Communication method and apparatus

Abstract

A communication method and apparatus, which relate to the technical field of communications, and can determine a start moment of a transmission opportunity (TXOP) and ensure that each communication apparatus can use the TXOP on the basis of the same criterion, thereby ensuring the fairness of communication apparatuses using TXOPs. The method comprises: a sending-end apparatus sending a clear-to-send (CTS) frame to a receiving-end apparatus, wherein the CTS frame is used for enabling a priority-enhanced distributed channel access (P-EDCA) contention; after at least one P-EDCA contention, receiving a response frame from the receiving-end apparatus; and on the basis of the response frame, determining that a TXOP is successfully obtained, wherein a start moment of the TXOP is determined on the basis of a start moment of the CTS frame in the at least one P-EDCA contention.

Description

Communication methods and devices

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202510484892.5, filed with the State Intellectual Property Office of China on April 15, 2025, entitled "Communication Method and Apparatus", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to a communication method and apparatus. Background Technology

[0003] In a wireless local area network (WLAN) system, each communication device can obtain a transmission opportunity (TXOP) based on a channel contention mechanism before sending data. Then, it can continuously send multiple data frames within the TXOP without having to compete for the channel again for each frame, thereby improving channel utilization and data transmission efficiency.

[0004] Currently, when various communication devices transmit based on TXOP, determining the start time of TXOP to ensure fairness in the use of TXOP by various communication devices has become an urgent technical problem to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a communication method and apparatus that can determine the start time of TXOP, ensuring that each communication device can use TXOP based on the same criteria, and ensuring the fairness of TXOP use by each communication device.

[0006] Firstly, this application provides a communication method, which can be implemented by a transmitting device. Unless otherwise specified, "transmitting device" in this application can refer to the transmitting device itself, a component within the transmitting device (e.g., a processor, chip, or chip system), or a logic module or software capable of implementing all or part of the functions of the transmitting device. The method includes: sending a Clear Transmission (CTS) frame to a receiving device, the CTS frame being used to initiate Priority Enhanced Distributed Channel Access (P-EDCA) contention; after at least one P-EDCA contention, receiving a response frame from the receiving device; and, based on the response frame, determining that a TXOP has been successfully acquired, the start time of the TXOP being determined based on the start time of the CTS frame in the at least one P-EDCA contention.

[0007] Based on the first aspect, considering that the P-EDCA mechanism adds a CTS frame, P-EDCAAIFS, and backoff before the first frame interaction (such as the interaction between the first short frame and the response frame), the start time of TXOP can be determined based on the start time of the CTS frame in the P-EDCA contention, thereby ensuring that each communication device can use TXOP based on the same criteria and ensuring the fairness of TXOP use by each communication device.

[0008] In one possible design, the start time of TXOP is the start time of the CTS frame in the last P-EDCA contention.

[0009] Based on this possible design, the start time of the CTS frame before the first frame interaction of successfully acquiring the TXOP (such as the interaction between the first short frame and the response frame) can be taken as the start time of the TXOP. That is, the CTS frame before the first frame interaction of successfully acquiring the TXOP, P-EDCA AIFS, and backoff are all part of the TXOP, ensuring fairness in the use of the TXOP by various communication devices.

[0010] In one possible design, the response frame responds to the first short frame sent by the sending device. The first short frame includes a duration field. The duration indicated by the duration field of the first short frame is less than or equal to the upper limit of the duration of TXOP minus the transmission duration of the CTS frame, minus the arbitration inter-frame interval AIFS of the P-EDCA contention, minus the actual backoff duration, and minus the transmission duration of the first short frame.

[0011] Based on this possible design, since TXOP includes the CTS frame before the first frame interaction, P-EDCA AIFS, and backoff, the duration indicated by the duration field of the first short frame should be reduced by the corresponding duration based on the above scheme to ensure fairness in the use of TXOP by various communication devices.

[0012] In one possible design, the start time of TXOP is the start time of the CTS frame in the first P-EDCA contention. The first P-EDCA contention includes: the first P-EDCA contention is the first P-EDCA contention in one or more consecutive P-EDCA contentions, and the one or more consecutive P-EDCA contentions include the last P-EDCA contention; or, in the case where at least one P-EDCA contention includes only one P-EDCA contention, the first P-EDCA contention is one P-EDCA contention.

[0013] Based on this possible design, the start time of the first CTS frame in one or more consecutive P-EDCA contentions preceding the successful acquisition of the first frame interaction of the TXOP (such as the interaction between the first short frame and the response frame) can be taken as the start time of the TXOP. That is, there are one or more consecutive P-EDCA contentions before the successful acquisition of the first frame interaction of the TXOP, and these consecutive P-EDCA contentions are all part of the TXOP, ensuring fairness in the use of the TXOP by various communication devices.

[0014] In one possible design, one or more consecutive P-EDCA contests are part or all of at least one P-EDCA contest.

[0015] In one possible design, during one or more consecutive AIFS and backoff periods of P-EDCA contention, the channel contention of the transmitting device remains in an idle state.

[0016] Based on this possible design, consecutive multiple P-EDCA contentions refer to the situation where all P-EDCA contentions except the last one fail, but there is no channel congestion or other communication device occupying the channel between these consecutive multiple P-EDCA contentions.

[0017] In one possible design, the response frame responds to the first short frame sent by the sending device. The first short frame includes a duration field. The duration indicated by the duration field of the first short frame is less than or equal to the upper limit of the TXOP duration minus the first duration. The first duration is the duration between the start time of the CTS frame in the first P-EDCA contention and the end time of the first short frame.

[0018] Based on this possible design, since TXOP includes one or more consecutive P-EDCA contention CTS frames, P-EDCAAIFS, and backoff before the first frame interaction, the duration indicated by the duration field of the first short frame should be based on the above scheme minus the corresponding duration to ensure fairness in the use of TXOP by various communication devices.

[0019] In one possible design, the CTS frame includes a duration field, the duration of which is equal to the sum of the maximum value of the AIFS of the P-EDCA contention and the backoff duration.

[0020] Secondly, this application provides a communication device that can be applied to the transmitting end device described in the first aspect to realize the functions performed by the transmitting end device. The communication device can be the transmitting end device itself, or it can be a chip, chip system, or system-on-a-chip of the transmitting end device, etc. The communication device can execute the functions performed by the transmitting end device through hardware, or it can execute corresponding software through hardware. The hardware or software includes one or more modules corresponding to the above functions. For example, a transceiver module and a processing module. The transceiver module can independently complete the following transceiver operations, or it can cooperate with the processing module to complete the following transceiver operations; correspondingly, the processing module can independently complete the following processing operations, or it can cooperate with the transceiver module to complete the following processing operations, without limitation.

[0021] For example, the transceiver module is used to send a CTS frame to the receiving device, the CTS frame being used to initiate P-EDCA contention; the transceiver module is also used to receive a response frame from the receiving device after at least one P-EDCA contention, and the processing module is used to determine, based on the response frame, that TXOP has been successfully obtained, the start time of TXOP being determined based on the start time of the CTS frame in at least one P-EDCA contention.

[0022] Optionally, the transceiver module and processing module of the communication device in the second aspect may also perform the corresponding functions in any possible design in the first aspect, as detailed in the method examples. The beneficial effects that can be achieved can also be found in the aforementioned related content, which will not be repeated here.

[0023] Thirdly, this application provides a communication device including one or more processors, which are configured to run computer programs or instructions, such that when the one or more processors execute the computer programs or instructions, the communication method described in the first aspect is performed.

[0024] In one possible design, the communication device further includes one or more memories coupled to one or more processors, the memories used to store the aforementioned computer programs or instructions. In one possible implementation, the memories are located outside the communication device. In another possible implementation, the memories are located inside the communication device. In this application, the processor and memory may also be integrated into a single device, i.e., the processor and memory may be integrated together. In one possible implementation, the communication device further includes a transceiver for receiving and / or transmitting information.

[0025] In one possible design, the communication device further includes one or more communication interfaces coupled to one or more processors, and the communication interfaces are used to communicate with other modules outside the communication device.

[0026] Fourthly, this application provides a communication device including an interface circuit and a logic circuit. The interface circuit is used to input and / or output information, and the logic circuit is used to execute the communication method as described in the first aspect, and to process and / or generate information based on the information.

[0027] Fifthly, this application provides a computer-readable storage medium storing computer instructions or programs that, when some or all of the computer instructions or programs are run on a computer, cause the communication method described in the first aspect to be executed.

[0028] In a sixth aspect, this application provides a computer program product comprising computer instructions or programs, which, when some or all of the computer instructions or programs are run on a computer, causes the communication method described in the first aspect to be executed.

[0029] In a seventh aspect, this application provides a computer program that, when run on a computer, causes the communication method described in the first aspect to be executed.

[0030] Eighthly, this application provides a chip comprising: a processor coupled to a memory for storing programs or instructions, wherein when some or all of the programs or instructions are executed by the processor, the communication method described in the first aspect is executed.

[0031] The technical effects of any of the design methods in aspects three through eight can be found in the technical effects of aspect one above, and will not be elaborated upon further.

[0032] Ninthly, this application provides a communication system that may include communication means for performing the communication described in the first aspect or any possible design of the first aspect. Attached Figure Description

[0033] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a TXOP provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0034] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a communication system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0035] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the composition of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0036] Figure 4 is a flowchart of a communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0037] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of a P-EDCA competition provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0038] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the start time of a TXOP provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0039] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the start time of another TXOP provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0040] Figure 8 is a structural diagram of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0041] Figure 9 is a composition diagram of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0042] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0043] Before describing the embodiments of this application, the technical terms involved in the embodiments of this application will be described.

[0044] Distributed Coordination Function (DCF): Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) systems operate on unlicensed spectrum, requiring multiple site devices to share the same channel. To reduce channel access conflicts among these devices, a random backoff mechanism, or DCF, is introduced. Specifically, before transmitting data (such as data frames or management frames), a site device can invoke a carrier sensing (CS) mechanism to determine whether the channel is idle or busy. When the channel is busy, the site device waits for it to become idle. After a specific period of time, the site device performs a random backoff. When the backoff counter reaches zero, data transmission commences.

[0045] The specific time interval can be either the Extended Interframe Space (EIFS) or the Distributed Coordination Function Interframe Space (DIFS). When a station device detects a frame but fails to receive it, the specific time interval is EIFS; otherwise, it is DIFS. The duration of DIFS is aSIFSTime + 2 * aSlotTime. The duration of EIFS is aSIFSTime + AckTxTime + DIFS. aSIFSTime represents the duration of the Short Interframe Space (SIFS), aSlotTime represents the duration of the time slot, and AckTxTime represents the transmission duration of the acknowledgment (ACK) frame. Typically, aSIFSTime is 16 microseconds and aSlotTime is 9 microseconds, but these values ​​may vary depending on the spectrum and protocol.

[0046] Random backoff refers to the site device randomly selecting a backoff number from the window [0, CW] as the backoff counter value. After the channel is idle for DIFS / EIFS, the site device performs random backoff based on the randomly selected backoff number. Specifically, the backoff counter value is decremented by 1 for each consecutive aSlotTime of channel idleness. When the backoff counter value reaches 0, the site device transmits data. The initial value of the contention window (CW) is the minimum contention window (CWmin). If the site device successfully transmits, the backoff counter value is randomly selected from [0, CW] for the next channel contention. In this case, CW = CWmin, meaning [0, CW] can also be replaced with [0, CWmin]. If the site device fails to transmit, the backoff counter value is randomly selected from [0, CW] for the next channel contention. In this case, CW = 2*CW+1, meaning [0, CW] can also be replaced with [0, 2*CW+1]. If the site device fails to transmit continuously, CW increases to the maximum contention window (CWmax). CW then stops increasing and remains at CWmax until transmission is successful, at which point CW = CWmin.

[0047] Based on the aforementioned DCF, multiple site devices can effectively avoid collisions. Two site devices generating the same backoff counter value may backoff to 0 simultaneously, leading to simultaneous data transmission. This collision would cause both devices to fail to transmit. After the failure, both devices will select a random number within a larger contention window to backoff, thus reducing the collision probability. The more site devices simultaneously competing, the higher the collision probability, leading to a continuously increasing contention window. In other words, the actual contention window dynamically adjusts based on the competing site devices, supporting channel contention for different numbers of devices.

[0048] Enhanced Distributed Channel Access (EDCA): EDCA is derived from DCF. In DCF, a site device has only one contention queue, and all data to be transmitted is buffered in the same queue. In EDCA, a site device can support four access categories (ACs) to distinguish data with different priorities. Each AC maintains an independent set of channel contention parameters. The four different AC priorities, from highest to lowest, are AC_VO (voice), AC_VI (video), AC_BE (best effort), and AC_BK (background).

[0049] For each AC, the site device no longer waits for DIFS before random backoff, but instead waits for the arbitration interframe space (AIFS). The duration of AIFS is: AIFS[AC] = AIFSN[AC] * aSlotTime + aSIFSTime. AIFSN[AC] represents the number of AIFS, the minimum value of AIFSN is 2, aSlotTime represents the duration of the slot, and aSIFSTime represents the duration of SIFS.

[0050] In addition, each AC also corresponds to different CWmin[AC] and CWmax[AC]. For high-priority ACs, smaller AIFSN, CWmin, and CWmax parameters can be assigned, while for low-priority ACs, larger AIFSN, CWmin, and CWmax parameters can be assigned, thereby increasing the transmission opportunities of high-priority services and reducing the transmission opportunities of low-priority services.

[0051] Transmission Opportunity (TXOP): WLAN operates on unlicensed spectrum. Once a site device obtains channel access rights, it can only use the channel for a limited time before re-competing for it. This ensures fairness by allowing other site devices to use the channel. In the DCF mechanism, site devices compete for the channel every time they transmit data, leading to inefficiency, especially with frequent contention for small data packets. Therefore, the concept of TXOP is used in EDCA (Early Access Point Response). In EDCA, after a site device obtains channel access rights through contention, it can continuously exchange frames for a period without further contention; this period is called a TXOP. To prevent a single site device from occupying the channel for an extended period, the concept of a TXOP limit is introduced. The TXOP limit has a standard-defined default value and can be updated by access point devices in beacon frames. Introducing TXOP improves channel utilization, reduces collisions, supports Quality of Service (QoS), and adapts to different traffic demands. It is suitable for real-time applications such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and video streaming, or scenarios where large data transmissions require the continuous transmission of multiple frames.

[0052] Based on the above description, after the EDCA backoff counter value decreases to 0, a site device that sends a frame and successfully receives a corresponding response frame, or sends a frame that does not require a response frame, acquires a TXOP and becomes the TXOP holder. The start time of the TXOP is the start time of the first frame sent by the site device after the contention is completed, and the end time of the TXOP is indicated by the Duration / ID field in each frame sent. For example, as shown in Figure 1, taking the first frame sent by the site device after the contention is completed as a request to send (RTS) frame, the start time of the TXOP is the start time of the RTS frame. The RTS frame carries a Duration / ID field, which indicates the duration from the end time of the RTS frame to the end time of the TXOP. Within this duration, the TXOP holder can continuously interact with multiple frames, such as interacting with Aggregated MAC Protocol Data Unit (A-MPDU) frames and Block Acknowledgment (BA) frames. The response frame to the RTS frame is the clear to send (CTS) frame. The CTS frame carries a duration field, and the duration set in this duration field is obtained by subtracting SIFS from the duration field value in the RTS frame, and then subtracting the transmission duration of the CTS frame.

[0053] Prioritized EDCA (P-EDCA): Derived from EDCA, it improves access latency for low-latency services. The basic process is as follows: Under certain conditions, a site device can send a CTS frame to initiate P-EDCA contention. After the CTS frame, if the site device detects that the channel is idle for the P-EDCA AIFS time, the P-EDCA backoff counter is decremented by 1 for each idle time slot. When the P-EDCA backoff counter reaches 0, the site device sends an RTS frame to compete for the channel. If it receives a CTS frame, it has successfully acquired the TXOP.

[0054] The P-EDCA contention can include some or all of the following: transmission of CTS frames, P-EDCA AIFS, backoff, transmission of RTS frames, and transmission of the response frame (i.e., CTS frame) to the RTS frame. See Figure 5 below for details, which will not be elaborated upon here.

[0055] In the P-EDCA mechanism, according to the aforementioned definition of TXOP, it begins from the successful first frame interaction (i.e., RTS / CTS frame interaction). However, the P-EDCA mechanism adds CTS frame transmission, P-EDCA AIFS, and backoff before the RTS frame. Whether this additional part belongs to TXOP is unclear. Therefore, how to determine the start time of TXOP based on P-EDCA to ensure fairness in the use of TXOP by various communication devices has become an urgent technical problem to be solved.

[0056] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this application provides a communication method in which a transmitting device can send a CTS frame to a receiving device. The CTS frame is used to initiate P-EDCA contention. After at least one P-EDCA contention, a response frame is received from the receiving device. Based on the response frame, it is determined that TXOP has been successfully obtained. The start time of TXOP is determined based on the start time of the CTS frame in at least one P-EDCA contention.

[0057] In this embodiment of the application, considering that the P-EDCA mechanism adds a CTS frame, P-EDCA AIFS, and backoff before the first frame interaction, the start time of TXOP can be determined based on the start time of the CTS frame in the P-EDCA contention, thereby ensuring that each communication device can use TXOP based on the same criteria and ensuring the fairness of TXOP use by each communication device.

[0058] The embodiments of this application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0059] The communication method provided in this application is applicable to WLAN systems that support relevant standards of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). These IEEE standards include, but are not limited to, 802.11a / b / g standards, 802.11n standard / high throughput (HT) standard, 802.11ac standard / very high throughput (VHT) standard, 802.11ax standard / high efficient (HE) standard, 802.11be standard / extremely high throughput (EHT) standard, 802.11bn standard / ultra high reliability (UHR) standard / Wi-Fi 8 standard, 802.11ad standard, 802.11ay standard, 802.11bf standard / sensing standard, ultra-wideband (UWB) standard / 802.15 standard, etc.

[0060] The WLAN communication system provided in this application embodiment will be described below using Figure 2 as an example.

[0061] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a communication system provided in an embodiment of this application. As shown in Figure 2(a), the communication system may include one or more access point devices and one or more site devices. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 2(b), the communication system provided in an embodiment of this application may include one or more access point multi-link devices (AP MLDs) and one or more non-access point multi-link devices (non-AP MLDs).

[0062] The access point device or AP MLD can access the Internet via wired or wireless means. An access point device can communicate with one or more site devices, and can also communicate with one or more other access point devices. Similarly, a site device can communicate with one or more other site devices. An AP MLD can communicate with one or more non-AP MLDs, and vice versa.

[0063] In one possible implementation, the access point device can be an access point (AP), and the site device can be a station (STA).

[0064] Access point devices can be devices that support one or more of the aforementioned 802.11 standards or multiple WLAN standards, such as future 802.11 standards. For example, access point devices can be terminal devices with Wi-Fi chips, network devices, communication servers, routers, switches, bridges, computers, etc. Access point devices can also serve as access points for mobile users to access wired networks, primarily deployed in homes, buildings, and campuses, with a typical coverage radius of tens to hundreds of meters. They can also be deployed outdoors. Access point devices act as a bridge connecting wired and wireless networks, their main function being to connect various wireless network clients together and then connect the wireless network to the Ethernet.

[0065] The site equipment can be any device that supports one or more of the aforementioned 802.11 standards or supports multiple WLAN standards such as the future 802.11 standard. For example, site equipment can be wireless communication chips, wireless sensors, wireless communication terminals, communication servers, routers, switches, bridges, computers, etc. Alternatively, site equipment can be mobile phones, tablets, set-top boxes, smart TVs, smart wearable devices, vehicle communication devices, and computers that support Wi-Fi communication, without limitation.

[0066] The non-AP MLD supports communication across multiple links and can simultaneously have one or more RF modules (e.g., STA1, STA2, and STA3 each corresponding to one RF module). If multiple RF modules exist, they operate on different frequency bands / channels, with each frequency band / channel corresponding to one or more links. The non-AP MLD can communicate through multiple links based on these multiple RF modules. When the channel spacing between two RF modules within a non-AP MLD is sufficiently large, they can operate independently without interfering with each other.

[0067] The AP MLD can support communication across multiple links and can simultaneously have one or more RF modules (e.g., AP1, AP2, and AP3 each corresponding to one RF module). If multiple RF modules exist, they operate on different frequency bands / channels, with each frequency band / channel corresponding to one or more links. The AP MLD can communicate through multiple links based on multiple RF modules. When the channel spacing between two RF modules within an AP MLD is sufficiently large, they can operate independently without interfering with each other.

[0068] For example, an AP MLD can be any device that supports multiple WLAN standards, such as the 802.11be standard or future Wi-Fi standards, without limitation. For instance, an AP MLD can be a terminal device with a Wi-Fi chip, network device, communication server, router, switch, bridge, computer, etc. An AP MLD 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.

[0069] For example, a non-AP MLD can be any device that supports multiple WLAN standards, such as the 802.11be standard or future Wi-Fi standards, without limitation. For instance, a non-AP MLD can be a wireless communication chip, wireless sensor, wireless communication terminal, communication server, router, switch, bridge, computer, etc. A non-AP MLD can also 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, without limitation.

[0070] Optionally, as shown in Figure 3, a schematic diagram of a communication device is provided. This communication device can be used to perform the functions of the transmitting or receiving device involved in the following embodiments. The communication device may include a processor, a memory, a transmitter, a receiver, a signal detector, a user interface, and a digital signal processor.

[0071] The communication method provided in the embodiments of this application will be described below with reference to the communication system shown in Figure 2 and Figure 4. It is understood that the processing performed by a single execution entity (sending device or receiving device) shown in the embodiments of this application can also be divided into multiple execution entities, which can be logically and / or physically separated, without limitation. Furthermore, the message names or parameter names in the messages exchanged between devices in the embodiments of this application are merely examples; other names may be used in specific implementations, without limitation. Actions, terms, etc., involved in the various embodiments of this application can be referenced mutually without limitation.

[0072] Figure 4 is a flowchart of a communication method provided in an embodiment of this application. As shown in Figure 4, the method may include:

[0073] Step 401: The transmitting device sends a CTS frame to the receiving device.

[0074] The transmitting device can be any access point device or site device shown in Figure 2(a), or it can be any AP MLD or non-AP MLD shown in Figure 2(b).

[0075] The CTS frame is used to enable P-EDCA contention.

[0076] Optionally, the transmitting device may send a CTS frame after certain conditions are met. For example, the transmitting device may send a CTS frame when the service is a low-latency AC_VO service to initiate P-EDCA contention. Alternatively, the transmitting device may send a CTS frame after data has already been transmitted to initiate P-EDCA contention. For instance, the transmitting device may maintain retransmission parameters, and send a CTS frame when the value of these parameters is greater than or equal to 1 to initiate P-EDCA contention.

[0077] Step 402: The transmitting device receives a response frame from the receiving device after at least one P-EDCA contention.

[0078] The receiving device can be any access point device or site device that communicates with the sending device as shown in Figure 2(a), or the receiving device can be any AP MLD or non-AP MLD that communicates with the sending device as shown in Figure 2(b).

[0079] The response frame is a response to the first short frame sent by the sending device. That is, the receiving device sends a response frame to the sending device upon receiving the first short frame. The first short frame is sent by the sending device to the receiving device when the backoff counter for P-EDCA contention is 0.

[0080] For example, the first short frame can be an RTS frame and the response frame can be a CTS frame; or, the first short frame can be any other short frame besides an RTS frame and the response frame can be the response frame of that other short frame, without limitation.

[0081] Based on Figure 5, the following five possible designs illustrate the P-EDCA competition example:

[0082] In the first possible design, as shown in Figure 5(a), the transmitting device can send a CTS frame to initiate P-EDCA contention. After sending the CTS frame and detecting that the channel is idle for the P-EDCA AIFS time, the P-EDCA contention backoff counter value is decremented by 1 for each idle time slot. When the P-EDCA contention backoff counter value reaches 0, the transmitting device sends the first short frame to compete for the channel. If a response frame is received from the receiving device, the TXOP is successfully obtained, and multiple frame interactions can be performed continuously within the TXOP, such as interaction between A-MPDU frames and BA frames.

[0083] In the case shown in Figure 5(a), there is a P-EDCA contention, which may include: transmission of CTS frame, P-EDCA AIFS, backoff, transmission of first short frame, and transmission of response frame.

[0084] In the second possible design, as shown in Figure 5(b), the transmitting device can send a CTS frame to initiate P-EDCA contention. After sending the CTS frame and detecting that the channel is idle for the P-EDCA AIFS time, the P-EDCA contention backoff counter value is decremented by 1 for each idle time slot. When the P-EDCA contention backoff counter value reaches 0, the transmitting device sends a first short frame to compete for the channel. If the receiving device replies with a response frame, but the transmitting device does not receive the response frame correctly, the transmitting device can resend a CTS frame after the channel becomes idle to restart P-EDCA contention in order to obtain TXOP. It is understood that since the receiving device replies with a response frame, the transmitting device may sense the presence of the response frame in the channel. The transmitting device can then send a CTS frame again after the end of the first short frame and after the channel has been idle for a second duration to restart P-EDCA contention. For example, the second duration can be SIFS + the transmission duration of the response frame + P-EDCA AIFS. Optionally, the value of AIFSN corresponding to P-EDCA AIFS can be 2.

[0085] In the case shown in Figure 5(b), there are two P-EDCA contentions. The first P-EDCA contention may include: transmission of the CTS frame, P-EDCA AIFS, backoff, and transmission of the first short frame. The second P-EDCA contention may include: transmission of the CTS frame, P-EDCA AIFS, backoff, transmission of the first short frame, and transmission of the response frame.

[0086] In the third possible design, as shown in Figure 5(c), the transmitting device can send a CTS frame to initiate P-EDCA contention. After sending the CTS frame and detecting that the channel is idle for the P-EDCA AIFS time, the P-EDCA contention backoff counter value is decremented by 1 for each idle time slot. When the P-EDCA contention backoff counter value reaches 0, the transmitting device sends a first short frame to compete for the channel. If the receiving device does not receive the first short frame or the channel is already occupied, the receiving device will not reply with a response frame. The transmitting device can resend a CTS frame after the channel becomes idle to restart P-EDCA contention and acquire TXOP.

[0087] Understandably, since the receiving device does not reply with a response frame, the sending device will not detect the existence of a response frame in the channel. Therefore, the sending device can send a CTS frame after the end of the first short frame, following a third idle time period, to restart P-EDCA contention. For example, the third idle time period can be P-EDCA AIFS. Optionally, the value of AIFSN corresponding to P-EDCA AIFS can be 2.

[0088] In the scenario shown in Figure 5(c), there are two P-EDCA contentions. The first P-EDCA contention may include: transmission of the CTS frame, P-EDCA AIFS, backoff, and transmission of the first short frame. The second P-EDCA contention may include: transmission of the CTS frame, P-EDCA AIFS, backoff, transmission of the first short frame, and transmission of the response frame.

[0089] In the fourth possible design, as shown in Figure 5(d), the transmitting device can send a CTS frame to initiate P-EDCA contention. After sending the CTS frame and detecting that the channel is idle for the P-EDCA AIFS time, the P-EDCA contention backoff counter value is decremented by 1 for each idle time slot. When the P-EDCA contention backoff counter value reaches 0, the transmitting device sends the first short frame to compete for the channel. If the transmitting device does not successfully receive the response frame and detects that the channel is busy or already occupied by another communication device, the transmitting device waits for the channel to become idle again before sending a CTS frame to restart P-EDCA contention in order to acquire TXOP.

[0090] In the case shown in Figure 5(d), there are two P-EDCA contentions. The first P-EDCA contention may include: transmission of the CTS frame, P-EDCA AIFS, backoff, and transmission of the first short frame. The second P-EDCA contention may include: transmission of the CTS frame, P-EDCA AIFS, backoff, transmission of the first short frame, and transmission of the response frame.

[0091] In the fifth possible design, as shown in Figure 5(e), the transmitting device can send a CTS frame to initiate P-EDCA contention. After sending the CTS frame and detecting that the channel is idle for the P-EDCA AIFS time, the P-EDCA contention backoff counter value is decremented by 1 for each idle time slot. If the transmitting device detects that the channel is busy or occupied by another communication device before the backoff counter value has backed up to 0, the transmitting device waits for the channel to become idle again before sending a CTS frame to restart P-EDCA contention in order to acquire TXOP.

[0092] In the case shown in Figure 5(e), there are two P-EDCA contentions. The first P-EDCA contention may include: transmission of the CTS frame, P-EDCA AIFS, and backoff. The second P-EDCA contention may include: transmission of the CTS frame, P-EDCA AIFS, backoff, transmission of the first short frame, and transmission of the response frame.

[0093] Step 403: The sending device determines that it has successfully obtained TXOP based on the response frame.

[0094] The start time of TXOP is determined based on the start time of the CTS frame in at least one P-EDCA contention.

[0095] Understandably, the length of a TXOP cannot exceed the TXOP limit.

[0096] Based on the method shown in Figure 4 above, considering that the P-EDCA mechanism adds a CTS frame, P-EDCA AIFS, and backoff before the first frame interaction (such as the interaction between the first short frame and the response frame), the start time of TXOP can be determined based on the start time of the CTS frame in the P-EDCA contention, thereby ensuring that each communication device can use TXOP based on the same criteria and ensuring the fairness of TXOP use by each communication device.

[0097] Based on the above description of the start time of TXOP, the following describes the start time of TXOP in detail based on the first possible design and the second possible design:

[0098] In the first possible design, the start time of TXOP is the start time of the CTS frame in the last P-EDCA contention.

[0099] Alternatively, it can be described as follows: the start time of the last P-EDCA contention CTS frame before the first frame interaction (such as the interaction between the first short frame and the response frame) before successfully acquiring the TXOP is taken as the start time of the TXOP. That is, the last P-EDCA contention CTS frame before the first frame interaction of successfully acquiring the TXOP, the P-EDCA AIFS, and backoff are all part of the TXOP.

[0100] In the first example, as shown in Figure 6(a), if the transmitting device successfully acquires TXOP based on a single P-EDCA contention, then the start time of TXOP is the start time of the CTS frame in that single P-EDCA contention.

[0101] In the second example, as shown in Figure 6(b), if the transmitting device successfully acquires TXOP based on two P-EDCA contentions, then the start time of TXOP is the start time of the CTS frame in the second P-EDCA contention.

[0102] In the third example, as shown in Figure 6(c), if the transmitting device successfully acquires TXOP based on two P-EDCA contentions, then the start time of TXOP is the start time of the CTS frame in the second P-EDCA contention.

[0103] In the fourth example, as shown in Figure 6(d), if the transmitting device successfully acquires TXOP based on two P-EDCA contentions, then the start time of TXOP is the start time of the CTS frame in the second P-EDCA contention.

[0104] In the fifth example, as shown in Figure 6(e), if the transmitting device successfully acquires TXOP based on two P-EDCA contentions, then the start time of TXOP is the start time of the CTS frame in the second P-EDCA contention.

[0105] In the first possible design described above, the CTS frame may include a duration field, the duration of which is equal to the sum of the maximum value of the AIFS of the P-EDCA contention and the backoff duration.

[0106] It is understood that the duration indicated by the duration field of the CTS frame in each P-EDCA contention is equal to the sum of the maximum value of the AIFS of the P-EDCA contention and the backoff duration. Optionally, the maximum backoff duration can be the duration of 7 time slots.

[0107] Alternatively, the first short frame may also include a duration field. The duration indicated by the duration field of the first short frame is less than or equal to the upper limit of the TXOP duration minus the transmission duration of the CTS frame, minus the AIFS of P-EDCA contention, minus the actual backoff duration, and minus the transmission duration of the first short frame. Alternatively, it can be described as: the duration indicated by the duration field of the first short frame is less than or equal to the upper limit of the TXOP duration minus a fourth duration, where the fourth duration is the duration between the start time of the CTS frame and the end time of the first short frame. This can be understood as the CTS frame that initiates the P-EDCA contention corresponding to the first short frame.

[0108] Accordingly, the response frame includes a duration field, the duration indicated by the duration field of the response frame is equal to the duration indicated by the duration field of the first short frame corresponding to the response frame minus SIFS, and then minus the transmission duration of the response frame.

[0109] In the second possible design, the start time of TXOP is the start time of the CTS frame in the first P-EDCA contention.

[0110] In the first possible implementation, the first P-EDCA contest is the first P-EDCA contest in a series of one or more P-EDCA contests, and the series of one or more P-EDCA contests includes the last P-EDCA contest, or it can be described as the series of one or more P-EDCA contests including the last P-EDCA contest in at least one P-EDCA contest.

[0111] Alternatively, it can be described as follows: the start time of the first CTS frame in one or more consecutive P-EDCA contentions preceding the successful acquisition of the first frame interaction of the TXOP (such as the interaction between the first short frame and the response frame) is taken as the start time of the TXOP. That is, there are one or more consecutive P-EDCA contentions before the successful acquisition of the first frame interaction of the TXOP, and these one or more consecutive P-EDCA contentions are all part of the TXOP.

[0112] Among them, one or more consecutive P-EDCA competitions are part or all of at least one P-EDCA competition, which refers to all P-EDCA competitions before the transmitting device acquires TXOP.

[0113] During one or more consecutive P-EDCA contentions and the AIFS and backoff time, the channel contested by the transmitting device remains idle. Alternatively, it can be described as follows: consecutive P-EDCA contentions mean that all P-EDCA contentions except the last one fail, but there is no channel congestion or occupation by other communication devices between these consecutive P-EDCA contentions.

[0114] For example, as shown in Figure 5(b) or (c), there are two consecutive P-EDCA contentions. There is no channel busy or other communication device occupying the channel between these two contentions. As shown in Figure 5(d) and (e), there are two consecutive P-EDCA contentions. An interruption occurs when there is a channel busy or other communication device occupying the channel between these two contentions.

[0115] In one or more consecutive P-EDCA contentions, the transmitting device uses the channel, so including it in the TXOP is reasonable. However, during interruptions, the channel is occupied by other communication devices, the transmitting device does not use the channel, and the duration of the interruption is uncontrollable and may exceed the TXOP limit; therefore, including it in the TXOP is unreasonable. Thus, P-EDCA contentions before the interruption are not part of the TXOP, ensuring fairness in TXOP usage among communication devices.

[0116] Additionally, it is understandable that if there are N (N greater than 1) P-EDCA contentions at the transmitting end, assuming an interruption occurs between the (N-1)th and Nth P-EDCA contentions, then one or more consecutive P-EDCA contentions constitute the Nth P-EDCA contention. In this case, the start time of TXOP is the start time of the CTS frame in the Nth P-EDCA contention (i.e., the first P-EDCA contention). Alternatively, assuming an interruption occurs between the (NX-1)th and NXth P-EDCA contentions, and the NXth to Nth P-EDCA contentions are consecutive, then one or more consecutive P-EDCA contentions constitute the NXth to Nth P-EDCA contentions. In this case, the start time of TXOP is the start time of the CTS frame in the NXth P-EDCA contention (i.e., the first P-EDCA contention). Here, N is greater than 1, and X is greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to N.

[0117] In the second possible implementation, where at least one P-EDCA contest includes only one P-EDCA contest, the first P-EDCA contest is that single P-EDCA contest.

[0118] Based on the two possible implementations mentioned above, in the first example, as shown in Figure 7(a), the transmitting device successfully acquires TXOP based on a single P-EDCA contention. The first P-EDCA contention is this single P-EDCA contention, and the start time of TXOP is the start time of the CTS frame in this single P-EDCA contention.

[0119] In the second example, as shown in Figure 7(b), the transmitting device successfully acquires TXOP based on two consecutive P-EDCA competitions. The first P-EDCA competition is the first P-EDCA competition, and the start time of TXOP is the start time of the CTS frame in the first P-EDCA competition.

[0120] In the third example, as shown in Figure 7(c), the transmitting device successfully acquires TXOP based on two consecutive P-EDCA competitions. The first P-EDCA competition is the first P-EDCA competition, and the start time of TXOP is the start time of the CTS frame in the first P-EDCA competition.

[0121] In the fourth example, as shown in Figure 7(d), the transmitting device successfully acquires TXOP based on two P-EDCA contentions. If the two P-EDCA contentions are interrupted, then the first P-EDCA contention becomes the second P-EDCA contention, and the start time of TXOP is the start time of the CTS frame in the second P-EDCA contention.

[0122] In the fifth example, as shown in Figure 7(e), the transmitting device successfully acquires TXOP based on two P-EDCA contentions. If the two P-EDCA contentions are interrupted, then the first P-EDCA contention becomes the second P-EDCA contention, and the start time of TXOP is the start time of the CTS frame in the second P-EDCA contention.

[0123] In the second possible design described above, the CTS frame may include a duration field, the duration of which is equal to the sum of the maximum value of the AIFS of the P-EDCA contention and the backoff duration.

[0124] It is understood that the duration indicated by the duration field of the CTS frame in each P-EDCA contention is equal to the sum of the maximum value of the AIFS of the P-EDCA contention and the backoff duration. Optionally, the maximum backoff duration can be the duration of 7 time slots.

[0125] Additionally, the first short frame may also include a duration field, where the duration indicated by the duration field of the first short frame is less than or equal to the upper limit of the TXOP duration minus the first duration, where the first duration is the duration between the start time of the CTS frame in the first P-EDCA contention and the end time of the first short frame.

[0126] Accordingly, the response frame includes a duration field, the duration indicated by the duration field of the response frame is equal to the duration indicated by the duration field of the first short frame corresponding to the response frame minus SIFS, and then minus the transmission duration of the response frame.

[0127] It should be noted that the various embodiments of this application can be implemented independently or in combination, without limitation. Unless otherwise specified or in conflict, the terminology and / or descriptions between the different embodiments provided in this application are consistent and can be referenced mutually. Technical features in different embodiments can be combined to form new embodiments based on their inherent logical relationships.

[0128] It is understood that in the embodiments of this application, the executing entity may perform some or all of the steps in the embodiments of this application. These steps or operations are merely examples, and the embodiments of this application may also perform other operations or variations thereof. Furthermore, the various steps may be executed in different orders as presented in the embodiments of this application, and it is not necessarily necessary to execute all the operations in the embodiments of this application.

[0129] The foregoing primarily describes the solutions provided in this application from the perspective of device-to-device interaction. It is understood that each device, in order to achieve the aforementioned functions, includes corresponding hardware structures and / or software modules for executing each function. Those skilled in the art should readily recognize that, based on the algorithm steps of the examples described in conjunction with 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.

[0130] This application embodiment can divide each device into functional modules according to the above method example. For example, each function can be divided into a separate functional module, or two or more functions can be integrated into one processing module. The integrated module can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional module. It should be noted that the module division in this application embodiment is illustrative and only represents one logical functional division. In actual implementation, there may be other division methods.

[0131] With each function module divided according to its corresponding function, Figure 8 shows a communication device 80. This communication device 80 can perform the actions performed by the transmitting end device or the receiving end device in the embodiments shown in Figures 4 to 7. All relevant content of each step involved in the above method embodiments can be referred to the functional description of the corresponding functional module. The technical effects that can be obtained can be referred to the above method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0132] The communication device 80 may include a transceiver module 801 and a processing module 802. Exemplarily, the communication device 80 may be a communication equipment, or a chip or other combination device or component having the aforementioned communication device functions. When the communication device 80 is a communication equipment, the transceiver module 801 may be a transceiver, which may include an antenna and radio frequency circuits; the processing module 802 may be a processor (or processing circuit), such as a baseband processor, which may include one or more CPUs. When the communication device 80 is a component having the aforementioned communication device functions, the transceiver module 801 may be a radio frequency unit; the processing module 802 may be a processor (or processing circuit), such as a baseband processor. When the communication device 80 is a chip system, the transceiver module 801 may be an input / output interface of a chip (e.g., a baseband chip); the processing module 802 may be a processor (or processing circuit) of the chip system, and may include one or more central processing units. It should be understood that the transceiver module 801 in the embodiments of this application can be implemented by a transceiver or transceiver-related circuit components; the processing module 802 can be implemented by a processor or processor-related circuit components (or, referred to as processing circuit).

[0133] For example, the transceiver module 801 can be used to perform all the transceiver operations performed by the communication device in the embodiments shown in Figures 4 to 7, and / or other processes to support the technology described herein; the processing module 802 can be used to perform all operations other than the transceiver operations performed by the communication device in the embodiments shown in Figures 4 to 7, and / or other processes to support the technology described herein.

[0134] As another possible implementation, the transceiver module 801 in Figure 8 can be replaced by a transceiver unit that integrates the functions of the transceiver module 801; the processing module 802 can be replaced by a processor that integrates the functions of the processing module 802. Furthermore, the communication device 80 shown in Figure 8 may also include a memory.

[0135] Alternatively, when the processing module 802 is replaced by a processor and the transceiver module 801 is replaced by a transceiver, the communication device 80 involved in the embodiments of this application can also be the communication device 90 shown in FIG. 9. The processor can be a logic circuit 901, and the transceiver can be an interface circuit 902. Furthermore, the communication device 90 shown in FIG. 9 can also include a memory 903.

[0136] This application also provides a communication device 1000, as shown in FIG10. The communication device 1000 can be a transmitting end device or a chip or system-on-a-chip in the transmitting end device shown in FIG4 to FIG7; it can also be a receiving end device or a chip or system-on-a-chip in the receiving end device shown in FIG4 to FIG7. As shown in FIG10, the communication device 1000 includes a processor 1001, a transceiver 1002, and a communication line 1003.

[0137] Furthermore, the communication device 1000 may also include a memory 1004. The processor 1001, the memory 1004, and the transceiver 1002 can be connected via a communication line 1003.

[0138] The processor 1001 can be a central processing unit (CPU), a general-purpose processor, a network processor (NP), a digital signal processor (DSP), a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a programmable logic device (PLD), or any combination thereof. The processor 1001 can also be other devices with processing capabilities, such as circuits, devices, or software modules, without limitation.

[0139] Transceiver 1002 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 1002 can be a module, circuit, transceiver, or any device capable of enabling communication.

[0140] Communication line 1003 is used to transmit information between the components included in communication device 1000.

[0141] Memory 1004 is used to store instructions. These instructions can be computer programs.

[0142] The memory 1004 may be a read-only memory (ROM) or other type of static storage device capable of storing static information and / or instructions; it may also be a random access memory (RAM) or other type of dynamic storage device capable of storing information and / or instructions; it may also be an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) or other optical disc storage, optical disc storage (including compressed optical discs, laser discs, optical discs, universal digital optical discs, Blu-ray discs, etc.), magnetic disk storage media or other magnetic storage devices, etc., without limitation.

[0143] It should be noted that the memory 1004 can exist independently of the processor 1001 or can be integrated with the processor 1001. The memory 1004 can be used to store instructions, program code, or some data, etc. The memory 1004 can be located inside or outside the communication device 1000, without limitation. The processor 1001 is used to execute the instructions stored in the memory 1004 to implement the communication method provided in the following embodiments of this application.

[0144] In one example, processor 1001 may include one or more CPUs, such as CPU0 and CPU1 in Figure 10.

[0145] As an optional implementation, the communication device 1000 may include multiple processors, for example, in addition to the processor 1001 in FIG10, it may also include a processor 1007.

[0146] As an optional implementation, the communication device 1000 also includes an output device 1005 and an input device 1006. For example, the input device 1006 is a device such as a keyboard, mouse, microphone, or joystick, and the output device 1005 is a device such as a display screen or speaker.

[0147] It should be noted that the communication device 1000 can be a desktop computer, a portable computer, a web 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 10. Furthermore, the composition shown in Figure 10 does not constitute a limitation on the communication device. In addition to the components shown in Figure 10, the communication device may include more or fewer components than shown, or combine certain components, or have different component arrangements.

[0148] In this embodiment of the application, the chip system may be composed of chips or may include chips and other discrete devices.

[0149] 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.

[0150] This application also provides a computer program that, when executed by a computer, can implement the functions of any of the above method embodiments.

[0151] 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.

[0152] It should be noted that the terms "first" and "second," etc., in the specification, claims, and drawings of this application are used to distinguish different objects, not to describe a specific order. "First" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Therefore, a feature defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this embodiment, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0153] 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.

[0154] It should be understood that in this application, "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. "And / or" is used to describe the relationship between related objects, indicating that there can be three relationships. For example, "A and / or B" can mean: only A exists, only B exists, and A and B exist simultaneously, where A and B can be singular or plural. The character " / " generally indicates that the related objects before and after are in an "or" relationship. "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 mean: a, b, c, "a and b", "a and c", "b and c", or "a and b and c", where a, b, and c can be single or multiple. Both "...when" and "if" indicate that a corresponding action will be taken under certain objective circumstances. They are not time limits, nor do they require a judgment action to be taken when the action is taken, nor do they imply any other limitations.

[0155] In the embodiments of this application, the terms "exemplary" or "for example" are used to indicate that something is an example, illustration, or description. Any embodiment or design that is described as "exemplary" or "for example" in the embodiments of this application should not be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments or design. Specifically, the use of terms such as "exemplary" or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a specific manner to facilitate understanding.

[0156] In this application, "sending information to...(terminal device)" can be understood as the destination of the information being the terminal device. This can include sending information directly or indirectly to the terminal device. "Receiving information from...(terminal device)" can be understood as the source of the information being the terminal device, and can include receiving information directly or indirectly from the terminal 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.

[0157] Through the above description of the implementation methods, 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.

[0158] 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.

[0159] 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.

[0160] 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.

[0161] 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: Send a clear transmission CTS frame to the receiving device, wherein the CTS frame is used to enable priority enhanced distributed channel access (P-EDCA) contention; After at least one P-EDCA contention, a response frame is received from the receiving device; Based on the response frame, a successful transmission opportunity (TXOP) is determined, wherein the start time of the TXOP is determined according to the start time of the CTS frame in the at least one P-EDCA contention.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The start time of the TXOP is the start time of the CTS frame in the last P-EDCA contention.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The response frame responds to the first short frame sent by the sending device. The first short frame includes a duration field, and the duration indicated by the duration field of the first short frame is less than or equal to the upper limit of the duration of the TXOP minus the transmission duration of the CTS frame, minus the arbitration inter-frame interval AIFS of the P-EDCA contention, minus the actual backoff duration, and minus the transmission duration of the first short frame.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The start time of the TXOP is the start time of the CTS frame in the first P-EDCA contention, which includes: The first P-EDCA contest is the first P-EDCA contest in one or more consecutive P-EDCA contests, and the one or more consecutive P-EDCA contests include the last P-EDCA contest. or In the case where the at least one P-EDCA contest includes only one P-EDCA contest, the first P-EDCA contest is the single P-EDCA contest.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that, The consecutive one or more P-EDCA contests are part or all of the at least one P-EDCA contest.

6. The method according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that, During the AIFS and backoff time of one or more consecutive P-EDCA contentions, the channel contention of the transmitting device remains in an idle state.

7. The method according to any one of claims 4-6, characterized in that, The response frame responds to the first short frame sent by the sending device. The first short frame includes a duration field, and the duration indicated by the duration field of the first short frame is less than or equal to the upper limit of the duration of the TXOP minus a first duration, where the first duration is the duration between the start time of the CTS frame in the first P-EDCA contention and the end time of the first short frame.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The CTS frame includes a duration field, the duration of which is equal to the sum of the maximum value of the AIFS of the P-EDCA contention and the backoff duration.

9. A communication device, characterized in that, Includes modules or units for performing the communication method according to any one of claims 1-8.

10. A communication device, characterized in that, The communication device includes a processor for running a computer program or instructions that cause the communication method as described in any one of claims 1-8 to be executed.

11. 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, and the logic circuit is used to execute the communication method as described in any one of claims 1-8, processing and / or generating the information based on the information.

12. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium stores computer instructions or programs that, when some or all of the computer instructions or programs are run on a computer, cause the communication method as described in any one of claims 1-8 to be executed.

13. A computer program product, characterized in that, The computer program product includes computer instructions or programs that, when some or all of the computer instructions or programs are run on a computer, cause the communication method as described in any one of claims 1-8 to be executed.

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