfield of the multi-link dynamic power saving mode enabling control subfield is used to indicate whether the dynamic power saving mode is enabled for the affiliated station corresponding to one or more established links (or enabled links) of the MLD.

[0615] In a possible design of the embodiment, the fifth control field includes a fifth bitmap field, and a bit position i of the fifth bitmap field corresponds to a link with a link ID of i, and is used to indicate whether the first power consumption management mode of the affiliated station corresponding to the link with the link ID of i enables the dynamic capability adaptation power saving mode, where i is an integer.

[0616] FIG. 18 shows a schematic diagram of a format of a multi-link dynamic power saving mode enabling control subfield according to an example embodiment of the present application, and the multi-link dynamic power saving mode enabling control subfield includes at least one of a multi-link dynamic power saving mode indication bitmap field, an expected validity duration field, and a reserved field. For specific implementation details, refer to the embodiment of FIG. 18, which will not be described here again.

[0617] The cross-link power consumption management mode control subfield:

[0618] The cross-link power consumption management mode control subfield is used for the MLD to indicate a power consumption management mode (including an active mode and a power saving mode and whether to enable a dynamic power saving mode) in which a station affiliated to the MLD corresponding to an established link (or an enabled link) different from the first link is to be in.

[0619] The control information subfield of the cross-link power consumption management mode control subfield includes power consumption management mode information in which a station affiliated to the MLD corresponding to an established link (or an enabled link) is to be in, specifically including information about whether to be in an active mode or a power saving mode and whether to enable a dynamic power saving mode.

[0620] In a possible design of the embodiment, the sixth control field includes at least one of the following fields: a link ID subfield, a power consumption management mode subfield, and a capability adaptation power saving control subfield; the link ID subfield is used to indicate a link ID; the power consumption management mode subfield is used to indicate that the first power consumption management mode in which a station affiliated to a link with the link ID i is to be in is an active mode or a power saving mode; and the capability adaptation power saving control subfield is used to indicate that the first power consumption management mode in which a station affiliated to the link with the link ID i is to be in is a non-dynamic capability adaptation power saving mode or a dynamic capability adaptation power saving mode.

[0621] In a possible design of the embodiment, the sixth control field further carries at least one of the following fields:

[0622] a first capability operation parameter information subfield and a second capability operation parameter information subfield; the capability corresponding to the first capability operation parameter information subfield is lower than the capability corresponding to the second capability operation parameter information subfield.

[0623] For example, the first capability operation parameter information subfield is a low capability operation parameter information field, and the second capability operation parameter information subfield is a high capability operation parameter information field.

[0624] In a possible design of the embodiment, the format adopted by the first capability operation parameter information subfield includes a mode index subfield or a first capability operation parameter subfield, and the first capability operation parameter subfield is used to indicate an operation parameter in a first capability operation mode; the format adopted by the second capability operation parameter information subfield includes a mode index subfield or a second capability operation parameter subfield, and the second capability operation parameter subfield is used to indicate an operation parameter in a second capability operation mode; the capability corresponding to the first capability operation mode is lower than the capability corresponding to the second capability operation mode, and a mode index value of the mode index subfield is used to indicate an operation parameter corresponding to a capability adaptation power saving operation mode parameter control subfield carrying the mode index value.

[0625] For example, the first capability operation parameter subfield is a low capability operation mode parameter subfield, and the second capability operation parameter subfield is a high capability operation mode parameter subfield.

[0626] FIG. 19 shows a schematic diagram of a format of a cross-link power management mode control subfield according to an example embodiment of the present application, the cross-link power management mode control subfield including at least one of: a link ID field, a power management mode field, a capability adaptation power saving control field, a capability adaptation power saving latency parameter field, a low capability operation parameter information field, and a high capability operation parameter information field. For details, refer to the example embodiment of FIG. 19, which will not be repeated here.

[0627] The low capability operation parameter information field adopts one of the following two formats:

[0628] 1) a mode index subfield, the value of which is used to indicate the corresponding operation parameter defined by the capability adaptation power saving operation mode parameter control subfield carrying the mode index value; the capability adaptation power saving operation mode parameter control subfield is used to define the operation parameter corresponding to a specified low capability operation that the station can adopt after enabling (or entering) the capability adaptation power saving operation mode, and the corresponding operation mode can be identified by the mode index.

[0629] 2) a low capability operation mode parameter subfield, which will not be repeated here for details, refer to the description of the example embodiment of FIG. 15 above.

[0630] The high capability operation parameter information field adopts one of the following two formats:

[0631] 1) a mode index subfield, the value of which is used to indicate the corresponding operation parameter defined by the capability adaptation power saving operation mode parameter control subfield carrying the mode index value; the capability adaptation power saving operation mode parameter control subfield is used to define the operation parameter corresponding to a specified high capability operation that the station can adopt after enabling (or entering) the capability adaptation power saving operation mode, and the corresponding operation mode can be identified by the mode index.

[0632] 2) a high capability operation mode parameter subfield, which will not be repeated here for details, refer to the description of the example embodiment of FIG. 16 above.

[0633] The capability adaptation power saving operation mode parameter control subfield:

[0634] The capability adaptation energy saving operation mode parameter control subfield is used to define a specified low capability operation or high capability operation corresponding operation parameter that the station can adopt after enabling (or entering) the capability adaptation energy saving operation mode, and the corresponding operation mode can be identified by a mode index, and the format is shown in FIG. 20. FIG. 20 shows a schematic diagram of the format of the capability adaptation energy saving operation mode parameter control subfield provided in an example embodiment of the present application, and the capability adaptation energy saving operation mode parameter control subfield includes at least one of the following: a mode index field, an operating bandwidth field, an MCS index field corresponding to the highest order modulation supported, an RX NSS field, a TX NSTS field, and a supported PPDU format field. For specific implementation details, reference is made to the embodiment of FIG. 20, which will not be described here again.

[0635] The first multi-link device determines the actual effective time point at which the affiliated station corresponding to the second link enters the first power consumption management mode based on one of the following time points:

[0636] In the above design, the opposite end device associated with the first multi-link device is the second multi-link device, and the first multi-link device determines the actual effective time point at which the affiliated station corresponding to the second link enters the first power consumption management mode based on one of the following time points:

[0637] The first time point is the end time of the second PPDU, the second PPDU carries an acknowledgement of the first frame or an acknowledgement of the second frame, the second frame is sent by the second multi-link device on the second link or the first link, and the second frame is used to respond to the first frame; the second time point is the transition timeout time point or the expected effective time point of the first power consumption management mode, and the expected effective time point is the time point at which the first multi-link device expects the affiliated station corresponding to the second link to enter the first power consumption management mode; and the third time point is the time point at which the first multi-link device completes frame exchange with the affiliated station corresponding to the second link.

[0638] In a possible design of the present embodiment, the first multi-link device determines the actual effective time point at which the affiliated station corresponding to the first link enters the first power consumption management mode based on one of the following time points:

[0639] The first time point is the end time of the second PPDU, the second PPDU carries an acknowledgement of the first frame or an acknowledgement of the second frame, the second frame is sent by the second multi-link device on the first link, and the second frame is used to respond to the first frame; the second time point is the transition timeout time point or the expected effective time point of the first power consumption management mode, and the expected effective time point is the time point at which the first multi-link device expects the affiliated station corresponding to the first link to enter the first power consumption management mode; and the third time point is the time point at which the first multi-link device completes frame exchange with the affiliated station corresponding to the first link.

[0640] The expected effective time point is a time point at which the affiliated station corresponding to at least one of the plurality of links is expected to enter the first power consumption management mode, and the at least one link includes the first link and / or the second link.

[0641] The first power consumption management mode is for one link, and the link is any one of the one or more links. The first power consumption management mode corresponding to each link can be the same or different. The actual effective time point corresponding to each link can be the same or different. In this application, the first power consumption management mode in which the affiliated station corresponding to the second link is illustrated as an example, and is also applicable to the first power consumption management mode in which the affiliated station corresponding to the first link is, and the embodiments of this application do not limit this.

[0642] The first time point:

[0643] In a possible design of the embodiment, as shown in FIG. 21, the second multi-link device is an AP MLD, the second link is link 1, the first frame is a first multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame, the second frame is a second multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame, and the second PPDU is a second acknowledgement frame, in a case where the second PPDU carries an acknowledgement of the first frame.

[0644] The second multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame is sent by an affiliated access point AP1 of the AP MLD on link 1, the affiliated station corresponding to the second link of the first multi-link device is STA1, and the actual effective time point at which STA1 enters the first power consumption management mode is the end time of the second acknowledgement frame.

[0645] In a possible design of the embodiment, as shown in FIG. 22, the second PPDU is a block acknowledgement frame, the second link is link 4, the affiliated station corresponding to the second link of the first multi-link device is STA4, and the actual effective time point at which STA4 enters the first power consumption management mode is the end time of the block acknowledgement frame, in a case where the second PPDU carries an acknowledgement of the first frame.

[0646] In a possible design of the embodiment, the first time point is: an end time of the second PPDU; or, an end time of a signal extension after the second PPDU.

[0647] In a possible design of the embodiment, the first frame and / or the second frame are further used to indicate an expected effective time point, and the expected effective time point is a time point at which the affiliated station corresponding to the first multi-link device on the second link and / or the first link is expected to enter the first power consumption management mode.

[0648] For example, in FIG. 21, the second multi-link power consumption management mode indication announcement frame is a second frame, and the second frame is used to indicate the expected effective time point of the first power consumption management mode, and the expected effective time point is the end time point of the second acknowledgement frame; in FIG. 22, the first frame is used to indicate the expected effective time point of the first power consumption management mode, and the expected effective time point is the end time point of the block acknowledgement frame.

[0649] In a possible design of the embodiment, the second frame carries at least one of the following fields: a first indication time subfield, used to indicate the expected effective time point of the first power consumption management mode, and the expected effective time point is the time point at which the first multi-link device expects the affiliated station corresponding to the second link to enter the first power consumption management mode; and a first duration subfield, used to indicate the duration required for the first power consumption management mode to be expected to be effective, and the duration starts from the end of the second PPDU, or the duration starts from the end of signal extension after the second PPDU. For specific implementation details, refer to the embodiment in FIG. 8, which will not be repeated here.

[0650] In a possible design of the embodiment, the second frame carries at least one of the following fields: a first indication time subfield, used to indicate the expected effective time point of the first power consumption management mode, and the expected effective time point is the time point at which the first multi-link device expects the affiliated station corresponding to the first link to enter the first power consumption management mode; and a first duration subfield, used to indicate the duration required for the first power consumption management mode to be expected to be effective, and the duration starts from the end of the second PPDU, or the duration starts from the end of signal extension after the second PPDU.

[0651] In a possible design of the embodiment, in a case where the second station is not a transmission opportunity holder or a transmission opportunity responder, the second station enters the first power consumption management mode at a time point after the first time point and corresponding to a first determination delay; the second station is one of the plurality of affiliated stations of the first multi-link device, the second station is associated with the second link, and the first determination delay is a delay caused by the second station for determining whether the second station is the transmission opportunity holder or the transmission opportunity responder.

[0652] In a possible design of the embodiment, in a case where the first station is not a transmission opportunity holder or a transmission opportunity responder, the first station enters the first power consumption management mode at a time point after the first time point and corresponding to a first determination delay; the first station is one of the plurality of affiliated stations of the first multi-link device, the first station is associated with the first link, and the first determination delay is a delay caused by the first station for determining whether the first station is the transmission opportunity holder or the transmission opportunity responder.

[0653] In a possible design of the embodiment, when the second station is not a transmission opportunity holder or a transmission opportunity responder, the actual effective time point at which the second station enters the first power consumption management mode is a time point corresponding to a first determination delay after the first time point; the second station is one of the plurality of affiliated stations of the first multi-link device, the second station is associated with the second link, and the first determination delay is a delay caused by the second station for determining whether the second station is a transmission opportunity holder or a transmission opportunity responder.

[0654] In a possible design of the embodiment, when the first station is not a transmission opportunity holder or a transmission opportunity responder, the actual effective time point at which the first station enters the first power consumption management mode is a time point corresponding to a first determination delay after the first time point; the first station is one of the plurality of affiliated stations of the first multi-link device, the first station is associated with the second link, and the first determination delay is a delay caused by the first station for determining whether the first station is a transmission opportunity holder or a transmission opportunity responder.

[0655] When the actual effective time point is the first time point, the first power consumption management mode can be entered after the acknowledgement is received, without waiting for a long time.

[0656] The second time point:

[0657] In a possible design of the embodiment, at the second time point, the second station enters the first power consumption management mode; the second station is one of the plurality of affiliated stations of the first multi-link device, and the second station is associated with the second link.

[0658] In a possible design of the embodiment, at the second time point, the first station enters the first power consumption management mode; the first station is one of the plurality of affiliated stations of the first multi-link device, and the first station is associated with the first link.

[0659] In a possible design of the embodiment, the actual effective time point at which the second station enters the first power consumption management mode is the second time point; the second station is one of the plurality of affiliated stations of the first multi-link device, and the second station is associated with the second link.

[0660] In a possible design of the embodiment, the actual effective time point at which the first station enters the first power consumption management mode is the second time point; the first station is one of the plurality of affiliated stations of the first multi-link device, and the first station is associated with the first link.

[0661] In a possible design of the embodiment, the first multi-link device receives a third frame sent by the second multi-link device before the first multi-link device sends the first frame, and the third frame is used to indicate the conversion timeout time point.

[0662] In a possible design of the embodiment, the second multi-link device sends the third frame before the first multi-link device sends the first frame, where the third frame is used to indicate a transition timeout time point.

[0663] In a possible design of the embodiment, the transition timeout time point is a time point indicated by the transition timeout time after a first time point, where the first time point is the end of the first PPDU, or the first time point is the end of a signal extension after the first PPDU, and the first PPDU carries the acknowledgement of the first frame.

[0664] As shown in FIG. 23, the first multi-link device is a non-AP MLD, the second multi-link device is an AP MLD, the second station is STA1, the first frame is a multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame, the third frame is a beacon frame, the first PPDU is an acknowledgement frame, and the first time point is the end of the first PPDU, and the transition timeout time point is a time point indicated by the transition timeout time after the end of the first PPDU.

[0665] The transition timeout time point is an actual power consumption management mode switching effective time point of STA1, and at the transition timeout time point, STA1 enters the first power consumption management mode.

[0666] As shown in FIG. 24, the first multi-link device is a non-AP MLD, the second multi-link device is an AP MLD, the second station is STA2, the third frame is a beacon frame, the first PPDU is a block acknowledgement frame, the first time point is the end of the first PPDU, and the transition timeout time point is a time point indicated by the transition timeout time after the end of the first PPDU.

[0667] The transition timeout time point is an actual power consumption management mode switching effective time point of STA2, and at the transition timeout time point, STA2 enters the first power consumption management mode.

[0668] In a possible design of the embodiment, at a second time point, the second station enters the first power consumption management mode, in a case where the second station does not initiate or is not in frame exchange at an expected effective time point, where the expected effective time point is a time point at which the first multi-link device expects the affiliated station corresponding to the second link to enter the first power consumption management mode.

[0669] In a possible design of the embodiment, at a second time point, the first station enters the first power consumption management mode, in a case where the first station does not initiate or is not in frame exchange at an expected effective time point, where the expected effective time point is a time point at which the first multi-link device expects the affiliated station corresponding to the first link to enter the first power consumption management mode.

[0670] In a possible design of the embodiment, when the second station does not initiate or is not in the frame exchange at the expected effective time point, the actual effective time point at which the second station enters the first power consumption management mode is the second time point; the expected effective time point is a time point at which the first multi-link device expects the affiliated station corresponding to the second link to enter the first power consumption management mode.

[0671] In a possible design of the embodiment, when the first station does not initiate or is not in the frame exchange at the expected effective time point, the actual effective time point at which the first station enters the first power consumption management mode is the second time point; the expected effective time point is a time point at which the first multi-link device expects the affiliated station corresponding to the first link to enter the first power consumption management mode.

[0672] In a possible design of the embodiment, when the second station does not initiate or is not in the frame exchange at the expected effective time point, the second station enters the first power consumption management mode at a time point corresponding to a second determination delay after the second time point; the second determination delay is a delay caused by the first multi-link device for determining whether to initiate the frame exchange with the second multi-link device.

[0673] In a possible design of the embodiment, when the first station does not initiate or is not in the frame exchange at the expected effective time point, the first station enters the first power consumption management mode at a time point corresponding to a second determination delay after the second time point; the second determination delay is a delay caused by the first multi-link device for determining whether to initiate the frame exchange with the second multi-link device.

[0674] In a possible design of the embodiment, when the second station does not initiate or is not in the frame exchange at the expected effective time point, the actual effective time point at which the second station enters the first power consumption management mode is a time point corresponding to a second determination delay after the second time point; the second determination delay is a delay caused by the first multi-link device for determining whether to initiate the frame exchange with the second multi-link device.

[0675] In a possible design of the embodiment, when the first station does not initiate or is not in the frame exchange at the expected effective time point, the actual effective time point at which the first station enters the first power consumption management mode is a time point corresponding to a second determination delay after the second time point; the second determination delay is a delay caused by the first multi-link device for determining whether to initiate the frame exchange with the second multi-link device.

[0676] In a possible design of the embodiment, when the second station does not initiate or is not in the frame exchange at the expected effective time point, the second station does not initiate the frame exchange during the current acquired transmission opportunity.

[0677] In a possible design of the embodiment, the frame exchange is not initiated by the second station in a case that the second station determines that the received PPDU is not sent to itself.

[0678] In a case that the actual effective time point is the second time point, the first power consumption management mode can be entered after the conversion timeout time elapses, without waiting for the channel to exit the busy state before entering the first power consumption management mode, so that the waiting time is reduced.

[0679] The third time point:

[0680] In a possible design of the embodiment, in a case that the second station initiates or is in the frame exchange at the expected effective time point, and / or in a case that the second station is the transmission opportunity holder, the second station enters the first power consumption management mode at the third time point; the second station is one of a plurality of affiliated stations of the first multi-link device, the second station is associated with the second link, and the expected effective time point is a time point at which the first multi-link device expects the affiliated station corresponding to the second link to enter the first power consumption management mode.

[0681] In a possible design of the embodiment, in a case that the first station initiates or is in the frame exchange at the expected effective time point, and / or in a case that the first station is the transmission opportunity holder, the first station enters the first power consumption management mode at the third time point; the first station is one of a plurality of affiliated stations of the first multi-link device, the first station is associated with the first link, and the expected effective time point is a time point at which the first multi-link device expects the affiliated station corresponding to the first link to enter the first power consumption management mode.

[0682] In a possible design of the embodiment, in a case that the second station initiates or is in the frame exchange at the expected effective time point, and / or in a case that the second station is the transmission opportunity holder, the actual effective time point at which the second station enters the first power consumption management mode is the third time point; the second station is one of a plurality of affiliated stations of the first multi-link device, the second station is associated with the second link, and the expected effective time point is a time point at which the first multi-link device expects the affiliated station corresponding to the second link to enter the first power consumption management mode.

[0683] In a possible design of the embodiment, in a case that the first station initiates or is in the frame exchange at the expected effective time point, and / or in a case that the first station is the transmission opportunity holder, the actual effective time point at which the first station enters the first power consumption management mode is the third time point; the first station is one of a plurality of affiliated stations of the first multi-link device, the first station is associated with the first link, and the expected effective time point is a time point at which the first multi-link device expects the affiliated station corresponding to the first link to enter the first power consumption management mode.

[0684] As shown in FIG. 25, the first multi-link device is a non-AP MLD, the second multi-link device is an AP MLD, the second station is STA1, the expected effective time point is the switching timeout time point, and the third time point is the time point at which the second station completes the frame exchange. Since the first multi-link device and the second multi-link device do not complete the frame exchange at the switching timeout time point, the STA1 enters the first power consumption management mode at the time point at which the frame exchange is completed.

[0685] As shown in FIG. 26, the first multi-link device is a non-AP MLD, the second multi-link device is an AP MLD, the second station is STA1, the expected effective time point is the switching timeout time point, and the third time point is the time point at which the second station completes the frame exchange. Since the first multi-link device and the second multi-link device do not complete the frame exchange at the switching timeout time point, the STA1 enters the first power consumption management mode at the time point at which the frame exchange is completed.

[0686] In a possible design of the embodiment, before the expected effective time point, the second access point does not actively initiate the frame exchange with the second station in a case where the second access point is a transmission opportunity holder; the second access point is an affiliated access point of the second multi-link device, and the second access point is associated with the second link.

[0687] In a possible design of the embodiment, before the expected effective time point, the first access point does not actively initiate the frame exchange with the first station in a case where the first access point is a transmission opportunity holder; the second access point is an affiliated access point of the second multi-link device, and the first access point is associated with the first link.

[0688] In a possible design of the embodiment, the frame exchange is initiated in a case where the second station determines that the received PPDU is sent to itself.

[0689] In a possible design of the embodiment, the frame exchange is initiated by the first multi-link device or by the second multi-link device.

[0690] In a case where the actual effective time point is the third time point, the first power consumption management mode is entered after the frame exchange is completed, so that the normal execution of the frame exchange is not affected.

[0691] The expected effective time point:

[0692] The first power consumption management mode in which the first multi-link device is to be is for a link, which is any one of the one or more links. The first power consumption management mode corresponding to each link can be the same or different. The expected taking effect time point corresponding to each link can be the same or different. In this application, the first power consumption management mode in which the second multi-link device is to be is mainly exemplified, which is also applicable to the first power consumption management mode in which the first multi-link device is to be, and the embodiments of this application do not limit this.

[0693] In a possible design of the embodiment, the expected taking effect time point is determined based on at least one of the following:

[0694] The first time point; the conversion timeout time point of the first power consumption management mode; the field in the first frame for indicating the expected taking effect time point; wherein the expected taking effect time point is a time point at which the first multi-link device expects the second multi-link device and / or the first multi-link device to enter the first power consumption management mode, and the conversion timeout time point is indicated by the third frame sent by the second multi-link device.

[0695] The expected taking effect time point is determined based on the first time point:

[0696] In a possible design of the embodiment, in the case that the first frame does not carry the field for indicating the expected taking effect time point and the first multi-link device receives the second frame, the expected taking effect time point is determined based on the first time point.

[0697] In the case that the first frame is the multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame, if the power consumption management indication time subfield and / or the expected duration subfield in the multi-link power consumption management mode indication element do not exist, and the first multi-link device receives the second frame sent by the second multi-link device, then the expected taking effect time point is determined based on the first time point.

[0698] The first time point is the end time of the second PPDU, the second PPDU carries an acknowledgement of the first frame or an acknowledgement of the second frame, the second frame is sent by the second multi-link device on the second link or the first link, and the second frame is used to respond to the first frame. For specific implementation details, refer to the above embodiments related to the first time point, which will not be described here.

[0699] The expected taking effect time point is determined based on the conversion timeout time point of the first power consumption management mode:

[0700] In a possible design of the embodiment, in the case that the first frame does not carry the field for indicating the expected taking effect time point and the first multi-link device does not receive the second frame, the expected taking effect time point is determined based on the conversion timeout time point of the first power consumption management mode.

[0701] In the case that the first frame is the multi-link power management mode indication notification frame, if the power management indication time subfield and / or the expected duration subfield in the multi-link power management mode indication element do not exist, and the first multi-link device does not receive the second frame sent by the second multi-link device, then the expected effective time point is determined based on the conversion timeout time point of the first power management mode.

[0702] Specifically, the conversion timeout time starts from the end of PPDU[+SigExt], which is the first PPDU sent by the second multi-link device, carrying the acknowledgement sent to the multi-link power management mode indication notification frame; wherein PPDU[+SigExt] represents the first PPDU plus a signal extension after the first PPDU (if the signal extension exists), or the first PPDU (if the signal extension does not exist).

[0703] As shown in FIG. 4, in the case that the first frame is the first multi-link power management mode indication notification frame, the above-mentioned first PPDU is the first acknowledgement frame for the first multi-link power management mode indication notification frame, and assuming that the signal extension does not exist, the conversion timeout time starts from the end of the first acknowledgement frame.

[0704] In the case that the first frame is the frame carrying the multi-link power management mode indication information, if the multi-link power management mode control subfield and / or the multi-link dynamic energy saving mode enable control subfield and / or the cross-link power management mode control subfield carried by the first multi-link device does not contain the expected effective duration subfield, or the value of the expected effective duration subfield carried is 0, then the expected effective time point is determined based on the conversion timeout time point of the first power management mode.

[0705] Specifically, the conversion timeout time starts from the end of PPDU[+SigExt], which is the first PPDU sent by the second multi-link device, carrying the acknowledgement for the first frame; wherein PPDU[+SigExt] represents the first PPDU plus a signal extension after the first PPDU (if the signal extension exists), or the first PPDU (if the signal extension does not exist).

[0706] As shown in FIG. 5, in the case that the first frame is the frame carrying the multi-link power management mode indication information, the above-mentioned first PPDU is the second frame for the first frame, carrying the acknowledgement for the first frame, at this time the second frame is both the first PPDU and the second PPDU. Assuming that the signal extension does not exist, the start point of the conversion timeout time is the end of the second frame.

[0707] Based on the field for indicating the expected effective time point:

[0708] In a possible design of the embodiment, in the case where the first frame carries a field for indicating the expected taking effect time point, the expected taking effect time point is determined based on the field for indicating the expected taking effect time point.

[0709] In the case where the first frame is the multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame, if the power consumption management indication time subfield and / or the expected duration subfield exist in the multi-link power consumption management mode indication element, the expected taking effect time point is determined based on the power consumption management indication time subfield and / or the expected duration subfield.

[0710] In the case where the first frame is the frame carrying the multi-link power consumption management mode indication information, if the expected taking effect duration subfield is included in the multi-link power consumption management mode control subfield, and / or the multi-link dynamic energy saving mode enabling control subfield, and / or the cross-link power consumption management mode control subfield carried by the first multi-link device, the expected taking effect time point is determined based on the expected taking effect duration subfield.

[0711] Specifically, the expected taking effect duration starts from the end of the PPDU[+SigExt] of the first PPDU sent by the second multi-link device, which carries the acknowledgement for the first frame; where the PPDU[+SigExt] represents the first PPDU plus a signal extension (if the signal extension exists) after the first PPDU, or the first PPDU (if the signal extension does not exist).

[0712] Since the order of magnitude of the expected taking effect duration is usually milliseconds, and the order of magnitude of the conversion timeout time is usually microseconds, in general, the expected taking effect duration is greater than the conversion timeout time.

[0713] As shown in FIG. 5, in the case where the first frame is the frame carrying the multi-link power consumption management mode indication information, the above first PPDU is the second frame for the first frame, which carries the acknowledgement for the first frame, and at this time, the second frame is both the first PPDU and the second PPDU. Assuming that the signal extension does not exist, the start point of the conversion timeout time is the end time of the second frame.

[0714] In a possible design of the embodiment, the first frame is the multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame, the first frame carries the power consumption management indication time subfield and / or the expected duration subfield, the power consumption management indication time subfield and / or the expected duration subfield are used to indicate the expected taking effect time point, and the actual taking effect time point at which the affiliated station corresponding to the second link enters the first power consumption management mode is the expected taking effect time point.

[0715] As shown in FIG. 27, the first multi-link device is a non-AP MLD, the second multi-link device is an AP MLD, the first multi-link device is STA1 at the dependent station corresponding to the second link pair, the first frame is a multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame, the first frame carries a power consumption management indication time subfield and / or an expected duration subfield, and the power consumption management indication time subfield and / or the expected duration subfield are used to indicate an expected effective time point.

[0716] The expected effective time point is the same as the actual power consumption management mode switching effective time point of STA1, at the expected effective time point, STA1 enters the first power consumption management mode.

[0717] For the above multi-link power consumption management mode, when the first multi-link device (non-AP MLD) is associated with the second multi-link device (AP MLD), and a plurality of links (such as link 1 and link 2) are established with the AP MLD, the non-AP MLD (or the AP MLD) can indicate the multi-link power consumption management mode in which the dependent station corresponding to the link (or the enabled link) of the MLD will be in, or is changing the multi-link power consumption management mode operation of the corresponding dependent station and / or whether to enable the dynamic energy saving operation, through the multi-link (or cross-link) power consumption management mode indication operation. The operation rules of the multi-link (or cross-link) power consumption management mode indication operation are as follows.

[0718] 1. For the multi-link (or cross-link) power consumption management mode indication initiated by the first multi-link device (non-AP MLD), when one dependent station of the first multi-link device is the station (for example, STA1) indicated to be in the first power consumption management mode, and the power consumption management mode of the station is switched from the active mode to the indicated energy saving mode, or from the wake-up state in the dynamic energy saving mode to the sleep state, or from the active mode to the wake-up state in the dynamic energy saving mode, or from the wake-up state in one dynamic energy saving mode to the wake-up state in another indicated dynamic energy saving mode (for example, the dynamic energy saving operation parameter such as the low capability operation parameter or the high capability operation parameter is updated), at least one of the following rules needs to be followed.

[0719] (1) At the expected effective time point (T0) of the power consumption management mode, if the dependent station of the non-AP MLD is neither a transmission opportunity holder (TXOP holder) nor a transmission opportunity responder (TXOP responder), the dependent station enters the indicated power consumption management mode after T0+T-delay, where T-delay is the possible delay of the dependent station determining that it is neither a transmission opportunity holder nor a transmission opportunity responder, and T-delay can be 0.

[0720] In a possible design of the embodiment, if the affiliated station is receiving a PPDU at the expected effective time point, the affiliated station enters the indicated power consumption management mode after confirming that the PPDU is not sent to itself, i.e., the determination delay is taken as the time interval between the expected effective time point and the time when it is confirmed that the PPDU is not sent to itself.

[0721] (2) At the expected effective time point of the power consumption management mode, if the AP MLD corresponding to the affiliated AP associated with the affiliated station (denoted as STA1) of the non-AP MLD is the transmission opportunity holder and has initiated a frame exchange with STA1, STA1 enters the indicated power consumption management mode after the frame exchange ends.

[0722] In a possible design of the embodiment, if the affiliated station is receiving a PPDU at the expected effective time point, the affiliated station participates in the frame exchange after confirming that the PPDU is sent to itself until the frame exchange ends; STA1 enters the indicated power consumption management mode after the frame exchange ends.

[0723] (3) At the expected effective time point of the power consumption management mode, if the affiliated station (denoted as STA1) of the non-AP MLD is the transmission opportunity holder and has initiated or is initiating a frame exchange with the AP, STA1 enters the indicated power consumption management mode after the frame exchange ends (or the TXOP ends).

[0724] (4) At the expected effective time point of the power consumption management mode, if the AP MLD corresponding to the affiliated AP (denoted as AP1) associated with the affiliated station (STA1) of the non-AP MLD is the transmission opportunity holder and has not initiated a frame exchange with STA1 or the PPDU being sent does not carry a frame sent to STA1, AP1 does not initiate a frame exchange with STA1 during the current acquired TXOP.

[0725] 2. For a multi-link (or cross-link) power consumption management mode indication initiated by a first multi-link device (non-AP MLD), when one affiliated station of the first multi-link device is the station (denoted as STA1) that is indicated to change the power consumption management mode, and the power consumption management mode of the station is switched from the current power saving mode (i.e., in a sleep state or a wake-up state) or the sleep state to the indicated active mode or the wake-up state in the dynamic power saving mode, at least one of the following rules needs to be followed.

[0726] (1) At the expected entry time of the power management mode, if the affiliated station (set as STA1) of the non-AP MLD is the TXOP holder and / or has initiated or is initiating frame exchange with the AP, then STA1 enters the indicated power management mode after the end of the frame exchange (or TXOP).

[0727] (2) Before the expected entry time of the power management mode, if the affiliated AP (set as AP1) of the AP MLD to which the affiliated station (STA1) of the non-AP MLD is associated is the TXOP holder and does not actively initiate frame exchange with STA1.

[0728] 3. For the multi-link (or cross-link) power management mode indication initiated by the first multi-link device (non-AP MLD), when one of the affiliated stations of the first multi-link device is the station (set as STA1) indicated to change the power management mode, and the power management mode of the station is switched from the wake-up state in the dynamic energy saving mode to the active mode, or from the wake-up state in one dynamic energy saving mode to the wake-up state in the indicated another dynamic energy saving mode (such as the update of the low-capability operation parameter or the high-capability operation parameter, etc.), at least one of the following rules needs to be followed.

[0729] (1) At the expected entry time of the power management mode, if the affiliated station (set as STA1) of the non-AP MLD is the TXOP holder and / or has initiated or is initiating frame exchange with the AP, then STA1 enters the indicated power management mode after the end of the frame exchange (or TXOP).

[0730] (2) At the expected entry time of the power management mode, if STA1 does not frame exchange with the AP, then STA1 enters the indicated power management mode after the expected entry time + the determination delay, where the determination delay is the possible delay for STA1 to determine whether it is currently participating in the AP frame exchange, and the determination delay can be 0.

[0731] In a possible design of the embodiment, if the affiliated station is receiving a PPDU at the expected entry time, it enters the indicated power management mode after confirming that the PPDU is not sent to itself, that is, the determination delay is the time interval between the expected entry time and the time when it is confirmed that the PPDU is not sent to itself.

[0732] The capability information of the second multi-link device:

[0733] In a possible design of the embodiment, the first multi-link device receives capability information sent by the second multi-link device; the second multi-link device is a peer device associated with the first multi-link device, and the capability information is used to indicate that the second multi-link device supports a cross-link power consumption management capability or a multi-link power consumption management capability.

[0734] In a possible design of the embodiment, the second multi-link device sends capability information; the capability information is used to indicate that the second multi-link device supports a cross-link power consumption management capability or a multi-link power consumption management capability.

[0735] In a possible design of the embodiment, the multi-link power consumption management mode indication capability subfield is used to indicate that the second multi-link device supports a cross-link power consumption management capability or a multi-link power consumption management capability.

[0736] The multi-link power consumption management mode indication capability subfield is used to indicate whether a multi-link (or cross-link) power consumption management mode is supported, and a multi-link power consumption management mode indication conversion timeout time; the basic multi-link element includes the multi-link power consumption management mode indication capability subfield, and the basic multi-link element is carried in a management frame. For example, the multi-link power consumption management mode indication capability subfield is added in a common information field of the basic multi-link element, as shown in FIG. 28.

[0737] The common information field of the basic multi-link element includes at least one of the following: a common information length field, an MLD MAC address field, a link ID information field, a BSS parameter change count field, a medium synchronization delay information field, an enhanced multi-link (EML) capability field, an MLD capability and operation field, an AP MLD ID field, an extended MLD capability and operation field, and a multi-link power consumption management mode indication capability field.

[0738] FIG. 28 shows a schematic diagram of a common information field format of a basic multi-link element according to an example embodiment of the present application. The common information field of the basic multi-link element includes at least one of the following: a common information length field, an MLD MAC address field, a link ID information field, a BSS parameter change count field, a medium synchronization delay information field, an enhanced multi-link (EML) capability field, an MLD capability and operation field, an AP MLD ID field, an extended MLD capability and operation field, and a multi-link power consumption management mode indication capability field. For details, refer to the embodiment of FIG. 28, which will not be described here.

[0739] The multi-link power consumption management mode indication capability field includes at least one of the following: a multi-link power consumption management mode indication support field, a multi-link power consumption management mode indication conversion timeout time field, and a reserved field.

[0740] For the multi-link power consumption management mode indication capability (sub) field, FIG. 29 shows a schematic diagram of a multi-link power consumption management mode indication capability field format according to an example embodiment of the present application. The multi-link power consumption management mode indication capability field includes at least one of the following: a multi-link power consumption management mode indication support field, a multi-link power consumption management mode indication conversion timeout time field, and a reserved field. For details, refer to the embodiment of FIG. 29, which will not be described here.

[0741] The embodiment takes a sending module 3010, a processing module 3020, and a receiving module 3030 as an example, and the number of the sending module 3010, the processing module 3020, and the receiving module 3030 is not limited.

[0742] The function of the sending module 3010 can be referred to the step 310 in the embodiment of FIG. 3. The function of the processing module 3020 can be referred to the step 310 in the embodiment of FIG. 3. The function of the receiving module 3030 can be referred to the step 310 in the embodiment of FIG. 3.

[0743] FIG. 31 shows a block diagram of a second multi-link device according to an example embodiment of the present application. The device can be implemented as a second MLD or a part of a second MLD by software or hardware or a combination of both, and the second multi-link device has established and / or enabled one or more links with a first multi-link device, the one or more links including a first link and a second link. The device includes:

[0744] The receiving module 3110 is configured to receive a first frame sent by the first MLD on the first link, and the first frame is used to indicate a first power consumption management mode in which a station corresponding to the second link and / or the first link will be in. The second link is a link different from the first link in the one or more links, and the peer device associated with the second multi-link device is the first multi-link device.

[0745] In a possible design of the embodiment, the first power consumption management mode in which the station corresponding to the second link and / or the first link will be in can be understood as or replaced by any of the following: used to indicate that a multi-link power consumption management mode operation of the station corresponding to the second link and / or the first link is being changed; used to indicate that the station corresponding to the second link and / or the first link will switch from a current power consumption management mode to the first power consumption management mode; used to indicate whether the station corresponding to the second link and / or the first link enables a dynamic (adaptation capability) energy saving operation. The embodiment of the present application does not limit this, and generally takes the first power consumption management mode in which the station corresponding to the second link and / or the first link will be in as an example.

[0746] The first power consumption management mode is for a link, and the link is any of the one or more links. The first power consumption management mode corresponding to each link can be the same or different. The embodiment of the present application mainly takes the first power consumption management mode in which the station corresponding to the second link will be in as an example, which is also applicable to the first power consumption management mode in which the station corresponding to the first link will be in, and the embodiment of the present application does not limit this.

[0747] In a possible design of the embodiment, the second link is one link different from the first link, or the second link is a plurality of links different from the first link.

[0748] In a possible design of the embodiment, the first power consumption management mode comprises at least one of the following: an active mode, and a power saving mode; where the active mode means always in an awake state, and the power saving mode means in the awake state or in a sleep state, or in an unavailable state.

[0749] The power consumption management mode comprises at least one of the following: an active mode, and a power saving mode; where the active mode means always in an awake state, and the power saving mode means in the awake state or in a sleep state, or in an unavailable state.

[0750] For each corresponding affiliated station on each link, the first power consumption management mode is one of the one or more power consumption management modes.

[0751] When the affiliated station is in the awake state, the affiliated station can perform operations such as data transmission and reception, and channel listening; when the affiliated station is in the sleep state, the affiliated station can perform channel listening although it cannot perform data transmission and reception; and when the affiliated station is in the unavailable state, the affiliated station cannot perform operations such as data transmission and reception, and channel listening.

[0752] In a possible design of the embodiment, the power saving mode comprises a full-power power saving mode or a capability adaptation power saving mode, and the capability adaptation power saving mode comprises a static capability adaptation power saving mode or a dynamic capability adaptation power saving mode.

[0753] By way of example but not limitation, the awake state in the power saving mode comprises at least one of the following: an awake state in the dynamic capability adaptation power saving mode, an awake state in the static capability adaptation power saving mode, and an awake ...

Claims

1. A power consumption management method, characterized by, The method is performed by a first multi-link device (MLD), the first MLD having established and / or enabled one or more links with a second MLD, the multiple links including a first link and a second link, and the method comprises: sending, on the first link, a first frame, the first frame being used to indicate a first power consumption management mode that a station affiliated to the second link and / or the first link is to be in; wherein the second link is a link different from the first link among the multiple links.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, The first power consumption management mode includes at least one of: an active mode, a power saving mode; wherein being in the active mode means being in a wake-up state all the time, and being in the power saving mode means being in the wake-up state or a sleep state, or an unavailable state.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein, The wake-up state in the power saving mode includes at least one of: a wake-up state in a dynamic capability adaptation power saving mode; a wake-up state in a static capability adaptation power saving mode; a wake-up state in a full power power saving mode.

4. The method according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The power saving mode includes a full power power saving mode or a capability adaptation power saving mode, and the capability adaptation power saving mode includes a static capability adaptation power saving mode or a dynamic capability adaptation power saving mode.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The first frame carries a control field, and the control field is used to indicate the first power consumption management mode.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein, The control field includes at least one of: a first control field used to indicate whether the first power consumption management mode is the active mode or the power saving mode; a second control field used to indicate whether the power saving mode is the full power power saving mode or the capability adaptation power saving mode; and a third control field used to indicate whether the capability adaptation power saving mode is the non-dynamic capability adaptation power saving mode or the dynamic capability adaptation power saving mode.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein, The first control field is a first bitmap field, a bit position i of the first bitmap field corresponds to a link with a link identifier (ID) i, and is used to indicate whether the first power consumption management mode of a station affiliated to the link with the link ID i is the active mode or the power saving mode, i being an integer.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein, The second control field is a second bitmap field, a bit position i of the second bitmap field corresponds to the link with the link ID i, and is used to indicate whether the first power consumption management mode of the station affiliated to the link with the link ID i is the full power power saving mode or the capability adaptation power saving mode, i being an integer.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein, The third control field is a third bitmap field, a bit position i of the third bitmap field corresponds to the link with the link ID i, and is used to indicate whether the first power consumption management mode of the station affiliated to the link with the link ID i is the non-dynamic capability adaptation power saving mode or the dynamic capability adaptation power saving mode, i being an integer.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, The first frame is also used to indicate an operation parameter to be adopted by the station affiliated to the second link and / or the first link in the first power consumption management mode.

11. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that, The first frame further carries at least one of the following fields: a first indication time subfield used to indicate an expected effective time point of the first power consumption management mode; and a first time duration subfield used to indicate a required duration for the first power consumption management mode to be expected to be effective.

12. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that, The first frame is a multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame.

13. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that, The first frame is a frame carrying multi-link power consumption management mode indication information, and the first frame carries a control field, and the control field includes at least one of the following: A fourth control field is used to indicate a first power consumption management mode in which a station corresponding to each of the plurality of links will be in, and the first power consumption management mode includes an active mode or a power saving mode; A fifth control field is used to indicate whether a dynamic capability adaptation power saving mode is enabled for a station corresponding to each of the plurality of links; A sixth control field is used to indicate a first power consumption management mode in which a station corresponding to a link with a link ID of i will be in, and the first power consumption management mode is the active mode or the power saving mode or the dynamic capability adaptation power saving mode.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein, The fourth control field includes a fourth bitmap field, and a bit position i of the fourth bitmap field corresponds to a link with a link ID of i, and is used to indicate that the first power consumption management mode of a station corresponding to the link with the link ID of i is the active mode or the power saving mode, and i is an integer.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein, The fifth control field includes a fifth bitmap field, and a bit position i of the fifth bitmap field corresponds to a link with a link ID of i, and is used to indicate whether the first power consumption management mode of a station corresponding to the link with the link ID of i enables the dynamic capability adaptation power saving mode, and i is an integer.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein, The sixth control field includes at least one of the following fields: a link ID subfield, a power consumption management mode subfield, and a capability adaptation power saving control subfield; The link ID subfield is used to indicate the link ID, the power consumption management mode subfield is used to indicate that the first power consumption management mode in which a station corresponding to the link with the link ID of i will be in is the active mode or the power saving mode, and the capability adaptation power saving control subfield is used to indicate that the first power consumption management mode in which a station corresponding to the link with the link ID of i will be in is a non-dynamic capability adaptation power saving mode or a dynamic capability adaptation power saving mode.

17. The method of any one of claims 13 to 16, wherein, At least one of the fourth control field, the fifth control field, and the sixth control field includes an expected effective duration subfield; and the expected effective duration subfield is used to indicate a duration required for the first power consumption management mode to take effect.

18. The method of any one of claims 13 to 17, wherein, The first frame is a physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU) carrying one or more individually addressed quality of service (QoS) data frames, a QoS null frame, or a third type of management frame.

19. The method of any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein, The first MLD determines, at an actual effective time point at which a station corresponding to the second link enters the first power consumption management mode, based on one of the following time points: A first time point is a time point at the end of a second PPDU, the second PPDU carrying an acknowledgement of the first frame or an acknowledgement of a second frame, the second frame being sent by the second MLD on the second link or the first link, and the second frame being used to respond to the first frame; a second time point, the second time point being a transition timeout time point of the first power consumption management mode or an expected taking effect time point, the expected taking effect time point being a time point at which the first MLD expects the affiliated station corresponding to the second link to enter the first power consumption management mode; 20. The method of any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein, a third time point, the third time point being a time point at which the first MLD completes frame exchange at the affiliated station corresponding to the first link. The actual taking effect time point of the first MLD entering the first power consumption management mode at the affiliated station corresponding to the first link is determined based on one of the following time points: a first time point, the first time point being an end time of a second PPDU, the second PPDU carrying an acknowledgement of the first frame or an acknowledgement of a second frame, the second frame being sent by the second MLD on the first link, the second frame being used to respond to the first frame; a second time point, the second time point being a transition timeout time point of the first power consumption management mode or an expected taking effect time point, the expected taking effect time point being a time point at which the first MLD expects the affiliated station corresponding to the first link to enter the first power consumption management mode; 21. The method of claim 19 or 20, wherein, a third time point, the third time point being a time point at which the first MLD completes frame exchange at the affiliated station corresponding to the first link.

22. The method of claim 19 or 20, wherein, The first time point is: an end time of the second PPDU; or, an end time of signal extension after the second PPDU.

23. The method of any one of claims 19, 21-22, wherein, The first frame and / or the second frame are further used to indicate the expected taking effect time point.

24. The method of any one of claims 19, 21-22, wherein, The second frame carries at least one of the following fields: a first indication time subfield, used to indicate the expected taking effect time point of the first power consumption management mode; and a first duration subfield, used to indicate a duration required for the first power consumption management mode to be expected to be effective, the duration starting from an end of the second PPDU or the duration starting from an end of signal extension after the second PPDU. The method further comprises: in a case where the second station is not a transmission opportunity holder or a transmission opportunity responder, entering the first power consumption management mode at a time point corresponding to a first determination delay after the first time point; 25. The method of claim 19, wherein, wherein the second station is one of a plurality of affiliated stations of the first MLD, and the second station is associated with the second link, and the first determination delay is a delay caused by the second station determining whether the second station is the transmission opportunity holder or the transmission opportunity responder. The method further comprises: entering the first power consumption management mode at the second time point by the second station; 26. The method of claim 25, wherein, wherein the second station is one of a plurality of affiliated stations of the first MLD, and the second station is associated with the second link. The method further comprises: receiving a third frame sent by the second MLD before the first MLD sends the first frame, the third frame being used to indicate the transition timeout time point.

27. The method of claim 25 or 26, wherein, The conversion timeout time point is a time point indicated by a conversion timeout time after a first time point, and the first time point is an end of a first PPDU, or the first time point is an end of signal extension after the first PPDU, and the first PPDU carries an acknowledgement of the first frame.

28. The method of any one of claims 25 to 27, wherein, The second station enters the first power consumption management mode at the second time point, including: In a case where the second station does not initiate or is not in the frame exchange at the expected effective time point, the second station enters the first power consumption management mode at the second time point.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein, In a case where the second station does not initiate or is not in the frame exchange at the expected effective time point, the second station enters the first power consumption management mode at a time point corresponding to a second determination delay after the second time point. The second determination delay is a delay caused by the first MLD for determining whether to initiate the frame exchange with the second MLD. The method further includes:

30. The method of claim 28 or 29, wherein, In a case where the second station does not initiate or is not in the frame exchange at the expected effective time point, the second station does not initiate the frame exchange during a current acquired transmission opportunity. The frame exchange is not initiated in a case where the second station determines that a received PPDU is not sent to itself.

31. The method of any one of claims 28 to 30, wherein, The method further includes:

32. The method of claim 19, wherein, In a case where the second station initiates or is in the frame exchange at the expected effective time point, and / or, in a case where the second station is a transmission opportunity occupier, the second station enters the first power consumption management mode at the third time point. The second station is one of a plurality of affiliated stations of the first MLD, and the second station is associated with the second link. Before the expected effective time point, the second access point does not actively initiate the frame exchange with the second station in a case where the second access point is a transmission opportunity occupier.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein, The second access point is an affiliated access point of the second MLD, and the second access point is associated with the second link. The frame exchange is initiated in a case where the second station determines that a received PPDU is sent to itself.

34. The method of claim 32 or 33, wherein, The frame exchange is initiated by the first MLD or by the second MLD.

35. The method of any one of claims 32 to 34, wherein, The expected effective time point is determined based on at least one of the following:

36. The method of any one of claims 19 to 35, wherein, The first time point; a conversion timeout time point of the first power consumption management mode; a field in the first frame for indicating the expected effective time point; and the conversion timeout time point is indicated by a third frame sent by the second MLD. In a case where the first frame does not carry the field for indicating the expected effective time point, and the first MLD does not receive the second frame, the expected effective time point is determined based on the conversion timeout time point of the first power consumption management mode.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein, ​ 38. The method of claim 36, wherein, In a case that the first frame does not carry the field for indicating the expected take-effect time point and the first MLD receives the second frame, the expected take-effect time point is determined based on the first time point.

39. The method of claim 36, wherein, In a case that the first frame carries the field for indicating the expected take-effect time point, the expected take-effect time point is determined based on the field for indicating the expected take-effect time point.

40. The method of any one of claims 1 to 39, wherein, The method further comprises: receiving capability information sent by the second MLD; wherein the capability information is used to indicate that the second MLD supports a cross-link power consumption management capability or a multi-link power consumption management capability.

41. A power consumption management method, comprising: The method is performed by a second multi-link device (MLD), the second MLD having established and / or enabled one or more links with a first MLD, the multiple links including a first link and a second link, and the method comprises: receiving a first frame sent by the first MLD on the first link, the first frame being used to indicate a first power consumption management mode in which a station affiliated to the first MLD will be in on the second link and / or the first link; wherein the second link is a link different from the first link among the multiple links.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein, The first power consumption management mode includes at least one of: an active mode, a power saving mode; wherein being in the active mode means being in a wake-up state at all times, and being in the power saving mode means being in the wake-up state or a sleep state, or an unavailable state.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein, The wake-up state in the power saving mode includes at least one of: a wake-up state in a dynamic capability adaptation power saving mode, a wake-up state in a static capability adaptation power saving mode, and a wake-up state in a full power power saving mode.

44. The method of claim 42 or 43, wherein, The power saving mode includes a full power power saving mode or a capability adaptation power saving mode, and the capability adaptation power saving mode includes a static capability adaptation power saving mode or a dynamic capability adaptation power saving mode.

45. The method of any one of claims 41 to 44, wherein, The first frame carries a control field, and the control field is used to indicate the first power consumption management mode.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein, The control field includes at least one of: a first control field used to indicate that the first power consumption management mode is the active mode or the power saving mode, a second control field used to indicate that the power saving mode is the full power power saving mode or the capability adaptation power saving mode, and a third control field used to indicate that the capability adaptation power saving mode is the non-dynamic capability adaptation power saving mode or the dynamic capability adaptation power saving mode.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein, The first control field is a first bitmap field, and a bit position i of the first bitmap field corresponds to a link with a link identifier (ID) of i, and is used to indicate that the first power consumption management mode of a station affiliated to the link with the link ID of i is the active mode or the power saving mode, i being an integer.

48. The method of claim 46, wherein, The second control field is a second bitmap field, and a bit position i of the second bitmap field corresponds to a link with a link ID of i, and is used to indicate that the first power consumption management mode of a station affiliated to the link with the link ID of i is the full power power saving mode or the capability adaptation power saving mode, i being an integer.

49. The method of claim 46, wherein, The third control field is a third bitmap field, a bit position i of the third bitmap field corresponds to a link with a link ID i, and is used to indicate that the first power consumption management mode of the affiliated station corresponding to the link with the link ID i is the non-dynamic capability adaptation energy saving mode or the dynamic capability adaptation energy saving mode, i is an integer.

50. The method of any one of claims 41 to 49, wherein, The first frame is also used to indicate an operation parameter adopted by the affiliated station corresponding to the second link and / or the first link in the first power consumption management mode.

51. The method of any one of claims 41 to 50, wherein, The first frame also carries at least one of the following fields: a first indication time subfield, used to indicate an expected effective time point of the first power consumption management mode; and a first time length subfield, used to indicate a required duration for the first power consumption management mode to be expected to be effective.

52. The method of any one of claims 41 to 51, wherein, The first frame is a multi-link power consumption management mode indication notification frame.

53. The method of any one of claims 41 to 51, wherein, The first frame is a frame carrying multi-link power consumption management mode indication information, and the first frame carries a control field, and the control field includes at least one of the following: A fourth control field, used to indicate the first power consumption management mode in which the affiliated station corresponding to each link in the plurality of links will be in, the first power consumption management mode including the active mode or the energy saving mode; A fifth control field, used to indicate whether the dynamic capability adaptation energy saving mode is enabled for the affiliated station corresponding to each link in the plurality of links; A sixth control field, used to indicate the first power consumption management mode in which the affiliated station corresponding to a link with a link ID i will be in, the first power consumption management mode being the active mode or the energy saving mode or the dynamic capability adaptation energy saving mode.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein, The fourth control field includes a fourth bitmap field, a bit position i of the fourth bitmap field corresponds to a link with a link ID i, and is used to indicate that the first power consumption management mode of the affiliated station corresponding to the link with the link ID i is the active mode or the energy saving mode, i is an integer.

55. The method of claim 53, wherein, The fifth control field includes a fifth bitmap field, a bit position i of the fifth bitmap field corresponds to a link with a link ID i, and is used to indicate whether the first power consumption management mode of the affiliated station corresponding to the link with the link ID i enables the dynamic capability adaptation energy saving mode, i is an integer.

56. The method of claim 53, wherein, The sixth control field includes at least one of the following fields: a link ID subfield, a power consumption management mode subfield, and a capability adaptation energy saving control subfield; The link ID subfield is used to indicate the link ID, the power consumption management mode subfield is used to indicate that the first power consumption management mode in which the affiliated station corresponding to the link with the link ID i will be in is the active mode or the energy saving mode, and the capability adaptation energy saving control subfield is used to indicate that the first power consumption management mode in which the affiliated station corresponding to the link with the link ID i will be in is the non-dynamic capability adaptation energy saving mode or the dynamic capability adaptation energy saving mode.

57. The method of any one of claims 53 to 56, wherein, At least one of the fourth control field, the fifth control field, and the sixth control field includes an expected effective time length subfield; and the expected effective time length subfield is used to indicate a required duration for the first power consumption management mode to be effective.

58. The method of any one of claims 53 to 57, wherein, The first frame is a physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU) carrying one or more individually addressed quality of service (QoS) data frames, a QoS null frame, or a third category management frame.

59. The method of any one of claims 41 to 58, wherein, The first MLD determines, at an actual effective time point at which the affiliated station corresponding to the second link enters the first power consumption management mode, one of: a first time point, which is an end time point of a second PPDU, the second PPDU carrying an acknowledgement of the first frame or an acknowledgement of a second frame, the second frame being sent by the second MLD on the second link or the first link, the second frame being used to respond to the first frame; a second time point, which is a transition timeout time point of the first power consumption management mode or an expected effective time point, the expected effective time point being a time point at which the first MLD expects the affiliated station corresponding to the second link to enter the first power consumption management mode; and a third time point, which is a time point at which the first MLD completes frame exchange with the affiliated station corresponding to the second link.

60. The method of any one of claims 41 to 58, wherein, The first MLD determines, at an actual effective time point at which the affiliated station corresponding to the first link enters the first power consumption management mode, one of: a first time point, which is an end time point of a second PPDU, the second PPDU carrying an acknowledgement of the first frame or an acknowledgement of a second frame, the second frame being sent by the second MLD on the first link, the second frame being used to respond to the first frame; a second time point, which is a transition timeout time point of the first power consumption management mode or an expected effective time point, the expected effective time point being a time point at which the first MLD expects the affiliated station corresponding to the first link to enter the first power consumption management mode; and a third time point, which is a time point at which the first MLD completes frame exchange with the affiliated station corresponding to the first link. The first time point is: an end time point of the second PPDU; or an end time point of signal extension after the second PPDU.

61. The method of claim 59 or 60, wherein, The first frame and / or the second frame are further used to indicate the expected effective time point.

62. The method of claim 59 or 60, wherein, The second frame carries at least one of: a first indication time subfield, used to indicate the expected effective time point of the first power consumption management mode; and a first duration subfield, used to indicate a duration required for the first power consumption management mode to be expected to be effective, the duration starting from an end of the second PPDU or the duration starting from an end of signal extension after the second PPDU.

63. The method of any one of claims 59, 61-62, wherein, In a case where the second station is not a transmission opportunity holder or a transmission opportunity responder, the actual effective time point at which the second station enters the first power consumption management mode is a time point corresponding to a first determination delay after the first time point.

64. The method of any one of claims 59, 61-62, wherein, ​ The second station is one of a plurality of affiliated stations of the first MLD, and the second station is associated with the second link.

65. The method of claim 59, wherein, The actual effective time point at which the second station enters the first power consumption management mode is the second time point; the second station is one of a plurality of affiliated stations of the first MLD, and the second station is associated with the second link.

66. The method of claim 65, wherein, The method further includes: Before the first MLD sends the first frame, the second MLD sends a third frame, the third frame being used to indicate the conversion timeout time point.

67. The method of claim 65 or 66, wherein, The conversion timeout time point is a time point indicated by a conversion timeout time after a first time point, the first time point being an end of a first PPDU, or the first time point being an end of a signal extension after the first PPDU, the first PPDU carrying an acknowledgement of the first frame.

68. The method of any one of claims 65 to 67, wherein, In a case where the second station does not initiate or is not in the frame exchange at the expected effective time point, the actual effective time point at which the second station enters the first power consumption management mode is the second time point.

69. The method of claim 68, wherein, In a case where the second station does not initiate or is not in the frame exchange at the expected effective time point, the actual effective time point at which the second station enters the first power consumption management mode is a time point corresponding to a second determination delay after the second time point; the second determination delay is a delay caused by the first MLD for determining whether to initiate the frame exchange with the second MLD.

70. The method of claim 68 or 69, wherein, In a case where the second station does not initiate or is not in the frame exchange at the expected effective time point, the second station does not initiate the frame exchange during a currently acquired transmission opportunity.

71. The method of any one of claims 68 to 70, wherein, The frame exchange is not initiated in a case where the second station determines that a received PPDU is not sent to itself.

72. The method of claim 59, wherein, In a case where the second station initiates or is in the frame exchange at the expected effective time point, and / or, in a case where the second station is a transmission opportunity holder, the actual effective time point at which the second station enters the first power consumption management mode is the third time point; the second station is one of a plurality of affiliated stations of the first MLD, and the second station is associated with the second link.

73. The method of claim 72, wherein, Before the expected effective time point, in a case where a second access point is a transmission opportunity holder, the second access point does not actively initiate the frame exchange with the second station; the second access point is an affiliated access point of the second MLD, and the second access point is associated with the second link.

74. The method of claim 72 or 73, wherein, The frame exchange is initiated by the first MLD, or is initiated by the second MLD.

75. The method of any one of claims 72 to 74, wherein, The frame exchange is initiated by the first MLD, or is initiated by the second MLD.

76. The method of any one of claims 59 to 75, wherein, The expected taking effect time point is determined based on at least one of the following: the first time point; a transition timeout time point of the first power consumption management mode; a field in the first frame for indicating the expected taking effect time point; wherein the transition timeout time point is indicated by a third frame sent by the second MLD.

77. The method of claim 76, wherein, In a case where the first frame does not carry the field for indicating the expected taking effect time point and the first MLD does not receive the second frame, the expected taking effect time point is determined based on a transition timeout time point of the first power consumption management mode.

78. The method of claim 76, wherein, In a case where the first frame does not carry the field for indicating the expected taking effect time point and the first MLD receives the second frame, the expected taking effect time point is determined based on the first time point.

79. The method of claim 76, wherein, In a case where the first frame carries the field for indicating the expected taking effect time point, the expected taking effect time point is determined based on the field for indicating the expected taking effect time point.

80. The method of any one of claims 41 to 79, wherein, The method further comprises: sending capability information; wherein the capability information is used to indicate that the second MLD supports a cross-link power consumption management capability or a multi-link power consumption management capability.

81. A first multi-link apparatus, comprising: The first multi-link device has established and / or enabled one or more links with a second multi-link device, the one or more links including a first link and a second link, and the device comprises: a sending module configured to send a first frame on the first link, the first frame being used to indicate a first power consumption management mode that a corresponding affiliated station of the second link and / or the first link will be in; wherein the second link is a link different from the first link in the one or more links.

82. A second multi-link apparatus, comprising: The second multi-link device has established and / or enabled one or more links with a first multi-link device, the one or more links including a first link and a second link, and the device comprises: a receiving module configured to receive a first frame sent by the first multi-link device on the first link, the first frame being used to indicate a first power consumption management mode that a corresponding affiliated station of the second link and / or the first link will be in; wherein the second link is a link different from the first link in the one or more links.

83. A first multi-link device, MLD, configured to: The first MLD comprises: a processor; a transceiver connected to the processor; a memory for storing executable instructions of the processor; wherein the processor is configured to load and execute the executable instructions to implement the power consumption management method according to any one of claims 1 to 40.

84. A second multi-link device, MLD, configured to: The second MLD comprises: a processor; a transceiver connected to the processor; a memory for storing executable instructions of the processor; wherein the processor is configured to load and execute the executable instructions to implement the power consumption management method according to any one of claims 41 to 80.

85. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer readable storage medium stores at least one program, and the at least one program is loaded and executed by the processor to implement the power consumption management method according to any one of claims 1 to 40, or the power consumption management method according to any one of claims 41 to 80.

86. A chip, comprising: The chip comprises programmable logic circuit and / or program instructions, when the chip is running on a first multi-link device, is used to implement the power consumption management method of any one of claims 1-40, when the chip is running on a second multi-link device, is used to implement the power consumption management method of any one of claims 41-80.

87. A computer program product, characterised in that, The computer program product comprises computer instructions stored in a computer readable storage medium, a processor acquires the computer instructions from the computer readable storage medium, and the processor executes the computer instructions to implement the power consumption management method of any one of claims 1-40 or the power consumption management method of any one of claims 41-80.

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