Communication method and apparatus

Abstract

The present application provides a communication method and apparatus, applied to the technical field of communications. The technical solution of the present application can support IEEE protocols, such as IEEE 802.11be / Wi-Fi 7 / EHT protocol, IEEE 802.11bn / UHR / Wi-Fi 8 protocol, Integrated mmWave / integrated millimeter-wave / IMMW protocol, IEEE 802.15 / UWB protocol, IEEE 802.11bf / sensing protocol, or spark link / nearlink standard protocol. The method comprises: generating a first frame, the first frame instructing a first device to enable or disable a non-primary channel access (NPCA) function of a first session, and the first session being used for sensing measurement; and sending the first frame. For example, the first frame is a sensing measurement request frame, that is, the first frame is used for controlling, at a sensing measurement stage, whether the first device enables the NPCA function of the first session.

Description

A communication method and apparatus Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to a communication method and apparatus. Background Technology

[0002] Non-primary channel access (NPCA) is a technique for accessing secondary channels. It allows access to be made on the remaining idle secondary channels when the primary channel is busy due to interference from overlapping basic service sets (OBSS), while the secondary channels are idle and uninterrupted, thereby improving resource utilization.

[0003] However, in perception measurement scenarios, the NPCA functional states of different communication devices may differ, resulting in the inability of communication devices to complete perception measurements and poor perception performance. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this application provides a communication method and apparatus that can improve sensing and measurement performance. To achieve the above objective, this application adopts the following technical solution:

[0005] Firstly, a communication method is provided. This method can be executed by a second device. The second device can be an access point (AP), a component within the AP (e.g., a processor, chip, or chip system), or a logic module or software capable of implementing all or part of the AP's functions. The following description uses the second device as the executing entity. The method includes:

[0006] Generate a first frame, which instructs the first device to enable or disable the Non-Main Channel Access (NPCA) function of the first session, which is used for sensing and measurement. Send the first frame.

[0007] In other words, the second device instructs the first device to enable or disable the NPCA function of the first session through the first frame, thereby unifying the NPCA function status of different communication devices so that when different communication devices detect OBSS interference, they can switch to the NPCA channel to complete the sensing measurement and improve the sensing measurement performance.

[0008] In one possible design, the first frame is a perception measurement request frame.

[0009] In other words, during the perception measurement session, the second device instructs the first device to enable or disable the NPCA function of the first session through the first frame, thereby unifying the NPCA function status of different communication devices.

[0010] In one possible design, the first frame includes first information that instructs the first device to enable or disable the NPCA function of the first session. The first information is carried in a sensing measurement parameter subfield of a sensing measurement parameter element field, and the first frame includes the sensing measurement parameter element field.

[0011] In one possible design, after sending the first frame, the method further includes receiving a second frame, the second frame indicating the response result of the first device to the first frame.

[0012] In one possible design, the second frame indicates that the first device agrees. Here, "first device agrees" can be understood as the first device agreeing to all the sensing measurement parameters carried in the first frame, and / or the first device agreeing to enable or disable the NPCA function of the first session. In other words, "first device agrees" means that the first device agrees to all parameters in the sensing measurement parameters subfield of the first frame.

[0013] Alternatively, the second frame may indicate that the first device refuses. Here, "first device refuses" can be understood as the first device refusing at least one sensing measurement parameter carried in the first frame, and / or the first device refusing to enable or disable the NPCA function of the first session. In other words, "first device refuses" means that the first device refuses at least one parameter in the sensing measurement parameter subfield of the first frame.

[0014] Alternatively, the second frame may indicate that the first device refuses, and indicate the first parameters recommended by the first device. The first parameters are used to resend the sensing measurement request.

[0015] In one possible design, the first frame also indicates a second parameter used for the sensing measurement.

[0016] In other words, the second device announces the second parameter through the first frame to meet the perception measurement requirements of the first session, which helps to improve perception measurement performance.

[0017] In one possible design, the first frame further includes a perception measurement parameter element field, and the second parameter is contained in a perception measurement parameter subfield or a perception sub-element subfield of the perception measurement parameter element field.

[0018] In one possible design, the method further includes: receiving a third frame, the third frame indicating that the first device supports the NPCA function, the first device being a non-associated site USTA. Generating the first frame includes: generating the first frame based on the third frame.

[0019] In other words, the first device reports its own capabilities through the third frame, so that the second device can know whether the first device supports the NPCA function through the third frame.

[0020] In one possible design, the third frame is a perception measurement query frame.

[0021] In one possible design, the third frame includes second information indicating that the first device supports the NPCA function, the second information being carried in a perception subfield of the perception capability element field, and the third frame including the perception capability element field.

[0022] In one possible design, the method further includes: receiving a fourth frame, the fourth frame indicating that a third device allows or disables the second device from enabling the NPCA function of the first session, the third device being a communication device that initiates the Agent Aware SBP, and the second device being a communication device that responds to the SBP. Generating the first frame includes: generating the first frame based on the fourth frame.

[0023] For example, if the sensing task is sensitive to carrier changes, the fourth frame instructs the third device to disable the second device from enabling the NPCA function of the first session.

[0024] For example, if the sensing task is not sensitive to carrier changes, the fourth frame instructs the third device to allow the second device to enable the NPCA function of the first session.

[0025] In other words, the third device instructs the second device via the fourth frame whether to enable the NPCA function of the first session to meet the SBP requirements.

[0026] In one possible design, the fourth frame is an SBP request frame.

[0027] In other words, during the SBP establishment and exchange phase, the third device instructs the second device via the fourth frame whether to enable the NPCA function of the first session to meet the SBP requirements.

[0028] In one possible design, the fourth frame includes third information indicating that the third device allows or disables the second device from enabling the NPCA function of the first session. The third information is carried in the SPB parameter control subfield of the SBP parameter element field, and the fourth frame includes the SBP parameter element field.

[0029] In one possible design, the method further includes sending a fifth frame, the fifth frame indicating the response result of the second device to the fourth frame.

[0030] In one possible design, the fifth frame indicates that the second device agrees. This agreement can be understood as the second device agreeing to all SBP parameters carried in the fourth frame, and / or, the second device agreeing to enable or disable the NPCA function of the first session. In other words, the second device agreeing means that the second device agrees to all parameters in the SPB parameter control subfield of the fourth frame.

[0031] Alternatively, the fifth frame may indicate that the second device refuses. Here, "second device refuses" can be understood as the second device refusing at least one SBP parameter carried in the fourth frame, and / or the second device refusing to enable or disable the NPCA function of the first session. In other words, "second device refuses" means that the second device refuses at least one parameter in the SPB parameter control subfield of the fourth frame.

[0032] Alternatively, the fifth frame may indicate that the second device rejects the request, and may also indicate a third parameter recommended by the second device. This third parameter is used to resend the SBP request.

[0033] In one possible design, transmitting the first frame includes: transmitting the first frame via a first link. After transmitting the first frame, the method further includes: transmitting a sixth frame via a second link, the sixth frame instructing the first device to perform an NPCA channel switch, the switched NPCA channel being used for the sensing measurement, the first device being located outside the overlapping Basic Service Set (OBSS).

[0034] In other words, when the first device and the second device are multi-link devices and the first device is located outside the OBSS, even if the first device cannot detect the OBSS interference of the first link, it can still trigger the first device to switch the NPCA channel through the sixth frame, so as to perform sensing measurements on the switched NPCA channel.

[0035] In one possible design, the sixth frame also indicates at least one of the following: the first session, the first link, or the identifier of the NPCA channel.

[0036] For example, the sixth frame includes the identifier ID of the first session. For a multi-link device, the identifier ID for each sensing measurement session is unique. The sixth frame indicates the first session, enabling the first device to determine on which link the NPCA channel handover should be performed based on the link-session correspondence.

[0037] For example, the sixth frame indicates the first link, thereby enabling the first device to determine on which link to perform the NPCA channel handover.

[0038] For example, the sixth frame indicates the identifier of the NPCA channel, thereby enabling the first device to determine which NPCA channel to switch to.

[0039] In one possible design, the sixth frame is a perceived NPCA indication frame.

[0040] Secondly, a communication method is provided. This method can be executed by a second device. The second device can be an access point (AP), a component within the AP (e.g., a processor, chip, or chip system), or a logic module or software capable of implementing all or part of the AP's functions. The following description uses the second device as the executing entity. The method includes:

[0041] Generate a first frame, which indicates a second parameter for the first session, used for sensing measurements. Send the first frame.

[0042] In other words, during the perception measurement session, the second device announces the perception measurement parameters, i.e., the second parameters, through the first frame to meet the perception measurement requirements of the first session, which helps to improve the perception measurement performance.

[0043] In one possible design, the first frame is a perception measurement request frame.

[0044] In one possible design, the first frame further includes a perception measurement parameter element field, and the second parameter is contained in a perception measurement parameter subfield or a perception sub-element subfield of the perception measurement parameter element field.

[0045] Thirdly, a communication method is provided. This method can be executed by a first device. The first device can be a station (STA), a component within the STA (e.g., a processor, chip, or chip system), or a logic module or software capable of implementing all or part of the STA's functions. The following description uses the first device as the executing entity. The method includes:

[0046] A first frame is received, instructing the first device to enable or disable the Non-Main Channel Access (NPCA) function of a first session, which is used for sensing measurements. Sensing measurements are then performed through the first session based on the first frame.

[0047] In one possible design, the first frame is a perception measurement request frame.

[0048] In one possible design, the first frame includes first information that instructs the first device to enable or disable the NPCA function of the first session. The first information is carried in a sensing measurement parameter subfield of a sensing measurement parameter element field, and the first frame includes the sensing measurement parameter element field.

[0049] In one possible design, after receiving the first frame, the method further includes sending a second frame, the second frame indicating the response result of the first device to the first frame.

[0050] In one possible design, the first frame also indicates a second parameter used for the sensing measurement.

[0051] In one possible design, the first frame further includes a perception measurement parameter element field, and the second parameter is contained in a perception measurement parameter subfield or a perception sub-element subfield of the perception measurement parameter element field.

[0052] In one possible design, the method further includes sending a third frame indicating that the first device supports the NPCA function, wherein the first device is a non-associated site USTA.

[0053] In one possible design, the third frame is a perception measurement query frame.

[0054] In one possible design, the third frame includes second information indicating that the first device supports the NPCA function, the second information being carried in a perception subfield of the perception capability element field, and the third frame including the perception capability element field.

[0055] In one possible design, receiving the first frame includes: receiving the first frame via a first link. After receiving the first frame, the method further includes: receiving a sixth frame via a second link, the sixth frame instructing the first device to perform an NPCA channel handover, the first device being located outside the overlapping Basic Service Set (OBSS). Performing sensing measurements via the first session includes: performing sensing measurements via the first session on the handed-over NPCA channel.

[0056] In one possible design, the sixth frame also indicates at least one of the following: the first session, the first link, or the identifier of the NPCA channel.

[0057] In one possible design, the sixth frame is a perceived NPCA indication frame.

[0058] The technical effects of any design method in the third aspect can be seen in the technical effects of any design method in the first aspect, and will not be repeated here.

[0059] Fourthly, a communication method is provided. This method can be executed by a third device. The third device can be a station (STA), a component within the STA (e.g., a processor, chip, or chip system), or a logic module or software capable of implementing all or part of the STA's functions. The following description uses the third device as the executing entity. The method includes:

[0060] A fourth frame is generated, instructing the third device to allow or disable the second device from enabling the NPCA function of the first session. The third device is the communication device that initiated the proxy sensing SBP, and the second device is the communication device that responded to the SBP. The first session is used for sensing measurements. The fourth frame is then sent.

[0061] In one possible design, the fourth frame is an SBP request frame.

[0062] In one possible design, the fourth frame includes third information indicating that the third device allows or disables the second device from enabling the NPCA function of the first session. The third information is carried in the SPB parameter control subfield of the SBP parameter element field, and the fourth frame includes the SBP parameter element field.

[0063] In one possible design, the method further includes receiving a fifth frame, the fifth frame indicating the response result of the second device to the fourth frame.

[0064] The technical effects of any design method in the fourth aspect can be seen in the technical effects of any design method in the first aspect, and will not be repeated here.

[0065] Fifthly, a communication device is provided for implementing the various methods described above. The communication device includes modules, units, or means corresponding to the methods, which can be implemented in hardware, software, or by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software includes one or more modules or units corresponding to the functions.

[0066] In some possible designs, the communication device may include a processing module and a transceiver module. The processing module can be used to implement the processing functions in any of the above aspects and any possible implementations. The transceiver module, also called a transceiver unit, is used to implement the sending and / or receiving functions in any of the above aspects and any possible implementations. The transceiver module may consist of transceiver circuitry, a transceiver, a transceiver unit, or a communication interface.

[0067] In some possible designs, the transceiver module includes a sending module and / or a receiving module, which are used to implement the sending or receiving functions in any of the above aspects and any possible implementations.

[0068] Sixthly, a communication device is provided for implementing the method in any of the above aspects or any possible design of any aspect.

[0069] In a seventh aspect, a communication device is provided, comprising: a processor; the processor being configured to execute a computer program or instructions to cause the communication device to perform the method described in any aspect or any possible design in any aspect.

[0070] Optionally, the communication device further includes a memory, which may be coupled to the processor, or the memory may exist independently of the processor; for example, the memory and the processor may be two separate modules. The memory may be located outside or inside the communication device.

[0071] Eighthly, a computer-readable storage medium is provided. This computer-readable storage medium stores a computer program or instructions that, when executed, cause the methods described in any of the preceding aspects or any possible design of any of the preceding aspects to be implemented.

[0072] Ninthly, a computer program product containing instructions is provided, which, when run, causes the method described in any of the foregoing aspects or any possible design in any of the foregoing aspects to be implemented.

[0073] The communication device provided in any one of the fifth to ninth aspects may be the second device of the first or second aspect, or a component included in the second device, such as a chip or chip system; or it may be the first device of the third aspect, or a component included in the first device, such as a chip or chip system; or it may be the third device of the fourth aspect, or a component included in the third device, such as a chip or chip system. When the device is a chip system, it may be composed of chips or may include chips and other discrete devices.

[0074] It is understandable that when the communication device provided in any of the fifth to ninth aspects is a chip, the sending action / function of the communication device can be understood as outputting information, and the receiving action / function of the communication device can be understood as inputting information.

[0075] The technical effects of any of the design methods in aspects five through nine can be found in the technical effects of any of the design methods in aspects one through four, and will not be repeated here. Attached Figure Description

[0076] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a communication system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0077] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of another communication system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0078] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a multi-link communication provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0079] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a sensing process provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0080] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of a perception measurement session provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0081] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of a non-master channel access process provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0082] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of a communication scenario provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0083] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of another communication scenario provided by an embodiment of this application;

[0084] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of a sensing measurement exchange section provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0085] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of another sensing process provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0086] Figure 11 is a flowchart illustrating a communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0087] Figure 12 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a sensing measurement request frame provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0088] Figure 13 is a schematic diagram of another sensing process provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0089] Figure 14 is a schematic diagram of another sensing measurement request frame provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0090] Figure 15 is a schematic diagram of the structure of another sensing measurement request frame provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0091] Figure 16 is a schematic diagram of the structure of another sensing measurement request frame provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0092] Figure 17 is a flowchart illustrating another communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0093] Figure 18 is a schematic diagram of another sensing process provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0094] Figure 19 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a sensing measurement query frame provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0095] Figure 20 is a flowchart illustrating another communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0096] Figure 21 is a schematic diagram of another sensing process provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0097] Figure 22 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a proxy-aware request frame provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0098] Figure 23 is a flowchart illustrating another communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0099] Figure 24 is a schematic diagram of another sensing process provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0100] Figure 25 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a non-master channel access indication frame provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0101] Figure 26 is a schematic diagram of another type of sensing non-master channel access indication frame provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0102] Figure 27 is a schematic diagram of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0103] Figure 28 is a schematic diagram of another communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0104] The technical solutions provided in this application are applicable to wireless local area networks (WLANs) that support relevant standards of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). These IEEE standards include: IEEE 802.11be / Wi-Fi 7 / Extremely High Throughput (EHT) protocol, IEEE 802.11bn / Wi-Fi 8 / Ultra High Reliability (UHR) protocol, IEEE Integrated mmWave (IMMW) protocol, IEEE 802.15 / Ultra Wideband (UWB) protocol, and IEEE 802.11bf / Sensing protocol. The technical solutions provided in this application also support the Spark Link / NearLink protocol.

[0105] The following section uses WLAN as an example to describe the network architecture applicable to the embodiments of this application.

[0106] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a communication system provided in an embodiment of this application. As shown in Figure 1, the communication system may include access point devices and site devices. One or more access point devices can communicate with one or more site devices, and access point devices can also communicate with one or more other access point devices. Similarly, site devices can also communicate with one or more other site devices.

[0107] The aforementioned access point device can be an access point (AP), as shown in Figure 1.

[0108] The aforementioned site equipment can be a non-access point station (non-AP STA), as shown in Figure 1. Alternatively, a non-AP STA can also be referred to as a station (STA).

[0109] For example, the AP can be a device that supports multiple WLAN standards such as the 802.11be standard or future Wi-Fi standards; it can also be a device that supports the 802.11a / b / g standard, 802.11n standard, 802.11ac standard, 802.11ax standard, 802.11be standard, 802.11bn standard / UHR standard / Wi-Fi 8 standard, without limitation.

[0110] For example, an AP can be a terminal device with a Wi-Fi chip, network device, communication server, router, switch, bridge, computer, etc. An AP can also serve as an access point for mobile users to access a wired network, primarily deployed in homes, buildings, and campuses, with a typical coverage radius of tens to hundreds of meters. Of course, it can also be deployed outdoors. An AP acts as a bridge connecting wired and wireless networks, its main function being to connect various wireless network clients together and then connect the wireless network to the Ethernet.

[0111] For example, a non-AP STA can be a device that supports multiple WLAN standards, such as the 802.11be standard or future Wi-Fi standards; it can also be a device that supports the 802.11a / b / g, 802.11n, 802.11ac, 802.11ax, 802.11be, 802.11bn / UHR / Wi-Fi 8 standards, without limitation.

[0112] For example, a non-AP STA can be a wireless communication chip, wireless sensor, wireless communication terminal, communication server, router, switch, bridge, computer, etc. For example, a non-AP STA can be a mobile phone supporting Wi-Fi communication, a tablet computer supporting Wi-Fi communication, a set-top box supporting Wi-Fi communication, a smart TV supporting Wi-Fi communication, a smart wearable device supporting Wi-Fi communication, an in-vehicle communication device supporting Wi-Fi communication, and a computer supporting Wi-Fi communication, etc., without limitation.

[0113] In some embodiments, the communication device in a communication system can be a wireless communication device that supports parallel transmission across multiple links. For example, the communication device can be called a multi-link device (MLD) or a multi-band device. Compared to communication devices that only support single-link transmission, multi-link devices have higher transmission efficiency and greater throughput.

[0114] A multi-link device includes one or more affiliated STAs. An affiliated STA is a logical site that can operate on a single link, frequency band, or channel. The affiliated STA can be an Access Point (AP) or a non-AP STA. 802.11be refers to a multi-link device with an affiliated AP as an AP multi-link device (AP MLD), and a multi-link device with an affiliated non-AP STA as a non-AP multi-link device (non-AP MLD).

[0115] Optionally, a multi-link device includes multiple logical stations, each operating on a single link, but multiple logical stations are allowed to operate on the same link. During data transmission, the AP MLD and non-AP MLD can use link identifiers to identify a link or stations on a link. Before communication, the AP MLD and non-AP MLD can negotiate or communicate the correspondence between link identifiers and a link or stations on a link. Therefore, during data transmission, it is unnecessary to transmit a large amount of signaling information to indicate the link or stations on the link; carrying the link identifier is sufficient, reducing signaling overhead and improving transmission efficiency.

[0116] In other words, the communication method provided in this application embodiment can be applied to the following scenarios: communication between AP MLD and non-AP MLD, or communication between non-AP MLD and non-AP MLD, or communication between AP MLD and AP MLD. This application embodiment does not limit this.

[0117] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of another communication system provided in an embodiment of this application. This communication system may include at least one AP MLD and at least one non-AP MLD. The at least one AP MLD can be represented by AP MLD1 and AP MLD2 in Figure 2. The at least one non-AP MLD can be represented by non-AP MLD1 and non-AP MLD2 in Figure 2. The AP MLD is a multi-link device that provides services to the non-AP MLD. The non-AP MLD can communicate with the AP MLD using multiple links, thereby improving throughput. One AP in the AP MLD can communicate with one STA in the non-AP MLD through a single link. It is understood that the number of AP MLDs and non-AP MLDs in Figure 2 is merely exemplary.

[0118] Optionally, the multi-link device in the embodiments of this application can be a single-antenna device or a multi-antenna device. For example, it can be a device with two or more antennas. The embodiments of this application do not limit the number of antennas included in the multi-link device.

[0119] Optionally, Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of multi-link communication provided in an embodiment of this application. As shown in Figure 3, the AP MLD includes n stations, namely AP1, AP2, ..., APn; the non-AP MLD also includes n stations, namely STA1, STA2, ..., STAN. The AP MLD and the non-AP MLD can communicate in parallel using Link 1, Link 2, ..., Link n. One AP in the AP MLD can establish an association with one STA in the non-AP MLD. For example, STA1 in the non-AP MLD is associated with AP1 in the AP MLD, STA2 in the non-AP MLD is associated with AP2 in the AP MLD, and STAN in the non-AP MLD is associated with APn in the AP MLD, etc.

[0120] To facilitate understanding of the embodiments of this application, the terminology used in the embodiments of this application will be briefly explained below. It should be understood that these explanations are only for the purpose of understanding the embodiments of this application and should not constitute any limitation on this application.

[0121] 1. Wireless-fidelity (Wi-Fi) network sensing

[0122] Wi-Fi sensing technology is a technique that utilizes ubiquitous Wi-Fi devices to detect targets. These devices include access points (APs) and station-based systems (STAs). Due to environmental influences, electromagnetic signals in Wi-Fi systems experience fading, shadowing, and multipath effects during transmission. By measuring the linear transformation between transmitted and received signals, channel state information (CSI), which characterizes the channel environment, can be obtained. Wi-Fi sensing processes CSI to identify the activity status, action types, and location changes of people in the environment, or to perceive the surrounding environment and detect obstacles.

[0123] 2. Roles and Standardized Procedures in Wi-Fi Sensing

[0124] The roles involved in Wi-Fi Sensing are as follows: the Sensing initiator is the node that initiates Wi-Fi Sensing; the Sensing responder is the node that responds to Wi-Fi Sensing; the Sensing transmitter is the node that sends a null data packet (NDP), which is used for sensing measurements; and the Sensing receiver is the node that receives the NDP and performs sensing measurements.

[0125] As shown in Figure 4, the Wi-Fi Sensing standardization process includes the following steps:

[0126] The Sensing Capabilities Exchange section completes the exchange of sensing capabilities between the two sensing parties; the Sensing Measurement Session section involves the Sensing Initiator and Sensing Responder negotiating sensing measurement parameters and establishing a sensing measurement session; the Sensing Measurement Exchange section is the actual measurement part of Wi-Fi Sensing, where the Sensing transmitter sends NDPs to the Sensing receiver for sensing measurements, and each measurement unit within this section is a sensing measurement exchange; the Sensing Measurement Session Termination section is used to terminate the sensing measurement session.

[0127] In the sensing capability exchange section, if the STA is already associated with the AP, the sensing capability exchange is completed in the association phase; if the STA is not associated with the AP, that is, the STA is an unassociated STA (USTA), then the USTA needs to send a sensing measurement query frame to the AP before the sensing measurement session to complete the sensing capability exchange.

[0128] In the sensing measurement session section, the frame interaction for establishing the sensing measurement session is shown in Figure 5. Its key feature is that the Sensing initiator and Sensing responder establish the sensing measurement session through negotiation. This part is initiated by a Sensing Measurement Request frame sent by the Sensing initiator to the Sensing responder. The Sensing Measurement Request frame carries a set of sensing measurement parameters for negotiation. The Sensing responder replies with a Sensing Measurement Response frame to respond to the Sensing initiator's sensing measurement session establishment request. Specifically, if the Sensing responder agrees with the sensing measurement parameters carried in the sensing measurement request frame, it sets the status code to "agree" in the sensing measurement response frame, and the sensing measurement session is established successfully. If the Sensing responder rejects the sensing measurement parameters carried in the sensing measurement request frame, it sets the status code to "reject" in the sensing measurement response frame, and the sensing measurement session fails to establish. If the Sensing responder rejects the sensing measurement parameters carried in the sensing measurement request frame, it can also set the status code to "reject" and provide a suggestion in the sensing measurement response frame, which will also carry the sensing measurement parameters recommended by the Sensing responder, and the sensing measurement session will fail to establish. The Sensing initiator and Sensing responder can continuously reuse the establishment process of the Sensing measurement session to negotiate sensing measurement parameters until the sensing measurement session is successfully established.

[0129] The sensing measurement exchange section includes two types: trigger-based (TB) sensing measurement exchange and non-trigger-based (Non-TB) sensing measurement exchange. TB sensing measurement exchange is a trigger-based (TB) type, in which one AP initiates the sensing measurement session as a sensing initiator, and one or more non-AP STAs act as sensing responders. In this application, TB sensing measurement exchange is described as "TB type". Non-TB sensing measurement exchange is a non-trigger-based (Non-TB) sensing measurement exchange type, in which one non-AP STA initiates the sensing measurement session as a sensing initiator, and one AP acts as a sensing responder. In this application, Non-TB sensing measurement exchange is described as "Non-TB type".

[0130] 3. Proxy-aware (SBP)

[0131] In the SBP procedure, a non-AP STA is allowed to request an AP to initiate a Wi-Fi Sensing session on its behalf. The non-AP STA initiating the SBP procedure is called the SBP initiator, and the AP responding to the SBP initiator's SBP request is called the SBP responder. The SBP initiator sends an SBP request frame to the SBP responder to initiate the SBP procedure. The SBP responder replies with an SBP response frame to the SBP initiator to acknowledge the SBP procedure establishment request; this part is called the SBP setup exchange. Similar to the sensing measurement session establishment process described above, the SBP procedure is also a negotiation-based establishment. If the SBP sensing measurement parameters are successfully negotiated, the SBP initiator, acting as the sensing initiator, initiates a TB-type Wi-Fi Sensing session to meet the SBP's requirements.

[0132] 4. Non-primary channel access (NPCA)

[0133] NPCA technology is a technology for secondary channel access.

[0134] Before introducing NPCA, let's first discuss the channel bundling mechanism: The IEEE 802.11 standard specifies a channel bundling mechanism that can combine multiple channels to form a larger channel, such as bundling 16 20MHz channels together to form a 320MHz channel. In this 320MHz channel, one 20MHz channel is called the primary channel, and the remaining 20MHz channels are called secondary channels. The primary channel can also be called a primary-sub-channel, and the secondary channel a secondary-sub-channel. The channel bundling mechanism requires nodes (such as APs or STAs) to perform channel access operations on the primary channel; that is, the primary channel access mechanism. If the primary channel is inaccessible, the entire channel cannot be accessed.

[0135] The primary channel access mechanism severely limits a node's channel utilization. Therefore, the NPCA (Non-Standardized Access Channel) technique was proposed. NPCA allows a node to access the network on the remaining idle secondary channels when the primary channel is busy due to interference from overlapping basic service sets (OBSSs), while the secondary channels are idle and unaffected. As shown in Figure 6, for an infrastructure basic service set (BSS), NPCA establishes a new channel bundle on top of the original channel bundle. In this application, the former is called the basic service set (BSS) channel, and the latter is called the NPCA channel. Without NPCA, if the primary channel P1 of the BSS channel is interfered with by OBSS, the remaining secondary channels become unusable. After using NPCA, if interference is detected on the primary channel P1 of the BSS channel by OBSS, the primary channel P2 of the NPCA channel is used for access to utilize the remaining idle channels.

[0136] It is important to note that NPCA parameters must be declared before using the NPCA function. The NPCA parameters indicate the NPCA channel. NPCA parameters are declared by the AP in the beacon frame, but can also be declared in other ways; there are no restrictions.

[0137] It should be noted that the sensing process incorporating NPCA technology can also be described as a dynamic bandwidth sensing scheme or dynamic bandwidth sensing technology. For example, switching from the primary channel of the BSS channel to the primary channel of the NPCA channel.

[0138] In some scenarios, different nodes in the same communication system reside within the same OBSS, as shown in Figure 7. For example, this communication system has four nodes: one is the Access Point (AP), STA1 and STA2 are nodes associated with the AP, and USTA is a node not associated with the AP. Since all four nodes are within the same OBSS, meaning all nodes can observe consistent OBSS interference or OBSS channel occupancy, all four nodes, knowing the NPCA parameters and having the NPCA function enabled, can automatically switch to the NPCA channel and perform frame exchange. Furthermore, because STA1 and STA2 are associated with the AP, they are aware of the NPCA channel (or NPCA parameters) set by the AP for this Infrastructure BSS and are controlled by the AP to enable or disable their NPCA function. However, USTA is not associated with the AP, so it's possible that USTA is unaware of the NPCA channel set by this Infrastructure BSS (e.g., USTA does not receive Beacon frames).

[0139] In some scenarios, some nodes in the same communication system are within the OBSS (Overhead Bypass Controller), while others are outside the OBSS, as shown in Figure 8. This communication system has three nodes: one is the AP MLD (Access Point MLD), and STA1 and STA MLD 2 are nodes associated with the AP. AP MLD and STA MLD 2 are multi-link devices (MLDs) supporting multi-link operation (MLO), allowing multiple wireless links between MLDs. It should be noted that while AP MLD and STA1 are within the same OBSS, STA MLD 2 is outside the OBSS. This means that AP MLD and STA1 can automatically trigger NPCA (Non-Non-Non-Agency Assist) handover, but STA MLD 2 cannot.

[0140] 5. Preamble puncturing

[0141] Figure 9 illustrates a schematic diagram of the sensing measurement switching portion of a sensing measurement session. After establishing a sensing measurement session, a node performs sensing measurement switching within a periodic availability window (AW). When performing sensing measurements on a 320MHz bandwidth channel, considering the difficulty of aggregating a continuous 320MHz bandwidth, a preamble puncturing operation is used on the 320MHz bandwidth channel to address situations where the secondary channel is occupied, as shown in number ① in Figure 9. The slashed filler portion represents the secondary channel bandwidth punctured by the preamble. Due to the limitations of the 802.11 standard's primary channel access mechanism, when the primary channel is busy, the node cannot access the channel, i.e., cannot perform sensing measurement switching operations. In this case, the sensing measurement session can choose to discard this measurement opportunity, as shown in numbers ② and ③ in Figure 9. In the ideal case, both the primary and secondary channels are idle, allowing the sensing measurement switching operation to utilize the entire channel, as shown in number ④ in Figure 9.

[0142] Due to the channel bonding and access mechanisms of IEEE 802.11, node access is restricted to the main channel of the BSS channel, and preamble puncturing cannot be performed on the main channel. Therefore, when the main channel is busy, access is impossible, ultimately preventing sensing and measurement switching from executing. However, Wi-Fi networks based on the IEEE 802.11 series of standards require channel bonding technology to utilize larger bandwidth channels. Furthermore, the inevitable generation of OBSS interference in densely deployed Wi-Fi networks further exacerbates this issue, frequently preventing access to the main channel due to OBSS interference. Excessive OBSS interference over a period of time significantly reduces the opportunity for nodes to access the main channel, resulting in a large number of lost sensing and measurement switching opportunities, as shown in numbers ② and ③ in Figure 9, leading to a decline in sensing performance.

[0143] In summary, as Wi-Fi network deployments become increasingly dense and BSS overlap becomes more frequent, the probability of OBSS interference increases significantly. To meet the demands of high-speed data exchange and efficient Wi-Fi sensing, nodes in Wi-Fi networks often prefer to use larger bandwidth channels. However, channel access mechanisms based on channel bonding restrict access to the primary channel of the BSS. Extensive OBSS interference makes public frequency resources extremely congested, leading to frequent access failures for primary channel-based access mechanisms, drastically reducing nodes' communication and sensing opportunities.

[0144] To address the limitations of primary channel access, the IEEE 802.11bn standards group proposed NPCA (Non-Persistent Access Assist) technology, allowing nodes to access secondary channels when they are idle. Wi-Fi Sensing can use preamble puncturing in the sensing and measurement switching section to handle situations where secondary channels are occupied; however, preamble puncturing is not suitable for situations where the primary channel is busy. In other words, OBSS (Obstruction Bypass Interference) on the primary channel leads to low sensing and measurement efficiency.

[0145] Because NPCA technology was not designed with Wi-Fi sensing in mind, it cannot be directly used for Wi-Fi sensing. For example, for an Infrastructure BSS, the nodes that enable NPCA and the timing of enabling NPCA do not meet the requirements for Wi-Fi sensing.

[0146] Specifically, TB-type Wi-Fi Sensing includes a sensor responder to sensing responder (SR2SR) trigger frame (TF) sounding phase interaction process. This requires the AP to simultaneously pollute two STAs for SR2SR NDP interaction to complete sensing measurements, as shown in Figure 10. This requires the two STAs to be on the same channel. However, in an OBSS scenario, if STA1's NPCA function is enabled and STA2's NPCA function is disabled, under the NPCA handover conditions, STA1 switches to the NPCA channel, while STA2 remains on its original BSS channel. Therefore, STA1 and STA2 cannot complete the SR2SR TF sounding phase frame interaction process.

[0147] It should be understood that Figure 10, using the SR2SR TF sounding phase as an example, illustrates the requirement to control different STAs on the same channel. In addition, the sensing process includes other types of sounding phases, most of which also require controlling different STAs on the same channel. Here, "same channel" refers to the NPCA channel after handover.

[0148] In summary, for a single Infrastructure BSS, although different communication devices have the same NPCA parameters, i.e., the same NPCA channel, the NPCA function switching states of different communication devices differ. This results in some communication devices being able to switch to the NPCA channel, while others are unable to switch to the NPCA channel, thus failing to complete sensing measurements and affecting sensing measurement performance.

[0149] In view of this, this application provides a communication method that can be applied to the systems shown in Figures 1 to 3. The communication method 1100 proposed in this application will now be described in detail with reference to Figure 11:

[0150] S1101, The second device generates the first frame.

[0151] The first frame indicates whether the first device enables or disables the NPCA function of the first session, which is used for sensing and measurement.

[0152] The first device can be a STA, as detailed in Figure 1. Alternatively, the first device can also be a non-AP MLD, as detailed in Figure 2 or Figure 3, which will not be elaborated further.

[0153] The second device can be an AP, as detailed in Figure 1. Alternatively, the second device can also be an AP MLD, as detailed in Figures 2 or 3, which will not be elaborated further.

[0154] For example, the first frame is a Sensing Measurement Request frame, but it could also be a wireless frame with other names. The first session is a sensing measurement session. The sensing measurement request frame is used to request the establishment of a sensing measurement session; that is, it is a sensing measurement session establishment request. In other words, the second device generates the sensing measurement request frame during the sensing measurement session phase, and instructs the first device to enable or disable the NPCA function of the sensing measurement session through the sensing measurement request frame.

[0155] For example, the first frame includes first information, which instructs the first device to enable or disable the NPCA function of the first session. The first information is carried in the Sensing Measurement Parameters subfield of the Sensing Measurement Parameters element field. The first frame includes the Sensing Measurement Parameters element field, as shown in Figure 12.

[0156] Taking Figure 12 as an example, there are 5 reserved bits in the sensing measurement element field. The first information occupies the first bit, which can be understood as the sensing NPCA function status bit. The remaining 4 bits are reserved.

[0157] When Sensing NPCA is 0, the NPCA function of the sensing measurement session is turned off. Conversely, when Sensing NPCA is 1, the NPCA function of the sensing measurement session is turned on, as shown in Table 1.

[0158] Table 1

[0159] It should be understood that in this application, the description focuses on the first frame, taking the first frame including sensing measurement parameter elements as an example. Optionally, the first frame may also include at least one of the following: Category, Public Action / Protected Dual of Public Action, Dialog Token, Sensing Comeback Info, and Measurement Session ID Indication, as shown in Figure 12.

[0160] It should be understood that in this application, the description focuses on the sensing measurement parameter element, taking the sensing measurement parameter element including sensing measurement parameters as an example. Optionally, the sensing measurement parameter element also includes at least one of the following: element ID, length, element ID extension, and sensing subelements, as shown in Figure 12.

[0161] It should be understood that in this application, the first frame instructs the first device to enable or disable the NPCA function of the first session. The enabling or disabling of the NPCA function indicated by the first frame can be understood as follows: enabling or disabling the NPCA function on the AW does not change the NPCA state set by the second device for the first device through the NPCA process, and the NPCA function state of the sensing and measurement session will become invalid upon termination of the sensing and measurement session.

[0162] For the second device, after generating the first frame, it executes S1102:

[0163] S1102, the second device sends a first frame to the first device. Correspondingly, the first device receives the first frame from the second device.

[0164] Taking Figure 13 as an example, the first frame is a sensing measurement request frame. The second device sends the first frame to the first device through the BSS channel.

[0165] Figure 13 illustrates an example with one AP and two STAs, but is not limited to two STAs. The second device is the AP, acting as the Sensing initiator, while the first and third devices are STAs, acting as Sensing responders. The second device initiates a TB-type sensing measurement session with the first and third devices. In Figure 13, the solid lines represent the original BSS channels of the Infrastructure BSS, and the dashed lines represent the NPCA channels of the Infrastructure BSS advertised by the second device.

[0166] In the sensing measurement session section, i.e. the stage of establishing the sensing measurement session, the second device requests the first device to establish the sensing measurement session through the sensing measurement request frame. A "whether to enable NPCA indicator bit" is added to the sensing measurement request frame, which carries the first information for unifying the NPCA function of the sensing measurement session, such as enabling or disabling the NPCA function of the sensing measurement session.

[0167] In other words, the second device instructs the first device to enable or disable the NPCA function of the first session through the first frame, thereby unifying the NPCA function status of different communication devices so that when different communication devices detect OBSS interference, they can switch to the NPCA channel to complete the sensing measurement and improve the sensing measurement performance.

[0168] In some embodiments, this application further includes the following operations:

[0169] S1103, the first device sends a second frame to the second device. Correspondingly, the second device receives the second frame from the first device.

[0170] The second frame indicates the response of the first device to the first frame.

[0171] For example, if the status code field of the second frame is set to SUCCESS, it means that the second frame indicates that the first device agrees. Here, "first device agrees" can be understood as the first device agreeing to all the sensing measurement parameters carried in the first frame, and / or, the first device agreeing to enable or disable the NPCA function of the first session. In other words, "first device agrees" means that the first device agrees to all parameters in the sensing measurement parameter subfield of the first frame.

[0172] Alternatively, if the status code field of the second frame is set to REQUEST_DECLINED, it means that the second frame indicates that the first device refuses. Here, "first device refuses" can be understood as the first device refusing at least one sensing measurement parameter carried in the first frame, and / or the first device refusing to enable or disable the NPCA function of the first session. In other words, "first device refuses" means that the first device refuses at least one parameter in the sensing measurement parameter subfield of the first frame.

[0173] Alternatively, if the status code field of the second frame is set to "Reject" and a recommended sensing measurement parameter is provided (REJECTED_WITH_SUGGESTED_CHANGES), it means that the second frame indicates that the first device rejects the request and provides the first parameter recommended by the first device. The first parameter is used to resend the sensing measurement request.

[0174] For example, the second frame is a Sensing Measurement Response frame, but it could also be a wireless frame with other names. That is, the first device sends the Sensing Measurement Response frame during the Sensing Measurement Session phase, indicating the first device's response to the Sensing Measurement Request frame.

[0175] For example, when the value of the Dialog Token field in the Sensing Measurement Response Frame is the same as the Dialog Token in the Sensing Measurement Request Frame, it indicates that the Sensing Measurement Response Frame is used to respond to the Sensing Measurement Request Frame. For instance, the Status Code field in the Sensing Measurement Response Frame indicates the response result to the Sensing Measurement Request Frame. If the first device agrees to the Sensing Measurement Request Frame, the Status Code field is set to SUCCESS; if the first device rejects the Sensing Measurement Request Frame, the Status Code field is set to REQUEST_DECLINED; if the first device rejects and recommends Sensing Measurement Parameters, the first device can set the Status Code field to REJECTED_WITH_SUGGESTED_CHANGES and provide recommended Sensing Measurement Parameters. The recommended Sensing Measurement Parameters will be carried in the Sensing Measurement Parameters element field of the Sensing Measurement Response Frame. See the design of the Sensing Measurement Parameters element in the Sensing Measurement Request Frame for more details; it will not be repeated here.

[0176] In other words, after receiving the perception measurement request frame from the second device, the first device decides whether to participate in the perception measurement session based on its own situation, and feeds back its response to the perception measurement request frame through the perception measurement response frame.

[0177] Optionally, as shown in Figure 13, after the sensing measurement session is successfully established, the sensing measurement exchange section begins. If the NPCA function is enabled, the second and first devices start monitoring the original BSS channel at the beginning of the capability window. Upon detecting OBSS interference, they automatically switch to the NPCA channel. Regardless of whether it is on the original BSS channel or the NPCA channel, the second device, as needed, sends a sensing polling trigger frame to the first and third devices via the NPCA channel to trigger the sensing measurement exchange. The first and third devices wait on the NPCA channel to receive the sensing polling trigger frame from the second device and participate in the sensing measurement exchange. In other words, in the process shown in Figure 13, the second device enables the NPCA function in the sensing measurement session established with the first and third devices, and within the capability window, the second device triggers the sensing measurement exchange on the NPCA channel.

[0178] As shown in Figure 13, in this application, a sensing measurement session supporting dynamic bandwidth awareness can be established using sensing measurement request frames and sensing measurement response frames, thereby enabling the introduction of NPCA technology in Wi-Fi Sensing and allowing the sensing measurement session to support sensing measurement exchange with secondary channel access.

[0179] In some embodiments, the first frame further indicates a second parameter used for sensing measurements. Exemplarily, the first frame also includes a Sensing Measurement Parameters element field, and the second parameter is contained in a Sensing Measurement Parameters subfield or a Sensing Subelements subfield of the Sensing Measurement Parameters element field.

[0180] For example, this application provides three optional sensing measurement request frame designs, which are described in detail below:

[0181] Design 1

[0182] In this application, Design 1 may also be referred to as Request-D1. In Design 1, the sensing measurement request frame may carry a set of Sensing NPCA parameters. Among them, the Sensing NPCA parameters are the second parameters mentioned above.

[0183] As shown in Figure 14, a new field is added to the perception measurement parameter field of the perception measurement parameter element in the original perception measurement request frame, so as to request the establishment of a perception measurement session that supports dynamic bandwidth awareness through the perception measurement request frame, and carry a set of NPCA parameters for dynamic bandwidth awareness.

[0184] In Figure 14, the Sensing NPCA parameters include at least one of the following: Sensing NPCA Primary Channel, Sensing NPCA Channel Width, Sensing NPCA Channel Center Frequency Segment 0, and Sensing NPCA Channel Center Frequency Segment 1.

[0185] The Sensing NPCA Primary Channel field is modified according to the IEEE 802.11n standard, specifically reusing the Primary Channel field of the HT Operation element in the IEEE 802.11n standard. The Sensing NPCA Channel Bandwidth field, Sensing NPCA Channel Center Frequency Segment 0 field, and Sensing NPCA Channel Center Frequency Segment 1 field are modified according to the IEEE 802.11be standard, specifically reusing the Control subfield, Channel Center Frequency Segment 0 (CCFS0) subfield, and Channel Center Frequency Segment 1 (CCFS1) subfield of the EHT Operation Information field within the EHT Operation element in the IEEE 802.11be standard, respectively.

[0186] Design 2

[0187] In this application, Design 2 may also be referred to as Request-D2. In Design 2, the sensing measurement request frame may carry one or more sets of Sensing NPCA parameters. Among them, the Sensing NPCA parameters are the second parameters mentioned above.

[0188] As shown in Figure 15, the sensing sub-elements of the sensing measurement parameter element in the sensing measurement request frame have various types and are identified by different sub-element IDs. In this application, the sensing sub-element used to carry the second parameter is called a Sensing NPCA Specific sub-element or a sensing sub-element. A sensing sub-element includes at least one of the following: a sub-element ID field, a length field, and one or more Sensing NPCA Parameters fields. Each Sensing NPCA parameter field includes at least one of the following subfields: Sensing NPCA Parameter ID, Sensing NPCA Primary Channel, Sensing NPCA Channel Width, Sensing NPCA Channel Center Frequency Segment 0, and Sensing NPCA Channel Center Frequency Segment 1.

[0189] The Subelement ID field is used to indicate the type of the sensing sub-element. The values ​​are shown in Table 2. When the Subelement ID value is 3, it means that the sub-element is a sensing NPCA-specific sub-element. The sensing measurement request frame is used to request a sensing measurement session that supports dynamic bandwidth sensing, and it also carries one or more sets of NPCA parameters for dynamic bandwidth sensing.

[0190] Table 2

[0191] It should be understood that Table 2 uses a Subelement ID value of 3 as an example. The Subelement ID can also be other values, such as any number from 4 to 255, without limitation.

[0192] The Length field indicates the length of the Sensing NPCA Specific subelement. Optionally, the length indicated by the Length field can also be used to map the number of groups of Sensing NPCA parameters.

[0193] One of the Sensing NPCA Parameters fields indicates a set of Sensing NPCA parameters, each group identified by a different Sensing NPCA Parameter ID. The Sensing NPCA Parameter ID subfield has a value ranging from 0 to 255, while the definitions of the remaining subfields are the same as in Request-D1.

[0194] Design 3

[0195] In this application, Design 3 may also be referred to as Request-D3. In Design 3, the sensing measurement request frame may carry a sensing NPCA parameter ID. The sensing NPCA parameter ID is used to identify a set of sensing NPCA parameters, which are the second parameter mentioned above.

[0196] As shown in Figure 16, a new Sensing NPCA Parameter ID field is added to the Sensing Measurement Parameter field of the Sensing Measurement Parameter element in the Sensing Measurement Request Frame. The design of this field is the same as that of Request-D2, and will not be described again.

[0197] It should be noted that Design 3 of this application mainly addresses the case of multiple sets of NPCA parameters. The Sensing NPCA Parameter ID field is used to identify the NPCA parameters used in this sensing measurement session, or, in other words, the Sensing NPCA Parameter ID field is used to identify the NPCA channel used in this sensing measurement session. When using the sensing measurement request frame of Design 3, multiple sets of NPCA parameters have already been announced between the first and second devices before establishing the sensing measurement session. The Sensing Measurement Request frame of Design 3 then indicates which set of NPCA parameters to use. The announcement methods for multiple sets of NPCA parameters include: carrying one or more Sensing NPCA Parameters fields from Request-D2 in the Beacon frame, or carrying one or more Sensing NPCA Parameters fields from Request-D2 in the NPCA management frame, or other methods for announcing multiple sets of NPCA parameters.

[0198] In other words, considering that sensing and communication may have different interference adaptability, NPCA parameters set for communication, such as the NPCA main channel and NPCA handover time threshold, may not be applicable to sensing. Therefore, the sensing measurement session needs to set NPCA parameters separately within the sensing measurement session (i.e., within the AW). In the sensing measurement session part, that is, the sensing session establishment phase, the second device needs to declare a unified NPCA parameter in the sensing measurement session, i.e., the second parameter, to meet the sensing measurement requirements without affecting the communication NPCA.

[0199] Optionally, if the sensing measurement request frame also indicates a second parameter, the sensing measurement response frame can be referred to in the description of S1103. Further, when the status code field of the sensing measurement response frame is set to rejection and recommended parameters (REJECTED_WITH_SUGGESTED_CHANGES) are provided, the recommended sensing measurement parameters will be carried in the sensing measurement response frame. The specific design is the same as that of Request-D1, Request-D2, and Request-D3, and will not be repeated here.

[0200] In some embodiments, the first device is a STA that is not associated with the second device, i.e., the first device is a USTA. As shown in FIG17, this application further includes the following operations:

[0201] S1111, the first device sends a third frame to the second device. Accordingly, the second device receives the third frame from the first device.

[0202] The third frame indicates whether the first device supports or does not support the NPCA function.

[0203] For example, the third frame is a Sensing Measurement Query frame, but it could also be a wireless frame with other names. The Sensing Measurement Query frame is used to announce the sensing capabilities of the first device to the second device. That is, before the sensing measurement session phase, the first device announces its own sensing capabilities, i.e., whether it supports the NPCA function, through the Sensing Measurement Query frame.

[0204] For example, the third frame includes second information indicating whether the first device supports or does not support NPCA functionality. The second information is carried in the Sensing subfield of the Sensing Capabilities element field. The third frame includes the Sensing Capabilities element field.

[0205] Taking Figure 18 as an example, a sensing capabilities exchange section is added before the sensing measurement session section to announce sensing capabilities. In the sensing capabilities exchange section, the first device needs to send two sensing measurement query frames to the second device. The specific frame interaction sequence is shown in Figure 18. The first sensing measurement query frame (shown as ① in Figure 18) is used by the first device to initiate a sensing measurement session and also carries the sensing capability information of the first device. On the second device side, in response to the first sensing measurement query frame, the second device sends a first sensing measurement request frame (shown as ③ in Figure 18), which carries the time constraint information for sending the second sensing measurement query frame. Before the first device is ready and before the time constraint, the first device sends the second sensing measurement query frame (shown as ② in Figure 18) to request the formal establishment of a sensing measurement session. The second device then responds with the second sensing measurement request frame (shown as ④ in Figure 18) and establishes the sensing measurement session. As shown in Figure 18, the second sensing measurement query frame can be understood as the third frame. The second sensing measurement request frame can be understood as the first frame.

[0206] For example, in order for the first device to also support dynamic bandwidth awareness, it needs to be declared in the design indicator bit of the sensing measurement query frame. As shown in Figure 19, the second information is carried in the Sensing field of the Sensing Capabilities element of the sensing measurement query frame. For example, the second information is carried in the Sensing NPCA Support bit of the Sensing field, which is used to indicate whether the first device supports dynamic bandwidth awareness, that is, whether the first device supports using NPCA functionality in the sensing measurement session.

[0207] As shown in Table 3, when Sensing NPCA Support is 0, it indicates that the first device does not support dynamic bandwidth awareness, meaning the first device does not support using the NPCA function in the sensing measurement session. Conversely, when Sensing NPCA Support is 1, it indicates that the first device supports dynamic bandwidth awareness, meaning the first device supports using the NPCA function in the sensing measurement session.

[0208] Table 3

[0209] It should be understood that in this application, the description focuses on the third frame, specifically the inclusion of perception capability elements. Optionally, the third frame may also include at least one of the following: Category, Public Action / Protected Dual of Public Action, and ISTA Availability Window element, as shown in Figure 19.

[0210] It should be understood that in this application, the description focuses on the perception capability element, specifically taking the perception capability element including the perception field as an example. Optionally, the perception capability element may also include at least one of the following: Element ID, Length, and Element ID Extension, as shown in Figure 19.

[0211] For the second device, after receiving the third frame, it executes S1101, that is, the second device generates the first frame based on the third frame. For example, if the third frame indicates that the first device supports enabling the NPCA function, then the first frame indicates that the first device enables the NPCA function of the first session. Conversely, if the third frame indicates that the first device does not support enabling the NPCA function, then the first frame indicates that the first device disables the NPCA function of the first session.

[0212] In other words, if the first device is a USTA device, it can announce its capabilities to the second device via the third frame, namely whether it supports NPCA functionality, so that the second device can perform corresponding processing based on the capabilities of the first device. For example, before the perception measurement session phase, its perception capabilities can be announced via a perception measurement query frame.

[0213] In some embodiments, for the SBP process, as shown in Figure 20, this application further includes the following operations:

[0214] S1121, The third device sends a fourth frame to the second device. Accordingly, the second device receives the fourth frame from the third device.

[0215] The third device is the STA that initiates the SBP.

[0216] The fourth frame indicates whether the third device allows or disables the second device from enabling the NPCA function of the first session.

[0217] For example, the fourth frame is an SBP request frame.

[0218] For example, the fourth frame includes third information, which indicates whether the third device allows or disables the second device from enabling the NPCA function of the first session. The third information is carried in the SPB Parameters Control subfield of the SBP Parameters element field. The fourth frame includes the SBP Parameters element field.

[0219] Taking Figure 21 as an example, an SBP setup exchange section has been added before the sensing measurement session section. In the SBP setup exchange section, the third device sends an SBP request frame to the second device to request the establishment of an SBP. The SBP request frame carries dynamic bandwidth sensing permission information to indicate whether the third device allows the second device to use the NPCA function in a sensing measurement session that meets the SBP requirements.

[0220] Taking Figure 22 as an example, in the SBP parameter control subfield of the SBP parameter element in the SBP request frame, there are 5 reserved bits. In this application, the third information occupies the first bit, which can be described as the SBP NPCA subfield, and the remaining 4 bits are reserved.

[0221] The SBP NPCA subfield indicates whether dynamic bandwidth sensing is used in the current SBP-requested sensing measurement session. The SBP NPCA subfield occupies 1 bit. As shown in Table 4, an SBP NPCA subfield of 0 indicates that dynamic bandwidth sensing cannot be used in the sensing measurement session, i.e., the SBP NPCA function is disabled. This can be understood as the third device prohibiting the second device from enabling the NPCA function of the first session. Conversely, an SBP NPCA subfield of 1 indicates that dynamic bandwidth sensing is used, i.e., the SBP NPCA function is enabled. This can be understood as the third device allowing the second device to enable the NPCA function of the first session.

[0222] Table 4

[0223] For the second device, after receiving the fourth frame, it executes S1101, that is, the second device generates the first frame based on the fourth frame. For example, if the fourth frame instructs the third device to disable the second device from enabling the NPCA function of the first session, then the second device will uniformly disable the NPCA function of the sensing and measurement session when establishing the sensing and measurement session, just as the first frame instructs the first device to disable the NPCA function of the first session.

[0224] In other words, regarding the dynamic bandwidth awareness used in SBP, since the SBP responder acts as an agent for the SBP initiator in performing sensing measurements, the sensing task may be sensitive to carrier changes. Therefore, the following scenario may occur: the SBP initiator requires the SBP responder to use a fixed channel, such as the BSS channel, for sensing measurements; that is, the carrier frequency cannot be changed during the sensing measurements. Thus, if the third device is an SBP STA, the third device indicates whether it allows the NPCA function of the first session to be enabled through the fourth frame to meet the SBP requirements. For example, the fourth frame could be an SBP request frame, indicating whether it allows the NPCA function of the first session to be enabled.

[0225] Optionally, as shown in Figure 20, this application also includes the following operations:

[0226] S1122, The second device sends the fifth frame to the third device. Accordingly, the third device receives the fifth frame from the second device.

[0227] The fifth frame indicates the second device's response to the fourth frame.

[0228] For example, the fifth frame indicates that the second device agrees to enable the NPCA function of the first session. Alternatively, the fifth frame indicates that the second device refuses to enable the NPCA function of the first session. Alternatively, the fifth frame indicates a third parameter, and also indicates that the second device refuses to enable the NPCA function of the first session, wherein the third parameter is the SBP parameter recommended by the second device.

[0229] For example, if the status code field of the fifth frame is set to SUCCESS, it means that the fifth frame indicates that the second device agrees. This second device agreement can be understood as the second device agreeing to all SBP parameters carried in the fourth frame, and / or the second device agreeing to enable or disable the NPCA function of the first session. In other words, the second device agreement means that the second device agrees to all parameters in the SPB parameter control subfield of the fourth frame.

[0230] Alternatively, if the status code field of the fifth frame is set to REQUEST_DECLINED, it means that the fifth frame indicates that the second device refuses. Here, "second device refuses" can be understood as the second device refusing the SBP parameters carried in the fourth frame, and / or the second device refusing to enable or disable the NPCA function of the first session. In other words, "second device refuses" means that the second device refuses at least one parameter in the SPB parameter control subfield of the fourth frame.

[0231] Alternatively, if the status code field of the fifth frame is set to "Reject" and a recommended parameter (REJECTED_WITH_SUGGESTED_CHANGES) is provided, it means that the fifth frame indicates that the second device rejects the request and provides a third parameter that the second device recommends. The third parameter is used to resend the SBP request.

[0232] For example, the fifth frame is the SBP response frame.

[0233] In other words, when SBP uses dynamic bandwidth awareness, the third device acts as an SBP STA. The third device and the second device can exchange frames during the SBP setup and switching phase. For example, the third device can use the fourth frame to indicate whether it allows the second device to enable the NPCA function of the first session to meet the SBP requirements.

[0234] In some embodiments, where the second device and the first device are multi-link devices and the first device is located outside the OBSS, as shown in FIG23, this application includes the following operations:

[0235] For S1102, which refers to the second device sending the first frame to the first device, the process includes: the second device sending the first frame to the first device via the first link. Correspondingly, the first device receives the first frame from the second device via the first link.

[0236] The first device is located outside the OBSS.

[0237] Taking Figure 24 as an example, the second device is an AP MLD, which includes AP1 and AP2. The first device is a STA MLD, which includes STA2.1 and STA2.2. AP1 communicates with STA2.1 via link 1, and AP2 communicates with STA2.2 via link 2. The first frame is a sensing measurement request frame. The second device sends the sensing measurement request frame to the first device via link 1.

[0238] As shown in Figure 23, this application also includes S1131:

[0239] S1131, the second device sends the sixth frame to the first device through the second link. Correspondingly, the first device receives the sixth frame from the second device through the second link.

[0240] The sixth frame indicates that the first device performs NPCA channel switching on the first link.

[0241] In other words, after the sensing measurement session and before the sensing measurement exchange, the second device sends a sixth frame to the first device through the second link to instruct the first device to trigger the NPCA channel handover in advance.

[0242] For example, the sixth frame is the Sensing NPCA Indication frame.

[0243] Taking Figure 24 as an example, in the sensing measurement switching section, since the first device is outside the OBSS, it cannot detect OBSS interference or OBSS occupancy, and therefore cannot autonomously switch to the NPCA channel. When the second device is ready to trigger sensing measurement switching and has already switched to NPCA on the first link, the second device, on the second link which is not affected by OBSS interference (link 2 in Figure 24), first sends a sensing NPCA indication frame to instruct STA2.1 to switch to the NPCA channel of the first link in advance and wait for the triggering of sensing measurement switching.

[0244] Taking Figure 25 as an example, the sixth frame belongs to the Action category management frame, including at least one of the following: Category field, Public Action / Protected Dual of Public Action field, Measurement Session ID Indication field, and Sensing NPCA Parameter ID field.

[0245] Taking Figure 26 as an example, optionally, the sixth frame also includes link ID information. The link ID information is the ID of the first link, indicating on which link the first device performs NPCA channel switching.

[0246] The value of the Category field is 38.

[0247] The Common Action field has a value of 60, indicating that the frame containing this field is a Perceptual NPCA indication frame. The meanings of the various values ​​in the Common Action field are shown in Table 5.

[0248] Table 5

[0249] The Measurement Session ID field indicates the identifier of the perception measurement session.

[0250] The Sensing NPCA Parameter ID field indicates the identifier of the fourth parameter, which is used for sensing measurements on the first channel, the channel after handover. For example, the fourth parameter is the Sensing NPCA parameter. That is, the sixth frame also indicates the identifier of the fourth parameter. This identifier and the Sensing NPCA Parameter ID field can be found in the description of Design 2 (i.e., Request-D2) above, and will not be repeated here.

[0251] In other words, for situations where some devices cannot detect OBSS interference outside of OBSS, a sixth frame can be sent through another link, such as a second link, to instruct the first device to trigger NPCA handover in advance, thereby performing sensing measurement switching on the NPCA channel after handover.

[0252] It should be understood that the communication method provided in this application can be applied to sensing and measurement scenarios including: non-trigger type sensing and measurement, or sensing and measurement in multi-AP cooperative transmission mode, etc.

[0253] It should be understood that the frame names used in this application are provided as examples, such as Sensing Measurement Request Frame, Sensing Measurement Response Frame, Sensing Measurement Query Frame, SBP Request Frame, SBP Response Frame, Sensing NPCA Indication Frame, etc. As communication technology develops, the frame names may change and should not be construed as limiting this application.

[0254] The foregoing mainly describes the solutions provided by the embodiments of this application from the perspective of interaction between devices. It is understood that each device, in order to achieve the above functions, includes corresponding hardware structures and / or software modules for executing each function. Those skilled in the art should readily recognize that, in conjunction with the algorithm steps of the examples described in the embodiments disclosed herein, this application can be implemented in hardware or a combination of hardware and computer software. Whether a function is executed in hardware or by computer software driving hardware depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0255] This application embodiment can divide the various devices into functional modules according to the above method examples. For example, each function can be divided into its own functional modules, or two or more functions can be integrated into one processing module. The integrated modules can be implemented in hardware or as software functional modules. It should be noted that the module division in this application embodiment is illustrative and only represents one logical functional division; other division methods may be used in actual implementation.

[0256] In some embodiments, this application also provides a communication device 2700, as shown in FIG27. The communication device 2700 may include a processing module 2701 and a transceiver module 2702. The processing module 2701, also referred to as a processing unit 2701, is used to implement processing functions. The transceiver module 2702, also referred to as a transceiver unit 2702, is used to implement receiving and sending functions. Optionally, the communication device 2700 may further include a storage module 2703.

[0257] In one possible design, taking the communication device 2700 as the second device in the above method embodiment as an example:

[0258] Processing module 2701 is used to generate a first frame, which instructs the first device to enable or disable the NPCA function of the first session, which is used for sensing and measurement.

[0259] The transceiver module 2702 is used to send the first frame.

[0260] In one possible design, taking the communication device 2700 as the second device in the above method embodiment as an example:

[0261] Processing module 2701 is used to generate a first frame, which indicates the second parameter of the first session, and the second parameter is used for sensing measurement.

[0262] The transceiver module 2702 is used to send the first frame.

[0263] In one possible design, taking the communication device 2700 as the first device in the above method embodiment as an example:

[0264] The transceiver module 2702 is used to receive the first frame, which indicates whether the first device enables or disables the NPCA function of the first session. The first session is used for sensing and measurement.

[0265] Processing module 2701 is used to perform perception measurements based on the first frame through the first session.

[0266] In one possible design, taking the communication device 2700 as the third device in the above method embodiment as an example:

[0267] Processing module 2701 is used to generate a fourth frame. The fourth frame indicates whether the third device allows or prohibits the second device from enabling the NPCA function of the first session. The third device is the communication device that initiates the SBP, and the second device is the communication device that responds to the SBP. The first session is used for sensing and measurement.

[0268] The transceiver module 2702 is used to send the fourth frame.

[0269] All relevant content of each step involved in the above method embodiments can be referenced from the functional description of the corresponding functional module, and will not be repeated here.

[0270] Alternatively, in the communication device shown in FIG27, the names of the various modules may not be the same as those shown in FIG27. For example, the transceiver module may also be called a communication module or a communication unit.

[0271] If the modules in Figure 27 are implemented as software functional modules and sold or used as independent products, they can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, essentially, or the parts that contribute to the prior art, or all or part of the technical solutions, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) or processor to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of this application. Storage media for storing computer software products include: USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, optical disks, and other media capable of storing program code.

[0272] In some embodiments, the communication device 2700 is presented in an integrated manner, divided into various functional modules. Here, "module" may refer to an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a circuit, a processor and memory that executes one or more software or firmware programs, integrated logic circuits, and / or other devices that can provide the above-mentioned functions.

[0273] This application embodiment also provides a communication device as shown in FIG28. The first device, the second device, and the third device can all adopt the composition structure shown in FIG28, or include the components shown in FIG28. FIG28 is a schematic diagram of the composition of a communication device 2800 provided in this application embodiment. The communication device 2800 can be the first device or a chip or system-on-a-chip in the first device; it can also be the second device or a chip or system-on-a-chip in the second device; or it can be the third device or a chip or system-on-a-chip in the third device. As shown in FIG28, the communication device 2800 includes a processor 2801, a transceiver 2802, and a communication line 2803.

[0274] Furthermore, the communication device 2800 may also include a memory 2804. The processor 2801, the memory 2804, and the transceiver 2802 can be connected via a communication line 2803.

[0275] The processor 2801 can be a central processing unit (CPU), a network processor (NP), a digital signal processor (DSP), a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a programmable logic device (PLD), or any combination thereof. The processor 2801 can also be other devices with processing capabilities, such as circuits, devices, or software modules, without limitation.

[0276] Transceiver 2802 is used to communicate with other devices or other communication networks. These other communication networks can be Ethernet, radio access network (RAN), wireless local area network (WLAN), etc. Transceiver 2802 can be a module, circuit, transceiver, or any device capable of enabling communication.

[0277] Communication line 2803 is used to transmit information between the components included in communication device 2800.

[0278] The memory 2804 is used to store instructions. These instructions can be computer programs.

[0279] The memory 2804 can be ROM or other types of static storage devices that can store static information and / or instructions, or RAM or other types of dynamic storage devices that can store information and / or instructions. It can also be electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) or other optical disc storage, optical disc storage (including compressed optical discs, laser discs, optical discs, digital universal optical discs, Blu-ray discs, etc.), magnetic disk storage media or other magnetic storage devices, etc., without limitation.

[0280] It should be noted that the memory 2804 can exist independently of the processor 2801, or it can be integrated with the processor 2801. The memory 2804 can be used to store instructions, program code, or some data, etc. The memory 2804 can be located inside or outside the communication device 2800, without limitation. The processor 2801 is used to execute the instructions stored in the memory 2804 to implement the communication method provided in the following embodiments of this application.

[0281] It should be noted that the communication device 2800 can be a desktop computer, a portable computer, a network server, a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a wireless terminal, an embedded device, a chip system, or a device with a similar structure to that shown in Figure 28. Furthermore, the composition shown in Figure 28 does not constitute a limitation on the communication device. In addition to the components shown in Figure 28, the communication device may include more or fewer components than shown, or combine certain components, or have different component arrangements.

[0282] In this embodiment of the application, the chip system may be composed of chips or may include chips and other discrete devices.

[0283] Furthermore, the actions, terms, etc., involved in the various embodiments of this application can be referenced interchangeably without limitation. The message names or parameter names in the messages exchanged between the various devices in the embodiments of this application are merely examples, and other names may be used in specific implementations without limitation.

[0284] This application also provides a computer program product that, when executed by a computer, can implement the functions of any of the above method embodiments.

[0285] This application also provides a computer program that, when executed by a computer, can implement the functions of any of the above method embodiments.

[0286] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium. All or part of the processes in the above method embodiments can be implemented by a computer program instructing related hardware. This program can be stored in the computer-readable storage medium, and when executed, it can include the processes of the above method embodiments. The computer-readable storage medium can be an internal storage unit of the terminal (including a data sending end and / or a data receiving end) of any of the foregoing embodiments, such as the terminal's hard disk or memory. The computer-readable storage medium can also be an external storage device of the terminal, such as a plug-in hard disk, smart media card (SMC), secure digital (SD) card, flash card, etc., equipped on the terminal. Further, the computer-readable storage medium can include both the terminal's internal storage unit and external storage devices. The computer-readable storage medium is used to store the computer program and other programs and data required by the terminal. The computer-readable storage medium can also be used to temporarily store data that has been output or will be output.

[0287] In the description of this application, unless otherwise stated, " / " indicates that the objects before and after it are in an "or" relationship. For example, A / B can mean A or B. "And / or" in this application is merely a description of the relationship between the related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A alone, A and B simultaneously, or B alone, where A and B can be singular or plural. Furthermore, in the description of this application, unless otherwise stated, "at least one (item)" means one or more. "More than one" means two or more. "At least two (items)" means two or three or more. "At least one (item) of the following" or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or plural items. For example, at least one (item) of a, b, or c can represent: a, b, c, ab, ac, bc, or abc, where a, b, and c can be single or multiple. Furthermore, to facilitate a clear description of the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the terms "first" and "second" are used in the embodiments of this application to distinguish identical or similar items with substantially the same function and effect. Those skilled in the art will understand that the terms "first" and "second" do not limit the quantity or execution order, and the terms "first" and "second" are not necessarily different.

[0288] In the embodiments of this application, the words "exemplarily" or "for example" are used to indicate examples, illustrations, or explanations. Any embodiment or design described as "exemplarily" or "for example" in the embodiments of this application should not be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments or design solutions. Specifically, the use of the words "exemplarily" or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a specific manner to facilitate understanding.

[0289] Furthermore, the terms “comprising” and “having”, and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus that includes a series of steps or units is not limited to the steps or units listed, but may optionally include steps or units not listed, or may optionally include other steps or units inherent to such process, method, product, or apparatus.

[0290] In the embodiments of this application, "instruction" can include direct and indirect instructions, as well as explicit and implicit instructions. The information indicated by a certain piece of information (such as first instruction information) is called the information to be instructed. In the specific implementation process, there are many ways to indicate the information to be instructed, such as, but not limited to, directly indicating the information to be instructed, such as the information to be instructed itself or its index. It can also indirectly indicate the information to be instructed by indicating other information, where there is a correlation between the other information and the information to be instructed. It can also indicate only a part of the information to be instructed, while the other parts are known or pre-agreed upon. For example, the instruction of specific information can be achieved by using a pre-agreed (e.g., protocol-defined) arrangement of various pieces of information, thereby reducing instruction overhead to some extent. At the same time, common parts of various pieces of information can be identified and indicated uniformly to reduce the instruction overhead caused by individually indicating the same information.

[0291] Furthermore, the specific indication method can also be any existing indication method, such as, but not limited to, the above-mentioned indication methods and their various combinations. Specific details of various indication methods can be found in existing technologies, and will not be repeated here. As described above, for example, when multiple pieces of information of the same type need to be indicated, the indication methods for different pieces of information may differ. In the specific implementation process, the required indication method can be selected according to specific needs. This application embodiment does not limit the selected indication method; therefore, the indication methods involved in this application embodiment should be understood to cover various methods that enable the party to be indicated to obtain the information to be indicated.

[0292] It should be understood that the information to be indicated can be sent as a whole or divided into multiple sub-information messages sent separately, and the sending period and / or timing of these sub-information messages can be the same or different. The specific sending method is not limited in this application embodiment. The sending period and / or timing of these sub-information messages can be predefined, for example, according to a protocol, or configured by the sending device by sending configuration information to the receiving device.

[0293] The “protocol” mentioned in the embodiments of this application may refer to a protocol family in the field of communication, a standard protocol with a similar protocol family frame structure, or a related protocol applied to future communication systems. The embodiments of this application do not specifically limit this.

[0294] In the embodiments of this application, descriptions such as "when," "under the circumstances," "if," and "if" all refer to the device making corresponding processing under certain objective circumstances, and are not limited to a specific time. They do not require the device to make a judgment action during implementation, nor do they imply any other limitations.

[0295] In this embodiment of the application, "sending information to... (taking the first device as an example)" can be understood as the destination of the information being the first device. This can include sending information directly or indirectly to the first device. "Receiving information from... (taking the second device as an example)" can be understood as the source of the information being the second device, and can include receiving information directly or indirectly from the second device. Information may undergo necessary processing between the source and destination, such as format changes, but the destination can understand the valid information from the source. Similar expressions in this application can be understood in a similar way, and will not be elaborated further here.

[0296] Through the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, only the division of the above functional modules is used as an example. In actual applications, the above functions can be assigned to different functional modules as needed, that is, the internal structure of the device can be divided into different functional modules to complete all or part of the functions described above.

[0297] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed apparatus and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the division of modules or units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another device, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the mutual coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection between devices or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0298] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. A component shown as a unit can be one or more physical units; that is, it can be located in one place or distributed in multiple different locations. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0299] Furthermore, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit. The integrated unit can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional unit.

[0300] If the integrated unit is implemented as a software functional unit and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application embodiment, or all or part of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a device (which may be a microcontroller, chip, etc.) or processor to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of this application. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, ROM, RAM, magnetic disks, or optical disks.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that, include: A first frame is generated, which instructs the first device to enable or disable the non-primary channel access NPCA function of the first session, which is used for sensing and measurement. Send the first frame.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first frame is a sensing measurement request frame.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The first frame includes first information, which instructs the first device to enable or disable the NPCA function of the first session. The first information is carried in the perception measurement parameter subfield of the perception measurement parameter element field, and the first frame includes the perception measurement parameter element field.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, After sending the first frame, the method further includes receiving a second frame, the second frame indicating the response result of the first device to the first frame.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The first frame also indicates a second parameter, which is used for the sensing measurement.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The first frame also includes a perception measurement parameter element field, and the second parameter is contained in the perception measurement parameter subfield or perception sub-element subfield of the perception measurement parameter element field.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The method further includes: receiving a third frame, the third frame indicating whether the first device supports or does not support the NPCA function, wherein the first device is a non-associated site USTA; Generating the first frame includes: generating the first frame based on the third frame.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The third frame is a sensing measurement query frame.

9. The method according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that, The third frame includes second information indicating that the first device supports the NPCA function. The second information is carried in the perception subfield of the perception capability element field, and the third frame includes the perception capability element field.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The method is applied to a second device, and the method further includes: receiving a fourth frame, the fourth frame instructing a third device to allow or prohibit the second device from enabling the NPCA function of the first session, the third device being a communication device that initiates the Agent Awareness SBP, and the second device being a communication device that responds to the SBP; Generating the first frame includes: generating the first frame based on the fourth frame.

11. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that, The fourth frame is an SBP request frame.

12. The method according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that, The fourth frame includes third information, which indicates that the third device allows or prohibits the second device from enabling the NPCA function of the first session. The third information is carried in the SPB parameter control subfield of the SBP parameter element field, and the fourth frame includes the SBP parameter element field.

13. The method according to any one of claims 10-12, characterized in that, The method further includes sending a fifth frame, the fifth frame indicating the response result of the second device to the fourth frame.

14. The method according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, Sending the first frame includes: sending the first frame via the first link; After sending the first frame, the method further includes: sending a sixth frame via a second link, the sixth frame instructing the first device to perform NPCA channel switching, the switched NPCA channel being used for the sensing measurement, the first device being located outside the overlapping Basic Service Set (OBSS).

15. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that, The sixth frame also indicates at least one of the following: the first session, the first link, or the identifier of the NPCA channel.

16. The method according to claim 14 or 15, characterized in that, The sixth frame is the NPCA perception instruction frame.

17. A communication method, characterized in that, include: Receive a first frame, the first frame instructing the first device to enable or disable the non-main channel access NPCA function of the first session, the first session being used for sensing and measurement; Based on the first frame, perception measurements are performed through the first session.

18. The method according to claim 17, characterized in that, After receiving the first frame, the method further includes sending a second frame, the second frame indicating the response result of the first device to the first frame.

19. The method according to claim 17 or 18, characterized in that, The method further includes sending a third frame, the third frame indicating that the first device supports the NPCA function, wherein the first device is a non-associated site USTA.

20. The method according to claim 17 or 18, characterized in that, Receiving the first frame includes: receiving the first frame via a first link; After receiving the first frame, the method further includes: receiving a sixth frame via a second link, the sixth frame instructing the first device to perform NPCA channel switching, the first device being located outside the overlapping Basic Service Set (OBSS); The sensing measurement via the first session includes: performing sensing measurements via the first session on the switched NPCA channel.

21. A communication device, characterized in that, The communication device includes a processor; the processor is configured to run a computer program or instructions that cause the communication method as described in any one of claims 1-16 to be executed, or cause the communication method as described in any one of claims 17-20 to be executed.

22. The apparatus according to claim 21, characterized in that, The communication device further includes a memory for storing the computer program or instructions.

23. A communication device, characterized in that, The communication device includes an interface circuit and a logic circuit; the interface circuit is used to input and / or output information; the logic circuit is used to execute the communication method as described in any one of claims 1-16, or to execute the communication method as described in any one of claims 17-20.

24. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium stores computer instructions or programs that, when executed on a computer, cause the communication method as described in any one of claims 1-16 to be executed, or cause the communication method as described in any one of claims 17-20 to be executed.

25. A computer program product, characterized in that, The computer program product includes computer instructions; when some or all of the computer instructions are executed on a computer, they cause the communication method as described in any one of claims 1-16 to be executed, or cause the communication method as described in any one of claims 17-20 to be executed.

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