CN106162816B

CN106162816B - Network discovery method, station and access point

Info

Publication number: CN106162816B
Application number: CN201510147366.6A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 树贵明; 丁志明
Original assignee: Huawei Technologies Co Ltd
Current assignee: Honor Device Co Ltd
Priority date: 2015-03-31
Filing date: 2015-03-31
Publication date: 2019-12-24
Anticipated expiration: 2035-03-31
Also published as: CN106162816A

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention provides a network discovery method, a site and an access point. The network discovery method of the present invention comprises: a site broadcasts and sends a network detection request message; the station receives network probe response messages sent by a plurality of APs on respective sub-channels corresponding to the plurality of APs at the same time, wherein the network probe response messages are response messages sent by the plurality of APs after receiving the network probe request messages. The embodiment of the invention can reduce the resource waste caused by channel competition and improve the channel transmission efficiency.

Description

Network discovery method, station and access point

Technical Field

The embodiments of the present invention relate to communications technologies, and in particular, to a network discovery method, a station, and an access point.

Background

In a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), a station (station, SAT for short) needs to perform Network discovery to determine an Access Point (AP for short) to which the station needs to Access before accessing the Network.

At present, in Wireless Fidelity (WIFI) standards such as IEEE 802.11 standards, two network discovery methods are defined for a station. The station can passively discover the network according to a passive network discovery method and can actively discover the network according to an active network discovery method. In the passive network discovery method, the station only needs to receive a Beacon (Beacon) message discovered by a peripheral AP, and determines network information around the station according to the Beacon message. In the active network message, the station may send a network probe request message to at least one AP in an area where the station is located, and after receiving the network probe request message, the at least one AP may send a network probe response message to the station by time division on a channel through a channel contention mechanism, and the station then determines network information around the station according to the network probe response message.

However, in a dense AP deployment scenario, since there are many APs in an area where the station is located, the multiple APs need to transmit the network probe response message in a time-sharing manner on one channel through channel contention. However, channel contention by multiple APs may cause waste of channel resources, making channel transmission inefficient.

Disclosure of Invention

The embodiment of the invention provides a network discovery method, a station and an access point, aiming at solving the problem of low channel transmission efficiency in the network discovery process.

In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a network discovery method, including:

a site broadcasts and sends a network detection request message;

the station receives a network probe response message sent by a plurality of APs on respective sub-channels corresponding to the plurality of APs at the same time, wherein the network probe response message is a response message sent by the AP after receiving the network probe request message.

According to the first aspect, in a first possible implementation manner of the first aspect, before the station receives a network probe response message sent by multiple APs simultaneously on respective sub-channels corresponding to the multiple APs, the method further includes:

the station sends a trigger message to the plurality of APs;

correspondingly, the receiving, by the station, a network probe response message sent by multiple APs on respective sub-channels corresponding to the multiple APs at the same time includes:

and the station receives the network probe response message which is simultaneously sent on the sub-channels corresponding to the plurality of APs after the plurality of APs receive the trigger message.

According to the first possible implementation manner of the first aspect, in a second possible implementation manner, the sending, by the station, the trigger message to the plurality of APs includes:

the station sends the trigger message to the plurality of APs at a first delay time after sending the network detection request message; the first delay time is greater than or equal to a maximum delay time for each of the plurality of APs to respond to the network probe request message.

In a third possible implementation manner, according to the first possible implementation manner of the first aspect, the network probe request message includes: indication information of a second delay time; the indication information of the second delay time is used to indicate that the plurality of APs receive the trigger message sent by the station after receiving the second delay time after receiving the network probe request message;

correspondingly, the sending, by the station, a trigger message to the plurality of APs includes:

and the station sends the trigger message to the plurality of APs at the second delay time after sending the network detection request message.

In a fourth possible implementation manner, according to any one of the first to third possible implementation manners of the first aspect, the network probe request message further includes: channel indication information; the channel indication information is used for indicating the plurality of APs to determine the sub-channels corresponding to the plurality of APs according to the channel indication information.

According to a fourth possible implementation manner of the first aspect, in a fifth possible implementation manner, the network probe request message further includes: channel division rules and channel selection rules; or,

the trigger message further includes: the channel division rule and the channel selection rule;

the channel division rule is used for enabling the plurality of APs to carry out channel division on a preset channel according to the channel division rule to obtain at least one sub-channel corresponding to the station; the channel selection rule is used for enabling the plurality of APs to determine the sub-channel corresponding to each of the plurality of APs from the at least one sub-channel according to the channel selection rule.

In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a network discovery method, including:

an Access Point (AP) receives a network detection request message sent by a station;

the AP sends a network detection response message to the station on a sub-channel corresponding to the AP while other APs send the network detection response message to the station on sub-channels corresponding to the other APs; the other APs are any AP out of the APs in the area where the station is located.

According to the second aspect, in a first possible implementation manner of the second aspect, before the AP sends the network probe response message to the station on the sub-channel corresponding to the AP while the other AP sends the network probe response message to the station on the sub-channel corresponding to the other AP, the method further includes:

and the AP receives a trigger message sent by the station.

According to the first possible implementation manner of the second aspect, in a second possible implementation manner, the receiving, by the AP, the trigger message sent by the station includes:

the AP receives the trigger message sent by the station at a first delay time after receiving the network detection request message; the first delay time is greater than or equal to a maximum delay time for the plurality of APs to respond to the network probe request message.

According to the first possible implementation manner of the second aspect, in a fourth possible implementation manner of the third aspect, the network probe request message includes: indication information of a second delay time;

before the AP receives the trigger message sent by the station, the method further includes:

the AP determines the second delay time according to the indication information of the second delay time;

correspondingly, the receiving, by the AP, the trigger message sent by the station includes:

and the AP receives the trigger message sent by the station at the second delay time after receiving the network detection request message.

In a fourth possible implementation manner, according to any one of the first to third possible implementation manners of the second aspect, the network probe request message further includes: channel indication information;

the AP sends a network probe response message to the station on a sub-channel corresponding to the other AP, and before sending the network probe response message to the station on the sub-channel corresponding to the AP, the method further includes:

and the AP determines a sub-channel corresponding to the AP according to the channel indication information.

In a fifth possible implementation manner, according to the fourth possible implementation manner of the second aspect, the network probe request message further includes: channel division rules and channel selection rules; or,

before the AP determines the sub-channel corresponding to the AP according to the channel indication information, the method further includes:

the AP carries out channel division on a preset channel according to the channel division rule to obtain at least one sub-channel corresponding to the station;

the determining, by the AP, the sub-channel corresponding to the AP according to the channel indication information includes:

and the AP determines a sub-channel corresponding to the AP from the at least one sub-channel according to the channel indication information and the channel selection rule.

In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a station, including:

the sending module is used for broadcasting and sending the network detection request message;

a receiving module, configured to receive a network probe response message sent by multiple APs on respective sub-channels corresponding to the multiple APs at the same time, where the network probe response message is a response message sent by the multiple APs after receiving the network probe request message.

According to the third aspect, in a first possible implementation manner of the third aspect, the sending module is further configured to send a trigger message to the multiple APs before the receiving module receives the network probe response message sent by the multiple APs on respective sub-channels corresponding to the multiple APs at the same time;

the receiving module is further configured to receive the network probe response message sent by the plurality of APs on the respective sub-channels corresponding to the plurality of APs at the same time after the plurality of APs receive the trigger message.

According to a first possible implementation manner of the third aspect, in a second possible implementation manner, the sending module is further configured to send the trigger message to the plurality of APs at a first delay time after the network probe request message is sent; the first delay time is greater than or equal to a maximum delay time for each of the plurality of APs to respond to the network probe request message.

According to a first possible implementation manner of the third aspect, in a third possible implementation manner, the network probe request message includes: indication information of a second delay time; the indication information of the second delay time is used to indicate that the plurality of APs receive the trigger message sent by the station after receiving the second delay time after receiving the network probe request message;

the sending module is further configured to send the trigger message to the plurality of APs at the second delay time after the network probe request message is sent.

According to any one of the first to third possible implementation manners of the third aspect, in a fourth possible implementation manner, the network probe request message further includes: channel indication information; the channel indication information is used for indicating the plurality of APs to determine the sub-channels corresponding to the plurality of APs according to the channel indication information.

According to a fourth possible implementation manner of the third aspect, in a fifth possible implementation manner, the network probe request message further includes: channel division rules and channel selection rules; or,

In a fourth aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides an access point AP, including:

the receiving module is used for receiving a network detection request message sent by a site;

a sending module, configured to send a network probe response message to the station on a sub-channel corresponding to the AP while sending the network probe response message to the station on a sub-channel corresponding to the other AP by another AP; the other APs are any AP out of the APs in the area where the station is located.

According to a fourth aspect, in a first possible implementation manner of the fourth aspect,

the receiving module is further configured to receive a trigger message sent by the station before the sending module sends the network probe response message to the station on the sub-channel corresponding to the other AP while the other AP sends the network probe response message to the station on the sub-channel corresponding to the AP.

According to a first possible implementation manner of the fourth aspect, in a second possible implementation manner, the receiving module is further configured to receive the trigger message sent by the station at a first delay time after the network probe request message is received; the first delay time is greater than or equal to a maximum delay time for the plurality of APs to respond to the network probe request message.

In a third possible implementation manner, according to the first possible implementation manner of the fourth aspect, the network probe request message includes: indication information of a second delay time;

the AP further comprises:

a first determining module, configured to determine the second delay time according to the indication information of the second delay time before the receiving module receives the trigger message sent by the station;

correspondingly, the receiving module is further configured to receive the trigger message sent by the station at the second delay time after the network probing request message is received.

In a fourth possible implementation manner, according to any one of the first to third possible implementation manners of the fourth aspect, the network probe request message further includes: channel indication information;

the AP further comprises:

a second determining module, configured to determine, according to the channel indication information, the sub-channel corresponding to the AP before the sending module sends the network probe response message to the station on the sub-channel corresponding to the AP while the other AP sends the network probe response message to the station on the sub-channel corresponding to the other AP.

In a fifth possible implementation manner, according to the fourth possible implementation manner of the fourth aspect, the network probe request message further includes: channel division rules and channel selection rules; or,

the AP further comprises:

a dividing module, configured to perform channel division on a preset channel according to the channel division rule to obtain at least one sub-channel corresponding to the station before the second determining module determines the sub-channel corresponding to the AP according to the channel indication information;

the second determining module is further configured to determine a sub-channel corresponding to the AP from the at least one sub-channel according to the channel indication information and the channel selection rule.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a network discovery method, a station, and an access point, where a network probe request message is sent through station broadcasting, and a network probe response message sent by multiple APs on respective sub-channels corresponding to the multiple APs at the same time is received, where the network probe response message is a response message sent by the AP after receiving the network probe request message, so that the multiple APs do not need to perform channel contention, resource waste caused by channel contention is reduced, and channel transmission efficiency is improved.

Drawings

In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings needed to be used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below, and it is obvious that the drawings in the following description are some embodiments of the present invention, and for those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained according to these drawings without creative efforts.

Fig. 1 is a flowchart of a network discovery method according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 2 is a flowchart of a network discovery method according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 3 is a flowchart of a network discovery method according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 4 is a flowchart of a network discovery method according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 5 is a schematic structural diagram of a station according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 6 is a schematic structural diagram of an AP according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 7 is a schematic structural diagram of a station according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 8 is a schematic structural diagram of an AP according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description

In order to make the objects, technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention, and it is obvious that the described embodiments are some, but not all, embodiments of the present invention. All other embodiments, which can be derived by a person skilled in the art from the embodiments given herein without making any creative effort, shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

The embodiments of the invention are all suitable for network discovery of stations in dense AP deployment scenes. A Station (Station, referred to as STA for short), may also be referred to as a user, and may be a wireless sensor, a wireless communication terminal or a mobile terminal, such as a mobile phone (or referred to as "cellular" phone) supporting WiFi communication function and a computer having a wireless communication function. For example, the wireless communication devices may be portable, pocket-sized, hand-held, computer-embedded, wearable, or vehicle-mounted devices that support WiFi communication functionality, which exchange voice, data, etc. communication data with a radio access network. An Access Point (AP), which may also be referred to as a wireless Access Point, a bridge, a hotspot, or the like, may Access a server or a communication network. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that some communication devices may have the functions of both the access point and the station, and are not limited herein.

Example one

Fig. 1 is a flowchart of a network discovery method according to an embodiment of the present invention. The method is performed by a station. As shown in fig. 1, the method may include:

s101, broadcasting and sending a network detection request message by a station.

Optionally, a scenario applicable to each aspect of the embodiment of the present invention is a dense AP deployment scenario, that is, a plurality of APs are located in an area where a station in the dense AP deployment scenario is located. The station may send the network probe request message to all APs in the area where the station is located, or may send the network probe request message to a part of APs in the area where the station is located. The station may acquire a channel utilization opportunity corresponding to the station by performing channel contention with other stations within the station, and then send the network probe request message to all nearby APs operating on the channel by broadcasting on the channel corresponding to the station. The network probe request message may be, for example, a probe request message.

S102, the station receives a network probe response message sent by multiple APs on respective sub-channels corresponding to the multiple APs at the same time, where the network probe response message is a response message sent by the multiple APs after receiving the network probe request message.

Optionally, the network probe response message may be a response message that the plurality of APs respond to and determine the network probe request message after receiving the network probe request message sent by the station. The sub-channel corresponding to each of the plurality of APs may be the determined sub-channel corresponding to each of the plurality of APs. The plurality of APs may select their respective sub-channels according to a preset channel division rule and a preset channel selection rule, respectively. The preset channel division rule and the preset channel selection rule may be information configured by the plurality of APs and the upper network device of the site, which are pre-stored on the plurality of AP sides, or may be obtained from information sent by the site or the upper network device of the site. Wherein, the sub-channels corresponding to different APs in the plurality of APs may be different. The network probe response message may be, for example, a probe response message.

Meanwhile, the plurality of APs simultaneously transmit the network probe response message on the respective sub-channels corresponding to the plurality of APs, which can reduce the waste of channel resources and the delay of response messages caused when different APs in the plurality of APs respectively transmit the network probe response message by competing on the whole channel, thereby improving the network transmission efficiency.

The network probe response message received by the station is sent by the APs on the respective sub-channels corresponding to the APs, that is, the APs have the respective sub-channels corresponding to each AP, so that the APs do not need to perform channel contention to obtain a channel for sending a signal, thereby reducing resource waste caused by the channel contention. The network probe response message received by the station may be sent by the APs on respective sub-channels corresponding to the APs by using an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA).

In the network discovery method provided in the first embodiment of the present invention, the station broadcasts and transmits a network probe request message, and receives a network probe response message that is simultaneously transmitted by the APs on the respective sub-channels corresponding to the APs, where the network probe response message is a response message that is transmitted by the APs after receiving the network probe request message, so that the APs do not need to perform channel contention, resource waste caused by channel contention is reduced, and channel transmission efficiency is improved.

It should be noted that, after receiving the network probe response messages sent by the APs, the station may obtain the wireless local area network information corresponding to the APs according to the network probe response messages sent by the APs, then select an AP as an AP to be accessed of the station according to the network information of the APs, and access the station to the wireless local area network corresponding to the AP to be accessed through the AP to be accessed.

Example two

The second embodiment of the invention also provides a network discovery method. Fig. 2 is a flowchart of a network discovery method according to a second embodiment of the present invention. As shown in fig. 2, in the network discovery method of the second embodiment, before the station receives the network probe response message sent by multiple APs on respective sub-channels corresponding to the multiple APs at the same time in S102 of the first embodiment, the method may include:

s201, the station sends a trigger message to the APs.

The trigger message may be used to indicate that the APs perform channel difference with the station according to the channel synchronization information carried by the trigger message. The channel synchronization between the AP and the station specifically includes that the AP performs time synchronization and/or frequency synchronization according to channel synchronization information carried in a message sent by the station, where the channel synchronization information includes, but is not limited to, one or more of time information, a short training sequence, a long training sequence, a pilot sequence, and the like included in the message sent by the station.

The station may acquire a channel corresponding to the station through channel contention with other stations in the station, and then send the trigger message to the plurality of APs on the channel corresponding to the station. In order to ensure that the plurality of APs can know that the trigger message is sent by the station corresponding to the network probe request message after receiving the trigger message, the trigger message may further include: the identification information is the same as the identification information of the station carried in the network probe request message.

The station may send the trigger message to the plurality of APs simultaneously by broadcast. The trigger message may be, for example, a trigger message. The site sends the trigger message to the APs, so that the APs can perform channel synchronization with the site according to the channel synchronization information carried by the trigger message, and the sub-channels corresponding to the APs are ensured to be consistent with the time-frequency of the receiving sub-channels of the site.

Correspondingly, in S102, the receiving, by the station, a network probe response message sent by multiple APs on respective sub-channels corresponding to the multiple APs at the same time includes:

s202, the station receives the network probe response message sent by the APs on the respective sub-channels corresponding to the APs after the APs receive the trigger message.

Optionally, the sending, by the station in S201, the trigger message to the multiple APs may include:

the site sends the trigger message to the plurality of APs within a preset first delay time after sending the network probing request message; the first delay time is greater than or equal to a maximum delay time for each AP of the plurality of APs to respond to the network probe request message.

Optionally, the station sends the trigger message to the multiple APs at the first delay time after sending the network probe request message, so as to ensure that the multiple APs have sufficient delay time after receiving the network probe request message to acquire the wlan information corresponding to the multiple APs in response to the network probe request message, and then determine the network probe response message. It should be noted that, for the case of presetting the first delay time, the station needs to carry response indication information in the network probe request message, so as to indicate the AP to respond to the network probe request message in a response manner corresponding to the response indication information, for example, in an OFDMA manner, that is, the network probe response message is sent in the OFDMA manner.

The first delay time may be a delay time statically configured in advance at the station and the plurality of APs.

Alternatively, the network probe request message may include: indication information of a second delay time; the indication information of the second delay time is used to indicate that the plurality of APs receive the trigger message sent by the station after receiving the second delay time after receiving the network probe request message.

That is, the second delay time may be obtained by the AP according to the indication information of the delay time dynamically determined by the station according to actual conditions and sent to the AP through the network probe request message.

Correspondingly, the step of sending, by the station, the trigger message to the APs in S201 may include:

and the station sends the trigger message to the plurality of APs at the second delay time after sending the network probe request message.

The station sends the second delay time to the APs, so that the APs reserve sufficient channel resources according to the second delay time to receive the trigger message sent by the station after receiving the network probe request message. It should be noted that, for the case that the network probe request message carries the second delay time, the response indication information may also be carried by setting the second delay time to a special value. If the second delay time is "1", the second delay indication information may indicate that the station indicates the AP to send the trigger message to the station at the second delay time after sending the network probe request message, and indicate that the AP uses a response method corresponding to the response indication information, for example, an OFDMA method is used to respond to the network probe request message, that is, the OFDMA method is used to send the network probe response message. If the second delay indication information is "0", the second delay indication information may indicate to the AP that the station does not send the trigger message, and the AP may respond to the network probe request message in a channel contention manner, that is, send a network probe response message.

Optionally, the network probe request message may further include: channel indication information; the channel indication information is used for indicating the plurality of APs to determine the sub-channels corresponding to the plurality of respective APs according to the channel indication information.

Specifically, the channel indication information may be represented by a preset binary number. The channel indication information of different APs of the plurality of APs may be represented by different binary numbers. If the preset binary digit is one binary digit and the binary digit corresponding to the channel indication information of one AP is "1", the one AP determines the sub-channel corresponding to the one AP, and then sends the network probe response message to the station on the sub-channel corresponding to the one AP. Correspondingly, if the value of the binary bit in the channel indication information is "0", the AP may send the network probe response message to the station by time sharing through channel contention. It should be noted that the channel indication information may be represented by other binary values, or may be represented by preset binary values of multiple bits, which is not described herein again.

Optionally, the network probe request message further includes: channel division rules and channel selection rules.

Alternatively, the trigger message further includes: the channel division rule and the channel selection rule.

That is, the channel division rule and the channel selection rule may be, for example, the station sends to the APs through the network probe request message, or may send to the APs through the trigger message. The channel division rule and the channel selection rule may also be sent by the station through other messages, and are not described herein again.

The channel division rule is used for enabling the plurality of APs to perform channel division on a preset channel according to the channel division rule to obtain at least one sub-channel corresponding to the station.

Specifically, the channel Division rule may be, for example, an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple access (OFDM) channel Division rule. If the channel division rule is an OFDM channel division rule and the one preset channel is a channel corresponding to the system bandwidth, the plurality of APs may divide the system bandwidth in an OFDM manner to obtain at least one sub-channel. The APs may, for example, divide the multiple subcarriers in the system bandwidth according to the channel division rule to obtain at least one carrier group, where each carrier group includes at least one subcarrier, and each carrier group may be a subchannel. For example, if 256 subcarriers in a channel with a system bandwidth of 20MHz form a carrier group for every 16 subcarriers, 16 carrier groups, i.e., 16 subchannels, can be obtained.

The channel selection rule is used for enabling the plurality of APs to determine the sub-channels corresponding to the plurality of APs from the at least one sub-channel according to the channel selection rule.

Specifically, the channel selection rule may be, for example, a preset algorithm, such as a hash algorithm. After receiving the channel selection rule, the APs may respectively perform hash calculation according to their own Basic Service Set Identifiers (BSSIDs) or medium access control addresses (MACs) to obtain a hash value, determine the sequence numbers of the sub-channels corresponding to the APs according to the hash value, and then select the sub-channels corresponding to the APs. If the APs obtain 16 sub-channels after performing channel division, the hash value may be any one of values 1 to 16.

It should be noted that the channel division rule and the channel selection rule that the station sends to different APs in the plurality of APs are the same.

In the network discovery method provided in the second embodiment of the present invention, based on the method in the first embodiment, the site sends the trigger message to the multiple APs, so that the multiple APs and the site perform channel synchronization, thereby reducing a receiving channel delay of the network probe response message sent by different APs in the multiple APs to the site, and improving network transmission efficiency. Meanwhile, the delay time is sent to the plurality of APs, so that the plurality of APs reserve channel resources according to the delay time to receive the trigger message sent by the station, and the trigger message is accurately received, thereby ensuring that the different APs send the channel synchronization of the network probe response message on the respective corresponding sub-channels, and improving the network transmission efficiency. In addition, in the second embodiment of the present invention, the station configures a channel division rule and a channel selection rule for the APs, so as to ensure accuracy between sub-channels corresponding to the APs selected by the APs.

EXAMPLE III

The third embodiment of the invention also provides a network discovery method. The method may be performed by any one of a plurality of APs in the area of the station. Fig. 3 is a flowchart of a network discovery method according to a third embodiment of the present invention. As shown in fig. 3, the method may include:

s301, the AP receives a network detection request message sent by the station.

S302, the AP sends a network probe response message to the station on a sub-channel corresponding to the AP while sending a network probe response message to the station on a sub-channel corresponding to the other AP, where the other AP is any AP other than the AP in the plurality of APs in the area where the station is located.

The method according to the embodiment of the present invention is a method executed by an AP corresponding to the method according to the first embodiment or the second embodiment, and the beneficial effects are similar to those of the above embodiments, and are not described herein again.

Before the AP in S302 sends the network probe response message to the station on the sub-channel corresponding to the other AP and simultaneously sends the network probe response message to the station on the sub-channel corresponding to the AP, the method further includes:

the AP receives a trigger message sent by the station.

Optionally, the sending, by the AP in S302, the network probe response message to the station on the sub-channel corresponding to the AP while the other AP sends the network probe response message to the station on the sub-channel corresponding to the other AP, includes:

after the AP performs channel synchronization with the station according to the trigger message, the AP sends a network probe response message to the station on a sub-channel corresponding to the AP while the other AP sends a network probe response message to the station on a sub-channel corresponding to the AP.

It should be noted that the trigger message itself can be used as channel synchronization information, so that the AP performs channel difference with the station according to the trigger message. The trigger message may also carry information including channel synchronization information, so that the AP performs channel differentiation with the station according to the channel synchronization information carried by the trigger message.

Optionally, the receiving, by the AP, the trigger message sent by the station may include:

the AP receives the trigger message sent by the station at a first delay time after receiving the network probe request message, where the first delay time is greater than or equal to a maximum delay time for the APs to respond to the network probe request message.

Optionally, the network probe request message includes: indication of a second delay time.

Before the AP receives the trigger message sent by the station in the steps of the foregoing scheme, the method may further include:

and the AP determines the second delay time according to the indication information of the second delay time.

Correspondingly, the receiving, by the AP, the trigger message sent by the station may include:

and the AP receives the trigger message sent by the station at the second delay time after receiving the network probe request message.

Optionally, the network probe request message further includes: channel indication information.

In the above S302, before the AP sends the network probe response message to the station on the sub-channel corresponding to the other AP and at the same time sends the network probe response message to the station on the sub-channel corresponding to the AP, the method may further include:

Optionally, the network probe request message may further include: channel division rules and channel selection rules. Or,

the trigger message further includes: the channel division rule and the channel selection rule.

Before the AP determines the sub-channel corresponding to the AP according to the channel indication information in the foregoing step, the method may further include:

and the AP carries out channel division on a preset channel according to the channel division rule to obtain at least one sub-channel corresponding to the station.

Optionally, determining, by the AP, a sub-channel corresponding to the AP according to the channel indication information may include:

Example four

The fourth embodiment of the invention also provides a network discovery method. The fourth embodiment specifically illustrates the method of any one of the first to third embodiments by way of example. Fig. 4 is a flowchart of a network discovery method according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. As shown in fig. 4, the method may include:

s401, a station broadcasts and sends a network detection request message, wherein the network detection request message comprises: delay time, channel division rules, channel selection rules, and channel indication information.

The station may perform channel contention with other stations to determine a channel of the station, and then broadcast and transmit the network probe request message to a plurality of APs in an area where the station is located. The delay time may be a preset empirical value, and the empirical value may be greater than or equal to a maximum delay time of the plurality of APs in response to the network probe request message sent by the station.

S402, the station sends a trigger message to the APs at the delay time after sending the network probe request message.

S403, the APs receive the network probe request message sent by the station.

S404, the APs reserve channel resources according to the delay time, and receive the trigger message sent by the station at the delay time after receiving the network probe request message.

In order to ensure that each AP accurately determines the network probe request message and the trigger message, both the network probe request message and the trigger message may include the identifier of the station.

S405, the APs perform channel synchronization with the station according to the trigger information.

S406, the APs perform channel division on a preset channel according to the channel division rule to obtain at least one sub-channel of the station.

The channel division rule may be, for example, the OFDM channel division rule.

The APs may, for example, divide a plurality of subcarriers of a preset bandwidth into a plurality of carrier groups according to the channel division rule, where each carrier group includes at least one subcarrier. Each carrier group corresponds to a subchannel.

S407, the APs select sub-channels corresponding to the APs from the at least one sub-channel according to the channel selection rule and the channel indication information.

The channel indication information may be represented by a preset bit value of 1. The APs may determine that the preset bit value is binary 1 after receiving the channel indication information, determine a hash value by using a hash algorithm according to BSSID or MAC address of each of the APs, determine a sequence number of a carrier group according to the hash value, and then determine that the carrier group is a sub-channel corresponding to each of the APs.

S408, the APs simultaneously send the network probe response message to the station on the sub-channels corresponding to the APs respectively.

After receiving the network probe response message sent by the APs, the station may discover a network according to the network information in the network probe response message, determine an AP to be accessed by the station, and access the network through the AP to be accessed.

It should be noted that the channel division rule and the channel selection rule may also be sent to the APs through other information, such as the trigger message, and are not limited to be sent through the network probe request message. If the channel division rule and the channel selection rule pass other information, for example, the specific implementation scheme of sending the trigger message to the APs is similar to that in the second embodiment, and is not described herein again.

In the network discovery method provided by the fourth embodiment of the present invention, the method of any one of the first embodiment or the third embodiment is specifically described by examples, and the beneficial effects are similar to those of the embodiments described above and are not repeated herein.

EXAMPLE five

The fifth embodiment of the invention also provides a station. The station may perform the network discovery method of any of the first embodiment or the second embodiment. Fig. 5 is a schematic structural diagram of a station according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. As shown in fig. 5, the station 500 may include: a sending module 501 and a receiving module 502.

The sending module 501 is configured to broadcast a network probe request message.

A receiving module 502, configured to receive a network probe response message sent by multiple APs on respective sub-channels corresponding to the multiple APs at the same time, where the network probe response message is a response message sent by the multiple APs after receiving the network probe request message.

Optionally, the sending module 501 is further configured to send a trigger message to the multiple APs before the receiving module 502 receives the network probe response message that is sent by the multiple APs on the respective sub-channels corresponding to the multiple APs at the same time.

The receiving module 502 is specifically configured to receive the network probe response message sent by the multiple APs on the respective sub-channels corresponding to the multiple APs at the same time after the multiple APs receive the trigger message.

Optionally, the sending module 501 is further configured to send the trigger message to the multiple APs at a first delay time after the network probe request message is sent; the first delay time is greater than or equal to a maximum delay time for each AP of the plurality of APs to respond to the network probe request message.

Optionally, the network probe request message includes: indication information of a second delay time; the indication information of the second delay time is used to indicate that the plurality of APs receive the trigger message sent by the station after receiving the second delay time after receiving the network probe request message.

The sending module 501 is further configured to send the trigger message to the APs at the second delay time after the network probe request message is sent.

Optionally, the network probe request message further includes: channel indication information; the channel indication information is used for indicating the plurality of APs to determine the sub-channels corresponding to the plurality of APs according to the channel indication information.

Optionally, the network probe request message further includes: channel division rules and channel selection rules; or,

The station provided in the fifth embodiment of the present invention can execute the network discovery method according to any one of the first embodiment and the second embodiment, and the beneficial effects thereof are similar to those in the first embodiment or the second embodiment, and are not described herein again.

EXAMPLE six

The sixth embodiment of the invention provides an access point AP. The AP may perform the network discovery method described in the third embodiment. Fig. 6 is a schematic structural diagram of an AP according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention. As shown in fig. 6, the AP 600 may include:

a receiving module 601, configured to receive a network probe request message sent by a station.

A sending module 602, configured to send a network probe response message to the station on a sub-channel corresponding to the AP while sending the network probe response message to the station on a sub-channel corresponding to the other AP by another AP; the other AP is any AP other than the AP among the APs in the area of the station.

Optionally, the receiving module 601 is further configured to receive the trigger message sent by the station before the sending module 602 sends the network probe response message to the station on the sub-channel corresponding to the other AP while the other AP sends the network probe response message to the station on the sub-channel corresponding to the other AP.

Optionally, the receiving module 601 is further configured to receive the trigger message sent by the station at a first delay time after receiving the network probing request message; the first delay time is greater than or equal to a maximum delay time for the plurality of APs to respond to the network probe request message.

The AP 600 further includes:

a first determining module, configured to determine the second delay time according to the indication information of the second delay time before the receiving module 601 receives the trigger message sent by the station.

Correspondingly, the receiving module 601 is further configured to receive the trigger message sent by the station at the second delay time after receiving the network probe request message.

The AP 600 further includes:

a second determining module, configured to determine, according to the channel indication information, a sub-channel corresponding to the AP before the sending module 602 sends the network probe response message to the station on the sub-channel corresponding to the other AP and simultaneously sends the network probe response message to the station on the sub-channel corresponding to the AP.

The AP 600 further includes:

a dividing module, configured to perform channel division on a preset channel according to the channel division rule to obtain at least one sub-channel corresponding to the station before the second determining module determines the sub-channel corresponding to the AP according to the channel indication information.

The AP provided in the sixth embodiment of the present invention can execute the network discovery method in the third embodiment, and the beneficial effects thereof are similar to those of the above embodiments and are not described herein again.

EXAMPLE seven

The seventh embodiment of the invention also provides a station. The station of the seventh embodiment may perform the network discovery method described in the first embodiment or the second embodiment. Fig. 7 is a schematic structural diagram of a station according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention. As shown in fig. 7, the site 700 may include: a receiver 701, a processor 702, and a transmitter 703.

The transmitter 703 is configured to broadcast and send a network probe request message.

A receiver 701, configured to receive a network probe response message sent by multiple APs on respective sub-channels corresponding to the multiple APs at the same time, where the network probe response message is a response message sent by the multiple APs after receiving the network probe request message.

Optionally, the transmitter 703 is further configured to send a trigger message to the multiple APs before the receiver 701 station receives the network probe response message sent by the multiple APs simultaneously on the sub-channels corresponding to the multiple APs, respectively.

The receiver 701 is specifically configured to receive the network probe response message sent by the multiple APs on the sub-channels corresponding to the multiple APs at the same time after the multiple APs receive the trigger message.

The transmitter 703 is further configured to send the trigger message to the plurality of APs at a first delay time after sending the network probe request message; the first delay time is greater than or equal to a maximum delay time for each AP of the plurality of APs to respond to the network probe request message.

Correspondingly, the transmitter 703 is further configured to send a trigger message to the APs at the second delay time after sending the network probe request message.

The station provided in the seventh embodiment of the present invention can execute the network discovery method according to the first embodiment or the second embodiment, and the beneficial effects thereof are similar to those of the foregoing embodiments and are not described herein again.

Example eight

The eighth embodiment of the invention also provides the AP. The AP may perform the network discovery method of the third embodiment. Fig. 8 is a schematic structural diagram of an AP according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention. As shown in fig. 8, the AP800 may include: receiver 801, processor 802, and transmitter 803.

Optionally, the receiver 801 is configured to receive a network probe request message sent by a station.

A transmitter 803, configured to send a network probe response message to the station on a sub-channel corresponding to the AP while sending the network probe response message to the station on a sub-channel corresponding to the other AP by using the other AP; the other AP is any AP other than the AP among the APs in the area of the station.

Optionally, the receiver 801 is further configured to receive the trigger message sent by the station before the AP sends the network probe response message to the station on the sub-channel corresponding to the AP while the other AP sends the network probe response message to the station on the sub-channel corresponding to the other AP.

Optionally, the receiver 801 is further configured to receive the trigger message sent by the station at a first delay time after receiving the network probe request message; the first delay time is greater than or equal to a maximum delay time for the plurality of APs to respond to the network probe request message.

The processor 802 is further configured to determine the second delay time according to the indication information of the second delay time before the receiver 801 receives the trigger message sent by the station.

Correspondingly, the receiver 801 is further configured to receive the trigger message sent by the station at the second delay time after receiving the network probe request message.

The processor 802 is further configured to determine the sub-channel corresponding to the AP according to the channel indication information before the transmitter 803 sends the network probe response message to the station on the sub-channel corresponding to the AP while the other AP sends the network probe response message to the station on the sub-channel corresponding to the other AP.

Optionally, the network probe request message further includes: channel division rules and channel selection rules. Or,

the processor 802 is further configured to, before determining the sub-channel corresponding to the AP according to the channel indication information, perform channel division on a preset channel according to the channel division rule to obtain at least one sub-channel corresponding to the station, and determine the sub-channel corresponding to the AP from the at least one sub-channel according to the channel indication information and the channel selection rule.

The AP provided in the eighth embodiment of the present invention can execute the network discovery method in the third embodiment, and the beneficial effects thereof are similar to those in the foregoing embodiments and are not described herein again.

Those of ordinary skill in the art will understand that: all or a portion of the steps of implementing the above-described method embodiments may be performed by hardware associated with program instructions. The program may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. When executed, the program performs steps comprising the method embodiments described above; and the aforementioned storage medium includes: various media that can store program codes, such as ROM, RAM, magnetic or optical disks.

Finally, it should be noted that: the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solution of the present invention, and not to limit the same; while the invention has been described in detail and with reference to the foregoing embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that: the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments may still be modified, or some or all of the technical features may be equivalently replaced; and the modifications or the substitutions do not make the essence of the corresponding technical solutions depart from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for network discovery, comprising:

a site broadcasts and sends a network detection request message;

the station sends a trigger message to a plurality of APs; the trigger message is used for indicating the plurality of APs to perform channel synchronization with the station respectively according to the channel synchronization information carried by the trigger message;

and the station receives a network detection response message which is simultaneously sent on the sub-channels corresponding to the plurality of APs after the plurality of APs receive the trigger message, wherein the network detection response message is a response message sent by the plurality of APs after receiving the network detection request message.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the station sends a trigger message to the plurality of APs, comprising:

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the network probe request message comprises: indication information of a second delay time; the indication information of the second delay time is used to indicate that the plurality of APs receive the trigger message sent by the station after receiving the second delay time after receiving the network probe request message;

4. The method according to any of claims 1-3, wherein the network probe request message further comprises: channel indication information; the channel indication information is used for indicating the plurality of APs to determine the sub-channels corresponding to the plurality of APs according to the channel indication information.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the network probe request message further comprises: channel division rules and channel selection rules; or,

6. A method for network discovery, comprising:

the AP receives a trigger message sent by the station; the trigger message is used for indicating the AP to perform channel synchronization with the station respectively according to the channel synchronization information carried by the trigger message;

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the AP receiving the trigger message sent by the station comprises:

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the network probe request message comprises: indication information of a second delay time;

9. The method according to any of claims 6-8, wherein the network probe request message further comprises: channel indication information;

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the network probe request message further comprises: channel division rules and channel selection rules; or,

11. A station, comprising:

a receiving module, configured to receive a network probe response message sent by multiple APs on respective sub-channels corresponding to the multiple APs at the same time, where the network probe response message is a response message sent by the multiple APs after receiving the network probe request message;

the sending module is further configured to send a trigger message to the plurality of APs before the receiving module receives the network probe response message sent by the plurality of APs on the respective sub-channels corresponding to the plurality of APs at the same time; the trigger message is used for indicating the plurality of APs to perform channel synchronization with the station respectively according to the channel synchronization information carried by the trigger message;

12. The station of claim 11,

the sending module is further configured to send the trigger message to the plurality of APs at a first delay time after the network probe request message is sent; the first delay time is greater than or equal to a maximum delay time for each of the plurality of APs to respond to the network probe request message.

13. The station of claim 11, wherein the network probe request message comprises: indication information of a second delay time; the indication information of the second delay time is used to indicate that the plurality of APs receive the trigger message sent by the station after receiving the second delay time after receiving the network probe request message;

14. A station according to any of claims 11 to 13, wherein the network probe request message further comprises: channel indication information; the channel indication information is used for indicating the plurality of APs to determine the sub-channels corresponding to the plurality of APs according to the channel indication information.

15. The station of claim 14, wherein the network probe request message further comprises: channel division rules and channel selection rules; or,

16. An access point, AP, comprising:

a sending module, configured to send a network probe response message to the station on a sub-channel corresponding to the AP while sending the network probe response message to the station on a sub-channel corresponding to the other AP by another AP; the other AP is any one of a plurality of APs in the area of the site except the AP;

the receiving module is further configured to receive a trigger message sent by the station before the sending module sends the network probe response message to the station on the sub-channel corresponding to the other AP while the other AP sends the network probe response message to the station on the sub-channel corresponding to the AP; the trigger message is used for indicating the AP to perform channel synchronization with the station respectively according to the channel synchronization information carried by the trigger message.

17. The AP of claim 16,

the receiving module is further configured to receive the trigger message sent by the station at a first delay time after the network probe request message is received; the first delay time is greater than or equal to a maximum delay time for the plurality of APs to respond to the network probe request message.

18. The AP of claim 16, wherein the network probe request message comprises: indication information of a second delay time;

the AP further comprises:

19. The AP of any of claims 16-18, wherein the network probe request message further comprises: channel indication information;

the AP further comprises:

a second determining module, configured to determine, according to the channel indication information, a sub-channel corresponding to the AP before the sending module sends the network probe response message to the station on the sub-channel corresponding to the other AP and simultaneously sends the network probe response message to the station on the sub-channel corresponding to the AP.

20. The AP of claim 19,

the network probe request message further comprises: channel division rules and channel selection rules; or,

the AP further comprises: