WO2020253492A1 - 信道探测方法及通信装置 - Google Patents

信道探测方法及通信装置 Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO2020253492A1
WO2020253492A1 PCT/CN2020/092948 CN2020092948W WO2020253492A1 WO 2020253492 A1 WO2020253492 A1 WO 2020253492A1 CN 2020092948 W CN2020092948 W CN 2020092948W WO 2020253492 A1 WO2020253492 A1 WO 2020253492A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
frame
channel sounding
information field
information
channel
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/CN2020/092948
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Inventor
郭宇宸
于健
李云波
Original Assignee
华为技术有限公司
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by 华为技术有限公司 filed Critical 华为技术有限公司
Priority to EP20826376.4A priority Critical patent/EP3975444A4/en
Publication of WO2020253492A1 publication Critical patent/WO2020253492A1/zh

Links

Images

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04B—TRANSMISSION
    • H04B7/00—Radio transmission systems, i.e. using radiation field
    • H04B7/02—Diversity systems; Multi-antenna system, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas
    • H04B7/04—Diversity systems; Multi-antenna system, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas using two or more spaced independent antennas
    • H04B7/06—Diversity systems; Multi-antenna system, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas using two or more spaced independent antennas at the transmitting station
    • H04B7/0613—Diversity systems; Multi-antenna system, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas using two or more spaced independent antennas at the transmitting station using simultaneous transmission
    • H04B7/0615—Diversity systems; Multi-antenna system, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas using two or more spaced independent antennas at the transmitting station using simultaneous transmission of weighted versions of same signal
    • H04B7/0619—Diversity systems; Multi-antenna system, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas using two or more spaced independent antennas at the transmitting station using simultaneous transmission of weighted versions of same signal using feedback from receiving side
    • H04B7/0621—Feedback content
    • H04B7/0626—Channel coefficients, e.g. channel state information [CSI]
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L27/00—Modulated-carrier systems
    • H04L27/26—Systems using multi-frequency codes
    • H04L27/2601—Multicarrier modulation systems
    • H04L27/2602—Signal structure
    • H04L27/261—Details of reference signals
    • H04L27/2613—Structure of the reference signals
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L1/00—Arrangements for detecting or preventing errors in the information received
    • H04L1/0001—Systems modifying transmission characteristics according to link quality, e.g. power backoff
    • H04L1/0023—Systems modifying transmission characteristics according to link quality, e.g. power backoff characterised by the signalling
    • H04L1/0026—Transmission of channel quality indication
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L1/00—Arrangements for detecting or preventing errors in the information received
    • H04L1/0001—Systems modifying transmission characteristics according to link quality, e.g. power backoff
    • H04L1/0023—Systems modifying transmission characteristics according to link quality, e.g. power backoff characterised by the signalling
    • H04L1/0027—Scheduling of signalling, e.g. occurrence thereof
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L5/00—Arrangements affording multiple use of the transmission path
    • H04L5/0001—Arrangements for dividing the transmission path
    • H04L5/0003—Two-dimensional division
    • H04L5/0005—Time-frequency
    • H04L5/0007—Time-frequency the frequencies being orthogonal, e.g. OFDM(A), DMT
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L5/00—Arrangements affording multiple use of the transmission path
    • H04L5/003—Arrangements for allocating sub-channels of the transmission path
    • H04L5/0048—Allocation of pilot signals, i.e. of signals known to the receiver
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L5/00—Arrangements affording multiple use of the transmission path
    • H04L5/003—Arrangements for allocating sub-channels of the transmission path
    • H04L5/0053—Allocation of signaling, i.e. of overhead other than pilot signals
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L5/00—Arrangements affording multiple use of the transmission path
    • H04L5/0091—Signaling for the administration of the divided path
    • H04L5/0094—Indication of how sub-channels of the path are allocated
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04B—TRANSMISSION
    • H04B7/00—Radio transmission systems, i.e. using radiation field
    • H04B7/02—Diversity systems; Multi-antenna system, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas
    • H04B7/04—Diversity systems; Multi-antenna system, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas using two or more spaced independent antennas
    • H04B7/0413—MIMO systems
    • H04B7/0452—Multi-user MIMO systems
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04B—TRANSMISSION
    • H04B7/00—Radio transmission systems, i.e. using radiation field
    • H04B7/02—Diversity systems; Multi-antenna system, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas
    • H04B7/04—Diversity systems; Multi-antenna system, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas using two or more spaced independent antennas
    • H04B7/06—Diversity systems; Multi-antenna system, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas using two or more spaced independent antennas at the transmitting station
    • H04B7/0613—Diversity systems; Multi-antenna system, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas using two or more spaced independent antennas at the transmitting station using simultaneous transmission
    • H04B7/0615—Diversity systems; Multi-antenna system, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas using two or more spaced independent antennas at the transmitting station using simultaneous transmission of weighted versions of same signal
    • H04B7/0619—Diversity systems; Multi-antenna system, i.e. transmission or reception using multiple antennas using two or more spaced independent antennas at the transmitting station using simultaneous transmission of weighted versions of same signal using feedback from receiving side
    • H04B7/0621—Feedback content
    • H04B7/063—Parameters other than those covered in groups H04B7/0623 - H04B7/0634, e.g. channel matrix rank or transmit mode selection
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L1/00—Arrangements for detecting or preventing errors in the information received
    • H04L1/08—Arrangements for detecting or preventing errors in the information received by repeating transmission, e.g. Verdan system

Definitions

  • the embodiments of the present application relate to the communication field, and in particular, to a channel detection method and communication device.
  • WLAN Wireless Local Area Network
  • APs wireless access points
  • the problem of inter-cell interference is also brought about. How to reduce inter-cell interference and improve user service quality through cooperation between APs has become an urgent problem to be solved.
  • the AP channel sounding can refer to the 802.11ac channel sounding (Sounding) process, as shown in Figure 1.
  • the AP first sends a Null Data Packet Announcement (NDPA) frame to notify the station (Station, STA) that needs to perform channel detection, and the parameters of the relevant channel detection, and then in the short inter-frame interval (Short Inter-frame After Space, SIFS), broadcast the NDP frame, where the NDP frame does not carry the data field part.
  • NDPA Null Data Packet Announcement
  • the STA can perform channel estimation on the AP based on the received NDP and generate a beamforming report (BFR), where the BFR includes but is not limited to: Channel State Information (CSI) or Channel Quality Indicator (Channel Quality Indication, BFR). Quality Indicator, CQI).
  • BFR includes but is not limited to: Channel State Information (CSI) or Channel Quality Indicator (Channel Quality Indication, BFR). Quality Indicator, CQI).
  • CSI Channel State Information
  • BFR Channel Quality Indication
  • CQI Quality Indicator
  • the AP sends a beamforming report poll (BF Report Poll, BFRP) to the STA to request a certain STA for channel state frames that have not yet been fed back or fed back in error.
  • BF Report Poll BF Report Poll
  • a VHT (Very High Throughput) NDPA frame is used to identify the NDPA frame in the 802.11ac standard, and the frame format is shown in FIG. 2.
  • the Sounding Dialog Token field is used to index the sequence number of channel sounding.
  • the NDPA frame also includes an STA information field, which includes feedback instruction information of multiple STAs.
  • the STA information field can also include the STA association identifier (Association Identifier, AID), feedback type (Feedback Type), and number of columns (Number of columns, Nc) fields. These three fields are used to indicate the associated STA.
  • the feedback mode is single User or multi-user feedback, and the number of columns of feedback.
  • the STA information field may also include a Frame Control (FC) field, where the FC field includes type information (Type) and subtype information (Subtype), and is used to identify the type of the NDPA frame.
  • FC Frame Control
  • the receiving address field (Receiving Address, RA) and the transmitting address field (Transmitting Address, TA) are used to identify the receiving end and the sending end of the MAC frame.
  • 802.11ax a multi-user uplink transmission mechanism is introduced to further improve the efficiency of channel detection, that is, the AP can instruct multiple STAs to upload beamforming reports at the same time.
  • the NDPA frame is a High Efficient (HE) NDPA frame, which extends the type and subtype of the FC field of the VHT NDPA frame, and uses the reserved bits in the Sounding Dialog Token field to distinguish the
  • the frame is a VHT NDPA frame or HE NDPA frame.
  • the length of the STA information field in the HE NDPA frame is extended to 4 bytes, and partial bandwidth information (Partial BW Info) is introduced to instruct the STA to feedback partial bandwidth channel state information.
  • the frame structure is shown in FIG. 3.
  • the present application provides a channel detection method and communication device, which can realize the channel detection process of multiple APs.
  • an embodiment of the present application provides a channel detection method.
  • the method includes: a first AP sends an announcement frame, the announcement frame is used to instruct at least one second AP and at least one station STA to participate in channel detection;
  • the AP sequentially sends a channel sounding poll frame to each of the at least one second AP, and the channel sounding poll frame is used to trigger the at least one second AP to send the channel sounding frame.
  • embodiments of the present application provide a channel detection method, which may include: a second access point AP receives an announcement frame sent by a first AP, and the announcement frame is used to instruct the second AP and at least one STA to participate in the channel Detection process: The second AP receives the channel sounding poll frame sent by the first AP, and the channel sounding poll frame is used to trigger the second AP to send the channel sounding frame; the second AP sends the channel sounding frame.
  • the first AP sends the channel sounding polling frame to trigger the designated second AP to send the channel sounding frame, so that when a certain second AP fails to send the channel sounding frame, it can pass
  • the indication function of the channel sounding polling frame enables other second APs to continue sending the channel sounding frame, thereby avoiding the problem of poor robustness caused by the channel sounding frame terminal and improving resource utilization.
  • the declaration frame and the channel sounding polling frame are empty data packet declaration NDPA frames; where the channel sounding polling frame contains control frame type information for indicating channel sounding
  • the polling frame is a type frame used to trigger at least one second AP to send a channel sounding frame.
  • the multiplexing of NDPA is realized, and the channel sounding polling frame can also adopt the structure of the NDPA frame to realize the function of the channel sounding polling frame.
  • the announcement frame includes first indication information, which is used to indicate whether the first AP sends a channel sounding frame.
  • the first AP or can be called the master AP may not send the channel detection frame, and the first AP can notify other APs and STAs through the announcement frame, and it will not send the channel detection frame during the channel detection process.
  • Channel sounding frame may not send the channel detection frame, and the first AP can notify other APs and STAs through the announcement frame, and it will not send the channel detection frame during the channel detection process.
  • the declaration frame contains at least one AP information field, the length of one AP information field is an integer multiple of 4 bytes, and the first 4 bytes in the AP information field
  • the 28 bits are set to 1, and at least one AP information field corresponds to each second AP in the at least one second AP, and each AP information field contains identification information of the corresponding second AP.
  • the identification information of the second AP is the identifier of the second AP or the identifier of the STA in the device where the second AP is located; wherein, the identification of the second AP The symbol is determined through pre-negotiation between the first AP and the second AP.
  • the first 11 bits in every 4 bytes in the AP information field are set to a special value to indicate that the AP information field carries the media access control of the second AP MAC address information, and the identification information of the second AP is the MAC address of the second AP.
  • the AP information field further includes one or more of the following: a sending order indication, an indication of the number of training sequences; a sending order indication, used to indicate the corresponding AP information field The order in which the second AP sends the channel sounding frames; the number of training sequences indicator is used to indicate the number of training sequences included in the channel sounding frames sent by the second AP corresponding to the AP information field.
  • the first AP can also instruct the second AP to send the channel sounding frame sequence through the announcement frame.
  • the announcement frame may also be used to indicate the information contained in the channel sounding frame sent by the second AP.
  • the declaration frame further includes a public information field, and the length of the public information field is an integer multiple of 4 bytes; wherein, the first of every 4 bytes in the public information field 11 bits are set as a special value, and the 28th bit in every 4 bytes in the common information field is set to 1.
  • the common information field includes: second indication information, used to indicate the number of at least one second AP, or used to indicate at least one second AP and the first The total number of an AP.
  • the announcement frame or the channel sounding polling frame includes resource indication information, which is used to instruct at least one second AP to send the channel sounding frame on the designated channel resource.
  • an embodiment of the present application provides a communication device applied to a first AP side.
  • the device may include: a sending module, the module may be used to send an announcement frame, the announcement frame is used to indicate at least one second AP and at least One STA participates in the channel sounding process; and the sending module is also used to send a channel sounding poll frame to each of the at least one second AP in turn, and the channel sounding poll frame is used to trigger at least one second AP to send a channel Probe frame.
  • an embodiment of the present application provides a communication device applied to a second AP side.
  • the device may include: a receiving module and a sending module.
  • the receiving module may be used to receive an announcement frame sent by the first AP. Used to instruct the second AP and at least one STA to participate in the channel sounding process; and the receiving module may also be used to receive the channel sounding poll frame sent by the first AP, and the channel sounding poll frame is used to trigger the second AP to send the channel sounding frame;
  • the sending module can be used to send channel sounding frames.
  • the declaration frame and the channel sounding polling frame are empty data packet declaration NDPA frames; wherein, the channel sounding polling frame contains control frame type information for indicating channel sounding
  • the polling frame is a type frame used to trigger at least one second AP to send a channel sounding frame.
  • the announcement frame includes first indication information, which is used to indicate whether the first AP sends a channel sounding frame.
  • the declaration frame contains at least one AP information field, the length of one AP information field is an integer multiple of 4 bytes, and the first 4 bytes in the AP information field
  • the 28 bits are set to 1, and at least one AP information field corresponds to each second AP in the at least one second AP, and each AP information field contains identification information of the corresponding second AP.
  • the identification information of the second AP is the identifier of the second AP or the identifier of the STA in the device where the second AP is located; wherein, the identification of the second AP The symbol is determined through pre-negotiation between the first AP and the second AP.
  • the first 11 bits in every 4 bytes in the AP information field are set to a special value to indicate that the AP information field carries the media access control of the second AP MAC address information, and the identification information of the second AP is the MAC address of the second AP.
  • the AP information field further includes one or more of the following: a transmission sequence indication, an indication of the number of training sequences; a transmission sequence indication, used to indicate the corresponding AP information field The order in which the second AP sends the channel sounding frames; the number of training sequences indicator is used to indicate the number of training sequences included in the channel sounding frames sent by the second AP corresponding to the AP information field.
  • the declaration frame further includes a public information field, and the length of the public information field is an integer multiple of 4 bytes; wherein, the first of every 4 bytes in the public information field 11 bits are set as a special value, and the 28th bit in every 4 bytes in the common information field is set to 1.
  • the public information field includes: second indication information, used to indicate the number of at least one second AP, or used to indicate at least one second AP and the first The total number of an AP.
  • the announcement frame or the channel sounding polling frame includes resource indication information for instructing at least one second AP to send the channel sounding frame on the designated channel resource.
  • an embodiment of the present application provides a communication device on the side of a first access point.
  • the device may be a first access point device or a chip in the first access point.
  • the device has the function of realizing the first aspect related to the first access point. This function can be realized by hardware, or by hardware executing corresponding software.
  • the hardware or software includes one or more units corresponding to the above-mentioned functions.
  • the first access point when the device is the first access point, the first access point includes a processor and a transceiver, and the processor is configured to support the first access point AP to perform the foregoing The corresponding function in the aspect.
  • the transceiver is used to support the communication between the first access point AP and the second access point AP, and send the information or instructions involved in the foregoing method to the second access point.
  • the first access point may further include a memory, where the memory is configured to be coupled with the processor and stores necessary program instructions and data of the first access point.
  • the device includes a processor, a baseband circuit, a radio frequency circuit, and an antenna.
  • the processor is used to control the functions of each circuit part, and the baseband circuit is used to generate various signaling and messages, such as announcement frames, channel detection polling frames, and analog conversion, filtering, amplification, and up-conversion processing via radio frequency circuits. Then, it is sent to the second access point AP via the antenna.
  • the device may further include a memory, which stores program instructions and data necessary for the first access point.
  • the device may include a processor and a modem.
  • the processor may be used for instructions or an operating system to control the functions of the first access point.
  • the modem may encapsulate and edit data according to the protocol. Decoding, modulation and demodulation, equalization, etc. to generate signaling information, for example, announcement frames, channel sounding polling frames, etc., to support the first access point AP to perform the corresponding functions in the first aspect.
  • the chip when the device is a chip in the first access point, the chip includes a processing module and a transceiver module.
  • the processing module may be a processor, for example, the processor is used to generate After encapsulating all kinds of messages according to the protocol, the processor can be used for demodulation, decoding, and decapsulation to obtain signaling and messages.
  • the module may be, for example, an input/output interface, pin, or circuit on the chip.
  • the processing module can execute the computer-executable instructions stored in the storage unit to support the first access point AP to perform the corresponding functions in the above aspects.
  • the storage unit may be a storage unit in the chip, such as a register, a cache, etc., and the storage unit may also be a storage unit located outside the chip in the first access point, such as Read-only memory (read-only memory, referred to as ROM) or other types of static storage devices that can store static information and instructions, random access memory (random access memory, referred to as RAM), etc.
  • ROM Read-only memory
  • RAM random access memory
  • the device includes a processor, which is configured to be coupled with a memory, read instructions in the memory, and execute the method involving the first access point AP in the first aspect according to the instructions.
  • the memory may be located inside the processor or outside the processor.
  • the processor mentioned in any of the above can be a general-purpose central processing unit (Central Processing Unit, CPU for short), microprocessor, application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC for short), or one or A plurality of integrated circuits used to control the program execution of the above-mentioned spatial multiplexing method.
  • CPU Central Processing Unit
  • ASIC application-specific integrated circuit
  • the present application provides a communication device on the side of a second access point.
  • the device may be a second access point or a chip in a second device.
  • the device has the function of implementing the second access point in the second aspect. This function can be realized by hardware, or by hardware executing corresponding software.
  • the hardware or software includes one or more units corresponding to the above-mentioned functions.
  • the second access point when the apparatus is a second access point, the second access point includes: a processor and a transceiver, and the processor is configured to support the second access point AP to perform the foregoing method Corresponding function.
  • the transceiver is used to support the communication between the second access point AP and the second access point AP or station, and receive the information or instructions involved in the above method sent by the first access point, such as announcement frame, channel sounding polling Frames etc.
  • the second access point may further include a memory, where the memory is configured to be coupled with the processor and stores necessary program instructions and data for the second access point.
  • the device includes a processor, a baseband circuit, a radio frequency circuit, and an antenna.
  • the processor is used to control the functions of each circuit part.
  • the radio frequency circuit can digitally convert, filter, amplify, and down-convert the data packets sent by the first access point received via the antenna, and then decode it through the baseband circuit. Decapsulate according to the protocol to obtain signaling information.
  • the device further includes a memory, which stores program instructions and data necessary for the second access point.
  • the device includes a processor and a modem.
  • the processor can be used for instructions or an operating system to control the functions of the second access point.
  • the modem can encapsulate, encode and decode data according to the protocol. , Modulation, demodulation, equalization, etc. to generate channel detection frames, or to parse declaration frames, channel detection polling frames, etc., to support the second access point AP to perform the corresponding functions in the above second aspect.
  • the chip when the device is a chip in the second access point, the chip includes a processing module and a transceiver module.
  • the processing module may be a processor, for example, and the processor may be used to
  • the data packets carrying signaling or data information (for example, data packets containing scheduling request messages) received by the transceiver module are processed for filtering, demodulation, power amplification, decoding, etc.
  • the transceiver module may, for example, be an input on the chip /Output interface, pin or circuit, etc.
  • the processing module can execute computer-executable instructions stored in the storage unit to support the second access point AP to perform the corresponding functions of the fourth aspect.
  • the storage unit may be a storage unit in the chip, such as a register, a cache, etc., and the storage unit may also be a storage unit located outside the chip in the second access point, such as Read-only memory (read-only memory, referred to as ROM) or other types of static storage devices that can store static information and instructions, random access memory (random access memory, referred to as RAM), etc.
  • ROM Read-only memory
  • RAM random access memory
  • the device includes a processor, which is configured to be coupled with a memory, read instructions in the memory, and execute the method described in the above second aspect according to the instructions.
  • the memory may be located inside the processor or outside the processor.
  • the processor mentioned in any of the above can be a general-purpose central processing unit (Central Processing Unit, CPU for short), microprocessor, application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC for short), or one or A plurality of integrated circuits used to control the program execution of the above-mentioned spatial multiplexing method.
  • CPU Central Processing Unit
  • ASIC application-specific integrated circuit
  • the present application provides a computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored in the computer-readable storage medium, and the instructions may be executed by one or more processors on a processing circuit.
  • the computer runs on a computer, the computer is caused to execute the method in any one of the foregoing first aspect or second aspect or any possible implementation manner thereof.
  • a computer program product containing instructions which when running on a computer, causes the computer to execute any one of the above-mentioned first aspect or second aspect or the method in any possible implementation manner thereof.
  • this application provides a chip system that includes a processor for supporting the data sending device to implement the functions involved in the above aspects, such as generating or processing data and/or data involved in the above aspects. information.
  • the chip system further includes a memory, and the memory is used to store necessary program instructions and data of the data sending device.
  • the chip system can be composed of chips, or can include chips and other discrete devices.
  • an embodiment of the present application provides a wireless communication system, which includes the first access point and at least one second access point involved in the foregoing aspect.
  • Fig. 1 is one of the schematic diagrams showing a channel sounding process exemplarily
  • Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of a VHT NDPA frame by way of example
  • Fig. 3 is a schematic structural diagram of an HE NDPA frame exemplarily shown
  • FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of an application scenario provided by an embodiment of the present application.
  • FIG. 5 is one of the schematic flowcharts of a channel detection method provided by an embodiment of the present application.
  • FIG. 6 is one of the schematic structural diagrams of an NDPA frame provided by an embodiment of the present application.
  • FIG. 7 is one of schematic structural diagrams of an NDPA frame provided by an embodiment of the present application.
  • FIG. 8 is one of schematic structural diagrams of an NDPA frame provided by an embodiment of the present application.
  • FIG. 9 is one of schematic structural diagrams of an NDPA frame provided by an embodiment of the present application.
  • FIG. 10 is one of schematic structural diagrams of an NDPA frame provided by an embodiment of the present application.
  • FIG. 11 is one of the schematic structural diagrams of an NDPA frame provided by an embodiment of the present application.
  • FIG. 12 is one of schematic structural diagrams of an NDPA frame provided by an embodiment of the present application.
  • FIG. 13 is one of the schematic structural diagrams of an NDP polling frame provided by an embodiment of the present application.
  • FIG. 14 is one of the schematic structural diagrams of an NDP polling frame provided by an embodiment of the present application.
  • FIG. 15 is one of the schematic flowcharts of a channel detection method provided by an embodiment of the present application.
  • FIG. 16 is one of schematic structural diagrams of an NDPA frame provided by an embodiment of the present application.
  • FIG. 17 is one of the schematic flowcharts of a channel sounding method provided by an embodiment of the present application.
  • FIG. 18 is one of the schematic structural diagrams of a device provided by an embodiment of the present application.
  • FIG. 19 is one of the schematic block diagrams of a device provided by an embodiment of the present application.
  • FIG. 20 is one of the schematic structural diagrams of a device provided by an embodiment of the present application.
  • FIG. 21 is one of the schematic block diagrams of a device provided by an embodiment of the present application.
  • first and second in the description and claims of the embodiments of the present application are used to distinguish different objects, rather than to describe a specific order of objects.
  • first target object and the second target object are used to distinguish different target objects, rather than to describe the specific order of the target objects.
  • words such as “exemplary” or “for example” are used as examples, illustrations, or illustrations. Any embodiment or design solution described as “exemplary” or “for example” in the embodiments of the present application should not be construed as being more preferable or advantageous than other embodiments or design solutions. To be precise, words such as “exemplary” or “for example” are used to present related concepts in a specific manner.
  • multiple means two or more.
  • multiple processing units refer to two or more processing units; multiple systems refer to two or more systems.
  • FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of an application scenario provided by an embodiment of this application.
  • This application scenario includes AP1, AP2, and AP3, and also includes: STA1 and STA2.
  • the STA is a communication device with wireless transceiver function. For example, it can communicate with other network elements based on the 802.11 protocol.
  • the STA can also be called a user terminal, a user device, an access device, or a subscriber station.
  • AP is a communication device with wireless transceiver function that can provide services for STA, for example, it can be based on The 802.11 protocol communicates with other network elements, for example, access points, routers, switches, micro base stations or small base stations in the WLAN communication system. It should be noted that in actual applications, the number of APs is two or more, and the number of STAs can be one or more. The number of STAs and APs in the application scenario shown in FIG. 4 is only an illustrative example. This application does not limit this.
  • AP1 is the first AP in the embodiments of the application
  • AP2 and AP3 are the embodiments of the application.
  • the second AP Take the second AP as an example in detail.
  • the first AP may be any AP in FIG. 4
  • the second AP may be any AP in FIG. 4 other than the first AP.
  • the first AP sends a channel sounding polling frame to instruct the corresponding second AP to send a channel sounding frame as scene one.
  • the first AP instructs two or more second APs to send the channel sounding frame at the same time as scene two.
  • the scenario where the first AP instructs the second AP to send the channel detection frame by sending the announcement frame is marked as scenario three.
  • FIG. 5 is a schematic flowchart of the channel detection method in an embodiment of the application, and in FIG. 5:
  • Step 101 The first AP sends an announcement frame, where the announcement frame is used to instruct at least one second AP and at least one STA to participate in the channel sounding process.
  • AP1 is used as the first AP, that is, the main AP, and AP2 and/or AP3 are used as the second AP.
  • AP1 generates an announcement frame and sends the announcement frame.
  • the announcement frame includes identification information of at least one second AP and identification information of at least one STA.
  • the AP or STA that receives the announcement frame can determine whether to be scheduled to participate in the channel sounding process based on the identification information.
  • the announcement frame may be an NDPA frame.
  • the announcement frame may be a VHT NDPA frame, an HE NDPA frame, or an Extremely High Throughput Null Data Packet Announcement (EHT) NDPA frame (the structure of this frame will be described in the following embodiments).
  • EHT Extremely High Throughput Null Data Packet Announcement
  • AP1 sends an announcement frame (NDPA frame).
  • the NDPA frame may include identification information of AP2 and AP3, and identification information of STA1 and STA2.
  • AP2, AP3, STA1 and STA2 can determine to be scheduled to participate in the channel sounding process based on the identification information.
  • Step 102 The first AP sequentially sends a channel sounding poll frame to each of the at least one second AP, and the channel sounding poll frame is used to trigger the at least one second AP to send a channel sounding frame.
  • the first AP may send a channel sounding poll frame to the target second AP, and the channel sounding poll frame is used to trigger the target second AP to send a channel sounding frame.
  • the channel sounding frame is a Null Data Packet (NDP) frame
  • NDP Null Data Packet
  • the channel sounding poll frame can be called an NDP poll frame or an NDP trigger frame.
  • NDP Null Data Packet
  • the application is not limited.
  • the channel sounding poll frame carries identification information of the target second AP (or may be referred to as the triggered second AP).
  • the identification information of the second AP is the MAC address of the target second AP, which may be carried in the receiving address (RA) field of the channel sounding poll frame.
  • the AP that receives the channel sounding polling frame can determine whether to send the channel sounding frame based on the identification information.
  • the target second AP may be any AP of at least one second AP.
  • the NDP polling frame includes control frame type information, which is used to indicate the frame type of the NDP polling frame, that is, the frame is an NDP polling frame.
  • Step 103 The triggered second AP sends a channel sounding frame.
  • the AP that successfully matches its identification information with the identification information contained in the NDP polling frame is determined as the triggered AP.
  • the triggered AP sends a channel sounding frame (NDP frame).
  • AP1 sends an NDP polling frame to AP2, and the frame contains identification information of AP2.
  • AP2 recognizes that the NDP polling frame contains its own identification information, it sends the NDP frame.
  • AP1 sends an NDP polling frame to AP3, and the frame contains identification information of AP3.
  • AP3 recognizes that the NDP polling frame contains its own identification information, it sends an NDP frame.
  • the manner in which each AP sends the NDP frame is broadcast.
  • the first AP when it sends the NDP polling frame, it may send the NDP polling frame to each second AP in sequence according to a predetermined sequence.
  • AP1 may store an AP list, and AP1 may send NDP polling frames to the APs in the list one by one in the order of the list.
  • the predetermined sequence can be set according to actual requirements.
  • the sending sequence of the NDP polling frame can be set according to the distance between the second AP and the first AP, which is not limited in this application.
  • the first AP monitors the NDP frame of the triggered second AP, it sends an NDP polling frame to other second APs.
  • AP1 listens to the NDP frame broadcast by AP2, it sends an NDP polling frame carrying the identification information of AP3 to trigger AP3 to send the NDP frame.
  • the first AP may send NDP polling frames to other second APs; or, the first AP may re-send the The triggered second AP sends an NDP polling frame.
  • the predetermined duration may be Point Coordination Function Interframe Space (PIFS) or may be set according to actual needs, which is not limited in this application.
  • PIFS Point Coordination Function Interframe Space
  • AP1 can send the NDP polling frame to AP2 again, and it can be repeated multiple times.
  • a repetition upper limit can be set. For example, when AP1 repeatedly sends to AP2 three times and still does not listen to the NDP frame of AP2, then AP1 sends an NDP polling frame to other second APs.
  • the second AP receives the NDP polling frame, and may send the NDP frame after a predetermined period of time.
  • the predetermined duration can be SIFS, or can be set according to actual needs, which is not limited by this application.
  • Step 104 At least one STA performs channel detection based on the NDP frame.
  • At least one STA performs channel sounding on the downlink channel of the second AP based on the NDP frame sent by the second AP, and obtains CSI. Then, enter the feedback process, and the STA feeds back the CSI to the AP.
  • the specific feedback process can refer to the existing technology, and this application will not repeat it.
  • the announcement frame may include first indication information for indicating whether the first AP sends an NDP frame.
  • the announcement frame further includes: second indication information, used to indicate the number of second APs participating in channel detection, or used to indicate the total number of first APs and second APs participating in channel detection.
  • the announcement frame may include the first indication information, and at least one second AP and/or at least one STA may read the first indication information, Confirm that the first AP sends the NDP frame.
  • the announcement frame may include the first indication information, and at least one second AP and/or at least one STA may read the first indication information, Confirm that the first AP sends the NDP frame.
  • the first AP sends the NDPA it may send the NDP frame after a predetermined period of time.
  • the predetermined duration may be SIFS, which is not limited in this application.
  • the announcement frame may also include second indication information, and at least one STA may estimate the duration of the channel sounding process based on the number of second APs sending the NDP frame.
  • the announcement frame may be an EHT NDPA frame
  • the EHT NDPA frame may include a public information field
  • the indication information may be carried in the public information field.
  • the length of the public information field of the EHT NDPA frame may be an integer multiple of 4 bytes, for example, 4 J bytes (bytes), and J is an integer greater than or equal to 1.
  • the first 11 bits of every 4 bytes in the public information field are set to special values. For example, if the bits included in the public information field are recorded as: B0 ⁇ (B32*J-1), the bits of the public information field Bits B32(J-1) to B32(J-1)+10 are set as special values. Through this setting, the misreading of HE STA can be avoided.
  • each STA information field in the NDPA frame is 4 bytes, that is, when it reads the STA information field, it will first read the first 11 bits of the STA information field ( bits) (hereinafter referred to as Association Identifier (AID) field), if the information in the AID field does not match its own AID, continue to read the next STA information field. If the information in the AID field matches its own AID, the HE STA will obtain the information in the STA information field. However, the first 11 bits of every 4 bytes of the public information field in this application are set to special values.
  • AID Association Identifier
  • FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of the frame structure of the EHT NDPA frame.
  • the length of the common information field of the EHT NDPA frame is 4 bytes, that is, the J value mentioned above is 1.
  • B32(J-1) to B32(J-1)+10 in the public information field that is, B0 to B10 are set to special values.
  • the VHT STA when the VHT STA reads the first 11 bits of the public information field, it recognizes that the value of the first 11 bits is not within the AID value range (AID value range is 1-2007). Then, the VHT STA will consider that this domain is not an AID domain, and will not do any further processing on the 4 bytes it belongs to, so as to avoid misreading of the VHT STA.
  • the belonging special value can be a dummy ID, or any value can be selected within the range of [2007, 2047], which is not limited in this application.
  • the value of the 28th bit in every 4 bytes of the common information field is set to 1.
  • the bits included in the public information field are marked as: B0 ⁇ (B32*J-1), and the bit B32(J-1)+27 of the public information field is set to 1, this setting can prevent VHT STA error read.
  • the reason is: For VHT STA, the default length of each STA information field in the NDPA frame is 2 bytes. Therefore, VHT STA may change the public information field from B32(J-1)+16 to B32(J-1) +27 is resolved into the AID domain (the reason is similar to that of HE STA, and will not be repeated here).
  • the most significant bit of B32(J-1)+16 to B32(J-1)+27 of the public information field namely B32(J-1)+27 (or can be called the disambiguation bit )
  • B32(J-1)+27 or can be called the disambiguation bit
  • the length of the common information field is 4 bytes (J is 1), then the bit B27 of the common information field is set to 1, so as to avoid misreading by VHT STA.
  • the announcement frame includes identification information of at least one second AP, which is used to indicate that at least one second AP participates in channel sounding.
  • the declared frame is an EHT NDPA frame
  • the EHT NDPA frame may include at least one AP information field, where each AP information field may include the identification information of the second AP to indicate that the corresponding second AP participates in the channel Detection, correspondingly, the second AP that receives the EHT NDPA frame can determine whether to be scheduled to participate in channel detection by identifying the identification information in the AP information field.
  • the identification information of the AP included in the AP information field may include but is not limited to the following three types:
  • the first type pre-negotiated identification information.
  • the identification information may be allocated by the first AP to the second AP. In another example, it may also be notified to other APs after the second AP determines the identification information by itself.
  • the second type the media access control (Media Access Control Address, MAC) address or part of the MAC address of the second AP.
  • Media Access Control Address, MAC Media Access Control Address
  • the third type the identification information of the STA in the device to which the second AP belongs.
  • the second AP may negotiate with the first AP in advance to obtain the identification information.
  • the negotiation process may be: the first AP allocates identification information to the target second AP (the target second AP may be any AP of at least one second AP), and sends an indication frame to the second AP, and the indication frame carries Identification information allocated by the target second AP.
  • the indication frame may be a beacon frame.
  • the indication frame may also be sent by the first AP to the target second AP after receiving the identification information request frame sent by the target second AP.
  • the first AP may also allocate an exclusive AID range for each second AP, thereby ensuring that the AIDs of the STAs associated with each second AP are different from each other. For example: AP1 can assign identification information to AP2 and at the same time assign an AID range to AP2. Correspondingly, after AP2 obtains its own identification information, it can select an AID from the assigned AID range 1 for its associated STA.
  • AP3 can select an AID from the assigned AID range 2 for its associated STAs, where AID range 1 and AID range 2 do not overlap, so that the AIDs of the STAs associated with AP2 and AP3 are different. the same.
  • the second AP may carry request information in the identification information request frame sent to the first AP to request the size of its exclusive AID range.
  • the first AP may rely on the request information of the second AP Assign AID range to it.
  • FIG. 7 shows an EHT NDPA frame including at least one AP information field, where each AP information field includes identification information of the second AP, and the identification information of the second AP is carried in the first 11 bits of the AP information field.
  • the first 11 bits of each AP information field can be set to a special value to indicate that the identification information carried in the AP information field is a MAC address or a part of the MAC address.
  • the second AP that receives the NDPA frame reads that the first 11 bits of the AP information field is set to a special value, it can determine that the AP information field carries the MAC address or part of the MAC address.
  • the partial MAC address can be generated by selecting a specified length (which can be set according to actual requirements) from the MAC address as the partial MAC address.
  • the method for generating part of the MAC address may also be: performing a designated operation on the MAC address, and obtaining corresponding address information with a shorter length.
  • a 48-bit MAC address is subjected to a 16-bit cyclic redundancy check (CRC) operation, so that the result of the operation is a partial MAC address corresponding to the 48-bit MAC address.
  • CRC cyclic redundancy check
  • the length of the AP information field in this application can be an integer multiple of 4 bytes, for example, 4Kbytes.
  • the identification information it carries can be set as MAC address information or part of the MAC address. information.
  • the AP information field can only carry part of the MAC address information (and the length is less than or equal to 16 bits).
  • the first 11 bits (ie, B0 to B10) of the AP information field can be set to special values.
  • the second AP determines that the AP information field carries the MAC address or part of the MAC address by reading the first 11 bits of the AP information field to identify the corresponding second AP. Subsequently, the second AP can determine whether it is scheduled to participate in channel detection based on whether the MAC address or part of the MAC address matches its own MAC address. Referring to FIG. 8, it shows an EHT NDPA frame including at least one AP information field, where each AP information field has a length of 4 bytes and includes part of MAC address information.
  • the AP information field can still only carry part of the MAC address information.
  • the first 11 bits of the AP information field (ie, B0 to B10) can be set to a special value. Referring to FIG. 9, it shows an EHT NDPA frame including at least one AP information field, where each AP information field has a length of 8 bytes and includes partial MAC address information.
  • the AP information field may carry MAC address information or part of MAC address information.
  • the first 11 bits of the AP information field (ie, B0 to B10) can be set to a special value. 10, it shows an EHT NDPA frame including at least one AP information field. Each AP information field is 12 bytes long and includes MAC address information.
  • the MAC address information is divided into three parts, for example The MAC address part1, MAC address part2, and MAC address part3 in Figure 10 are each part of 16 bits long.
  • the identification information may be the AID of the STA in the device to which the second AP belongs.
  • the STA is associated with the first AP.
  • the AID of the STA in the device to which the second AP belongs may be carried in the first 11 bits in the AP information field.
  • the AP information field also carries collocated AP information, which is used to indicate whether the NDPA frame is sent to the second AP or sent to the STA in the device to which the second AP belongs.
  • the second AP that receives the NDPA frame carries the AID of the STA in the device to which the second AP belongs in the read AP information field and carries the co-location AP information, it is determined to be scheduled to participate in channel detection.
  • FIG. 11 shows an EHT NDPA frame including at least one AP information field.
  • the first 11 bits of the AP information field carry the AID of the STA in the device to which the second AP belongs, and the AP information field also includes co-location AP information.
  • the 28th bit in every 4 bytes in each AP information field is a disambiguation bit.
  • the bits included in the AP information field are recorded as: B0 ⁇ (B32*K-1), then B32(K-1)+27 is set to 1 to avoid VHT STA misreading (for specific reasons, please refer to the public information field , Do not go into details here).
  • the length of the AP information field is 4 bytes, including B0 to B31, and B27 is set to 1.
  • the length of the AP information field is 4 bytes, including B0 to B31, and B27 is set to 1;
  • the length of the AP information field is 8 bytes, including B0 ⁇ B63, B27 and B59 are set to 1;
  • the length of the AP information field is 12 bytes, including B0 ⁇ B95, B27 , B59, and B91 are set to 1.
  • the length of the AP information field is 4 bytes, including B0 to B31, and B27 is set to 1.
  • the first 11 bits set to a special value in every 4 bytes may also be referred to as a dummy identifier (dummy identity).
  • each AP information field may further include, but is not limited to, one or more of the following: an indication of the number of training sequences, or an indication of the sending order of channel sounding frames, and other information.
  • the training sequence quantity indicator is used to indicate the number of training sequences included in the channel sounding frame sent by the second AP corresponding to the AP information field.
  • the training sequence may be a long training sequence (LTF)
  • the channel sounding frame sending order indication is used to indicate the order of the channel sounding frames sent by the second AP corresponding to the AP information field.
  • MAC address information can be located in the AP information field except for the AID field (the definition of this field has been given above) and Any position other than the disambiguation bit is not limited in this application.
  • the EHT NDPA frame may also include at least one STA information field.
  • the STA information field carries identification information of the STA, which is used to instruct the STA to participate in channel sounding.
  • the first 11 bits in any 4 bytes after the 2nd and 2nd 4 bytes in the STA information field are set to special values, for example, the bit B32 (L-1 ) To B32(L-1)+10 are set as special values, or the first 11 bits in any 4 bytes after the 2nd and 2nd 4 bytes in the STA information field can be set as the same as the AID field (That is, the first 11 bits of the STA information field) have the same value to avoid misreading by HE STA.
  • the value of the 28th bit in every 4 bytes in the STA information field is set to 1, for example, B32(L-1)+27 in the STA information field is set to 1, to avoid misreading by the VHT STA.
  • the length of the STA information field is 8 bytes, where the first 11 bits (AID field) are set to the STA's identification information (such as AID), B27 (disambiguation bits), B59 (disambiguation bits) Set to 1, and B32 ⁇ B42 are set to special values or the same as the AID field.
  • the first 11 bits set to a special value in the second 4 bytes may also be referred to as a dummy identifier (dummy identity).
  • the STA information field may also be used to indicate at least one second AP that the STA needs to perform channel sounding and feedback. That is, when multiple APs are included in the channel sounding process, the STA may only feed back part of the CSI of the second AP. Therefore, feedback indication information may be carried in the STA information field to indicate which APs' CSI needs to be fed back by the STA.
  • the feedback indication information may be a bitmap in the STA information field. Each bit in the bitmap corresponds to each second AP in a specific order, and the bitmap The bit set to 1 in the figure indicates that the STA is required to feed back the CSI of the second AP corresponding to the bit.
  • the feedback indication information may also be located in the AP identifier list field of the NDPA frame, or may be located in a subsequent BFRP trigger frame (BFRP Trigger), which is not limited in this application.
  • the STA information field may also include an associated identification field, partial bandwidth information (Patrial BW (Bandwidth) information), feedback type and number group fields, codebook size (Codebook size), and number of columns. (Nc (number of columns)) field (including the column number field of AP1 ⁇ APn) and other fields.
  • partial bandwidth information Pasal BW (Bandwidth) information
  • feedback type and number group fields codebook size
  • codebook size codebook size
  • Nc number of columns
  • the number of the second AP may be one, that is, the system may only include the first AP (AP1), one second AP (AP2) and at least one STA.
  • the NDPA frame may also carry transmission target indication information, which is used to notify the STA whether the subsequent NDP is sent by the first AP or by another AP (ie, the second AP).
  • the indication information may be located in the common information field of the EHT NDPA frame, may also be located in the AP information field, or may also be located in the STA information field, which is not limited in this application.
  • the length of the public information field, AP information field, and STA information field may be the same or different, that is, the values of K, J, and L may be the same or different, which is not limited in this application.
  • the NDPA frame may be sent by the first AP.
  • the NDPA frame may also be sent by the first AP and the second AP at the same time.
  • the first AP for example: AP1
  • the second AP for example: AP2 and AP3
  • the second AP for example: AP2 and AP3
  • the information carried in the NDPA trigger frame includes but is not limited to the information carried in the first indication frame described in scenario 1 and scenario 2, that is, AP1 can use the NDPA trigger frame to notify AP2 and AP3 of the timing of sending NDPA, for example : After sending the NDPA trigger frame, there is an interval of a predetermined period of time.
  • the predetermined period of time can be SIFS, which is not limited by this application.
  • the NDPA trigger frame can also be used to indicate the content that the NDPA sent by AP2 and AP3 needs to be carried. Accordingly, AP2 and AP3 can send information that carries the same AP identification information, STA identification information, etc. based on the instructions of the NDPA trigger frame NDPA frame.
  • multiple APs can simultaneously send NDPA carrying the same information (for example, AP identification information and/or STA identification information, etc.) to expand and enhance the coverage of the NDPA frame.
  • the EHT NDPA frame may also include, but is not limited to: Frame Control (Frame Control) field, Duration (Duration) field, RA field, TA field, Sounding Dialog Tolken field, Frame Check Sequence (FCS) field, etc.
  • the EHT NDPA frame may also include: STA quantity field, AP quantity field, AP list field (not shown in the figure) and other fields, which are not limited in this application.
  • STA quantity field STA quantity field
  • AP quantity field AP list field (not shown in the figure) and other fields, which are not limited in this application.
  • the functions of the above-mentioned fields and the information included can refer to the prior art, which will not be repeated in this application.
  • the frame structure of the NDP polling frame can be as shown in Figure 13.
  • the NDP polling frame can include but is not limited to: Frame Control field, Duration field, RA field, TA field And the FCS field.
  • the second AP may determine whether to be scheduled to participate in channel sounding based on the MAC address carried in the RA field.
  • the control frame type information described above may be carried in the Frame Control field.
  • the Frame Control field includes a Type field and a Subtype field.
  • the Type information can be set to 1 to indicate that the frame type is a control frame
  • the Sybtype field can be set to 6 to indicate the control frame extension (control frame).
  • the frame extension field takes effect, where the control frame extension field includes control frame indication information, which is used to indicate that the type of the NDP polling frame is a trigger type frame.
  • control frame indication information may be carried in unused bits in the extension field of the control frame, for example: bits B0, B1, B11, etc.
  • the Subtype field can also be set to 2 or other digits that are not used in existing standards, which is not limited in this application.
  • Figure 14 is a schematic diagram of the frame structure of the Frame Control field.
  • B8 to B11 represent control frame extension fields.
  • the second AP that has received the NDP polling frame can determine whether it is triggered to send the NDP frame by reading the information in the extension field of the control frame.
  • the NDP polling frame may also be an NDPA frame, that is, the NDP polling frame adopts the frame structure of the NDPA frame to realize the function of triggering the second AP to send the NPD frame.
  • the Type and Subtype in the Frame Control field of the NDPA frame are used to indicate that the type of the frame is an NDPA frame.
  • the RA field can be set to the address information (for example: MAC address information) of the second AP (for example: AP2).
  • the TA field can be set to the address information (for example: MAC address information) of the first AP (ie AP1).
  • AP2 detects that the MAC address in the RA matches the local MAC address, and it is the second received NDPA frame, it can determine that the frame type of the frame is an NDP polling frame.
  • the NDP polling frame is an NDPA frame
  • its frame structure may adopt the NDPA frame structure shown in any one of FIGS. 7 to 12, which is not limited in this application.
  • the first AP can trigger at least one second AP to send a channel sounding frame through the NDP polling frame, so as to prevent any second AP from not successfully sending a channel sounding frame.
  • the channel detection process is interrupted, thereby improving the robustness of channel detection, and effectively improving resource utilization (that is, compared with the prior art that needs to re-broadcast the second indication information from the first AP after the interruption)
  • this application does not need to be retransmitted, only the AP that did not broadcast successfully needs to be designated to re-broadcast, or the AP that did not broadcast successfully will be skipped and the next time, that is, the channel detection frame of other APs will be sent, thereby effectively improving resource utilization. ).
  • FIG. 15 is a schematic flowchart of the channel detection method in an embodiment of the application, and in FIG. 15:
  • Step 201 AP1 sends an announcement frame.
  • AP1 sends an announcement frame, where the announcement frame may be an NDPA frame to instruct AP2, AP3, and STA1 and STA2 to participate in the channel detection process.
  • announcement frame may be an NDPA frame to instruct AP2, AP3, and STA1 and STA2 to participate in the channel detection process.
  • AP1 sends an NDP frame to enable STA1 and/or STA2 to perform channel detection on the downlink channel of AP1.
  • step 101 For the specific details of this step, refer to step 101, which will not be repeated here.
  • Step 202 AP1 sends NDP polling frames to AP2 and AP3.
  • AP1 can send NDP polling frames to two or more second APs at the same time each time to trigger the receiving of the triggered AP to send the NDP frame.
  • AP1 stores an AP list, and the list can record the identification information of APs participating in this channel detection process (not including AP1).
  • AP1 can send NDP polling frames in pairs in the order in the list.
  • the order in the list is AP2, AP3, AP4, AP5 (Among them, AP4, AP5 are not shown in the figure), then AP1 can send NDP polling frames to AP2 and AP3 in the order of the list, and listen to After AP2 and AP3 broadcast the NDP, they send NDP polling frames to AP4 and AP5.
  • AP1 may re-send the NDP polling frame to AP2 (and may repeat multiple times).
  • AP1 may directly send NDP polling frames to AP4 and AP5 after a predetermined period of time.
  • the NDP polling frame may carry resource information to indicate that the second NDP polling frame is received.
  • the AP sends NDP frames on the designated channel resources at the same time, so that the NDP frames sent by different second APs only occupy part of the subcarriers, and the subcarriers occupied by each AP do not overlap each other, so that the AP (section An AP and a second AP) and/or STA can monitor the NDP frames sent by multiple APs at the same time.
  • AP2 may occupy odd subcarriers, that is, send NDP frames on odd subcarriers.
  • AP3 may occupy even-numbered subcarriers, that is, transmit NDP frames on even-numbered subcarriers.
  • the i-th (1 ⁇ i ⁇ k) AP only occupies the i-th, i+k, i+2k, i+3k,..., i+nk subcarriers, where i+nk is the largest integer less than or equal to m.
  • the second AP for example, AP2
  • the sub-carrier information includes: i value, used to indicate the starting position of the sub-carrier occupied by the AP ( Or it can be called the first subcarrier position information), and the interval k value between two adjacent subcarriers.
  • the values of i and k can be carried in the NDP polling frame or the NDPA frame.
  • the i value can be carried in the AP information field
  • the k value can be carried in the public information field, as shown in FIG. 16.
  • the value of i can be carried by the transmission order indication mentioned in the foregoing embodiment, that is, the transmission order indication can be used to multiplex the indication i value, and there is a correspondence between the transmission order and the i value, for example, the transmission order and The values of i are equal.
  • the value of k may be carried by the second indication information mentioned in the foregoing embodiment, that is, the total number of APs participating in cooperation indicated by the second indication information corresponds to the value of k, for example, participation in cooperation The total number of APs is equal to the value of k.
  • step 102 Other details are similar to step 102, and will not be repeated here.
  • Step 203 The triggered second AP sends a channel sounding frame.
  • two or more second APs that have received the NDP polling frame may send the NDP frame on the designated channel resource at the same time based on the resource information indicated by the NDP polling frame.
  • Step 203 At least one STA performs channel detection based on the NDP frame.
  • step 103 please refer to step 103, which will not be repeated here.
  • the announcement frame may be sent by the first AP, or sent by the first AP and the second AP.
  • the announcement frame may be sent by the first AP, or sent by the first AP and the second AP.
  • FIG. 17 is a schematic flowchart of the channel detection method in an embodiment of the application, and in FIG. 17:
  • Step 301 The first AP sends an announcement frame, and the announcement frame carries channel sounding frame sending sequence information.
  • the first AP sends an announcement frame, which is used to indicate at least one second AP and at least one STA that need to participate in this channel sounding process, and is also used to instruct at least one second AP to send an NDP frame.
  • the announcement frame may include NDP transmission sequence information, and correspondingly, the second AP may determine the sequence in which it sends NDP by reading the NDP transmission sequence information.
  • the NDP transmission sequence information may be carried in the AP information field, for example, the AP information field includes AP2 identification information and AP2 NDP transmission sequence information.
  • the AP information field includes AP2 identification information and AP2 NDP transmission sequence information.
  • AP2 successfully matches its own identification information with the identification information of the AP information field, it continues to read the subsequent bits of the AP information field to obtain information such as NDP transmission sequence information.
  • the specific frame structure of NDPA please refer to the structural diagram of any EHT NDPA frame mentioned above, which will not be repeated here.
  • AP1 sends an NDPA frame.
  • the NDPA frame includes at least one AP information field, and each AP information field carries identification information of the second AP and NDP transmission sequence information corresponding to the second AP. .
  • the NDPA frame in addition to the function of indicating the NDP sending sequence, can also realize the functions in scenario one and/or scenario two.
  • the NDPA frame can be used to indicate whether the first AP sends NDP frame.
  • the NDPA frame may also carry identification information of the second AP and STA to instruct the second AP and STA to participate in functions such as channel detection.
  • the specific frame structure of NDPA can refer to any of the above-mentioned schematic structural diagrams of EHT NDPA frames, which will not be repeated here.
  • Step 302 Based on the channel sounding frame transmission sequence information, at least one second AP sequentially transmits channel sounding frames.
  • the second AP receives the announcement frame (for example: NDPA frame), it reads the NDP transmission sequence information carried by it, and sends it sequentially in the order indicated.
  • the announcement frame for example: NDPA frame
  • the transmission sequence indicated by the NDP transmission sequence information is: AP1, AP2, and AP3.
  • AP1 sends an NDP frame.
  • AP2 listens to the NDP frame sent by AP1 (or after an interval of SIF), AP2 sends the NDP frame.
  • AP3 listens to the NDP frame of AP2, it sends its own NDP frame.
  • Step 303 At least one STA performs channel detection based on the channel detection frame.
  • the AP includes hardware structures and/or software modules corresponding to each function.
  • the embodiments of the present invention can be implemented in the form of hardware or a combination of hardware and computer software. Whether a certain function is executed by hardware or computer software-driven hardware depends on the specific application and design constraint conditions of the technical solution. Professionals and technicians can use different methods for each specific application to implement the described functions, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.
  • the embodiment of the present invention may divide the function modules of the AP according to the foregoing method examples.
  • each function module may be divided corresponding to each function, or two or more functions may be integrated into one processing module.
  • the above-mentioned integrated modules can be implemented in the form of hardware or software functional modules. It should be noted that the division of modules in the embodiment of the present invention is illustrative, and is only a logical function division, and there may be other division methods in actual implementation.
  • FIG. 18 shows a possible structural schematic diagram of the apparatus 100 on the first access point side involved in the foregoing embodiment.
  • the apparatus 100 may include: a sending module 11 and an acquiring module 12.
  • the sending module 11 can be used to support the first access point to execute step 101, step 102, step 201, step 202, and step 301 in the above-mentioned embodiment, that is, the "sending announcement frame and/or channel sounding polling frame" step.
  • FIG. 19 shows a schematic block diagram of another communication device 200 on the side of a first access point according to an embodiment of the present application.
  • the device 200 in the embodiment of the present application may be the first access point in the foregoing method embodiment, and the device 200 may be used to perform part or all of the functions of the first access point in the foregoing method embodiment.
  • the device 200 may include a processor 21, a baseband circuit 22, a radio frequency circuit 24, and an antenna 25.
  • the device 200 may also include a memory 22.
  • the various components of the device 200 are coupled together via a bus 26.
  • the bus system 26 also includes a power bus, a control bus, and a status signal bus. However, for the sake of clear description, various buses are marked as the bus system 26 in the figure.
  • the processor 21 may be used to control the first access point, to execute the processing performed by the first access point in the foregoing embodiment, and may execute the processing procedures related to the first access point in the foregoing method embodiment and/ Or other processes used in the technology described in this application can also run an operating system, manage the bus, and can execute programs or instructions stored in the memory.
  • the baseband circuit 23, the radio frequency circuit 24, and the antenna 25 can be used to support the sending and receiving of information between the first access point and the second access point or station involved in the above-mentioned embodiment, so as to support the communication between the first access point and other nodes Perform wireless communication.
  • the signaling generated after being encoded by the baseband circuit 23 and encapsulated according to the protocol (such as a declaration frame and/or a channel sounding polling frame) is processed by the radio frequency circuit such as analog conversion, filtering, amplification, and up-conversion, and then It is sent to the second access point via the antenna 25.
  • the baseband circuit 23, the radio frequency circuit 24, and the antenna 25 can also be used to support the first access point to communicate with other network entities, for example, to support the first access point to communicate with the network element on the core network side. .
  • the memory 22 may be used to store the program code and data of the first access point. Those skilled in the art will easily understand that the memory 22 or any part thereof may be located outside the apparatus 200.
  • the memory 22 may include a transmission line and/or a computer product separated from the wireless node, and these media can be accessed by the processor 21 through the bus interface 26.
  • the memory 22 or any part thereof may be integrated into the processor 21, for example, may be a cache and/or a general-purpose register.
  • FIG. 19 only shows a simplified design of the first access point.
  • the first access point may include any number of transmitters, receivers, processors, memories, etc., and all first access points that can implement the present invention are within the protection scope of the present invention .
  • FIG. 20 is a schematic block diagram of an apparatus 300 on the second access point side according to an embodiment of the application.
  • the apparatus 300 shown in FIG. 20 may correspond to the apparatus on the second access point side in the foregoing method embodiment, and may have any function of the second access point in the method.
  • the present The apparatus 300 of the application embodiment may be a second access point, or a chip in the second access point.
  • the device 300 may include a receiving module 31 and a sending module 32.
  • the receiving module 31 may be used to receive the signaling (for example: announcement frame and/or channel sounding polling frame) or data sent by the first AP in the step of the foregoing method embodiment.
  • the sending module 32 may be used to send the signaling (for example, channel sounding frame) in the foregoing method embodiment.
  • the device 300 may correspond to the second access point in each method of the foregoing embodiment, and the above-mentioned and other management operations and/or functions of each module in the device 300 are respectively intended to realize the foregoing The corresponding steps of each method are not repeated here for brevity.
  • FIG. 21 shows a schematic block diagram of another communication device 400 on the side of a second access point according to an embodiment of the present application.
  • the device 400 in the embodiment of the present application may be the second access point in the foregoing method embodiment, and the device 400 may be used to perform part or all of the functions of the second access point in the foregoing method embodiment.
  • the device 400 may include a processor 41, a baseband circuit 44, a radio frequency circuit 44, and an antenna 45.
  • the device 400 may further include a memory 42.
  • the various components of the device 400 are coupled together through a bus 46, where the bus system 46 includes a power bus, a control bus, and a status signal bus in addition to a data bus.
  • various buses are marked as the bus system 46 in the figure.
  • the processor 41 may be used to control the second access point, to execute the processing performed by the second access point in the foregoing embodiment, and may execute the processing procedures related to the second access point in the foregoing method embodiment and/ Or other processes used in the technology described in this application can also run an operating system, manage the bus, and can execute programs or instructions stored in the memory.
  • the baseband circuit 43, the radio frequency circuit 44, and the antenna 45 can be used to support the sending and receiving of information between the second access point and the first access point or station involved in the above-mentioned embodiments, so as to support the communication between the second access point and other nodes. Perform wireless communication.
  • the signaling sent from the first access point is received via the antenna 44, filtered, amplified, down-converted, and digitized by the radio frequency circuit 44, and then decoded by the baseband circuit 43, and the data is decapsulated according to the protocol.
  • the processor 41 After processing, the processor 41 performs processing to restore the service data and signaling information sent by the station; in another example, the channel sounding frame sent by the second access point can be processed by the processor 41, and the baseband circuit 43 performs the processing.
  • Baseband processing such as protocol encapsulation and encoding is further performed by the radio frequency circuit 44 for radio frequency processing such as analog conversion, filtering, amplification, and upconversion, and then sent to the first access point AP via the antenna 44.
  • the baseband circuit 43, the radio frequency circuit 44, and the antenna 44 can also be used to support the second access point to communicate with other network entities, for example, to support the second access point to communicate with the network element on the core network side. .
  • the memory 42 may be used to store the program code and data of the second access point.
  • the memory 42 in FIG. 21 is shown as being separated from the processor 41, however, those skilled in the art can easily understand that the memory 42 or any part thereof may be located outside the device 400.
  • the memory 42 may include a transmission line and/or a computer product separated from the wireless node, and these media may be accessed by the processor 41 through the bus interface 46.
  • the memory 42 or any part thereof may be integrated into the processor 41, for example, may be a cache and/or a general-purpose register.
  • FIG. 21 only shows the simplified design of the second access point.
  • the second access point may include any number of transmitters, receivers, processors, memories, etc., and all second access points that can implement the present invention are within the protection scope of the present invention .
  • the embodiments of the present application also provide a computer storage medium, the computer-readable storage medium stores instructions, and the instructions can be executed by one or more processors on the processing circuit. When it runs on a computer, it makes the computer execute the methods described in the above aspects.
  • the computer storage medium is a non-volatile readable storage medium.
  • the embodiment of the present application also provides a chip system, the chip system includes a processor, which is used to support the first access point or the second access point to realize the functions involved in the above embodiments, for example, generate or process the above methods The data and/or information involved in.
  • the chip system may further include a memory for storing necessary program instructions and data for the first access point or the second access point.
  • the chip system may be composed of a chip, or may include a chip and other discrete devices.
  • the processor is used to execute the program instructions, so that the communication device installed with the chip system implements the AP method involved in any of the above embodiments and function.
  • the memory may be located outside the processor and be an external storage medium, or located inside the processor and be an internal storage medium of the processor.
  • An embodiment of the present application also provides a processor, which is configured to be coupled with a memory and used to execute the method and function related to the first AP in any of the foregoing embodiments.
  • the embodiment of the present application further provides a processor, which is configured to be coupled with a memory and used to execute the method and function related to the second AP in any of the foregoing embodiments.
  • the embodiment of the present application also provides a chip, including a processing circuit and an input-output circuit.
  • the input-output circuit is used to input signaling or data to the processing circuit and is also used to output signaling or data generated by the processing circuit.
  • the processing of signaling or data is implemented, so that the communication device installed with the chip can implement the method and function related to the first AP in any of the foregoing embodiments.
  • the embodiment of the present application also provides a chip, including a processing circuit and an input-output circuit.
  • the input-output circuit is used to input signaling or data to the processing circuit and is also used to output signaling or data generated by the processing circuit.
  • the signaling or data processing is implemented, so that the communication device on which the chip is installed can implement the method and function involving the second AP in any of the foregoing embodiments.
  • the embodiment of the present application also provides a computer program product containing instructions, which when running on a computer, causes the computer to execute the method and function related to the first AP in any of the foregoing embodiments.
  • the embodiment of the present application also provides a computer program product containing instructions, which when running on a computer, causes the computer to execute the method and function related to the second AP in any of the foregoing embodiments.
  • An embodiment of the present application also provides a wireless communication system, which includes the first access point and at least one second access point involved in the foregoing embodiment.
  • the steps of the method or algorithm described in combination with the disclosure of the embodiments of the present invention may be implemented in a hardware manner, or may be implemented in a manner in which a processor executes software instructions.
  • Software instructions can be composed of corresponding software modules, which can be stored in random access memory (Random Access Memory, RAM), flash memory, read-only memory (Read Only Memory, ROM), and erasable programmable read-only memory ( Erasable Programmable ROM (EPROM), Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (Electrically EPROM, EEPROM), register, hard disk, mobile hard disk, CD-ROM or any other form of storage medium known in the art.
  • RAM Random Access Memory
  • ROM read-only memory
  • EPROM Erasable Programmable ROM
  • EPROM Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory
  • register hard disk, mobile hard disk, CD-ROM or any other form of storage medium known in the art.
  • An exemplary storage medium is coupled to the processor, so that the processor can read information from the storage medium and can write information to the storage medium.
  • the storage medium may also be an integral part of the processor.
  • the processor and the storage medium may be located in the ASIC.
  • the ASIC can be located in the AP.
  • the processor and the storage medium may also exist in the AP as discrete components.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
  • Quality & Reliability (AREA)
  • Mobile Radio Communication Systems (AREA)

Abstract

本申请实施例提供了一种信道探测方法及装置, 涉及通信领域, 该方法包括: 第一接入点AP发送声明帧, 所述声明帧用于指示至少一个第二AP以及至少一个STA参与信道探测流程; 所述第一AP向所述至少一个第二AP中的每个第二AP依次发送信道探测轮询帧, 所述信道探测轮询帧用于触发所述至少一个第二AP发送信道探测帧。从而有效提升信道探测的鲁棒性, 并提高资源利用率。

Description

信道探测方法及通信装置
本申请要求在2019年6月19日提交中国专利局、申请号为201910533150.1、发明名称为“信道探测方法及通信装置”的中国专利申请的优先权，其全部内容通过引用结合在本申请中。
技术领域
本申请实施例涉及通信领域，尤其涉及一种信道探测方法及通信装置。
背景技术
随着无线网络的发展以及无线局域网(Wireless Local Area Network，WLAN)技术的不断普及，使WLAN设备的部署变得越来越密集。由于无线接入点(Access Point，AP)易于部署的特点，因此，AP的应用频率也越来越高。但是，随着AP部署的密度越来越大，同样也带来了小区间干扰的问题。如何通过AP之间的协作来降低小区间干扰，提升用户的服务质量，成为亟需解决的问题。
AP之间的协作的前提是基于信道探测结果，建立协作关系。在已有技术中，对于AP的信道探测可参照802.11ac的信道探测(Sounding)过程，如图1所示。具体的，AP首先发送空数据分组声明(Null Data Packet Announcement,NDPA)帧通知需要进行信道探测的站点(Station，STA)，及相关信道探测的参数，然后在隔短帧间距(Short Inter-frame Space,SIFS)之后，广播NDP帧，其中，NDP帧中不携带数据字段部分。STA则可基于接收到的NDP对AP进行信道估计，并生成波束成型报告(Beamforming Report,BFR)，其中，BFR包括但不限于：信道状态信息(Channel State Information，CSI)或信道质量指示(Channel Quality Indicator，CQI)。随后，AP向STA发送波束成型报告轮询(BF Report Poll，BFRP)以向某个STA索取尚未反馈或者反馈错误的信道状态帧。
已有技术中用VHT(Very High Throughput，非常高吞吐率)NDPA帧标识802.11ac标准中的NDPA帧，其帧格式如图2所示。探测对话令牌(Sounding Dialog Token)字段用于索引信道探测的序号。NDPA帧还包括STA信息字段，该字段中包括多个STA的反馈指令信息。STA信息字段还可以包含STA关联标识(Association Identifier,AID)，反馈类型(Feedback Type)和列数(Number of columns,Nc)字段，这三个字段分别用来指示关联的STA，反馈方式为单用户还是多用户反馈，以及反馈的列数。此外，STA信息字段还可以包括帧控制(Frame Control，FC)字段，其中FC字段包括类型信息(Type)和子类型信息(Subtype)，用于标识NDPA帧的类型。接收地址字段(Receiving Address,RA)以及发送地址字段(Transmitting Address,TA)，用于标识MAC帧的接收端和发送端。
在802.11ax中，引入了多用户上行传输的机制，以进一步提高信道探测的效率，即，AP可指示多个STA同时上传波束成形报告。
具体的，在在802.11ax中，其NDPA帧为高效(High Efficient，HE)NDPA帧，其延用VHT NDPA帧的FC字段的类型和子类型，并利用Sounding Dialog Token字段中的 保留比特来区分该帧为VHT NDPA帧或HE NDPA帧。以及，HE NDPA帧中STA信息字段的长度扩展为4字节，并引入了部分带宽信息(Partial BW Info)，用于指示STA反馈部分带宽的信道状态信息，其帧结构如图3所示。
但是，在802.11ac和802.11ax中，均是单AP与多个STA的信道探测方案。因此，如何实现多AP之间的信道探测，成为亟需解决的问题。
发明内容
本申请提供一种信道探测方法及通信装置，能够实现多AP的信道探测过程。
为达到上述目的，本申请采用如下技术方案：
第一方面，本申请实施例提供了一种信道探测方法，该方法包括：第一AP发送声明帧，声明帧用于指示至少一个第二AP以及至少一个站点STA参与信道探测；随后，第一AP向至少一个第二AP中的每个第二AP依次发送信道探测轮询帧，信道探测轮询帧用于触发至少一个第二AP发送信道探测帧。
第二方面，本申请实施例提供了一种信道探测方法，该方法可以包括：第二接入点AP接收第一AP发送的声明帧，声明帧用于指示第二AP以及至少一个STA参与信道探测流程；第二AP接收第一AP发送的信道探测轮询帧，信道探测轮询帧用于触发第二AP发送信道探测帧；第二AP发送信道探测帧。
通过上述方式，实现了第一AP通过发送信道探测轮询帧的方式，以触发指定的第二AP发送信道探测帧，从而可以在某个第二AP发送信道探测帧失败的情况下，能够通过信道探测轮询帧的指示作用，使其它第二AP继续完成信道探测帧的发送，从而避免因信道探测帧终端而造成的鲁棒性较差的问题，并且提高了资源利用率。
在第一或第二方面的一种可能的实现方式中，声明帧与信道探测轮询帧为空数据分组声明NDPA帧；其中，信道探测轮询帧包含控制帧类型信息，用于指示信道探测轮询帧为用于触发至少一个第二AP发送信道探测帧的类型帧。
通过上述方式，实现了NDPA的复用，信道探测轮询帧同样可采用NDPA帧的结构，以实现信道探测轮询帧的功能。
在第一或第二方面的一种可能的实现方式中，声明帧中包含第一指示信息，用于指示第一AP是否发送信道探测帧。
通过上述方式，实现了信道探测过程中，第一AP或可称为主AP可不发送信道探测帧，第一AP可通过声明帧告知其它AP和STA，其在信道探测过程中，将不会发送信道探测帧。
在第一或第二方面的一种可能的实现方式中，声明帧包含至少一个AP信息字段，一个AP信息字段的长度为4字节的整数倍，AP信息字段中每4字节中的第28个比特设置为1，并且，至少一个AP信息字段与至少一个第二AP中的每个第二AP一一对应，每个AP信息字段包含对应的第二AP的标识信息。通过上述方式，实现了避免VHT STA误读。
在第一或第二方面的一种可能的实现方式中，第二AP的标识信息为第二AP的标识符、或第二AP所在设备中的STA的标识符；其中，第二AP的标识符为第一AP与第 二AP预先协商确定。通过上述方式，实现了第一AP可通过包含第二AP的标识信息的声明帧，指示对应的第二AP参与协作传输，并且，声明帧中携带的标识信息可以是以上之一。
在第一或第二方面的一种可能的实现方式中，AP信息字段中每4字节中的前11比特设置为特殊值，用于指示AP信息字段携带的为第二AP的媒体访问控制MAC地址信息，且第二AP的标识信息为第二AP的MAC地址。通过上述方式，实现了避免HE STA误读。
在第一或第二方面的一种可能的实现方式中，AP信息字段还包括以下一项或多项：发送顺序指示，训练序列数量指示；发送顺序指示，用于指示该AP信息字段所对应的第二AP发送信道探测帧的顺序；训练序列数量指示，用于指示AP信息字段所对应的第二AP发送的信道探测帧包括的训练序列的个数。通过上述方式，实现了第一AP还可以通过声明帧，指示第二AP发送信道探测帧的顺序。并且，还可以通过声明帧指示第二AP发送的信道探测帧中所包含的信息。
在第一或第二方面的一种可能的实现方式中，声明帧还包括公共信息字段，公共信息字段的长度为4字节的整数倍；其中，公共信息字段中每4字节中的前11比特设置为特殊值，并且，公共信息字段中每4字节中的第28个比特位设置为1。通过上述方式，实现了避免VHT STA误读。
在第一或第二方面的一种可能的实现方式中，公共信息字段包括：第二指示信息，用于指示至少一个第二AP的个数，或，用于指示至少一个第二AP与第一AP的总个数。通过上述方式，实现了第一AP可通过声明帧告知STA在信道探测过程中所需要探测的AP的数量，以使STA能够对信道探测的时长做预先估计。
在第一或第二方面的一种可能的实现方式中，声明帧或信道探测轮询帧包含资源指示信息，用于指示至少一个第二AP在指定的信道资源上发送信道探测帧。通过上述方式，实现了多个AP的信道探测帧的同时发送，从而进一步提高信道探测效率。
第三方面，本申请实施例提供了一种应用于第一AP侧的通信装置，该装置可以包括：发送模块，该模块可用于发送声明帧，声明帧用于指示至少一个第二AP以及至少一个STA参与信道探测流程；并且，发送模块还用于向至少一个第二AP中的每个第二AP依次发送信道探测轮询帧，信道探测轮询帧用于触发至少一个第二AP发送信道探测帧。
第四方面，本申请实施例提供了一种应用于第二AP侧的通信装置，该装置可以包括：接收模块和发送模块，其中，接收模块可用于接收第一AP发送的声明帧，声明帧用于指示第二AP以及至少一个STA参与信道探测流程；并且，接收模块还可用于接收第一AP发送的信道探测轮询帧，信道探测轮询帧用于触发第二AP发送信道探测帧；以及，发送模块可用于发送信道探测帧。
在第三或第四方面的一种可能的实现方式中，声明帧与信道探测轮询帧为空数据分组声明NDPA帧；其中，信道探测轮询帧包含控制帧类型信息，用于指示信道探测轮询 帧为用于触发至少一个第二AP发送信道探测帧的类型帧。
在第三或第四方面的一种可能的实现方式中，声明帧中包含第一指示信息，用于指示第一AP是否发送信道探测帧。
在第三或第四方面的一种可能的实现方式中，声明帧包含至少一个AP信息字段，一个AP信息字段的长度为4字节的整数倍，AP信息字段中每4字节中的第28个比特设置为1，并且，至少一个AP信息字段与至少一个第二AP中的每个第二AP一一对应，每个AP信息字段包含对应的第二AP的标识信息。
在第三或第四方面的一种可能的实现方式中，第二AP的标识信息为第二AP的标识符、或第二AP所在设备中的STA的标识符；其中，第二AP的标识符为第一AP与第二AP预先协商确定。
在第三或第四方面的一种可能的实现方式中，AP信息字段中每4字节中的前11比特设置为特殊值，用于指示AP信息字段携带的为第二AP的媒体访问控制MAC地址信息，且第二AP的标识信息为第二AP的MAC地址。
在第三或第四方面的一种可能的实现方式中，AP信息字段还包括以下一项或多项：发送顺序指示，训练序列数量指示；发送顺序指示，用于指示该AP信息字段所对应的第二AP发送信道探测帧的顺序；训练序列数量指示，用于指示AP信息字段所对应的第二AP发送的信道探测帧包括的训练序列的个数。
在第三或第四方面的一种可能的实现方式中，声明帧还包括公共信息字段，公共信息字段的长度为4字节的整数倍；其中，公共信息字段中每4字节中的前11比特设置为特殊值，并且，公共信息字段中每4字节中的第28个比特位设置为1。
在第三或第四方面的一种可能的实现方式中，公共信息字段包括：第二指示信息，用于指示至少一个第二AP的个数，或，用于指示至少一个第二AP与第一AP的总个数。
在第三或第四方面的一种可能的实现方式中，声明帧或信道探测轮询帧包含资源指示信息，用于指示至少一个第二AP在指定的信道资源上发送信道探测帧。
第五方面，本申请实施例提供一种第一接入点侧的通信装置，该装置可以是第一接入点设备，也可以是第一接入点内的芯片。该装置具有实现上述第一方面涉及第一接入点的功能。该功能可以通过硬件实现，也可以通过硬件执行相应的软件实现。该硬件或软件包括一个或多个与上述功能相对应的单元。
在一种可能的实现方式中，当该装置为第一接入点时，第一接入点包括：处理器和收发器，所述处理器被配置为支持第一接入点AP执行上述各方面中相应的功能。收发器用于支持第一接入点AP和第二接入点AP之间的通信，向第二接入点发送上述方法中所涉及的信息或指令。可选的，第一接入点还可以包括存储器，所述存储器用于与处理器耦合，其保存第一接入点必要的程序指令和数据。
在一种可能的实现方式中，该装置包括：处理器，基带电路，射频电路和天线。其中处理器用于实现对各个电路部分功能的控制，基带电路用于生成各类信令和消息，例如声明帧、信道探测轮询帧，经由射频电路进行模拟转换、滤波、放大和上变频等处理后，经由天线发送给第二接入点AP。可选的，该装置还可包括存储器，其保存第一接入 点必要的程序指令和数据。
在一种可能的实现方式中，该装置可以包括处理器和调制解调器，处理器可以用于指令或操作系统，以实现对第一接入点功能的控制，调制解调器可以按协议对数据进行封装、编解码、调制解调、均衡等以生成信令信息，例如，声明帧，信道探测轮询帧等，以支持第一接入点AP执行上述第一方面中相应的功能。
在一个可能的实现方式中，当该装置为第一接入点内的芯片时，该芯片包括：处理模块和收发模块，所述处理模块例如可以是处理器，例如，此处理器用于生成各类消息和信令，并对各类消息按照协议封装后，进行编码，调制，放大等处理，所述处理器还可以用于解调，解码，解封装后获得信令和消息，所述收发模块例如可以是该芯片上的输入/输出接口、管脚或电路等。该处理模块可执行存储单元存储的计算机执行指令，以支持第一接入点AP执行上述各方面中相应的功能。可选的，所述存储单元可以为所述芯片内的存储单元，如寄存器、缓存等，所述存储单元还可以是所述第一接入点内的位于所述芯片外部的存储单元，如只读存储器(read-only memory，简称ROM)或可存储静态信息和指令的其他类型的静态存储设备，随机存取存储器(random access memory，简称RAM)等。
在一种可能的实现方式中，该装置包括处理器，该处理器用于与存储器耦合，并读取存储器中的指令并根据所述指令执行上述第一方面中涉及第一接入点AP的方法。该存储器可以位于该处理器内部，还可以位于该处理器外部。
其中，上述任一处提到的处理器，可以是一个通用中央处理器(Central Processing Unit，简称CPU)，微处理器，特定应用集成电路(application-specific integrated circuit，简称ASIC)，或一个或多个用于控制上述各方面空间复用方法的程序执行的集成电路。
第六方面，本申请提供一种第二接入点侧的通信装置，该装置可以是第二接入点，也可以是第二设备内的芯片。该装置具有实现上述第二方面中涉及第二接入点的功能。该功能可以通过硬件实现，也可以通过硬件执行相应的软件实现。该硬件或软件包括一个或多个与上述功能相对应的单元。
在一种可能的实现方式中，当该装置为第二接入点时，第二接入点包括：处理器和收发器，所述处理器被配置为支持第二接入点AP执行上述方法中相应的功能。收发器用于支持第二接入点AP与第二接入点AP或站点之间的通信，接收第一接入点发送上述方法中所涉及的信息或指令，例如，声明帧、信道探测轮询帧等。可选的，第二接入点还可以包括存储器，所述存储器用于与处理器耦合，其保存第二接入点必要的程序指令和数据。
在一种可能的实现方式中，该装置包括：处理器，基带电路，射频电路和天线。其中处理器用于实现对各个电路部分功能的控制，射频电路可以对经由天线接收到的第一接入点发送的数据分组进行数字转换、滤波、放大和下变频等处理后，经由基带电路进行解码按协议解封装以获取信令信息。可选的，该装置还包括存储器，其保存第二接入点必要的程序指令和数据。
在一种可能的实现方式中，该装置包括处理器和调制解调器，处理器可以用于指令或操作系统，以实现对第二接入点功能的控制，调制解调器可以按协议对数据进行封装、 编解码、调制解调、均衡等以生成信道探测帧，或，解析声明帧，信道探测轮询帧等，以支持第二接入点AP执行上述第二方面中相应的功能。
在一个可能的实现方式中，当该装置为第二接入点内的芯片时，该芯片包括：处理模块和收发模块，所述处理模块例如可以是处理器，此处理器可以用于对经由收发模块接收到的承载信令或数据信息的数据分组(例如包含调度请求消息的数据分组)，进行滤波、解调、功率放大、解码等处理，所述收发模块例如可以是该芯片上的输入/输出接口、管脚或电路等。该处理模块可执行存储单元存储的计算机执行指令，以支持第二接入点AP执行上述第四方面相应的功能。可选的，所述存储单元可以为所述芯片内的存储单元，如寄存器、缓存等，所述存储单元还可以是所述第二接入点内的位于所述芯片外部的存储单元，如只读存储器(read-only memory，简称ROM)或可存储静态信息和指令的其他类型的静态存储设备，随机存取存储器(random access memory，简称RAM)等。
在一种可能的实现方式中，该装置包括处理器，该处理器用于与存储器耦合，并读取存储器中的指令并根据所述指令执行上述第二方面中所述的方法。该存储器可以位于该处理器内部，还可以位于该处理器外部。
其中，上述任一处提到的处理器，可以是一个通用中央处理器(Central Processing Unit，简称CPU)，微处理器，特定应用集成电路(application-specific integrated circuit，简称ASIC)，或一个或多个用于控制上述各方面空间复用方法的程序执行的集成电路。
第七方面，本申请提供了一种计算机可读存储介质，所述计算机可读存储介质中存储有指令，所述指令可以由处理电路上的一个或多个处理器执行。当其在计算机上运行时，使得计算机执行上述第一方面或第二方面中任一方面或其任意可能的实现方式中的方法。
第八方面，提供了一种包含指令的计算机程序产品，其在计算机上运行时，使得计算机执行上述第一方面或第二方面中的任一方面或其任意可能的实现方式中的方法。
第九方面，本申请提供了一种芯片系统，该芯片系统包括处理器，用于支持数据发送设备实现上述方面中所涉及的功能，例如生成或处理上述各方面中所涉及的数据和/或信息。在一种可能的设计中，所述芯片系统还包括存储器，所述存储器，用于保存数据发送设备必要的程序指令和数据。该芯片系统可以由芯片构成，也可以包含芯片和其他分立器件。
第十方面，本申请实施例提供一种无线通信系统，该系统包括上述方面涉及的第一接入点以及至少一个第二接入点。
附图说明
图1是示例性示出的一种信道探测流程示意图之一；
图2是示例性示出的一种VHT NDPA帧的结构示意图；
图3是示例性示出的一种HE NDPA帧的结构示意图；
图4是本申请实施例提供的一种应用场景示意图；
图5是本申请实施例提供的一种信道探测方法的流程示意图之一；
图6是本申请实施例提供的一种NDPA帧的结构示意图之一；
图7是本申请实施例提供的一种NDPA帧的结构示意图之一；
图8是本申请实施例提供的一种NDPA帧的结构示意图之一；
图9是本申请实施例提供的一种NDPA帧的结构示意图之一；
图10是本申请实施例提供的一种NDPA帧的结构示意图之一；
图11是本申请实施例提供的一种NDPA帧的结构示意图之一；
图12是本申请实施例提供的一种NDPA帧的结构示意图之一；
图13是本申请实施例提供的一种NDP轮询帧的结构示意图之一；
图14是本申请实施例提供的一种NDP轮询帧的结构示意图之一；
图15是本申请实施例提供的一种信道探测方法的流程示意图之一；
图16是本申请实施例提供的一种NDPA帧的结构示意图之一；
图17是本申请实施例提供的一种信道探测方法的流程示意图之一；
图18是本申请实施例提供的一种装置的结构示意图之一；
图19是本申请实施例提供的一种装置的示意性框图之一；
图20是本申请实施例提供的一种装置的结构示意图之一；
图21是本申请实施例提供的一种装置的示意性框图之一。
具体实施方式
下面将结合本申请实施例中的附图，对本申请实施例中的技术方案进行清楚、完整地描述。
本文中术语“和/或”，仅仅是一种描述关联对象的关联关系，表示可以存在三种关系，例如，A和/或B，可以表示：单独存在A，同时存在A和B，单独存在B这三种情况。
本申请实施例的说明书和权利要求书中的术语“第一”和“第二”等是用于区别不同的对象，而不是用于描述对象的特定顺序。例如，第一目标对象和第二目标对象等是用于区别不同的目标对象，而不是用于描述目标对象的特定顺序。
在本申请实施例中，“示例性的”或者“例如”等词用于表示作例子、例证或说明。本申请实施例中被描述为“示例性的”或者“例如”的任何实施例或设计方案不应被解释为比其它实施例或设计方案更优选或更具优势。确切而言，使用“示例性的”或者“例如”等词旨在以具体方式呈现相关概念。
在本申请实施例的描述中，除非另有说明，“多个”的含义是指两个或两个以上。例如，多个处理单元是指两个或两个以上的处理单元；多个系统是指两个或两个以上的系统。
在对本申请实施例的技术方案说明之前，首先结合附图对本申请实施例的应用场景进行说明。参见图4，为本申请实施例提供的一种应用场景示意图。该应用场景中包括AP1、AP2、AP3，还包括：STA1、STA2。本申请实施例具体实施的过程中，STA为具有无线收发功能的通信装置，例如，可以基于802.11协议与其他网元进行通信，STA也可以称作用户终端、用户装置，接入装置，订户站，订户单元，移动站，用户代理，用户装备或其他名称，例如可以为电脑、智能手机，平板电脑等设备；AP为可以为STA 提供服务的，具有无线收发功能的通信装置，例如，可以基于802.11协议与其他网元进行通信，例如，WLAN通信系统中的接入点，路由器，交换机，微基站或小基站等。需要说明的是，在实际应用中，AP的数量为两个或两个以上，STA的数量可以为一个或多个，图4所示应用场景的STA和AP的数量仅为示意性举例。本申请对此不做限定。
结合上述如图4所示的应用场景示意图，下面介绍本申请的具体实施方案，其中，在下面的场景中，以AP1为本申请实施例中的第一AP，AP2、AP3为本申请实施例中的第二AP为例进行详细阐述。需要说明的是，在本申请的实施例中，第一AP可以为图4中的任一AP，第二AP可以为图4中除第一AP以外的任一AP。
具体的，在本申请中，第一AP通过发送信道探测轮询帧，指示对应的第二AP发送信道探测帧的场景记为场景一。第一AP通过发送信道探测轮询帧，指示两个或两个以上第二AP同时发送信道探测帧的场景记为场景二。第一AP通过发送声明帧，指示第二AP发送信道探测帧的场景记为场景三。
场景一
结合图4，如图5所示为本申请实施例中的信道探测方法的流程示意图，在图5中：
步骤101，第一AP发送声明帧，声明帧用于指示至少一个第二AP以及至少一个STA参与信道探测流程。
具体的，在本申请中，为描述方便，将AP1作为第一AP，即主AP，AP2和/或AP3作为第二AP。AP1生成声明帧，并发送声明帧。声明帧包括至少一个第二AP的标识信息，以及，至少一个STA的标识信息。相对应的，接收到该声明帧的AP或STA，可基于标识信息确定是否被调度参与信道探测流程。
可选的，所述声明帧可以为NDPA帧。进一步的，声明帧可以为VHT NDPA帧、HE NDPA帧还可以为极高吞吐率(Extremely High Throughput Null Data Packet Announcement，EHT)NDPA帧(该帧的结构将在下面的实施例中进行说明)。
结合图5，例如：AP1发送声明帧(NDPA帧)。NDPA帧可包括AP2、AP3的标识信息，以及STA1与STA2的标识信息。AP2、AP3、STA1和STA2可基于标识信息，确定被调度参与信道探测流程。
步骤102，第一AP向至少一个第二AP中的每个第二AP依次发送信道探测轮询帧，信道探测轮询帧用于触发至少一个第二AP发送信道探测帧。
具体的，在本申请中，第一AP可向目标第二AP发送信道探测轮询帧，所述信道探测轮询帧用于触发目标第二AP发送信道探测帧。可选的，信道探测帧为空分数据分组(Null Data Packet，NDP)帧，信道探测轮询帧可以称为NDP轮询(NDP poll)帧或NDP触发帧，当然还可以有其他名称，本申请不限定。
可选的，信道探测轮询帧携带目标第二AP(或可称为被触发第二AP)的标识信息。一个示例中，该第二AP的标识信息为目标第二AP的MAC地址，可承载于信道探测轮询帧的接收地址(receiving address,RA)字段中。相应的，接收到信道探测轮询帧的AP，可基于标识信息确定是否发送信道探测帧。需要说明的是，所述目标第二AP可以为至少一个第二AP中的任一AP。
可选的，NDP轮询帧包括控制帧类型信息，用于指示所述NDP轮询帧的帧类型，即该帧为NDP轮询帧。
步骤103，被触发的第二AP发送信道探测帧。
具体的，将自身的标识信息与NDP轮询帧包含的标识信息匹配成功的AP，确定为被触发AP。接着，被触发AP发送信道探测帧(NDP帧)。
参照图5，例如：AP1向AP2发送NDP轮询帧，该帧包含AP2的标识信息。AP2识别到NDP轮询帧包含自身的标识信息后，发送NDP帧。AP1向AP3发送NDP轮询帧，该帧包含AP3的标识信息，AP3识别到NDP轮询帧包含自身的标识信息后，发送NDP帧。可选的，各AP发送NDP帧的方式为广播。
可选的，在本申请中，第一AP发送NDP轮询帧时，可按照预定顺序，依次向每个第二AP发送NDP轮询帧。例如：AP1中可存储有AP列表，AP1可按照列表顺序逐一向列表中的AP发送NDP轮询帧。可选的，预定顺序可以根据实际需求进行设置，例如：可以根据第二AP与第一AP之间的距离设置NDP轮询帧的发送顺序等，本申请不做限定。
可选的，第一AP监听到被触发第二AP的NDP帧后，再向其它第二AP发送NDP轮询帧。例如：AP1监听到AP2广播的NDP帧后，发送携带有AP3的标识信息的NDP轮询帧，用以触发AP3发送NDP帧。
可选的，若第一AP在预定时长内，未监听到被触发第二AP的NDP帧，则第一AP可向其它第二AP发送NDP轮询帧；或者，第一AP可重新向该被触发第二AP发送NDP轮询帧。可选的，该预定时长可以为点协调功能帧间间隔(Point Coordination Function Interframe Space，PIFS)或可根据实际需求进行设置，本申请不做限定。结合图4，例如：若AP1向AP2发送NDP轮询帧后，若在预定时长内未监听到AP2广播的NDP帧，则AP1可再次向AP2发送NDP轮询帧，并可重复多次。可选的，可设置重复上限，例如：当AP1重复向AP2发送3次，且仍未监听到AP2的NDP帧后，则AP1向其它第二AP发送NDP轮询帧。
可选的，第二AP接收到NDP轮询帧，可在预定时长后，发送NDP帧。可选的，预定时长可为SIFS，或可根据实际需求进行设置，本申请不做限定。
步骤104，至少一个STA基于NDP帧进行信道探测。
可选的，至少一个STA基于第二AP发送的NDP帧，对该第二AP的下行信道进行信道探测，并获取CSI。接着，进入反馈流程，STA向AP反馈CSI，具体反馈流程可参照已有技术，本申请不做赘述。
可选的，在本申请中，声明帧可包含第一指示信息，用于指示第一AP是否发送NDP帧。可选的，声明帧还包括：第二指示信息，用于指示参与信道探测的第二AP的数量，或者，用于指示参与信道探测的第一AP和第二AP的总数量。具体的，在本申请中，若第一AP发送NDP帧，可选的，声明帧中可包含第一指示信息，至少一个第二AP和/或至少一个STA可通过读取第一指示信息，确认第一AP发送NDP帧。相应的，在步骤102中，第一AP发送NDPA后，可间隔预定时长后，发送NDP帧。其中，预定时长可 以为SIFS，本申请不做限定。可选的，声明帧中还可包含第二指示信息，至少一个STA可通过发送NDP帧的第二AP的数量，预估信道探测流程的时长。
可选的，在本申请中，如上文所述，声明帧可以为EHT NDPA帧，EHT NDPA帧可包括公共信息字段，所述指示信息可承载于该公共信息字段。
可选的，EHT NDPA帧的公共信息字段的长度可以为4字节的整数倍，例如，4J字节(bytes)，J为大于或等于1的整数。在本申请中，公共信息字段中每4字节中的前11比特设置为特殊值，例如，若公共信息字段包括的比特记为：B0～(B32*J-1)，公共信息字段的比特位B32(J-1)至B32(J-1)+10被设置为特殊值。通过该设置，实现避免HE STA误读。其原因为：对于HE STA，其默认NDPA帧中每个STA信息字段的长度为4bytes，也就是说，它在读取STA信息字段时，会先读取STA信息字段的前11个比特位(bits)(以下简称关联标识(Association Identifier,AID)域)，若AID域中的信息与自身的AID不匹配，则继续读取下一个STA信息字段。若AID域中的信息与自身的AID匹配，则HE STA将会获取STA信息字段中的信息。而本申请中的公共信息字段的每4字节的前11比特设置为特殊值，则HE STA在读取NDPA帧时，通过读取每4字节中的前11比特，可确认该域非AID域，则不会对这4个字节做任何处理，从而避免误读。举例说明，如图6所示为EHT NDPA帧的帧结构示意图，在图6中，可选的，EHT NDPA帧的公共信息字段的长度为4bytes，也就是说，上述J值为1。可选的，公共信息字段的B32(J-1)至B32(J-1)+10，也就是B0至B10设置为特殊值。因此，当VHT STA读取到公共信息字段的前11个比特时，识别到前11比特的值不在AID取值范围内(AID取值范围为1-2007)。则，VHT STA会认为该域非AID域，不会再对其所属的4个字节做任何处理，从而避免VHT STA误读的情况发生。可选的，所属特殊值可以为哑标识符(Dummy ID)，或可在[2007，2047]范围内选取任意值，本申请不做限定。
可选的，公共信息字段每4字节中的第28个比特位的值设置为1。例如，若公共信息字段包括的比特记为：B0～(B32*J-1)，公共信息字段的比特位B32(J-1)+27被设置为1，通过该设置，能够避免VHT STA误读。其原因为：对于VHT STA，其默认NDPA帧中每个STA信息字段的长度为2bytes，因此，VHT STA可能会将公共信息字段中的B32(J-1)+16至B32(J-1)+27解析为AID域(原因与HE STA类似，此处不赘述)。可选的，可将公共信息字段的B32(J-1)+16至B32(J-1)+27中的最高位，即B32(J-1)+27(或可称为消歧比特位)设置为1，以避免B32(J-1)+16至B32(J-1)+27与某个VHT STA的AID相同，从而避免VHT STA误读。举例说明，仍参照图6，公共信息字段长度为4bytes(J为1)，则，公共信息字段的比特位B27设置为1，从而避免VHT STA误读。
可选的，声明帧中包含至少一个第二AP的标识信息，用于指示至少一个第二AP参与信道探测。若声明帧为EHT NDPA帧，可选的，EHT NDPA帧可包含至少一个AP信息字段，其中，每个AP信息字段中可包括第二AP的标识信息，用于指示对应的第二AP参与信道探测，相应的，接收到EHT NDPA帧的第二AP可通过识别AP信息字段中 的标识信息，确定是否被调度参与信道探测。可选的，AP信息字段中包括的AP的标识信息可以包括但不限于以下三种：
第一种：预先协商的标识信息。在一个示例中，该标识信息可以是第一AP分配给第二AP的，在另一个示例中，也可以是第二AP自己确定标识信息后，通知给其它AP的。
第二种：第二AP的媒体访问控制(Media Access Control Address，MAC)地址或部分MAC地址。
第三种：第二AP所属设备中的STA的标识信息。
下面分别对每种标识信息进行一一说明。对于第一种标识信息，第二AP可通过与第一AP预先进行协商，以获取标识信息。协商过程可以为：第一AP分配标识信息给目标第二AP(目标第二AP可以为至少一个第二AP中的任一AP)，并向第二AP发送指示帧，指示帧中携带有为目标第二AP分配的标识信息。需要说明的是，若其它第二AP可接收到该指示帧，则其它第二AP在为其关联的STA分配AID时，应避免使用与所述标识信息相同的值。可选的，所述指示帧可以为信标帧。可选的，所述指示帧还可以为所述第一AP接收到目标第二AP发送的标识信息请求帧后，向目标第二AP发送的。可选的，第一AP还可以为每个第二AP分配独享的AID范围，从而保证每个第二AP关联的STA的AID互不相同。举例说明：AP1可为AP2分配标识信息的同时，为AP2分配AID范围，相应的，AP2获取到自己的标识信息后，可从为其分配的AID范围1内，为与其关联的STA选取AID。相应的，AP3可从为其分配的AID范围2内，为与其关联的STA选取AID，其中，AID范围1与AID范围2不重叠，从而实现AP2关联的STA与AP3关联的STA的AID均不相同。可选的，第二AP可以在发送给第一AP的标识信息请求帧中携带请求信息，用于请求其独享的AID范围的大小，相应的，第一AP可以依据第二AP的请求信息为其分配AID范围。参照图7，其所示为包括至少一个AP信息字段的EHT NDPA帧，其中，每个AP信息字段包括第二AP的标识信息，第二AP的标识信息承载于AP信息字段的前11bits。
对于第二种标识信息，可选的，每个AP信息字段的前11比特可设置为特殊值，以指示该AP信息字段携带的标识信息为MAC地址或部分MAC地址。相应的，接收到该NDPA帧的第二AP在读取到AP信息字段的前11比特被设置为特殊值后，可确定AP信息字段携带的为MAC地址或部分MAC地址。可选的，部分MAC地址的生成方式可以为：从MAC地址中选取指定长度(可根据实际需求设置)作为部分MAC地址。可选的，部分MAC地址的生成方式还可以是：将MAC地址进行指定运算，并得到对应的长度更短的地址信息。举例说明：将长度为48bit的MAC地址进行16bit的循环冗余校验(Cyclic Redundancy Check,CRC)运算，从而其运算结果即为与所述48bit的MAC地址对应的部分MAC地址。
可选的，在本申请中AP信息字段的长度可以为4字节的整数倍，例如4Kbytes，可以根据AP信息字段的长度的不同，设置其所携带的标识信息为MAC地址信息或部分MAC地址信息。
可选的，例如：若K＝1，即AP信息字段的长度为4bytes，则AP信息字段只能携带部分MAC地址信息(且长度小于或等于16bits)。并且，如前所述，AP信息字段的前11bits(即，B0～B10)可设置为特殊值。相应的，第二AP通过读取AP信息字段的前11bits，确定AP信息字段携带MAC地址或部分MAC地址，以标识对应的第二AP。随后，第二AP可基于MAC地址或部分MAC地址是否与自身的MAC地址匹配，确定是否被调度参与信道探测。参照图8，其所示为包括至少一个AP信息字段的EHT NDPA帧，其中，每个AP信息字段长度为4bytes，且包括部分MAC地址信息。
可选的，例如：若K＝2，即AP信息字段长度为8bytes，则由于长度限制，AP信息字段仍只能携带部分MAC地址信息。并且，AP信息字段的前11bits(即，B0～B10)可设置为特殊值。参照图9，其所示为包括至少一个AP信息字段的EHT NDPA帧，其中，每个AP信息字段长度为8bytes，且包括部分MAC地址信息。
可选的，例如：若K大于或等于3，即AP信息字段长度为12bytes或更长，则AP信息字段可携带MAC地址信息或部分MAC地址信息。并且，AP信息字段的前11bits(即，B0～B10)可设置为特殊值。参照图10，其所示为包括至少一个AP信息字段的EHT NDPA帧，每个AP信息字段长度为12bytes，且包括MAC地址信息，其中，MAC地址信息被分为三个部分(part)，例如图10中的MAC地址part1、MAC地址part2、以及MAC地址part3，每部分长度为16bits。
对于第三种标识信息，可选的，所述标识信息可以是第二AP所属设备中的STA的AID。其中，所述STA与第一AP关联。可选的，第二AP所属设备中的STA的AID可承载于AP信息字段中的前11比特。可选的，AP信息字段中还携带有共位置(collocated)AP信息，用于指示NDPA帧是发送给第二AP的，还是发送给第二AP所属设备中的STA的。相应的，接收到NDPA帧的第二AP在读取到AP信息字段中携带有第二AP所属设备中的STA的AID，且携带有所述共位置AP信息时，确定被调度参与信道探测。参照图11，其所示为包括至少一个AP信息字段的EHT NDPA帧，AP信息字段的前11bits承载第二AP所属设备中的STA的AID，并且，AP信息字段还包括共位置AP信息。
可选的，如图7、图8、图9、图10和图11所示，每个AP信息字段中的每4字节中的第28个比特位为消歧比特位。例如，若AP信息字段包括的比特记为：B0～(B32*K-1)，则B32(K-1)+27被设置为1，以避免VHT STA误读(具体原因可参照公共信息字段，此处不赘述)。例如：在图7中，AP信息字段的长度为4字节，包括B0～B31，B27设置为1；在图8中，AP信息字段的长度为4字节，包括B0～B31，B27设置为1；在图9中，AP信息字段的长度为8字节，包括B0～B63，B27和B59设置为1；在图10中，AP信息字段的长度为12字节，包括B0～B95，B27、B59、和B91设置为1；在图11中，AP信息字段的长度为4字节，包括B0～B31，B27设置为1。可选的，图8至图10中，每4字节中设置为特殊值的前11比特还可以称为哑标识符(dummy identity)。
可选的，每个AP信息字段中还可以包括但不限于以下一项或多项：训练序列数量指示，或，信道探测帧发送顺序指示等信息。训练序列数量指示用于指示该AP信息字段所对应的第二AP发送的信道探测帧包括的训练序列的个数，可选的，该训练序列可 以为长训练序列(long training sequence,LTF)，信道探测帧发送顺序指示用于指示该AP信息字段所对应的第二AP发送的信道探测帧的顺序。
需要说明的是，上文所述的MAC地址信息、共位置AP信息、训练序列数量，发送顺序指示等信息可以位于AP信息字段的除AID域(该域的定义已在上文中给出)及消歧比特位外的任意位置，本申请不做限定。
可选的，在本申请中，EHT NDPA帧还可以包括至少一个STA信息字段。可选的，STA信息字段携带STA的标识信息，用于指示STA参与信道探测。可选的，STA信息字段的长度为4字节的整数倍，例如，4Lbytes，其中，L为大于或等于1的整数。其中，若L＝1，STA信息字段长度为4bytes时，符合802.11ax标准中的定义，在802.11ax中，STA信息字段的每个比特位都被占用。在下一代标准中，STA信息字段可扩展为8字节或更长，即，L可为大于等于2的整数。可选的，STA信息字段中第2个和第2个4字节之后的任一个4字节中的前11个比特设置为特殊值，例如，STA信息字段中的比特位B32(L-1)至B32(L-1)+10设置为特殊值，或者，STA信息字段中第2个和第2个4字节之后的任一个4字节中的前11个比特可设置为与AID域(即STA信息字段的前11bits)相同的值，以避免HE STA误读。可选的，STA信息字段中每4字节中的第28个比特的值置为1，例如，STA信息字段中的B32(L-1)+27设置为1，以避免VHT STA误读。举例说明，如图12所示，STA信息字段长度为8bytes，其中，前11bits(AID域)设置为STA的标识信息(例如AID)，B27(消歧比特位)、B59(消歧比特位)设置为1，并且，B32～B42设置为特殊值或与AID域相同。可选的，图12中，第二个4字节中设置为特殊值的前11比特还可以称为哑标识符(dummy identity)。
可选的，STA信息字段还可用于指示STA所需要进行信道探测及反馈的至少一个第二AP。也就是说，当信道探测流程中包括多个AP时，STA可以仅反馈部分第二AP的CSI。因此，可以在STA信息字段中携带反馈指示信息，以指示需要该STA反馈哪些AP的CSI。可选的，在本申请中，该反馈指示信息可以是STA信息字段中的一个位图(bitmap)，位图中的每个比特与每个第二AP按照特定的顺序一一对应，并且位图中被置为1的比特位，表示需要STA反馈对应于该比特位的第二AP的CSI。可选的，反馈指示信息还可以位于NDPA帧的AP标识符列表字段中，也可以位于后续的BFRP触发帧(BFRP Trigger)中，本申请不做限定。
可选的，STA信息字段中还可以包括关联标识字段、部分带宽信息(Patrial BW(Bandwidth)信息)、反馈类型及数组(Feedback Type and Number group)字段、码本大小(Codebook size)以及列数(Nc(number of columns))字段(包括AP1～APn的列数字段)等字段。
可选的，在本申请中，第二AP的数量可以为一个，即，系统中可以仅包括第一AP(AP1)与一个第二AP(AP2)以及至少一个STA。相应的，在该实施例中，NDPA帧中还可以携带发送对象指示信息，用于通知STA后续的NDP是由第一AP发送的还是由另外一个AP(即第二AP)发送的。其中，该指示信息可以位于EHT NDPA帧的公共信 息字段中，还可以位于AP信息字段中，或者，还可以位于STA信息字段中，本申请不做限定。
需要说明的是，所述公共信息字段、AP信息字段、STA信息字段的长度可以相同也可以不同，即，K、J、L的值可以相同也可以不同，本申请不做限定。
可选的，在本申请中的信道探测过程中，NDPA帧可以是第一AP发送的，可选的，NDPA帧还可以是第一AP与第二AP同时发送的。其中，若AP与第二AP同时发送NDPA帧的情况下，第一AP(例如：AP1)可向第二AP(例如：AP2和AP3)发送NDPA触发帧，以触发第二AP与第一AP同时广播NDPA帧。其中，NDPA触发帧所携带的信息包括但不限于场景一与场景二中所述的第一指示帧所携带的信息，即，AP1可通过NDPA触发帧以通知AP2和AP3发送NDPA的时机，例如：在发送NDPA触发帧后间隔预定时长，预定时长可以为SIFS，本申请不做限定。并且，NDPA触发帧还可用于指示AP2和AP3所发送的NDPA所需要携带的内容，相应的，AP2和AP3可基于NDPA触发帧的指示，发送携带有相同的AP标识信息、STA标识信息等信息的NDPA帧。在该实施例中，多个AP可同时发送携带相同信息(例如：AP标识信息和/或STA的标识信息等信息)的NDPA，以扩大及增强NDPA帧的覆盖范围。
可选的，如图7至图12任一幅图所示，EHT NDPA帧中还可以包括但不限于：帧控制(Frame Control)字段、时长(Duration)字段、RA字段、TA字段、Sounding Dialog Tolken字段、帧校验序列(Frame Check Sequence，FCS)字段等。可选的，EHT NDPA帧还可以包括：STA数量字段、AP数量字段、AP列表字段(图中未示出)等字段，本申请不做限定。以及，上述各字段的功能，及所包括的信息可参照已有技术，本申请不再赘述。
可选的，在本申请中，NDP轮询帧的帧结构可如图13所示，在图13中，NDP轮询帧可包括但不限于：Frame Control字段、Duration字段、RA字段、TA字段以及FCS字段。如上文所述，第二AP可基于RA字段携带的MAC地址，确定是否被调度参与信道探测。可选的，上文所述的控制帧类型信息可承载于Frame Control字段。具体的，Frame Control字段中包括有Type字段与Subtype字段，其中，Type信息可设置为1，用以表示该帧的类型为控制帧，Sybtype字段可以设置为6，用以指示控制帧扩展(control frame extension)字段生效，其中，控制帧扩展字段中包括控制帧指示信息，用于指示NDP轮询帧的类型为触发类型帧。可选的，控制帧指示信息可承载于控制帧扩展字段中未使用的比特位，例如：比特位B0、B1、B11等。可选的，Subtype字段还可以设置为2或其它现有标准中未使用的数字位，本申请对此不做限定。如图14所示为Frame Control字段的帧结构示意图，在图14中，B8～B11表示控制帧扩展字段。相应的，接收到NDP轮询帧的第二AP可通过读取控制帧扩展字段中的信息，确定是否被触发发送NDP帧。
可选的，在本申请中，NDP轮询帧也可为NDPA帧，即，NDP轮询帧采用NDPA帧的帧结构以实现触发第二AP发送NPD帧的功能。其中，NDPA帧中的Frame Control字段中的Type和Subtype用于指示该帧的类型为NDPA帧。RA字段中可以设置为第二 AP(例如：AP2)的地址信息(例如：MAC地址信息)。TA字段中可以设置为第一AP(即AP1)的地址信息(例如：MAC地址信息)。在该实施例中，若AP2检测到RA中的MAC地址与本地MAC地址匹配，并且为第二次收到的NDPA帧，则可确定该帧的帧类型为NDP轮询帧。可选的，NDP轮询帧为NDPA帧时，其帧结构可采用图7至图12任一幅图所示的NDPA帧结构，本申请不做限定。
综上所述，在本申请的实施例中，第一AP可通过NDP轮询帧以触发至少一个第二AP发送信道探测帧，从而避免由于任一第二AP未成功发送信道探测帧，所造成的信道探测流程中断的问题，进而提升信道探测的鲁棒性，并且有效提高了资源利用率(即，相比于已有技术中中断后需要从第一AP开始重新广播第二指示信息的情况，本申请无需重新传，只需要指定未成功广播的AP重新广播，或者，略过未成功广播的AP，进行下一次，即其它AP的信道探测帧的发送，从而有效提高了资源利用率)。
场景二
结合图4，如图15所示为本申请实施例中的信道探测方法的流程示意图，在图15中：
步骤201，AP1发送声明帧。
AP1发送声明帧，其中，声明帧可以为NDPA帧，以指示AP2、AP3以及STA1与STA2参与信道探测流程。
可选的，AP1发送NDP帧，以使STA1和/或STA2对AP1的下行信道进行信道探测。
该步骤的具体细节可参照步骤101，此处不赘述。
步骤202，AP1向AP2和AP3发送NDP轮询帧。
可选的，在本申请中，如图15所示，AP1每次可同时向两个或两个以上第二AP发送NDP轮询帧，以触发接收到被触发AP发送NDP帧。
举例说明：可选的，AP1中存储有AP列表，列表中可记录有参与本次信道探测流程的AP(不包括AP1)的标识信息，AP1可按照列表中的顺序两两发送NDP轮询帧，例如：列表中的顺序为AP2、AP3、AP4、AP5(其中，AP4、AP5在图中未显示)，则，AP1可按照列表顺序，向AP2和AP3发送NDP轮询帧，并在监听到AP2和AP3广播的NDP后，向AP4和AP5发送NDP轮询帧。可选的，AP1在预定时长后，若未接收到例如AP2广播的NDP帧，则，AP1可重新向AP2发送NDP轮询帧(并可重复多次)。可选的，AP1可在预定时长后，直接向AP4和AP5发送NDP轮询帧。
可选的，在本申请中，若AP1同时向两个或两个以上AP发送NDP轮询帧，则，NDP轮询帧可携带有资源信息，用于指示接收到NDP轮询帧的第二AP在同一时刻且在指定的信道资源上发送NDP帧，以使不同的第二AP发送的NDP帧只占用部分的子载波，且各个AP所占用的子载波互不重叠，从而使AP(第一AP和第二AP)和/或STA能够监听到多个AP同时发送的NDP帧。举例说明：在一种可能的实现方式中，若两个AP(例如：AP2和AP3)同时发送NDP帧，则，AP2可占用奇数子载波，即，在奇数子载波上发送NDP帧。AP3可占用偶数子载波，即，在偶数子载波上发送NDP帧。在 另一种可能的实现方式中，假设总共有m个子载波，并且有k个第二AP同时广播NDP帧，则第i(1≤i≤k)个AP只占用第i，i+k，i+2k，i+3k，……，i+nk个子载波，其中i+nk为小于或等于m的最大整数。在该实施例中，第二AP(例如AP2)在广播NDP时，需要确定其所占用的子载波信息，子载波信息包括：i值，用于指示AP所占的子载波的起始位置(或可称为第一个子载波位置信息)，以及两个相邻子载波之间的间隔k值。可选的，i和k值可携带于NDP轮询帧或NDPA帧中。可选的，i值可承载于AP信息字段中，k值可承载于公共信息字段中，如图16所示。可选的，i值可以由前述实施例中提及的发送顺序指示来承载，也就是说，发送顺序指示可用来复用指示i值，发送顺序与i值存在对应关系，例如，发送顺序与i值相等。可选的，k值可以由前述实施例中提及的第二指示信息来承载，也就是说，第二指示信息指示的参与协作的AP的总个数与k值存在对应关系，例如参与协作的AP的总个数与k值相等。
其它细节与步骤102类似，此处不赘述。
步骤203，被触发的第二AP发送信道探测帧。
具体的，接收到NDP轮询帧的两个或两个以上第二AP可基于NDP轮询帧指示的资源信息，在同一时刻且在指定的信道资源上发送NDP帧。
步骤203，至少一个STA基于NDP帧进行信道探测。
具体细节可参照步骤103，此处不赘述。
可选的，在本申请中的信道探测过程中，声明帧可以是第一AP发送的，也可以是第一AP和第二AP发送的，具体细节可参照场景一，此处不赘述。
场景三
结合图4，如图17所示为本申请实施例中的信道探测方法的流程示意图，在图17中：
步骤301，第一AP发送声明帧，声明帧中携带信道探测帧发送顺序信息。
具体的，在本申请中，第一AP发送声明帧，用于指示需要参与本次信道探测流程的至少一个第二AP以及至少一个STA，以及还用于指示至少一个第二AP发送NDP帧的顺序。可选的，声明帧中可包括NDP发送顺序信息，相应的，第二AP可通过读取NDP发送顺序信息，确定自己发送NDP时的顺位。
可选的，若声明帧为EHT NDPA，NDP发送顺序信息可承载于AP信息字段，例如：AP信息字段包括AP2的标识信息及AP2的NDP发送顺序信息。相应的，AP2将自己的标识信息与AP信息字段的标识信息匹配成功后，继续读取AP信息字段后续的比特位，获取NDP发送顺序信息等信息。NDPA的具体帧结构可参照上述任一EHT NDPA帧的结构示意图，此处不再赘述。
可选的，参照图17，例如，AP1发送NDPA帧，NDPA帧中包括至少一个AP信息字段，每个AP信息字段携带有第二AP的标识信息和对应于该第二AP的NDP发送顺序信息。
需要说明的是，在本场景中，NDPA帧除能实现指示NDP发送顺序的功能外，还可以实现场景一和/或场景二中的各个功能，例如：NDPA帧可用于指示第一AP是否发送 NDP帧。可选的，NDPA帧还可以携带第二AP与STA的标识信息，以指示第二AP与STA参与信道探测等功能。其它具体细节可参照场景一与场景二，此处不赘述。需要说明的是，NDPA的具体帧结构可参照上述任一EHT NDPA帧的结构示意图，此处不再赘述。
步骤302，至少一个第二AP基于信道探测帧发送顺序信息，依次发送信道探测帧。
具体的，在本申请中，第二AP(例如：AP2和AP3)接收到声明帧(例如：NDPA帧)后，读取其所携带的NDP发送顺序信息，按照其所指示的顺序，依次发送信道探测信息。
参照图17，例如：NDP发送顺序信息指示的发送顺序为：AP1、AP2、AP3。AP1发送NDP帧，AP2在监听到AP1发送的NDP帧后(或可间隔SIF后)，AP2发送NDP帧，AP3监听到AP2的NDP帧后，发送自己的NDP帧。
其它具体细节可参照场景一与场景二，此处不赘述。
步骤303，至少一个STA基于信道探测帧进行信道探测。
其它具体细节可参照场景一与场景二，此处不赘述。
上述主要从各个网元之间交互的角度对本发明实施例提供的方案进行了介绍。可以理解的是，AP为了实现上述功能，其包含了执行各个功能相应的硬件结构和/或软件模块。本领域技术人员应该很容易意识到，结合本文中所公开的实施例描述的各示例的单元及算法步骤，本发明实施例能够以硬件或硬件和计算机软件的结合形式来实现。某个功能究竟以硬件还是计算机软件驱动硬件的方式来执行，取决于技术方案的特定应用和设计约束条件。专业技术人员可以对每个特定的应用来使用不同方法来实现所描述的功能，但是这种实现不应认为超出本申请的范围。
本发明实施例可以根据上述方法示例对AP进行功能模块的划分，例如，可以对应各个功能划分各个功能模块，也可以将两个或两个以上的功能集成在一个处理模块中。上述集成的模块既可以采用硬件的形式实现，也可以采用软件功能模块的形式实现。需要说明的是，本发明实施例中对模块的划分是示意性的，仅仅为一种逻辑功能划分，实际实现时可以有另外的划分方式。
在采用对应各个功能划分各个功能模块的情况下，图18示出了上述实施例中所涉及的第一接入点侧的装置100的一种可能的结构示意图，如图18所示，装置100可以包括：发送模块11、获取模块12。其中，发送模块11可以用于支持第一接入点执行上述实施例中的步骤101、步骤102、步骤201、步骤202、步骤301，即“发送声明帧和/或信道探测轮询帧”的步骤。
在另一个示例中，图19示出了本申请实施例的另一种第一接入点侧的通信装置200的示意性框图。本申请实施例的装置200可以是上述方法实施例中的第一接入点，装置200可以用于执行上述方法实施例中的第一接入点的部分或全部功能。该装置200可以包括：处理器21，基带电路22，射频电路24以及天线25，可选的，该装置200还可以包括存储器22。装置200的各个组件通过总线26耦合在一起，其中总线系统26除包括数据总线之外，还包括电源总线、控制总线和状态信号总线。但是为了清楚说明起见， 在图中将各种总线都标为总线系统26。
处理器21可用于实现对第一接入点的控制，用于执行上述实施例中由第一接入点进行的处理，可以执行上述方法实施例中涉及第一接入点的处理过程和/或用于本申请所描述的技术的其他过程，还可以运行操作系统，负责管理总线以及可以执行存储在存储器中的程序或指令。
基带电路23、射频电路24以及天线25可以用于支持第一接入点和上述实施例中涉及的第二接入点或站点之间收发信息，以支持第一接入点与其他节点之间进行无线通信。一个示例中，由基带电路23编码，按协议封装后生成的信令(例如声明帧和/或信道探测轮询帧)，经由射频电路进行模拟转换、滤波、放大和上变频等处理后，再经由天线25发送给第二接入点。可以理解的，基带电路23、射频电路24以及天线25还可以用于支持第一接入点与其他网络实体进行通信，例如,用于支持第一接入点与核心网侧的网元进行通信。
存储器22可以用于存储第一接入点的程序代码和数据，本领域技术人员很容易明白，存储器22或其任意部分可位于装置200之外。举例来说，存储器22可以包括传输线、和/或与无线节点分离开的计算机制品，这些介质均可以由处理器21通过总线接口26来访问。可替换地，存储器22或其任意部分可以集成到处理器21中，例如，可以是高速缓存和/或通用寄存器。
可以理解的是，图19仅仅示出了第一接入点的简化设计。例如，在实际应用中，第一接入点可以包含任意数量的发射器，接收器，处理器，存储器等，而所有可以实现本发明的第一接入点都在本发明的保护范围之内。
如图20所示为本申请实施例的第二接入点侧的装置300的示意性框图。在一个实施例中，图20所示的装置300可以对应于上述方法实施例中的第二接入点侧的装置，可以具有方法中的第二接入点的任意功能，可选的，本申请实施例的装置300可以是第二接入点，也可以是第二接入点内的芯片。该装置300可以包括接收模块31和发送模块32。接收模块31可以用于接收前述方法实施例中的步骤第一AP发送的信令(例如：声明帧和/或信道探测轮询帧)或数据。发送模块32可以用于发送前述方法实施例中的信令(例如信道探测帧)。
应理解，根据本申请实施例的装置300可对应于前述的实施例的各方法中的第二接入点，并且装置300中的各个模块的上述和其它管理操作和/或功能分别为了实现前述各个方法的相应步骤，为了简洁，在此不再赘述。
在另一个示例中，图21示出了本申请实施例的另一种第二接入点侧的通信装置400的示意性框图。本申请实施例的装置400可以是上述方法实施例中的第二接入点，装置400可以用于执行上述方法实施例中的第二接入点的部分或全部功能。该装置400可以包括：处理器41，基带电路44，射频电路44以及天线45，可选的，该装置400还可以包括存储器42。装置400的各个组件通过总线46耦合在一起，其中总线系统46除包括数据总线之外，还包括电源总线、控制总线和状态信号总线。但是为了清楚说明起见，在图中将各种总线都标为总线系统46。
处理器41可用于实现对第二接入点的控制，用于执行上述实施例中由第二接入点进 行的处理，可以执行上述方法实施例中涉及第二接入点的处理过程和/或用于本申请所描述的技术的其他过程，还可以运行操作系统，负责管理总线以及可以执行存储在存储器中的程序或指令。
基带电路43、射频电路44以及天线45可以用于支持第二接入点和上述实施例中涉及的第一接入点或站点之间收发信息，以支持第二接入点与其他节点之间进行无线通信。一个示例中，来自第一接入点发送的信令经由天线44接收，由射频电路44进行滤波、放大、下变频以及数字化等处理后，再经由基带电路43解码、按协议解封装数据等基带处理后，由处理器41进行处理来恢复站点所发送的业务数据和信令信息；又一个示例中，第二接入点发送的信道探测帧可由处理器41进行处理，经由基带电路43进行按协议封装，编码等基带处理，进一步由射频电路44进行模拟转换、滤波、放大和上变频等射频处理后，经由天线44发送给第一接入点AP。可以理解的，基带电路43、射频电路44以及天线44还可以用于支持第二接入点与其他网络实体进行通信，例如,用于支持第二接入点与核心网侧的网元进行通信。
存储器42可以用于存储第二接入点的程序代码和数据。图21中存储器42被示为与处理器41分离，然而，本领域技术人员很容易明白，存储器42或其任意部分可位于装置400之外。举例来说，存储器42可以包括传输线、和/或与无线节点分离开的计算机制品，这些介质均可以由处理器41通过总线接口46来访问。可替换地，存储器42或其任意部分可以集成到处理器41中，例如，可以是高速缓存和/或通用寄存器。
可以理解的是，图21仅仅示出了第二接入点的简化设计。例如，在实际应用中，第二接入点可以包含任意数量的发射器，接收器，处理器，存储器等，而所有可以实现本发明的第二接入点都在本发明的保护范围之内。
本申请实施例还提供一种计算机存储介质，该计算机可读存储介质中存储有指令，所述指令可以由处理电路上的一个或多个处理器执行。当其在计算机上运行时，使得计算机执行上述各方面所述的方法。可选的，所述计算机存储介质是非易失性可读存储介质。
本申请实施例还提供了一种芯片系统，该芯片系统包括处理器，用于支持第一接入点或第二接入点以实现上述实施例中所涉及的功能，例如生成或处理上述方法中所涉及的数据和/或信息。
在一种可能的设计中，所述芯片系统还可以包括存储器，所述存储器，用于保存第一接入点或第二接入点必要的程序指令和数据。该芯片系统，可以由芯片构成，也可以包含芯片和其他分立器件，处理器用于执行所述程序指令，以使得安装所述芯片系统的通信装置实现上述任一实施例中所涉及的AP的方法和功能。可选的，该存储器可位于处理器外部，为外部存储介质，还可以位于处理器内部，为处理器的内部存储介质。
本申请实施例还提供了一种处理器，用于与存储器耦合，用于执行上述各实施例中任一实施例中涉及第一AP的方法和功能。
本申请实施例还提供了一种处理器，用于与存储器耦合，用于执行上述各实施例中任一实施例中涉及第二AP的方法和功能。
本申请实施例还提供一种芯片，包括处理电路和输入输出电路，该输入输出电路用 于向处理电路输入信令或数据，还用于输出处理电路产生的信令或数据，处理电路用于实现信令或数据的处理，以使得安装所述芯片的通信装置可以实现上述任一实施例中涉及第一AP的方法和功能。
本申请实施例还提供一种芯片，包括处理电路和输入输出电路，该输入输出电路用于向处理电路输入信令或数据，还用于输出处理电路产生的信令或数据，处理电路用于实现信令或数据的处理，以使得安装所述芯片的通信装置可以实现上述任一实施例中涉及第二AP的方法和功能。
本申请实施例还提供了一种包含指令的计算机程序产品，其在计算机上运行时，使得计算机执行执行上述各实施例中任一实施例中涉及第一AP的方法和功能。
本申请实施例还提供了一种包含指令的计算机程序产品，其在计算机上运行时，使得计算机执行执行上述各实施例中任一实施例中涉及第二AP的方法和功能。
本申请实施例还提供一种无线通信系统，该系统包括上述实施例中涉及的第一接入点和至少一个第二接入点。
结合本发明实施例公开内容所描述的方法或者算法的步骤可以硬件的方式来实现，也可以是由处理器执行软件指令的方式来实现。软件指令可以由相应的软件模块组成，软件模块可以被存放于随机存取存储器(Random Access Memory，RAM)、闪存、只读存储器(Read Only Memory，ROM)、可擦除可编程只读存储器(Erasable Programmable ROM，EPROM)、电可擦可编程只读存储器(Electrically EPROM，EEPROM)、寄存器、硬盘、移动硬盘、只读光盘(CD-ROM)或者本领域熟知的任何其它形式的存储介质中。一种示例性的存储介质耦合至处理器，从而使处理器能够从该存储介质读取信息，且可向该存储介质写入信息。当然，存储介质也可以是处理器的组成部分。处理器和存储介质可以位于ASIC中。另外，该ASIC可以位于AP中。当然，处理器和存储介质也可以作为分立组件存在于AP中。
上面结合附图对本申请的实施例进行了描述，但是本申请并不局限于上述的具体实施方式，上述的具体实施方式仅仅是示意性的，而不是限制性的，本领域的普通技术人员在本申请的启示下，在不脱离本申请宗旨和权利要求所保护的范围情况下，还可做出很多形式，均属于本申请的保护之内。

Claims (22)

  1. 一种信道探测方法，其特征在于，包括：
    第一接入点AP发送声明帧，所述声明帧用于指示至少一个第二AP以及至少一个站点STA参与信道探测；
    所述第一AP向所述至少一个第二AP中的每个第二AP依次发送信道探测轮询帧，所述信道探测轮询帧用于触发所述至少一个第二AP发送信道探测帧。
  2. 一种信道探测方法，其特征在于，包括：
    第二接入点AP接收第一AP发送的声明帧，所述声明帧用于指示所述第二AP以及至少一个STA参与信道探测流程；
    所述第二AP接收所述第一AP发送的信道探测轮询帧，所述信道探测轮询帧用于触发所述第二AP发送信道探测帧；
    所述第二AP发送所述信道探测帧。
  3. 根据权利要求1或2所述的方法，其特征在于，所述声明帧与所述信道探测轮询帧为空数据分组声明NDPA帧；
    其中，所述信道探测轮询帧包含控制帧类型信息，用于指示所述信道探测轮询帧为用于触发所述至少一个第二AP发送所述信道探测帧的类型帧。
  4. 根据权利要求1至3任一项所述的方法，其特征在于，其中，
    所述声明帧中包含第一指示信息，用于指示所述第一AP是否发送信道探测帧。
  5. 根据权利要求1至4任一项所述的方法，其特征在于，所述声明帧包含至少一个AP信息字段，一个所述AP信息字段的长度为4字节的整数倍，所述AP信息字段中每4字节中的第28个比特设置为1，并且，所述至少一个AP信息字段与所述至少一个第二AP中的每个第二AP一一对应，每个所述AP信息字段包含对应的第二AP的标识信息。
  6. 根据权利要求5所述的方法，其特征在于，所述第二AP的标识信息为所述第二AP的标识符、或第二AP所在设备中的STA的标识符；
    其中，所述第二AP的标识符为所述第一AP与所述第二AP预先协商确定。
  7. 根据权利要求5所述的方法，其特征在于，所述AP信息字段中每4字节中的前11比特设置为特殊值，用于指示所述AP信息字段携带的为第二AP的媒体访问控制MAC地址信息，且所述第二AP的标识信息为所述第二AP的MAC地址。
  8. 根据权利要求5所述的方法，其特征在于，所述AP信息字段还包括以下一项或 多项：发送顺序指示，训练序列数量指示；
    所述发送顺序指示，用于指示该AP信息字段所对应的第二AP发送信道探测帧的顺序；
    所述训练序列数量指示，用于指示所述AP信息字段所对应的第二AP发送的信道探测帧包括的训练序列的个数。
  9. 根据权利要求1至8任一项所述的方法，其特征在于，所述声明帧还包括公共信息字段，所述公共信息字段的长度为4字节的整数倍；
    其中，所述公共信息字段中每4字节中的前11比特设置为特殊值，并且，所述公共信息字段中每4字节中的第28个比特位设置为1。
  10. 根据权利要求9所述的方法，其特征在于，所述公共信息字段包括：第二指示信息，用于指示所述至少一个第二AP的数量，或，用于指示所述至少一个第二AP与所述第一AP的总数量。
  11. 根据权利要求1至10任一项所述的方法，其特征在于，所述声明帧或所述信道探测轮询帧包含资源指示信息，用于指示所述至少一个第二AP在指定的信道资源上发送所述信道探测帧。
  12. 一种应用于第一接入点AP侧的通信装置，其特征在于，包括：
    发送模块，用于发送声明帧，所述声明帧用于指示至少一个第二AP以及至少一个STA参与信道探测流程；
    所述发送模块，还用于向所述至少一个第二AP中的每个第二AP依次发送信道探测轮询帧，所述信道探测轮询帧用于触发所述至少一个第二AP发送信道探测帧。
  13. 一种应用于第二接入点AP侧的通信装置，其特征在于，包括：
    接收模块，用于接收第一AP发送的声明帧，所述声明帧用于指示所述第二AP以及至少一个STA参与信道探测流程；
    所述接收模块，还用于接收所述第一AP发送的信道探测轮询帧，所述信道探测轮询帧用于触发所述第二AP发送信道探测帧；
    发送模块，用于发送所述信道探测帧。
  14. 根据权利要求12或13所述的通信装置，其特征在于，所述声明帧与所述信道探测轮询帧为空数据分组NDPA帧；
    其中，所述信道探测轮询帧包含控制帧类型信息，用于指示所述信道探测轮询帧为用于触发所述至少一个第二AP发送所述信道探测帧的类型帧。
  15. 根据权利要求12至14任一项所述的装置，其特征在于，其中，
    所述声明帧中包含第一指示信息，用于指示所述第一AP是否发送信道探测帧。
  16. 根据权利要求12至15任一项所述的装置，其特征在于，所述声明帧包含至少一个AP信息字段，一个所述AP信息字段的长度为4字节的整数倍，所述AP信息字段中每4字节中的第28个比特设置为1，并且，所述至少一个AP信息字段与所述至少一个第二AP中的每个第二AP一一对应，每个所述AP信息字段包含对应的第二AP的标识信息。
  17. 根据权利要求16所述的装置，其特征在于，所述第二AP的标识信息为所述第二AP的标识符、或第二AP所在设备中的STA的标识符；
    其中，所述第二AP的标识符为所述第一AP与所述第二AP预先协商确定。
  18. 根据权利要求16所述的装置，其特征在于，所述AP信息字段中每4字节中的前11比特设置为特殊值，用于指示所述AP信息字段携带的为第二AP的媒体访问控制MAC地址信息，且所述第二AP的标识信息为所述第二AP的MAC地址。
  19. 根据权利要求16所述的装置，其特征在于，所述AP信息字段还包括以下一项或多项：发送顺序指示，训练序列数量指示；
    所述发送顺序指示，用于指示该AP信息字段所对应的第二AP发送信道探测帧的顺序；
    所述训练序列数量指示，用于指示所述AP信息字段所对应的第二AP发送的信道探测帧包括的训练序列的个数。
  20. 根据权利要求12至19任一项所述的装置，其特征在于，所述声明帧还包括公共信息字段，所述公共信息字段的长度为4字节的整数倍；
    其中，所述公共信息字段中每4字节中的前11比特设置为特殊值，并且，所述公共信息字段中每4字节中的第28个比特位设置为1。
  21. 根据权利要求20所述的装置，其特征在于，所述公共信息字段包括：第二指示信息，用于指示所述至少一个第二AP的数量，或，用于指示所述至少一个第二AP与所述第一AP的总数量。
  22. 根据权利要求12至21任一项所述的装置，其特征在于，所述声明帧或所述信道探测轮询帧包含资源指示信息，用于指示所述至少一个第二AP在指定的信道资源上发送所述信道探测帧。
PCT/CN2020/092948 2019-06-19 2020-05-28 信道探测方法及通信装置 WO2020253492A1 (zh)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP20826376.4A EP3975444A4 (en) 2019-06-19 2020-05-28 CHANNEL SOUNDING METHOD AND COMMUNICATION DEVICE

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CN201910533150.1 2019-06-19
CN201910533150.1A CN112118034A (zh) 2019-06-19 2019-06-19 信道探测方法及通信装置

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2020253492A1 true WO2020253492A1 (zh) 2020-12-24

Family

ID=73795670

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/CN2020/092948 WO2020253492A1 (zh) 2019-06-19 2020-05-28 信道探测方法及通信装置

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP3975444A4 (zh)
CN (1) CN112118034A (zh)
WO (1) WO2020253492A1 (zh)

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN114696965A (zh) * 2020-12-28 2022-07-01 华为技术有限公司 一种信息上报方法及通信装置
WO2022262658A1 (zh) * 2021-06-17 2022-12-22 华为技术有限公司 反馈指示方法及装置
WO2023029907A1 (zh) * 2021-08-28 2023-03-09 华为技术有限公司 Ndpa帧的传输方法及相关装置
WO2023123000A1 (zh) * 2021-12-28 2023-07-06 Oppo广东移动通信有限公司 无线通信方法、装置、设备、存储介质及程序产品
WO2023133695A1 (zh) * 2022-01-11 2023-07-20 北京小米移动软件有限公司 Wlan感知测量方法及装置、电子设备及存储介质
WO2023177349A1 (en) * 2022-03-16 2023-09-21 Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation Of America Communication apparatus and communication method for aggregated signal sounding procedure
WO2024109036A1 (zh) * 2022-11-25 2024-05-30 华为技术有限公司 信道探测方法、装置及通信系统

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN111786914B (zh) * 2019-04-03 2024-04-12 华为技术有限公司 一种训练序列的传输方法及装置
WO2023000152A1 (zh) * 2021-07-19 2023-01-26 北京小米移动软件有限公司 通信方法及装置、电子设备及存储介质

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN102769516A (zh) * 2011-05-06 2012-11-07 中兴通讯股份有限公司 一种信道测量信息反馈方法及系统
US20170195026A1 (en) * 2016-01-05 2017-07-06 Intel IP Corporation Single user beamforming in wireless networks
CN109547072A (zh) * 2017-09-22 2019-03-29 华为技术有限公司 信道探测的方法、通信设备和计算机可读存储介质
CN109714092A (zh) * 2017-10-26 2019-05-03 华为技术有限公司 用于传输数据的方法和装置
CN109756256A (zh) * 2017-11-03 2019-05-14 华为技术有限公司 一种信道探测的方法和装置

Family Cites Families (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
KR101740698B1 (ko) * 2011-10-12 2017-05-26 한국전자통신연구원 무선랜 시스템에서 채널 사운딩 방법 및 이를 지원하는 장치
KR102099249B1 (ko) * 2013-09-06 2020-04-09 한국전자통신연구원 무선랜에서 간섭 정렬을 이용하는 통신 방법
US9271176B2 (en) * 2014-03-28 2016-02-23 Magnolia Broadband Inc. System and method for backhaul based sounding feedback
US9788317B2 (en) * 2015-03-30 2017-10-10 Intel IP Corporation Access point (AP), user station (STA) and method for channel sounding using sounding trigger frames
WO2018093132A1 (ko) * 2016-11-18 2018-05-24 엘지전자 주식회사 무선 랜 시스템에서 채널 정보를 보고하는 방법 및 이를 위한 장치
US10820332B2 (en) * 2017-03-11 2020-10-27 Qualcomm Incorporated Sounding scheduling for distributed MIMO communication in an access point cluster

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN102769516A (zh) * 2011-05-06 2012-11-07 中兴通讯股份有限公司 一种信道测量信息反馈方法及系统
US20170195026A1 (en) * 2016-01-05 2017-07-06 Intel IP Corporation Single user beamforming in wireless networks
CN109547072A (zh) * 2017-09-22 2019-03-29 华为技术有限公司 信道探测的方法、通信设备和计算机可读存储介质
CN109714092A (zh) * 2017-10-26 2019-05-03 华为技术有限公司 用于传输数据的方法和装置
CN109756256A (zh) * 2017-11-03 2019-05-14 华为技术有限公司 一种信道探测的方法和装置

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
See also references of EP3975444A4

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN114696965A (zh) * 2020-12-28 2022-07-01 华为技术有限公司 一种信息上报方法及通信装置
WO2022143107A1 (zh) * 2020-12-28 2022-07-07 华为技术有限公司 一种信息上报方法及通信装置
CN114696965B (zh) * 2020-12-28 2024-05-24 华为技术有限公司 一种信息上报方法及通信装置
WO2022262658A1 (zh) * 2021-06-17 2022-12-22 华为技术有限公司 反馈指示方法及装置
WO2023029907A1 (zh) * 2021-08-28 2023-03-09 华为技术有限公司 Ndpa帧的传输方法及相关装置
WO2023123000A1 (zh) * 2021-12-28 2023-07-06 Oppo广东移动通信有限公司 无线通信方法、装置、设备、存储介质及程序产品
WO2023133695A1 (zh) * 2022-01-11 2023-07-20 北京小米移动软件有限公司 Wlan感知测量方法及装置、电子设备及存储介质
WO2023177349A1 (en) * 2022-03-16 2023-09-21 Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation Of America Communication apparatus and communication method for aggregated signal sounding procedure
WO2024109036A1 (zh) * 2022-11-25 2024-05-30 华为技术有限公司 信道探测方法、装置及通信系统

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP3975444A1 (en) 2022-03-30
CN112118034A (zh) 2020-12-22
EP3975444A4 (en) 2022-07-06

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
WO2020253492A1 (zh) 信道探测方法及通信装置
US10542557B2 (en) System and method for digital communications with interference avoidance
US20190281630A1 (en) Method and apparatus for transmitting downlink in wireless communication system
US9844037B2 (en) Method and apparatus for transmitting uplink in wireless communication system
US11671864B2 (en) Joint transmission method and communications apparatus
US11589368B2 (en) Data scheduling method and apparatus
WO2021008580A1 (zh) 信道探测方法及装置
US11844072B2 (en) Simultaneous data transmission between an access point and a plurality of stations
CN111030793A (zh) 一种无线局域网中触发帧传输的方法和装置
US20220248427A1 (en) Communication method and apparatus
EP3993488A1 (en) Method for scheduling time delay sensitivity service reporting and method for reporting time delay sensitivity service
US10028298B2 (en) System and method for indicating periodic allocations
WO2020211548A1 (zh) 用于传输数据的方法和装置
US10531497B2 (en) System and method for spatial stream allocation in UL OFDMA
US20200374885A1 (en) Data Transmission Method and Device
WO2021239618A2 (en) Method and apparatus for multi-user direct link transmission
CN114760012A (zh) 组播反馈方法、装置及系统
CN106572198B (zh) 媒介访问控制包头压缩方法、装置及系统
US11784775B2 (en) Acknowledgement of direct link and downlink transmissions in trigger-based multi-user transmissions
EP4247089A1 (en) Information transmission method, communication apparatus, computer-readable storage medium, and chip
CN109076633B (zh) 传输方法、接入点和站点
WO2016176805A1 (zh) 一种无线局域网中的信息传输方法、装置及系统

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
121 Ep: the epo has been informed by wipo that ep was designated in this application

Ref document number: 20826376

Country of ref document: EP

Kind code of ref document: A1

NENP Non-entry into the national phase

Ref country code: DE

ENP Entry into the national phase

Ref document number: 2020826376

Country of ref document: EP

Effective date: 20211221