CN114340041A

CN114340041A - Data transmission method and device

Info

Publication number: CN114340041A
Application number: CN202011058049.4A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 黄国刚; 淦明; 郭宇宸; 李云波; 李伊青
Original assignee: Huawei Technologies Co Ltd
Current assignee: Huawei Technologies Co Ltd
Priority date: 2020-09-29
Filing date: 2020-09-29
Publication date: 2022-04-12
Also published as: WO2022068602A1

Abstract

A data transmission method and device relate to the technical field of communication, and the data transmission method comprises the following steps: a first frame is generated, the first frame containing remapping reason information, the remapping reason information being used to indicate a remapping reason. And transmitting the first frame. By carrying the reason information for establishing the mapping relationship between the service identifier and the link in the wireless frame, the response end equipment can quickly and accurately establish the mapping relationship between the service identifier and the link between the response end equipment and the request end equipment according to the reason information, and the signaling overhead and the time delay caused by repeated negotiation are avoided.

Description

Data transmission method and device

Technical Field

The present application relates to the field of wireless communication technologies, and in particular, to a data transmission method and apparatus.

Background

With the development of wireless communication technology, more and more wireless communication devices support multi-link communication. For example, communication is supported on multiple links of different communication frequency bands (e.g., 2.4GHz, 5GHz, 6GHz, etc.), or communication is supported on different channels of the same communication frequency band, so as to improve the communication efficiency of the communication device. Among them, a communication device supporting multi-link communication may be referred to as a Multi Link Device (MLD). A multilink device includes a multilink Access Point (AP) and a multilink Station (STA).

The multilink needs to be established before communication between the multilink AP and the multilink STA. In the process of establishing the multilink, a mapping relationship may be established between a Traffic Identifier (TID) and the link. Therefore, service management can be better carried out in the subsequent multilink communication process. For example, different service identifiers are mapped to corresponding links according to the rate or service delay characteristics of different links, thereby providing different service qualities for different services.

In the process of establishing the mapping relationship between the service and the link, the requesting device (such as a multi-link AP device or a multi-link STA device) sends the mapping relationship between the service and the link to the responding device (such as a multi-link AP device or a multi-link STA device) according to the link condition and/or the service requirement. However, the mapping relationship may not meet the requirements of the responding device, resulting in a failure in establishing the mapping relationship.

Therefore, multiple negotiations are required between the multilink AP and the multilink STA to successfully establish the mapping relationship between the service and the link. Therefore, how to quickly and effectively establish the mapping relationship between the service and the link is an urgent technical problem to be solved.

Disclosure of Invention

The application provides a data transmission method, which is used for enabling a response end device to quickly and accurately establish a mapping relation between a service identifier and a link between request end devices according to relevant auxiliary information by carrying the relevant auxiliary information for establishing the mapping relation between the service identifier and the link in a wireless frame, and avoiding signaling overhead and time delay caused by repeated negotiation.

In a first aspect, a data transmission method is provided, where the method includes: a first frame is generated, the first frame containing remapping reason information, the remapping reason information being used to indicate a remapping reason. The first frame is transmitted.

The method may be performed by a first device (such as a multi-link AP or a multi-link STA), or may be performed by a component (such as a chip system) in the first device.

Based on the above technical solution, the first device informs the second device of the reason for initiating the establishment of the mapping relationship between the service identifier and the link. Therefore, the second device can establish the mapping relation between the service identifier and the link according to the reason, so that the TID-to-link mapping negotiation failure caused by the fact that the established mapping relation does not meet the requirements of the first device is avoided, and the TID-to-link mapping negotiation efficiency is improved.

In one possible implementation, the remapping reason information is carried in one or several of the following fields: the maximum link number field allowed to be opened, the link set information field, the link quality report information field and the service quality QoS report information field are closed; wherein, the maximum link number permitted to be opened subfield is used for indicating the maximum link number permitted to be opened; the closing link set information field is used for indicating a link set needing to be closed; the link quality report information field is used for indicating link quality information; the QoS report information field is used to indicate quality of service information.

Optionally, the link quality information includes, for example, the following one or more items: the RSSI value is indicated by the received signal strength, the SINR value is indicated by the signal to interference plus noise ratio (SINR), the indication information whether the RSSI meets the first condition or not and the indication information whether the SINR meets the second condition or not.

Optionally, the service quality information includes, for example, a QoS value, or information indicating whether the QoS satisfies a third condition.

In this way, different remapping reasons are carried in different fields, and after the response end device receives the first frame, the corresponding remapping reasons can be obtained in the corresponding fields.

In a possible implementation manner, the first frame includes first indication information, where the first indication information is used to indicate whether a field carrying the remapping reason information is present in the first frame. The first indication information is carried in a control field including a first subfield, a second subfield, a third subfield, and a fourth subfield. Wherein the first subfield is used to indicate whether the maximum number of links field allowed to be turned on is present in the first frame. The first subfield and/or the second subfield are used to indicate whether the closed link set information field is present in the first frame. The third subfield is used to indicate whether the link quality report information field is present in the first frame. The fourth subfield is used to indicate whether the QoS report information field is present in the first frame.

As such, the remapping cause information contained in the first frame is indicated by the first subfield, the second subfield, the third subfield, and the fourth subfield. The responder device can acquire the remapping reason in the corresponding field according to the indication, and the TID-to-link mapping is quickly negotiated.

In a possible implementation manner, the first frame includes first indication information, where the first indication information is used to indicate whether a field carrying the remapping reason information is present in the first frame. The first indication information is carried in the remapping reason field, and a first value and/or a second value of the remapping reason field are/is used for indicating whether the closing link set information field appears in the first frame or not. A third value of the remap cause field to indicate whether the link quality report information field is present in the first frame. A fourth value of the remap cause field to indicate whether the QoS report information field is present in the first frame.

In a possible implementation manner, the first frame includes first indication information, where the first indication information is used to indicate whether a field carrying the remapping reason information is present in the first frame. The first indication information is carried in a control field and a remapping reason field, the control field including a first subfield, a second subfield, a third subfield, and a fourth subfield. Wherein a first value of the first subfield and the remapping reason field is used to indicate whether the maximum number of links allowed to be turned on is present in the first frame. The first subfield, the second subfield, a first value of the remap reason field, and one or more contents of a second value of the remap reason field, which are used to indicate whether the information field for closing link set is present in the first frame. A third subfield and a third value of the remap cause field to indicate whether the received signal strength indication link quality report information field is present in the first frame. A fourth subfield and a fourth value of the remap cause field to indicate whether the QoS report information field is present in the first frame.

Therefore, the accuracy of the transmission of the remap reason information is improved by indicating the remap reason field through the first subfield, the second subfield, the third subfield, the fourth subfield, and the remap reason field, and double-confirming to further determine whether the first frame contains the information field of the closed link set, and/or the information field of the link quality report, and/or the information field of the QoS report.

It can be understood that the remapping reason information carried in the control field and the remapping reason field do not conflict, and only effective transmission of the remapping reason can be achieved.

In one possible implementation, the method further includes: and receiving a second frame, wherein the second frame carries second service identifier mapping information, the second service identifier mapping information is based on a remapping reason, and the second service identifier mapping information is used for indicating a second mapping relation between a service identifier and a link.

Specifically, the second device determines a second mapping relationship between the service identifier and the link based on the first remapping reason and in combination with some considerations of the second device, such as a requirement for a link transmission rate, and generates a second frame.

In a possible implementation manner, the second service identifier mapping information is carried in a service identifier and link mapping information field, and the service identifier and link mapping information field is used for indicating the second mapping relationship by using a corresponding relationship between the service identifier and a bitmap of the link. Or, the service identifier and the link mapping information field are used for indicating the second mapping relationship by using the correspondence between the identifier of the link and the bitmap of the service identifier. Or, the service identifier and link mapping information field includes a fifth subfield, and a fifth value of the fifth subfield is used for indicating that the service identifier and link mapping information field indicates a second mapping relationship by using a corresponding relationship between the service identifier and a bit bitmap of the link; and a sixth value of the fifth subfield is used for indicating that the corresponding relation between the service identifier and the link mapping information field by using the identifier of the link and the bitmap of the service identifier indicates the second mapping relation. Or, the service identifier and link mapping information field includes a fifth subfield, and a seventh value of the fifth subfield is used for indicating that the service identifier and link mapping information field indicates a second mapping relationship by using a corresponding relationship between the service identifier and a bit bitmap of the link; an eighth value of the fifth subfield, configured to indicate that the service identifier and the link mapping information field indicate the second mapping relationship by using a correspondence between the link identifier and a bitmap of the service identifier; and a ninth value of the fifth subfield, which is used for indicating that the corresponding relation between the service identifier and the link mapping information field by using the bit map of the link and the bit map of the service identifier indicates the second mapping relation. Or, the service identifier and link mapping information field includes a fifth subfield, and a tenth value of the fifth subfield is used for indicating that the service identifier and link mapping information field indicates a second mapping relationship by using a corresponding relationship between the service identifier and a bit bitmap of the link; and the eleventh value of the fifth subfield is used for indicating that the corresponding relation between the service identifier and the link mapping information field by using the bit map of the service identifier and the bit map of the link indicates the second mapping relation. Or, the service identifier and link mapping information field includes a fifth subfield, and a twelfth value of the fifth subfield is used for indicating that the service identifier and link mapping information field indicates a second mapping relationship by using a corresponding relationship of the link identifier and a bitmap of the service identifier; and a thirteenth value of the fifth subfield, configured to indicate that the service identifier and the link mapping information field indicate the second mapping relationship by using a correspondence between a bitmap of the link and a bitmap of the service identifier.

Thus, by any one of the above 6 manners, the transmission of the service identifier mapping information is flexibly achieved, so that the responding end device can quickly acquire the mapping relationship between the service identifier and the link, and complete the TID-to-link mapping negotiation.

In a possible implementation manner, the second service identifier mapping information further carries a direction of a second mapping relationship between the service identifier and the link.

Optionally, the control field further includes a service identifier direction subfield for indicating a direction of the service identifier. For example, if the traffic id direction subfield occupies 1 bit, it is used to indicate whether the TID is unidirectional or bidirectional. Wherein the direction of the one-way indication is the same as the TID direction corresponding to the device that sent the first frame. Bi-directional includes an upstream direction and a downstream direction. For another example, if the traffic identification direction subfield occupies 2 bits, it is used to indicate that the TID is in the uplink direction, the downlink direction or the bidirectional direction. For example, 10 indicates an uplink direction, 01 indicates a downlink direction, 11 indicates a bidirectional direction, and 00 is a reserved value.

In one possible implementation, the method further includes: a third frame is transmitted indicating an acknowledgement or a negative acknowledgement to the second frame.

That is, the third frame indicates whether the first device accepts the second mapping relationship or whether the second mapping relationship is established successfully.

In this way, the second device can determine whether TID-to-link mapping is established successfully after receiving the third frame.

In a possible implementation manner, the first frame further includes first service identifier mapping information, where the first service identifier mapping information is based on a remapping reason, and the first service identifier mapping information is used to indicate a first mapping relationship between a service identifier and a link.

Optionally, the first device may first determine a mapping relationship between a group of service identifiers and a link according to the remapping reason. Then, subsequently, the second device may choose to accept, modify or replace the mapping relationship, thereby improving negotiation efficiency.

In one possible implementation, the method further includes: the second frame also carries a status code, and the status code is used for indicating whether the mapping relationship between the service identifier and the link is established successfully.

In a possible implementation manner, if the mapping relationship between the service identifier and the link fails to be established, the status code carries a reason for the establishment failure.

Therefore, the first device can determine whether the mapping relationship between the service identifier and the link is successfully established according to the status code. Further, if the establishment fails, whether to accept the second service identifier mapping information is determined.

In a possible implementation manner, the first frame also carries a remapping mode, and the remapping mode includes an immediate remapping mode or a delayed remapping mode.

The instant remapping mode is to immediately remap according to the negotiated TID-to-link mapping after the mapping relation between the service identifier and the link is successfully negotiated. The delayed remapping mode refers to remapping according to the negotiated TID-to-link mapping after waiting for a period of time after the mapping relation between the service identifier and the link is successfully negotiated.

Specifically, for some devices with weak capability, it may not be possible to immediately move a protocol data unit (MAC, MPDU) on one link to another link for transmission, i.e. to immediately perform remapping. Therefore, a preset waiting time is required. Correspondingly, the duration of waiting can also be indicated by the remapping delay timer field in the first frame, so that the remapping can be successfully completed.

In a second aspect, a data transmission method is provided, which includes: a first frame is received, the first frame including remapping reason information, the remapping reason information indicating a remapping reason. The first frame is parsed.

In a possible implementation manner, the first frame includes first indication information, where the first indication information is used to indicate whether a field carrying the remapping reason information is present in the first frame. The first indication information is carried in a remapping reason field. Wherein a first value of the remap reason field is used to indicate whether the maximum number of links allowed to be turned on is present in the first frame. And the first value and/or the second value of the remapping reason field are/is used for indicating whether the information field for closing the link set is present in the first frame or not. A third value of the remap cause field to indicate whether the link quality report information field is present in the first frame. A fourth value of the remap cause field to indicate whether the QoS report information field is present in the first frame.

In a possible implementation manner, the first frame includes first indication information, where the first indication information is used to indicate whether a field carrying the remapping reason information is present in the first frame. The first indication information is carried in a control field and a remapping reason field, the control field including a first subfield, a second subfield, a third subfield, and a fourth subfield. Wherein a first value of the first subfield and the remapping reason field is used to indicate whether the maximum number of links allowed to be turned on is present in the first frame. The first subfield, the second subfield, a first value of the remap reason field, and one or more contents of a second value of the remap reason field, which are used to indicate whether the information field for closing link set is present in the first frame. A third value of the third subfield and the remapping reason field indicates whether the link quality report information field is present in the first frame. A fourth subfield and a fourth value of the remap cause field to indicate whether the QoS report information field is present in the first frame.

In one possible implementation, the method further includes: and generating a second frame, wherein the second frame carries second service identifier mapping information, the second service identifier mapping information is based on a remapping reason, and the second service identifier mapping information is used for indicating a second mapping relation between the service identifier and the link. The second frame is transmitted.

In one possible implementation, the method further includes: a third frame is received indicating an acknowledgement or a negative acknowledgement to the second frame.

In addition, for technical effects of the data transmission method of the second aspect, reference may be made to the technical effects of the data transmission method of the first aspect, and details are not repeated here.

In a third aspect, a data transmission method is provided, where the method includes: and sending a management frame and a target link identification on a failed second link on the first link, wherein the target link identification is used for indicating a receiving end multi-link device MLD to forward the received management frame to a module corresponding to the target link identification.

The management frame is a unicast management frame sent by the first device to a certain module in the second device, and the target link identifier is used for pointing to the module. A module refers to a certain device in the MLD device. Such as a certain AP in the AP MLD. For another example, a STA in the STA MLD.

Based on the technical scheme, by using the target link identifier, even in the case that some links fail or are unreachable, the management frame which should be sent can be sent to the low MAC layer corresponding to the failed or unreachable link, so that the failure of sending the management frame is avoided.

In one possible implementation, the method further includes: and sending a reporting link identifier on the first link, wherein the reporting link identifier is used for indicating a receiving end MLD to send a response frame on the first link corresponding to the reporting link identifier.

In one possible implementation, the target link identification and the reporting link identification are carried in an aggregation control a-control field of the MAC frame.

Illustratively, the management frame includes a reporting link identifier (reporting link ID) and a destination link identifier (destination link ID). Wherein the reporting link identifier includes a reporting link identification for indicating an identification of a link that actually transmits the management frame. The destination link identifier includes a destination link identification indicating the identity of the final link to which forwarding is required.

In one possible implementation, the management frame, the target link identifier, and the reporting link identifier are carried in a frame body of the functional frame.

Optionally, a new functional frame is defined, and the transparent transmission management frame, the target link identifier and the report link identifier are carried in the functional frame.

In a fourth aspect, a data transmission method is provided, which includes: management frames and target link identifications on a failed second link are received on a first link. And determining to forward the received management frame to a module corresponding to the target link identification according to the target link identification.

In a possible implementation manner, a reporting link identifier is received on the first link, and the reporting link identifier is used to instruct that a response frame is sent on the first link corresponding to the reporting link identifier.

In addition, for technical effects of the data transmission method of the fourth aspect, reference may be made to the technical effects of the data transmission method of the third aspect, and details are not repeated here.

In a fifth aspect, a data transmission device is provided, which includes a processing module and a communication module. The processing module is used for generating a first frame, the first frame comprises remapping reason information, and the remapping reason information is used for indicating a remapping reason. A communication module for transmitting the first frame.

In a possible implementation manner, the communication module is further configured to receive a second frame, where the second frame carries second service identifier mapping information, the second service identifier mapping information is based on a remapping reason, and the second service identifier mapping information is used to indicate a second mapping relationship between a service identifier and a link.

In a possible implementation, the communication module is further configured to transmit a third frame indicating an acknowledgement or a negative acknowledgement for the second frame.

Optionally, the communication module may include a receiving module and a transmitting module. The receiving module is used for receiving data sent by other equipment. The sending module is used for sending data to other equipment. The embodiment of the present application does not specifically limit the specific implementation manner of the communication module.

Optionally, the communication device according to the fifth aspect may further include a storage module, where the storage module stores a program or instructions. The processing module, when executing the program or instructions, causes the data transmission apparatus according to the fifth aspect to perform the data transmission method according to the first aspect.

It should be noted that the data transmission device in the fifth aspect may be an AP or an STA, or may be a chip or a chip system disposed in the AP or the STA, which is not limited in this application.

For technical effects of the data transmission apparatus according to the fifth aspect, reference may be made to the technical effects of the data transmission method according to the first aspect, and details are not repeated here.

In a sixth aspect, a data transmission device is provided, which includes a processing module and a communication module. The communication module is used for receiving a first frame, wherein the first frame comprises remapping reason information, and the remapping reason information is used for indicating a remapping reason. And the processing module is used for analyzing the first frame.

In a possible implementation manner, the processing module is further configured to generate a second frame, where the second frame carries second service identifier mapping information, the second service identifier mapping information is based on a remapping reason, and the second service identifier mapping information is used to indicate a second mapping relationship between a service identifier and a link. And the communication module is also used for sending the second frame.

In a possible implementation, the communication module is further configured to receive a third frame, where the third frame is used to indicate an acknowledgement or a negative acknowledgement for the second frame.

In a possible implementation manner, the second frame further carries a status code, and the status code is used to indicate whether the mapping relationship between the service identifier and the link is successfully established.

Optionally, the communication device according to the sixth aspect may further include a storage module, where the storage module stores a program or an instruction. The processing module, when executing the program or the instructions, enables the data transmission apparatus according to the sixth aspect to execute the data transmission method according to the second aspect.

It should be noted that the data transmission device in the sixth aspect may be an AP or an STA, or may be a chip or a chip system disposed in the AP or the STA, which is not limited in this application.

For technical effects of the data transmission apparatus according to the sixth aspect, reference may be made to the technical effects of the data transmission method according to the second aspect, and details are not repeated here.

A seventh aspect provides a data transmission apparatus, including a communication module. The communication module is configured to send a management frame and a target link identifier on a failed second link on a first link, where the target link identifier is used to instruct the receiving-end multi-link device MLD to forward the received management frame to a module corresponding to the target link identifier.

In a possible implementation manner, the communication module is further configured to send a reporting link identifier on the first link, where the reporting link identifier is used to instruct the receiving end MLD to send a response frame on the first link corresponding to the reporting link identifier.

Optionally, the communication device according to the seventh aspect may further include a processing module and a storage module, where the storage module stores a program or instructions. When the processing module executes the program or the instructions, the data transmission apparatus according to the seventh aspect may be caused to execute the data transmission method according to the third aspect.

It should be noted that the data transmission device in the seventh aspect may be an AP or an STA, or may be a chip or a chip system disposed in the AP or the STA, which is not limited in this application.

For technical effects of the data transmission apparatus in the seventh aspect, reference may be made to the technical effects of the data transmission method in the third aspect, and details are not repeated here.

In an eighth aspect, a data transmission device is provided, which includes a processing module and a communication module. And the communication module is used for receiving the management frame and the target link identification on the failed second link on the first link. And the processing module is used for determining to forward the received management frame to a module corresponding to the target link identifier according to the target link identifier.

In a possible implementation manner, the communication module is further configured to receive a reporting link identifier on the first link, where the reporting link identifier is used to instruct that the response frame is sent on the first link corresponding to the reporting link identifier.

In one possible implementation, the management frame, the target link identifier, and the reporting link identifier are carried in the frame body of the functional frame.

Optionally, the communication device according to the eighth aspect may further include a storage module, where the storage module stores a program or instructions. When the processing module executes the program or the instructions, the data transmission apparatus according to the eighth aspect is enabled to execute the data transmission method according to the fourth aspect.

It should be noted that, the data transmission device in the eighth aspect may be an AP or an STA, or may be a chip or a chip system disposed in the AP or the STA, which is not limited in this application.

The technical effect of the data transmission apparatus according to the eighth aspect may refer to the technical effect of the data transmission method according to the fourth aspect, and details are not repeated here.

In a ninth aspect, there is provided a data transmission apparatus comprising a processor and a transceiver for implementing any one of the methods provided in any one of the first to fourth aspects. Wherein the processor is configured to perform processing actions in the respective method and the transceiver is configured to perform receiving/transmitting actions in the respective method.

In a tenth aspect, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, which stores computer instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform any one of the methods provided in any one of the first to fourth aspects.

In an eleventh aspect, there is provided a computer program product comprising computer instructions which, when run on a computer, cause the computer to perform any one of the methods provided in any one of the first to fourth aspects.

In a twelfth aspect, there is provided a chip comprising: processing circuitry and transceiver pins for implementing any one of the methods provided in any one of the first to fourth aspects above. The processing circuit is used for executing processing actions in the corresponding method, and the transceiving pin is used for executing receiving/transmitting actions in the corresponding method.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a first schematic diagram of a communication system according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 2 is a second schematic diagram of a communication system according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of a frame structure of a multilink information unit according to an embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a frame structure of a target wake time unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

fig. 5 is a schematic diagram of a frame format of a first frame according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 6 is a first schematic diagram illustrating a frame structure of a service identifier and a link mapping information field according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 7 is a second schematic diagram of a frame structure of a service identifier and a link mapping information field according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 8 is a third schematic diagram of a frame structure of a service identifier and a link mapping information field according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 9 is a fourth schematic diagram of a frame structure of a service identifier and a link mapping information field according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 10 is a first flowchart of a data transmission method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 11 is a schematic flow chart of a data transmission method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 12 is a third schematic flowchart of a data transmission method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 13 is a schematic structural diagram of an AP MLD and a STA MLD participating in communication according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 14 is a fourth schematic flowchart of a data transmission method according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 15 is a schematic diagram of a frame format of a transparent management frame according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 16 is a schematic structural diagram of a data transmission device according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 17 is a schematic structural diagram of another data transmission device according to an embodiment of the present application.

Detailed Description

In the description of this application, "/" means "or" unless otherwise stated, for example, A/B may mean A or B. "and/or" herein is merely an association describing an associated object, and means that there may be three relationships, e.g., a and/or B, which may mean: a exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists alone. Further, "at least one" means one or more, "a plurality" means two or more. The terms "first", "second", and the like do not necessarily limit the number and execution order, and the terms "first", "second", and the like do not necessarily limit the difference.

In this application, the words "exemplary" or "such as" are used to mean serving as an example, instance, or illustration. Any embodiment or design described herein as "exemplary" or "e.g.," is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments or designs. Rather, use of the word "exemplary" or "such as" is intended to present concepts related in a concrete fashion.

First, abbreviations for terms referred to in the present application are introduced as shown in the following table 1.

TABLE 1

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a communication system according to an embodiment of the present application. For example, the communication system employs a system of IEEE 802.11 standard. Illustratively, the IEEE 802.11 standard includes, but is not limited to: the 802.11be standard, or the next generation 802.11 standard. The applicable scenes of the technical scheme of the application comprise: communication between the AP and the STA, communication between the AP and the AP, communication between the STA and the STA, and the like. As shown in fig. 1, the communication system includes at least one multi-link AP 100 and at least one multi-link STA 200. For example, the multi-link STA 200 includes a multi-link STA 1, a multi-link STA 2, and a multi-link STA 3.

Alternatively, the STA related to the embodiments of the present application may be various user terminals, user apparatuses, access devices, subscriber stations, subscriber units, mobile stations, user agents, user equipments or other names with wireless communication functions, wherein the user terminals may include various handheld devices, vehicle-mounted devices, wearable devices, computing devices or other processing devices connected to wireless modems with wireless communication functions, and various forms of User Equipment (UE), Mobile Stations (MS), terminals (terminal), terminal equipment (terminal equipment), portable communication devices, handsets, portable computing devices, entertainment devices, game devices or systems, global positioning system devices or any other suitable devices configured to perform network communication via a wireless medium, and the like. Herein, for convenience of description, the above-mentioned devices are collectively referred to as a station, or STA, or multi-link STA device, or STA MLD, or non-access point station (non-AP STA), or non-AP MLD.

Optionally, the access point AP according to the embodiment of the present application is a device deployed in a wireless communication network to provide a wireless communication function for an associated STA thereof, and the access point AP may be used as a hub of the communication system and may be a base station, a router, a gateway, a repeater, a communication server, a switch, or a bridge, and other communication devices, where the base station may include various macro base stations, micro base stations, relay stations, and the like. Herein, for convenience of description, the above-mentioned devices are collectively referred to as an access point AP, or a multi-link AP device, or an AP MLD.

For ease of understanding, the following description will first describe related terms and concepts to which embodiments of the present application may relate.

1) Multi-link communication

In the evolution of cellular networks and WLANs, MLDs are capable of transmitting and receiving data over multiple links. Multiple links may be deployed over multiple bands (multi-bands), where one or more links may be on a band. The multiple frequency bands may include, but are not limited to, the following: a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi frequency band, a 5GHz Wi-Fi frequency band and a 6GHz Wi-Fi frequency band. Also, the MLD may communicate over multiple channels on the same frequency band. The multiple bands or channels may be collectively referred to as multilinks. The peak throughput is improved in a multi-link communication mode, the time delay of service transmission is reduced, and the communication rate between MLDs is further improved.

Illustratively, as shown in fig. 2, the multi-link AP includes M APs, e.g., AP #1 to AP # M. The M APs are in one-to-one correspondence with the M links supported by the multi-link AP. The multi-link STA may include N STAs, e.g., STA #1 to STA # N. The N STAs are in one-to-one correspondence with the N links supported by the multilink STA. Wherein M, N are each integers greater than 1. M may or may not be equal to N.

A STA operating on one link in a multi-link STA may be associated with an AP operating on the same link in a multi-link AP so that the STA and the AP may perform data transmission over the link. For example, STA #1 of the multilink STAs is associated with AP #1 of the multilink AP, so that communication between STA #1 and AP #1 is performed through link 1. STA #2 of the multilink STAs is associated with AP #2 of the multilink AP, so that communication between STA #2 and AP #2 is performed through link 2. STA #3 of the multilink STAs is associated with AP #3 of the multilink AP, so that communication between STA #3 and AP #3 is performed through link 3. By analogy, the description is omitted.

Further, the links between the multi-link STA and the multi-link AP may be deployed in the same or different frequency bands. For example, link 1 is deployed in the 2.4GHz Wi-Fi band, and AP #1 operates in the 2.4GHz Wi-Fi band. And the link 2 is deployed at a Wi-Fi frequency band of 5GHz, and the AP #2 works at the Wi-Fi frequency band of 5 GHz. And the link 3 is deployed at a Wi-Fi frequency band of 6GHz, and the AP #3 works at the Wi-Fi frequency band of 6 GHz.

In this embodiment of the present application, the AP/STA corresponding to the link may be described as: the AP/STA operating on the link.

It will be appreciated that the multi-link device may communicate with other devices. In the embodiment of the present application, the other device may be a multi-link device or may not be a multi-link device.

2) Multilink establishment

Before the multilink STA and the multilink AP carry out multilink communication, the multilink STA can send an association request frame to the multilink AP, and the association request frame carries information of multilinks of the STA side. After receiving the association request frame, the multilink AP sends an association response frame to the multilink STA device, where the association response frame carries information of the multilink at the AP side. Through the interaction of multilink information, the establishment of multilink between the multilink STA and the multilink AP is realized, and then the multilink communication is realized on the established multilink.

Illustratively, carrying multilink information may be implemented by a multilink information element (ML element). Fig. 3 shows a schematic diagram of a frame structure of a multilink information unit. As shown in fig. 3, the multilink information unit includes: an element identification (element ID) field, a length (length) field, an element identification extension (element ID extension) field, a control (control) field, a multi-link device common information (MLD common info) field, and zero or more link profile sub-elements (link profile) fields.

And the multi-link equipment common information field carries the common information of the MLD on all the multi-links. For example, the common information includes the MAC address of the MLD and the like. Each link information subunit carries the proprietary information of each corresponding link. For example, the proprietary information includes capability information of the station on each link of the MLD, and the like.

3) Up and down directions

The upstream direction means: the STA sends the transmission direction of the data to the AP.

The downlink direction means: the AP sends the transmission direction of the data to the STA.

Illustratively, as shown in fig. 2, the transmission direction in which STA #1 transmits data to AP #1 is the uplink direction, and the transmission direction in which AP #2 transmits data to STA #2 is the downlink direction.

4) Traffic identification and link mapping (TID-to-link mapping)

With the development of communication technology, the multilink technology can support more and more services, and in order to better perform service management, a mapping relationship can be established between services and links, so as to achieve the purpose of providing different services for different services. The mapping relationship between the established service and the link can be realized by presetting the service identifier corresponding to the service, so as to establish the mapping relationship between the service identifier and the link.

For example, the service identifier of the non-important service may be mapped to a part of the links, and the service identifier of the important service may be mapped to all the links, so as to improve the efficiency and accuracy of executing the important service. Or mapping the service identifications of different services to corresponding links according to the rates of the different links and the time delay characteristics of the services.

In some scenarios, in the process of establishing multiple links, a mapping relationship between the service identifier and the link is established.

If the operation of establishing the mapping relationship between the service identifier and the link is not performed in the process of establishing the multilink, all the service identifiers are mapped to each established link by default.

In other scenarios, after the establishment of the multilink is completed, due to the movement of the device or the change of the service, the remapping between the service identifier and the link may be required, and the remapping relationship conforming to the current situation is established to meet the service requirement. For example, after the STA MLD moves, it reaches the edge of the coverage of the AP signal, and thus delay-sensitive services on some links do not meet the QoS requirements, the mapping relationship between the service identifier and the link needs to be re-established, so as to reduce the service transmission delay.

The device requesting to establish the service identifier and the link mapping may be an STA MLD or an AP SLD.

5) Target Wake Time (TWT) negotiation

In the IEEE 802.11ax standard, it is proposed that the STA and the AP determine the same TWT parameters, including for example the schedule, by means of TWT negotiation. The schedule includes sleep periods, such as beacon periods. After the TWT negotiation, the STA can periodically sleep and wake up according to the sleep cycle, thereby saving energy. In the TWT negotiation process, the STA may initiate a TWT negotiation request to the AP as a responder device as a requester device for initiating TWT negotiation. Alternatively, the AP may initiate a TWT negotiation request to the STA as a responder device as a requester device initiating TWT negotiation.

In the TWT negotiation process, the request mode of the requesting device includes any one of the following: requesting TWT parameters, suggesting TWT parameters, requiring TWT parameters. The requesting end equipment can execute different operations according to self requirements in different request modes, and sends corresponding TWT negotiation requests to the responding end equipment. After receiving the TWT negotiation request, the responder device may perform corresponding operations according to different request modes. As shown in table 2 below, operations performed by the requesting device and the responding device in different request modes are shown.

TABLE 2

Correspondingly, the operation executed by the response end equipment corresponds to any one of the following answering modes: accepting the TWT parameter, replacing the TWT parameter, specifying the TWT parameter, and rejecting the TWT parameter. As shown in table 3 below, operations that the responding end device needs to perform specifically in different answering modes are shown.

TABLE 3

Exemplarily, fig. 4 shows a schematic diagram of a frame structure of a TWT unit (element). As shown in fig. 4, the TWT element includes an element identification (element ID) field, a length (length) field, a TWT request (TWT request) field, and a TWT setup command (TWT setup command) field. Wherein, the TWT request field occupies 1 bit for indicating the device type of the TWT unit. For example, when the value of the TWT request field is 1, it indicates that the device sending the TWT unit is a requesting device; and when the value of the TWT request field is 0, the device sending the TWT unit is the response end device. The TWT setup command field occupies 3 bits for indicating the type of TWT setup, as shown in table 4 below, which shows the corresponding command names when the TWT setup command field takes different values, and the operations that need to be correspondingly executed when the TWT setup command field is used as a requesting device or a sending station in the TWT negotiation process.

TABLE 4

In Table 4 above, N/A indicates "not applicable" (non applicable).

The foregoing is an introduction to relevant terms and concepts related to embodiments of the present application and will not be described in detail below.

In the prior art, some schemes propose to use the TWT negotiation rule to interact TID-to-link mapping between a requesting device and a responding device, so as to establish a mapping relationship between a service identifier and a link between the requesting device and the responding device, and further improve service efficiency.

However, directly applying the TWT negotiation rule to the scenario of establishing the mapping relationship between the service identifier and the link, it can be known from the above tables 2 to 4 that at least the following negotiation scenarios may have problems:

(1) the request mode is to suggest TID-to-link mapping parameters, and the response mode is to replace the TID-to-link mapping parameters.

Illustratively, the requesting device gets congestion on link 1 due to excessive service carried, maps part of service identifiers on link 1 to other links to obtain mapping relation 1, and sends a remapping negotiation request to the responding device, and sends mapping relation 1 to the responding device. After the response-side device receives the mapping relationship 1, because the reason that the request-side device requires remapping is unknown, part or all of the mapping relationship in the mapping relationship 1 may be modified according to its own requirements, and part of the service identifier may still be mapped onto the link 1, so as to obtain the mapping relationship 2. After receiving the mapping relationship 2, the requesting device determines that the mapping relationship 2 cannot be realized, and then needs to send the updated mapping relationship to the responding device again for negotiation. Therefore, after multiple negotiations, the request end device and the response end device can reestablish the mapping relationship between the service identifier and the link, and the efficiency is low.

(2) The request mode is to request TID-to-link mapping parameters or suggest TID-to-link mapping parameters, and the response mode is to specify the TID-to-link mapping parameters.

In the current scenario, the mapping relationship specified by the responder device may not be suitable for the link and service conditions of the requester device, which may result in failure of the negotiation.

Therefore, if the request end device and the response end device do not know the mapping reason of the opposite side in the TID-to-link mapping negotiation process, multiple times of negotiation is needed, and the negotiation process efficiency is low; or the negotiation fails, which affects the service execution efficiency.

In order to solve the technical problem, a first frame applied to a scenario for establishing a mapping relationship between a service identifier and a link is provided, and the first frame may trigger a TID-to-link mapping negotiation process with a responding end device. The first frame contains remapping reason information, and then the response end equipment can determine the remapping reason indicated by the request end equipment according to the remapping reason information after receiving the first frame, so that the negotiation efficiency is improved.

The first frame may also be referred to as a TID-to-link mapping setup (setup) frame. It should be understood that the first frame may be aggregated or carried in the transmission data. The remapping reason information may also be referred to as auxiliary information, and is mainly used for assisting in determining the TID-to-link mapping.

The requesting device sending the first frame may be an STA MLD or an AP MLD, and for the STA MLD or the AP MLD, the reason for initiating the TID-to-link mapping negotiation is the same or different. Therefore, before describing the frame format of the first frame, first, a description is given of the reason why the STA MLD and the AP MLD initiate TID-to-link mapping negotiation.

For STA MLD, initiating TID-to-link mapping negotiation may involve the following reasons:

cause 1, link failure or link unreachable.

For example, when the STA MLD moves beyond the signal coverage of an AP, part of the downlink data is not reachable, or neither the uplink data nor the downlink data is reachable. Illustratively, as shown in fig. 2, if the STA MLD moves, resulting in an out of coverage of AP #1, the data transmitted on link 1 is not reachable.

It should be noted that, during the TID-to-link mapping negotiation process, the link may not reach the strong restriction condition. That is, because the link cannot reach the initiated TID-to-link mapping negotiation, the responder device cannot map the service identifier modification to the unreachable link, thereby avoiding the TID-to-link mapping negotiation failure.

And 2, the delay sensitive service does not meet the QoS requirement.

For example, if the data amount carried by the link is too large, and the QoS of a part of the delay-sensitive services carried thereon does not meet the QoS requirement, the service identifier of the part of the delay-sensitive services needs to be mapped onto the link that can guarantee better QoS.

And 3, saving energy.

For example, for the purpose of saving energy, if the STA MLD closes one or more links, the service identifier corresponding to the link to be closed needs to be remapped to map the service identifier onto a new link.

It should be noted that, if the reason for the STA MLD initiating the TID-to-link mapping negotiation is energy saving, the responder should accept the TID-to-link mapping.

For AP MLD, initiating TID-to-link mapping negotiation may involve the following reasons:

the first reason is load balancing.

For example, when the AP MLD determines that the load of the current link is unbalanced, the traffic carried on the link needs to be adjusted, and a part of the traffic on the link which is too congested is remapped to other links with lighter load. So as to realize load balance and improve service efficiency.

And secondly, the transmission waiting time delay of the sensitive services is reduced.

For example, the AP MLD remaps the non-sensitive traffic on the link 1 to other links, thereby reducing the transmission latency of the sensitive traffic on the link 1.

And thirdly, access control.

For example, the AP MLD manages STAs accessed by each AP device to which it is attached according to the type or capability of the STA. The capabilities of the STA include the number of transmit-receive streams supported by the STA, whether simultaneous transmit-receive (STR) data is supported between links corresponding to the multilink device, whether a shared transmit-receive chain (Tx/Rx chain) is supported between links corresponding to the multilink device, and the like.

Based on the reason why the STA MLD and the AP MLD initiate the TID-to-link mapping negotiation, as shown in table 5 below, information that may be contained in the first frame is exemplarily given. The maximum number of links allowed to be opened, the link quality report element, the QoS report element, and the closed link aggregation element are optional elements corresponding to the reason for the TID-to-link mapping negotiation, and one or more of the elements may be included in the information included in the first frame. Optionally, an indication field is set in the first frame, and is configured to indicate whether the first frame carries a maximum number of links allowed to be opened, a link quality report element, a QoS report element, and a closed link aggregation element.

TABLE 5

Alternatively, fig. 5 shows a frame format diagram of the first frame. As shown in fig. 5, the first frame includes an element identification (element ID) field, a length (length) field, a control (control) field, a remapping reason (remapping) field, a maximum number of allowed links (max number of enabled links) field, a closed link set information (disabled link set info) field, a link quality reporting information (link quality reporting info) field, a QoS reporting information (QoS reporting info) field, a service identification and link mapping information (TID-to-link mapping info) field, and a remapping delay timer (remapping delay) field.

Optionally, the first frame includes remapping reason information, the remapping reason information indicating a remapping reason.

Wherein the remapping reason information is carried in one or several of the following fields: the maximum number of links allowed to be opened, the closed link set information field, the link quality report information field and the service quality QoS report information field. That is, the remapping reason information contained in the first frame may be indicated by one or several fields among a maximum number of links allowed to be turned on, a closed link set information field, a link quality report information field, and a QoS report information field.

In some embodiments, the maximum number of links that are allowed to open field indicates the maximum number of links that the device transmitting the first frame is currently allowed to open. For example, when the STA MLD needs to save power, the maximum number of links allowed to be opened may be indicated by the maximum number of links allowed to be opened.

In some embodiments, the shutdown link set information field is used to indicate the set of links that need to be shutdown. Namely, the link failure, the link unreachable, the access control, the load balancing and other remapping reasons.

In some embodiments, the link quality report information field is used to indicate the link quality of the link, and the link quality report information field carries link quality information.

Illustratively, the link quality information includes, for example, one or more of the following: RSSI value, SINR value, indication information of whether RSSI satisfies a first condition, and indication information of whether SINR satisfies a second condition. The RSSI value may be an uplink RSSI value, or a downlink RSSI value, or may include an uplink RSSI value and a downlink RSSI value. The RSSI value may be an RSSI value measured by the STA according to the beacon frame, or may be an uplink RSSI value determined according to a difference between the transmission power of the beacon frame transmitted by the AP and the transmission power of the STA. The first condition is used to measure whether a link is reachable. For example, if the RSSI satisfies the first condition, the link is reachable, and the corresponding indication information indicates that the link is reachable. For another example, if the RSSI does not satisfy the first condition, the link is not reachable, and the corresponding indication information indicates that the link is not reachable. The SINR value may be an uplink SINR value, or a downlink SINR value, or may include an uplink SINR value and a downlink SINR value. The second condition is used to measure whether a link is reachable. For example, if the SINR satisfies the second condition, the link is reachable, and the corresponding indication information indicates that the link is reachable. For another example, if the SINR does not satisfy the second condition, the link is not reachable, and the corresponding indication information indicates that the link is not reachable.

In some embodiments, the QoS report information field is used to indicate the quality of service of the corresponding service identity. The QoS report information field carries the service quality information.

Illustratively, the service quality information includes, for example, a QoS value, or indication information of whether the QoS satisfies the third condition. The QoS value includes, for example, average packet latency, delay jitter, average rate, and the like. The second condition may be whether the QoS requirements are met. For example, if the QoS satisfies the second condition, the QoS satisfies the requirement, and the corresponding indication information indicates that the service identifier satisfies the QoS requirement. For another example, if the QoS does not satisfy the second condition, the QoS does not satisfy the requirement, and the corresponding indication information indicates that the service identifier does not satisfy the QoS requirement.

Optionally, the first frame includes first indication information, where the first indication information is used to indicate whether a field carrying the remapping reason information is present in the first frame. The first indication information may be carried in the control field, or in the remapping reason field, or in both the control field and the remapping reason field. Three indication modes that the first indication information is carried in different fields are described below.

In the first mode, the first indication information is carried in the control field.

Illustratively, as shown in fig. 5, the control field includes a first subfield, a second subfield, a third subfield, and a fourth subfield. The first sub-field may be a maximum number of enabled links present sub-field, and the first sub-field occupies 1 bit and is used to indicate whether a maximum number of enabled links field appears in the first frame. The second subfield may be a currently closed link set info present subfield, the second subfield occupying 1 bit, and the first field and/or the second field is used to indicate whether the closed link set info field is present in the first frame. The third subfield may be a current link quality info present subfield, which occupies 1 bit, for indicating whether a link quality report info field is present in the first frame. The fourth subfield may be a current QoS information (QoS info present) subfield, which occupies 1 bit to indicate whether the QoS report information field is present in the first frame.

For example, a first field may be used to indicate the maximum number of links that are allowed to be opened and to indicate the set of links that need to be closed. For another example, a first field and a second field are used to indicate a set of links that need to be shut down.

As such, the remapping cause information contained in the first frame is indicated by the above-described first, second, third and fourth subfields. The responder device can acquire the remapping reason in the corresponding field according to the indication, and the TID-to-link mapping is quickly negotiated.

In another possible design, in the case that the information indicating the maximum number of links allowed to be opened needs to occupy a smaller number of bits, the field of the maximum number of links allowed to be opened may be used as a subfield of the control field, and the subfield of the maximum number of links allowed to be opened directly in the control field indicates the maximum number of links allowed to be opened. For example, the maximum number of links allowed to open subfield takes 4 bits. Accordingly, the control field does not necessarily include the currently allowed maximum number of links to open subfield.

In some embodiments, as shown in fig. 5, the control field further includes other subfields, such as a traffic identification mapping request (TID mapping request) subfield, a traffic identification mapping command (TID mapping command) subfield, a traffic identification mapping mode (TID mapping mode) subfield, and a reserved (reserved) subfield.

Wherein, the service identifier mapping request subfield occupies 1 bit, and is used to indicate whether the device sending the first frame is a requesting device or a responding device. For example, when the value of the service identifier mapping request subfield is 1, the device for indicating that the current device sending the first frame is the requesting device. For another example, when the value of the service identifier mapping request subfield is 0, the device for indicating that the device currently sending the first frame is the responder device.

The traffic identification mapping command subfield occupies 3 bits for indicating the type of TID-to-link mapping negotiation. Referring to table 6 below, when the service identification mapping command subfield takes different values, corresponding command meanings are different as different station apparatuses. For example, the device sending the first frame is a request end device, and when the subfield value of the service identifier mapping command is 0, the device is configured to indicate that a TID-to-link mapping parameter is requested, and the first frame does not carry the TID-to-link mapping parameter. For another example, the device sending the first frame is a responder device, and when the subfield value of the service identifier mapping command is 4, the responder device is configured to indicate that the first frame carries the changed TID-to-link mapping parameter. The TID-to-link mapping parameter comprises a mapping relation between the service identifier and the link.

TABLE 6

The traffic identification mapping mode subfield occupies 1 bit to indicate a remapping mode, which includes an immediate remapping mode or a delayed remapping mode. The instant remapping mode is to immediately remap according to the negotiated TID-to-link mapping after the mapping relation between the service identifier and the link is successfully negotiated. The delayed remapping mode refers to remapping according to the negotiated TID-to-link mapping after waiting for a period of time after the mapping relation between the service identifier and the link is successfully negotiated. Specifically, for some devices with weak capability, it may not be possible to immediately move a protocol data unit (MAC, MPDU) on one link to another link for transmission, i.e. to immediately perform remapping. Therefore, a preset waiting time is required. Correspondingly, the duration of waiting can also be indicated by the remapping delay timer field in the first frame, so that the remapping can be successfully completed.

In the second mode, the first indication information is carried in the remapping reason field.

Wherein a first value of the remap reason field is used to indicate whether the maximum number of links allowed to be turned on is present in the first frame. And the first value and/or the second value of the remapping reason field are/is used for indicating whether the information field for closing the link set is present in the first frame or not. A third value of the remap cause field to indicate whether the link quality report information field is present in the first frame. A fourth value of the remap cause field to indicate whether the QoS report information field is present in the first frame.

That is, the remapping reason field can indicate whether the maximum number of links allowed to be on is included in the first frame, and/or the closed link set information field, and/or the link quality report information field, and/or the QoS report information field.

Optionally, the remapping reason field may also be used to indicate the remapping reason. As shown in table 7 below, the remapping reasons corresponding to the values of the partial remapping reason field are exemplarily shown, and it can be understood that other remapping reasons may also be included, which are not described herein again.

TABLE 7

Remap cause field value	Reason for remapping
		0	Link failure or link unreachability
1	The delay sensitive service does not meet the QoS requirement
		2	Energy saving
3	Load balancing
		4	Reducing transmission latency for sensitive services
5	Access control

In the third mode, the first indication information is carried in the control field and the remapping reason field.

Wherein the control field includes a first subfield, a second subfield, a third subfield, and a fourth subfield as described above for mode one. A first subfield and a first value of the remap cause field to indicate whether the maximum number of links allowed to be turned on is present in the first frame. A first sub-field, a second field, a first value of the remap reason field, and one or more of a second value of the remap reason field, for indicating whether the shutdown link set information field is present in the first frame. A third value of the third subfield and the remapping reason field indicates whether the link quality report information field is present in the first frame. A fourth subfield and a fourth value of the remap cause field to indicate whether the QoS report information field is present in the first frame.

The accuracy of the transmission of the remap reason information is improved by the indication of the first subfield, the second subfield, the third subfield, the fourth subfield and the remap reason field, double confirmation, and further determining whether the first frame contains the maximum number of links allowed to be opened, and/or the information field of the closed link set, and/or the information field of the link quality report, and/or the information field of the QoS report. It can be understood that the first indication information carried in the control field and the remapping reason field do not conflict, i.e. the indicated remapping reason does not conflict, only can a valid remapping reason be achieved.

Thus, the remap reason is sent to the responder device by any one of the three ways, so that the responder device can quickly identify the remap reason, and the TID-to-link mapping negotiation is completed.

Optionally, the first frame may further carry service identifier mapping information, where the service identifier mapping information is based on a remapping reason and is used to indicate a mapping relationship between a service identifier and a link. Referring to table 6 above, it is determined that a TID-to-link mapping parameter needs to be provided according to the sub-field indication of the service identifier mapping command, and the first frame carries service identifier mapping information.

In some embodiments, the service identifier mapping information is carried in a service identifier and link mapping information field, and the service identifier and link mapping information field indicates a mapping relationship between the service identifier and the link in at least the following 6 ways.

Mode 1, service identifier and link mapping information field, which is used to indicate the mapping relationship between the service identifier and the link by using the corresponding relationship between the service identifier and the bit bitmap (bitmap) of the link.

Illustratively, the bit number of the bitmap of the link is P times the number of links, where P is a positive integer. Wherein, a bit value of 1 indicates that the corresponding relationship includes the corresponding link; a bit value of 0 indicates that the corresponding relationship does not include the corresponding link. Assume that the number of links is 3, link 1, link 2, and link 3, respectively. When P is 1, the number of bits is 3. For example, a bitmap of 001 indicates link 3. For another example, a bitmap of 101 indicates link 1 and link 3.

And indicating the mapping relation between the service identifier and the link by establishing the corresponding relation between the service identifier and the bit bitmap of the link. For example, the traffic id and link mapping information field indicates that TID3 has a correspondence to bit bitmap 011 of link, which indicates that TID3 is mapped to link 2 and link 3.

And the mode 2, the service identifier and link mapping information field are used for indicating the mapping relation between the service identifier and the link by using the corresponding relation between the link identifier and the bitmap of the service identifier.

Illustratively, the bit number of the bitmap of the traffic identifier is Q times the number of TIDs, and Q is a positive integer. Wherein, the bit value of 1 indicates that the corresponding relationship contains the corresponding service identifier; a bit value of 0 indicates that the corresponding relationship does not contain the corresponding service identifier. Assuming the TID number is 8, TID0-TID7 respectively. Q is 1, the number of bits is 8. For example, a bitmap of 10000000 indicates TID 0. For another example, a bitmap of 00011000 indicates TID3 and link TID 4.

And then indicating the mapping relation between the service identifier and the link by establishing the corresponding relation between the link identifier and the bit bitmap of the service identifier. For example, the traffic id and link mapping information field indicates that link 1 has a corresponding relationship with the bit bitmap 10000000 of the traffic id, which indicates that TID0 is mapped to link 1.

In the mode 3, the service identifier and link mapping information field includes a fifth subfield, and a fifth value of the fifth subfield is used to indicate the corresponding relationship between the service identifier and the link mapping information field by using the bit map of the service identifier and the link, and indicate the mapping relationship between the service identifier and the link. And a sixth value of the fifth subfield is used for indicating the corresponding relation between the service identifier and the link mapping information field by using the bit bitmap of the link identifier and the service identifier and indicating the mapping relation between the service identifier and the link.

Illustratively, fig. 6 shows a first diagram of a frame structure of a service identifier and a link mapping information field. As shown in fig. 6, the service identification and link mapping information field includes an element identification (element ID) field, a length (length) field, a control (control) field, and a bitmap of TIDs/links field of the service identification or the link. As shown in fig. 6, a combination of the repetition control field and the service identifier or the bitmap field of the link is used to indicate one or more groups of mapping relationships, and the specific mapping relationships are indicated in the following exemplary description.

Wherein the control field includes a flag manner (manner flag) subfield for indicating a combination manner of determining the correspondence. I.e., the fifth subfield is the mark mode subfield.

Optionally, the mark mode subfield occupies 1 bit to indicate that the control field includes a Traffic Identification (TID) subfield or a link identification (link ID) subfield.

In an example, as shown in fig. 6, when the marking manner subfield takes a value of 0, the control field includes a traffic identification subfield for indicating the TID. And correspondingly, the service identifier or the bitmap field of the link is used for indicating the bitmap of the link. Namely, the mapping relationship between the service identifier and the link is indicated by using the corresponding relationship between the service identifier and the bit bitmap of the link.

In another example, as shown in fig. 6, when the flag subfield takes a value of 1, the control field includes a link identifier subfield for indicating a link identifier. And correspondingly, the service identifier or the bit bitmap field of the link is used for indicating the bit bitmap of the service identifier. Namely, the mapping relationship between the service identifier and the link is indicated by using the corresponding relationship between the link identifier and the bitmap of the service identifier.

Optionally, as shown in fig. 6, a Traffic Identification Direction (TID) subfield is further included in the control field, and is used for indicating the direction of the traffic identification. For example, if the traffic id direction subfield occupies 1 bit, it is used to indicate whether the TID is unidirectional or bidirectional. Wherein the direction of the one-way indication is the same as the TID direction corresponding to the device that sent the first frame. Bi-directional includes an upstream direction and a downstream direction. For another example, if the traffic identification direction subfield occupies 2 bits, it is used to indicate that the TID is in the uplink direction, the downlink direction or the bidirectional direction. For example, 10 indicates an uplink direction, 01 indicates a downlink direction, 11 indicates a bidirectional direction, and 00 is a reserved value.

Illustratively, according to the service identifier direction subfield, it is determined that the service identifier direction is a downlink direction, which indicates that the current mapping relationship is applicable to a downlink transmission process.

And in the mode 4, the service identifier and link mapping information field comprises a fifth sub-field, and a seventh value of the fifth sub-field is used for indicating the corresponding relationship between the service identifier and the link mapping information field by using the bit bitmap of the service identifier and the link and indicating the mapping relationship between the service identifier and the link. And the eighth value of the fifth subfield is used for indicating the corresponding relation between the service identifier and the link mapping information field by using the bit bitmap of the link identifier and the service identifier and indicating the mapping relation between the service identifier and the link. And a ninth value of the fifth subfield is used for indicating the corresponding relation between the service identifier and the link mapping information field by using the bit bitmap of the link and the bit bitmap of the service identifier and indicating the mapping relation between the service identifier and the link.

Optionally, fig. 7 shows a second schematic diagram of a frame structure of the service identifier and the link mapping information field. As shown in fig. 7, the control field includes a mark mode subfield, occupies 2 bits, and is used to indicate that the control field includes a Traffic Identification (TID) subfield, a link identification (link ID) subfield, a bitmap of traffic identification (bitmap of TIDs) subfield, or a bitmap of links (bitmap of links) subfield.

In an example, as shown in fig. 7, when the marking manner subfield takes a value of 00, the control field includes a traffic identification subfield for indicating the TID. And correspondingly, the service identifier or the bitmap field of the link is used for indicating the bitmap of the link. Namely, the service identifier and link mapping information field is used for indicating the mapping relationship between the service identifier and the link by using the corresponding relationship between the service identifier and the bit bitmap of the link.

In another example, as shown in fig. 7, when the flag subfield takes a value of 01, the control field includes a link identifier subfield for indicating a link identifier. And correspondingly, the service identifier or the bit bitmap field of the link is used for indicating the bit bitmap of the service identifier. Namely, the service identifier and link mapping information field is used for indicating the mapping relationship between the service identifier and the link by using the corresponding relationship between the link identifier and the bitmap of the service identifier.

In another example, as shown in fig. 7, when the mark mode subfield takes a value of 10, the control field includes a bitmap subfield of the service identifier, which is used to indicate the bitmap of the service identifier. And correspondingly, the service identifier or the bitmap field of the link is used for indicating the bitmap of the link. Namely, the service identifier and link mapping information field is used for indicating the mapping relationship between the service identifier and the link by using the corresponding relationship between the bit map of the service identifier and the bit map of the link.

In another example, as shown in fig. 7, when the flag subfield takes the value of 11, the control field includes a bitmap subfield of the link, which is used to indicate a bitmap of the link. And correspondingly, the service identifier or the bit bitmap field of the link is used for indicating the bit bitmap of the service identifier. Namely, the service identifier and link mapping information field is used for indicating the mapping relationship between the service identifier and the link by using the corresponding relationship between the bitmap of the link and the bitmap of the service identifier.

It should be noted that, for descriptions of other fields or subfields of the frame structure shown in fig. 7, reference may be made to the above-mentioned mode 3, and details of the frame structure shown in fig. 6 are not repeated here.

And in the mode 5, the service identifier and link mapping information field comprises a fifth subfield, and a tenth value of the fifth subfield is used for indicating the corresponding relation between the service identifier and the link mapping information field by using the service identifier and the bit bitmap of the link and indicating the mapping relation between the service identifier and the link. And the eleventh value of the fifth subfield is used for indicating the corresponding relation between the service identifier and the link mapping information field by using the bit map of the service identifier and the bit map of the link and indicating the mapping relation between the service identifier and the link.

Optionally, fig. 8 shows a third schematic diagram of a frame structure of the service identifier and the link mapping information field. As shown in fig. 8, the control field includes a marking mode subfield, occupies 1 bit, and is used to indicate that the control field includes a Traffic Identification (TID) subfield or a bitmap of a traffic identification or a link (links) subfield.

In an example, as shown in fig. 8, when the marking manner subfield takes a value of 0, the control field includes a traffic identification subfield for indicating the TID. And correspondingly, the service identifier or the bitmap field of the link is used for indicating the bitmap of the link. Namely, the service identifier and link mapping information field is used for indicating the mapping relationship between the service identifier and the link by using the corresponding relationship between the service identifier and the bit bitmap of the link.

In another example, as shown in fig. 8, when the flag subfield takes a value of 1, the control field includes a bitmap subfield of the service identifier or the link, which is used to indicate the bitmap of the service identifier or the link. Namely, the service identifier and link mapping information field is used for indicating the mapping relationship between the service identifier and the link by using the corresponding relationship between the bitmap of the link and the bitmap of the service identifier. For example, if the traffic identifier or the bitmap subfield of the link is used to indicate the bitmap of the link, the corresponding traffic identifier or bitmap field of the link is used to indicate the bitmap of the traffic identifier. For another example, if the bitmap subfield of the service identifier or the link is used to indicate the bitmap of the service identifier, the bitmap field of the corresponding service identifier or link is used to indicate the bitmap of the link.

It should be noted that, for descriptions of other fields or subfields of the frame structure shown in fig. 8, reference may be made to the above-mentioned mode 3, and details of the frame structure shown in fig. 6 are not repeated here.

And the mode 6, the service identifier and link mapping information field comprises a fifth sub-field, and a twelfth value of the fifth sub-field is used for indicating the corresponding relationship between the service identifier and the link mapping information field by using the bit bitmap of the link identifier and the service identifier and indicating the mapping relationship between the service identifier and the link. And the thirteenth value of the fifth subfield is used for indicating the corresponding relation between the service identifier and the link mapping information field by using the bit map of the link and the bit map of the service identifier and indicating the mapping relation between the service identifier and the link.

Optionally, fig. 9 shows a fourth schematic diagram of a frame structure of the service identifier and the link mapping information field. As shown in fig. 9, the control field includes a mark mode subfield, occupies 1 bit, and is used to indicate that the control field includes a link identification (link ID) subfield or a bitmap (bits of tips/links) subfield of a service identification or a link.

In an example, as shown in fig. 9, when the flag subfield takes a value of 0, the control field includes a link identifier subfield for indicating a link identifier. And correspondingly, the service identifier or the bit bitmap field of the link is used for indicating the bit bitmap of the service identifier. Namely, the service identifier and link mapping information field is used for indicating the mapping relationship between the service identifier and the link by using the corresponding relationship between the link identifier and the bitmap of the service identifier.

In another example, as shown in fig. 9, when the flag subfield takes a value of 1, the control field includes a bitmap subfield of the service identifier or the link, which is used to indicate the bitmap of the service identifier or the link. Namely, the service identifier and link mapping information field is used for indicating the mapping relationship between the service identifier and the link by using the corresponding relationship between the bitmap of the link and the bitmap of the service identifier. For example, if the traffic identifier or the bitmap subfield of the link is used to indicate the bitmap of the link, the corresponding traffic identifier or bitmap field of the link is used to indicate the bitmap of the traffic identifier. For another example, if the bitmap subfield of the service identifier or the link is used to indicate the bitmap of the service identifier, the bitmap field of the corresponding service identifier or link is used to indicate the bitmap of the link.

It should be noted that, for descriptions of other fields or subfields of the frame structure shown in fig. 9, reference may be made to the above-mentioned mode 3, and details of the frame structure shown in fig. 6 are not repeated here.

Optionally, the service identifier and link mapping information field may carry all or part of mapping information between the service identifier and the link. If the mapping information of part of the service identifier or the mapping information of part of the link is carried in the fields of the service identifier and the link mapping information, other mapping information which is not carried is not changed by default.

Illustratively, the link includes link 1-link 5, and the service identifier and link mapping information fields indicate the mapping relationship between link 1-link 4 and the service identifier, respectively, and then link 5 maintains the original mapping relationship.

Optionally, one link is preset as an anchor link in the links between the STA MLD and the AP MLD, and a mapping relationship exists between any TID and the anchor link. I.e. any TID can be transmitted on the anchor link. The traffic identification and link mapping information field may or may not indicate the mapping relationship between TID and anchor link. If not, other fields can be used for indicating the anchor link information, and the STA MLD and the AP MLD establish a mapping relation between the TID and the anchor link according to the anchor link information.

The above is an introduction of the first frame provided in the embodiment of the present application, and is described herein in a unified manner, and details are not described below.

Fig. 10 is a first flowchart of a data transmission method according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in fig. 10, the method comprises the steps of:

s101, the first equipment generates a first frame.

The first device is a request end device, and may be an STA MLD or an AP MLD.

It can be understood that, if the first device initially requests to establish the mapping relationship between the service identifier and the link, the remapping reason represents the mapping reason, that is, the remapping reason information may also be described as the mapping reason information.

Optionally, the information carried in the first frame includes one of the following situations:

case 1, the first frame includes first remapping reason information.

In some embodiments, as shown in table 6 above, if the request manner for the first device to request establishment of the mapping relationship between the service identifier and the link is to request the TID-to-link mapping parameter, the remap reason needs to be sent to the second device, so as to avoid that the TID-to-link mapping parameter provided by the second device is not applicable to the service identifier and the link condition of the first device.

Case 2, the first frame includes the first remapping reason information and the first service identifier mapping information.

The first service identifier mapping information is based on a first remapping reason, and the first service identifier mapping information is used for indicating a first mapping relation between a service identifier and a link.

In some embodiments, referring to table 6 above, if the request manner for the first device to request establishment of the mapping relationship between the service identifier and the link is to suggest a TID-to-link mapping parameter, or the request manner is to require the TID-to-link mapping parameter, the TID-to-link mapping parameter needs to be provided, that is, the first service identifier mapping information is provided.

It should be noted that, for other information included in the first frame, reference is made to the above description of the frame format of the first frame, and details are not repeated here.

S102, the first equipment sends a first frame to the second equipment. Correspondingly, the second device receives the first frame sent by the first device.

S103, the second equipment analyzes the first frame.

Optionally, after receiving the first frame and analyzing the first frame, the second device obtains the remapping reason information, and further determines the reason why the first device requests to establish the mapping relationship between the service identifier and the link.

Further, the subsequent second device can establish a mapping relationship between the service identifier and the link according to the reason, so that TID-to-link mapping negotiation failure caused by the fact that the established mapping relationship does not meet the requirements of the first device is avoided, and TID-to-link mapping negotiation efficiency is improved.

Optionally, after the second device receives the first frame, the second device may use the embodiment shown in fig. 11 to feed back the second frame. Fig. 11 is a second flowchart of a data transmission method according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in fig. 11, the method comprises the steps of:

s201, the second device generates a second frame.

The frame format of the second frame may refer to the above description of the frame format of the first frame.

Optionally, in case 1 of the information carried in the first frame, the information carried in the second frame includes one of the following cases:

case 1-1: the second frame carries second service identifier mapping information.

The second service identifier mapping information is based on the first remapping reason, and the second service identifier mapping information is used for indicating a second mapping relation between the service identifier and the link.

Alternatively, in the scenarios described in case 1 and case 1-1, the first frame may be described as a traffic identification and link mapping request frame (TID-to-link mapping request frame), and the second frame may be described as a traffic identification and link mapping response frame (TID-to-link mapping response frame).

Cases 1-2: the second frame carries second service identification mapping information and second remapping reason information.

Specifically, after determining the second service identifier mapping information according to the first remapping reason, the second device may also determine the second remapping reason information according to its own service identifier and link condition. And after the subsequent first device receives the second frame, if the TID-to-link mapping parameter needs to be modified or replaced, the TID-to-link mapping parameter can be determined according to the second remapping reason information, and the negotiation efficiency is improved. Or, the first device can confirm the TID-to-link mapping parameter again according to the first remapping reason information and the second remapping reason information, so as to avoid mapping relation errors.

Alternatively, in the scenarios described in case 1 and case 1-2, the first frame may be described as a traffic identification and link mapping query frame (TID-to-link mapping query frame), and correspondingly, the second frame may be described as a traffic identification and link mapping request frame (TID-to-link mapping request frame). Then, after receiving the second frame, the first device may further send a traffic identification and link mapping response frame (TID-to-link mapping response frame) to the second device.

Optionally, in case 2 of the information carried in the first frame, the information carried in the second frame includes one of the following cases:

case 2-1, the second frame carries the second service identifier mapping information and/or the status code.

And the second service identifier mapping information is the modified or replaced service identifier mapping information. The status code is used for indicating whether the mapping relation between the service identifier and the link is established successfully. Optionally, if the mapping relationship between the service identifier and the link fails to be established, the status code carries a reason for the establishment failure.

In some embodiments, the second frame carries the second service identifier mapping information and the status code. As shown in table 6 above, the second device responds by either replacing the TID-to-link mapping parameter or specifying the TID-to-link mapping parameter. And carrying modified or replaced service identifier mapping information in the second frame and indicating the failure reason. And then subsequently, the first device can determine whether to accept the second service identifier mapping information according to the status code.

In other embodiments, the second frame carries second service identifier mapping information. The second service identifier mapping information may be modified or replaced service identifier mapping information. Or, the second service identifier mapping information may be the same as the first service identifier mapping information, and the first device subsequently confirms the service identifier mapping information again.

In still other embodiments, the second frame carries a status code. The second device uses the status code as an acknowledgement indication, including an Acknowledgement (ACK) or a Negative Acknowledgement (NACK). For example, the status code is used to indicate that the TID-to-link mapping protocol is established. As another example, the status code is used to indicate a TID-to-link mapping protocol setup failure. As another example, the status code may be used to indicate a rejection of the TID-to-link mapping protocol.

Case 2-2: the second frame carries second service identification mapping information and/or a state code and second remapping reason information.

Specifically, the role of the second remapping reason information in the current scenario may be referred to in the related descriptions of scenarios 1-2, and is not described herein again.

Alternatively, in case 2 and case 2-1, or in the scenario described in case 2 and case 2-2, the first frame may be described as a traffic identification and link mapping setup frame (TID-to-link mapping setup frame), and correspondingly, the second frame may be described as a traffic identification and link mapping setup frame (TID-to-link mapping setup frame).

It should be noted that, for other information included in the second frame, reference is made to the above description of the frame format of the first frame, and details are not repeated here.

S202, the second equipment sends a second frame to the first equipment. Accordingly, the first device receives the second frame sent by the second device.

And S203, the first equipment analyzes the second frame.

Based on the above scheme, on one hand, based on the scenarios shown in scenario 1, scenario 1-1, and scenario 1-2, the second device can determine the mapping relationship between the service identifier and the link according to the remapping reason and the situation of itself. Therefore, the mapping relation cannot cause that the first equipment cannot complete the establishment of the mapping relation, the negotiation failure is avoided, and the negotiation efficiency is improved. On the other hand, based on the scenarios shown in scenario 2, scenario 2-1, and scenario 2-2, the second device can modify or replace the mapping relationship between the received service identifier and the link according to the remapping reason and the situation of itself. Similarly, the modified or replaced mapping relationship does not cause the first device to be unable to complete the establishment of the mapping relationship, thereby avoiding negotiation failure and improving negotiation efficiency.

Therefore, the first device and the second device can determine the mapping relation between the service identifier and the link through limited negotiation, and the negotiation efficiency is improved.

Optionally, after the first device receives the second frame, the first device may use the embodiment shown in fig. 12 to feed back the third frame. Fig. 12 is a flowchart three of a data transmission method according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in fig. 12, the method includes the steps of:

and S301, the first device generates a third frame.

S302, the first device sends a third frame to the second device. Correspondingly, the second device receives the third frame sent by the first device.

Wherein the third frame is used to indicate an acknowledgement or a negative acknowledgement to the second frame. I.e. whether the first device accepts the second mapping or whether the second mapping is established successfully.

Fig. 13 shows a schematic structural diagram of an AP MLD and a STA MLD participating in communication. The 802.11 standard focuses on the 802.11 physical layer (PHY) and MAC layer portions in AP MLD and STA MLD.

As shown in fig. 13 (a), the APs included in the AP MLD are independent of each other in the low mac (low mac) layer and the PHY layer, and are independent of each other in the high mac (high mac) layer. The STA MLD includes a plurality of STAs independent of each other at the lower MAC layer and the PHY layer and independent of each other at the upper MAC layer.

As shown in fig. 13 (b), a plurality of APs included in the AP MLD are independent of each other at the lower MAC layer and the PHY layer, and share the higher MAC layer. A plurality of STAs included in the STA MLD are independent of each other in the low MAC layer and the PHY layer, and share the high MAC layer.

Of course, the STA MLD may be a structure in which the high MAC layers are independent from each other, and the AP MLD may be a structure in which the high MAC layers are shared. Or, the STA MLD adopts a structure shared by the high MAC layers, and the AP MLD adopts a structure in which the high MAC layers are independent from each other. For example, the upper MAC layer or the lower MAC layer may be implemented by one processor in a chip system of the multi-link device, and may also be implemented by different processing modules in one chip system respectively.

It can be seen that, in the multi-link device, the lower MAC layers have independent structures, so that the lower MAC layer of each STA or AP corresponds to its respective link. The management frame is transmitted on the link, and is sent to a lower MAC layer corresponding to the link. In the prior art, if a link fails or is not reachable, the management frame that needs to be sent to the lower MAC layer corresponding to the link fails to be sent.

Based on this, the embodiment of the present application provides a data transmission method. Fig. 14 is a fourth flowchart of a data transmission method according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in fig. 14, the method includes the steps of:

s401, the first device sends a management frame and a target link identification on a failed second link to the second device on the first link. Correspondingly, the second device receives the management frame and the target link identification sent by the first device on the first link.

The management frame is a unicast management frame sent by the first device to a certain module in the second device, and the target link identifier is used for pointing to the module. Specifically, the target link identifier is used to instruct the receiving-end multilink device to forward the received management frame to a module corresponding to the target link identifier. Wherein, a module refers to a certain device in the MLD device. Such as a certain AP in the AP MLD. For another example, a STA in the STA MLD.

Optionally, the first device further sends a reporting link identifier on the first link. The link corresponding to the reporting link identifier is a first link for sending the management frame, and the reporting link identifier is used for indicating the receiving end MLD to send the response frame on the first link corresponding to the reporting link identifier.

In some embodiments, the management frame includes a reporting link identifier (reporting link ID) and a destination link identifier (destination link ID). Wherein the reporting link identifier includes a reporting link identification for indicating an identification of a link that actually transmits the management frame. The destination link identifier includes a destination link identification indicating the identity of the final link to which forwarding is required.

Illustratively, the target link identification and the reporting link identification are carried in an aggregated control (a-control) field of the MAC frame.

In other embodiments, a new functional frame is defined, and the management frame, the target link identifier, and the reporting link identifier are carried in the frame body of the functional frame. And further, the management frame, the target link identification and the report link identification are carried in the newly defined functional frame for transparent transmission.

Illustratively, as shown in table 8 below, part of the information carried in the newly defined function frame is shown. Wherein, the target link identification and the report link identification are carried in the X element.

TABLE 8

Sequence of events	Information
			1	Category field (category)
2	Function field (action)
		3	Transparent management frame
4	X element (element)

In addition, fig. 15 shows a frame format diagram of a transparent management frame. As shown in fig. 15, the transparent management frame includes a length of management MPDU (MMPDU length) field, a frame control of management MPDU (MMPDU frame control) field, and a frame body of management MPDU (MMPDU frame body) field.

S402, the second device determines to forward the received management frame to a module corresponding to the target link identification according to the target link identification.

Illustratively, as shown in fig. 2, the first device is an AP MLD, the second device is a STA MLD, and the AP MLD needs to transmit a management frame to STA #2 by using link 2. Assume that the reporting link identification corresponds to link 1 and the target link identification corresponds to link 2. At this time, if the link 2 fails, the AP MLD transmits a management frame to the STA #1 using the link 1. After STA #1 receives the management frame, determines that the target link identifier corresponds to link 2, i.e., corresponds to STA #2, and forwards the received management frame to STA # 2. Optionally, the STA #1 may further send a response frame on the link 1 corresponding to the reporting link identifier according to the reporting link identifier, so as to notify the AP whether the sending of the MLD management frame is successful. The response frame includes a positive acknowledgement or a negative acknowledgement.

In this way, even when some link fails or is unreachable, the target link id can transmit the management frame to be transmitted to the lower MAC layer corresponding to the failed or unreachable link, thereby avoiding the failure of the transmission of the management frame.

It will be appreciated that the embodiment shown in figure 14 may be combined with the embodiments shown in figures 10, 11 or 12 of the previous paragraphs.

The above description mainly describes the scheme provided by the embodiments of the present application from the perspective of data transmission devices (e.g., a first device and a second device). It will be appreciated that the data transfer device, in order to carry out the above-described functions, may comprise hardware structures and/or software modules for performing each of the functions. Those of skill in the art would readily appreciate that the various illustrative elements and algorithm steps described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented as hardware or combinations of hardware and computer software. Whether a function is performed as hardware or computer software drives hardware depends upon the particular application and design constraints imposed on the solution. Skilled artisans may implement the described functionality in varying ways for each particular application, but such implementation decisions should not be interpreted as causing a departure from the scope of the present application.

In the embodiment of the present application, functional modules of the apparatus may be divided according to the above method example, for example, each functional module may be divided corresponding to each function, or two or more functions may be integrated into one functional module. The integrated module can be realized in a hardware mode, and can also be realized in a software functional module mode. The division of the modules in the embodiment of the present application is schematic, and is only a logic function division, and there may be another division manner in actual implementation. The following description will be given by taking the case of dividing each function module corresponding to each function:

fig. 16 is a schematic structural diagram of a data transmission device according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in fig. 16, the data transmission apparatus 1600 includes: a processing module 1601 and a communication module 1602.

In one possible design, when the data transmission apparatus 1600 is used as the first device, the processing module 1601 is used to support the data transmission apparatus 1600 to execute step S101 in fig. 10, and/or to support the data transmission apparatus 1600 to execute step S301 in fig. 12. The communication module 1602 is used to support the data transmission apparatus 1600 to execute step S102 in fig. 10, and/or is used to support the data transmission apparatus 1600 to execute step S202 in fig. 11, and/or is used to support the data transmission apparatus 1600 to execute step S302 in fig. 12, and/or is used to support the data transmission apparatus 1600 to execute step S401 in fig. 14.

In another possible design, when the data transmission apparatus 1600 is used as the second device, the processing module 1601 is used to support the data transmission apparatus 1600 to execute step S103 in fig. 10, and/or to support the data transmission apparatus 1600 to execute step S201 in fig. 11, and/or to support the data transmission apparatus 1600 to execute step S402 in fig. 14. The communication module 1602 is used to support the data transmission apparatus 1600 to execute step S102 in fig. 10, and/or is used to support the data transmission apparatus 1600 to execute step S202 in fig. 11, and/or is used to support the data transmission apparatus 1600 to execute step S301 in fig. 12.

Optionally, the communication module 1602 may include a receiving module and a transmitting module. The receiving module is used for receiving data sent by other equipment. The sending module is used for sending data to other equipment. The embodiment of the present application does not specifically limit the specific implementation manner of the communication module 1602.

Optionally, the data transmission device 1600 shown in fig. 16 may further include a memory module (not shown in fig. 16) storing programs or instructions. The processing module 1601 executes the program or the instructions, so that the data transmission apparatus 1600 shown in fig. 16 can execute the data transmission method shown in fig. 10, 11, 12, or 14.

For technical effects of the data transmission apparatus 1600 shown in fig. 16, reference may be made to the technical effects of the data transmission methods shown in fig. 10, fig. 11, fig. 12, or fig. 14, which are not described herein again.

The processing module involved in the data transmission device 1600 shown in fig. 16 may be implemented by a processor or a processor-related circuit component, and may be a processor or a processing unit. The operations and/or functions of the modules in the data transmission apparatus 1600 are respectively for implementing the corresponding flows of the data transmission methods shown in fig. 10, fig. 11, fig. 12, or fig. 14, and are not described herein again for brevity.

Fig. 17 is a structural diagram of a possible product form of the data transmission device according to the embodiment of the present application.

As a possible product form, the data transmission apparatus according to the embodiment of the present application may be the first device, and the data transmission apparatus includes a processor 1701 and a transceiver 1702. Optionally, the data transmission apparatus further includes a memory 1703.

The processor 1701 is configured to support the data transmission apparatus to execute step S101 in fig. 10, and/or is configured to support the data transmission apparatus to execute step S301 in fig. 12. The transceiver 1702 is used for supporting the data transmission apparatus to execute step S102 in fig. 10, and/or is used for supporting the data transmission apparatus to execute step S202 in fig. 11, and/or is used for supporting the data transmission apparatus to execute step S302 in fig. 12, and/or is used for supporting the data transmission apparatus to execute step S401 in fig. 14.

As another possible product form, the data transmission apparatus according to the embodiment of the present application may be the second device, and the data transmission apparatus includes a processor 1701 and a transceiver 1702. Optionally, the data transmission apparatus further includes a memory 1703.

The processor 1701 is configured to support the data transmission apparatus to execute step S103 in fig. 10, and/or configured to support the data transmission apparatus to execute step S201 in fig. 11, and/or configured to support the data transmission apparatus to execute step S402 in fig. 14. The transceiver 1702 is used for supporting the data transmission apparatus to execute step S102 in fig. 10, and/or for supporting the data transmission apparatus to execute step S202 in fig. 11, and/or for supporting the data transmission apparatus to execute step S301 in fig. 12.

As another possible product form, the data transmission device according to the embodiment of the present application may also be implemented by a chip. The chip includes: a processing circuit 1701 and a transmit-receive pin 1702. Optionally, the chip may also include a memory 1703.

The bus may include a path that carries information between the components.

The transceiver/transceiver pin 1702 described above is used to communicate with other devices. In the embodiments of the present application, the transceiver/transceiver pin may be a module, a circuit, a bus, an interface, a communication interface or other means capable of implementing a communication function for communicating with other devices. Alternatively, the transceiver may be a separately provided transmitter that may be used to transmit information to other devices, or a separately provided receiver that may be used to receive information from other devices. The transceiver may also be a component that integrates information sending and receiving functions, and the embodiment of the present application does not limit the specific implementation of the transceiver.

The memory 1703 may be either volatile memory or nonvolatile memory, or may include both volatile and nonvolatile memory. The non-volatile memory may be a read-only memory (ROM), a Programmable ROM (PROM), an Erasable PROM (EPROM), an electrically Erasable EPROM (EEPROM), or a flash memory. Volatile memory can be Random Access Memory (RAM), which acts as external cache memory. By way of illustration, and not limitation, many forms of RAM are available, such as Static Random Access Memory (SRAM), Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM), Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory (SDRAM), double data rate synchronous dynamic random access memory (DDR SDRAM), Enhanced SDRAM (ESDRAM), synchronous link SDRAM (SLDRAM), and direct rambus RAM (DR RAM) or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to carry or store desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and that can be accessed by a computer. The memory 1703 may be separate or integrated with the processor 1701.

As another possible product form, the data transmission apparatus according to the embodiment of the present application may also be implemented by using the following circuits or devices: one or more Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), Programmable Logic Devices (PLDs), controllers, state machines, gate logic, discrete hardware components, any other suitable circuitry, or any combination of circuitry capable of performing the various functions described throughout this application.

An embodiment of the present application further provides a chip system, including: a processor coupled to a memory for storing a program or instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system-on-chip to implement the method of any of the above method embodiments.

Optionally, the system on a chip may have one or more processors. The processor may be implemented by hardware or by software. When implemented in hardware, the processor may be a logic circuit, an integrated circuit, or the like. When implemented in software, the processor may be a general-purpose processor implemented by reading software code stored in a memory.

Optionally, the memory in the system-on-chip may also be one or more. The memory may be integrated with the processor or may be separate from the processor, which is not limited in this application. For example, the memory may be a non-transitory processor, such as a read only memory ROM, which may be integrated with the processor on the same chip or separately disposed on different chips, and the type of the memory and the arrangement of the memory and the processor are not particularly limited in this application.

The system-on-chip may be, for example, a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), a system on chip (SoC), a Central Processing Unit (CPU), a Network Processor (NP), a digital signal processing circuit (DSP), a Microcontroller (MCU), a Programmable Logic Device (PLD), or other integrated chips.

Optionally, an embodiment of the present application further provides a computer-readable storage medium, where the computer-readable storage medium stores computer instructions, and when the computer instructions are executed on a computer, the computer is caused to execute the data transmission method in the foregoing method embodiment.

Optionally, an embodiment of the present application further provides a computer program product containing computer instructions, where the computer instructions, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to execute the data transmission method in the foregoing method embodiment.

It should be appreciated that the computer instructions can be stored on a computer readable storage medium or transmitted from one computer readable storage medium to another computer readable storage medium, for example, the computer instructions can be transmitted from one website, computer, server, or data center to another website, computer, server, or data center by wire (e.g., coaxial cable, fiber optics, digital subscriber line) or wirelessly (e.g., infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.). The computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium that can be accessed by a computer or can comprise one or more data storage devices, such as a server, a data center, etc., that can be integrated with the medium. The usable medium may be a magnetic medium (e.g., floppy disk, hard disk, magnetic tape), an optical medium, or a semiconductor medium (e.g., solid state disk), among others.

Through the above description of the embodiments, it is clear to those skilled in the art that, for convenience and simplicity of description, the foregoing division of the functional modules is merely used as an example, and in practical applications, the above function distribution may be completed by different functional modules according to needs, that is, the internal structure of the device may be divided into different functional modules to complete all or part of the above described functions.

It should be understood that the apparatus and method disclosed in the several embodiments provided in this application may be implemented in other ways. For example, the above-described device embodiments are merely illustrative, and for example, the division of the modules or units is only one logical functional division, and there may be other divisions when actually implemented, for example, a plurality of units or components may be combined or may be integrated into another device, or some features may be omitted, or not executed. In addition, the shown or discussed mutual coupling or direct coupling or communication connection may be an indirect coupling or communication connection through some interfaces, devices or units, and may be in an electrical, mechanical or other form.

The units described as separate parts may or may not be physically separate, and parts displayed as units may be one physical unit or a plurality of physical units, that is, may be located in one place, or may be distributed in a plurality of different places. Some or all of the units can be selected according to actual needs to achieve the purpose of the solution of the embodiment.

In addition, functional units in the embodiments of the present application may be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit may exist alone physically, or two or more units are integrated into one unit. The integrated unit can be realized in a form of hardware, and can also be realized in a form of a software functional unit.

The integrated unit, if implemented in the form of a software functional unit and sold or used as a stand-alone product, may be stored in a readable storage medium. Based on such understanding, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application may be essentially or partially contributed to by the prior art, or all or part of the technical solutions may be embodied in the form of a software product, where the software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to enable a device (which may be a single chip, a chip, or the like) or a processor (processor) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the embodiments of the present application.

The above description is only an embodiment of the present application, but the scope of the present application is not limited thereto, and any changes or substitutions within the technical scope of the present disclosure should be covered by the scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the present application shall be subject to the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A method of data transmission, the method comprising:

generating a first frame containing remapping reason information, wherein the remapping reason information is used for indicating a remapping reason;

and transmitting the first frame.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the remapping reason information is carried in one or more of the following fields: the maximum link number field allowed to be opened, the link set information field, the link quality report information field and the service quality QoS report information field are closed; wherein the maximum number of links allowed to be opened subfield is used for indicating the maximum number of links allowed to be opened; the link set closing information field is used for indicating a link set needing to be closed; the link quality report information field is used for indicating link quality information; the QoS report information field is used to indicate quality of service information.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first frame comprises first indication information, and the first indication information is used to indicate whether a field carrying the remapping reason information is present in the first frame; the first indication information is carried in a control field comprising a first subfield, a second subfield, a third subfield, and a fourth subfield; wherein the content of the first and second substances,

the first subfield to indicate whether the maximum number of links field allowed to be turned on is present in the first frame;

the first subfield and/or the second subfield are used for whether the indicate close link set information field is present in the first frame;

the third subfield to indicate whether the link quality report information field is present in the first frame;

the fourth subfield is used to indicate whether a QoS report information field is present in the first frame.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the first frame comprises first indication information, and the first indication information is used to indicate whether a field carrying the remapping reason information is present in the first frame; the first indication information is carried in a remapping reason field, wherein,

a first value of the remap reason field to indicate whether the maximum number of links allowed to be turned on is present in the first frame;

a first value and/or a second value of the remap reason field, configured to indicate whether the close link set information field is present in the first frame;

a third value of the remap cause field to indicate whether the link quality report information field is present in the first frame;

a fourth value of the remap cause field to indicate whether the QoS report information field is present in the first frame.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the first frame comprises first indication information, and the first indication information is used to indicate whether a field carrying the remapping reason information is present in the first frame; the first indication information is carried in a control field and a remapping reason field, wherein the control field comprises a first subfield, a second subfield, a third subfield and a fourth subfield; wherein the content of the first and second substances,

a first value of the first subfield and the remap reason field to indicate whether the maximum number of allowed links to open is present in the first frame;

the first subfield, the second subfield, the first value of the remap reason field, and one or more contents of the second value of the remap reason field are used to indicate whether the close link set information field appears in the first frame;

a third value of the third subfield and the remap cause field to indicate whether the link quality report information field is present in the first frame;

a fourth value of the fourth subfield and the remapping reason field for indicating whether the QoS report information field is present in the first frame.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1-5, further comprising:

and receiving a second frame, wherein the second frame carries second service identifier mapping information, the second service identifier mapping information is based on the remapping reason, and the second service identifier mapping information is used for indicating a second mapping relation between a service identifier and a link.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the second service identifier mapping information is carried in a service identifier and link mapping information field, and the service identifier and link mapping information field is used for indicating the second mapping relationship by using a corresponding relationship between the service identifier and a bit map of the link; alternatively, the first and second electrodes may be,

the service identifier and link mapping information field is used for indicating the second mapping relation by using the corresponding relation between the identifier of the link and the bitmap of the service identifier; alternatively, the first and second electrodes may be,

the service identifier and link mapping information field comprises a fifth subfield, and a fifth value of the fifth subfield is used for indicating that the service identifier and link mapping information field indicates the second mapping relation by using the corresponding relation between the service identifier and the bit bitmap of the link; a sixth value of the fifth subfield is used for indicating that the service identifier and a link mapping information field indicate the second mapping relationship by using a corresponding relationship between the identifier of the link and a bitmap of the service identifier; alternatively, the first and second electrodes may be,

the service identifier and link mapping information field comprises a fifth subfield, and a seventh value of the fifth subfield is used for indicating that the service identifier and link mapping information field indicates the second mapping relation by using the corresponding relation between the service identifier and the bit bitmap of the link; an eighth value of the fifth subfield, configured to indicate that the service identifier and a link mapping information field indicate the second mapping relationship by using a corresponding relationship between the link identifier and a bitmap of the service identifier; a ninth value of the fifth subfield, configured to indicate that the service identifier and a link mapping information field indicate the second mapping relationship by using a correspondence between a bitmap of the link and a bitmap of the service identifier; alternatively, the first and second electrodes may be,

the service identifier and link mapping information field comprises a fifth subfield, and a tenth value of the fifth subfield is used for indicating that the service identifier and link mapping information field indicates the second mapping relation by using the corresponding relation between the service identifier and the bit bitmap of the link; an eleventh value of the fifth subfield, configured to indicate that the service identifier and a link mapping information field indicate the second mapping relationship by using a correspondence between a bitmap of the service identifier and a bitmap of the link; alternatively, the first and second electrodes may be,

the service identifier and link mapping information field comprises a fifth subfield, and a twelfth value of the fifth subfield is used for indicating that the service identifier and link mapping information field indicates the second mapping relation by using the corresponding relation of the link identifier and the bitmap of the service identifier; and a thirteenth value of the fifth subfield, configured to indicate that the service identifier and a link mapping information field indicate the second mapping relationship by using a correspondence between a bitmap of the link and a bitmap of the service identifier.

8. The method according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the second service identifier mapping information further carries a direction of a second mapping relationship between the service identifier and the link.

9. The method according to any one of claims 6-8, further comprising:

transmitting a third frame indicating an acknowledgement or a negative acknowledgement to the second frame.

10. The method according to any of claims 1-9, wherein the first frame further comprises first service identifier mapping information, the first service identifier mapping information is based on the remapping reason, and the first service identifier mapping information is used for indicating a first mapping relationship between a service identifier and a link.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the second frame further carries a status code, and the status code is used to indicate whether the mapping relationship between the service identifier and the link is successfully established.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein if the mapping relationship between the service identifier and the link fails to be established, the status code carries a reason for the failed establishment.

13. The method according to any of claims 1-12, wherein the first frame further carries a remapping pattern, the remapping pattern comprising an immediate remapping pattern or a delayed remapping pattern.

14. A method of data transmission, the method comprising:

receiving a first frame, wherein the first frame comprises remapping reason information, and the remapping reason information is used for indicating a remapping reason;

and analyzing the first frame.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the remapping reason information is carried in one or more of the following fields: the maximum link number field allowed to be opened, the link set information field, the link quality report information field and the service quality QoS report information field are closed; wherein the maximum number of links allowed to be opened subfield is used for indicating the maximum number of links allowed to be opened; the link set closing information field is used for indicating a link set needing to be closed; the link quality report information field is used for indicating link quality information; the QoS report information field is used to indicate quality of service information.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first frame comprises first indication information indicating whether a field carrying the remapping reason information is present in the first frame; the first indication information is carried in a control field comprising a first subfield, a second subfield, a third subfield, and a fourth subfield; wherein the content of the first and second substances,

the first subfield and/or the second subfield to indicate whether the closed link set information field is present in the first frame;

the fourth subfield is used to indicate whether the QoS report information field is present in the first frame.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the first frame comprises first indication information indicating whether a field carrying the remapping reason information is present in the first frame; the first indication information is carried in a remapping reason field, wherein,

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the first frame comprises first indication information indicating whether a field carrying the remapping reason information is present in the first frame; the first indication information is carried in a control field and a remapping reason field, wherein the control field comprises a first subfield, a second subfield, a third subfield and a fourth subfield; wherein the content of the first and second substances,

a third value of the third subfield and the remap cause field, for indicating whether the link quality report information field is present in the first frame;

19. The method according to any one of claims 15-18, further comprising:

generating a second frame, wherein the second frame carries second service identifier mapping information, the second service identifier mapping information is based on the remapping reason, and the second service identifier mapping information is used for indicating a second mapping relation between a service identifier and a link;

and transmitting the second frame.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the second service identifier mapping information is carried in a service identifier and link mapping information field, and the service identifier and link mapping information field is used for indicating the second mapping relationship by using a corresponding relationship between the service identifier and a bit map of the link; alternatively, the first and second electrodes may be,

21. The method according to claim 19 or 20, wherein the second service identifier mapping information further carries a direction of a second mapping relationship between the service identifier and the link.

22. The method according to any one of claims 19-21, further comprising:

receiving a third frame indicating an acknowledgement or a negative acknowledgement to the second frame.

23. The method according to any of claims 15-22, wherein said first frame further comprises first service identifier mapping information, said first service identifier mapping information is based on said remapping reason, and said first service identifier mapping information is used for indicating a first mapping relationship between a service identifier and a link.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the second frame further carries a status code, and the status code is used to indicate whether the mapping relationship between the service identifier and the link is successfully established.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein if the mapping relationship between the service identifier and the link fails to be established, the status code carries a reason for the failed establishment.

26. The method according to any of claims 15-25, wherein the first frame further carries a remapping pattern, the remapping pattern comprising an immediate remapping pattern or a delayed remapping pattern.

27. A method of data transmission, the method comprising:

and sending a management frame and a target link identifier on a failed second link on a first link, wherein the target link identifier is used for indicating a receiving end multi-link device (MLD) to forward the received management frame to a module corresponding to the target link identifier.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

and sending a reporting link identifier on the first link, wherein the reporting link identifier is used for indicating a receiving end MLD to send a response frame on the first link corresponding to the reporting link identifier.

29. The method of claim 27 or 28, wherein the target link identifier and the reporting link identifier are carried in an aggregation control, a-control, field of a MAC frame.

30. The method according to claim 27 or 28, wherein said management frame, said target link identification and reporting link identification are carried in a frame body of a functional frame.

31. A method of data transmission, the method comprising:

receiving a management frame and a target link identification on a failed second link on a first link;

and determining to forward the received management frame to a module corresponding to the target link identifier according to the target link identifier.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

and receiving a reporting link identifier on the first link, wherein the reporting link identifier is used for indicating that a response frame is sent on the first link corresponding to the reporting link identifier.

33. The method of claim 31 or 32, wherein the target link identifier and the reporting link identifier are carried in an aggregation control, a-control, field of a MAC frame.

34. The method according to claim 31 or 32, wherein said management frame, said target link identification and reporting link identification are carried in a frame body of a functional frame.

35. A data transmission apparatus, characterized in that the data transmission apparatus comprises means for performing the steps of the method according to any of the claims 1-13, or means for performing the steps of the method according to any of the claims 14-26, or means for performing the steps of the method according to any of the claims 27-30, or means for performing the steps of the method according to any of the claims 31-34.

36. A computer readable storage medium storing computer instructions which, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform the method of any one of claims 1-13, or cause the computer to perform the method of any one of claims 14-26, or cause the computer to perform the method of any one of claims 27-30, or cause the computer to perform the method of any one of claims 31-34.

37. A chip, characterized in that the chip comprises a processing unit and a transceiver pin; the processing unit is configured to perform processing operations in a method according to any one of claims 1 to 34, and the transceiver pin is configured to perform communication operations in a method according to any one of claims 1 to 34.