Multi-Link Device AID Allocation Beyond BSSID Ranges
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In multi-link devices, the allocation of Association Identifiers (AIDs) can lead to ambiguity during cross-link Traffic Indication Maps (TIM) due to conflicting ranges of BSSIDs supported by different access points, making it difficult to accurately allocate AIDs to non-AP Multi-Link Devices (MLDs).
Innovation Solution
The method involves generating and sending frames that carry AIDs which are neither BSSIDs nor identifiers of the access points, ensuring they fall outside the supported BSSID ranges, thereby avoiding ambiguity in cross-link TIM indications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the AP MLD uses cross-link TIM indication to carry TIM information of multiple APs, then the AP can efficiently manage and indicate traffic status across multiple links, but AID ambiguity occurs when BSSID ranges of different APs conflict with allocated AID ranges
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the AID allocation space by excluding BSSID ranges from the AID allocation range. Specifically, for each AP in the AP MLD, the AID range is divided into two parts: one part is allocated to non-AP MLDs associated with that AP, and the other part (BSSID range) is reserved and excluded from AID allocation. This segmentation prevents overlap between AID and BSSID identifiers, resolving the ambiguity while maintaining efficient cross-link TIM indication.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the AP supports multiple BSSIDs to expand service capacity, then the AP can serve more clients and provide flexible network segmentation, but the AID allocation range is reduced due to BSSID range conflicts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making the AID allocation range dependent on the specific AP's BSSID capabilities. For each AP, the excluded AID range is determined by that AP's BSSID range. This allows different APs with different BSSID support capacities to have appropriately adjusted AID allocation ranges, optimizing the available AID space for each local scenario while maintaining overall system versatility.
3Adaptability or versatility
If one non-AP MLD is associated with multiple APs in the AP MLD, then the non-AP MLD can receive services from multiple APs simultaneously, but AID ambiguity arises when the non-AP MLD's AID range overlaps with any AP's BSSID range
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-calculating and excluding BSSID ranges from AID allocation ranges before association establishment. The AP MLD determines the excluded AID range based on the BSSID ranges of all associated APs in advance, and this excluded range is applied when allocating AIDs to non-AP MLDs. This preliminary prevention ensures that no AID ambiguity can occur during subsequent operation, while still allowing non-AP MLDs to be associated with multiple APs.
Data Source
AI summary
An AID allocation method for a multi-link device, includes: An access point multi-link device generates and sends a first frame. Correspondingly, a station device receives and parses the first frame to obtain an AID that is allocated to the station device and carried in the first frame. The AID is neither a BSSID that can be supported by a first-type access point in the access point multi-link device nor an identifier of an access point in the access point multi-link device. The first-type access point is an access point for establishing a link between the station device and the access point multi-link device.