WO2025231611A1 - Communication method, communication devices and communication system - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided are a communication method applied to a non-AP MLD, which is a multi-link station device, and communication devices and a communication system. The method comprises: initializing a transmission opportunity (TXOP) access channel under a first link; and when there are periodic communication services of other communication media under a second link, and the first link and the second link constitute a non-simultaneous transmit and receive (NSTR) link pair, a non-AP MLD adjusting an operation under the first link, for example, ending a TXOP in advance, or entering a power saving mode within an overlapping time. Thus, interference with current Wi-Fi communication from communication services of other communication media, which leads to situations such as low transmission efficiency, data packet loss, and even communication interruption, is avoided.

Description

Communication methods, communication equipment and communication systems Technical Field

This disclosure relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to a communication method, communication device and communication system.

Background Technology

Currently, research on Wi-Fi technology focuses on areas such as Ultra High Reliability (UHR), with the vision of improving the reliability of Wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN) connections, reducing latency, improving manageability, increasing throughput at different signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) levels, and reducing device-level power consumption.

In UHR, the Non-simultaneous Transmit and Receive (NSTR) mechanism will be further enhanced to ensure the latency requirements of low-latency services.

Summary of the Invention

This disclosure provides a communication method, communication device, and communication system to further enhance the NSTR mechanism.

On one hand, embodiments of this disclosure provide a communication method applied to a multi-link site device (non-AP MLD), the method comprising:

Initialize the transmission opportunity TXOP access channel under the first link;

There are periodic communication services of other communication media under the second link, and the first link and the second link are non-simultaneous sending and receiving NSTR link pairs. The non-APMLD adjustment is performed under the first link.

On the other hand, this disclosure also provides a communication device, which is a multi-link site device (non-AP MLD), and the communication device includes:

The access module is used to initialize the transmission opportunity TXOP access channel under the first link;

The adjustment module is used for periodic communication services with other communication media existing under the second link, and the first link and the second link are non-simultaneous sending and receiving NSTR link pairs, wherein the non-AP MLD adjustment is performed under the first link.

On the other hand, embodiments of this disclosure also provide a communication device, including:

One or more processors;

The communication device is used to execute the communication method described in the embodiments of this disclosure.

On the other hand, embodiments of this disclosure also provide a communication device, including:

One or more processors;

The communication device is used to execute the communication method described in the embodiments of this disclosure.

This disclosure also provides a communication system, including a communication device; wherein the communication device is configured to implement the communication method described in this disclosure.

This disclosure also provides a storage medium storing instructions that, when executed on a communication device, cause the communication device to perform the communication method as described in this disclosure.

In this embodiment, a non-AP STA attached to a non-AP MLD initializes a TXOP access channel under a first link, while periodic communication services of other communication media exist under a second link. The first link and the second link are NSTR link pairs, and the TXOP of the first link overlaps with the periodic communication services of other communication media on the second link in time. In this case, the non-AP MLD adjusts its operation under the first link, for example, by ending the TXOP early or entering a power saving (PS) mode during the overlapping time, to avoid interference from communication services of other communication media on the current Wi-Fi communication, which could lead to low transmission efficiency, data packet loss, or even communication interruption.

Additional aspects and advantages of embodiments of this disclosure will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and will become apparent from the description or may be learned by practice of this disclosure.

Attached Figure Description

To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this disclosure, the accompanying drawings required for the description of the embodiments are introduced below. The following drawings are only some embodiments of this disclosure and do not impose specific limitations on the protection scope of this disclosure.

Figure 1 is an exemplary schematic diagram of the architecture of a communication system provided according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

Figure 2 is a flowchart illustrating one of the communication methods provided in this embodiment of the present disclosure;

Figure 3 is a second schematic flowchart of the communication method provided in this embodiment of the present disclosure;

Figure 4 is a third schematic flowchart of the communication method provided in this embodiment of the present disclosure;

Figure 5 is a fourth flowchart illustrating the communication method provided in this embodiment of the present disclosure;

Figure 6 is a fifth flowchart illustrating the communication method provided in this embodiment of the present disclosure;

Figure 7 is a sixth schematic flowchart of the communication method provided in this embodiment of the present disclosure;

Figure 8 is a flowchart of the communication method provided in this embodiment of the present disclosure (the seventh one).

Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the communication device proposed in an embodiment of this disclosure;

Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the terminal proposed in the embodiment of this disclosure;

Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of the chip structure proposed in the embodiments of this disclosure.

Detailed Implementation

This disclosure presents a communication method, communication device, and communication system.

In a first aspect, embodiments of this disclosure provide a communication method, the method comprising:

Initialize the transmission opportunity TXOP access channel under the first link;

There are periodic communication services of other communication media under the second link, and the first link and the second link are non-simultaneous sending and receiving NSTR link pairs. The non-APMLD adjustment is performed under the first link.

In the above embodiments, by adjusting the operation under the first link, interference from communication services of other communication media on the current Wi-Fi communication is avoided, preventing situations such as low transmission efficiency, data packet loss, or even communication interruption.

In conjunction with some embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments, the operation of the non-AP MLD adjustment under the first link includes at least one of the following:

Before the start of the periodic communication service, the TXOP of the first link is terminated in advance;

During the communication time of the periodic communication service, the first link enters a power-saving PS mode.

During the communication time of the periodic communication service, the first link is in a blind state, and when the communication time of the periodic communication service ends, the first link resumes media access.

In the above embodiments, by ending TXOP in advance, or entering PS mode or blind state during the overlapping time, interference from communication services of other communication media on the current Wi-Fi communication is avoided.

In conjunction with some embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments, the operation of the non-AP MLD adjustment under the first link includes at least one of the following:

During the TXOP period, if a non-AP STA operating under the first link sends data, and the periodic communication service sends data on the second link, then the non-AP MLD will not send data during the TXOP period under the first link, or will terminate the TXOP of the first link early, or will reduce the data transmission power by a preset parameter value.

During the TXOP period, if a non-AP STA operating on the first link receives data, and the periodic communication service is transmitting or receiving data on the second link, then the non-AP MLD sends a Block Acknowledgment (BA) message frame to the data transmitter of the non-AP STA before the data transmission or reception operation on the second link. The BA message frame indicates that the non-AP STA requests the data transmitter to terminate data transmission.

In the above embodiments, the operation under the first link is adjusted according to the data received or transmitted status of the non-AP STA.

In conjunction with some embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments, during the TXOP period, the non-AP STA receives data, and the periodic communication service transmits data on the second link.

The BA message frame includes transmission duration information, and the BA message frame instructs the data sender to: enter a sleep state within the time specified by the transmission duration information; or, after the time specified by the transmission duration information, re-acquire TXOP for transmission according to the Enhanced Distributed Channel Access (EDCA) mechanism.

In the above embodiments, by carrying transmission duration information in the BA message frame, the device enters a sleep state within the time specified by the transmission duration information to avoid mutual interference; or after the time specified by the transmission duration information, the device re-obtains the TXOP according to the EDCA mechanism for transmission to ensure the transmission of WiFi services.

In conjunction with some embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments, the early termination of the TXOP of the first link includes:

During the TXOP initialization process, the non-AP MLD uses the maximum number of spatial streams (SS) or the maximum number of antennas to determine the time to end the TXOP of the first link based on the switching delay between the first link and the second link.

In the above embodiments, the time to end the TXOP of the first link is determined based on the switching delay, so as to improve the accuracy of the time to end the TXOP early.

In conjunction with some embodiments of the first aspect, in some embodiments, the method further includes:

Receive data transmission/reception operation information, communication duration information, and time synchronization function offset (TSF) information broadcast by the STA operating on the second link;

Based on the data sending/receiving operation information, determine whether the data transmission type of the periodic communication service is a sending operation or a receiving operation; and based on the communication duration information and TSF offset information, determine the communication time of the periodic communication service.

In the above embodiments, the method for obtaining the periodic communication time of other communication technologies can be that the non-AP STA under one link can determine the data transmission or data reception operation of the second link based on the data transmission operation information and data reception operation information periodically broadcast by the STA under other links; and accurately obtain the communication time of the periodic communication service based on the periodic communication duration of other communication technologies broadcast by the STA operating on the second link and the TSF offset.

Secondly, embodiments of this disclosure also provide a communication device, which includes at least one of an access module and an adjustment module; wherein the communication device is used to execute an optional implementation of the first aspect.

Thirdly, embodiments of this disclosure also provide a communication device, including:

One or more processors;

The communication device is used to execute an optional implementation of the first aspect.

Fourthly, embodiments of this disclosure also provide a communication device, including:

One or more processors;

The communication device is used to execute an optional implementation of the second aspect.

Fifthly, embodiments of this disclosure also provide a communication system, including a communication device; wherein the communication device is configured to perform the optional implementation described in the first aspect, and the communication device is configured to perform the optional implementation described in the second aspect.

In a sixth aspect, embodiments of this disclosure also provide a storage medium storing instructions that, when executed on a communication device, cause the communication device to perform the optional implementation described in the first aspect.

In a seventh aspect, embodiments of this disclosure provide a program product that, when executed by a communication device, causes the communication device to perform the method described in the optional implementation of the first aspect.

In an eighth aspect, embodiments of this disclosure provide a computer program that, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform the method as described in an alternative implementation of the first aspect.

In a ninth aspect, embodiments of this disclosure provide a chip or chip system. The chip or chip system includes processing circuitry configured to perform the method described according to an optional implementation of the first aspect above.

It is understood that the aforementioned communication devices, communication systems, storage media, program products, computer programs, chips, or chip systems are all used to execute the methods proposed in the embodiments of this disclosure. Therefore, the beneficial effects they can achieve can be referred to the beneficial effects in the corresponding methods, and will not be repeated here.

This disclosure provides communication methods, communication devices, and communication systems. In some embodiments, the terms "communication method" and "signal transmission method," "wireless frame transmission method," etc., can be used interchangeably, as can the terms "information processing system" and "communication system."

This disclosure is not exhaustive, but merely illustrative of some embodiments, and is not intended to limit the scope of protection of this disclosure. Unless otherwise specified, each step in a particular embodiment can be implemented as an independent embodiment, and the steps can be arbitrarily combined. For example, a solution after removing some steps in a particular embodiment can also be implemented as an independent embodiment, and the order of the steps in a particular embodiment can be arbitrarily interchanged. Furthermore, the optional implementation methods in a particular embodiment can be arbitrarily combined; moreover, the embodiments can be arbitrarily combined, for example, some or all steps of different embodiments can be arbitrarily combined, and a particular embodiment can be arbitrarily combined with the optional implementation methods of other embodiments.

In each of the disclosed embodiments, unless otherwise specified or in case of logical conflict, the terminology and/or descriptions of the embodiments are consistent and can be referenced by each other. Technical features in different embodiments can be combined to form new embodiments based on their inherent logical relationships.

The terminology used in the embodiments of this disclosure is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure.

In the embodiments disclosed herein, "multiple" refers to two or more.

In some embodiments, the terms “at least one of”, “one or more”, “a plurality of”, “multiple”, etc., may be used interchangeably.

In some embodiments, the notation "at least one of A and B", "A and/or B", "A in one case, B in another", "in response to one case A, in response to another case B", etc., may include the following technical solutions depending on the situation: in some embodiments, A (execute A regardless of B); in some embodiments, B (execute B regardless of A); in some embodiments, execution is selected from A and B (A and B are selectively executed); in some embodiments, A and B (both A and B are executed). The same applies when there are more branches such as A, B, C, etc.

In some embodiments, the notation "A or B" may include the following technical solutions, depending on the situation: in some embodiments, A (execution of A regardless of B); in some embodiments, B (execution of B regardless of A); in some embodiments, execution is selected from A and B (A and B are selectively executed). The same applies when there are more branches such as A, B, C, etc.

The prefixes "first," "second," etc., used in the embodiments of this disclosure are merely for distinguishing different descriptive objects and do not impose restrictions on the position, order, priority, quantity, or content of the descriptive objects. The description of the descriptive objects is found in the claims or the context of the embodiments, and the use of prefixes should not constitute unnecessary restrictions. For example, if the descriptive object is a "field," the ordinal numbers preceding "field" in "first field" and "second field" do not restrict the position or order of the "fields." "First" and "second" do not restrict whether the "fields" they modify are in the same message, nor do they restrict the order of "first field" and "second field." Similarly, if the descriptive object is a "level," the ordinal numbers preceding "level" in "first level" and "second level" do not restrict the priority between "levels." Furthermore, the number of descriptive objects is not limited by ordinal numbers and can be one or more. For example, in "first device," the number of "devices" can be one or more. Furthermore, the objects modified by different prefixes can be the same or different. For example, if the object being described is "device", then "first device" and "second device" can be the same device or different devices, and their types can be the same or different. Similarly, if the object being described is "information", then "first information" and "second information" can be the same information or different information, and their content can be the same or different.

In some embodiments, “including A,” “containing A,” “for indicating A,” and “carrying A” can be interpreted as directly carrying A or indirectly indicating A.

In some embodiments, the terms “in response to…”, “in response to determining…”, “in the case of…”, “when…”, “if…”, “if…”, etc., can be used interchangeably.

In some embodiments, the terms “greater than,” “greater than or equal to,” “not less than,” “more than,” “more than or equal to,” “not less than,” “higher than,” “higher than or equal to,” “not lower than,” and “above” can be used interchangeably, as can the terms “less than,” “less than or equal to,” “not greater than,” “less than,” “less than or equal to,” “not more than,” “lower than,” “lower than or equal to,” “not higher than,” and “below”.

In some embodiments, the apparatus and device may be interpreted as physical or virtual, and their names are not limited to the names recorded in the embodiments. In some cases, they may also be understood as "equipment", "device", "circuit", "network element", "node", "function", "unit", "section", "system", "network", "chip", "chip system", "entity", "body", etc.

In some embodiments, the acquisition of data, information, etc., may comply with the laws and regulations of the country where the location is situated.

In some embodiments, data, information, etc., may be obtained with the user's consent.

Furthermore, each element, each row, or each column in the table of this disclosure can be implemented as an independent embodiment, and any combination of any element, any row, or any column can also be implemented as an independent embodiment.

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a communication system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

As shown in Figure 1, the communication system 100 includes an Access Point Multi-Link Device (AP MLD, or multi-connection access point device) 101 and a Non-Access Point Multi-Link Device (Non-AP MLD, or multi-connection site device) 102.

Typically, a physical device can include multiple logical devices. A multi-link device (or multi-connection device) contains multiple logical entities, each transmitting data through a separate link. Each logical entity contains an independent data transceiver module. A single-link device (or single-connection device) has only one logical entity and only one MAC address, while a multi-link device has one MAC address. Each logical entity belonging to the multi-link device has its own MAC address. For example, if a multi-link device operates with three logical entities, then there are four MAC addresses on this physical device: one for the multi-link device and one for each of the three logical entities. As an example, AP MLD101 may include three auxiliary APs, as shown in Figure 1, AP1, AP2 and AP3; each AP may operate on Link 1, Link 2 and Link 3 respectively; non-AP MLD102 may also include three auxiliary STAs, as shown in Figure 1, non-AP STA1, non-AP STA2 and non-AP STA3; non-AP STA1 operates on Link 1, non-AP STA2 operates on Link 2 and non-AP STA3 operates on Link 3.

For ease of description, the following primarily describes an example of communication between an AP and a non-AP STA in a multi-link environment; however, the exemplary embodiments of this disclosure are not limited thereto. In the example of Figure 1, it is assumed that AP1 and non-AP STA1 communicate via a corresponding first... Communication occurs via Link 1. Similarly, AP2 communicates with non-AP STA2 via the corresponding second link, Link 2, and AP communicates with non-AP STA3 via the third link, Link 3. Furthermore, Links 1 to 3 can be multiple links at different frequencies, such as links at 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz, or several links with the same or different bandwidths at 2.4 GHz. Additionally, multiple channels can exist under each link. It is understood that the communication scenario shown in Figure 1 is merely exemplary, and the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, AP MLD can link to multiple (three) non-AP MLDs, or under each link, AP can communicate with multiple other types of sites.

In some embodiments, the Non-AP MLD includes, for example, a wireless communication chip, a wireless sensor, or a wireless communication terminal that supports WiFi communication. Optionally, the wireless communication terminal may be at least one of, but is not limited to, a mobile phone, a wearable device, an IoT device that supports WiFi communication, a car with WiFi communication capabilities, a smart car, a tablet computer, a computer with wireless transceiver capabilities, a virtual reality (VR) terminal device, an augmented reality (AR) terminal device, a wireless terminal device in industrial control, a wireless terminal device in self-driving, a wireless terminal device in remote medical surgery, a wireless terminal device in a smart grid, a wireless terminal device in transportation safety, a wireless terminal device in a smart city, or a wireless terminal device in a smart home.

Specifically, the Non-AP MLD can be a terminal device or network device with a Wi-Fi chip. Optionally, the STA can support various WLAN standards such as 802.11ax, 802.11be, 802.11ac, 802.11n, 802.11g, 802.11b, 802.11a, 802.11bf, and 802.11bn, as well as the next-generation 802.11 protocol, but is not limited to these.

In some embodiments, an AP can be an access point for mobile terminals to access a wired network. 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 an Ethernet network. Specifically, an AP can be a terminal device or network device equipped with a Wi-Fi chip. Optionally, the AP can support various WLAN standards such as 802.11ax, 802.11be, 802.11ac, 802.11n, 802.11g, 802.11b, 802.11a, 802.11bf, and 802.11bn, as well as the next-generation 802.11 protocol, but is not limited to these.

It is understood that the communication system described in this disclosure is for the purpose of more clearly illustrating the technical solutions of this disclosure, and does not constitute a limitation on the technical solutions proposed in this disclosure. As those skilled in the art will know, with the evolution of system architecture and the emergence of new business scenarios, the technical solutions proposed in this disclosure are also applicable to similar technical problems.

The following embodiments of this disclosure can be applied to the communication system 100 shown in FIG1, or to some of the main bodies, but are not limited thereto. The main bodies shown in FIG1 are illustrative. The communication system may include all or some of the main bodies in FIG1, or may include other main bodies outside of FIG1. The number and form of each main body are arbitrary. Each main body may be physical or virtual. The connection relationship between the main bodies is illustrative. The main bodies may not be connected or may be connected. The connection can be in any way, it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection, it can be a wired connection or a wireless connection.

The embodiments disclosed herein can be applied to Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs), such as LANs using the 802.11 series of protocols. In a WLAN, a Basic Service Set (BSS) is a fundamental component. An BSS network consists of site devices with some association within a specific coverage area. One type of association is where sites communicate directly with each other in a self-organizing network; this is called an Independent Basic Service Set (IBSS). Another more common scenario is that in a BSS network, there is only one central site dedicated to managing the BSS, called the Access Point (AP) device, and all other STAs in the network are associated with it. Other sites in the BSS network that are not the central site are called terminals, also known as non-AP STAs; terminals and non-AP STAs are collectively referred to as STAs. When describing STAs, it is not necessary to distinguish between terminals and non-AP STAs. Within the same BSS network, due to distance, transmission power, etc., a STA cannot detect other STAs that are far away; they are each other's hidden nodes.

Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of one of the communication methods according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The method can be applied to a multi-link site device non-AP MLD102, such as non-AP MLD102 including non-AP STA1, non-AP STA2 and non-AP STA3 in Figure 1.

As shown in Figure 2, the above method includes:

Step 201: A non-AP STA (e.g., any one of non-AP STA1, non-AP STA2, and non-AP STA3) attached to non-AP MLD102 initializes a transmission opportunity TXOP access channel under the first link, for example, by obtaining TXOP through EDCA (Enhanced Distributed Channel Access) contention.

Step 202: There are periodic communication services of other communication media under the second link, and the first link and the second link are non-simultaneous sending and receiving NSTR link pairs. The non-AP MLD adjustment is performed under the first link.

With the development of wireless communication technology, the integration level of terminal devices is becoming increasingly higher. Terminal devices often support multiple wireless communication media simultaneously and integrate multiple wireless communication modules, enabling them to access multiple wireless networks simultaneously, such as WLAN, Bluetooth (BT), New Radio (NR), Long Term Evolution (LTE), and Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) technologies, or one or more of these. Therefore, terminal devices often contain... In-Device Coexistence (IDC) is a high-level integration that also introduces communication interference between different systems. When the communication frequency bands of different systems are adjacent, the transmitting operation of one system may interfere with the receiving operation of another system.

Taking the adjacent frequency bands of Wi-Fi and Long Term Evolution Wide Band 40 (LTW Band 40) and Long Term Evolution Band 7 (LTE Band 7) as an example, communication interference between adjacent channels will occur when their frequency components fall within the operating frequency band of the adjacent channels. Furthermore, when multiple wireless communication modules coexist, their radio frequency (RF) modules are usually physically spaced close together, thus interfering with each other when operating simultaneously, affecting the transmission and reception of each communication module. For example, Wi-Fi and BitTorrent typically operate in the 2.4 GHz band, and due to factors such as device miniaturization and cost, many communication devices share the same antenna. Therefore, when Wi-Fi communication occurs between a single node or multiple nodes, communication services from other communication media can interfere with the device's current Wi-Fi communication, leading to low transmission efficiency, data packet loss, or even communication interruption.

In this embodiment of the disclosure, when a non-AP STA attached to a non-AP MLD is conducting Wi-Fi communication, when initializing the transmission opportunity TXOP access channel under the first link, the non-AP STA determines that there are periodic communication services of other communication media under the second link, so as to avoid the communication services of other communication media from affecting the Wi-Fi communication service under the first link.

Specifically, the first link and the second link are NSTR link pairs. In a multi-link (or multi-connection) scenario, a physical device can typically include multiple logical devices. For example, non-AP MLD102 includes non-AP STA1, non-AP STA2, and non-AP STA3 in Figure 1. Each logical device can independently manage data transmission and reception, and each logical device operates independently on a link. For example, in Figure 1, non-AP STA1 operates on link 1, non-AP STA2 operates on link 2, and non-AP STA3 operates on link 3. However, due to considerations of equipment cost, energy saving, and size, some multi-link devices have poor anti-interference performance of their transceivers. Data transmission and reception between multiple links can cause significant interference, resulting in other links being unable to receive data when a multi-link device is transmitting data on one link. These links are called NSTR link pairs. Taking a non-AP STA1 initializing a Transmission Opportunity (TXOP) access channel on link 1 (the first link) as an example, if link 1 and link 2 (the second link) are NSTR link pairs, then link 1 and link 2 cannot perform transmit and receive operations simultaneously.

In this embodiment of the disclosure, communication services of other communication media may include periodic and non-periodic communication. Periodic communication, for example, involves the repeated use of a medium for a certain duration at certain time intervals under a link. A non-AP STA (taking non-AP STA1 as an example) attached to the non-AP MLD102 initializes the TXOP access channel under the first link, while periodic communication services of other communication media exist under the second link. The first link and the second link are NSTR link pairs, and the TXOP of the first link overlaps with the periodic communication services of other communication media on the second link in time. In this case, the non-AP MLD adjusts its operation under the first link, for example, by ending the TXOP early or entering a power saving (PS) mode during the overlapping time, to avoid interference from the communication services of other communication media on the current Wi-Fi communication, which could lead to low transmission efficiency, data packet loss, or even communication interruption.

See Figure 3, a second schematic diagram of the communication method provided in this embodiment.

The method can be applied to multi-link site equipment non-AP MLD102, such as non-AP MLD102 including non-AP STA1, non-AP STA2 and non-AP STA3 in Figure 1.

As shown in Figure 3, the above method includes:

Step 301: A non-AP STA (e.g., any one of non-AP STA1, non-AP STA2, and non-AP STA3) attached to non-AP MLD102 initializes the Transmission Opportunity TXOP Access Channel under the first link.

Step 302: If there are periodic communication services of other communication media under the second link, and the first link and the second link are non-simultaneous sending and receiving NSTR link pairs, the non-AP MLD terminates the TXOP of the first link in advance before the periodic communication service begins.

In this scenario, a non-AP STA attached to the non-AP MLD102 initializes the TXOP access channel under the first link, while there are periodic communication services of other communication media under the second link. The first link and the second link are NSTR link pairs, and the TXOP of the first link overlaps with the periodic communication services of other communication media on the second link in time. In this case, the non-AP MLD terminates the TXOP of the first link in advance. For example, it terminates the TXOP before the communication cycle of the periodic communication services of other communication media on the second link begins, so that the Wi-Fi communication ends before the arrival of other communication technologies under the other link, thus avoiding interference from the communication services of other communication media to the current Wi-Fi communication.

In some embodiments, prematurely ending the TXOP of the first link requires time synchronization of the first and second links. For example, during the TXOP initialization process, if the non-AP MLD uses the maximum number of spatial streams (SS) or the maximum number of antennas, the first and second links may be out of sync. The non-AP MLD then aligns the time of the first link with the time of the second link based on the switching delay between the first and second links to determine the time to end the TXOP of the first link, thus avoiding time asynchrony between the first and second links and resulting in inaccurate timing of prematurely ending the TXOP of the first link.

In some embodiments, prematurely ending the TXOP can be achieved by sending the TXOP before the start of the periodic communication service. Implemented using truncation frames or CF end frames.

See Figure 4, which is the third schematic diagram of the communication method provided in this embodiment.

The method can be applied to multi-link site equipment non-AP MLD102, such as non-AP MLD102 including non-AP STA1, non-AP STA2 and non-AP STA3 in Figure 1.

As shown in Figure 4, the above method includes:

Step 401, a non-AP STA (e.g., any one of non-AP STA1, non-AP STA2 and non-AP STA3) attached to non-AP MLD102 initializes the Transmission Opportunity TXOP Access Channel under the first link.

Step 402: There are periodic communication services of other communication media under the second link, and the first link and the second link are non-simultaneous sending and receiving NSTR link pairs. During the communication time of the periodic communication service, the non-AP MLD enters the power-saving PS mode on the first link.

In this scenario, a non-AP STA attached to the non-AP MLD102 initializes the TXOP access channel under the first link, while there are periodic communication services of other communication media under the second link. The first link and the second link are NSTR link pairs, and the TXOP of the first link and the periodic communication services of other communication media of the second link overlap in time. During the overlapping time, the non-AP MLD enters PS mode on the first link, that is, the non-AP STA working on the first link enters PS mode, such as doze mode. When the STA enters doze mode, it cannot transmit or receive data and its power consumption is very low.

See Figure 5, which is the fourth schematic diagram of the communication method provided in this embodiment.

The method can be applied to multi-link site equipment non-AP MLD102, such as non-AP MLD102 including non-AP STA1, non-AP STA2 and non-AP STA3 in Figure 1.

As shown in Figure 5, the above method includes:

Step 501, a non-AP STA (e.g., any one of non-AP STA1, non-AP STA2 and non-AP STA3) attached to non-AP MLD102 initializes the Transmission Opportunity TXOP Access Channel under the first link.

Step 502: There are periodic communication services of other communication media under the second link, and the first link and the second link are non-simultaneous sending and receiving NSTR link pairs. During the communication time of the periodic communication service, the non-AP MLD is in a blind state on the first link, and when the communication time of the periodic communication service ends, the medium access is restored on the first link.

In this scenario, a non-AP STA attached to the non-AP MLD102 initializes a TXOP access channel on the first link, while periodic communication services of other communication media exist on the second link. The first and second links are NSTR link pairs, and the TXOP on the first link overlaps with the periodic communication services of other communication media on the second link in time. During this overlapping time, the non-AP MLD enters a blind state on the first link, meaning the non-AP STA operating on the first link enters a blind state. In this blind state, the STA, for example, does not perform packet reception or channel access procedures to avoid interference from communication services of other communication media on the current Wi-Fi communication. Upon the end of the periodic communication service's communication time, it resumes medium access on the first link and continues Wi-Fi communication.

See Figure 6, the fifth schematic diagram of the communication method provided in this embodiment.

The method can be applied to multi-link site equipment non-AP MLD102, such as non-AP MLD102 including non-AP STA1, non-AP STA2 and non-AP STA3 in Figure 1.

As shown in Figure 6, the above method includes:

Step 601, a non-AP STA (e.g., any one of non-AP STA1, non-AP STA2 and non-AP STA3) attached to non-AP MLD102 initializes the Transmission Opportunity TXOP Access Channel under the first link.

Step 602: There are periodic communication services of other communication media under the second link, and the first link and the second link are non-simultaneous sending and receiving NSTR link pairs.

During the TXOP period, if a non-AP STA operating on the first link transmits data, and the periodic communication service transmits data on the second link, then the non-AP STA will not transmit data during the TXOP period on the first link, or will terminate the TXOP of the first link early, or will reduce the data transmission power by a preset parameter value.

During the TXOP period, the non-AP STA operating on the first link needs to transmit data; and the periodic communication service also involves data transmission on the second link. Therefore, the non-AP STA can perform at least one of the following operations during the TXOP period (the overlapping time) on the first link:

(1) During the time when other communication technologies are communicating, i.e., during the overlap time with the TXOP, no data is transmitted. It is understood that in this embodiment, the overlap time includes complete overlap or partial overlap. In both cases, after the other communication technologies have completed transmission, the non-AP STA can regain the TXOP through contention after Medium recovery.

(2) End the TXOP of the first link in advance.

This requires time synchronization between the first and second links. For example, during the TXOP initialization process, if the non-AP MLD uses the maximum number of spatial streams (SS) or antennas, the first and second links may become out of sync. The non-AP MLD then aligns the time of the first link with the time of the second link based on the handover delay between them to determine the time to end the TXOP of the first link. This avoids inaccurate timing of prematurely ending the TXOP of the first link due to time asynchrony between the first and second links. In some embodiments, prematurely ending the TXOP can be achieved by sending a TXOP truncation frame or a CF end frame before the start of the periodic communication service.

(3) Reduce the data transmission power to the preset parameter value.

Continue transmitting data frames on this link with reduced transmit power, but the transmit power (Tx power) is reduced by a preset parameter value compared to before, such as 3dB or more; for example, if there is an interference level tolerance for periodic communication services, the Tx power is reduced accordingly to below the interference level tolerance.

See Figure 7, a schematic diagram of the communication method provided in this embodiment of the present disclosure.

The method can be applied to multi-link site equipment non-AP MLD102, such as non-AP MLD102 including non-AP STA1, non-AP STA2 and non-AP STA3 in Figure 1.

As shown in Figure 7, the above method includes:

Step 701: A non-AP STA (e.g., any one of non-AP STA1, non-AP STA2, and non-AP STA3) attached to non-AP MLD102 initializes the Transmission Opportunity TXOP Access Channel under the first link.

Step 702: If there are periodic communication services of other communication media under the second link, and the first link and the second link are non-simultaneous transmission and reception NSTR link pairs, during the TXOP period, a non-AP STA operating under the first link receives data, and the periodic communication service transmits or receives data on the second link, then before the data transmission or data reception operation on the second link, the non-AP STA sends a Block Ack (BA) message frame to the data transmission end of the non-AP STA. The BA message frame indicates that the non-AP STA requests the data transmission end to terminate data transmission.

During the TXOP period, the non-AP STA is in the data receiving state under the first link, receiving data frames sent by the data sending end. Before the data sending or receiving operation of the second link, the non-AP STA sends a BA message frame to the data sending end. The BA message frame indicates that other communication technologies are sending or receiving data frames, and the data sending end needs to stop sending to avoid interference with the communication services of other communication media.

In some embodiments, during the TXOP period, the non-AP STA receives data, and the periodic communication service transmits data on the second link.

The BA message frame includes transmission duration information, and the BA message frame instructs the data sender to: enter a sleep state within the time specified by the transmission duration information; or, after the time specified by the transmission duration information, re-acquire TXOP for transmission according to the Enhanced Distributed Channel Access (EDCA) mechanism.

If other communication technologies are used for transmission, the transmission duration information of the periodic communication service can be carried in the BA message frame, indicating that during this duration, the non-AP STA can enter sleep mode, or after this duration, it can regain TXOP for transmission according to the enhanced distributed channel access (EDCA) mechanism.

In the above embodiments of this disclosure, the method may further include:

Receive data transmission/reception operation information, communication duration information, and time synchronization function (TSF) offset information broadcast by the STA operating on the second link;

Based on the data sending/receiving operation information, determine whether the data transmission type of the periodic communication service is a sending operation or a receiving operation; and based on the communication duration information and TSF offset information, determine the communication time of the periodic communication service.

Among them, the method for obtaining the periodic communication time of other communication technologies can be that the non-AP STA under one link can determine the data transmission or data reception operation of the second link based on the data transmission operation information and data reception operation information periodically broadcast by the STA under other links (e.g., the STA working on the second link); and the communication time of the periodic communication service can be accurately obtained based on the periodic communication duration of other communication technologies broadcast by the STA working on the second link and the TSF offset.

In some embodiments, the names of information, etc., are not limited to the names described in the embodiments. Terms such as "information", "message", "signal", "signaling", "report", "configuration", "indication", "instruction", "command", "channel", "parameter", "domain", "field", "symbol", "codepoint", "bit", "data", "program", and "chip" can be used interchangeably.

In some embodiments, terms such as “moment,” “point in time,” “time,” and “time location” can be used interchangeably, as can terms such as “duration,” “segment,” “time window,” “window,” and “time.”

In some embodiments, terms such as wireless access scheme and waveform can be used interchangeably.

In some embodiments, terms such as "certain," "preset," "default," "set," "indicated," "a certain," "any," and "first" can be used interchangeably. "Certain A," "preset A," "default A," "set A," "indicated A," "a certain A," "any A," and "first A" can be interpreted as A pre-defined in a protocol or the like, or as A obtained through setting, configuration, or instruction, or as specific A, a certain A, any A, or first A, but are not limited thereto.

In some embodiments, the determination or judgment can be made by a value represented by 1 bit (0 or 1), or by a true or false value (boolean), or by a comparison of numerical values (e.g., a comparison with a predetermined value), but is not limited thereto.

In some embodiments, "not expecting to receive" can be interpreted as not receiving on time domain resources and/or frequency domain resources, or as not performing subsequent processing on the data after receiving it; "not expecting to send" can be interpreted as not sending, or as sending but not expecting the receiver to respond to the sent content.

The communication methods involved in the embodiments of this disclosure may include the foregoing steps and at least one of the embodiments. For example, step 201 can be implemented as an independent embodiment, step 202 can be implemented as an independent embodiment, step 301 can be implemented as an independent embodiment, step 302 can be implemented as an independent embodiment, step 401 can be implemented as an independent embodiment, step 402 can be implemented as an independent embodiment, step 501 can be implemented as an independent embodiment, step 502 can be implemented as an independent embodiment, step 601 can be implemented as an independent embodiment, step 602 can be implemented as an independent embodiment, step 701 can be implemented as an independent embodiment, and step 702 can be implemented as an independent embodiment; the combination of steps 201 and 202 can be implemented as an independent embodiment, the combination of steps 301 and 302 can be implemented as an independent embodiment, the combination of steps 401 and 402 can be implemented as an independent embodiment, the combination of steps 501 and 502 can be implemented as an independent embodiment, the combination of steps 601 and 602 can be implemented as an independent embodiment, and the combination of steps 701 and 702 can be implemented as an independent embodiment, but are not limited thereto.

In some embodiments, other optional implementations may be described before or after the specification corresponding to Figures 2 to 7.

Figure 8 is a flowchart illustrating one of the communication methods according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

As shown in Figure 8, the above method can be applied to non-AP MLD102, and the method includes:

Step 801: Initialize the transmission opportunity TXOP access channel under the first link;

Step 802: If there are periodic communication services of other communication media under the second link, and the first link and the second link are non-simultaneous sending and receiving NSTR link pairs, the non-APMLD adjustment is performed under the first link.

Optionally, in this embodiment of the disclosure, the operation of the non-AP MLD adjustment under the first link includes at least one of the following:

Before the start of the periodic communication service, the TXOP of the first link is terminated in advance;

During the communication time of the periodic communication service, the first link enters a power-saving PS mode.

During the communication time of the periodic communication service, the first link is in a blind state, and when the communication time of the periodic communication service ends, the first link resumes media access.

Optionally, in this embodiment of the disclosure, the operation of the non-AP MLD adjustment under the first link includes at least one of the following:

During the TXOP period, if a non-AP STA operating under the first link sends data, and the periodic communication service sends data on the second link, then the non-AP MLD will not send data during the TXOP period under the first link, or will terminate the TXOP of the first link early, or will reduce the data transmission power by a preset parameter value.

During the TXOP period, if a non-AP STA operating on the first link receives data, and the periodic communication service is transmitting or receiving data on the second link, then the non-AP MLD sends a Block Acknowledgment (BA) message frame to the data transmitter of the non-AP STA before the data transmission or reception operation on the second link. The BA message frame indicates that the non-AP STA requests the data transmitter to terminate data transmission.

Optionally, in this embodiment of the disclosure, during the TXOP period, the non-AP STA receives data, and the periodic communication service transmits data on the second link.

The BA message frame includes transmission duration information, and the BA message frame instructs the data sender to: enter a sleep state within the time specified by the transmission duration information; or, after the time specified by the transmission duration information, re-acquire TXOP for transmission according to the Enhanced Distributed Channel Access (EDCA) mechanism.

Optionally, in this embodiment of the disclosure, the early termination of the TXOP of the first link includes:

During the TXOP initialization process, the non-AP MLD uses the maximum number of spatial streams (SS) or the maximum number of antennas to determine the time to end the TXOP of the first link based on the switching delay between the first link and the second link.

Optionally, in this embodiment of the disclosure, the method further includes:

Step 803: Receive data transmission/reception operation information, communication duration information, and time synchronization function offset (TSF) offset information broadcast by the STA operating on the second link;

Step 804: Determine whether the data transmission type of the periodic communication service is a sending operation or a receiving operation based on the data sending/receiving operation information; and determine the communication time of the periodic communication service based on the communication duration information and TSF offset information.

The communication method involved in the embodiments of this disclosure may include the foregoing steps and at least one of the embodiments. For example, step 801 may be implemented as an independent embodiment, step 802 may be implemented as an independent embodiment, and step 803 may be implemented as an independent embodiment; the combination of step 801 and step 802 may be implemented as an independent embodiment, and the combination of step 803 and step 804 may be implemented as an independent embodiment, but is not limited thereto.

In some embodiments, other optional implementations described before or after the specification corresponding to FIG8 may be referred to.

As an implementable solution, this disclosure provides the following embodiments.

1. When a STA (any logical entity) attached to a non-AP MLD (physical entity) initializes a TXOP access channel under the first link, if the first link and other links (the second link) are NSTR links and there is periodic communication of other communication technologies under the second link, then the STA's action under the first link is either action (1) or action (2):

Action (1): Based solely on periodic communication using other communication technologies, determine the STA's action on the first link:

A. End TXOP early:

If other periodic communication technologies (including Rx and Tx) exist under the second link, the TXOP initialized by the STA under the first link will end before the arrival of other communication technologies under the second link.

Furthermore, if the initial TXOP involves using the maximum number of SS (antennas) that the STA has, then the end time of the TXOP needs to take into account the handover delay between links (the handover delay is used for time synchronization between two links).

B. Entering PS mode or blind state during the periodic communication duration of other communication technologies:

B-1: STAs under this link can enter PS mode, i.e., doze state, during the periodic communication time of other communication technologies under the second link;

B-2: If the STA does not enter PS mode under the first link, it will be in a blind state under the first link. And if other communication technologies under the second link are completed, Medium recovery needs to be restarted under the first link.

Action (2), in addition to periodic communication based on other communication technologies, also determines the STA's action under the first link based on the STA's receiving or transmitting operations under the first link:

A. Transmission Operation: If the STA obtains a TXOP under the first link, and needs to transmit other communication technology data under the second link during the TXOP time, then the STA under the first link:

A-1: Do not send any data or terminate TXOP prematurely.

During the time when other communication technologies are communicating, no data is sent, or the TXOP truncation or CF end frame is sent before other communication technologies send data to prematurely end the TXOP;

A-2: Reduce the transmit power or continue transmitting data frames on the first link, but reduce the Tx power by 3dB or more compared to before (if other technologies have interference level tolerance, the Tx power will be reduced accordingly).

B. Receiving Operation:

If a data frame is received under the first link, but a data frame needs to be sent/received by other communication technologies under the second link, then the STA sends a BA to the data frame sender under the first link before (the data frame is transmitted by other communication technologies under the second link), indicating that there are other communication technologies sending/receiving data frames and that the transmission needs to be terminated.

Furthermore, if other communication technologies are used for transmission, the transmission duration information of those technologies can be carried, indicating whether the STA can enter sleep mode during this duration or whether the STA can reacquire TXOP and transmit after this duration according to the EDCA mechanism.

2. Obtaining periodic communication time using other communication technologies

A STA on one link can accurately obtain time information based on the periodic communication duration of other communication technologies and the TSF offset broadcast by STAs on other links.

This disclosure also provides embodiments of an apparatus for implementing any of the above methods. For example, an apparatus is provided that includes units or modules for implementing the steps performed by the terminal in any of the above methods. Furthermore, another apparatus is provided, including components for implementing the above... The unit or module of each step performed by a network device (e.g., access network device, core network functional node, core network device, etc.) in any method.

It should be understood that the division of units or modules in the above device is only a logical functional division. In actual implementation, they can be fully or partially integrated into a single physical entity, or they can be physically separated. Furthermore, the units or modules in the device can be implemented by a processor calling software: for example, the device includes a processor connected to a memory containing instructions. The processor calls the instructions stored in the memory to implement any of the above methods or to implement the functions of the units or modules in the above device. The processor can be, for example, a general-purpose processor, such as a Central Processing Unit (CPU) or a microprocessor, and the memory can be internal or external to the device. Alternatively, the units or modules in the device can be implemented in the form of hardware circuits. The functionality of some or all of the units or modules can be achieved through the design of these hardware circuits, which can be understood as one or more processors. For example, in one implementation, the hardware circuit is an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). The functionality of some or all of the units or modules is achieved through the design of the logical relationships between the components within the circuit. In another implementation, the hardware circuit can be implemented using a programmable logic device (PLD). Taking a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) as an example, it can include a large number of logic gates. The connection relationships between the logic gates are configured through configuration files, thereby achieving the functionality of some or all of the units or modules. All units or modules of the above device can be implemented entirely through processor-called software, entirely through hardware circuits, or partially through processor-called software with the remaining parts implemented through hardware circuits.

In this embodiment, the processor is a circuit with signal processing capabilities. In one implementation, the processor can be a circuit with instruction read and execute capabilities, such as a Central Processing Unit (CPU), a microprocessor, a graphics processing unit (GPU) (which can be understood as a microprocessor), or a digital signal processor (DSP). In another implementation, the processor can implement certain functions through the logical relationships of hardware circuits. The logical relationships of the aforementioned hardware circuits are fixed or reconfigurable. For example, the processor is a hardware circuit implemented using an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or a programmable logic device (PLD), such as an FPGA. In a reconfigurable hardware circuit, the process of the processor loading a configuration document and configuring the hardware circuit can be understood as the process of the processor loading instructions to implement the functions of some or all of the above units or modules. In addition, it can also be hardware circuits designed for artificial intelligence, which can be understood as ASICs, such as Neural Network Processing Unit (NPU), Tensor Processing Unit (TPU), Deep Learning Processing Unit (DPU), etc.

Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device according to an embodiment of this disclosure. As shown in Figure 9, the communication device 900 may include at least one of an access module 901, an adjustment module 902, etc.

In some embodiments, the access module 901 is used to initialize the Transmission Opportunity (TXOP) access channel under the first link; the adjustment module 902 is used to adjust the operation under the first link when there are periodic communication services of other communication media under the second link, and the first link and the second link are non-simultaneous transmission and reception (NSTR) link pairs.

Optionally, the access module 901 is used to execute at least one of the communication steps performed by the non-AP MLD 102 in any of the above methods (e.g., steps 201, 301, 401, 501, 601, 701, 801, but not limited thereto), which will not be described in detail here. The adjustment module 902 is used to execute at least one of the communication steps performed by the non-AP MLD 102 in any of the above methods (e.g., steps 202, 302, 402, 502, 602, 702, 802, but not limited thereto), which will not be described in detail here.

Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a terminal 1000 (e.g., a user equipment) proposed in an embodiment of this disclosure. The terminal 1000 may be a chip, chip system, or processor that supports network devices in implementing any of the above methods, or it may be a chip, chip system, or processor that supports a terminal in implementing any of the above methods. The terminal 1000 can be used to implement the methods described in the above method embodiments; for details, please refer to the descriptions in the above method embodiments.

As shown in Figure 10, terminal 1000 includes one or more processors 1001. Processor 1001 can be a general-purpose processor or a dedicated processor, such as a baseband processor or a central processing unit (CPU). The baseband processor can be used to process communication protocols and communication data, while the CPU can be used to control communication devices (e.g., base stations, baseband chips, terminal devices, terminal device chips, DUs or CUs, etc.), execute programs, and process program data. Terminal 1000 is used to execute any of the above methods.

In some embodiments, the terminal 1000 further includes one or more memories 1002 for storing instructions. Optionally, all or part of the memories 1002 may be located outside the terminal 1000.

In some embodiments, the terminal 1000 further includes one or more transceivers 1004. When the terminal 1000 includes one or more transceivers 1004, the transceivers 1004 perform at least one of the communication steps such as sending and/or receiving in the above-described method (e.g., step 804, but not limited thereto), and the processor 1001 performs other steps (e.g., steps 201, 202, 301, 302, 401, 402, 501, 502, 601, 602, 701, 702, 801, 802, ...). At least one of 803, but not limited to this.

In some embodiments, a transceiver may include a receiver and/or a transmitter, which may be separate or integrated. Optionally, the terms transceiver, transceiver unit, transceiver, transceiver circuit, etc., may be used interchangeably; the terms transmitter, transmitting unit, transmitter, transmitting circuit, etc., may be used interchangeably; and the terms receiver, receiving unit, receiver, receiving circuit, etc., may be used interchangeably.

In some embodiments, terminal 1000 may include one or more interface circuits 1003. Optionally, interface circuit 1003 is connected to memory 1002, and interface circuit 1003 can be used to receive signals from memory 1002 or other devices, and can be used to send signals to memory 1002 or other devices. For example, interface circuit 1003 can read instructions stored in memory 1002 and send the instructions to processor 1001.

The terminal 1000 described in the above embodiments may be a user equipment or other communication device, but the scope of the terminal 1000 described in this disclosure is not limited thereto, and the structure of the terminal 1000 may not be limited by FIG10. The communication device may be an independent device or a part of a larger device. For example, the communication device may be: (1) an independent integrated circuit IC, or chip, or chip system or subsystem; (2) a set of one or more ICs, optionally, the IC set may also include storage components for storing data and programs; (3) an ASIC, such as a modem; (4) a module that can be embedded in other devices; (5) a receiver, terminal device, smart terminal device, cellular phone, wireless device, handheld device, mobile unit, vehicle device, network device, cloud device, artificial intelligence device, etc.; (6) others, etc.

Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the chip 1100 proposed in an embodiment of this disclosure. For cases where the terminal 1000 can be a chip or a chip system, the schematic diagram of the chip 1100 shown in Figure 11 can be referenced, but is not limited thereto.

Chip 1100 includes one or more processors 1101, which are used to perform any of the above methods.

In some embodiments, chip 1100 further includes one or more 1103s. Optionally, interface circuitry 1103 is connected to memory 1102. Interface circuitry 1103 can be used to receive signals from memory 1102 or other devices, and interface circuitry 1103 can be used to send signals to memory 1102 or other devices. For example, interface circuitry 1103 can read instructions stored in memory 1102 and send the instructions to processor 1101.

In some embodiments, the interface circuit 1103 performs at least one of the communication steps such as sending and/or receiving in the above method (e.g., step 804, but not limited thereto), and the processor 1101 performs at least one of other steps (e.g., steps 201, 202, 301, 302, 401, 402, 501, 502, 601, 602, 701, 702, 801, 802, 803, but not limited thereto).

In some embodiments, the terms interface circuit, interface, transceiver pin, transceiver, etc., can be used interchangeably.

In some embodiments, chip 1100 further includes one or more memories 1102 for storing instructions. Optionally, all or part of the memories 1102 may be located outside of chip 1100.

This disclosure also proposes a storage medium storing instructions that, when executed on terminal 1000, cause terminal 1000 to perform any of the above methods. Optionally, the storage medium is an electronic storage medium. Optionally, the storage medium is a computer-readable storage medium, but not limited thereto; it may also be a storage medium readable by other devices. Optionally, the storage medium may be a non-transitory storage medium, but not limited thereto; it may also be a temporary storage medium.

This disclosure also proposes a program product that, when executed by terminal 1000, causes terminal 1000 to perform any of the above methods. Optionally, the program product is a computer program product.

This disclosure also proposes a computer program that, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform any of the above methods.

Claims (14)

A communication method applied to a multi-link site device (non-AP MLD), characterized in that the method includes: Initialize the transmission opportunity TXOP access channel under the first link; There are periodic communication services of other communication media under the second link, and the first link and the second link are non-simultaneous sending and receiving NSTR link pairs. The non-AP MLD adjustment is performed under the first link. The communication method according to claim 1, wherein the operation of the non-AP MLD adjustment under the first link includes at least one of the following: Before the start of the periodic communication service, the TXOP of the first link is terminated in advance; During the communication time of the periodic communication service, the first link enters a power-saving PS mode. During the communication time of the periodic communication service, the first link is in a blind state, and when the communication time of the periodic communication service ends, the first link resumes media access. The communication method according to claim 1, wherein the operation of the non-AP MLD adjustment under the first link includes at least one of the following: During the TXOP period, if a non-AP STA operating under the first link sends data, and the periodic communication service sends data on the second link, then the non-AP MLD will not send data during the TXOP period under the first link, or will terminate the TXOP of the first link early, or will reduce the data transmission power by a preset parameter value. During the TXOP period, if a non-AP STA operating on the first link receives data, and the periodic communication service is transmitting or receiving data on the second link, then the non-AP MLD sends a Block Acknowledgment (BA) message frame to the data transmitter of the non-AP STA before the data transmission or reception operation on the second link. The BA message frame indicates that the non-AP STA requests the data transmitter to terminate data transmission. The communication method according to claim 3 is characterized in that, during the TXOP period, the non-AP STA receives data, and the periodic communication service transmits data on the second link. The BA message frame includes transmission duration information, and the BA message frame instructs the data sender to: enter a sleep state within the time specified by the transmission duration information; or, after the time specified by the transmission duration information, re-acquire TXOP for transmission according to the Enhanced Distributed Channel Access (EDCA) mechanism. The communication method according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, the early termination of the TXOP of the first link includes: During the TXOP initialization process, the non-AP MLD uses the maximum number of spatial streams (SS) or the maximum number of antennas to determine the time to end the TXOP of the first link based on the switching delay between the first link and the second link. The communication method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the method further comprises: Receive data transmission/reception operation information, communication duration information, and time synchronization function offset (TSF) information broadcast by the STA operating on the second link; Based on the data sending/receiving operation information, determine whether the data transmission type of the periodic communication service is a sending operation or a receiving operation; and based on the communication duration information and TSF offset information, determine the communication time of the periodic communication service. A communication device, wherein the communication device is a multi-link site device (non-AP MLD), characterized in that the device comprises: The access module is used to initialize the transmission opportunity TXOP access channel under the first link; The adjustment module is used for periodic communication services with other communication media existing under the second link, and the first link and the second link are non-simultaneous sending and receiving NSTR link pairs, wherein the non-AP MLD adjustment is performed under the first link. The communication device according to claim 7, wherein the adjustment module is configured to perform at least one of the following: Before the start of the periodic communication service, the TXOP of the first link is terminated in advance; During the communication time of the periodic communication service, the first link enters a power-saving PS mode. During the communication time of the periodic communication service, the first link is in a blind state, and when the communication time of the periodic communication service ends, the first link resumes media access. The communication device according to claim 8, wherein the adjustment module is configured to perform at least one of the following: During the TXOP period, if a non-AP STA operating under the first link sends data, and the periodic communication service sends data on the second link, then the non-AP MLD will not send data during the TXOP period under the first link, or will terminate the TXOP of the first link early, or will reduce the data transmission power by a preset parameter value. During the TXOP period, if a non-AP STA operating on the first link receives data, and the periodic communication service is transmitting or receiving data on the second link, then the non-AP MLD sends a Block Acknowledgment (BA) message frame to the data transmitter of the non-AP STA before the data transmission or reception operation on the second link. The BA message frame indicates that the non-AP STA requests the data transmitter to terminate data transmission. The communication device according to claim 9, characterized in that, during the TXOP period, the non-AP STA receives data, and the periodic communication service transmits data on the second link. The BA message frame includes transmission duration information, and the BA message frame instructs the data sender to: enter a sleep state within the time specified by the transmission duration information; or, after the time specified by the transmission duration information, re-acquire TXOP for transmission according to the Enhanced Distributed Channel Access (EDCA) mechanism. The communication device according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the adjustment module is used for: During the TXOP initialization process, the non-AP MLD uses the maximum number of spatial streams (SS) or the maximum number of antennas to determine the time to end the TXOP of the first link based on the switching delay between the first link and the second link. The communication device according to any one of claims 7 to 11, characterized in that the device further comprises: The receiving module is used to receive data transmission/reception operation information, communication duration information, and time synchronization function offset (TSF) offset information broadcast by the STA operating on the second link. The determining module is used to determine whether the data transmission type of the periodic communication service is a sending operation or a receiving operation based on the data sending/receiving operation information; and to determine the communication time of the periodic communication service based on the communication duration information and TSF offset information. A communication device, characterized in that it comprises: One or more processors; The communication device is used to perform the communication method according to any one of claims 1 to 6. A storage medium storing instructions, characterized in that, when the instructions are executed on a communication device, the communication device performs the communication method as described in any one of claims 1 to 6.