Multi-Link Wake-Up Frames for Selective Station Activation

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wake-up radio (WUR) mechanisms are limited to single-link communication and cannot support multi-link communication scenarios, necessitating a solution for waking up multiple affiliated stations in a multi-link communication environment.

Innovation Solution

A multi-link communication method and apparatus that utilize a radio frame to wake up affiliated stations of a station multi-link device, including transmission parameters and identification information to facilitate downlink data transmission and communication parameter updates.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a single-link wake-up radio mechanism is used, then power saving and simple communication are achieved, but multi-link communication capability is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemulti-link communication capabilityVSAvoidwake-up mechanism complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The wake-up radio mechanism is extended to serve multiple links simultaneously. The AP MLD sends a single wake-up frame that can trigger multiple affiliated STAs across different links to wake up, making the wake-up mechanism universal for multi-link communication while maintaining the power-saving benefits of the original single-link design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The wake-up frame includes separate indication information for different links, allowing the station multi-link device to selectively wake up affiliated STAs on specific links based on the downlink data transmission needs. This segmentation enables precise control over which links need to be activated.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If all affiliated stations are woken up simultaneously, then communication reliability is improved, but energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication reliabilityVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of waking up all affiliated STAs uniformly, the system identifies and wakes up only the specific affiliated STAs that need to communicate on particular links. The wake-up frame includes link-specific indication information that allows selective waking up based on actual communication needs, reducing unnecessary energy consumption while maintaining reliability for required communications.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Loss of time

If wake-up frames are sent frequently to ensure timely communication, then response time is reduced, but overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresponse timeVSAvoidwake-up frame overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The wake-up frame includes only the necessary minimum information (flag field and affiliated STA identification information) to achieve reliable wake-up, avoiding excessive overhead. The partial action approach uses selective wake-up based on downlink data needs rather than waking up all STAs, reducing the frequency and size of wake-up frames while maintaining timely communication response.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS20250267744A1Multi-Link Communication Method and Communication Apparatus

Publication Date: 2025.08.21 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD

AI summary

A multi-link communication method includes a station multi-link device that wakes up, based on a radio frame sent by an access point multi-link device, at least one affiliated station of the station multi-link device. All affiliated stations of the station multi-link device are in a doze state before the radio frame is received.