Wireless local area network (WLAN) communication method, and communication device and communication system

Abstract

The embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a wireless local area network (WLAN) communication method, and a communication device and a communication system. The WLAN communication method comprises: after switching from a secondary channel to a primary channel, a TXOP holder sensing whether the primary channel is idle; if it is sensed that the primary channel is idle, the TXOP holder clearing a count value of a network allocation vector (NAV) timer of the primary channel; and if it is sensed that the primary channel is busy, the TXOP holder updating the count value of the NAV timer or entering a power saving (PS) mode. In the embodiments of the present disclosure, dynamic switching and state sensing are performed between a secondary channel and a primary channel, thereby further reducing the access delay, and meeting the UHR transmission requirements.

Description

WLAN communication method, communication device and communication system TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the technical field of communication, and particularly relates to a WLAN communication method, a communication device and a communication system. BACKGROUND

[0002] At present, the contents researched by Wi-Fi technology, such as Ultra High Reliability (UHR), have the vision of improving the reliability of Wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN) connection, reducing the delay, improving the manageability, increasing the throughput under different Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) levels and reducing the device-level power consumption, etc.

[0003] In UHR, in order to reduce the access delay, a sub-channel access method is proposed. Therefore, it is necessary to further improve the sub-channel access mechanism to meet the transmission requirements of UHR.

[0004] SUMMARY

[0005] The embodiments of the present disclosure provide a WLAN communication method, a communication device and a communication system to improve the application of the sub-channel access mechanism in UHR and meet the transmission requirements of UHR.

[0006] In one aspect, the embodiments of the present disclosure provide a WLAN communication method applied to a TXOP holder, and the method comprises:

[0007] After the TXOP holder switches from a sub-channel to a main channel, the TXOP holder senses whether the main channel is idle;

[0008] If the TXOP holder senses that the main channel is idle, the TXOP holder clears the count value of a Network Allocation Vector timer (NAV timer) of the main channel;

[0009] If the TXOP holder senses that the main channel is busy, the TXOP holder updates the count value of the NAV timer or enters a power saving (PS) mode.

[0010] In another aspect, the embodiments of the present disclosure also provide a communication device, and the communication device is a TXOP holder, which comprises:

[0011] a sensing module configured to sense whether a main channel is idle after the TXOP holder switches from a sub-channel to the main channel;

[0012] clearing a count value of a network allocation vector timer (NAV timer) of the primary channel if the primary channel is sensed to be idle;

[0013] updating the count value of the NAV timer or entering a power saving (PS) mode if the primary channel is sensed to be busy.

[0014] In another aspect, the embodiments of the present disclosure further provide a communication device, which is a TXOP holder, comprising:

[0015] one or more processors;

[0016] The TXOP holder is configured to perform the WLAN communication method as described in the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0017] The embodiments of the present disclosure further provide a communication system, which comprises a TXOP holder.

[0018] The TXOP holder is configured to sense whether the primary channel is idle after switching from the secondary channel to the primary channel.

[0019] The TXOP holder is configured to clear a count value of a network allocation vector timer (NAV timer) of the primary channel if the primary channel is sensed to be idle.

[0020] The TXOP holder is configured to update the count value of the NAV timer or enter a power saving (PS) mode if the primary channel is sensed to be busy.

[0021] The embodiments of the present disclosure further provide a storage medium, which stores instructions, and when the instructions are run on a communication device, the communication device is caused to perform the WLAN communication method as described in the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0022] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, after the TXOP holder switches from the secondary channel to the primary channel, when the primary channel is sensed to be idle, the TXOP holder immediately clears a network allocation vector timer (NAV timer) of the primary channel, so as to quickly recover the use of the primary channel, and avoid wasting the idle time of the primary channel due to continuing to wait for the expiration of the NAV timer. When the primary channel is sensed to be busy, the TXOP holder updates the count value of the NAV timer or enters a power saving (PS) mode, so as to optimize the energy consumption of the device and maintain the network efficiency. In addition, through the dynamic switching and state sensing between the secondary channel and the primary channel, the access delay is further reduced, and the UHR transmission requirement is met.

[0023] The additional aspects and advantages of the embodiments of the present disclosure will be in part apparent and in part expressly stated below. The specific embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in detail below. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0024] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present disclosure, the following describes the drawings required for the embodiment description. The following drawings are only some of the embodiments of the present disclosure, and do not specifically limit the protection scope of the present disclosure.

[0025] FIG. 1 is one exemplary schematic diagram of an architecture of a communication system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0026] FIG. 2 is one flow diagram of a wireless local area network (WLAN) communication method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0027] FIG. 3 is another flow diagram of a wireless local area network (WLAN) communication method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0028] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of channel utilization and interference according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0029] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a structure of a TXOP holder according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0030] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a structure of a terminal according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0031] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a structure of a chip according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] The embodiments of the present disclosure propose a wireless local area network (WLAN) communication method, a communication device, and a communication system.

[0033] In a first aspect, the embodiments of the present disclosure propose a wireless local area network (WLAN) communication method applied to a transmission opportunity holder (TXOP holder), the method comprising:

[0034] After switching from a secondary channel to a primary channel, the TXOP holder senses whether the primary channel is idle;

[0035] If the primary channel is sensed to be idle, the TXOP holder clears a count value of a network allocation vector (NAV) timer of the primary channel;

[0036] If the primary channel is sensed to be busy, the TXOP holder updates the count value of the NAV timer or enters a power saving (PS) mode.

[0037] In the above embodiments, after the TXOP holder switches from the secondary channel to the primary channel, when the TXOP holder senses that the primary channel is idle, the TXOP holder immediately clears the network allocation vector timer NAV timer of the primary channel, so as to quickly resume the use of the primary channel, avoiding the waste of idle time of the primary channel due to the continued waiting for the expiration of the NAV timer. When the TXOP holder senses that the primary channel is busy, the TXOP holder updates the count value of the NAV timer or enters a power saving mode PS mode, so as to optimize the energy consumption of the device and maintain the network efficiency. In addition, through the dynamic switching between the secondary channel and the primary channel and the state sensing, the access delay is further reduced, meeting the UHR transmission requirement.

[0038] In some embodiments in combination with the first aspect, in some embodiments, the method further comprises:

[0039] sensing, by the TXOP holder, whether the primary channel is idle when the TXOP holder communicates on the secondary channel;

[0040] sensing that the primary channel is idle, switching back to the primary channel immediately for data transmission, or switching back to the primary channel for data transmission before the count value of the NAV timer ends.

[0041] In the above embodiments, when the TXOP holder senses that the primary channel is idle, for example, when the OBSS TXOP in the primary channel ends in advance, the TXOP holder will clear the NAV timer on the primary channel and switch back to the primary channel immediately for data transmission. Such immediate response can maximize the use of the idle time of the primary channel and quickly complete the data transmission, thereby reducing the transmission delay and improving the data transmission efficiency. When the TXOP holder senses that the primary channel is idle, for example, when the OBSS TXOP in the primary channel ends in advance, the TXOP holder will clear the NAV timer on the primary channel and continue to complete all transmissions on the secondary channel, but the transmission time on the secondary channel is not greater than the count value of the NAV timer, and the TXOP holder switches back to the primary channel for data transmission before the count value of the NAV timer ends. Such behavior ensures that the transmission opportunity on the primary channel is performed within the preset time, which helps to reduce the competition and conflict with other devices.

[0042] In some embodiments in combination with the first aspect, in some embodiments, after the sensing that the primary channel is idle, the method further comprises:

[0043] if the TXOP holder needs to continue to send a data frame, obtaining a TXOP and transmitting the data frame;

[0044] If the TXOP holder does not need to continue transmitting data frames, it enters the PS mode.

[0045] In the above embodiment, when the TXOP holder senses that the primary channel is idle, if it needs to continue transmitting data frames, it acquires the TXOP of the primary channel and starts transmitting data frames. By sensing the idle state of the primary channel, the TXOP holder can make a decision quickly and acquire the TXOP to start a new data transmission immediately. This immediate response can greatly reduce the delay of data transmission. When the TXOP holder senses that the primary channel is idle, if it does not need to continue transmitting data frames, it can choose to enter the PS mode. Entering the PS mode means that the TXOP holder can temporarily reduce power consumption and reduce power consumption of the device.

[0046] In some embodiments in combination with the first aspect, after the TXOP holder updates the count value of the NAV timer, the method further comprises:

[0047] The TXOP holder acquires the TXOP in the primary channel at the end of the updated count value of the NAV timer.

[0048] In the above embodiment, after the TXOP holder updates the count value of the NAV timer, it waits for the end before acquiring the TXOP in the primary channel. The TXOP holder can avoid unnecessary competition and collision when the primary channel is busy, so that the device can immediately transmit data when the primary channel is idle, ensuring that the device has a more accurate and effective data transmission opportunity on the primary channel.

[0049] In some embodiments in combination with the first aspect, before the TXOP holder switches from the secondary channel to the primary channel, the method comprises:

[0050] The TXOP holder accesses the primary channel using an enhanced distributed channel access (EDCA) mechanism;

[0051] The TXOP holder switches to the secondary channel for communication when it senses that there is an overlapping basic service set physical layer protocol data unit (OBSS PPDU) transmission or other basic service set (BSS) PPDU transmission in the primary channel, and sets or updates the count value of the NAV timer of the primary channel;

[0052] The count value is determined according to a duration field of a PPDU in the primary channel; the duration field is carried in a legacy signal field (L-SIG) or a medium access control (MAC) frame header of the PPDU.

[0053] In the above embodiment, when the TXOP holder obtains the TXOP, the EDCA mechanism can be used to access the primary channel. If the primary channel is in the OBSS busy state, in order to fully utilize the channel resources, the secondary channel communication can be switched to, so as to improve the throughput of the communication system and maximize the utilization of the channel resources.

[0054] In combination with some embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments, the switching to the secondary channel communication comprises:

[0055] obtaining a TXOP of the secondary channel through the EDCA mechanism;

[0056] switching from the secondary channel to the primary channel when the TXOP of the secondary channel ends or when the communication on the secondary channel is completed;

[0057] wherein the TXOP transmission duration of the secondary channel is not greater than the duration of the NAV timer.

[0058] In the above embodiment, the device switches to the secondary channel for transmission after setting the NAV timer, the NAV timer of the primary channel is also counted during the transmission on the secondary channel, and the communication duration of the device on the secondary channel is not greater than the duration of the NAV timer set on the primary channel. When the device completes the transmission on the secondary channel, it switches back to the primary channel, which can effectively avoid the transmission conflict of the primary channel and improve the channel utilization efficiency.

[0059] In the second aspect, the embodiments of the present disclosure further provide a communication device, which is a transmission opportunity holder TXOP holder, and the above transmission opportunity holder TXOP holder comprises at least one of a sensing module and a processing module; wherein the transmission opportunity holder TXOP holder is configured to execute the optional implementation manners of the first aspect.

[0060] In the third aspect, the embodiments of the present disclosure further provide a communication device, which is a transmission opportunity holder TXOP holder, and the above transmission opportunity holder TXOP holder comprises:

[0061] one or more processors;

[0062] wherein the transmission opportunity holder TXOP holder is configured to execute the optional implementation manners of the first aspect.

[0063] In the fourth aspect, the embodiments of the present disclosure further provide a communication system, which comprises a transmission opportunity holder TXOP holder;

[0064] wherein, after the TXOP holder switches from the secondary channel to the primary channel, the TXOP holder senses whether the primary channel is idle;

[0065] If the TXOP holder senses that the primary channel is idle, the TXOP holder clears a count value of a network allocation vector timer (NAV timer) of the primary channel;

[0066] If the TXOP holder senses that the primary channel is busy, the TXOP holder updates the count value of the NAV timer or enters a power saving (PS) mode.

[0067] In a fifth aspect, the embodiments of the present disclosure further provide a storage medium, which stores instructions, and when the instructions are executed on a communication device, the communication device is caused to perform the method according to the optional implementation manner of the first aspect.

[0068] In a sixth aspect, the embodiments of the present disclosure provide a program product, and when the program product is executed on a communication device, the communication device is caused to perform the method according to the optional implementation manner of the first aspect.

[0069] In a seventh aspect, the embodiments of the present disclosure provide a computer program, and when the computer program is executed on a computer, the computer is caused to perform the method according to the optional implementation manner of the first aspect.

[0070] In an eighth aspect, the embodiments of the present disclosure provide a chip or chip system. The chip or chip system includes processing circuitry configured to perform the method according to the optional implementation manner of the first aspect.

[0071] It can be understood that the above TXOP holder communication system, storage medium, program product, computer program, chip or chip system are all used to perform the method according to the embodiments of the present disclosure. Therefore, the beneficial effects that can be achieved can refer to the beneficial effects in the corresponding method, which will not be repeated here.

[0072] The embodiments of the present disclosure provide a WLAN communication method, a communication device and a communication system. In some embodiments, the WLAN communication method, the signal sending method, the wireless frame sending method and the like can be replaced with each other, and the information processing system, the communication system and the like can be replaced with each other.

[0073] The embodiments of the present disclosure are not exhaustive, but only illustrate some embodiments, and are not specific limitations on the protection scope of the present disclosure. In the case of no contradiction, each step in an embodiment can be implemented as an independent embodiment, and the steps can be combined arbitrarily, for example, the scheme after removing some steps in an embodiment can also be implemented as an independent embodiment, and the order of the steps in an embodiment can be exchanged arbitrarily, in addition, the optional implementation manners in an embodiment can be combined arbitrarily; in addition, the embodiments can be combined arbitrarily, for example, some or all steps of different embodiments can be combined arbitrarily, an embodiment can be combined with optional implementation manners of other embodiments.

[0074] In each embodiment of the present disclosure, the terms and / or descriptions between the embodiments are consistent if there is no special description and logical conflict, and can be referred to each other, and the technical features in different embodiments can be combined to form a new embodiment according to their inherent logical relationship.

[0075] The terms used in the embodiments of the present disclosure are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments, and not as a limitation on the present disclosure.

[0076] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, "multiple" refers to two or more.

[0077] In some embodiments, the terms "at least one of", "one or more", "a plurality of", "multiple", and the like can be replaced with each other.

[0078] In some embodiments, the description mode such as "at least one of A and B", "A and / or B", "A in one case and B in another case", "A in response to one case and B in response to another case", and the like can include the following technical solutions according to the case: in some embodiments, A (A is executed regardless of B); in some embodiments, B (B is executed regardless of A); in some embodiments, A and B are selected to be executed (A and B are selectively executed); in some embodiments, A and B (A and B are both executed). When there are more branches such as A, B, C, and the like, it is similar to the above.

[0079] In some embodiments, the description mode such as "A or B" and the like can include the following technical solutions according to the case: in some embodiments, A (A is executed regardless of B); in some embodiments, B (B is executed regardless of A); in some embodiments, A and B are selected to be executed (A and B are selectively executed). When there are more branches such as A, B, C, and the like, it is similar to the above.

[0080] The prefix words of "first", "second" and the like in the embodiments of the present disclosure are merely used to distinguish different description objects, and do not constitute limitation on the position, order, priority, quantity or content of the description objects. The description objects are described in the claims or embodiments, and should not be construed as redundant limitation because of the use of the prefix words. For example, the description object is "field", and the ordinal words before "field" in "first field" and "second field" do not limit the position or order between "fields", and "first" and "second" do not limit whether the "fields" modified thereby are in the same message or not, nor limit the order of "first field" and "second field". For another example, the description object is "level", and the ordinal words before "level" in "first level" and "second level" do not limit the priority between "levels". For another example, the quantity of the description object is not limited by the ordinal words, and can be one or more. For example, "first device", wherein the quantity of "device" can be one or more. In addition, the objects modified by different prefix words can be the same or different, for example, the description object is "device", and "first device" and "second device" can be the same device or different devices, and the types thereof can be the same or different. For another example, the description object is "information", and "first information" and "second information" can be the same information or different information, and the contents thereof can be the same or different.

[0081] In some embodiments, "including A", "containing A", "for indicating A", "carrying A" can be interpreted as directly carrying A, or indirectly indicating A.

[0082] In some embodiments, the terms of "in response to", "in response to determining", "in the case of", "when", "when", "if", "if" and the like can be replaced with each other.

[0083] In some embodiments, the terms of "greater than", "greater than or equal to", "not less than", "more than", "more than or equal to", "not less than", "higher than", "higher than or equal to", "not lower than", "above" and the like can be replaced with each other, and the terms of "less than", "less than or equal to", "not greater than", "less than", "less than or equal to", "not more than", "lower than", "lower than or equal to", "not higher than", "below" and the like can be replaced with each other.

[0084] In some embodiments, the apparatuses and devices can be interpreted as entities, and can also be interpreted as virtual, the names of which are not limited to the names described in the embodiments, and in some cases can also be understood as "equipment", "device", "circuit", "network element", "node", "function", "unit", "section", "system", "network", "chip", "chip system", "entity", "subject", and the like.

[0085] In some embodiments, the data, information, and the like can be obtained in compliance with the laws and regulations of the country where the location is located.

[0086] In some embodiments, the data, information, and the like can be obtained after obtaining the consent of the user.

[0087] In addition, each element, each row, or each column in the table of the embodiments of the present disclosure can be implemented as an independent embodiment, and any combination of any element, any row, or any column can also be implemented as an independent embodiment.

[0088] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an architecture of a communication system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0089] As shown in FIG. 1, the communication system 100 includes a transmit opportunity holder (TXOP holder) 101. The TXOP holder can be a station device (Station, STA) or an access point device (Access Point, AP).

[0090] In some embodiments, the TXOP holder 101 can be a wireless communication chip, a wireless sensor, or a wireless communication terminal supporting WiFi communication function. Optionally, the wireless communication terminal can be at least one of a mobile phone, a wearable device, an Internet of Things (IoT) device supporting WiFi communication function, a WiFi communication function enabled car, a smart car, a Pad, a computer with wireless transceiver function, a virtual reality (VR) terminal device, an augmented reality (AR) terminal device, a wireless terminal device in industrial control, a wireless terminal device in self-driving, a wireless terminal device in remote medical surgery, a wireless terminal device in smart grid, a wireless terminal device in transportation safety, a wireless terminal device in smart city, a wireless terminal device in smart home, and the like, but not limited thereto.

[0091] In particular, the TXOP holder 101 can be a terminal device or a network device with a wireless fidelity (WiFi) chip. Optionally, the TXOP holder 101 can support multiple WLAN standards such as 802.11ax, 802.11be, 802.11ac, 802.11n, 802.11g, 802.11b, 802.11a, 802.11bf, 802.11bn, and the like, and the next generation 802.11 protocol, but not limited thereto.

[0092] In some embodiments, the TXOP holder 102 can be an access point (AP) for a mobile terminal to access a wired network. The AP serves as a bridge connecting the wired network and the wireless network, and its main function is to connect various wireless network clients together and then access the Ethernet network through the wireless network. In particular, the AP can be a terminal device or a network device with a wireless fidelity chip. Optionally, the AP can support multiple WLAN standards such as 802.11ax, 802.11be, 802.11ac, 802.11n, 802.11g, 802.11b, 802.11a, 802.11bf, 802.11bn, and the like, and the next generation 802.11 protocol, but not limited thereto.

[0093] Optionally, in the embodiments of the present disclosure, the AP and the STA can be devices supporting multi-link, for example, can be respectively denoted as an access point multi-link device (AP MLD) and a non-access point multi-link device (Non-AP MLD); the AP MLD can represent an access point supporting a multi-link communication function, and the non-AP MLD can represent a station supporting a multi-link communication function.

[0094] It can be understood that the communication system described in the embodiments of the present disclosure is for more clearly illustrating the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present disclosure, and does not constitute a limitation on the technical solutions proposed in the embodiments of the present disclosure. It can be known by those skilled in the art that, as the system architecture evolves and new business scenarios appear, the technical solutions proposed in the embodiments of the present disclosure are also applicable to similar technical problems.

[0095] The following embodiments of the present disclosure can be applied to the communication system 100 shown in FIG. 1 or part of the subjects, but are not limited thereto. The subjects shown in FIG. 1 are exemplary, and the communication system can include all or part of the subjects in FIG. 1, or other subjects other than FIG. 1. The number and form of each subject is arbitrary, each subject can be physical or virtual, the connection relationship between each subject is exemplary, each subject can not be connected or can be connected, the connection can be in any way, can be direct connection or indirect connection, can be wired connection or wireless connection.

[0096] Embodiments of the present disclosure can be applied to a wireless local area network (WLAN), for example, a local area network using 802.11 series protocols. In a WLAN, a basic service set (BSS) is a basic component of a WLAN. A BSS network is composed of station devices having some association within a certain coverage area. One case of association is that the stations directly communicate with each other in an ad hoc network, which is referred to as an independent BSS (IBSS). Another more common case is that in a BSS network, there is only one central station having a full-time management BSS, which is referred to as an access point device, and other STAs in the network are associated with it. Other stations in the BSS network that are not central stations are referred to as terminals, also referred to as non-AP STAs. When describing a STA, it is not necessary to distinguish between a terminal and a non-AP STA. In the same BSS network, due to distance, transmission power, and the like, a STA cannot detect other STAs far away from it, and the two are each other's hidden nodes.

[0097] FIG. 2 is an interaction diagram of a wireless local area network (WLAN) communication method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 2, the above method includes:

[0098] In step 201, the TXOP holder accesses the primary channel using an enhanced distributed channel access (EDCA) mechanism.

[0099] In a wireless local area network (WLAN), a transmit opportunity (TXOP) is introduced, which refers to a bounded period of time in which a device can transmit a specific class of communication. The device obtains the TXOP through contention, and once the TXOP is obtained, the device can transmit frames of the specific class of communication within the TXOP; wherein the frames can be data frames, control frames, and management frames, etc. When a device obtains a TXOP through channel contention, the device is referred to as a TXOP holder. A device sends frames in a frame exchange sequence in response to receiving frames from the TXOP holder, but the STA does not acquire the TXOP in the process, and the device is referred to as a TXOP responder. In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the TXOP holder can be a station device (Station, STA) or an access point device (Access Point, AP), and the TXOP holder can also be an AP MLD or a non-AP MLD supporting multi-connection, which is not limited in the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0100] Further, in the WLAN, the channel is usually divided into a primary channel and a secondary channel (or a non-primary channel, also known as an auxiliary channel or a non-main channel); wherein the secondary channel can include one or more sub-channels. For example, if 20MHz is taken as the basic bandwidth unit for division, when the channel bandwidth is 20MHz, there is only one primary channel with a bandwidth of 20MHz; when the channel bandwidth is greater than 20MHz, one 20MHz channel is the primary channel, and the remaining one or more 20MHz channels are auxiliary channels. The primary 20MHz channel is the common channel of operation for stations that are members of the basic service set, and the stations in the BSS can contend for the channel on the primary 20MHz channel to occupy the channel resources.

[0101] When the TXOP holder obtains the TXOP, an enhanced distributed channel access (EDCA) mechanism can be used to access the primary channel.

[0102] Step 202, the TXOP holder switches to the secondary channel communication when sensing the primary channel has OBSS PPDU transmission or PPDU transmission of other BSS, and sets or updates the count value of the NAV timer of the primary channel.

[0103] In order to reduce the access delay, a method of secondary channel access is proposed, that is, when the transmitting and receiving parties sense that the primary channel has physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU) transmission from devices of overlapping basic service set (BSS, OBSS) or devices of other BSS, the network allocation vector timer (NAV timer) is maintained / updated in the primary channel, and the device will not attempt to access the channel during the timing of the NAV timer, so as to avoid data transmission conflict. For example, when the transmitting and receiving parties sense that the primary channel has PPDU transmission from devices of OBSS or other BSS, and the transmission time is shorter than the set value of the current NAV timer, the TXOP holder maintains the timing of the current NAV timer and does not change the set value. When the transmitting and receiving parties sense that the primary channel has PPDU transmission from devices of OBSS or other BSS, and the transmission time is greater than the set value of the current NAV timer, the TXOP holder will update the NAV timer and extend the set value to the new transmission end time.

[0104] Specifically, taking the case of OBSS PPDU transmission in the primary channel as an example, in the process of channel contention on the channel, if the primary channel is in the OBSS busy state (OBSS interference), as shown in the T1 time period and the T2 time period in FIG. 4, for example, it is occupied by other devices in the same OBSS as the WLAN, and the other devices send physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU) on the primary channel, then the primary channel is in the OBSS busy state. If the primary channel is in the OBSS busy state, in order to be able to fully utilize the channel resources, then it can be switched to secondary channel communication to improve the throughput of the communication system and maximize the utilization of channel resources. For example, it is switched to 20MHz secondary channel communication in the T1 time period, or it is switched to 40MHz secondary channel communication in the T2 time period.

[0105] The device switches to the secondary channel for transmission after setting the NAV timer, and the NAV timer of the primary channel is also counted during the transmission on the secondary channel. The communication time of the device in the secondary channel is not greater than the time length of the NAV timer set in the primary channel. When the device completes the transmission in the secondary channel, it switches back to the primary channel. During this process, the OBSS TXOP of the primary channel can end before the end of the NAV timer, that is, when the device switches to the primary channel, the OBSS TXOP of the primary channel has ended in advance, but the device still continues to count according to the original NAV timer, that is, the device waits for the expiration of the NAV timer before attempting a new transmission, thereby causing the STA to unnecessarily wait in the primary channel, increasing the waiting time of data transmission, and making the access delay of the overall network longer.

[0106] The count value is determined according to a duration field of a PPDU in the primary channel; and the duration field is carried in a legacy signal (L-SIG) or a medium access control (MAC) frame header of the PPDU.

[0107] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the TXOP holder takes a response measure when it senses a PPDU transmission from an OBSS or other BSS in the primary channel. The response measure includes switching to the secondary channel for communication and setting or updating the count value of the NAV timer of the primary channel. The NAV timer is used to limit the access attempt of the device itself on the primary channel when the device senses that another device is transmitting on the primary channel, so as to avoid collision. The setting or updating of the NAV timer is based on the duration field of the PPDU received in the primary channel. This field is included in the L-SIG or the MAC frame header of the PPDU. The TXOP holder of the embodiments of the present disclosure can set or update the NAV timer according to the duration field of the received PPDU, so as to optimize the utilization of the channel and the efficiency of data transmission, thereby improving the overall network performance and service quality.

[0108] In some embodiments, the switching to the secondary channel for communication includes:

[0109] obtaining a TXOP of the secondary channel through the EDCA mechanism;

[0110] switching from the secondary channel to the primary channel when the TXOP of the secondary channel ends or when the communication in the secondary channel is completed;

[0111] The TXOP transmission duration of the secondary channel is not greater than the duration of the NAV timer.

[0112] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the TXOP holder obtains the TXOP on the secondary channel by using the EDCA mechanism. After obtaining the TXOP on the secondary channel, the TXOP holder can start data transmission on the secondary channel. The transmission duration is not greater than the count value of the NAV timer set in the primary channel. Once the TXOP transmission on the secondary channel ends or the communication task is completed, the TXOP holder switches back to the primary channel immediately to continue subsequent data transmission or other operations. By obtaining the TXOP on the secondary channel through the EDCA mechanism and limiting the TXOP duration on the secondary channel, the TXOP holder can more effectively manage and control the timing and delay of data transmission. This optimization helps to improve the success rate of data transmission and reduce the delay and waiting time that may occur during data transmission.

[0113] In step 203, after the TXOP holder switches from the secondary channel to the primary channel, the TXOP holder senses whether the primary channel is idle.

[0114] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, after the TXOP holder switches from the secondary channel to the primary channel, the TXOP holder needs to sense whether the primary channel is idle. If the primary channel is sensed to be idle, the TXOP holder clears the count value of the network allocation vector timer NAV timer of the primary channel. If the primary channel is sensed to be busy, the TXOP holder updates the count value of the NAV timer or enters the power saving PS mode. Wherein, when a certain AP or STA obtains a TXOP through channel competition, the STA is referred to as the TXOP holder. It should be noted that in the existing protocol, after the TXOP holder switches from the secondary channel to the primary channel, it is not necessary to sense whether the primary channel is idle, because it is believed that the NAV timer has been set. However, in the embodiments of the present disclosure, after the TXOP holder switches from the secondary channel to the primary channel, it is necessary to sense whether the primary channel is idle, including but not limited to physical carrier sensing and virtual carrier sensing.

[0115] Specifically, after the TXOP holder completes data transmission on the secondary channel, the TXOP holder switches back to the primary channel. During the process that the TXOP holder switches back to the primary channel and waits for the NAV timer to expire, the OBSS TXOP originally occupying the primary channel can have ended in advance, but the TXOP holder is unaware of this situation and still waits according to the NAV timer and attempts a new transmission after the NAV timer expires, but in fact the primary channel has become idle, which leads to unnecessary idle time of the primary channel. The TXOP holder does not reattempt to send data before the NAV timer expires, resulting in waste of primary channel resources. In addition, during the process that the TXOP holder waits for the NAV timer to expire, other devices can detect that the primary channel is idle in time and immediately start transmission, thus leading to unfair competition on the channel. The TXOP holder misses the transmission opportunity when the channel is idle because of the dependence on the NAV timer. Therefore, when the OBSS TXOP of the primary channel ends in advance, if the TXOP holder still waits according to the NAV timer, it will lead to an increase in idle time on the primary channel, an increase in access delay, a decrease in network efficiency, and can cause an unfair competition environment.

[0116] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, after the TXOP holder switches from the secondary channel to the primary channel, the TXOP holder senses whether the primary channel is idle; if it is sensed that the primary channel is idle, the TXOP holder clears the count value of the network allocation vector timer NAV timer of the primary channel; if it is sensed that the primary channel is busy, the TXOP holder updates the count value of the NAV timer or enters a power saving PS mode. After the TXOP holder switches from the secondary channel to the primary channel, the TXOP holder in the embodiments of the present disclosure effectively avoids the situation that the primary channel is still waiting for the NAV timer to expire when the primary channel is idle, and avoids unnecessary idle time caused by the OBSS TXOP of the primary channel ending in advance. In this way, the device can reenter the primary channel for data transmission in time, improve the utilization of the channel and the efficiency of data transmission, and be conducive to optimization of the overall network performance to meet the UHR transmission requirement.

[0117] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the TXOP holder accesses the primary channel by using an EDCA mechanism. The EDCA is a channel access mechanism defined in the WLAN standard, which manages and schedules access of devices to the channel in a priority-based manner. In the EDCA mechanism, a device solves the competition for the channel by listening to the idle state of the channel.

[0118] Step 204, if the TXOP holder senses that the primary channel is idle, the TXOP holder clears the count value of the NAV timer of the primary channel.

[0119] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, if the TXOP holder senses that the primary channel is idle, the TXOP holder clears the count value of the NAV timer of the primary channel. This means that the TXOP holder cancels the previously set NAV timer when it determines that the primary channel is not being used by other devices to transmit data, and allows itself to try new data transmission or other activities as soon as possible. By immediately clearing the NAV timer, the TXOP holder can immediately take advantage of the idle time on the primary channel without having to wait for the expiration of the NAV timer. After the TXOP holder clears the count value of the NAV timer of the primary channel, if it needs to send a data frame, it can immediately send on the primary channel, which can greatly reduce the waiting delay of data transmission and improve the response speed and immediacy of the network.

[0120] In some embodiments, after the TXOP holder senses that the primary channel is idle, it can perform step 206 or step 207.

[0121] Step 205, if the TXOP holder senses that the primary channel is busy, the TXOP holder updates the count value of the NAV timer or enters a power saving (PS) mode.

[0122] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, if the TXOP holder senses that the primary channel is busy, the TXOP holder can select whether to update the count value of the NAV timer or enter the PS mode according to its own needs. For example, when the TXOP holder does not need to continue to transmit data frames, it can select to enter the PS mode. In the PS mode, the TXOP holder temporarily reduces power consumption and reduces use of the primary channel to save power and prolong battery life, while waiting for a suitable opportunity to attempt access to the primary channel again. For another example, when the TXOP holder needs to continue to transmit data frames, the TXOP holder can update the count value of the NAV timer according to the duration field of other PPDUs in the primary channel, to ensure that the transmission time of the other PPDUs is not greater than the updated count value of the NAV timer. In addition, when the TXOP holder needs to continue to transmit data frames and updates the count value of the NAV timer, the TXOP holder can also select to switch to the secondary channel again for data transmission, and switch back to the primary channel after completing the transmission in the secondary channel. After sensing that the primary channel is busy, the TXOP holder can dynamically adjust the NAV timer according to the actual use of the primary channel, to ensure that data transmission is started in time when the primary channel is idle, to effectively utilize channel resources and improve overall network performance.

[0123] In some embodiments, after the TXOP holder updates the count value of the NAV timer, the method further includes:

[0124] The TXOP holder acquires the TXOP in the primary channel when the updated count value of the NAV timer ends.

[0125] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, after the TXOP holder updates the count value of the NAV timer, the TXOP holder waits for the end of the updated count value to acquire the TXOP in the primary channel, so that the TXOP holder can avoid unnecessary competition and collision when the primary channel is busy, and the device can immediately perform data transmission when the primary channel is idle, to ensure that the data transmission opportunity of the device on the primary channel is more accurate and effective.

[0126] In step 206, after sensing that the primary channel is idle, if the TXOP holder needs to continue to transmit data frames, the TXOP holder acquires the TXOP and transmits the data frames.

[0127] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, when the TXOP holder senses that the primary channel is idle, if it needs to continue transmitting data frames, it will acquire the TXOP of the primary channel and start transmitting data frames. The TXOP holder can quickly make a decision and acquire the TXOP by sensing the idle state of the primary channel, and immediately start a new data transmission. This immediate response can greatly reduce the delay of data transmission to meet the UHR transmission requirements.

[0128] In step 207, after sensing that the primary channel is idle, if the TXOP holder does not need to continue transmitting data frames, it enters the PS mode.

[0129] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, when the TXOP holder senses that the primary channel is idle, if it does not need to continue transmitting data frames, it can choose to enter the PS mode. Entering the PS mode means that the TXOP holder can temporarily reduce power consumption and reduce the power consumption of the device. When the primary channel is idle, there is no need to continue to maintain an active state, so entering the PS mode helps to prolong the use time of the device battery. In addition, the TXOP holder entering the PS mode reduces the active time on the primary channel, further reduces the interference that can be caused to other devices, and helps to optimize the utilization of the channel and the stability of the network.

[0130] In some embodiments, if the TXOP initiator sets the power management (PM) identification bit of the quality of service (QoS) data frame to a first parameter value when transmitting on the secondary channel, the TXOP initiator enters the PS mode after switching back to the primary channel.

[0131] The WLAN communication method disclosed in the embodiments of the present disclosure can include the foregoing steps and at least one of the embodiments. For example, step 203 can be implemented as an independent embodiment, step 204 can be implemented as an independent embodiment, step 205 can be implemented as an independent embodiment, step 206 can be implemented as an independent embodiment, step 207 can be implemented as an independent embodiment; the combination of step 202 and step 203 can be implemented as an independent embodiment, the combination of step 203 and step 204 can be implemented as an independent embodiment, the combination of step 203 and step 205 can be implemented as an independent embodiment, the combination of step 204 and step 206 can be implemented as an independent embodiment, the combination of step 204 and step 207 can be implemented as an independent embodiment, but not limited thereto.

[0132] In some embodiments, other optional implementations described before or after the corresponding description of FIG. 2 can be referred to.

[0133] As an example, referring to FIG. 3, FIG. 3 shows an optional implementation of an embodiment of the present disclosure, including the following steps:

[0134] Step 301, the TXOP holder accesses the primary channel by using an enhanced distributed channel access (EDCA) mechanism.

[0135] In some embodiments, the present embodiment further includes a step corresponding to step 201 in the foregoing embodiments, which will not be described here.

[0136] Step 302, the TXOP holder switches to the secondary channel communication when sensing the presence of an OBSS PPDU transmission or a PPDU transmission of another BSS in the primary channel, and sets or updates the count value of the NAV timer of the primary channel; wherein the count value is determined according to the duration field of the PPDU in the primary channel; the duration field is carried in the L-SIG or MAC frame header of the PPDU.

[0137] In some embodiments, the present embodiment further includes a step corresponding to step 202 in the foregoing embodiments, which will not be described here.

[0138] Step 303, the TXOP holder senses whether the primary channel is idle when communicating in the secondary channel.

[0139] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the TXOP holder utilizes the hardware support of at least two sets of transceiving antennas to sense the state of the primary channel in real time while transmitting data in the secondary channel. This capability enables the TXOP holder to accurately determine the idle period of the primary channel, thereby effectively adjusting the data transmission timing and maximizing the channel utilization.

[0140] After step 303, if the primary channel is sensed to be idle, step 304 or step 305 can be performed respectively; if the primary channel is sensed to be busy, the TXOP holder can wait until the primary channel becomes idle and then switch back to the primary channel for data transmission. This behavior ensures that the data transmission on the primary channel does not collide with other devices’ transmissions. In addition, the TXOP holder can also update the NAV timer’s count value when the primary channel is sensed to be busy. Specifically, if the TXOP holder has already set the NAV timer, the TXOP holder can update the NAV timer’s count value when the TXOP holder senses the primary channel to be busy while communicating on the secondary channel. This can extend the TXOP holder’s communication time on the secondary channel so that there is more time for data transmission when the primary channel becomes idle, thereby improving the success rate and efficiency of transmission. In addition, the TXOP holder can also choose to enter the PS mode when the primary channel is busy. In this mode, the device will temporarily stop data transmission and reduce power consumption to save energy.

[0141] In step 304, the TXOP holder senses the primary channel to be idle and switches back to the primary channel for data transmission immediately.

[0142] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, when the TXOP holder senses the primary channel to be idle, for example, when the OBSS TXOP in the primary channel ends early, the TXOP holder will clear the NAV timer on the primary channel and switch back to the primary channel for data transmission immediately. For example, when the TXOP holder senses the primary channel to be idle, the TXOP holder can immediately switch back to the primary channel from the secondary channel and start data transmission. This immediate response can maximize the use of the idle time of the primary channel, quickly complete data transmission, thereby reducing transmission delay and improving data transmission efficiency.

[0143] In step 305, the TXOP holder senses the primary channel to be idle and switches back to the primary channel for data transmission before the count value of the NAV timer ends.

[0144] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, when the TXOP holder senses that the primary channel is idle, for example, when the OBSS TXOP ends in advance in the primary channel, the TXOP holder will clear the NAV timer on the primary channel and continue to complete all transmissions in the secondary channel, but the transmission time in the secondary channel is not greater than the count value of the NAV timer, and before the count value of the NAV timer ends, the TXOP holder switches back to the primary channel for data transmission. This is because even if the primary channel is idle, if the NAV timer is set and its count value has not ended, the TXOP holder can choose to wait until the count value of the NAV timer ends before switching back to the primary channel for data transmission. This behavior ensures that the transmission opportunity on the primary channel is within the time set in advance, which helps to reduce competition and conflict with other devices.

[0145] In some embodiments, the names of information and the like are not limited to the names described in the embodiments, and the terms "information", "message", "signal", "signaling", "report", "configuration", "indication", "instruction", "command", "channel", "parameter", "domain", "field", "symbol", "code point", "bit", "data", "program", "chip", and the like can be replaced with each other.

[0146] In some embodiments, the terms "moment", "time point", "time", "time position", and the like can be replaced with each other, and the terms "time length", "time period", "time window", "window", "time", and the like can be replaced with each other.

[0147] In some embodiments, the terms "wireless access scheme", "waveform", and the like can be replaced with each other.

[0148] In some embodiments, the terms "certain", "preset", "pre-set", "set", "indicated", "any", "first", and the like can be replaced with each other, and "certain A", "preset A", "pre-set A", "set A", "indicated A", "any A", "first A" can be interpreted as A predetermined in a protocol or the like, or A obtained by setting, configuring, or indicating, or a specific A, any A, or first A, but are not limited thereto.

[0149] In some embodiments, the determination or judgment can be made by a value represented by 1 bit (0 or 1), or by a true or false value (Boolean value) represented by true or false, or by comparison of numerical values (for example, comparison with a predetermined value), but is not limited thereto.

[0150] In some embodiments, "not expecting to receive" can be interpreted as not receiving in the time domain resource and / or the frequency domain resource, or as not performing subsequent processing on the data or the like after receiving the data or the like; "not expecting to send" can be interpreted as not sending, or as sending but not expecting the receiving party to respond to the content of the sending.

[0151] The wireless local area network (WLAN) communication method according to the embodiments of the present disclosure can include the foregoing steps and at least one of the embodiments. For example, step 303 can be implemented as an independent embodiment, step 304 can be implemented as an independent embodiment, and step 305 can be implemented as an independent embodiment; the combination of step 303 and step 304 can be implemented as an independent embodiment, and the combination of step 303 and step 305 can be implemented as an independent embodiment, but is not limited thereto.

[0152] In some embodiments, other optional implementations described before or after the corresponding description of FIG. 3 can be referred to.

[0153] The embodiments of the present disclosure also propose an apparatus for implementing any of the above methods, for example, an apparatus including units or modules for implementing each step performed by a terminal in any of the above methods. For another example, another apparatus is also proposed, including units or modules for implementing each step performed by a network device (for example, an access network device, a core network functional node, a core network device, or the like) in any of the above methods.

[0154] It should be understood that the division of each unit or module in the above apparatus is only a logical function division, and all or part of them can be integrated into a physical entity or physically separated in actual implementation. In addition, the units or modules in the apparatus can be implemented in the form of processor calling software: for example, the apparatus includes a processor connected with a memory, the memory stores instructions, and the processor calls the instructions stored in the memory to implement any of the above methods or realize the functions of the units or modules of the above apparatus, wherein the processor is, for example, a general processor such as a central processing unit (CPU) or a microprocessor, and the memory is a memory in the apparatus or a memory outside the apparatus. Alternatively, the units or modules in the apparatus can be implemented in the form of hardware circuit, and the functions of part or all of the units or modules can be realized by the design of hardware circuit. The above hardware circuit can be understood as one or more processors; for example, in one implementation, the above hardware circuit is an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and the functions of part or all of the units or modules are realized by the design of the logical relationship of elements in the circuit; for another example, in another implementation, the above hardware circuit is a programmable logic device (PLD), and a field programmable gate array (FPGA) is taken as an example, which can include a large number of logic gate circuits, and the connection relationship between the logic gate circuits is configured by a configuration file, so as to realize the functions of part or all of the units or modules. All units or modules of the above apparatus can be implemented in the form of processor calling software, or all units or modules can be implemented in the form of hardware circuit, or part of the units or modules are implemented in the form of processor calling software, and the remaining part is implemented in the form of hardware circuit.

[0155] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the processor is a circuit with signal processing capability. In one implementation, the processor can be a circuit with instruction reading and running capability, such as a central processing unit (CPU), a microprocessor, a graphics processing unit (GPU) (which can be understood as a microprocessor), a digital signal processor (DSP), or the like. In another implementation, the processor can implement certain functions through a logical relationship of hardware circuit, and the logical relationship of the hardware circuit is fixed or reconfigurable. For example, the processor is a hardware circuit implemented by an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or a programmable logic device (PLD), such as an FPGA. In the reconfigurable hardware circuit, the processor loads a configuration document to implement the hardware circuit configuration. It can be understood that the processor loads instructions to implement the functions of the above part or all units or modules. In addition, it can also be a hardware circuit designed for artificial intelligence, which can be understood as an ASIC, such as a neural network processing unit (NPU), a tensor processing unit (TPU), a deep learning processing unit (DPU), or the like.

[0156] FIG. 5 is a structural diagram of a transmission opportunity holder TXOP holder according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 5, the transmission opportunity holder TXOP holder 500 can include at least one of a sensing module 501, a processing module 502, and the like.

[0157] In some embodiments, the sensing module 501 is configured to sense whether the main channel is idle after the TXOP holder switches from the secondary channel to the main channel; and the processing module 502 is configured to clear a count value of a network allocation vector timer NAV timer of the main channel if the main channel is sensed to be idle, or update the count value of the NAV timer or enter a power saving PS mode if the main channel is sensed to be busy.

[0158] Optionally, the perception module 501 is configured to perform the communication steps performed by the transmission opportunity holder TXOP holder 101 in any of the above methods, for example, step 203, which will not be repeated here. The processing module 502 is configured to perform step 204, step 205.

[0159] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a structure of a terminal 600 (e.g., a user equipment, etc.) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The terminal 600 can be a chip, a chip system, or a processor, etc. supporting a network device to implement any of the above methods, and can also be a chip, a chip system, or a processor, etc. supporting a terminal to implement any of the above methods. The terminal 600 can be used to implement the methods described in the above method embodiments, which can be specifically understood from the above method embodiments.

[0160] As shown in FIG. 6, the terminal 600 includes one or more processors 601. The processor 601 can be a general-purpose processor or a special-purpose processor, etc., for example, a baseband processor or a central processing unit. The baseband processor can be configured to process communication protocols and communication data, and the central processing unit can be configured to control a communication device (e.g., a base station, a baseband chip, a terminal device, a terminal device chip, a DU or a CU, etc.), execute a program, and process data of the program. The terminal 600 is configured to implement any of the above methods.

[0161] In some embodiments, the terminal 600 further includes one or more memories 602 configured to store instructions. Optionally, all or part of the memory 602 can also be outside the terminal 600.

[0162] In some embodiments, the terminal 600 further includes one or more transceivers 604. The processor 601 performs at least one of the steps (e.g., steps 201, 202, 203, 204, 205, 206, 207, 301, 302, 303, 304, 305, but not limited thereto).

[0163] In some embodiments, the transceiver can include a receiver and / or a transmitter, which can be separate or integrated together. Optionally, the terms of transceiver, transceiving unit, transceiver, transceiving circuit, etc. can be replaced by each other, and the terms of transmitter, transmitting unit, transmitter, transmitting circuit, etc. can be replaced by each other, and the terms of receiver, receiving unit, receiver, receiving circuit, etc. can be replaced by each other.

[0164] In some embodiments, the terminal 600 can include one or more interface circuits 603. Optionally, the interface circuits 603 are connected with the memory 602, and the interface circuits 603 can be used to receive signals from the memory 602 or other devices, and can be used to send signals to the memory 602 or other devices. For example, the interface circuits 603 can read instructions stored in the memory 602 and send the instructions to the processor 601.

[0165] The terminal 600 described in the above embodiments can be a communication device such as a user equipment, but the scope of the terminal 600 described in the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the structure of the terminal 600 can not be limited by FIG. 6. The communication device can be a stand-alone device or can be part of a larger device. For example, the communication device can be: (1) a stand-alone integrated circuit (IC), or a chip, or a chip system or subsystem; (2) a set of one or more ICs, which can optionally also include storage components for storing data, programs; (3) an ASIC, such as a modem; (4) a module that can be embedded in other devices; (5) a receiver, a terminal device, a smart terminal device, a cellular phone, a wireless device, a handset, a mobile unit, a vehicle-mounted device, a network device, a cloud device, an artificial intelligence device, and the like; (6) other devices, and the like.

[0166] FIG. 7 is a structural schematic diagram of a chip 700 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. For the case where the terminal 600 can be a chip or a chip system, the structural schematic diagram of the chip 700 shown in FIG. 7 can be referred to, but is not limited thereto.

[0167] The chip 700 includes one or more processors 701, and the chip 700 is configured to execute any of the above methods.

[0168] In some embodiments, the chip 700 further includes one or more interface circuits 703. Optionally, the interface circuits 703 are connected with the memory 702, and the interface circuits 703 can be used to receive signals from the memory 702 or other devices, and can be used to send signals to the memory 702 or other devices. For example, the interface circuits 703 can read instructions stored in the memory 702 and send the instructions to the processor 701.

[0169] In some embodiments, the processor 701 performs at least one of other steps (for example, steps 201, 202, 203, 204, 205, 206, 207, 301, 302, 303, 304, 305, but not limited thereto).

[0170] In some embodiments, the terms interface circuit, interface, transceiver pin, transceiver, and the like can be replaced with each other.

[0171] In some embodiments, chip 700 also includes one or more memories 702 for storing instructions. Optionally, all or part of memory 702 can be external to chip 700.

[0172] The disclosure also provides a storage medium having stored thereon instructions which, when executed on terminal 600, cause terminal 600 to perform any of the above methods. Optionally, the storage medium is an electronic storage medium. Optionally, the storage medium is a computer-readable storage medium, but this is not a limitation, as it can also be a storage medium readable by other apparatus. Optionally, the storage medium can be a non-transitory storage medium, but this is not a limitation, as it can also be a transitory storage medium.

[0173] The disclosure also provides a program product which, when executed by terminal 600, causes terminal 600 to perform any of the above methods. Optionally, the program product is a computer program product.

[0174] The disclosure also provides a computer program which, when executed on a computer, causes the computer to perform any of the above methods.

Claims

1. A wireless local area network (WLAN) communication method, applied to a transmission device holder (TXOP), characterized in that, The method comprises: The TXOP holder senses whether the primary channel is idle after switching from the secondary channel to the primary channel; If the TXOP holder senses that the primary channel is idle, the TXOP holder clears the count value of the network allocation vector timer (NAV timer) of the primary channel; If the TXOP holder senses that the primary channel is busy, the TXOP holder updates the count value of the NAV timer or enters a power saving (PS) mode.

2. The wireless local area network (WLAN) communication method of claim 1, wherein, The method further comprises: The TXOP holder senses whether the primary channel is idle while communicating on the secondary channel; If the TXOP holder senses that the primary channel is idle, the TXOP holder switches back to the primary channel for data transmission immediately or before the count value of the NAV timer ends.

3. The wireless local area network (WLAN) communication method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, After the TXOP holder senses that the primary channel is idle, the method further comprises: If the TXOP holder needs to continue transmitting data frames, the TXOP holder acquires a TXOP and transmits the data frames; If the TXOP holder does not need to continue transmitting data frames, the TXOP holder enters a PS mode.

4. The wireless local area network (WLAN) communication method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, After the TXOP holder updates the count value of the NAV timer, the method further comprises: The TXOP holder acquires a TXOP in the primary channel when the updated count value of the NAV timer ends.

5. The wireless local area network (WLAN) communication method of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, Before the TXOP holder switches from the secondary channel to the primary channel, the method comprises: The TXOP holder accesses the primary channel using an enhanced distributed channel access (EDCA) mechanism; The TXOP holder switches to the secondary channel for communication when the TXOP holder senses that there is an overlapping basic service set physical layer protocol data unit (OBSS PPDU) transmission or other basic service set (BSS) PPDU transmission in the primary channel, and sets or updates the count value of the NAV timer of the primary channel; The count value is determined according to a duration field of a PPDU in the primary channel; the duration field is carried in a legacy signal field (L-SIG) or a medium access control (MAC) frame header of the PPDU.

6. The wireless local area network (WLAN) communication method of claim 5, wherein, The switching to the secondary channel for communication comprises: Acquiring a TXOP of the secondary channel through the EDCA mechanism; Switching from the secondary channel to the primary channel when the TXOP of the secondary channel ends or when the secondary channel completes communication; The TXOP transmission duration of the secondary channel is not greater than the duration of the NAV timer.

7. A communication device, the communication device being a TXOP holder, characterized in that, The TXOP holder comprises: A sensing module configured to sense whether the primary channel is idle after the TXOP holder switches from the secondary channel to the primary channel; A processing module configured to clear the count value of the network allocation vector timer (NAV timer) of the primary channel if the TXOP holder senses that the primary channel is idle; If the TXOP holder senses that the primary channel is busy, the TXOP holder updates the count value of the NAV timer or enters a power saving (PS) mode.

8. A communication device, the communication device being a TXOP holder, characterized in that, The method further comprises: one or more processors; wherein the TXOP holder is configured to perform the wireless local area network, WLAN, communication method of any one of claims 1 to 6.

9. A storage medium, the storage medium storing instructions, wherein, The instructions, when executed on the communication device, cause the communication device to perform the wireless local area network, WLAN, communication method of any one of claims 1 to 6.

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