Communication device and communication method

Abstract

The present invention appropriately performs wireless communication. This communication device comprises: a control circuit that determines, on the basis of a received frame and from a plurality of formats corresponding to different reach ranges, a format to be used for a response frame to the received frame; and a transmission circuit that transmits the response frame by using the determined format.

Description

Communication Device and Communication Method

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a communication device and a communication method.

[0002] In the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), studies on standards for wireless local area networks (LANs; wireless LANs are also referred to as WLANs) are underway.

[0003] IEEE 802.11-24 / 0067r1 Range Expansion via Repeated TransmissionIEEE 802.11-24 / 0460r1 Long range / Low power preamble - Follow UpIEEE 802.11-24 / 0873r0 Design Targets and Considerations for Enhanced Long Range

[0004] Control methods for wireless communication such as wireless LANs have not been fully studied.

[0005] Non-limiting examples of the present disclosure contribute to providing a communication device and a communication method that can appropriately control wireless communication.

[0006] A communication device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a control circuit that determines a format to be used for a response frame to the received frame from a plurality of formats corresponding to different reach ranges based on the received frame, and a transmission circuit that transmits the response frame using the determined format.

[0007] These general or specific aspects may be implemented in a system, device, method, integrated circuit, computer program, or recording medium, or may be implemented by any combination of a system, device, method, integrated circuit, computer program, and recording medium.

[0008] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, wireless communication can be appropriately controlled.

[0009] Further advantages and effects of one embodiment of this disclosure will be made apparent from the specification and drawings. Such advantages and / or effects are provided by several embodiments and features described in the specification and drawings, but not all of them are necessarily provided in order to obtain one or more identical features.

[0010] Figure 1: Example of the reach range of the Physical Layer (PHY) Protocol Data Unit (PPDU) format. Figure 2: Block diagram showing an example of node configuration. Figure 3: Example of the definition of the U-SIG field in the Extended Range (ER) / Enhanced Long Range (ELR) preamble. Figure 4: Example of the definition of the HE-SIG-A field in High-efficiency (HE) single-user (SU) PPDU and HE ER SU PPDU. Figure 5: Example of the configuration of the A-Control subfield within the Medium Access Control (MAC) frame and High throughput (HT) Control field. Figure 6: Example of the definition of the Control ID subfield. Figure 7: Example of the Control Information subfield format within the Ultra High Reliability (UHR) link adaptation (ULA) Control subfield. Figure 8: Example of the definition of the Control ID subfield. Figure 9: Example of the Control Information subfield format within the Response frame PPDU format (RFP) Control subfield. Figure 10: Example of the configuration of the MAC frame format and the A-Control subfield within the Ultra High Reliability (UHR) Control subfield. Figure 11: Example of the Frame Control field format. Figure 12: Example of the MAC frame format and the ULA Control subfield. Figure 13: Frame Control field. Figure 1 shows an example of the format. Single response scheduling (SRS) Control subfield within Control Information subfield. Figure 2 shows an example of the format. Triggered response scheduling (TRS) Control subfield within Control Information subfield. Access pointSequence diagrams showing operation examples of Access Point (AP) and non-AP station (STA) Sequence diagrams showing operation examples of Access Point (AP) and non-AP station (STA) Diagram showing example definition of U-SIG field of ER / ELR preamble Diagram showing example configuration of MAC frame format and ULA Control subfield Diagram showing example definition of Control ID subfield Diagram showing example of Control Information subfield format within RFP Control subfield Sequence diagrams showing operation examples of AP and non-AP STA Sequence diagrams showing operation examples of AP and non-AP STA Sequence diagrams showing operation examples of AP and non-AP STA Sequence diagrams showing operation examples of AP and non-AP STA Sequence diagrams showing operation examples of AP and non-AP STA Sequence diagrams showing operation examples of AP and non-AP STA Sequence diagrams showing operation examples of AP and non-AP STA Sequence diagrams showing operation examples of AP and non-AP STA Sequence diagrams showing operation examples of AP and non-AP STA Sequence diagrams showing operation examples of AP and non-AP STA Sequence diagrams showing operation examples of AP and non-AP STA Sequence diagrams showing operation examples of AP and non-AP STA Sequence diagrams showing operation examples of AP and non-AP STA

[0011] Each embodiment of this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0012] Within the IEEE, the next-generation wireless LAN standard, IEEE 802.11bn, is being considered as a successor to the IEEE 802.11be standard, which is based on IEEE 802.11. IEEE 802.11be is also known as "Extremely High Throughput (EHT)," while IEEE 802.11bn is also known as "Ultra High Reliability (UHR)."

[0013] In IEEE 802.11bn, the introduction of Enhanced Long Range (ELR) technology is being considered to extend the range of uplink (UL) signals from low-transmission-power terminals and to balance the range of uplink and downlink (DL) signals (see, for example, Non-Patent Documents 1-3).

[0014] The selection of a signal format for ELR (also known as a "range extension format") has not been adequately considered.

[0015] Non-limiting embodiments of this disclosure describe a method for selecting a signal format for an ELR.

[0016] The signal format for ELR may also be, for example, the Physical Layer (PHY) Protocol Data Unit (PPDU) format for ELR (also known as ELR PPDU format or UHR ELR PPDU).

[0017] [Configuration of Wireless Communication System] A wireless communication system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include, for example, an access point (AP) or base station 100 and an STA 200 (non-AP Station (STA) or terminal). For example, the AP 100 transmits a downlink (DL) signal to the STA 200. The STA 200 also transmits an uplink (UL) signal to the AP 100.

[0018] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, for example, a communication device (AP100 or STA200) transmits a response frame for a received PPDU using a defined PPDU format (or transmission parameters). The defined PPDU format (or transmission parameters) for the response frame may be determined, for example, based on the value of a field in the frame received by the communication device that specifies at least one of the PPDU format and transmission parameters.

[0019] Figure 1 shows an example of the reach range of the PPDU format.

[0020] In Figure 1, "Non-Range-Extended PPDU" (e.g., compatible with non-range-extended formats) refers to PPDUs that do not support range extension. Examples of non-range-extended PPDUs include non-high-throughput (HT) PPDU, HT or very high throughput (VHT) PPDU, high-efficiency (HE) or EHT single-user (SU) PPDU, HE or EHT multi-user (MU) PPDU, HE or EHT TB (Trigger-based) PPDU, and UHR PPDU.

[0021] In Figure 1, "First Range Extended PPDU" (e.g., corresponding to the first range extended format) indicates a range extended PPDU. An example of the first range extended PPDU is the HE extended range (ER) SU PPDU. The HE ER SU PPDU has the effect of eliminating the bottleneck in preamble performance by, for example, repeatedly transmitting HE-SIG-A or power boosting legacy Short Training field (L-STF) / legacy Long Training field (L-LTF) / HE-STF / HE-LTF (e.g., 3dB power boost). Furthermore, the first range-extended PPDU can be simplified in implementation and testing by imposing at least one of the following limitations: bandwidth limitations (e.g., primary 20MHz channel), Modulation and Coding Scheme (MCS) limitations (e.g., MCS0 / 1 / 2), spatial stream limitations (e.g., one spatial stream (number of spatial streams 1)), and Resource Unit (RU) size limitations (e.g., limitations to RU242 and RU106).

[0022] In Figure 1, the "second range-extended PPDU" (e.g., corresponding to the second range-extended format) indicates a PPDU that supports a wider range extension than the first range-extended PPDU. Examples of the second range-extended PPDU include the UHR ELR PPDU, or range-extended PPDUs defined in generations UHR and later. These PPDUs have the effect of resolving preamble performance bottlenecks by, for example, repeatedly transmitting U-SIG, UHR (or ELR)-SIG, UHR (or ELR)-STF, or power boosting L-STF, L-LTF, UHR (or ELR)-STF, or UHR (or ELR)-LTF. In addition, in the second range-extended PPDU, the value of the PHY Version Identifier included in the repeated U-SIG may be defined as a value associated with UHR or ELR (e.g., "1" for UHR or ELR).

[0023] For example, in the Data field of the second range-extended PPDU, the reception performance (e.g., Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) performance) can be improved by performing at least one of the following: repeated transmission in the frequency domain by RU, repeated transmission in the time domain, and repeated transmission over multiple links. Furthermore, the implementation and testing of the second range-extended PPDU can be simplified by limiting the bandwidth (e.g., 20MHz channel), limiting the MCS (e.g., MCS0 / 1 / 2 / 15), limiting the number of spatial streams (e.g., 2 or less), and limiting the RU size (e.g., RU242 / RU106 / RU52 / RU26).

[0024] The second range-extended PPDU shown in Figure 1 is a PPDU with a longer (wider) reach than the first range-extended PPDU, and is set to a mode in which at least one of the repetition counts of the Preamble and Data fields and the power boost level is higher. Furthermore, the second range-extended PPDU allows for multiple reach settings (e.g., UL1 / DL1 and UL2 / DL2) depending on these transmission parameters, which has the effect of enabling a balanced setting between UL and DL.

[0025] As shown in Figure 1, among the PPDUs (or PPDU formats) that support multiple ranges, the range of the non-range-extended PPDU is the narrowest. Generally, the maximum transmit power of a non-AP STA (e.g., STA200) is smaller than the maximum transmit power of an AP (e.g., AP100), so as shown in Figure 1, in the non-range-extended PPDU, the UL range is narrower than the DL range.

[0026] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1, the reach of the first range-extended PPDU is wider than that of the non-range-extended PPDU. Regarding the reach of DL and UL in the first range-extended PPDU, similar to the non-range-extended PPDU, the reach of UL is narrower than that of DL.

[0027] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1, the reach of the second range-extended PPDU is wider than that of the first range-extended PPDU. In addition, as shown in Figure 1, the second range-extended PPDU allows for the setting of multiple reach ranges such as UL1 / DL1 and UL2 / DL2, enabling a balanced reach setting between UL and DL.

[0028] In Figure 1, the case where the DL and UL reach ranges are the same is explained for each setting of the reach range of the second range-extended PPDU. However, it is not limited to this, and the UL reach range may be set to be narrower than the DL reach range, similar to the non-range-extended PPDU and the first range-extended PPDU. Also, in Figure 1, the case of two settings for the reach range of the second range-extended PPDU (for example, UL1 / DL1 and UL2 / DL2) is shown, but it is not limited to this, and there may be one setting or three or more settings.

[0029] Figure 2 shows an example configuration of a Node (for example, corresponding to a communication device). The Node may be, for example, AP100 (hereinafter simply referred to as AP) or STA200 (hereinafter also referred to as non-AP STA). In Figure 2, the control unit (for example, corresponding to a control circuit) controls the transmission of a response frame to a received frame (for example, a PPDU) using a defined PPDU format. The PPDU transmitted and received between Nodes may include, for example, a field specifying the PPDU format of the response frame and at least one of the transmission parameters. Furthermore, the PPDU format may be set to any of the following formats: non-range-extended PPDU, first range-extended PPDU, and second range-extended PPDU. The communication unit (for example, corresponding to a transmitting circuit or a receiving circuit) transmits and receives response frames with other Nodes using the PPDU format set in the control unit.

[0030] For example, in a Node that sends a response frame, the control unit (e.g., corresponding to a control circuit) determines, based on the received frame, the format to be used for the response frame to the received frame from among multiple formats (PPDU format) corresponding to different reach ranges. The communication unit (e.g., corresponding to a transmitting circuit) transmits the response frame using the determined format. Similarly, in a Node that receives a response frame, for example, the control unit (e.g., corresponding to a control circuit) determines, based on the transmitted frame, the format to be used for the response frame to the transmitted frame from among multiple formats (PPDU format) corresponding to different reach ranges. The communication unit (e.g., corresponding to a receiving circuit) receives the response frame using the determined format.

[0031] One embodiment of this disclosure makes it possible to increase the reachability of responses with minimal signaling overhead during transmission and reception with each Node (terminal). Furthermore, by controlling the PPDU format of the response frame, the PPDU length of the response frame can be calculated in advance, allowing for appropriate setting of the Transmission Opportunity (TXOP) Duration.

[0032] The following describes various embodiments relating to examples of methods for selecting a signal format (including, for example, a signal format for ELR).

[0033] (Embodiment 1) In this embodiment, the transmitted and received frame includes a field that specifies the PPDU format of the response frame to the said frame.

[0034] The following describes an example of setting the field that specifies the PPDU format of the response frame.

[0035] <Configuration Example 1> The field specifying the PPDU format of the response frame may be included in the U-SIG field.

[0036] Figure 3 shows an example of the definition of the U-SIG field in the ER / ELR preamble.

[0037] Figure 3 shows an example where a value corresponding to UHR ELR (e.g., "0") is defined (e.g., newly defined) in the PHY Version Identifier of the U-SIG field of the ER / ELR preamble.

[0038] Furthermore, in Figure 3, the U-SIG field of the EHT's ER preamble has a subfield called "Response frame PPDU format" defined in the Disregard field B20, which specifies the PPDU format of the response frame. The value of Response frame PPDU format may be defined such that, for example, "0" indicates HE ER SU PPDU (for example, corresponding to the first range-extended PPDU), and "1" indicates UHR ELR PPDU (for example, corresponding to the second range-extended PPDU).

[0039] Note that the U-SIG field, which includes the Response frame PPDU format shown in Figure 3, may be included in other preambles, not just the ER / ELR preamble.

[0040] <Configuration Example 2> The field specifying the PPDU format of the response frame may be included in the HE-SIG A field.

[0041] Figure 4 shows examples of HE-SIG-A field definitions for HE SU PPDU and HE ER SU PPDU.

[0042] In Figure 4, in HE-SIG-A, the B14, which is Reserved, has a subfield called "Response frame PPDU format" defined, which specifies the PPDU format of the response frame. The value of Response frame PPDU format may be defined to indicate a UHR ELR PPDU (e.g., a second range-extended PPDU) if it is "0".

[0043] Note that the HE-SIG-A field including the Response frame PPDU format shown in FIG. 4 may be included not only in the HE SU PPDU and the HE ER SU PPDU but also in other PPDUs.

[0044] <Example 3> The field specifying the PPDU format of the response frame may be included in the HT Control field.

[0045] FIG. 5 shows a configuration example of the MAC frame format and the A-Control subfield in the HT Control field.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 5, when the HT Control field is set in the MAC header and the Variant in the HT Control field indicates HE, the A-Control subfield exists in the HT Control field. The A-Control includes a Control List and Padding bits. The Control List is composed of one or more Control subfields. The Control subfield is composed of a Control ID and Control Information.

[0047] FIG. 6 shows a definition example of the Control ID subfield.

[0048] In the example of FIG. 6, when the Control ID value is "10", it is defined that the content of the Control Information subfield is the UHR link adaptation (ULA) Control. Note that the Control ID value for which the ULA Control is defined is not limited to "10" and may be defined as another value (for example, an undefined value).

[0049] When a ULA Control is specified by a Control ID value, the Control Information subfield includes a "Response frame PPDU format" subfield, which specifies the PPDU format of the response frame.

[0050] Figure 7 shows an example of the Control Information subfield format within the ULA Control subfield. As shown in Figure 7, for example, the Response frame PPDU format subfield may be defined in B25. The value of the Response frame PPDU format may be defined such that, for example, if it is "0", HE ER SU PPDU (for example, corresponding to the first range-extended PPDU) is specified, and if it is "1", UHR ELR PPDU (for example, corresponding to the second range-extended PPDU) is specified.

[0051] Figure 8 shows another example of a Control ID definition.

[0052] In the example in Figure 8, when the Control ID value is "10", it is defined that the content of the Control Information subfield is a Response frame PPDU format (RFP) Control. Note that the Control ID value in which RFP Control is defined is not limited to "10" and may be defined to another value (for example, an undefined value).

[0053] When RFP Control is specified by the Control ID value, the Control Information subfield includes the Response frame PPDU format subfield, which specifies the PPDU format of the response frame.

[0054] Figure 9 shows an example of the Control Information subfield format within the RFP Control subfield. As shown in Figure 9, for example, the Response frame PPDU format subfield may be defined in B0. The value of the Response frame PPDU format may be defined such that, for example, if it is "0", HE ER SU PPDU (for example, corresponding to the first range-extended PPDU) is specified, and if it is "1", UHR ELR PPDU (for example, the second range-extended PPDU) is specified.

[0055] <Configuration Example 4> The field specifying the PPDU format of the response frame may be included in the UHR Control field.

[0056] Figure 10 shows an example of the MAC frame format and the UHR Control field configuration.

[0057] As shown in Figure 10, when the MAC header has a UHR Control field and the Variant within the UHR Control field indicates UHR, then an A-Control subfield exists within the UHR Control field. The A-Control contains a Control List and a Padding bit. The Control List consists of one or more Control subfields. The Control subfield consists of a Control ID and Control Information.

[0058] The Control Information subfield may include, for example, information about the Response frame PPDU format, as shown in Figure 7 or Figure 9 (for example, the Response frame PPDU format subfield, which is a field that specifies the PPDU format of the response frame).

[0059] Figure 11 shows an example of the format of the Frame Control field in the MAC header shown in Figure 10. The "+UHRC" subfield shown in Figure 11 is a field that indicates the presence or absence of a UHR Control field in the MAC header. For example, a value indicating that the Frame Control field format includes the +UHRC subfield (or the presence or absence of +UHRC) may be defined (e.g., newly defined) for the undefined value of the Frame Control field's Subtype or Control Frame Extension subtype. In the example in Figure 11, when the Control Frame Extension subtype is "12", it indicates that the Frame Control field format is a format that includes the +UHRC subfield.

[0060] <Configuration Example 5> The field specifying the PPDU format of the response frame may be included in the UHR link adaptation (ULA) Control field. Figure 12 shows an example configuration of the MAC frame format and the ULA Control field.

[0061] As shown in Figure 12, the MAC header is set to a ULA Control field. In the example in Figure 12, the B25 of the ULA Control field may be defined as a Response frame PPDU format subfield, which specifies the PPDU format of the response frame. The value of the Response frame PPDU format may be defined such that, for example, "0" specifies HE ER SU PPDU (for example, corresponding to the first range-extended PPDU), and "1" specifies UHR ELR PPDU (for example, the second range-extended PPDU).

[0062] Figure 13 shows an example of the Frame Control field format of the MAC header shown in Figure 12. The "+ULAC" subfield shown in Figure 13 is a field that indicates the presence or absence of a ULA Control field in the MAC header. For example, a new value indicating that the Frame Control field format includes the +ULAC subfield (or the presence or absence of +ULAC) may be defined for the undefined value of the Frame Control field's Subtype or Control Frame Extension subtype. In the example in Figure 13, when the Control Frame Extension subtype is "12", it indicates that the Frame Control field format is a format that includes the +ULAC subfield.

[0063] <Configuration Example 6> The field specifying the PPDU format of the response frame may be included in the Single response scheduling (SRS) Control subfield within the A-Control subfield of the HT Control field.

[0064] For example, if the Variant in the HT Control field shown in Figure 5 indicates HE, and the A-Control subfield included in the HT Control field specifies a Control ID value (for example, "8" in Figure 6 or Figure 8) indicating that the content of the Control Information subfield is SRS Control, then the SRS Control subfield may include a field that specifies the PPDU format of the response frame.

[0065] Figure 14 shows an example of the Control Information subfield format within the SRS Control subfield.

[0066] As shown in Figure 14, for example, a Response frame PPDU format subfield may be defined in B8, which specifies the PPDU format of the response frame. The value of Response frame PPDU format may be defined such that, for example, if it is "0", HE ER SU PPDU (for example, corresponding to the first range-extended PPDU) is specified, and if it is "1", UHR ELR PPDU (for example, corresponding to the second range-extended PPDU) is specified.

[0067] <Configuration Example 7> The field specifying the PPDU format of the response frame may be included in the Triggered response scheduling (TRS) Control subfield within the A-Control subfield of the HT Control field.

[0068] For example, if the Variant in the HT Control field shown in Figure 5 indicates HE, and the A-Control subfield included in the HT Control field specifies a Control ID value (for example, "0" in Figure 6 or Figure 8) indicating that the content of the Control Information subfield is TRS Control, then the TRS Control subfield may include a field that specifies the PPDU format of the response frame.

[0069] Figure 15 shows an example of the Control Information subfield format within the TRS Control subfield.

[0070] As shown in Figure 15, for example, a Response frame PPDU format subfield may be defined in B25, which is a field that specifies the PPDU format of the response frame. The value of Response frame PPDU format may be defined such that, for example, if it is "0", HE ER SU PPDU (for example, corresponding to the first range-extended PPDU) is specified, and if it is "1", UHR ELR PPDU (for example, the second range-extended PPDU) is specified.

[0071] The above explains an example of setting the field that specifies the PPDU format of the response frame.

[0072] Figure 16 shows an example sequence when the response frame is UHR ELR PPDU (e.g., a second range-extended PPDU). Figure 17 shows an example sequence when the response frame is HE ER SU PPDU (e.g., a first range-extended PPDU).

[0073] The Response frame PPDU format described in the above example is specified by the frame that sets the TXOP Duration as shown in Figure 16 or Figure 17, and may be valid for the duration of the TXOP. It applies to the response frame of that frame, but does not necessarily apply to other frames.

[0074] The frame used to set the TXOP Duration may, for example, be the request to send (RTS) frame shown in Figures 16 and 17. The TXOP Duration may also include the period encompassing the clear to send (CTS) frame, data frame, and acknowledgment frame that follow the RTS frame. For example, the PPDU format of the CTS frame and acknowledgment frame, which are response frames within the TXOP Duration, may be indicated by the Response frame PPDU format included in the RTS frame. Alternatively, the PPDU format of the CTS frame and acknowledgment frame, which are response frames for each frame, may be individually indicated by the Response frame PPDU format included in the RTS frame and data frame, respectively, as shown in Figures 16 and 17.

[0075] In the example sequence shown in Figure 16, AP 100 transmits the RTS frame and Data frame using HE ER SU PPDU, and STA 200 transmits the CTS frame and Ack frame using UHR ELR PPDU. For example, as in case 3 shown in Figure 1, if STA 200 is within the DL range of HE ER SU PPDU (e.g., the first range-extended PPDU) but outside the UL range of HE ER SU PPDU, the reachability of the response frame can be increased by specifying the PPDU format of the response frame as UHR ELR PPDU (e.g., the second range-extended PPDU).

[0076] Furthermore, in the sequence example shown in Figure 17, AP 100 transmits the RTS frame and Data frame using HE ER SU PPDU, and STA 200 transmits the CTS frame and Ack frame using HE ER SU PPDU. For example, as in case 4 shown in Figure 1, when STA 200 is within the DL / UL range of HE ER SU PPDU (e.g., the first range-extended PPDU), specifying the PPDU format of the response frame to HE ER SU PPDU (e.g., the first range-extended PPDU) allows for a response with the minimum necessary signaling amount (e.g., a format with a small number of U-SIG repetitions) while maintaining the reachability of the response frame, thereby improving throughput.

[0077] Thus, in this embodiment, the Node that transmits the response frame (for example, AP100 or STA200) determines, based on the received frame (for example, the Response frame PPDU format subfield within the received frame), which PPDU format to use for the response frame to the received frame from a plurality of PPDU formats corresponding to different range extensions (for example, different reach ranges), and transmits the response frame using the determined PPDU format.

[0078] Similarly, a Node receiving a response frame (e.g., AP100 or STA200) determines, based on the transmitted frame (e.g., the Response frame PPDU format subfield within the transmitted frame), which PPDU format to use for the response frame to the transmitted frame from among several PPDU formats corresponding to different range extensions (e.g., different reach ranges), and receives the response frame using the determined PPDU format.

[0079] By setting a field (Response frame PPDU format subfield) in the transmitted and received frames that specifies the PPDU format of the response frame to that frame, a Node receiving the response frame can, for example, pre-calculate the PPDU length of the response frame, and thus set the TXOP Duration appropriately.

[0080] Furthermore, by appropriately configuring the PPDU format of the response frame during transmission and reception with each node, the likelihood of the response frame reaching the recipient can be increased with minimal signaling overhead.

[0081] Therefore, according to this embodiment, wireless communication can be controlled appropriately.

[0082] In this embodiment, an example of the PPDU format of the response frame was described in which the field specifying the PPDU format of the response frame specifies either HE ER SU PPDU or UHR ELR PPDU, but this is not limited to this. For example, the field specifying the PPDU format of the response frame may specify any of the multiple extended ranges of UHR ELR PPDU (for example, DL1 / UL1 and DL2 / UL2 shown in Figure 1).

[0083] (Embodiment 2) In this embodiment, the transmitted and received frame includes a field that specifies the transmission parameters of the response frame to the said frame.

[0084] The following describes an example of setting the fields that specify the transmission parameters for the response frame.

[0085] <Configuration Example 1> The field specifying the transmission parameters for the response frame may be included in the U-SIG field.

[0086] Figure 18 shows an example of a U-SIG definition for the ER / ELR preamble.

[0087] Figure 18 shows an example where a value corresponding to UHR ELR (e.g., "0") is defined (e.g., newly defined) in the PHY Version Identifier of the U-SIG field of the ER / ELR preamble.

[0088] In Figure 18, the U-SIG field of the EHT's ER preamble defines fields for specifying the transmission parameters of the response frame in the Disregard fields, namely B20-B25 of U-SIG-1 and B0-B8 of U-SIG-2.

[0089] For example, in the U-SIG-1 shown in Figure 18, B20-B21 define the number of U-SIG repetitions (OFDM symbol count) as the U-SIG field length of the response frame. For example, corresponding to the values ​​0, 1, 2, and 3 in B20-B21, OFDM symbol lengths of 2, 4, 8, and 16 may be defined, respectively.

[0090] For example, in U-SIG-1 shown in Figure 18, the repeating region in the Data field of the response frame is defined in B22-B23. For example, the time domain, frequency domain, and multiple links domain may be defined corresponding to the values ​​0, 1, and 2 of B22-B23, respectively.

[0091] For example, in U-SIG-1 shown in Figure 18, B24-B25 define the number of repetitions in the Data field of the response frame. For example, the values ​​0, 1, 2, and 3 in B24-B25 may represent no repetition, one repetition, three repetitions, and seven repetitions, respectively.

[0092] For example, the UEQM flag is defined for B0 in U-SIG-2 shown in Figure 18. For instance, Equal Modulation (EQM) and Unequal Modulation (UEQM) are defined, corresponding to the values ​​0 and 1 of B0, respectively.

[0093] For example, in the U-SIG-2 shown in Figure 18, B1-B4 define the MCS of the response frame. The value of MCS may be set (or limited) depending on the type of range-extended PPDU, for example. For example, the MCS may be defined to be limited to MCS0-2 for the first range-extended PPDU, and to be limited to MCS0 / 1 / 2 / 15 for the second range-extended PPDU.

[0094] For example, in the U-SIG-2 shown in Figure 18, the spatial stream number (NSS) of the response frame is defined in B5-B8. The value of NSS may be set (or limited) by, for example, the type of range-extended PPDU. For example, NSS may be defined such that it is limited to NSS=1 for the first range-extended PPDU and limited to NSS≦2 for the second range-extended PPDU.

[0095] Note that the transmission parameters shown in Figure 18 are just an example. Of the transmission parameters defined in Figure 18, all transmission parameters may be defined in the U-SIG field, or some transmission parameters may be defined in the U-SIG field. Furthermore, the bit area (bit position) and number of bits for which each transmission parameter is defined are not limited to the example shown in Figure 18, and may be other bit areas and other number of bits.

[0096] <Configuration Example 2> The field that specifies the transmission parameters for the response frame may be included in the UHR link adaptation (ULA) Control field.

[0097] Figure 19 shows an example of the MAC frame format and the ULA Control field configuration.

[0098] As shown in Figure 19, the MAC header is configured with a ULA Control field. As shown in Figure 19, the ULA Control field may have parameters similar to those of the response frame transmission parameters defined in the U-SIG shown in Figure 18.

[0099] Note that the transmission parameters shown in Figure 19 are just an example. Of the transmission parameters defined in Figure 19, all transmission parameters may be defined in the ULA Control field, or some transmission parameters may be defined in the ULA Control field. Furthermore, the bit area and number of bits for which each transmission parameter is defined are not limited to the example shown in Figure 19, and other bit areas and numbers of bits may be used.

[0100] Furthermore, the presence or absence of a ULA Control field in the MAC header may be indicated, for example, by the "+ULAC" subfield in the example Frame Control field format shown in Figure 13. For example, a new value may be defined for the undefined value of the Frame Control field's Subtype or Control Frame Extension subtype to indicate that the Frame Control field format includes the +ULAC subfield (or whether +ULAC is present or absent). In the example in Figure 13, when the Control Frame Extension subtype is "12", it indicates that the Frame Control field format is a format that includes the +ULAC subfield.

[0101] <Configuration Example 3> Configuration Example 2 (Figure 19) described an example where the ULA Control field is set in the MAC header, but it is not limited to this.

[0102] The field specifying the transmission parameters for the response frame may, for example, be included in the A-Control subfield of the HT Control field.

[0103] For example, the ULA Control subfield may be defined within the A-Control subfield of the HT Control field shown in Figure 5. Alternatively, for example, the UHR Control field shown in Figure 10 may be set, and the transmission parameters for the response frame may be defined.

[0104] Figure 20 shows an example of the definition of a Control ID subfield included in the A-Control subfield within the HT Control field or UHR Control field.

[0105] In the example in Figure 20, it is defined that when the Control ID value is "10", the content of the Control Information subfield is a Response Frame Parameter (RFP) Control. Note that the Control ID value in which an RFP Control is defined is not limited to "10" and may be defined to another value (for example, an undefined value).

[0106] When RFP Control is specified by the Control ID value, the Control Information subfield includes the "Response Frame Parameter Control" subfield, which specifies the transmission parameters for the response frame.

[0107] Figure 21 shows an example of the Control Information subfield format within the RFP Control subfield. The transmission parameters included in the Control Information subfield shown in Figure 21 may be the same parameters (e.g., all or some of the parameters) as those of the transmission parameters of the response frame defined in the U-SIG shown in Figure 18.

[0108] These transmission parameters may be defined in the A-Control, UHR Control, or ULA Control of HT Control. Alternatively, these transmission parameters may be defined in addition to the Single Response Scheduling (SRS) Control subfield or Triggered Response Scheduling (TRS) Control subfield included in the A-Control of HT Control.

[0109] The above explains an example of setting the fields for specifying the transmission parameters of the response frame.

[0110] Figure 22 shows an example sequence when the transmission parameters specified for the response frame are such that DL1 and UL1 of the UHR ELR PPDU are in the same range. Figure 23 shows an example sequence when the transmission parameters specified for the response frame are such that DL2 and UL2 of the UHR ELR PPDU are in the same range.

[0111] The instructions for the response frame transmission parameters described in the above configuration example are specified by the frame that sets the TXOP Duration as shown in Figures 22 and 23, and may be valid during the TXOP period. They may be applied to the response frame of that frame, but not to other frames.

[0112] The frame used to set the TXOP Duration may be, for example, the RTS frame shown in Figures 22 and 23. The TXOP Duration may also include the period encompassing the CTS frame, Data frame, and Ack frame following the RTS frame. For example, the transmission parameters for the CTS frame and Ack frame, which are response frames within the TXOP Duration, may be specified by the Response Frame Parameter Control subfield included in the RTS frame. Alternatively, the transmission parameters for the CTS frame and Ack frame, which are response frames for each frame, may be individually specified by the Response Frame Parameter Control subfield included in the RTS frame and Data frame, respectively, as shown in Figures 22 and 23.

[0113] In the example sequence shown in Figure 22, AP100 transmits an RTS frame and a Data frame using the transmission parameter corresponding to DL1 of the HE ER SU PPDU, and STA200 transmits a CTS frame and an Ack frame using the transmission parameter corresponding to UL1 of the UHR ELR PPDU. For example, as in case 2 shown in Figure 1, when STA200 is within the DL1 / UL1 range of the UHR ELR PPDU, it is possible to respond with the minimum necessary amount of signaling (e.g., a format with a relatively small number of U-SIG repetitions) while maintaining the reachability of the response frame, thereby improving throughput.

[0114] In the example sequence shown in Figure 23, AP 100 transmits an RTS frame and a Data frame using the transmission parameters corresponding to DL2 of the HE ER SU PPDU, and STA 200 transmits a CTS frame and an Ack frame using the transmission parameters corresponding to UL2 of the UHR ELR PPDU. For example, as in case 1 shown in Figure 1, the reachability of the response frame can be increased when STA 200 is within the DL2 / UL2 range of the UHR ELR PPDU.

[0115] Thus, in this embodiment, the Node that transmits the response frame (for example, AP100 or STA200) determines, based on the received frame (for example, the Response frame parameter Control subfield within the received frame), which PPDU format (for example, the transmission parameters corresponding to each PPDU format) to be used for the response frame to the received frame from a plurality of PPDU formats corresponding to different range extensions (for example, different reach ranges), and transmits the response frame using the determined PPDU format.

[0116] Similarly, a Node receiving a response frame (e.g., AP100 or STA200) determines, based on the transmitted frame (e.g., the Response frame parameter Control subfield within the transmitted frame), which PPDU format (e.g., the transmitted parameters corresponding to each PPDU format) to use for the response frame to the transmitted frame from among multiple PPDU formats corresponding to different range extensions (e.g., different reach ranges), and receives the response frame using the determined PPDU format.

[0117] By setting a field (Response frame Parameter Control subfield) in the transmitted and received frames that specifies the transmission parameters of the response frame to that frame, for example, a Node receiving the response frame can pre-calculate the length of the response's PPDU, and thus set the TXOP Duration appropriately.

[0118] Furthermore, by appropriately configuring the PPDU format of the response frame during transmission and reception with each node, the likelihood of the response frame reaching the recipient can be increased with minimal signaling overhead.

[0119] Therefore, according to this embodiment, wireless communication can be controlled appropriately.

[0120] In the following embodiment, the Node (for example, AP100 or STA200) sets the PPDU format of the response frame to the received frame according to the PPDU format of the received frame.

[0121] (Embodiment 3) In this embodiment, when a Node (AP100 or STA200) receives a frame in the second range-extended PPDU, it transmits a response frame to that frame in the second range-extended PPDU.

[0122] Figure 24 shows an example sequence when transmitting and receiving using a second range-extended PPDU (e.g., UHR ELR PPDU).

[0123] In Figure 24, if the Probe Request frame from the non-AP STA (STA200) is a second range-extended PPDU (e.g., UHR ELR PPDU), the Probe Response frame, which is the response from the AP (AP100), is sent as a second range-extended PPDU (e.g., UHR ELR PPDU).

[0124] Furthermore, in Figure 24, if the Probe Response frame from the AP or the Data frame from the non-AP STA is a second range-extended PPDU (e.g., UHR ELR PPDU), the Ack frame, which is the response to those frames, is transmitted in the second range-extended PPDU.

[0125] The sequence shown in Figure 24 can increase the likelihood of response frame arrival, for example, when the non-AP STA is outside the first range-extended PPDU (ER) range but within the second range-extended PPDU (ELR) range, as shown in cases 1 and 2 in Figure 1.

[0126] In this way, when a Node receives a frame in the second range-extended PPDU (e.g., the second range-extended format), it sets the response frame to that frame in the second range-extended PPDU (e.g., the second range-extended format). This increases the reachability of the response frame when the Node is outside the range of the first range-extended PPDU but within the range of the second range-extended PPDU.

[0127] (Embodiment 4) In this embodiment, when a Node (AP100 or STA200) receives a frame with the first range-extended PPDU, it transmits a response frame to that frame with the second range-extended PPDU or the first range-extended PPDU.

[0128] Figure 25 shows an example sequence when a second range-extended PPDU (e.g., UHR ELR PPDU) is responded to the reception of a first range-extended PPDU (e.g., HE ER SU PPDU).

[0129] In Figure 25, when an RTS frame is transmitted from the AP using the first range-extended PPDU, the non-AP STA transmits a CTS frame using the second range-extended PPDU. Also, when a Data frame is transmitted from the AP using the first range-extended PPDU, the non-AP STA transmits an Ack frame using the second range-extended PPDU.

[0130] Alternatively, in Figure 25, if the RTS frame, which is the frame that sets the TXOP Duration, is transmitted in the first range-extended PPDU, the non-AP STA may transmit the CTS frame and Ack frame, which are response frames within the TXOP Duration interval, in the second range-extended PPDU.

[0131] The sequence shown in Figure 25 can improve the reachability of the response frame, for example, in case 3 shown in Figure 1, where the non-AP STA is within the DL range of the first range-extended PPDU but outside the UL range of the first range-extended PPDU.

[0132] Figure 26 shows an example sequence when a first range-extended PPDU (e.g., HE ER SU PPDU) is received and responded to with the first range-extended PPDU (e.g., HE ER SU PPDU).

[0133] In Figure 26, when an RTS frame is transmitted from the AP using the first range-extended PPDU, the non-AP STA transmits a CTS frame using the first range-extended PPDU. Also, when a Data frame is transmitted from the AP using the first range-extended PPDU, the non-AP STA transmits an Ack frame using the first range-extended PPDU.

[0134] Alternatively, in Figure 26, if the RTS frame, which is the frame that sets the TXOP Duration, is transmitted in the first range-extended PPDU, the non-AP STA may transmit the CTS frame and Ack frame, which are response frames within the TXOP Duration interval, in the first range-extended PPDU.

[0135] Figure 27 shows another example sequence when a first range-extended PPDU (e.g., HE ER SU PPDU) is received and responded to with the first range-extended PPDU (e.g., HE ER SU PPDU).

[0136] In Figure 27, when an RTS frame is transmitted from a non-AP STA using the first range-extended PPDU, the AP transmits a CTS frame using the first range-extended PPDU. Also, when a Data frame is transmitted from a non-AP STA using the first range-extended PPDU, the AP transmits an Ack frame using the first range-extended PPDU.

[0137] Alternatively, in Figure 27, if the RTS frame, which is the frame that sets the TXOP Duration, is transmitted in the first range-extended PPDU, the AP may transmit the CTS frame and Ack frame, which are response frames within the TXOP Duration interval, in the first range-extended PPDU.

[0138] The sequences shown in Figures 26 and 27 can improve the reachability of the response when the non-AP STA is within the DL / UL range of the first range-extended PPDU, for example, as in case 4 shown in Figure 1. Furthermore, by using the minimum necessary range extension, the overhead of the U-SIG can be reduced.

[0139] Table 1 shows a comparative example of the overhead between a first range-extended PPDU (e.g., HE ER SU PPDU) and a second range-extended PPDU (e.g., UHR ELR PPDU).

[0140] We compare the total length of the Preamble and Data (assuming an Ack frame) when assuming that HE-SIG-A is repeated twice for 16us in the first range-extended PPDU, and U-SIG is repeated four times for 32us in the second range-extended PPDU. As shown in Table 1, the second range-extended PPDU is approximately 21.2% longer than the first range-extended PPDU. From this, it can be seen that overhead is reduced by using the first range-extended PPDU.

[0141] In this way, when a Node receives a frame in the first range-extended PPDU format (e.g., the first range-extended format), it sets the response frame to that frame to either the second range-extended PPDU format (e.g., the second range-extended format) or the first range-extended PPDU. This increases the reachability of the response frame when the Node is within the DL range of the first range-extended PPDU but outside the UL range of the first range-extended PPDU, or when it is within the DL / UL range of the first range-extended PPDU. Furthermore, since range extension can be performed with the minimum necessary overhead, throughput can be improved.

[0142] In this embodiment, when a first range-extended PPDU is received, the Node may, for example, determine the PPDU format of the response frame (the first range-extended PPDU or the second range-extended PPDU) or the transmission parameters of the response frame based on the information contained in the first range-extended PPDU (for example, the values ​​of the fields) according to Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2.

[0143] (Embodiment 5) In this embodiment, when a Node (AP100 or STA200) receives a frame in the second range-extended PPDU, it sends a response frame to the frame using transmission parameters that are associated with the same Range (or reach, extended range) as the transmission parameters of the received second range-extended PPDU.

[0144] Figures 28 and 29 show example sequences when transmitting and receiving with a second range-extended PPDU (e.g., UHR ELR PPDU). Figure 28 shows an example sequence when DL1 and UL1, shown in Figure 1, use the same range transmission parameters, and Figure 29 shows an example sequence when DL2 and UL2, shown in Figure 1, use the same range transmission parameters.

[0145] Examples of transmission parameters include the number of repetitions on the frequency / time axis for each field of Preamble and Data, the presence or absence of UEQM, MCS, and the number of spatial streams. These UL / DL compatible transmission parameters may be set to correspond to the UL / DL imbalance (for example, set to different values ​​for UL and DL).

[0146] As shown in Figures 28 and 29, the transmission parameters (e.g., DL transmission parameters and UL transmission parameters) are set so that the respective DL and UL ranges are the same. For example, AP (AP100) transmits RTS frames and Data frames using the DL transmission parameters of the second range-extended PPDU, and non-AP STA (STA200) transmits CTS frames and Ack frames using the UL transmission parameters of the second range-extended PPDU.

[0147] Alternatively, in Figures 28 and 29, if the RTS frame, which sets the TXOP Duration, is transmitted using the DL transmission parameters of the second range-extended PPDU, the CTS frame and Ack frame, which are response frames within the TXOP Duration interval, may be transmitted using the corresponding UL transmission parameters of the second range-extended PPDU.

[0148] Table 2 shows a comparative example of the overhead for the second range-extended PPDU (DL1 / UL1 and DL2 / UL2).

[0149] In the second range-extended PPDU, we compare the total length of the Preamble and Data (assuming an Ack frame) when the U-SIG is assumed to repeat 4 times for 32us (e.g., DL1 / UL1) and when it is assumed to repeat 8 times for 64us (e.g., DL2 / UL2). As shown in Table 2, the length of the Preamble and Data (assuming an Ack frame) is approximately 52.5% longer when the U-SIG repeats 8 times in the second range-extended PPDU than when the U-SIG repeats 4 times. This shows that overhead is reduced by setting the U-SIG to repeat 4 times (e.g., UL1) in the second range-extended PPDU.

[0150] In this way, when a Node receives a frame of the second range-extended PPDU (e.g., the second range-extended format), it sets the Range transmission parameters (e.g., UL transmission parameters) corresponding to the transmission parameters (e.g., DL transmission parameters) of the received second range-extended PPDU in the response frame to that frame. This increases the reachability of the response when the Node is outside the range of the first range-extended PPDU but within the range of the second range-extended PPDU. Furthermore, since range extension can be performed with minimal overhead, throughput can be improved.

[0151] In this embodiment, when a second range-extended PPDU is received, the Node may, for example, determine the transmission parameters of the response frame (e.g., UL transmission parameters) based on the information contained in the second range-extended PPDU (e.g., field values) according to Embodiment 2.

[0152] (Embodiment 6) In this embodiment, when a Node (AP100 or STA200) receives a frame in non-range-extended PPDU format (for example, non-range-extended format), if a response frame to that frame cannot reach the receiver by sending a non-range-extended PPDU, the Node (AP100 or STA200) sends the response frame in a first range-extended PPDU or a second range-extended PPDU.

[0153] Figure 30 shows an example sequence when responding to the reception of a non-range-extended PPDU (also known as a non-ER / ELR PPDU) with a second range-extended PPDU (e.g., a UHR ELR PPDU) or a first range-extended PPDU (e.g., a HE ER SU PPDU).

[0154] In Figure 30, when an RTS frame is transmitted from the AP using a non-range-extended PPDU, the non-AP STA transmits a CTS frame using either the second range-extended PPDU or the first range-extended PPDU. Also, when a Data frame is transmitted from the AP using a non-range-extended PPDU, the non-AP STA transmits an Ack frame using either the second range-extended PPDU or the first range-extended PPDU.

[0155] Alternatively, in Figure 30, if the RTS frame, which is the frame that sets the TXOP Duration, is transmitted using a non-range-extended PPDU, the non-AP STA may transmit the CTS frame and Ack frame, which are response frames within the TXOP Duration interval, using a second range-extended PPDU or a first range-extended PPDU.

[0156] The sequence shown in Figure 30 can improve the reachability of the response frame when, for example, as in case 5 shown in Figure 1, the non-AP STA is within the DL range of the non-range-extended PPDU but outside the UL range of the non-range-extended PPDU.

[0157] Thus, if a Node receives a frame in non-range-extended PPDU format, and the response frame using a non-range-extended PPDU would not reach its destination, the Node sets either a first or second range-extended PPDU for the response frame. This increases the likelihood of the response frame reaching the Node when the Node is within the DL range of the non-range-extended PPDU but outside the UL range of the non-range-extended PPDU.

[0158] In this embodiment, if a non-range-extended PPDU is received, the Node may, for example, determine the PPDU format of the response frame (first range-extended PPDU or second range-extended PPDU) or the transmission parameters of the response frame based on the information contained in the non-range-extended PPDU (e.g., the values ​​of the fields) according to Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2.

[0159] (Embodiment 7) In this embodiment, if a Node (AP100 or STA200) has transmitted a frame after association (for example, a recent or most recently transmitted frame) that is neither a second range-extended PPDU nor a first range-extended PPDU, it transmits a response frame to that frame as a non-range-extended PPDU (for example, a non-HT PPDU).

[0160] Figure 31 shows an example sequence where DL can transmit and receive with a non-range-extended PPDU, and UL can transmit and receive with a first range-extended PPDU (e.g., ER SU PPDU) or a second range-extended PPDU (e.g., UHR ELR PPDU).

[0161] In the example shown in Figure 31, since the most recently transmitted Data frame by AP (AP100) is a non-range-extended PPDU (also known as a non-ER / ELR PPDU, for example), AP sends an Ack frame in a non-range-extended PPDU (e.g., a non-HT PPDU) for the Data frame transmitted from non-AP STA in either the first or second range-extended PPDU.

[0162] Figure 32 shows an example sequence where DL can transmit and receive using the first or second range-extended PPDU, and UL can transmit and receive using a non-range-extended PPDU.

[0163] In the example shown in Figure 32, since the most recently transmitted Data frame by the non-AP STA (STA200) is a non-range-extended PPDU (non-ER / ELR PPDU), the non-AP STA sends an Ack frame in a non-range-extended PPDU (e.g., non-HT PPDU) for the Data frame transmitted from the AP in either the first or second range-extended PPDU.

[0164] Thus, if a Node sends a frame after association (for example, a recently sent frame) that is neither a second range-extended PPDU nor a first range-extended PPDU (for example, not in a range-extended format), it sets a non-range-extended PPDU (for example, a non-HT PPDU) for the response frame to that frame.

[0165] This resolves, for example, EIFS (Extended Inter Frame Space) issues caused by MAC frame reception errors, thereby improving throughput. Here, EIFS issues caused by MAC frame reception errors refer to problems where, for example, a larger EIFS than the Distributed Coordination Function (DCF) Inter Frame Space (DIFS) is required during waiting times.

[0166] This embodiment may be combined with any of embodiments 3 to 6. For example, if the frame sent after association (e.g., the most recently sent frame) is neither a second range-extended PPDU nor a first range-extended PPDU, this embodiment (e.g., sending a non-range-extended PPDU) may be applied. If the frame sent after association (e.g., the most recently sent frame) is a second range-extended PPDU or a first range-extended PPDU, at least one of embodiments 3 to 6 may be applied.

[0167] The embodiments of this disclosure have been described above.

[0168] The embodiments described above may be used in combination as appropriate, or they may be used interchangeably.

[0169] Furthermore, while the above embodiment describes a method for extending the reach of a response frame based on information about the frame received by the Node (for example, the PPDU format or transmission parameters of the response frame), the invention is not limited to this, and for example, the reach of the response frame may be reduced.

[0170] While embodiments have been described above with reference to the drawings, this disclosure is not limited to such examples. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications or alterations can be conceived within the scope of the claims. Such modifications or alterations are also understood to fall within the technical scope of this disclosure. Furthermore, the components in the embodiments may be combined in any way without departing from the spirit of this disclosure.

[0171] In the embodiments described above, the notation "...part" used for each component may be replaced with other notations such as "...circuitry," "...assembly," "...device," "...unit," or "...module."

[0172] The interface name (frame name), field name, or subfield name described in each of the embodiments described above may be any other name.

[0173] Furthermore, in each of the embodiments described above, the field (or subfield) used for notifying control information is merely an example, and other fields or subfields may be used. Also, the bit area (bit position), number of bits, and number of octaves used for notifying control information in each field or subfield are merely examples, and other bit areas (bit positions), number of bits, or number of octaves may be used.

[0174] Furthermore, the signal formats described in each of the embodiments described above are merely examples, and other configurations may be used in which at least one of the following is performed: the addition of other fields or the deletion of some fields. In addition, in each of the fields described above, at least one of the following is performed: the addition of other subfields or the deletion of some subfields.

[0175] Furthermore, the parameters such as NSS and MCS described in each of the embodiments above are merely examples, and other values ​​may be used.

[0176] Furthermore, although the above embodiment describes application to a specific version of the IEEE 802.11 standard (e.g., 11bn), the above embodiment is not limited to application to a specific version of the IEEE 802.11 standard, but can be applied to various versions of the IEEE 802.11 standard. In addition, the above embodiment is not limited to application to the IEEE 802.11 standard, but may be applied to other communication standards or other communication technologies.

[0177] Furthermore, while the above embodiment describes, as an example, a case based on the format specified in IEEE 802.11, the format to which one embodiment of this disclosure is applied is not limited to the IEEE 802.11 format.

[0178] This disclosure can be implemented in software, hardware, or software in conjunction with hardware. Each functional block used in the description of the above embodiments may be implemented in part or in whole as an integrated circuit (LSI), and each process described in the above embodiments may be controlled in part or in whole by a single LSI or a combination of LSIs. An LSI may consist of individual chips, or it may consist of a single chip that includes some or all of the functional blocks. An LSI may have data inputs and outputs. Depending on the degree of integration, LSIs may be referred to as ICs, system LSIs, super LSIs, or ultra LSIs.

[0179] The integrated circuit implementation method is not limited to LSIs; it may also be implemented using dedicated circuits, general-purpose processors, or dedicated processors. Furthermore, a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) that can be programmed after LSI manufacturing, or a reconfigurable processor that allows for the reconfiguration of the connections and settings of circuit cells within the LSI, may also be used. This disclosure may be implemented as digital or analog processing.

[0180] Furthermore, if advancements in semiconductor technology or other derived technologies lead to the emergence of integrated circuit technologies that can replace LSIs, then naturally, it would be possible to use those technologies to integrate functional blocks. The application of biotechnology, for example, is a possibility.

[0181] This disclosure is applicable to all types of devices, systems, and equipment having communication capabilities (collectively referred to as communication equipment). Communication equipment may include a radio transceiver and a processing / control circuit. The radio transceiver may include a receiver and a transmitter, or both as functions. The radio transceiver (transmitter, receiver) may include an RF (Radio Frequency) module and one or more antennas. The RF module may include an amplifier, an RF modulator / demodulator, or similar. Non-exclusive examples of communication devices include telephones (mobile phones, smartphones, etc.), tablets, personal computers (PCs) (laptops, desktops, notebooks, etc.), cameras (digital still / video cameras, etc.), digital players (digital audio / video players, etc.), wearable devices (wearable cameras, smartwatches, tracking devices, etc.), game consoles, digital book readers, telehealth / telemedicine devices, vehicles or mobile transport with communication capabilities (cars, airplanes, ships, etc.), and combinations of the above-mentioned devices.

[0182] Communication devices are not limited to portable or movable devices, but also include all kinds of non-portable or fixed devices, devices, and systems, such as smart home devices (appliances, lighting fixtures, smart meters or measuring instruments, control panels, etc.), vending machines, and any other "things" that may exist on an IoT (Internet of Things) network.

[0183] Communication includes data communication via cellular systems, wireless LAN systems, and communication satellite systems, as well as data communication using combinations of these.

[0184] Furthermore, the communication device also includes devices such as controllers and sensors that are connected to or linked to a communication device that performs the communication functions described in this disclosure. For example, this includes controllers and sensors that generate control signals and data signals used by the communication device that performs the communication functions of the communication device.

[0185] Furthermore, communication equipment includes infrastructure facilities such as base stations, access points, and any other devices, devices, and systems that communicate with or control the aforementioned non-limited types of equipment.

[0186] Furthermore, in recent years, Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS), a new concept in IoT (Internet of Things) technology that creates new added value through information linkage between physical and cyber spaces, has attracted attention. This CPS concept can also be adopted in the above embodiment.

[0187] In other words, as a basic configuration of CPS, for example, edge servers located in physical space and cloud servers located in cyberspace are connected via a network, and processing can be distributed and performed by processors installed on both servers. Here, it is preferable that each processing data generated on the edge server or cloud server is generated on a standardized platform, and by using such a standardized platform, it is possible to improve efficiency when building systems that include various diverse groups of sensors and IoT application software.

[0188] A communication device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises a control circuit that determines, based on a received frame, a format to be used for a response frame to the received frame from a plurality of formats corresponding to different reach ranges, and a transmission circuit that transmits the response frame using the determined format.

[0189] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the received frame includes a field that specifies the format of the response frame.

[0190] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the field includes at least one of the following: U-SIG field, high efficiency (HE)-SIG-A field, high throughput (HT) Control field, ultra high reliability (UHR) Control field, UHR link adaptation (ULA) Control field, single response scheduling (SRS) Control subfield, and triggered response scheduling (TRS) Control subfield.

[0191] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the received frame includes a field that specifies the transmission parameters of the response frame.

[0192] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the field includes at least one of the following: U-SIG field, high throughput (HT) Control field, ultra high reliability (UHR) Control field, UHR link adaptation (ULA) Control field, single response scheduling (SRS) Control subfield, and triggered response scheduling (TRS) Control subfield.

[0193] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the control circuit determines the format of the response frame according to the format of the received frame.

[0194] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, if the control circuit receives the received frame in a second range extension format that corresponds to a wider range extension than the first range extension format, it sets the second range extension format for the response frame.

[0195] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, when the control circuit receives the received frame in a first range-extended format, it sets the response frame to the first range-extended format or a second range-extended format that corresponds to a wider range extension than the first range-extended format.

[0196] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, if the control circuit receives the received frame in a second range extension format that corresponds to a wider range extension than the first range extension format, it sets the transmission parameters for the response frame to a range corresponding to the transmission parameters of the second range extension format used in the received frame.

[0197] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, if the control circuit receives the received frame in a format that does not support range expansion, and if the response frame does not reach the destination when using the format that does not support range expansion, it sets a first range expansion format or a second range expansion format that supports a wider range expansion than the first range expansion format for the response frame.

[0198] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, if the format of the transmission frame transmitted after association is not a format that corresponds to the range extension, the control circuit sets the response frame to a format that does not correspond to the range extension.

[0199] A communication device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises a control circuit that determines, based on a transmission frame, a format to be used for a response frame to the transmission frame from a plurality of formats corresponding to different reach ranges, and a receiving circuit that receives the response frame using the determined format.

[0200] In a communication method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the communication device determines, based on the received frame, a format to be used for the response frame to the received frame from a plurality of formats corresponding to different reach ranges, and transmits the response frame using the determined format.

[0201] In a communication method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the communication device determines a format to be used for the response frame to the transmission frame from a plurality of formats corresponding to different reach ranges based on the transmission frame, and receives the response frame using the determined format.

[0202] All disclosures in the specification, drawings, and abstract contained in the Japanese application No. 2024-166494, filed on September 25, 2024, are incorporated herein by reference.

[0203] One embodiment of this disclosure is useful for wireless communication systems.

[0204] 100 access points, 200 terminals (STA)

Claims

1. A communication device comprising: a control circuit that determines, based on a received frame, a format to be used for a response frame to the received frame from a plurality of formats corresponding to different reach ranges; and a transmission circuit that transmits the response frame using the determined format.

2. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the received frame includes a field specifying the format of the response frame.

3. The communication device according to claim 2, wherein the field includes at least one of the following: U-SIG field, high efficiency (HE)-SIG-A field, high throughput (HT) Control field, ultra high reliability (UHR) Control field, UHR link adaptation (ULA) Control field, single response scheduling (SRS) Control subfield, and triggered response scheduling (TRS) Control subfield.

4. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the received frame includes a field specifying the transmission parameters of the response frame.

5. The communication device according to claim 4, wherein the field includes at least one of the following: U-SIG field, high throughput (HT) Control field, ultra high reliability (UHR) Control field, UHR link adaptation (ULA) Control field, single response scheduling (SRS) Control subfield, and triggered response scheduling (TRS) Control subfield.

6. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the control circuit determines the format of the response frame according to the format of the received frame.

7. The communication device according to claim 6, wherein the control circuit sets the second range extension format for the response frame when it receives the received frame in a second range extension format that corresponds to a wider range extension than the first range extension format.

8. The communication device according to claim 6, wherein the control circuit, when it receives the received frame in a first range-extended format, sets the response frame to the first range-extended format or a second range-extended format that corresponds to a wider range extension than the first range-extended format.

9. The communication device according to claim 6, wherein the control circuit, when it receives the received frame in a second range extension format that corresponds to a wider range extension than the first range extension format, sets the transmission parameters for the response frame to a range corresponding to the transmission parameters of the second range extension format used in the received frame.

10. The communication device according to claim 6, wherein the control circuit, when it receives the received frame in a format that does not support range extension, and when it uses a format that does not support range extension, sets a first range extension format or a second range extension format that supports a wider range extension than the first range extension format for the response frame.

11. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the control circuit sets the response frame to a format that does not support range expansion if the format of the transmission frame transmitted after association is not a format that supports range expansion.

12. A communication device comprising: a control circuit that determines, based on a transmission frame, a format to be used for a response frame to the transmission frame from a plurality of formats corresponding to different ranges; and a receiving circuit that receives the response frame using the determined format.

13. A communication method comprising: a communication device determining, based on a received frame, a format to be used for a response frame to the received frame from a plurality of formats corresponding to different reach ranges, and transmitting the response frame using the determined format.

14. A communication method comprising: a communication device determining, based on a transmission frame, a format to be used for a response frame to the transmission frame from a plurality of formats corresponding to different ranges, and receiving the response frame using the determined format.

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