Multi-Link Access Point Management Frame Notification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Multi-Link Device (MLD) station apparatuses operating in Power Management mode discontinuously receive management frames for power saving, leading to inefficiencies in detecting buffered frames and determining the appropriate physical layer link for transmission, especially with existing notification methods using a large number of information bits.
Innovation Solution
An access point apparatus and station apparatus system that transmits management frames with AID bitmap information and multi-link traffic indication information, including link offset and number of links, to efficiently notify MLD station apparatuses about buffered frames and recommended physical layer links for transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If MLD station apparatuses discontinuously receive management frames for power saving, then power consumption is reduced, but detection efficiency of buffered frames deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The access point apparatus performs preliminary actions by setting specific bits in the TIM element before the station apparatus wakes up to receive management frames. This allows the station to quickly determine frame buffering status without fully processing the entire management frame, enabling faster detection efficiency while maintaining power saving mode.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts only the critical notification information (specific bits in TIM element) from the complete management frame structure. By focusing only on these extracted bits, the station apparatus can efficiently detect buffered frame notifications without processing the entire management frame, thus improving detection efficiency while maintaining power savings.
2Loss of information
If a large number of information bits are used for notification, then link selection information is more complete, but communication overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential link selection information by using specific bit positions in the TIM element rather than transmitting complete link information. This extraction approach provides sufficient link selection guidance while significantly reducing the communication overhead compared to transmitting full link information.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of providing uniform detailed information for all links, the patent applies local quality by using targeted bit notifications only for specific links that have buffered frames. This approach provides precise link selection information where needed while avoiding unnecessary overhead for links without buffered frames.
Data Source
AI summary
A Multi-Link access point apparatus uses multiple combinations of link offset information and information of the number of links to notify, by using only a small amount of information, whether a frame is buffered that is addressed to a Multi-Link station apparatus operating in a Power Management mode and information of a link, the use of which is indicated or recommended.