WLAN Multi-Link Association Status Signaling for Link Setup

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

The existing wireless LAN systems face challenges in efficiently managing multi-link setups due to the lack of effective signaling techniques for determining the status of individual links during the setup process, leading to unnecessary transmission overhead.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving a status code during multi-link setup, allowing the receiving device to determine if a specific link is accepted or rejected, enabling direct multi-link configuration on allowed links without unnecessary transmissions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the receiving device transmits association request frames through all possible links to establish multi-link setup, then the multi-link configuration can be completed, but the transmission overhead increases unnecessarily

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemulti-link setup efficiencyVSAvoidtransmission overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The transmitting device performs preliminary action by determining in advance which links are allowed for multi-link setup and includes this link status information in the association response frame. This allows the receiving device to skip unnecessary transmission attempts on rejected links, thereby reducing transmission overhead while maintaining setup completeness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Adaptability or versatility

If the receiving device attempts multi-link setup on all links without knowing their status, then all possible links can be configured, but unnecessary transmissions occur on rejected links

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelink configuration flexibilityVSAvoidsetup time
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The transmitting device provides feedback by including link status information (allowed/rejected) in the association response frame. The receiving device uses this feedback to determine which links to attempt for multi-link setup, avoiding wasted time on rejected links while maintaining flexibility to configure all allowed links.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Device complexity

If no status code is provided to indicate link acceptance or rejection, then the signaling technique remains simple, but the receiving device cannot determine which links are allowed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesignaling complexityVSAvoidlink status information
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts only the essential link status information (allowed/rejected) and includes it in the association response frame using a status code. This minimal extraction provides the necessary information for the receiving device to make informed decisions about multi-link setup without adding excessive signaling complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP4319456B1Method and device for receiving, on basis of state code in wireless LAN system, whether or not multi-link has been established
Publication Date: 2026.03.11 LG ELECTRONICS INC
  • EP4319456B1 patent drawingFigure 1(a)~1(b)
  • EP4319456B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4319456B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Proposed are a method and device for receiving, on the basis of a state code in a wireless LAN system, whether or not a multi-link has been established. Particularly, a reception MLD transmits a first association request frame to a transmission MLD via a first link. The reception MLD receives a first association response frame from the transmission MLD via the first link. The first association response frame includes a first ML element. The first ML element includes a profile field of a second transmission STA. The profile field of the second transmission STA includes a state code. The state code includes information indicating that the establishment of the ML has failed because a second link is allowed but the first link is not allowed.