WO2022262675A1 - 基于多链路通信的探测请求方法及装置 - Google Patents

基于多链路通信的探测请求方法及装置 Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2022262675A1
WO2022262675A1 PCT/CN2022/098393 CN2022098393W WO2022262675A1 WO 2022262675 A1 WO2022262675 A1 WO 2022262675A1 CN 2022098393 W CN2022098393 W CN 2022098393W WO 2022262675 A1 WO2022262675 A1 WO 2022262675A1
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Prior art keywords
link
value
subfield
information
request
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PCT/CN2022/098393
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English (en)
French (fr)
Inventor
李伊青
郭宇宸
李云波
淦明
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华为技术有限公司
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Priority to EP22824155.0A priority Critical patent/EP4344115A1/en
Publication of WO2022262675A1 publication Critical patent/WO2022262675A1/zh

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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
    • H04W48/00—Access restriction; Network selection; Access point selection
    • H04W48/16—Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
    • 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
    • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
    • H04W24/00—Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
    • H04W24/02—Arrangements for optimising operational condition
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
    • H04W84/00—Network topologies
    • H04W84/02—Hierarchically pre-organised networks, e.g. paging networks, cellular networks, WLAN [Wireless Local Area Network] or WLL [Wireless Local Loop]
    • H04W84/10—Small scale networks; Flat hierarchical networks
    • H04W84/12—WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Definitions

  • the present application relates to the technical field of communication, and in particular to a method and device for a probe request based on multi-link communication.
  • WLAN wireless local area network
  • IEEE Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
  • the next-generation standard targets extremely high throughput (EHT), and key technologies such as multi-link (ML) communication can be included.
  • EHT extremely high throughput
  • ML multi-link
  • multi-link communication The core idea of multi-link communication is that WLAN devices supporting the next-generation IEEE 802.11 standard, such as EHT devices, have the ability to transmit and/or receive in multiple frequency bands, so that larger bandwidths can be used for transmission, thereby improving throughput.
  • multi-band mainly includes but not limited to 2.4GHz Wi-Fi frequency band, 5GHz Wi-Fi frequency band or 6GHz Wi-Fi frequency band.
  • access and/or transmission on each frequency band is called a link, so access and/or transmission on multiple frequency bands is called ML.
  • a device that supports multi-link communication is called a multi-link device (MLD).
  • Figure 1a shows an example of a simple multi-link communication scenario.
  • AP access point
  • STA stations
  • Communication between MLDs is multi-link communication, and link 1 and link 2 in Figure 1a form a multi-link.
  • the STA wants to know more information about the AP, it can obtain more information about the AP through active scanning.
  • the STA can send a probe request frame on each channel it searches for the AP, and the AP can feed back the information required by the STA through the probe response frame after receiving the probe request frame.
  • This application provides a detection request method and device based on multi-link communication, which can enable the sending end device to clearly indicate the information it needs, so that the receiving end device can accurately feed back the information required by the sending end device, and improve the efficiency of information interaction .
  • the embodiment of the present application provides a multi-link communication-based probe request method, the method comprising:
  • the sending end device generates a probe request frame, where the probe request frame includes a probe request variant multi-link element (probe request variant multi-link element), where the probe request variant multi-link element includes first link information, and the second A link information includes a first subfield and a second subfield, the value of the first subfield is the first value, the value of the second subfield is the second value, and the probe request frame
  • the first link information is used to indicate that the element information related to the key update of the first link is requested
  • the The value of the first subfield is the first value used to indicate that the partial information of the first link is requested
  • the value of the second subfield is the second value used to indicate that the first link is requested Link element information related to key update, the first link information corresponds to the first link; the sender device sends the probe request frame.
  • the above-mentioned sending end device may include a non-AP MLD, or a STA under the non-AP MLD, or a WiFi chip, etc.
  • the first link information may also be referred to as the first single STA configuration (per-STA profile) sub-element.
  • the first subfield may be a complete profile subfield.
  • the second subfield may be a critical update requested (critical update requested) subfield.
  • the STA can indicate to the corresponding AP the element information that it needs to request through the request element. That is, the request element can be used to indicate the requested element information.
  • the STA can get a reminder that the AP and other APs under the AP MLD to which the AP belongs have key updates. However, the STA cannot know what elements are specifically updated and the new parameters that are currently updated. Therefore, the second subfield can be used to indicate whether to request element information related to critical updates.
  • the element information related to the key update can be element information known to both the sending end device and the receiving end device, and the sending end device can know that the element information related to the key update in the receiving end device has occurred through a beacon frame. Variety.
  • the sending end device also needs to request the corresponding AP for the changed element information in the element information related to the key update through the second subfield.
  • probe request frame shown in this application may also be called a multi-link probe request frame.
  • the corresponding per-STA profile sub-element The AP cannot effectively know whether to feed back the same element information as the frame body and the element information related to the key update, or only feed back the element information related to the key update.
  • the sending end device can clearly indicate to the corresponding AP that it needs to request the element information related to the key update.
  • the corresponding AP can effectively know that it needs to feed back element information related to key updates. Effectively improve the problem of inconsistent interpretation of link information between the sending device and the receiving device, thereby improving the efficiency of information exchange.
  • the embodiment of the present application provides a multi-link communication-based detection request method, the method including:
  • the receiving end device receives a probe request frame, where the probe request frame includes a probe request-type multi-link element, and the probe request-type multi-link element includes first link information, and the first link information includes a first subfield and the second subfield, the value of the first subfield is the first value, the value of the second subfield is the second value, and the frame body of the probe request frame includes a request element, but
  • the first link information does not include a request element
  • the first link information is used to indicate requesting element information related to key updates of the first link
  • the value of the first subfield is The first value is used to indicate that part of the information of the first link is requested
  • the value of the second subfield is the second value used to indicate that elements related to key updates of the first link are requested information
  • the first link information corresponds to the first link
  • the receiver device generates a probe response frame according to the probe request frame, and sends the probe response frame.
  • the request element includes at least one of a common request element or an extended request element.
  • the common request element shown in the embodiment of the present application is relative to the extended request element.
  • the structure of a common request element may refer to FIG. 2b
  • the extended request element may refer to FIG. 2c.
  • the probe request multi-link element further includes second link information
  • the second link information includes the first subfield and the second A subfield, when the value of the first subfield is the first value, the value of the second subfield is the second value, and the second link information includes a request element , the second link information is used to indicate the element information related to the key update requesting the second link and the element information requested by the request element in the second link information, the second link information Corresponding to the second link.
  • the multi-link element of the probe request type further includes third link information
  • the third link information includes the first subfield and the second Subfield, when the value of the first subfield is the first value, the value of the second subfield is the first value, and the third link information does not include a request element
  • the third link information is used to indicate that the element information of the requested third link is inherited from the frame body of the probe request frame
  • the value of the second subfield is used for the first value Indicates that the element information related to the critical update of the third link is not requested, and the third link information corresponds to the third link.
  • the first aspect shown above is illustrated by using the first link information as an example.
  • the first aspect above may also be replaced by: the sending end device generates a probe request frame, the probe request frame includes a probe request variant multi-link element (probe request variant multi-link element), and the probe request variant multi-link element includes The second link information, the second link information includes a first subfield and a second subfield, the value of the first subfield is the first value, and the value of the second subfield is the second Binary, the frame body of the probe request frame includes a request element, and when the second link information includes a request element, the second link information is used to indicate that the key update related to the second link is requested The element information of the element information and the element information requested by the request element in the second link information, the value of the first subfield is the first value used to indicate the request for partial information of the first link , the value of the second subfield is the second value used to indicate that the element information related to the key update of the first link is requested, and the second link information corresponds to
  • the receiver device receives a probe request frame, where the probe request frame includes a probe request variant multi-link element (probe request variant multi-link element), where the probe request variant multi-link element includes second link information, and the first
  • the second link information includes a first subfield and a second subfield, where the value of the first subfield is a first value, the value of the second subfield is a second value, and the value of the probe request frame
  • the frame body includes a request element, and when the second link information includes a request element, the second link information is used to indicate requesting element information related to key updates of the second link and the second link
  • the element information requested by the request element in the link information, the value of the first subfield is the first value used to indicate the request for partial information of the first link, the value of the second subfield
  • the value is the second value and is used to indicate that element information related to key update of the first link is requested, and the second link information corresponds to the second link;
  • the receiving end device according to the The probe request frame generates
  • the probe request frame further includes the first link information.
  • the probe request frame further includes third link information.
  • first link information For descriptions about the first link information, the second link information, or the third link information, reference may be made to the foregoing first or second aspect.
  • the embodiment of the present application provides a multi-link communication-based probe request method, the method comprising:
  • the sending end device generates a probe request frame, where the probe request frame includes a probe request-type multi-link element, where the probe request-type multi-link element includes first link information, and the first link information includes a first subfield and the second subfield, the value of the first subfield is the first value, the value of the second subfield is the second value, the first link information includes a request element, and the request
  • the first link information is used to indicate requesting element information related to the key update of the first link
  • the value of the first subfield is The first value is used to indicate that part of the information of the first link is requested
  • the value of the second subfield is the second value used to indicate that elements related to key updates of the first link are requested information, the first link information corresponds to the first link; the sending end device sends the probe request frame.
  • the embodiment of the present application provides a multi-link communication-based probe request method, the method comprising:
  • the receiving end device receives a probe request frame, where the probe request frame includes a probe request-type multi-link element, and the probe request-type multi-link element includes first link information, and the first link information includes a first subfield and the second subfield, the value of the first subfield is the first value, the value of the second subfield is the second value, the first link information includes a request element, and the request
  • the first link information is used to indicate requesting element information related to the key update of the first link
  • the value of the first subfield is The first value is used to indicate that part of the information of the first link is requested, and the value of the second subfield is the second value used to indicate that elements related to key updates of the first link are requested information, the first link information corresponds to the first link; the receiver device generates a probe response frame according to the probe request frame, and sends the probe response frame.
  • the request element includes at least one of a common request element or an extended request element.
  • the first field includes a length (length) field, a requested element ID (requested element ID) field, and an element ID extension (element ID extension) field or any one or more items in the requested element ID extension field.
  • the request element includes at least one of a length field or a requested element identification field.
  • the length field in the request element may be a special value, for example, the special value is 0.
  • the value of the length field is 1, and the ID of the requested element identification field is a reserved (reserved) value. If the ID of the element identification field of the request is any of 245-254, it means that the element corresponding to the ID of the element identification field of the request is empty (it can also be called that the element corresponding to the ID of the element identification field of the request is reserved value).
  • the extended request element includes a length field, an element identifier extension field, and a requested element identifier field.
  • the value of the length field in the request element is a special value, for example, the special value is 2.
  • the ID of the requested element identification field is a reserved value. If the ID of the element identification field of the request is any of 245-254, it means that the element corresponding to the ID of the element identification field of the request is empty (it can also be called that the element corresponding to the ID of the element identification field of the request is reserved value). It can be understood that the value of the length field and the value of the element identifier extension field may be different. The value of the length field and the value of the element identification field of the request may also be different. The value of the element identifier extension field and the value of the element identifier field of the request may be different or the same.
  • the extended request element includes a length field, an element identifier extension field, a requested element identifier field, and a requested element identifier extension field.
  • the value of the length field in the request element is 3, and the ID corresponding to the element identification field of the request and the element identification extension field of the request is a reserved value.
  • the frame body of the probe request frame includes a request element.
  • probe request type multi-link element in the third aspect or the fourth aspect shown in this application may also be combined with the first aspect or the second aspect above.
  • the probe request-type multi-link element shown in this application may further include at least one item of second link information or third link information.
  • the embodiment of the present application provides a communications device, configured to execute the method in the first aspect, the third aspect, or any possible implementation thereof.
  • the communication device includes corresponding units for performing the method in the first aspect, the third aspect or any possible implementation thereof.
  • the communication device may include a transceiver unit and a processing unit.
  • the communication device may be the sending end device in the first aspect or the third aspect above, such as a non-AP MLD, or a STA, or a chip in a non-AP MLD, such as a WiFi chip.
  • the embodiment of the present application provides a communications device, configured to execute the method in the second aspect, the fourth aspect, or any possible implementation thereof.
  • the communications device includes corresponding units for performing the method in the second aspect, the fourth aspect, or any possible implementation thereof.
  • the communication device may include a transceiver unit and a processing unit.
  • the communication device may be the receiver device in the second aspect or the fourth aspect above, such as an AP MLD, or an AP, or a chip in the AP MLD, such as a WiFi chip.
  • an embodiment of the present application provides a communication device, where the communication device includes a processor, configured to execute the method described in the first aspect, the third aspect, or any possible implementation thereof.
  • the process of sending information and receiving information in the above method can be understood as the process of outputting the above information by the processor, and the process of receiving the input of the above information by the processor.
  • the processor When outputting the above information, the processor outputs the above information to the transceiver for transmission by the transceiver. After the above information is output by the processor, other processing may be required before reaching the transceiver.
  • the processor receives the above-mentioned input information
  • the transceiver receives the above-mentioned information and inputs it to the processor. Furthermore, after the transceiver receives the above information, the above information may need to be processed before being input to the processor.
  • the sending of the probe request frame mentioned in the foregoing method may be understood as the processor outputting the probe request frame.
  • receiving a probe response frame may be understood as the processor receiving an input probe response frame.
  • the above-mentioned processor may be a processor dedicated to performing these methods, or may be a processor that executes computer instructions in a memory to perform these methods, such as a general-purpose processor.
  • the above-mentioned memory can be a non-transitory (non-transitory) memory, such as a read-only memory (read only memory, ROM), which can be integrated with the processor on the same chip, or can be respectively arranged on different chips.
  • ROM read-only memory
  • the memory is located outside the communication device.
  • the memory is located in the above communication device.
  • the processor and the memory may also be integrated into one device, that is, the processor and the memory may also be integrated together.
  • the communication device further includes a transceiver, where the transceiver is configured to receive signals and/or send signals.
  • the transceiver may be used to send a probe request frame.
  • the transceiver may also be used to receive a probe response frame and the like.
  • the communication device may be the sending end device in the first aspect or the third aspect.
  • the sending device can be a non-AP MLD or STA.
  • the embodiment of the present application provides a communication device, the communication device includes a processor, configured to execute the program stored in the memory, when the program is executed, the communication device executes the above-mentioned second aspect, the fourth Aspect or any possible implementation thereof.
  • the memory is located outside the communication device.
  • the memory is located in the above communication device.
  • the processor and the memory may also be integrated into one device, that is, the processor and the memory may also be integrated together.
  • the communication device further includes a transceiver, where the transceiver is configured to receive signals and/or send signals.
  • the transceiver may be used to receive the probe request frame.
  • the transceiver can also be used to send a probe response frame and the like.
  • the communication device may be the receiving end device in the second aspect or the fourth aspect.
  • the receiving end device can be an AP MLD or an AP, etc.
  • the embodiment of the present application provides a communication device, the communication device includes a logic circuit and an interface, the logic circuit is coupled to the interface; the logic circuit is used to generate a detection request frame; the interface is used to to output the probe request frame.
  • the logic circuit is configured to obtain the probe request frame according to the method shown in the first aspect or the third aspect, and the interface is configured to output the probe request frame.
  • the processed data shown above in this application is a probe request frame.
  • the communication device may be used to implement the foregoing first aspect, the third aspect, or any possible implementation manner, which will not be described in detail here.
  • the probe request frame and/or the probe response frame reference may be made to the first aspect or the third aspect above, and details are not repeated here.
  • the embodiment of the present application provides a communication device, the communication device includes a logic circuit and an interface, the logic circuit is coupled to the interface; the interface is used to input a detection request frame; the logic circuit uses for generating a probe response frame according to the probe request frame; and for outputting the probe response frame by the interface.
  • the interface is used to input data to be processed; the logic circuit is used to process the data to be processed to obtain processed data; the interface is used to output the processed data.
  • the data to be processed shown here is a probe request frame, and the processed data is a probe response frame.
  • the communication device may be used to implement the second aspect, the fourth aspect, or any possible implementation manner, which will not be described in detail here.
  • the probe request frame and/or the probe response frame reference may be made to the second aspect or the fourth aspect, etc., which will not be repeated here.
  • the embodiment of the present application provides a computer-readable storage medium, which is used to store a computer program.
  • a computer program When it is run on a computer, the above-mentioned first aspect, the third aspect, or any possible The method shown in the implementation is executed.
  • the embodiment of the present application provides a computer-readable storage medium, which is used to store a computer program.
  • a computer program When it is run on a computer, the above-mentioned second aspect, fourth aspect, or any possible The method shown in the implementation is executed.
  • the embodiment of the present application provides a computer program product, the computer program product includes a computer program or computer code, when it is run on a computer, the above-mentioned first aspect, third aspect or any possible implementation manner The method shown is executed.
  • the embodiment of the present application provides a computer program product, the computer program product includes a computer program or computer code, when it is run on a computer, the above-mentioned second aspect, fourth aspect or any possible implementation manner The method shown is executed.
  • the embodiment of the present application provides a multi-link communication system, where the multi-link communication system includes a non-AP MLD and an AP MLD.
  • the non-AP MLD is used to execute the method shown in the above-mentioned first aspect or any possible implementation of the first aspect
  • the AP MLD is used to execute the above-mentioned second aspect or any possible implementation of the second aspect The method shown in the implementation.
  • the non-AP MLD is used to perform the method shown in the above third aspect or any possible implementation of the third aspect
  • the AP MLD is used to perform the above fourth aspect or any possible implementation of the fourth aspect The method shown in the implementation.
  • FIGS. 1a to 1c are schematic diagrams of a communication system provided by an embodiment of the present application.
  • Figure 2a is a schematic structural diagram of a probe request variant multi-link element provided by an embodiment of the present application.
  • Fig. 2b is a schematic structural diagram of a request element provided by an embodiment of the present application.
  • Fig. 2c is a schematic structural diagram of an extended request element provided by an embodiment of the present application.
  • FIG. 3 is a schematic structural diagram of another probing request-type multi-link element provided by an embodiment of the present application.
  • FIG. 4 is a schematic structural diagram of a probe request frame provided by an embodiment of the present application.
  • FIG. 5 is a schematic flowchart of a method for detecting a request based on multi-link communication provided by an embodiment of the present application
  • FIG. 6 is a schematic structural diagram of a probe request frame provided by an embodiment of the present application.
  • FIG. 7 is a schematic flowchart of a method for detecting a request based on multi-link communication provided by an embodiment of the present application
  • FIGS. 8 to 10 are schematic structural diagrams of a communication device provided by an embodiment of the present application.
  • an embodiment means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of the present application.
  • the occurrences of this phrase in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, nor are separate or alternative embodiments mutually exclusive of other embodiments. It is understood explicitly and implicitly by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments.
  • At least one (item) means one or more
  • “multiple” means two or more
  • “at least two (items)” means two or three and three
  • “and/or” is used to describe the association relationship of associated objects, which means that there can be three kinds of relationships, for example, "A and/or B” can mean: only A exists, only B exists, and A and B exist at the same time A case where A and B can be singular or plural.
  • the character “/” generally indicates that the contextual objects are an "or” relationship.
  • “At least one of the following” or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items. For example, at least one item (piece) of a, b or c can mean: a, b, c, "a and b", “a and c", “b and c", or "a and b and c ".
  • the probe request method for multi-link communication can be applied to a wireless communication system.
  • the wireless communication system may include a wireless local area network (wireless local area network, WLAN) or a cellular network.
  • the method can be implemented by a communication device in a wireless communication system or a logic circuit or a processor in a communication device, and the communication device can be a wireless communication device that supports multiple links for parallel transmission, for example, called a multi-link multi-link device (MLD) or multi-band device (multi-band device).
  • MLD multi-link multi-link device
  • multi-band device multi-band device
  • IEEE 802.11 series protocols include: 802.11be, 802.11be next generation, 802.11ax, or 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, etc., here No longer list them one by one.
  • the multi-link device involved in the present application will be described first, and then the scenarios and probe request frames involved in the present application will be described in conjunction with the multi-link device.
  • a multi-link device includes one or more affiliated sites, which are logical sites that can work on one link, one frequency band, or one channel.
  • the affiliated station may be an access point (access point, AP) or a non-access point station (non-access point station, non-AP STA).
  • access point access point
  • non-AP STA non-access point station
  • this application may refer to a multi-link device whose affiliated station is an AP as a multi-link AP or a multi-link AP device or an AP multi-link device (AP multi-link device, AP MLD).
  • a multi-link device whose affiliated station is a non-AP STA is called a multi-link STA or multi-link STA device or STA multi-link device (STA multi-link device), or, the affiliated station is a non-AP STA
  • the multi-link device is called multi-link non-AP or multi-link non-AP device or non-AP multi-link device (non-AP multi-link device, non-AP MLD).
  • the multi-link device whose affiliated station is AP is called AP MLD
  • the multilink device whose affiliated station is non-AP STA is called non-AP MLD.
  • Multi-link devices can follow 802.11 series protocols to realize wireless communication, for example, follow multi-link devices with extremely high throughput (EHT), or follow 802.11be-based or compatible multi-link devices that support 802.11be, to achieve Communication with other devices.
  • EHT extremely high throughput
  • 802.11be-based or compatible multi-link devices that support 802.11be, to achieve Communication with other devices.
  • the multi-link device (here it can be either a non-AP MLD or an AP MLD) is a communication device with a wireless communication function.
  • the communication device can be a complete device, or a chip or a processing system installed in the complete device, and the devices installed with these chips or processing systems can implement the implementation of the present application under the control of these chips or processing systems.
  • the non-AP multi-link device in the embodiment of the present application has a wireless transceiver function, can support 802.11 series protocols, and can communicate with the AP multi-link device or other non-AP multi-link devices.
  • a non-AP multilink device is any user communication device that allows a user to communicate with an AP and thus with a WLAN.
  • a non-AP multilink device can be a tablet computer, desktop, laptop, notebook computer, ultra-mobile personal computer (UMPC), handheld computer, netbook, personal digital assistant (personal digital assistant) , PDA), mobile phones and other user equipment that can be connected to the Internet, or IoT nodes in the Internet of Things, or vehicle communication devices in the Internet of Vehicles.
  • the non-AP multi-link device may also be the chips and processing systems in the aforementioned terminals.
  • An AP multi-link device can provide services for non-AP multi-link devices, and can support 802.11 series protocols.
  • AP multi-link devices can be communication entities such as communication servers, routers, switches, and bridges, or AP multi-link devices can include various forms of macro base stations, micro base stations, relay stations, etc.
  • AP multi-link devices Chips and processing systems in these various forms of devices are also possible.
  • the 802.11 protocol may be a protocol supporting 802.11be or compatible with 802.11be.
  • multi-link devices can support high-speed and low-latency transmission.
  • multi-link devices can also be applied to more scenarios, such as sensor nodes in smart cities ( For example, smart water meters, smart meters, smart air detection nodes), smart devices in smart homes (such as smart cameras, projectors, displays, TVs, stereos, refrigerators, washing machines, etc.), nodes in the Internet of Things, entertainment Terminals (such as wearable devices such as AR and VR), smart devices in smart offices (such as printers, projectors, etc.), Internet of Vehicles devices in Internet of Vehicles, and some infrastructure in daily life scenes (such as vending machines, commercial Super self-service navigation console, self-service cashier equipment, self-service ordering machine, etc.).
  • the specific form of the multi-link device is not limited, and it is only an exemplary description here.
  • FIG. 1b is a schematic diagram of a multi-link communication scenario provided by an embodiment of the present application.
  • the AP MLD includes AP1, AP2, ..., APn
  • the non-AP MLD includes STA1, STA2, ..., STAn.
  • n shown here is a positive integer.
  • AP MLD and non-AP MLD can use link 1, link 2, ..., link n to communicate in parallel.
  • STA1 in non-AP MLD establishes an association relationship with AP1 in AP MLD
  • STA2 in non-AP MLD establishes an association relationship with AP2 in AP MLD
  • STAn in non-AP MLD establishes an association relationship with APn in AP MLD Wait.
  • one or more STAs in the non-AP MLD can communicate with one or more APs in the AP MLD after establishing an association relationship.
  • Fig. 1c is a schematic diagram of another multi-link communication scenario provided by the embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG. 1c, it includes at least one AP and at least one STA. FIG. 1c shows three STAs, such as STA1, STA2 and STA3. For example, STA1 may communicate with the AP through two links, and the two links may be two arrows as shown in FIG. 1c. For another example, STA2 or STA3 may communicate with the AP through a link. That is to say, the system shown in Figure 1c includes both multi-link communication and single-link communication.
  • V2X vehicle-to-everything
  • X can represent anything
  • equipment to the device equipment to the device
  • D2D equipment to the device
  • the V2X can include: vehicle to vehicle (vehicle to vehicle, V2V), vehicle to infrastructure (vehicle to infrastructure, V2I), vehicle to pedestrian (vehicle to pedestrian, V2P) or vehicle to network (vehicle to network) communication to network, V2N) communication, etc.
  • the site can discover a basic service set (basic service set, BSS) and attributes associated with the BSS through scanning.
  • the scanning is divided into active scanning and passive scanning.
  • the STA may search for a beacon (beacon) frame, and the beacon frame includes information such as country code information or maximum allowable transmission power. If the STA wants to know more information about the AP, it can obtain further information through active scanning.
  • the STA can send a probe request frame on every channel it searches for APs. After receiving the probe request frame, the AP can feed back the information required by the STA through a probe response frame (probe response frame).
  • the address 1 field of the multilink detection request frame is set to a broadcast address and the address 3 field is set to a basic service set identifier (basic service set identifier, BSSID) of the AP, or the address 1 field is the BSSID of the AP ; and carry a probe request variant multi-link element (probe request variant multi-link element).
  • BSSID basic service set identifier
  • FIG. 2a is a schematic structural diagram of a probe request variant multi-link element provided by an embodiment of the present application.
  • the probe request multi-link element includes element ID, length, element ID extension, multi-link control field, link information (link info) field.
  • the link info field includes 0, one or more sub-elements based on a single STA profile (per-STA profile).
  • the per-STA profile sub-element may include sub-element ID (subelement ID), length (length), site control (STA control) field and site configuration (STA profile) field.
  • the STA control field may include a link identification (link ID) subfield, a complete profile (complete profile) subfield, and a reserved (reserved) field.
  • the STA profile field includes (extended) request element ((extended) request element) (may also be called (extended) request element, (extended) request element or (extended) request element).
  • the (extended) request element may be understood as: at least one item of a request element (request element) or an extended request element (extended request element).
  • the above information included in the per-STA profile can indicate that the per-STA profile sub-element can be used to carry the information of a link, that is, there is a one-to-one correspondence between the per-STA profile sub-element and the link.
  • the per-STA profile sub-element shown in this application can also be called link information.
  • the sub-element of per-STA profile is called link information in this application.
  • the link info field can contain 0, one or more per-STA profile sub-elements, and each per-STA profile sub-element corresponds to a link.
  • each per-STA profile sub-element can also correspond to an AP, indicating that the STA requests some or all information of the corresponding AP.
  • the link ID can be used to identify the corresponding link or AP. When the complete profile is 0, it means requesting part of the information of the corresponding link, and when the complete profile is 1, it means requesting all the information of the corresponding link.
  • the (extended) request element in the STA profile field in the per-STA profile sub-element corresponding to the link ID corresponding to the AP can carry the element identifier of the specific element requested by the STA ( element ID), so as to request the corresponding element information from the AP.
  • the complete profile subfield under the STA control field in the per-STA profile subelement is 0.
  • the STA needs to request partial information of an AP, it can identify the AP through the link ID, and through the STA profile in the sub-element of the corresponding pre-STA profile (that is, the pre-STA profile corresponding to the link ID)
  • the (extended) request element field indicates that requested element information is required. It can be understood that all information (also referred to as complete information) and partial information involved in this application are relative to a link, that is, all element information corresponding to a link is referred to as all information for short, and a link corresponds to Part or specific element information, called part information.
  • a link shown here refers to the link identified by the link ID in the per-STA profile.
  • all information and partial information involved in this application are relative to an AP, that is, all element information corresponding to an AP is referred to as all information for short, and partial information or specific element information corresponding to an AP is referred to as partial information for short. information.
  • Fig. 2b is a schematic structural diagram of a request element provided by an embodiment of the present application.
  • the request element may include an element ID (element ID) field, a length (length) field, and a requested element ID (requested element ID) field.
  • element ID element ID
  • length length
  • requested element ID requested element ID
  • Fig. 2c is a schematic structural diagram of an extended request element provided by an embodiment of the present application.
  • the extended request element may include an element ID field, a length field, and a requested element ID field, and may also include an element ID extension (element ID extension) field.
  • the extended request element may also include a requested element ID extension (requested element ID extension) field.
  • the request element can be identified by the element of the request, or the extended request element can be indicated by the element identifier of the request and the element information of the corresponding link requested by the requesting element identifier.
  • the STA can indicate to the corresponding AP the element information it needs to request through the (extended) request element. That is, the (extended) request element can be used to indicate the requested element information.
  • the common request elements shown in the following sections of this application can be understood as the request elements shown in FIG. 2b
  • the extended request elements can be understood as the extended request elements shown in FIG. 2c.
  • FIG. 2b and FIG. 2c are only examples, and the structure of the request element and the extended request element may change with standard promotion or technology evolution, which is not limited in this application.
  • the probe request-type multi-link elements Due to the structural characteristics of the probe request-type multi-link elements, in order to save signaling overhead and simplify the frame structure, the probe request-type multi-link elements also have inheritance.
  • the implementation of the inheritance of the probe request class multi-link element includes:
  • FIG. 3 is a schematic structural diagram of another probe request-type multi-link element provided by an embodiment of the present application.
  • the STA control field includes a link identification (link ID) subfield, a complete configuration (complete profile) subfield and a critical update requested (critical update requested) subfield.
  • the STA control field also includes the latest known BSS parameter change count (BSS parameter change count, BPCC) existence (last known BPCC present).
  • the per-STA profile sub-element shown in Figure 3 may also include a site information (STA info) field, which may include the latest known BPCC (last known BPCC).
  • the STA may request element information related to a critical update (critical update) from the AP.
  • the element information related to the key update includes at least one of the following: channel switch announcement element (channel switch announcement element), extended channel switch announcement element (extended channel switch announcement element), enhanced distributed channel access (enhanced distributed channel access, EDCA), parameter element (parameters element), quiet element (quiet element), high throughput (high throughput, HT) operation element (HT operation element), very high throughput (very high throughput, VHT) operation element (VHT operation) element), extremely high throughput (extremely high throughput, EHT) operation element (VHT operation element).
  • channel switch announcement element channel switch announcement element
  • extended channel switch announcement element extended channel switch announcement element
  • enhanced distributed channel access enhanced distributed channel access
  • EDCA enhanced distributed channel access
  • parameter element parameter element
  • quiet element quiet element
  • very high throughput very high throughput, VHT) operation element (VHT operation)
  • the STA can get a reminder that the AP and other APs under the AP MLD to which the AP belongs have key updates in the beacon frame, but the STA cannot know what elements are specifically updated and the new parameters that are currently updated. Therefore, in the STA control field of the per-STA profile sub-element of the probe request type multi-link element, a key update request (critical update requested) subfield can be added, and the critical update request subfield can be used to indicate whether the request is related to the critical update Related element information.
  • the STA may report a latest known BPCC (last known BPCC shown in Figure 3).
  • the element information related to the key update may be element information known to both the STA and the AP, and the STA may learn through a beacon frame that the element information related to the key update in the AP has changed.
  • the STA also needs to request the AP for the changed element information in the element information related to the key update through the key update request subfield.
  • the value of the complete configuration subfield must not be 1.
  • the value of the complete profile subfield is 1, it means that the STA needs to request all information of the corresponding link (identified by the link ID corresponding to the complete profile). In this case, no matter the value of the key update request subfield is 0 or 1, the AP needs to feed back all the information of the corresponding link. Therefore, when the value of the key update request subfield is 1, the value of the full configuration subfield cannot be 1.
  • the STA requests the AP corresponding to the per-STA profile the same element information as the frame body and element information related to key updates.
  • the STA only requests the element information related to the key update for the AP corresponding to the per-STA profile, and does not need to use an additional element ID for indication.
  • the STA info field indicated by the dotted line in Figure 4 indicates that the STA info field may or may not exist.
  • the probe request frame carries a probe request multilink element, which includes three per-STA profiles, such as per-STA profile x, per-STA profile y, and per-STA profile y.
  • the AP x shown here can be identified by the link ID subfield in the STA control field in the per-STA profile subelement x
  • the AP y can be identified by the link ID subfield in the STA control field in the per-STA profile subelement y
  • AP z can be identified by the link ID subfield in the STA control field in the per-STA profile subelement z.
  • the STA may need to request element information related to key updates, as well as information with element ID D (consistent with the (extended) request element value in the frame body, so the STA in the per-STA profile subelement z profile field does not appear (extension) request element).
  • the STA only requests element information related to key updates, without additional element ID indication.
  • the AP cannot effectively know whether to feed back the same element information as the frame body and the element information related to the key update, or only feedback the element information related to the key update.
  • the embodiment of the present application provides a multi-link communication-based detection request method and device, through the method (as shown in Figure 5 or Figure 7 below) and the device (as shown below) provided by this application 8 to 10), can effectively improve the above problems.
  • This enables the sending end device to clearly indicate to the corresponding AP that it needs to request the same element information as the frame body, or element information related to key updates.
  • the corresponding AP can effectively know that it needs to feed back the same element information as the frame body, or element information related to key updates. Effectively improve the problem of inconsistent interpretation of link information between the sending device and the receiving device, thereby improving the efficiency of information exchange.
  • the sending end device shown in this application may include STA, non-AP MLD, a STA or WiFi chip in non-AP MLD, etc.
  • the receiving end device may include AP, AP MLD, and AP MLD in an AP Or WiFi chip etc.
  • the method shown in the embodiment of the present application may be applied to an STA under the non-AP MLD and an AP under the AP MLD.
  • the method described in the embodiment of the present application may be applied to the AP and STA1 shown in FIG. 1 c , which is not limited in the embodiment of the present application.
  • the link info field includes 0 per-STA profile sub-elements, it means that the sending end device needs to request element information of all APs under the same MLD.
  • the link info field includes a per-STA profile sub-element, it means that the sending end device needs to request the element information of the AP corresponding to the per-STA profile sub-element.
  • the link info field includes two or more per-STA profile sub-elements, it means that the sending end device needs to request element information of two or more APs belonging to the same MLD.
  • Fig. 5 is a schematic flowchart of a multi-link communication-based probe request method provided by an embodiment of the present application. As shown in Figure 5, the method includes:
  • the sending end device generates a probe request frame, where the probe request frame includes a probe request-type multi-link element, where the probe request-type multi-link element includes first link information, and the first link information includes a first subfield and The second subfield, the value of the first subfield is the first value, the value of the second subfield is the second value, and the frame body of the probe request frame includes the request element, and the first link information does not include
  • the first link information is used to indicate that the element information related to the key update of the first link is requested.
  • the value of the first subfield is the first value used to indicate the request for partial information of the first link
  • the value of the second subfield is the second value used to indicate the request for the first link and The key updates related element information
  • the first link information corresponds to the first link.
  • the value of the first subfield is the first value used to indicate the request for partial information of the first AP
  • the value of the second subfield is used to indicate the request for the key update related information of the first AP. element information.
  • the value of the first subfield is the first value used to indicate the request to feed back partial information of the first AP
  • the value of the second subfield is the second value used to indicate the request to feed back information related to the key update of the first AP.
  • the first link information is used to indicate the request for element information related to the key update of the first AP, or the first link information is used to indicate the request for feedback of the element information related to the key update of the first AP.
  • the link and the AP reference may be made to the above description, which will not be described in detail here.
  • the first subfield may be a complete profile (complete profile) subfield
  • the second subfield may be a critical update requested (critical update requested) subfield
  • the bit length of the complete configuration subfield shown in the embodiment of the present application may be 1 bit
  • the bit length of the key update request subfield may be 1 bit
  • the first value may be 0
  • the second value may be 1.
  • the 0 and 1 shown here are only examples, and should not be construed as limiting the embodiment of the present application. It can be understood that for specific descriptions about the complete configuration subfield or the key update request subfield, etc., reference may be made to the foregoing embodiments, and details are not described in this embodiment of the present application.
  • the above request element may include at least one of the request element shown in FIG. 2b (that is, a common request element) or the extended request element shown in FIG. 2c (that is, an extended request element).
  • the frame body of the probe request frame includes request element or extended request element, and the first link information does not include request element and extended request element.
  • the common request element shown in the embodiment of the present application is relative to the extended request element.
  • the request element can also be understood as the (extended) request element shown above.
  • the first link information is used to indicate that the element information related to the key update of the first link is requested to be fed back, which can be implemented in the following ways:
  • the AP requests other specific element information besides the element information related to critical updates.
  • the AP requests other specific element information besides the element information related to the critical update. It can be understood that a per-STA profile sub-element of the probe request multi-link element shown here can be understood as the first link information shown in the embodiment of the present application.
  • the AP corresponding to the per-STA profile sub-element is the first AP.
  • the sending end device does not need to request element information other than the element information related to the key update from the first AP through the (extended) request element .
  • the (extended) request element when the (extended) request element appears in the frame body of the probe request frame, and in a per-STA profile sub-element of the probe request multilink element carried in the probe request frame, the (extended) request The element does not appear.
  • the latest known BPCC existence subfield in the STA profile field is not specified in detail, and the specific value of the latest known BPCC existence subfield is not limited by the embodiment of the present application.
  • the value of the key update request subfield shown in the embodiment of the present application is the second value includes: the value of the key update request subfield is the second value, and the value of the latest known BPCC existence subfield is the third value.
  • the embodiment of the present application does not limit the specific numerical value of the third value.
  • the second value may be the same as the third value, or may also be different.
  • this embodiment of the present application does not limit whether the latest known BPCC existence subfield exists.
  • the latest known BPCC existence subfield does not exist.
  • the STA control field in FIG. 3 may include a link ID subfield, a complete profile subfield, and a critical update requested subfield.
  • the probe request multi-link element further includes second link information, where the second link information includes a first subfield and a second subfield, and the first subfield is the first value , when the second subfield is the second value, and the second link information includes (extended) request elements, the second link information is used to indicate that the element information related to the key update of the second link and the second The element information requested by the request element in the second link information.
  • the first subfield and the second subfield reference may be made to the above description, and no further details are given here.
  • the end device (such as non-AP MLD or STA) needs to request other specific element information except the element information related to the key update from the AP corresponding to the per-STA profile sub-element through the (extended) request element.
  • a per-STA profile sub-element of the probe request type multi-link element shown here can be understood as the second link information shown in the embodiment of the present application, and the AP corresponding to the per-STA profile sub-element can understand is the second AP. It can be understood that, for descriptions about the second link and the second AP, reference may be made to the above, and details are not described here again.
  • the (extended) request element included in the frame body of the probe request frame may be the same as or different from the (extended) request element included in the second link information.
  • the element requested in the (extended) request element of the second link information The element information of the second AP is fed back based on the information and the element information related to the key update.
  • FIG. 6 is a schematic structural diagram of a probe request frame provided by an embodiment of the present application.
  • the STA profile of the per-STA profile sub-element y includes (extended) request elements.
  • the STA profile field of the per-STA profile sub-element y includes (extended) request elements, which means that the STA needs to request element information with element ID F.
  • the STA needs to request the element information related to the key update, and the information whose element ID is F (inconsistent with the frame body, so it appears in the STA profile field of the per-STA profile subelement y) . It can be understood that for other descriptions about FIG. 6 , reference may be made to the description of FIG. 4 , which will not be repeated here.
  • the probe request multi-link element further includes third link information, where the third link information includes a first subfield and a second subfield, where the first subfield is the first value,
  • the third link information is used to indicate that the (extended) request element in the third link information is from the probe Inherited in the frame body of the request frame.
  • the first value of the second subfield is used to indicate that element information related to key update of the third link does not need to be requested.
  • the STA needs to request the information (that is, partial information) of AP x whose element ID is D, and does not need to request the element information related to the key update. It can be understood that for other descriptions about FIG. 6 , reference may be made to the description of FIG. 4 , which will not be repeated here.
  • the sending end device sends a detection request frame to the receiving end device.
  • the receiver device receives the probe request frame.
  • the receiving end device generates a probe response frame according to the probe request frame.
  • the receiving end device may generate the probe response frame according to the probe request type multi-link element in the probe request frame. For example, the receiving end device may feed back the element information of the first AP according to the element information related to the critical update of the requested first link indicated by the first link information. For another example, the receiving end device may also feed back the element information of the second AP according to the content indicated by the second link information. For another example, the receiving end device may also feed back the element information of the third AP according to the content indicated by the third link information.
  • the receiver device sends a probe response frame to the sender device.
  • the sending end device generates a probe request frame, where the probe request frame includes a probe request-type multi-link element, where the probe request-type multi-link element includes second link information, and the second link information includes the first subfield and the second Subfield, when the first subfield is the first value, the second subfield is the second value, and the second link information includes (extended) request elements, the second link information is used to indicate the request for the second The element information related to the key update of the link and the element information requested by the request element in the second link information.
  • the multi-link element of the probe request type further includes first link information.
  • the multi-link element of the probe request type further includes third link information.
  • probe request frame shown in this application may also be called a multi-link probe request frame.
  • the method provided by the embodiment of the present application enables the sending end device to explicitly indicate to the corresponding AP that it needs to request the same element information as the frame body, or element information related to key updates.
  • the corresponding AP can effectively know that it needs to feed back the same element information as the frame body, or element information related to key updates. Effectively improve the problem of inconsistent interpretation of link information between the sending device and the receiving device, thereby improving the efficiency of information exchange.
  • FIG. 7 is a schematic flowchart of another multi-link communication-based probe request method provided by an embodiment of the present application. As shown in Figure 7, the method includes:
  • the sending end device generates a probe request frame, where the probe request frame includes a probe request-type multi-link element, where the probe request-type multi-link element includes first link information, and the first link information includes a first subfield and In the second subfield, the value of the first subfield is the first value, the value of the second subfield is the second value, the first link information includes a request element and the value of the first field in the request element When the value is a special value, the first link information is used to indicate that element information related to key update of the first link is requested.
  • the description about the first subfield, the second subfield, the first value, the second value, and the first link information can refer to the method shown in FIG. 5 , which will not be repeated here. .
  • the description about the first link information shown in FIG. 5 is also applicable to the method shown in FIG. 7 .
  • the value of the first subfield is the first value, which is used to indicate that partial information of the first link is requested.
  • the second value of the second subfield is used to indicate that element information related to key update of the first link is requested.
  • the above-mentioned request element may include at least one of the request element (ie, a common request element) shown in FIG. 2b or the extended request element (ie, an extended request element) shown in FIG. 2c.
  • the frame body of the probe request frame includes request element or extended request element
  • the first link information includes request element or extended request element. It can be understood that the request elements shown in the embodiment of the present application can be understood as the (extended) request elements shown above.
  • the first field includes any one or more items of a length field, a requested element identifier field, an element identifier extension field, or a requested element identifier extension field.
  • the value of the length field in the request element is a special value.
  • the value of the requested element identification field in the request element is a special value.
  • the value of the length field in the extended request element is a special value.
  • the value of the request element identification field or the request element identification extension field in the extended request element is a special value. It can be understood that the special value shown in the embodiment of the present application may indicate that the (extended) request element is an empty (extended) request element.
  • the request element includes a length field.
  • the length field in the request element may be a special value, for example, the special value is 0.
  • the ID of the request element identification field is a special value.
  • the value of the length field is 1, and the ID of the requested element identification field is a reserved value, such as any one of 245-254. If the ID of the element identification field of the request is any of 245-254, it means that the element corresponding to the ID of the element identification field of the request is empty.
  • the extended request element includes a length field, an element identifier extension field, and a requested element identifier field.
  • the value of the length field in the request element is a special value, for example, the special value is 2.
  • the ID of the requested element identification field is a reserved value, such as any one of 245-254. If the ID of the element identification field of the request is any of 245-254, it means that the element corresponding to the ID of the element identification field of the request is empty (it can also be called that the element corresponding to the ID of the element identification field of the request is reserved value).
  • the extended request element includes a length field, an element identifier extension field, a requested element identifier field, and a requested element identifier extension field.
  • the ID corresponding to the element identification field of the request and the element identification extension field of the request is a reserved value.
  • the frame body of the probe request frame includes (extended) request elements.
  • the sending device such as STA or non-AP MLD, etc.
  • the sending device does not need to request the AP corresponding to the per-STA profile sub-element to remove other specific element information related to the key update through the (extended) request element (element information):
  • the sending end device does not need to pass the (extended) request element to the AP corresponding to the per-STA profile sub-element Request to remove other specific element information related to critical updates.
  • the value of the length field in the (extended) request element is a special value, it means that the (extended) request element is an empty (extended) request element.
  • the sending device needs to request the AP corresponding to the per-STA profile sub-element to remove other specific information related to the key update through the (extended) request element. element information.
  • the probe request multi-link element further includes second link information, where the second link information includes a first subfield and a second subfield, and the first subfield is the first value , when the second subfield is the second value, and the second link information includes (extended) request elements, the second link information is used to indicate that the element information related to the key update of the second link and the second The element information requested by the request element in the second link information.
  • the probe request multi-link element further includes third link information, where the third link information includes a first subfield and a second subfield, where the first subfield is the first value,
  • the third link information is used to indicate that the (extended) request element in the third link information is from the probe Inherited in the frame body of the request frame.
  • the third value is used to indicate that element information related to key update of the third link does not need to be requested. It can be understood that the embodiment of the present application does not limit the size relationship among the first value, the second value, and the third value.
  • the sending end device sends a detection request frame to the receiving end device.
  • the receiver device receives the probe request frame.
  • the receiving end device generates a probe response frame according to the probe request frame.
  • the receiving end device may generate the probe response frame according to the probe request type multi-link element in the probe request frame. For example, the receiving end device may feed back the element information of the first AP according to the element information related to the critical update of the requested first link indicated by the first link information. For another example, the receiving end device may also feed back the element information of the second AP according to the content indicated by the second link information. For another example, the receiving end device may also feed back the element information of the third AP according to the content indicated by the third link information.
  • the receiver device sends a probe response frame to the sender device.
  • probe request frame shown in this application may also be called a multi-link probe request frame.
  • the method provided by the embodiment of the present application enables the sending end device to explicitly indicate to the corresponding AP that it needs to request the same element information as the frame body, or element information related to key updates.
  • the corresponding AP can effectively know that it needs to feed back the same element information as the frame body, or element information related to key updates. Effectively improve the problem of inconsistent interpretation of link information between the sending device and the receiving device, thereby improving the efficiency of information exchange.
  • the present application divides the communication device into functional modules according to the above method embodiments.
  • each functional 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 in the form of software function modules. It should be noted that the division of modules in this application is schematic, and is only a logical function division, and there may be other division methods in actual implementation.
  • the communication device according to the embodiment of the present application will be described in detail below with reference to FIG. 8 to FIG. 10 .
  • FIG. 8 is a schematic structural diagram of a communication device provided by an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG. 8 , the communication device includes a processing unit 801 and a transceiver unit 802 .
  • the communication device may be the sender device or a chip in the sender device shown above. That is, the communication device may be used to execute the steps or functions performed by the sending end device in the above method embodiments.
  • the processing unit 801 is configured to generate a probe request frame, where the probe request frame includes a probe request-type multi-link element, where the probe request-type multi-link element includes first link information, and the first link information includes The first subfield and the second subfield, the value of the first subfield is the first value, the value of the second subfield is the second value, and the frame body of the probe request frame includes the request element, but the first If the link information does not include the request element, the first link information is used to indicate that the element information related to the key update of the first link is requested, and the value of the first subfield is the first value to indicate that the first Partial information of the link, the value of the second subfield is the second value used to indicate requesting element information related to the key update of the first link, and the first link information corresponds to the first link;
  • the transceiver unit 802 is configured to send a probe request frame.
  • the multi-link element of the probe request type further includes at least one item of second link information or third link information.
  • the processing unit 801 is configured to generate a probe request frame, where the probe request frame includes a probe request variant multi-link element (probe request variant multi-link element), where the probe request variant multi-link element includes a second link Information, the second link information includes a first subfield and a second subfield, the value of the first subfield is the first value, the value of the second subfield is the second value, and the frame body of the probe request frame Include the request element in the second link information, if the second link information includes the request element, the second link information is used to indicate the request element information related to the key update of the second link and the request element requested in the second link information Element information, the value of the first subfield is the first value used to indicate the request for partial information of the first link, the value of the second subfield is the second value used to indicate that the key update related to the first link is requested element information, the second link information corresponds to the second link;
  • the probe request frame includes a probe request variant multi-link element (probe request variant multi-link element)
  • the transceiver unit 802 is configured to send a probe request frame.
  • the multi-link element of the probe request type further includes at least one item of first link information or third link information.
  • the processing unit 801 is configured to generate a probe request frame, where the probe request frame includes a probe request-type multi-link element, where the probe request-type multi-link element includes first link information, and the first link information includes The first subfield and the second subfield, the value of the first subfield is the first value, the value of the second subfield is the second value, the first link information includes the request element, and the first When the value of the field is a special value, the first link information is used to indicate that the element information related to the key update of the first link is requested, and the value of the first subfield is the first value to indicate that the first link is requested. Partial information of the link, the value of the second subfield is the second value used to indicate requesting element information related to the key update of the first link, and the first link information corresponds to the first link;
  • the transceiver unit 802 is configured to send a probe request frame.
  • the multi-link element of the probe request type further includes at least one item of second link information or third link information.
  • the information related to the probe request multi-link element the first link information, the second link information, the third link information, the first subfield, the second subfield, the request element or the key update
  • the introduction in the above method embodiments including FIG. 5 or FIG. 7 , which will not be described in detail here.
  • transceiver unit and the processing unit shown in the embodiments of the present application are only examples.
  • the specific functions or steps performed by the transceiver unit and the processing unit reference can be made to the above method embodiments, and no further details are given here.
  • the communication device may be the receiving end device or a chip in the receiving end device shown above. That is, the communication device may be used to execute the steps or functions performed by the receiving end device in the above method embodiments.
  • the transceiver unit 802 is configured to receive a probe request frame, the probe request frame includes a probe request multi-link element, the probe request multi-link element includes first link information, and the first link information includes a first field and the second subfield, the value of the first subfield is the first value, the value of the second subfield is the second value, and the frame body of the probe request frame includes the request element, but the first link information If the request element is not included, the first link information is used to indicate that the key update-related element information of the first link is requested, and the value of the first subfield is the first value used to indicate that the first link is requested. For partial information, the value of the second subfield is the second value used to indicate that the element information related to the key update of the first link is requested, and the first link information corresponds to the first link;
  • a processing unit 801 configured to generate a probe response frame according to the probe request frame
  • the transceiver unit 802 is further configured to send a probe response frame.
  • the multi-link element of the probe request type further includes at least one item of second link information or third link information.
  • the transceiver unit 802 is configured to receive a probe request frame, where the probe request frame includes a probe request variant multi-link element (probe request variant multi-link element), and the probe request variant multi-link element includes a second link information, the second link information includes a first subfield and a second subfield, the value of the first subfield is the first value, and the value of the second subfield is the second value , the frame body of the probe request frame includes a request element, and when the second link information includes a request element, the second link information is used to indicate that elements related to key updates of the second link are requested information and the element information requested by the request element in the second link information, the value of the first subfield is the first value to indicate that part of the information of the first link is requested, so The value of the second subfield is the second value used to indicate that the element information related to the key update of the first link is requested, and the second link information corresponds to the second link;
  • the probe request frame includes a probe request variant multi-link element (probe request variant multi
  • a processing unit 801 configured to generate a probe response frame according to the probe request frame
  • the transceiver unit 802 is further configured to send the probe response frame.
  • the multi-link element of the probe request type further includes at least one item of the first link information or the third link information.
  • the transceiver unit 802 is configured to receive a probe request frame, the probe request frame includes a probe request multi-link element, the probe request multi-link element includes first link information, and the first link information includes a first field and the second subfield, the value of the first subfield is the first value, the value of the second subfield is the second value, the first link information includes the request element, and the value of the first field in the request element is
  • the value is a special value
  • the first link information is used to indicate that the element information related to the key update of the first link is requested
  • the value of the first subfield is the first value used to indicate that the first link is requested
  • the value of the second subfield is the second value used to indicate that the element information related to the key update of the first link is requested, and the first link information corresponds to the first link;
  • a processing unit 801 configured to generate a probe response frame according to the probe request frame
  • the transceiver unit 802 is further configured to send a probe response frame.
  • the multi-link element of the probe request type further includes at least one item of second link information or third link information.
  • the information related to the probe request multi-link element the first link information, the second link information, the third link information, the first subfield, the second subfield, the request element or the key update
  • the introduction in the above method embodiments including FIG. 5 or FIG. 7 , which will not be described in detail here.
  • transceiver unit and the processing unit shown in the embodiments of the present application are only examples.
  • the specific functions or steps performed by the transceiver unit and the processing unit reference can be made to the above method embodiments, and no further details are given here.
  • the processing unit 801 may be one or more processors, the transceiver unit 802 may be a transceiver, or the transceiver unit 802 may also be a sending unit and a receiving unit , the sending unit may be a transmitter, and the receiving unit may be a receiver, and the sending unit and the receiving unit are integrated into one device, such as a transceiver.
  • the processor and the transceiver may be coupled, and the connection manner of the processor and the transceiver is not limited in the embodiment of the present application.
  • the communication device 90 includes one or more processors 920 and a transceiver 910 .
  • the processor 920 is used to generate a probe request frame; the transceiver 910 is used to send the probe request frame.
  • the transceiver 910 is used to receive a probe request frame; the processor 920 is used to generate a probe response frame according to the probe request frame ; Transceiver 910, configured to send the probe response frame.
  • the information related to the probe request multi-link element the first link information, the second link information, the third link information, the first subfield, the second subfield, the request element or the key update
  • the introduction in the above method embodiments including FIG. 5 or FIG. 7
  • the processor and the transceiver reference may also be made to the introduction of the processing unit and the transceiver unit shown in FIG. 8 , which will not be repeated here.
  • the transceiver may include a receiver and a transmitter, the receiver is used to perform the function (or operation) of receiving, and the transmitter is used to perform the function (or operation) of transmitting ). And the transceiver is used to communicate with other devices/devices through the transmission medium.
  • the communication device 90 may further include one or more memories 930 for storing program instructions and/or data.
  • the memory 930 is coupled to the processor 920 .
  • the coupling in the embodiments of the present application is an indirect coupling or a communication connection between devices, units or modules, which may be in electrical, mechanical or other forms, and is used for information exchange between devices, units or modules.
  • Processor 920 may cooperate with memory 930 .
  • the processor 920 may execute program instructions stored in the memory 930 .
  • a specific connection medium among the transceiver 910, the processor 920, and the memory 930 is not limited.
  • the memory 930, the processor 920, and the transceiver 910 are connected through a bus 940.
  • the bus is represented by a thick line in FIG. 9, and the connection mode between other components is only for schematic illustration. , is not limited.
  • the bus can be divided into address bus, data bus, control bus and so on. For ease of representation, only one thick line is used in FIG. 9 , but it does not mean that there is only one bus or one type of bus.
  • the processor may be a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor, an application-specific integrated circuit, a field programmable gate array or other programmable logic device, a discrete gate or transistor logic device, a discrete hardware component, etc., and may realize Or execute the methods, steps and logic block diagrams disclosed in the embodiments of the present application.
  • a general purpose processor may be a microprocessor or any conventional processor or the like. The steps of the methods disclosed in connection with the embodiments of the present application may be directly implemented by a hardware processor, or implemented by a combination of hardware and software modules in the processor.
  • the memory may include but not limited to hard disk drive (hard disk drive, HDD) or solid-state drive (solid-state drive, SSD) and other non-volatile memory, random access memory (Random Access Memory, RAM), Erasable Programmable ROM (EPROM), Read-Only Memory (ROM) or Portable Read-Only Memory (Compact Disc Read-Only Memory, CD-ROM), etc.
  • the memory is any storage medium that can be used to carry or store program codes in the form of instructions or data structures, and can be read and/or written by a computer (such as the communication device shown in this application, etc.), but is not limited thereto.
  • the memory in the embodiment of the present application may also be a circuit or any other device capable of implementing a storage function, and is used for storing program instructions and/or data.
  • the processor 920 is mainly used to process communication protocols and communication data, control the entire communication device, execute software programs, and process data of the software programs.
  • the memory 930 is mainly used to store software programs and data.
  • the transceiver 910 may include a control circuit and an antenna, and the control circuit is mainly used for converting a baseband signal to a radio frequency signal and processing the radio frequency signal.
  • Antennas are mainly used to send and receive radio frequency signals in the form of electromagnetic waves.
  • Input and output devices, such as touch screens, display screens, and keyboards, are mainly used to receive data input by users and output data to users.
  • the processor 920 can read the software program in the memory 930, interpret and execute the instructions of the software program, and process the data of the software program.
  • the processor 920 performs baseband processing on the data to be sent, and then outputs the baseband signal to the radio frequency circuit.
  • the radio frequency circuit receives the radio frequency signal through the antenna, converts the radio frequency signal into a baseband signal, and outputs the baseband signal to the processor 920, and the processor 920 converts the baseband signal into data and processes the data deal with.
  • the radio frequency circuit and the antenna can be set independently from the processor for baseband processing.
  • the radio frequency circuit and antenna can be arranged remotely from the communication device. .
  • the communication device shown in the embodiment of the present application may have more components than those shown in FIG. 9 , which is not limited in the embodiment of the present application.
  • the method performed by the processor and the transceiver shown above is only an example, and for the specific steps performed by the processor and the transceiver, reference may be made to the method introduced above.
  • the processing unit 801 may be one or more logic circuits, and the transceiver unit 802 may be an input-output interface, or called a communication interface, or an interface circuit , or interfaces and so on.
  • the transceiver unit 802 may also be a sending unit and a receiving unit, the sending unit may be an output interface, and the receiving unit may be an input interface, and the sending unit and the receiving unit are integrated into one unit, such as an input and output interface.
  • the communication device shown in FIG. 10 includes a logic circuit 1001 and an interface 1002 .
  • the above-mentioned processing unit 801 can be realized by a logic circuit 1001
  • the transceiver unit 802 can be realized by an interface 1002
  • the logic circuit 1001 may be a chip, a processing circuit, an integrated circuit or a system on chip (SoC) chip, etc.
  • the interface 1002 may be a communication interface, an input/output interface, a pin, and the like.
  • FIG. 10 takes the aforementioned communication device as a chip as an example, and the chip includes a logic circuit 1001 and an interface 1002 .
  • the logic circuit and the interface may also be coupled to each other.
  • the embodiment of the present application does not limit the specific connection manner of the logic circuit and the interface.
  • the logic circuit 1001 is used to generate a probe request frame; the interface 1002 is used to output the probe request frame.
  • the interface 1002 is used to input a probe request frame; the logic circuit 1001 is used to generate a probe response frame according to the probe request frame; the interface 1002, for outputting the probe response frame.
  • the communication device shown in the embodiment of the present application can implement the method provided in the embodiment of the present application in the form of hardware, or implement the method provided in the embodiment of the present application in the form of software, which is not limited in the embodiment of the present application.
  • the information related to the probe request multi-link element the first link information, the second link information, the third link information, the first subfield, the second subfield, the request element or the key update
  • the introduction in the above method embodiments including FIG. 5 or FIG. 7 , which will not be described in detail here.
  • the embodiment of the present application also provides a wireless communication system, the wireless communication system includes a sending end device and a receiving end device, the sending end device and the receiving end device can be used to implement any of the foregoing embodiments (as shown in Figure 5 or 7) in the method.
  • the present application also provides a computer-readable storage medium, the computer-readable storage medium stores computer codes, and when the computer codes run on the computer, the computer executes the method performed by the sending end device in the method provided by the present application. operation and/or processing.
  • the present application also provides a computer-readable storage medium, where computer code is stored in the computer-readable storage medium, and when the computer code is run on the computer, the computer is made to perform the operations performed by the receiver device in the method provided by the present application and /or processing.
  • the present application also provides a computer program product, the computer program product includes computer code or computer program, when the computer code or computer program is run on the computer, the operation performed by the sending end device in the method provided by the present application and/or or processing is performed.
  • the present application also provides a computer program product, the computer program product includes computer code or computer program, when the computer code or computer program is run on the computer, the operation performed by the receiving end device in the method provided by the present application and/or or processing is performed.
  • the disclosed systems, devices and methods may be implemented in other ways.
  • the device embodiments described above are only illustrative.
  • the division of the units is only a logical function division. In actual implementation, there may be other division methods.
  • multiple units or components can be combined or May be integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored, or not implemented.
  • the mutual coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be indirect coupling or communication connection through some interfaces, devices or units, and may also be electrical, mechanical or other forms of connection.
  • the units described as separate components may or may not be physically separated, and the components shown as units may or may not be physical units, that is, they may be located in one place, or may be distributed to multiple network units. Part or all of the units can be selected according to actual needs to realize the technical effects of the solutions provided by the embodiments of the present application.
  • each functional unit in each embodiment of the present application may be integrated into one processing unit, each unit may exist separately physically, or two or more units may be integrated into one unit.
  • the above-mentioned integrated units can be implemented in the form of hardware or in the form of software functional units.
  • the integrated unit is realized in the form of a software function unit and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium.
  • the storage medium includes several instructions to enable a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of the present application.
  • the aforementioned readable storage media include: U disk, mobile hard disk, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (random access memory, RAM), magnetic disk or optical disk, etc., which can store program codes. medium.

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Abstract

本申请公开了一种基于多链路通信的探测请求方法及装置，发送端设备能够明确向对应接收端设备指示其需要请求与关键更新相关的元素信息。该方法包括：发送端设备生成探测请求帧，并发送该探测请求帧。该探测请求帧包括探测请求类多链路元素(probe request variant multi-link element)，该探测请求类多链路元素包括第一链路信息，该第一链路信息包括第一子字段和第二子字段，在第一子字段的取值为第一值，第二子字段的取值为第二值，且探测请求帧的帧体中包括请求元素，但第一链路信息不包括请求元素的情况下，上述第一链路信息用于指示请求第一链路的与关键更新相关的元素信息。

Description

基于多链路通信的探测请求方法及装置
本申请要求于2021年06月15日提交中国专利局、申请号为202110662271.3、申请名称为“基于多链路通信的探测请求方法及装置”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
本申请涉及通信技术领域，尤其涉及一种基于多链路通信的探测请求方法及装置。
背景技术
下一代无线局域网(wireless local area network，WLAN)标准朝着不断提高吞吐率的方向进行发展和演进，WLAN系统标准主要在电气与电子工程师协会(institute of electrical and electronics engineers，IEEE)802.11标准组中进行研究和讨论。下一代标准将极高吞吐率(extremely high throughput，EHT)作为目标，如关键技术可以包括多链路(multi-link，ML)通信。
多链路通信的核心思想是支持下一代IEEE 802.11标准的WLAN设备如EHT设备拥有在多个频段上发送和/或接收的能力，从而可以使用更大的带宽进行传输，进而提升吞吐率。如多频段主要包括但不仅限于2.4GHz Wi-Fi频段、5GHz Wi-Fi频段或6GHz Wi-Fi频段。示例性的，在每一个频段上的接入和/或传输称为一个链路，从而多个频段上的接入和/或传输便称为ML。例如，支持多链路通信的设备称为多链路设备(multi-link device，MLD)。图1a示出的是一个简单的多链路通信场景举例，如MLD设备中存在多个接入点(access point，AP)或站点(station，STA)，从而组成AP MLD或non-AP MLD。MLD之间的通信为多链路通信，则图1a中的链路1和链路2组成了多链路。如果STA想要知道更多关于AP的信息，则可以通过主动扫描获取关于AP的更多信息。当进行主动扫描时，STA可以在其搜寻AP的每一个信道上发送探测请求帧，而AP在收到探测请求帧之后，可以将STA需要的信息通过探测响应帧进行反馈。
然而，上述通信过程中，如何使得AP准确得知STA所需要的信息亟待解决。
发明内容
本申请提供一种基于多链路通信的探测请求方法及装置，可使得发送端设备明确指示其所需要的信息，使得接收端设备能够准确的反馈发送端设备需要的信息，提高信息交互的效率。
第一方面，本申请实施例提供一种基于多链路通信的探测请求方法，所述方法包括：
发送端设备生成探测请求帧，所述探测请求帧包括探测请求类多链路元素(probe request variant multi-link element)，所述探测请求类多链路元素包括第一链路信息，所述第一链路信息包括第一子字段和第二子字段，在所述第一子字段的取值为第一值，所述第二子字段的取值为第二值，且所述探测请求帧的帧体中包括请求元素，但所述第一链路信息不包括请求元素的情况下，所述第一链路信息用于指示请求第一链路的与关键更新相关的元素信息，所述第一子字段的取值为所述第一值用于指示请求所述第一链路的部分信息，所述第二子字段的 取值为所述第二值用于指示请求所述第一链路的与关键更新相关的元素信息，所述第一链路信息与所述第一链路对应；所述发送端设备发送所述探测请求帧。
上述发送端设备可以包括non-AP MLD、或non-AP MLD下的一个STA、或WiFi芯片等。
示例性的，第一链路信息也可以称为第一基于单个STA配置(per-STA profile)子元素。第一子字段可以为完整配置(complete profile)子字段。第二子字段可以为关键更新请求(critical update requested)子字段。一般的，STA可以通过请求元素向对应AP指示其需要请求的元素信息。也就是说，请求元素可以用于指示需要请求的元素信息。一般的，STA在信标帧中可以得到AP及该AP所属的AP MLD下其他AP有关键更新的提示，但是，该STA无法得知具体更新的是什么元素且目前更新的新参数。因此，该第二子字段可以用于指示是否请求与关键更新相关的元素信息。换句话说，该关键更新相关的元素信息可以为发送端设备和接收端设备都已知的元素信息，发送端设备可以通过信标帧获知接收端设备中的与关键更新相关的元素信息发生了变化。但是，发送端设备还需要通过第二子字段向对应AP请求该关键更新相关的元素信息中发生变化的元素信息。
可理解，本申请所示的探测请求帧还可以称为多链路探测请求帧。
一般的，当per-STA profile中的complete profile＝0，critical update requested＝1，且该per-STA profile子元素中不出现(扩展的)请求元素时，与该per-STA profile子元素对应的AP无法有效得知反馈与帧体相同的元素信息及与关键更新相关的元素信息，还是只反馈与关键更新相关的元素信息。然而，通过本申请实施例提供的方法，发送端设备能够明确向对应AP指示其需要请求与关键更新相关的元素信息。同时，对应AP能够有效得知其需要反馈与关键更新相关的元素信息。有效改善可能会出现发送端设备和接收端设备对于链路信息解读不一致的问题，从而提高了信息交互的效率。
第二方面，本申请实施例提供一种基于多链路通信的探测请求方法，所述方法包括：
接收端设备接收探测请求帧，所述探测请求帧包括探测请求类多链路元素，所述探测请求类多链路元素包括第一链路信息，所述第一链路信息包括第一子字段和第二子字段，在所述第一子字段的取值为第一值，所述第二子字段的取值为第二值，且所述探测请求帧的帧体中包括请求元素，但所述第一链路信息不包括请求元素的情况下，所述第一链路信息用于指示请求第一链路的与关键更新相关的元素信息，所述第一子字段的取值为所述第一值用于指示请求所述第一链路的部分信息，所述第二子字段的取值为所述第二值用于指示请求所述第一链路的与关键更新相关的元素信息，所述第一链路信息与所述第一链路对应；所述接收端设备根据所述探测请求帧生成探测响应帧，并发送所述探测响应帧。
关于第二方面的说明可以参考上述第一方面，这里不再一一详述。
在第一方面或第二方面的任一种可能的实现方式中，所述请求元素包括普通的请求元素或扩展的请求元素中的至少一项。
本申请实施例所示的普通的请求元素是相对于扩展的请求元素而言的。例如，普通的请求元素的结构可以参考图2b，扩展的请求元素可以参考图2c。
在第一方面或第二方面的任一种可能的实现方式中，所述探测请求类多链路元素还包括第二链路信息，所述第二链路信息包括第一子字段和第二子字段，在所述第一子字段的取值为所述第一值，所述第二子字段的取值为所述第二值，且所述第二链路信息包括请求元素的情况下，所述第二链路信息用于指示请求第二链路的与关键更新相关的元素信息以及所述第二链路信息中所述请求元素所请求的元素信息，所述第二链路信息与所述第二链路对应。
在第一方面或第二方面的任一种可能的实现方式中，所述探测请求类多链路元素还包括 第三链路信息，所述第三链路信息包括第一子字段和第二子字段，在所述第一子字段的取值为所述第一值，所述第二子字段的取值为所述第一值，且所述第三链路信息不包括请求元素的情况下，所述第三链路信息用于指示请求的第三链路的元素信息从所述探测请求帧的帧体中继承，所述第二子字段的取值为所述第一值用于指示不请求所述第三链路的与关键更新相关的元素信息，所述第三链路信息与所述第三链路对应。
可理解，以上所示的第一方面是以第一链路信息为例示出的。上述第一方面还可以替换为：发送端设备生成探测请求帧，所述探测请求帧包括探测请求类多链路元素(probe request variant multi-link element)，所述探测请求类多链路元素包括第二链路信息，所述第二链路信息包括第一子字段和第二子字段，在所述第一子字段的取值为第一值，所述第二子字段的取值为第二值，所述探测请求帧的帧体中包括请求元素，所述第二链路信息包括请求元素的情况下，所述第二链路信息用于指示请求第二链路的与关键更新相关的元素信息以及所述第二链路信息中所述请求元素所请求的元素信息，所述第一子字段的取值为所述第一值用于指示请求所述第一链路的部分信息，所述第二子字段的取值为所述第二值用于指示请求所述第一链路的与关键更新相关的元素信息，所述第二链路信息与所述第二链路对应；所述发送端设备发送所述探测请求帧。
上述第二方面还可以替换为：
接收端设备接收探测请求帧，所述探测请求帧包括探测请求类多链路元素(probe request variant multi-link element)，所述探测请求类多链路元素包括第二链路信息，所述第二链路信息包括第一子字段和第二子字段，在所述第一子字段的取值为第一值，所述第二子字段的取值为第二值，所述探测请求帧的帧体中包括请求元素，所述第二链路信息包括请求元素的情况下，所述第二链路信息用于指示请求第二链路的与关键更新相关的元素信息以及所述第二链路信息中所述请求元素所请求的元素信息，所述第一子字段的取值为所述第一值用于指示请求所述第一链路的部分信息，所述第二子字段的取值为所述第二值用于指示请求所述第一链路的与关键更新相关的元素信息，所述第二链路信息与所述第二链路对应；所述接收端设备根据所述探测请求帧生成探测响应帧，并发送所述探测响应帧。
当上述第一方面或第二方面中的第一链路信息替换为第二链路信息时，在一种可能的实现方式中，所述探测请求帧还包括第一链路信息。在另一种可能的实现方式中，所述探测请求帧还包括第三链路信息。
关于第一链路信息、第二链路信息或第三链路信息的说明可以参考上述第一方面或第二方面。
第三方面，本申请实施例提供一种基于多链路通信的探测请求方法，所述方法包括：
发送端设备生成探测请求帧，所述探测请求帧包括探测请求类多链路元素，所述探测请求类多链路元素包括第一链路信息，所述第一链路信息包括第一子字段和第二子字段，在所述第一子字段的取值为第一值，所述第二子字段的取值为第二值，所述第一链路信息包括请求元素，且所述请求元素中第一字段的取值为特殊值的情况下，所述第一链路信息用于指示请求第一链路的与关键更新相关的元素信息，所述第一子字段的取值为所述第一值用于指示请求所述第一链路的部分信息，所述第二子字段的取值为所述第二值用于指示请求所述第一链路的与关键更新相关的元素信息，所述第一链路信息与所述第一链路对应；所述发送端设备发送所述探测请求帧。
第四方面，本申请实施例提供一种基于多链路通信的探测请求方法，所述方法包括：
接收端设备接收探测请求帧，所述探测请求帧包括探测请求类多链路元素，所述探测请 求类多链路元素包括第一链路信息，所述第一链路信息包括第一子字段和第二子字段，在所述第一子字段的取值为第一值，所述第二子字段的取值为第二值，所述第一链路信息包括请求元素，且所述请求元素中第一字段的取值为特殊值的情况下，所述第一链路信息用于指示请求第一链路的与关键更新相关的元素信息，所述第一子字段的取值为所述第一值用于指示请求所述第一链路的部分信息，所述第二子字段的取值为所述第二值用于指示请求所述第一链路的与关键更新相关的元素信息，所述第一链路信息与所述第一链路对应；所述接收端设备根据所述探测请求帧生成探测响应帧，并发送所述探测响应帧。
关于第三方面或第四方面中关于第一子字段、第二子字段、第一链路信息等的说明可以参考上述第一方面或第二方面。
在第三方面或第四方面的任一种可能的实现方式中，所述请求元素包括普通的请求元素或扩展的请求元素中的至少一项。
在第三方面或第四方面的任一种可能的实现方式中，所述第一字段包括长度(length)字段、请求的元素标识(requested element ID)字段、元素标识扩展(element ID extension)字段或请求的元素标识扩展(requested element ID extension)字段中的任一项或多项。
可理解，本申请实施例所示的特殊值是相对于正常值而言的。
示例性的，请求元素包括长度字段或请求的元素标识字段中的至少一项。例如，该请求元素中的长度字段可以为特殊值，如该特殊值为0。又例如，例如，长度字段的取值为1，请求的元素标识字段的ID为预留(reserved)值。如请求的元素标识字段的ID为245-254中的任一项，即表示该请求的元素标识字段的ID对应的元素是空的(也可以称为请求的元素标识字段的ID对应的元素是预留值)。
示例性的，扩展的请求元素包括长度字段、元素标识扩展字段和请求的元素标识字段。该情况下，例如，请求元素中的长度字段的取值是特殊值，如该特殊值为2。又例如请求的元素标识字段的ID是预留值。如请求的元素标识字段的ID为245-254中的任一项，即表示该请求的元素标识字段的ID对应的元素是空的(也可以称为请求的元素标识字段的ID对应的元素是预留值)。可理解，长度字段的取值和元素标识扩展字段的取值可以不同。长度字段的取值和请求的元素标识字段的取值也可以不同。该元素标识扩展字段的取值和该请求的元素标识字段的取值可以不同或相同。
示例性的，扩展的请求元素包括长度字段、元素标识扩展字段、请求的元素标识字段和请求的元素标识扩展字段。该情况下，例如，请求元素中的长度字段的取值为3，该请求的元素标识字段和请求的元素标识扩展字段对应的ID是预留值。
在第三方面或第四方面的任一种可能的实现方式中，所述探测请求帧的帧体中包括请求元素。
可理解，本申请所示的第三方面或第四方面中的探测请求类多链路元素还可以与上述第一方面或第二方面结合。例如，本申请所示的探测请求类多链路元素还可以包括第二链路信息或第三链路信息中的至少一项。
第五方面，本申请实施例提供一种通信装置，用于执行第一方面、第三方面或其任意可能的实现方式中的方法。该通信装置包括具有执行第一方面、第三方面或其任意可能的实现方式中的方法的相应单元。
例如，该通信装置可以包括收发单元和处理单元。该通信装置可以为上述第一方面或第三方面中的发送端设备，如non-AP MLD，或者STA，或者non-AP MLD中的芯片，如WiFi芯片等。
第六方面，本申请实施例提供一种通信装置，用于执行第二方面、第四方面或其任意可能的实现方式中的方法。该通信装置包括具有执行第二方面、第四方面或其任意可能的实现方式中的方法的相应单元。
例如，该通信装置可以包括收发单元和处理单元。该通信装置可以为上述第二方面或第四方面中的接收端设备，如AP MLD，或者AP，或者AP MLD中的芯片，如WiFi芯片等。
第七方面，本申请实施例提供一种通信装置，该通信装置包括处理器，用于执行上述第一方面、第三方面或其任意可能的实现方式所示的方法。
在执行上述方法的过程中，上述方法中有关发送信息和接收信息的过程，可以理解为由处理器输出上述信息的过程，以及处理器接收输入的上述信息的过程。在输出上述信息时，处理器将该上述信息输出给收发器，以便由收发器进行发射。该上述信息在由处理器输出之后，还可能需要进行其他的处理，然后才到达收发器。类似的，处理器接收输入的上述信息时，收发器接收该上述信息，并将其输入处理器。更进一步的，在收发器收到该上述信息之后，该上述信息可能需要进行其他的处理，然后才输入处理器。
基于上述原理，举例来说，前述方法中提及的发送探测请求帧可以理解为处理器输出该探测请求帧。又例如，接收探测响应帧可以理解为处理器接收输入的探测响应帧。
对于处理器所涉及的发射、发送和接收等操作，如果没有特殊说明，或者，如果未与其在相关描述中的实际作用或者内在逻辑相抵触，则均可以更加一般性的理解为处理器输出和接收、输入等操作。
在实现过程中，上述处理器可以是专门用于执行这些方法的处理器，也可以是执行存储器中的计算机指令来执行这些方法的处理器，例如通用处理器。上述存储器可以为非瞬时性(non-transitory)存储器，例如只读存储器(read only memory，ROM)，其可以与处理器集成在同一块芯片上，也可以分别设置在不同的芯片上，本申请实施例对存储器的类型以及存储器与处理器的设置方式不做限定。
在一种可能的实现方式中，存储器位于上述通信装置之外。
在一种可能的实现方式中，存储器位于上述通信装置之内。
本申请实施例中，处理器和存储器还可以集成于一个器件中，即处理器和存储器还可以被集成在一起。
在一种可能的实现方式中，通信装置还包括收发器，该收发器，用于接收信号和/或发送信号。示例性的，该收发器可以用于发送探测请求帧。又如，该收发器还可以用于接收探测响应帧等。
本申请实施例中，该通信装置可以为上述第一方面或第三方面中的发送端设备。如该发送端设备可以为non-AP MLD或STA等。
第八方面，本申请实施例提供一种通信装置，该通信装置包括处理器，用于执行存储器中存储的程序，当该程序被执行时，使得该通信装置执行如上述第二方面、第四方面或其任意可能的实现方式所示的方法。
在一种可能的实现方式中，存储器位于上述通信装置之外。
在一种可能的实现方式中，存储器位于上述通信装置之内。
在本申请实施例中，处理器和存储器还可以集成于一个器件中，即处理器和存储器还可以被集成在一起。
在一种可能的实现方式中，通信装置还包括收发器，该收发器，用于接收信号和/或发送信号。示例性的，该收发器可以用于接收探测请求帧。又如，该收发器还可以用于发送探测 响应帧等。
本申请实施例中，该通信装置可以为上述第二方面或第四方面中的接收端设备。如该接收端设备可以为AP MLD或AP等。
第九方面，本申请实施例提供一种通信装置，该通信装置包括逻辑电路和接口，所述逻辑电路和所述接口耦合；所述逻辑电路，用于生成探测请求帧；所述接口，用于输出所述探测请求帧。
也就是说，逻辑电路，用于按照如第一方面或第三方面所示的方法，获得探测请求帧，接口，用于输出该探测请求帧。可理解，本申请上文所示的处理后的数据为探测请求帧。
本申请实施例中，该通信装置可以用于执行上述第一方面、第三方面或任一项可能的实现方式，这里不再详述。关于探测请求帧和/或探测响应帧的具体说明，可参考上述第一方面或第三方面等，这里不再赘述。
第十方面，本申请实施例提供一种通信装置，该通信装置包括逻辑电路和接口，所述逻辑电路和所述接口耦合；所述接口，用于输入探测请求帧；所述逻辑电路，用于根据所述探测请求帧生成探测响应帧；所述接口，还用于输出所述探测响应帧。
可理解，上述关于接口和逻辑电路的说明还可以替换为：
所述接口，用于输入待处理的数据；所述逻辑电路，用于对所述待处理的数据进行处理，获得处理后的数据；所述接口，用于输出所述处理后的数据。这里所示的待处理的数据为探测请求帧，处理后的数据为探测响应帧。
本申请实施例中，该通信装置可以用于执行上述第二方面、第四方面或任一项可能的实现方式，这里不再详述。关于探测请求帧和/或探测响应帧的具体说明，可参考上述第二方面或第四方面等，这里不再赘述。
第十一方面，本申请实施例提供一种计算机可读存储介质，该计算机可读存储介质用于存储计算机程序，当其在计算机上运行时，使得上述第一方面、第三方面或任意可能的实现方式所示的方法被执行。
第十二方面，本申请实施例提供一种计算机可读存储介质，该计算机可读存储介质用于存储计算机程序，当其在计算机上运行时使得上述第二方面、第四方面或任意可能的实现方式所示的方法被执行。
第十三方面，本申请实施例提供一种计算机程序产品，该计算机程序产品包括计算机程序或计算机代码，当其在计算机上运行时，使得上述第一方面、第三方面或任意可能的实现方式所示的方法被执行。
第十四方面，本申请实施例提供一种计算机程序产品，该计算机程序产品包括计算机程序或计算机代码，当其在计算机上运行时，使得上述第二方面、第四方面或任意可能的实现方式所示的方法被执行。
第十五方面，本申请实施例提供一种多链路通信系统，该多链路通信系统包括non-AP MLD和AP MLD。可选的，所述non-AP MLD用于执行上述第一方面或第一方面的任意可能的实现方式所示的方法，所述AP MLD用于执行上述第二方面或第二方面的任意可能的实现方式所示的方法。可选的，所述non-AP MLD用于执行上述第三方面或第三方面的任意可能的实现方式所示的方法，所述AP MLD用于执行上述第四方面或第四方面的任意可能的实现方式所示的方法。
附图说明
图1a至图1c是本申请实施例提供的一种通信系统示意图；
图2a是本申请实施例提供的一种探测请求类多链路元素(probe request variant multi-link element)的结构示意图；
图2b是本申请实施例提供的一种请求元素的结构示意图；
图2c是本申请实施例提供的一种扩展的请求元素的结构示意图；
图3是本申请实施例提供的另一种探测请求类多链路元素的结构示意图；
图4是本申请实施例提供的一种探测请求帧的结构示意图；
图5是本申请实施例提供的一种基于多链路通信的探测请求方法的流程示意图；
图6是本申请实施例提供的一种探测请求帧的结构示意图；
图7是本申请实施例提供的一种基于多链路通信的探测请求方法的流程示意图；
图8至图10是本申请实施例提供的一种通信装置的结构示意图。
具体实施方式
为了使本申请的目的、技术方案和优点更加清楚，下面将结合附图对本申请作进一步地描述。
本申请的说明书、权利要求书及附图中的术语“第一”和“第二”等仅用于区别不同对象，而不是用于描述特定顺序。此外，术语“包括”和“具有”以及它们的任何变形，意图在于覆盖不排他的包含。例如包含了一系列步骤或单元的过程、方法、系统、产品或设备等，没有限定于已列出的步骤或单元，而是可选地还包括没有列出的步骤或单元等，或可选地还包括对于这些过程、方法、产品或设备等固有的其它步骤或单元。
在本文中提及的“实施例”意味着，结合实施例描述的特定特征、结构或特性可以包含在本申请的至少一个实施例中。在说明书中的各个位置出现该短语并不一定均是指相同的实施例，也不是与其它实施例互斥的独立的或备选的实施例。本领域技术人员可以显式地和隐式地理解的是，本文所描述的实施例可以与其它实施例相结合。
在本申请中，“至少一个(项)”是指一个或者多个，“多个”是指两个或两个以上，“至少两个(项)”是指两个或三个及三个以上，“和/或”，用于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：只存在A，只存在B以及同时存在A和B三种情况，其中A，B可以是单数或者复数。字符“/”一般表示前后关联对象是一种“或”的关系。“以下至少一项(个)”或其类似表达，是指这些项中的任意组合。例如，a，b或c中的至少一项(个)，可以表示：a，b，c，“a和b”，“a和c”，“b和c”，或“a和b和c”。
本申请提供的多链路通信的探测请求方法可以应用于无线通信系统。该无线通信系统可以包括无线局域网(wireless local area network，WLAN)或蜂窝网等。该方法可以由无线通信系统中的通信设备或通信设备中的逻辑电路或处理器实现等，该通信设备可以是一种支持多条链路并行进行传输的无线通信设备，例如，称为多链路设备(multi-link device，MLD)或多频段设备(multi-band device)。比如，在无线局域网中，该通信设备支持采用IEEE 802.11系列协议进行通信，IEEE 802.11系列协议包括：802.11be，802.11be下一代，802.11ax，或802.11a/b/g/n/ac等，这里不再一一列举。
以下先对本申请所涉及的多链路设备进行说明，然后结合多链路设备对本申请所涉及的场景及探测请求帧等进行说明。
多链路设备包括一个或多个隶属的站点，隶属的站点是逻辑上的站点，可以工作在一条链路或一个频段或一个信道上等。该隶属的站点可以为接入点(access point，AP)或非接入点站点(non-access point station，non-AP STA)。为描述方便，本申请可以将隶属的站点为AP的多链路设备称为多链路AP或多链路AP设备或AP多链路设备(AP multi-link device，AP MLD)。隶属的站点为non-AP STA的多链路设备称为多链路STA或多链路STA设备或STA多链路设备(STA multi-link device)，或者，隶属的站点为non-AP STA的多链路设备称为多链路non-AP或多链路non-AP设备或non-AP多链路设备(non-AP multi-link device，non-AP MLD)等。下文将隶属的站点为AP的多链路设备称为AP MLD，将隶属的站点为non-AP STA的多链路设备称为non-AP MLD。AP MLD中隶属的AP为一个或多个；STA MLD中隶属的STA为一个或多个。
多链路设备可以遵循802.11系列协议实现无线通信，例如，遵循极高吞吐率(extremely high throughput，EHT)的多链路设备，或遵循基于802.11be或兼容支持802.11be的多链路设备，实现与其他设备的通信。
多链路设备(这里既可以是non-AP MLD，也可以是AP MLD)为具有无线通信功能的通信装置。该通信装置可以为一个整机的设备，还可以是安装在整机设备中的芯片或处理系统等，安装这些芯片或处理系统的设备可以在这些芯片或处理系统的控制下，实现本申请实施例的方法和功能。例如，本申请实施例中的non-AP多链路设备具有无线收发功能，可以支持802.11系列协议，可以与AP多链路设备或其他non-AP多链路设备进行通信。例如，non-AP多链路设备是允许用户与AP通信进而与WLAN通信的任何用户通信设备。例如，non-AP多链路设备可以为平板电脑、桌面型、膝上型、笔记本电脑、超级移动个人计算机(ultra-mobile personal computer，UMPC)、手持计算机、上网本、个人数字助理(personal digital assistant，PDA)、手机等可以联网的用户设备，或物联网中的物联网节点，或车联网中的车载通信装置等。non-AP多链路设备还可以为上述这些终端中的芯片和处理系统。AP多链路设备可以为non-AP多链路设备提供服务的装置，可以支持802.11系列协议。例如，AP多链路设备可以为通信服务器、路由器、交换机、网桥等通信实体，或，AP多链路设备可以包括各种形式的宏基站，微基站，中继站等，当然AP多链路设备还可以为这些各种形式的设备中的芯片和处理系统。其中，802.11协议可以为支持802.11be或兼容802.11be的协议。
可理解的，多链路设备可以支持高速率低时延的传输，随着无线局域网应用场景的不断演进，多链路设备还可以应用于更多场景中，比如为智慧城市中的传感器节点(比如，智能水表，智能电表，智能空气检测节点)，智慧家居中的智能设备(比如智能摄像头，投影仪，显示屏，电视机，音响，电冰箱，洗衣机等)，物联网中的节点，娱乐终端(比如AR，VR等可穿戴设备)，智能办公中智能设备(比如，打印机，投影仪等)，车联网中的车联网设备，日常生活场景中的一些基础设施(比如自动售货机，商超的自助导航台，自助收银设备，自助点餐机等)。本申请实施例中对于多链路设备的具体形式不做限定，在此仅是示例性说明。
结合以上所示的多链路设备，图1b是本申请实施例提供的一种多链路通信的场景示意图。如图1b所示，AP MLD包括AP1，AP2，…，APn，non-AP MLD包括STA1，STA2，…，STAn。这里所示的n为正整数。AP MLD和non-AP MLD可以采用链路1，链路2，…，链路n并行进行通信。non-AP MLD中的STA1与AP MLD中的AP1建立关联关系，non-AP MLD中的STA2与AP MLD中的AP2建立关联关系，non-AP MLD中的STAn与AP MLD中的APn 建立关联关系等。由此，non-AP MLD中的一个或多个STA与AP MLD中的一个或多个AP之间建立关联关系之后便可以进行通信。
图1c是本申请实施例提供的另一种多链路通信的场景示意图。如图1c所示，包括至少一个AP和至少一个STA，图1c示出的是三个STA，如STA1、STA2和STA3。例如，STA1可以通过两个链路与AP通信，该两个链路可以如图1c所示的两个箭头。又例如，STA2或STA3可以通过一个链路与AP通信。也就是说，图1c所示的系统中既包括多链路通信，也包括单链路通信。
本申请所提供的方法可以适用于但不限于：单用户的上/下行传输、多用户的上/下行传输、车与任何事物(vehicle-to-everything，V2X，X可以代表任何事物)、设备到设备(device-todevice，D2D)。例如，该V2X可以包括：车辆到车辆(vehicle to vehicle，V2V)，车辆与基础设施(vehicle to infrastructure，V2I)、车辆与行人之间的通信(vehicle to pedestrian，V2P)或车辆与网络(vehicle to network，V2N)通信等。
示例性的，站点可以通过扫描发现一个基本服务集(basic service set，BSS)以及与该BSS相关联的属性，扫描分为主动扫描和被动扫描。当进行被动扫描时，STA可以搜寻信标(beacon)帧，该信标帧包括国家码信息或最大允许传输功率等信息。如果STA想要知道关于AP的更多信息，则可以通过主动扫描进一步获取。当进行主动扫描时，STA可以在其搜寻AP的每一个信道上发送探测请求帧(probe request frame)。AP在收到探测请求帧之后，可以将STA需要的信息通过探测响应帧(probe response frame)反馈。
由于多链路通信的引入(如802.11be)，对于non-AP MLD来说，在主动扫描之外可以通过发送多链路探测请求帧向AP MLD获取部分或全部的属于同一MLD下的AP的能力信息、参数和模式元素信息等。示例性的，多链路探测请求帧的地址1字段被设置为广播地址且地址3字段被设置为AP的基本服务集标识(basic service set identifier，BSSID)，或者，地址1字段为AP的BSSID；且携带探测请求类多链路元素(probe request variant multi-link element)。
示例性的，图2a是本申请实施例提供的一种探测请求类多链路元素(probe request variant multi-link element)的结构示意图。
如图2a所示，探测请求类多链路元素包括元素标识(element ID)、长度(length)、元素标识扩展(element ID extension)、多链路控制(multi-link control)字段、链路信息(link info)字段。示例性的，link info字段包括0个、一个或多个基于单个STA配置(per-STA profile)子元素。per-STA profile子元素可以包括子元素标识(subelement ID)、长度(length)、站点控制(STA control)字段和站点配置(STA profile)字段。STA control字段可以包括链路标识(link ID)子字段、完整配置(complete profile)子字段和预留(reserved)字段。STA profile字段包括(扩展的)请求元素((extended)request element)(也可以称为(拓展的)请求元素、(扩展)请求元素或(拓展)请求元素)。该(扩展的)请求元素可以理解为：请求元素(request element)或扩展的请求元素(extended request element)中的至少一项。per-STA profile所包括的上述信息，可表示per-STA profile子元素可以用于承载一条链路的信息，即per-STA profile子元素与链路是一一对应的。同时，根据链路与STA之间的关系，本申请所示的per-STA profile子元素也可以称为链路信息。为了本申请的简洁，因此本申请中将per-STA profile子元素称为链路信息。
示例性的，multi-link control字段中的子字段类型(type)＝1时，则表示多链路元素为探测请求类。link info字段可以包含0个、一个或多个per-STA profile子元素，每一个per-STA  profile子元素对应一条链路。同时，由于链路与AP之间可以是一一对应的，因此每一个per-STA profile子元素也可以对应一个AP，表示STA请求对应AP的部分或全部信息。如link ID可以用于识别对应的链路或AP，complete profile为0时表示请求对应链路的部分信息，该complete profile为1时表示请求对应链路的全部信息。
如果STA想要请求AP的部分信息，则可以通过与该AP对应的link ID对应的per-STA profile子元素中STA profile字段中的(扩展的)请求元素携带STA请求的特定元素的元素标识(element ID)，从而向AP请求对应的元素信息。在上述情况下，per-STA profile子元素中的STA control字段下的complete profile子字段为0。也就是说，如果STA需要请求某个AP的部分信息，则可以通过link ID标识该某个AP，以及通过对应pre-STA profile(即link ID对应的pre-STA profile)子元素中的STA profile字段中的(扩展的)请求元素指示需要请求的元素信息。可理解，本申请涉及的全部信息(也可以称为完整信息)和部分信息，是相对于一条链路而言的，即一条链路上对应的所有元素信息简称为全部信息，一条链路对应的部分或者特定的元素信息，称为部分信息。这里所示的一条链路指的是per-STA profile中的link ID所标识的链路。换句话说，本申请涉及的全部信息和部分信息，是相对于一个AP而言的，即一个AP对应的所有元素信息简称为全部信息，一个AP对应的部分信息或特定的元素信息简称为部分信息。
图2b是本申请实施例提供的一种请求元素的结构示意图。如图2b所示，请求元素中可以包括元素标识(element ID)字段、长度(length)字段和请求的元素标识(requested element ID)字段。
图2c是本申请实施例提供的一种扩展的请求元素的结构示意图。如图2c所示，扩展的请求元素中可以包括元素标识字段、长度字段、请求的元素标识字段之外，还可以包括元素标识扩展(element ID extension)字段。可选的，该扩展的请求元素还可以包括请求的元素标识扩展(requested element ID extension)字段。根据图2b和图2c可知，请求元素可以通过请求的元素标识，或者，扩展的请求元素可以通过请求的元素标识及请求的元素标识扩展指示发送端设备所要请求的对应链路的元素信息。换句话说，STA可以通过(扩展的)请求元素向对应AP指示其需要请求的元素信息。也就是说，(扩展的)请求元素可以用于指示需要请求的元素信息。可理解，本申请下文所示的普通的请求元素可以理解为图2b所示的请求元素，扩展的请求元素可以理解为图2c所示的扩展的请求元素。
可理解，图2b和图2c所示的结构示意图仅为示例，请求元素和扩展的请求元素的结构可能会随着标准推动或技术演进等有所变化，对此，本申请不作限定。
由于探测请求类多链路元素的结构特点，为了节省信令开销及帧结构的简洁，探测请求类多链路元素还具有继承性。该探测请求类多链路元素的继承性的实现方式包括：
如果在帧体(frame body)中有(扩展的)请求元素((extended)request element)，并且在探测请求类多链路元素中某个per-STA profile子元素中没有(扩展的)请求元素且该某个per-STA profile子元素中的STA control字段中complete profile子字段＝0，则该某个per-STA profile子元素中的(扩展的)请求元素实际上从帧体的(扩展的)请求元素继承(If the(Extended)Request element is present in the Probe Request frame body and the(Extended)Request element is not present and a Complete Profile subfield of a STA Control field is set to 0 in a Per-STA Profile subelement of a Probe Request variant Multi-Link element of a Probe Request frame,the(Extended)Request element corresponding to the per-STA profile is inherited from the(Extended)Request element in the body of the Probe Request frame.)，即值完全相同。可理解，关于帧体的说明、(扩 展)请求元素的说明等还可以参考图4。
图3是本申请实施例提供的另一种探测请求类多链路元素的结构示意图。图3所示的探测请求类多链路元素与图2a所示的探测请求类多链路元素的不同之处在于：图3所示的STA control字段。如图3所示，STA control字段包括链路标识(link ID)子字段、完整配置(complete profile)子字段和关键更新请求(critical update requested)子字段。可选的，该STA control字段还包括最新已知的BSS参数更新计数(BSS parameter change count，BPCC)存在(last known BPCC present)。可选的，图3所示的per-STA profile子元素中还可以包括站点信息(STA info)字段，该站点信息字段可以包括最新已知的BPCC(last known BPCC)。
示例性的，STA可以向AP请求与关键更新(critical update)相关的元素信息。与关键更新相关的元素信息包括以下至少一项：频道切换通知元素(channel switch announcement element)、扩展的频道切换通知元素(extended channel switch announcement element)、增强分布式信道接入(enhanced distributed channel access，EDCA)、参数元素(parameters element)、静默元素(quiet element)、高吞吐率(high throughput，HT)操作元素(HT operation element)、非常高吞吐率(very high throughput，VHT)操作元素(VHT operation element)、极高吞吐率(extremely high throughput，EHT)操作元素(VHT operation element)。可理解，本申请所示的与关键更新相关的元素信息仅为示例，对于该元素信息的具体内容还可以参考相关标准或协议等。
一般的，STA在信标帧中可以得到AP及该AP所属的AP MLD下其他AP有关键更新的提示，但是，该STA无法得知具体更新的是什么元素且目前更新的新参数。因此，在探测请求类多链路元素的per-STA profile子元素的STA control字段中可以增加关键更新请求(critical update requested)子字段，该关键更新请求子字段可以用于指示是否请求与关键更新相关的元素信息。可选的，STA可以上报一个最新已知的BPCC(如图3所示的last known BPCC)。换句话说，该关键更新相关的元素信息可以为STA和AP都已知的元素信息，STA可以通过信标帧获知AP中的与关键更新相关的元素信息发生了变化。但是，STA还需要通过关键更新请求子字段向该AP请求该关键更新相关的元素信息中发生变化的元素信息。
示例性的，当关键更新请求子字段被设为1(也可以理解为关键更新请求子字段的取值为1)时，完整配置子字段的取值必须不是1。示例性的，当complete profile子字段的取值为1时，则表示STA需要请求对应链路(通过与complete profile对应的link ID标识)的全部信息。该情况下，不论关键更新请求子字段的取值是0或1，AP需要反馈对应链路的全部信息。因此，当关键更新请求子字段的取值为1时，完整配置子字段的取值不能是1。
可理解，本申请所涉及的complete profile还可以理解为全部配置或请求的完整配置(complete profile requested)等，本申请对于其名称不作限定。
在探测请求类多链路元素中，帧体中有(扩展的)请求元素，且对于某个per-STA profile子元素，当该per-STA profile子元素中的STA control字段中的关键更新请求子字段被设为1，完整配置子字段为0时，(扩展的)请求元素不出现。在上述情况下，将会出现两种实现方式：第一，STA对于该per-STA profile对应的AP请求与帧体相同的元素信息以及与关键更新相关的元素信息。第二，STA对于该per-STA profile对应的AP只请求与关键更新相关的元素信息，不需要再用额外的元素ID进行指示。
示例性的，图4是本申请实施例提供的一种探测请求帧的结构示意图。该探测请求帧中 包括帧控制(frame control)、持续时长(duration)、元素(element)、(扩展的)请求元素((extended)requested element)及探测请求类多链路元素等。图4所示的第一行有(扩展的)请求元素，则表示探测请求帧的帧体中有(扩展的)请求元素。图4所示的(扩展的)请求元素的ID＝10，value＝D，则表示该(扩展的)请求元素的元素标识为10，请求的元素标识即value为D。可选的，图4中虚线表示的STA info字段，表示该STA info字段可以存在，也可以不存在。
如图4所示，探测请求帧携带了探测请求类多链路元素，该探测请求类多链路元素包括3个per-STA profile，如per-STA profile x、per-STA profile y和per-STA profile z。结合帧体所包括的(扩展的)请求元素，且value＝10，表示STA通过帧体向接收到探测请求帧的AP请求element ID为D的元素信息，并通过探测请求类多链路元素请求属于同一AP MLD的AP x、AP y和AP z的信息。这里所示的AP x可以通过per-STA profile子元素x中的STA control字段中的link ID子字段来标识，AP y可以通过per-STA profile子元素y中的STA control字段中的link ID子字段来标识，AP z可以通过per-STA profile子元素z中的STA control字段中的link ID子字段来标识。
例如，对于per-STA profile子元素z来说，complete profile＝0，critical update requested＝1。由于critical update requested＝1，则表示STA需要请求与关键更新相关的元素信息。但是，由于帧体中包括(扩展的)请求元素，而per-STA profile子元素z的STA profile字段中未出现(扩展的)请求元素，则表示per-STA profile子元素z中的(扩展的)请求元素需要从帧体中继承。因此，STA可能需要请求与关键更新相关的元素信息之外，还需要请求element ID为D的信息(与帧体中的(拓展)请求元素值一致，所以在per-STA profile子元素z的STA profile字段中未出现(拓展)请求元素)。或者，STA只请求与关键更新相关的元素信息，不需要额外的element ID指示。
也就是说，当per-STA profile中的complete profile＝0，critical update requested＝1，且该per-STA profile子元素中不出现(扩展的)请求元素时，与该per-STA profile子元素对应的AP无法有效得知反馈与帧体相同的元素信息及与关键更新相关的元素信息，还是只反馈与关键更新相关的元素信息。
鉴于此，本申请实施例提供的一种基于多链路通信的探测请求方法及装置，通过本申请所提供的方法(如下文所示的图5或图7)及装置(如下文所示的图8至图10)，可有效改善上述问题。使得发送端设备能够明确向对应AP指示其需要请求与帧体相同的元素信息，或者与关键更新相关的元素信息。同时，对应AP能够有效得知其需要反馈与帧体相同的元素信息，或者与关键更新相关的元素信息。有效改善可能会出现发送端设备和接收端设备对于链路信息解读不一致的问题，从而提高了信息交互的效率。
本申请提供的基于多链路通信的探测请求方法的应用场景可以参考图1a至图1c中的至少一个。关于探测请求帧的具体说明也可以参考图2a、图3或图4等中的至少一个。示例性的，本申请所示的发送端设备可以包括STA、non-AP MLD、non-AP MLD中的一个STA或WiFi芯片等，接收端设备可以包括AP、AP MLD、AP MLD中的一个AP或WiFi芯片等。例如，本申请实施例所示的方法可以应用于non-AP MLD下的一个STA和AP MLD下的一个AP。又例如，本申请实施例所述的方法可以应用于如图1c所示的AP和STA1等，本申请实施例对此不作限定。示例性的，当link info字段包括0个per-STA profile子元素时，则表示发送端设备需要请求属于同一MLD下的全部AP的元素信息。示例性的，当link info字段包括一个per-STA profile子元素时，则表示发送端设备需要请求与该per-STA profile子元素对应 的AP的元素信息。示例性的，当link info字段包括两个或两个以上per-STA profile子元素时，则表示发送端设备需要请求属于同一MLD下的两个或两个以上AP的元素信息。
图5是本申请实施例提供的一种基于多链路通信的探测请求方法的流程示意图。如图5所示，该方法包括：
501、发送端设备生成探测请求帧，该探测请求帧包括探测请求类多链路元素，该探测请求类多链路元素包括第一链路信息，该第一链路信息包括第一子字段和第二子字段，在该第一子字段的取值为第一值，第二子字段的取值为第二值，且探测请求帧的帧体中包括请求元素，第一链路信息不包括请求元素的情况下，第一链路信息用于指示请求第一链路的与关键更新相关的元素信息。
本申请实施例中，第一子字段的取值为第一值用于指示请求第一链路的部分信息，第二子字段的取值为第二值用于指示请求第一链路的与关键更新相关的元素信息，第一链路信息与第一链路对应。换句话说，第一子字段的取值为第一值用于指示请求第一AP的部分信息，第二子字段的取值为第二值用于指示请求第一AP的与关键更新相关的元素信息。或者，第一子字段的取值为第一值用于指示请求反馈第一AP的部分信息，第二子字段的取值为第二值用于指示请求反馈第一AP的与关键更新相关的元素信息。同样的，第一链路信息用于指示请求第一AP的与关键更新相关的元素信息，或者，第一链路信息用于指示请求反馈第一AP的与关键更新相关的元素信息等。关于链路和AP的关系可以参考上文所示的描述，这里不再详述。
示例性的，第一子字段可以为完整配置(complete profile)子字段，第二子字段可以为关键更新请求(critical update requested)子字段。示例性的，本申请实施例所示的完整配置子字段的比特长度可以为1比特，关键更新请求子字段的比特长度可以为1比特。例如，第一值可以为0，第二值可以为1。这里所示的0和1仅为示例，不应将其理解为对本申请实施例的限定。可理解，关于完整配置子字段或关键更新请求子字段等的具体说明可以参考前述实施例，本申请实施例不再详述。
示例性的，上述请求元素可以包括如图2b所示的request element(即普通的请求元素)或图2c所示的extended request element(即扩展的请求元素)中的至少一项。例如，探测请求帧的帧体中包括request element或extended request element，第一链路信息中不包括request element和extended request element。可理解，本申请实施例所示的普通的请求元素是相对于扩展的请求元素而言的。如请求元素还可以理解为上文所示的(扩展的)请求元素。
第一链路信息用于指示请求反馈第一链路的与关键更新相关的元素信息，可以有如下实现方式：
第一、当(扩展的)请求元素在探测请求帧帧体中出现，且在该探测请求帧中携带的探测请求类多链路元素的一个per-STA profile子元素中(扩展的)请求元素没有出现，且该per-STA profile子元素中的STA control字段中complete profile＝0且critical update requested＝1，则表示发送端设备不需要通过(扩展的)请求元素向per-STA profile子元素对应的AP请求除与关键更新相关的元素信息之外的其他特定的元素信息。
换句话说，当(扩展的)请求元素在探测请求帧帧体中出现，且在该探测请求帧中携带的探测请求类多链路元素的一个per-STA profile子元素中(扩展的)请求元素没有出现，且该per-STA profile子元素中的STA control字段中complete profile＝0且critical update requested＝1，则表示STA不需要通过(扩展的)请求元素向per-STA profile子元素对应的AP请求除与关键更新相关的元素信息之外的其他特定的元素信息。可理解，这里所示的探测请 求类多链路元素的一个per-STA profile子元素可以理解为本申请实施例所示的第一链路信息。per-STA profile子元素对应的AP即为第一AP。
第二、只要第一链路信息中不包括(扩展的)请求元素，就表示发送端设备不需要通过(扩展的)请求元素向第一AP请求与关键更新相关的元素信息之外的元素信息。换句话说，虽然complete profile＝0，帧体中包括(扩展的)请求元素，第一链路信息中不包括(扩展的)请求元素，但是第一链路信息中的(扩展的)请求元素不需要从探测请求帧的帧体中继承。
第三、当(扩展的)请求元素在探测请求帧帧体中出现，且在该探测请求帧中携带的探测请求类多链路元素的一个per-STA profile子元素中(扩展的)请求元素没有出现，当该per-STA profile子元素中的STA control字段中complete profile＝0且critical update requested＝1时，表示不允许发送端设备在请求与关键更新相关的元素信息的同时，额外请求其他的特定元素信息。
换句话说，当(扩展的)请求元素在探测请求帧帧体中出现，且在该探测请求帧中携带的探测请求类多链路元素的一个per-STA profile子元素中(扩展的)请求元素没有出现，当该per-STA profile子元素中的STA control字段中complete profile＝0且critical update requested＝1时，表示不允许STA在请求与关键更新相关的元素信息的同时，额外请求其他的特定元素信息。
第四、当发送端设备仅需要请求与关键更新相关的元素信息时，该发送端设备所发送的探测请求帧携带的探测请求类多链路元素下的per-STA profile子元素中，complete profile＝0且critical update requested＝1，且(扩展的)请求元素应该不出现。
换句话说，当non-AP MLD下的STA向AP MLD下的一个AP发送探测请求帧，其携带的探测请求类多链路元素中的per-STA profile子元素中的STA control字段中complete profile＝0且critical update requested＝1时，该per-STA profile子元素中(扩展的)请求元素应该不出现。
示例性的，如以图4或图6所示的探测请求帧所示的探测请求类多链路元素中的per-STA profile子元素z为例。由于complete profile＝0，critical update requested＝1，因此，即使帧体中包括的请求元素中指示需要请求element ID为D的信息，per-STA profile子元素z的STA profile字段中未出现(扩展的)请求元素，但是，per-STA profile子元素z中的(扩展的)请求元素不需要从帧体中继承。也就是说，发送端设备只请求与关键更新相关的元素信息，即接收到探测请求帧的AP只需要反馈AP z的与关键更新相关的元素信息。
可理解，本申请所示的方法中，未详细说明STA profile字段中的最新已知的BPCC存在子字段，对于该最新已知的BPCC存在子字段的具体取值，本申请实施例不作限定。可选的，本申请实施例所示的关键更新请求子字段的取值为第二值包括：关键更新请求子字段的取值为第二值，且最新已知的BPCC存在子字段的取值为第三值。本申请实施例对于该第三值的具体数值不作限定。示例性的，该第二值可以与该第三值相同，或者也可以不同。可选的，本申请实施例对于该最新已知的BPCC存在子字段是否存在，也不作限定。例如，该最新已知的BPCC存在子字段不存在，如图3中的STA control字段中可以包括link ID子字段、complete profile子字段和critical update requested子字段。
在一种可能的实现方式中，探测请求类多链路元素还包括第二链路信息，该第二链路信息包括第一子字段和第二子字段，在第一子字段为第一值，第二子字段为第二值，且第二链路信息包括(扩展的)请求元素的情况下，第二链路信息用于指示请求第二链路的与关键更新相关的元素信息以及第二链路信息中请求元素所请求的元素信息。关于第一子字段和第二 子字段的说明可以参考上述描述，这里不再详述。上述实现方式还可以理解为：当(扩展的)请求元素在探测请求帧帧体中出现，且在该探测请求帧中携带的探测请求类多链路元素下的一个per-STA profile子元素中，(扩展的)请求元素出现且该per-STA profile子元素中的STA control字段中complete profile＝0且critical update requested＝1，则表示发送端设备(如non-AP MLD或STA)需要通过(扩展的)请求元素向per-STA profile子元素对应的AP请求除去与关键更新相关的其他特定的元素信息。
示例性的，在探测请求帧中携带的探测请求类多链路元素的一个per-STA profile子元素中，包括(扩展的)请求元素且complete profile＝0且critical update requested＝1，则表示发送端设备(如non-AP MLD或STA)需要通过(扩展的)请求元素向per-STA profile子元素对应的AP请求除与关键更新相关的元素信息之外的其他特定的元素信息。可理解，这里所示的探测请求类多链路元素的一个per-STA profile子元素可以理解为本申请实施例所示的第二链路信息，该per-STA profile子元素对应的AP可以理解为第二AP。可理解，关于第二链路与第二AP的说明可以参考上文，这里不再详述。
可选的，探测请求帧的帧体中所包括的(扩展的)请求元素可以与第二链路信息中包括的(扩展的)请求元素相同或者不同。但是，无论探测请求帧的帧体中所包括的请求元素可以与第二链路信息中包括的请求元素是否相同，都是以第二链路信息的(扩展的)请求元素中所请求的元素信息及与关键更新相关的元素信息为准来反馈第二AP的元素信息。图6是本申请实施例提供的一种探测请求帧的结构示意图。如图6所示，对于per-STA profile子元素y来说，complete profile＝0，critical update requested＝1，per-STA profile子元素y的STA profile中包括(扩展的)请求元素。其中，complete profile＝0，则表示STA需要请求对应链路(即per-STA profile y中的link ID所标识的链路)的部分信息。critical update requested＝1，则表示STA需要请求与关键更新相关的元素信息。per-STA profile子元素y的STA profile字段中包括(扩展的)请求元素，则表示STA需要请求元素ID为F的元素信息。因此，对于AP y来说，STA需要请求与关键更新相关的元素信息，以及需要请求元素ID为F的信息(与帧体不一致，所以出现在per-STA profile子元素y的STA profile字段中)。可理解，关于图6的其他说明可以参考图4的描述，这里不再一一赘述。
在一种可能的实现方式中，探测请求类多链路元素还包括第三链路信息，第三链路信息包括第一子字段和第二子字段，在第一子字段为第一值，第二子字段为第一值，且第三链路信息不包括(扩展的)请求元素的情况下，第三链路信息用于指示第三链路信息中的(扩展的)请求元素从探测请求帧的帧体中继承。示例性的，第二子字段的取值为第一值用于指示不需要请求第三链路的与关键更新相关的元素信息。
上述实现方式还可以理解为：当(扩展的)请求元素在探测请求帧帧体中出现，且在该探测请求帧中携带的探测请求类多链路元素下的一个per-STA profile子元素中，(扩展的)请求元素没有出现且该per-STA profile子元素中的STA control字段中complete profile＝0且critical update requested＝0，则该per-STA profile子元素对应的(扩展的)请求元素从探测请求帧帧体中继承。
如图6所示，对于per-STA profile子元素x来说，complete profile＝0，critical update requested＝0。其中，complete profile＝0，则表示STA需要请求对应链路(即per-STA profile x中的link ID所标识的链路)的部分信息。critical update requested＝0，则表示STA不需要请求与关键更新相关的元素信息。帧体中包括(扩展的)请求元素，且complete profile＝0，per-STA profile x中不包含(扩展的)请求元素，则表示per-STA profile子元素x中的(扩展的)请 求元素需要从帧体中继承。因此，对于AP x来说，STA需要请求AP x的element ID为D的信息(即部分信息)，且不需要请求与关键更新相关的元素信息。可理解，关于图6的其他说明可以参考图4的描述，这里不再一一赘述。
502、发送端设备向接收端设备发送探测请求帧。相应的，该接收端设备接收该探测请求帧。
503、接收端设备根据探测请求帧生成探测响应帧。
接收端设备可以根据探测请求帧中的探测请求类多链路元素生成探测响应帧。例如，接收端设备可以根据第一链路信息所指示的请求第一链路的与关键更新相关的元素信息，来反馈第一AP的元素信息。又例如，接收端设备还可以根据第二链路信息所指示的内容反馈第二AP的元素信息。又例如，接收端设备还可以根据第三链路信息所指示的内容反馈第三AP的元素信息。
504、接收端设备向发送端设备发送探测响应帧。
可理解，图5所示的方法还可以替换为：
发送端设备生成探测请求帧，该探测请求帧包括探测请求类多链路元素，该探测请求类多链路元素包括第二链路信息，该第二链路信息包括第一子字段和第二子字段，在第一子字段为第一值，第二子字段为第二值，且第二链路信息包括(扩展的)请求元素的情况下，第二链路信息用于指示请求第二链路的与关键更新相关的元素信息以及第二链路信息中请求元素所请求的元素信息。
可选的，该探测请求类多链路元素还包括第一链路信息。可选的，该探测请求类多链路元素还包括第三链路信息。
可理解，关于第一链路信息、第二链路信息或第三链路信息等的说明可以参考上文，这里不再一一详述。
可理解，本申请所示的探测请求帧还可以称为多链路探测请求帧。
本申请实施例提供的方法，使得发送端设备能够明确向对应AP指示其需要请求与帧体相同的元素信息，或者与关键更新相关的元素信息。同时，对应AP能够有效得知其需要反馈与帧体相同的元素信息，或者与关键更新相关的元素信息。有效改善可能会出现发送端设备和接收端设备对于链路信息解读不一致的问题，从而提高了信息交互的效率。
图7是本申请实施例提供的另一种基于多链路通信的探测请求方法的流程示意图。如图7所示，该方法包括：
701、发送端设备生成探测请求帧，该探测请求帧包括探测请求类多链路元素，该探测请求类多链路元素包括第一链路信息，该第一链路信息包括第一子字段和第二子字段，在该第一子字段的取值为第一值，第二子字段的取值为第二值，第一链路信息包括请求元素且所述请求元素中第一字段的取值为特殊值的情况下，第一链路信息用于指示请求第一链路的与关键更新相关的元素信息。
可理解，本申请实施例中，关于第一子字段、第二子字段、第一值、第二值及第一链路信息的说明可以参考图5所示的方法，这里不再一一赘述。例如，图5所示的关于第一链路信息的说明同样适用于图7所示的方法。例如，本申请实施例中，第一子字段的取值为第一值用于指示请求第一链路的部分信息。又例如，第二子字段的取值为第二值用于指示请求第一链路的与关键更新相关的元素信息。
示例性的，上述请求元素可以包括如图2b所示的request element(即普通的请求元素) 或图2c所示的extended request element(即扩展的请求元素)中的至少一项。例如，探测请求帧的帧体中包括request element或extended request element，第一链路信息中包括request element或extended request element。可理解，本申请实施例所示的请求元素可以理解为上文所示的(扩展的)请求元素。
在一种可能的实现方式中，第一字段包括长度字段、请求的元素标识字段、元素标识扩展字段或请求的元素标识扩展字段中的任一项或多项。例如，request element中的长度字段的取值为特殊值。又例如，request element中的请求的元素标识字段的取值为特殊值。又例如，extended request element中的长度字段的取值为特殊值。又例如，extended request element中的请求的元素标识字段或请求的元素标识扩展字段的取值为特殊值。可理解，本申请实施例所示的特殊值可以表示(扩展的)请求元素是空的(扩展的)请求元素。
示例性的，请求元素包括长度字段。例如，该请求元素中的长度字段可以为特殊值，如该特殊值为0。又例如，请求元素还包括请求的元素标识字段时，如该请求的元素标识字段的ID是特殊值。例如，长度字段的取值为1，请求的元素标识字段的ID为预留(reserved)值，如245-254中的任一项。如请求的元素标识字段的ID为245-254中的任一项，即表示该请求的元素标识字段的ID对应的元素是空的。
示例性的，扩展的请求元素包括长度字段、元素标识扩展字段和请求的元素标识字段。例如，请求元素中的长度字段的取值是特殊值，如该特殊值为2。又例如，请求的元素标识字段的ID是预留值，如245-254中的任一项。如请求的元素标识字段的ID为245-254中的任一项，即表示该请求的元素标识字段的ID对应的元素是空的(也可以称为请求的元素标识字段的ID对应的元素是预留值)。
示例性的，扩展的请求元素包括长度字段、元素标识扩展字段、请求的元素标识字段和请求的元素标识扩展字段。该情况下，例如，该请求的元素标识字段和请求的元素标识扩展字段对应的ID是预留值。
可理解，本申请实施例对于元素标识扩展字段的取值不作限定。
在一种可能的实现方式中，探测请求帧的帧体中包括(扩展的)请求元素。
举例说明，当(扩展的)请求元素在探测请求帧帧体中出现，且在该探测请求帧中携带的探测请求类多链路元素下的一个per-STA profile子元素中，(扩展的)请求元素出现，且该per-STA profile子元素中的STA control字段中complete profile＝0，critical update requested＝1，如果该per-STA profile子元素中的(扩展的)请求元素满足以下两种情况之一，则表示发送端设备(如STA或non-AP MLD等)不需要通过(扩展的)请求元素向该per-STA profile子元素对应的AP请求除去与关键更新相关的其他特定的元素信息(element information)：
1、若为请求元素，length＝0。
2、若为扩展的请求元素，length＝2。
示例性的，如果(扩展的)请求元素满足以上所示的两种情况中的任一种情况，则表示发送端设备不需要通过(扩展的)请求元素向per-STA profile子元素对应的AP请求除去与关键更新相关的其他特定的元素信息(element information)。例如，当(扩展的)请求元素中的长度字段的取值为特殊值的情况下，表示该(扩展的)请求元素是一个空的(扩展的)请求元素。如果(扩展的)请求元素不满足以上所示的两种情况，则表示发送端设备需要通过(扩展的)请求元素向per-STA profile子元素对应的AP请求除去与关键更新相关的其他特定的元素信息(element information)。
又举例来说，当(扩展的)请求元素在探测请求帧帧体中出现，且在该探测请求帧中携 带的探测请求类多链路元素下的一个per-STA profile子元素中，(扩展的)请求元素出现，且该per-STA profile子元素中的STA control字段中complete profile＝0，critical update requested＝1，如果该per-STA profile子元素中的(扩展的)请求元素满足以下两种情况之一，则表示STA不需要通过(扩展的)请求元素向该per-STA profile子元素对应的AP请求除去与关键更新相关的其他特定的元素信息(element information)：
1、若为请求元素，length＝0；或者，length＝1，且请求的元素标识字段的ID为预留值。
2、若为扩展的请求元素，length＝2，且请求的元素标识字段的ID是预留值；或者，length＝3，且请求的元素标识字段和请求的元素标识扩展字段对应的ID是预留值。本申请实施例所示的探测请求类多链路元素可以维持继承性原则，通过允许per-STA profile子元素带上一个空的(扩展的)请求元素，有效改善了complete profile＝0且critical update requested＝1情况下(扩展的)请求元素没有出现时的两种解读。
在一种可能的实现方式中，探测请求类多链路元素还包括第二链路信息，该第二链路信息包括第一子字段和第二子字段，在第一子字段为第一值，第二子字段为第二值，且第二链路信息包括(扩展的)请求元素的情况下，第二链路信息用于指示请求第二链路的与关键更新相关的元素信息以及第二链路信息中请求元素所请求的元素信息。
在一种可能的实现方式中，探测请求类多链路元素还包括第三链路信息，第三链路信息包括第一子字段和第二子字段，在第一子字段为第一值，第二子字段为第三值，且第三链路信息不包括(扩展的)请求元素的情况下，第三链路信息用于指示第三链路信息中的(扩展的)请求元素从探测请求帧的帧体中继承。示例性的，第三值用于指示不需要请求第三链路的与关键更新相关的元素信息。可理解，本申请实施例对于第一值、第二值和第三值之间的大小关系不作限定。
可理解，关于第二链路信息和第三链路信息的具体说明可以参考图5或图6，这里不再一一赘述。
702、发送端设备向接收端设备发送探测请求帧。相应的，该接收端设备接收该探测请求帧。
703、接收端设备根据探测请求帧生成探测响应帧。
接收端设备可以根据探测请求帧中的探测请求类多链路元素生成探测响应帧。例如，接收端设备可以根据第一链路信息所指示的请求第一链路的与关键更新相关的元素信息，来反馈第一AP的元素信息。又例如，接收端设备还可以根据第二链路信息所指示的内容反馈第二AP的元素信息。又例如，接收端设备还可以根据第三链路信息所指示的内容反馈第三AP的元素信息。
704、接收端设备向发送端设备发送探测响应帧。
可理解，本申请所示的探测请求帧还可以称为多链路探测请求帧。
本申请实施例提供的方法，使得发送端设备能够明确向对应AP指示其需要请求与帧体相同的元素信息，或者与关键更新相关的元素信息。同时，对应AP能够有效得知其需要反馈与帧体相同的元素信息，或者与关键更新相关的元素信息。有效改善可能会出现发送端设备和接收端设备对于链路信息解读不一致的问题，从而提高了信息交互的效率。
以下将介绍本申请实施例提供的通信装置。
本申请根据上述方法实施例对通信装置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，本申请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。下面将结合图8至图10详细描述本申请实施例的通信装置。
图8是本申请实施例提供的一种通信装置的结构示意图，如图8所示，该通信装置包括处理单元801和收发单元802。
在本申请的一些实施例中，该通信装置可以是上文示出的发送端设备或发送端设备中的芯片等。即该通信装置可以用于执行上文方法实施例中由发送端设备执行的步骤或功能等。
示例性的，处理单元801，用于生成探测请求帧，该探测请求帧包括探测请求类多链路元素，该探测请求类多链路元素包括第一链路信息，该第一链路信息包括第一子字段和第二子字段，在第一子字段的取值为第一值，第二子字段的取值为第二值，且探测请求帧的帧体中包括请求元素，但第一链路信息不包括请求元素的情况下，第一链路信息用于指示请求第一链路的与关键更新相关的元素信息，第一子字段的取值为第一值用于指示请求第一链路的部分信息，第二子字段的取值为第二值用于指示请求第一链路的与关键更新相关的元素信息，第一链路信息与第一链路对应；
收发单元802，用于发送探测请求帧。
在一种可能的实现方式中，所述探测请求类多链路元素还包括第二链路信息或第三链路信息中的至少一项。
示例性的，处理单元801，用于生成探测请求帧，该探测请求帧包括探测请求类多链路元素(probe request variant multi-link element)，该探测请求类多链路元素包括第二链路信息，该第二链路信息包括第一子字段和第二子字段，在第一子字段的取值为第一值，第二子字段的取值为第二值，探测请求帧的帧体中包括请求元素，第二链路信息包括请求元素的情况下，第二链路信息用于指示请求第二链路的与关键更新相关的元素信息以及第二链路信息中请求元素所请求的元素信息，第一子字段的取值为第一值用于指示请求第一链路的部分信息，第二子字段的取值为第二值用于指示请求第一链路的与关键更新相关的元素信息，第二链路信息与第二链路对应；
收发单元802，用于发送探测请求帧。
在一种可能的实现方式中，所述探测请求类多链路元素还包括第一链路信息或第三链路信息中的至少一项。
示例性的，处理单元801，用于生成探测请求帧，该探测请求帧包括探测请求类多链路元素，该探测请求类多链路元素包括第一链路信息，该第一链路信息包括第一子字段和第二子字段，在第一子字段的取值为第一值，第二子字段的取值为第二值，第一链路信息包括请求元素，且请求元素中第一字段的取值为特殊值的情况下，第一链路信息用于指示请求第一链路的与关键更新相关的元素信息，第一子字段的取值为第一值用于指示请求第一链路的部分信息，第二子字段的取值为第二值用于指示请求第一链路的与关键更新相关的元素信息，第一链路信息与第一链路对应；
收发单元802，用于发送探测请求帧。
在一种可能的实现方式中，所述探测请求类多链路元素还包括第二链路信息或第三链路信息中的至少一项。
本申请实施例中，关于探测请求类多链路元素、第一链路信息、第二链路信息、第三链路信息、第一子字段、第二子字段、请求元素或关键更新相关的元素信息等的说明还可以参考上文方法实施例(包括图5或图7等)中的介绍，这里不再一一详述。
可理解，本申请实施例示出的收发单元和处理单元的具体说明仅为示例，对于收发单元和处理单元的具体功能或执行的步骤等，可以参考上述方法实施例，这里不再详述。
复用图8，在本申请的另一些实施例中，该通信装置可以是上文示出的接收端设备或接收端设备中的芯片等。即该通信装置可以用于执行上文方法实施例中由接收端设备执行的步骤或功能等。
示例性的，收发单元802，用于接收探测请求帧，探测请求帧包括探测请求类多链路元素，探测请求类多链路元素包括第一链路信息，第一链路信息包括第一子字段和第二子字段，在第一子字段的取值为第一值，第二子字段的取值为第二值，且探测请求帧的帧体中包括请求元素，但第一链路信息不包括请求元素的情况下，第一链路信息用于指示请求第一链路的与关键更新相关的元素信息，第一子字段的取值为第一值用于指示请求第一链路的部分信息，第二子字段的取值为第二值用于指示请求第一链路的与关键更新相关的元素信息，第一链路信息与第一链路对应；
处理单元801，用于根据探测请求帧生成探测响应帧；
收发单元802，还用于发送探测响应帧。
在一种可能的实现方式中，所述探测请求类多链路元素还包括第二链路信息或第三链路信息中的至少一项。
示例性的，收发单元802，用于接收探测请求帧，所述探测请求帧包括探测请求类多链路元素(probe request variant multi-link element)，所述探测请求类多链路元素包括第二链路信息，所述第二链路信息包括第一子字段和第二子字段，在所述第一子字段的取值为第一值，所述第二子字段的取值为第二值，所述探测请求帧的帧体中包括请求元素，所述第二链路信息包括请求元素的情况下，所述第二链路信息用于指示请求第二链路的与关键更新相关的元素信息以及所述第二链路信息中所述请求元素所请求的元素信息，所述第一子字段的取值为所述第一值用于指示请求所述第一链路的部分信息，所述第二子字段的取值为所述第二值用于指示请求所述第一链路的与关键更新相关的元素信息，所述第二链路信息与所述第二链路对应；
处理单元801，用于根据所述探测请求帧生成探测响应帧；
收发单元802，还用于发送所述探测响应帧。
在一种可能的实现方式中，探测请求类多链路元素还包括第一链路信息或第三链路信息中的至少一项。
示例性的，收发单元802，用于接收探测请求帧，探测请求帧包括探测请求类多链路元素，探测请求类多链路元素包括第一链路信息，第一链路信息包括第一子字段和第二子字段，在第一子字段的取值为第一值，第二子字段的取值为第二值，第一链路信息包括请求元素，且请求元素中第一字段的取值为特殊值的情况下，第一链路信息用于指示请求第一链路的与关键更新相关的元素信息，第一子字段的取值为第一值用于指示请求第一链路的部分信息，第二子字段的取值为第二值用于指示请求第一链路的与关键更新相关的元素信息，第一链路信息与第一链路对应；
处理单元801，用于根据探测请求帧生成探测响应帧；
收发单元802，还用于发送探测响应帧。
在一种可能的实现方式中，所述探测请求类多链路元素还包括第二链路信息或第三链路信息中的至少一项。
本申请实施例中，关于探测请求类多链路元素、第一链路信息、第二链路信息、第三链路信息、第一子字段、第二子字段、请求元素或关键更新相关的元素信息等的说明还可以参 考上文方法实施例(包括图5或图7等)中的介绍，这里不再一一详述。
可理解，本申请实施例示出的收发单元和处理单元的具体说明仅为示例，对于收发单元和处理单元的具体功能或执行的步骤等，可以参考上述方法实施例，这里不再详述。
以上介绍了本申请实施例的发送端设备和接收端设备，以下介绍所述发送端设备和接收端设备可能的产品形态。应理解，但凡具备上述图8所述的发送端设备的功能的任何形态的产品，或者，但凡具备上述图8所述的接收端设备的功能的任何形态的产品，都落入本申请实施例的保护范围。还应理解，以下介绍仅为举例，不限制本申请实施例的发送端设备和接收端设备的产品形态仅限于此。
在一种可能的实现方式中，图8所示的通信装置中，处理单元801可以是一个或多个处理器，收发单元802可以是收发器，或者收发单元802还可以是发送单元和接收单元，发送单元可以是发送器，接收单元可以是接收器，该发送单元和接收单元集成于一个器件，例如收发器。本申请实施例中，处理器和收发器可以被耦合等，对于处理器和收发器的连接方式，本申请实施例不作限定。
如图9所示，该通信装置90包括一个或多个处理器920和收发器910。
示例性的，当该通信装置用于执行上述发送端设备执行的步骤或方法或功能时，处理器920，用于生成探测请求帧；收发器910，用于发送该探测请求帧。
示例性的，当该通信装置用于执行上述接收端设备执行的步骤或方法或功能时，收发器910，用于接收探测请求帧；处理器920，用于根据该探测请求帧生成探测响应帧；收发器910，用于发送该探测响应帧。
本申请实施例中，关于探测请求类多链路元素、第一链路信息、第二链路信息、第三链路信息、第一子字段、第二子字段、请求元素或关键更新相关的元素信息等的说明还可以参考上文方法实施例(包括图5或图7等)中的介绍，这里不再一一详述。可理解，对于处理器和收发器的具体说明还可以参考图8所示的处理单元和收发单元的介绍，这里不再赘述。
在图9所示的通信装置的各个实现方式中，收发器可以包括接收机和发射机，该接收机用于执行接收的功能(或操作)，该发射机用于执行发射的功能(或操作)。以及收发器用于通过传输介质和其他设备/装置进行通信。
可选的，通信装置90还可以包括一个或多个存储器930，用于存储程序指令和/或数据。存储器930和处理器920耦合。本申请实施例中的耦合是装置、单元或模块之间的间接耦合或通信连接，可以是电性，机械或其它的形式，用于装置、单元或模块之间的信息交互。处理器920可能和存储器930协同操作。处理器920可可以执行存储器930中存储的程序指令。
本申请实施例中不限定上述收发器910、处理器920以及存储器930之间的具体连接介质。本申请实施例在图9中以存储器930、处理器920以及收发器910之间通过总线940连接，总线在图9中以粗线表示，其它部件之间的连接方式，仅是进行示意性说明，并不引以为限。所述总线可以分为地址总线、数据总线、控制总线等。为便于表示，图9中仅用一条粗线表示，但并不表示仅有一根总线或一种类型的总线。
在本申请实施例中，处理器可以是通用处理器、数字信号处理器、专用集成电路、现场可编程门阵列或者其他可编程逻辑器件、分立门或者晶体管逻辑器件、分立硬件组件等，可以实现或者执行本申请实施例中的公开的各方法、步骤及逻辑框图。通用处理器可以是微处理器或者任何常规的处理器等。结合本申请实施例所公开的方法的步骤可以直接体现为硬件处理器执行完成，或者用处理器中的硬件及软件模块组合执行完成等。
本申请实施例中，存储器可包括但不限于硬盘(hard disk drive，HDD)或固态硬盘(solid-state drive，SSD)等非易失性存储器，随机存储记忆体(Random Access Memory，RAM)、可擦除可编程只读存储器(Erasable Programmable ROM，EPROM)、只读存储器(Read-Only Memory，ROM)或便携式只读存储器(Compact Disc Read-Only Memory，CD-ROM)等等。存储器是能够用于携带或存储具有指令或数据结构形式的程序代码，并能够由计算机(如本申请示出的通信装置等)读和/或写的任何存储介质，但不限于此。本申请实施例中的存储器还可以是电路或者其它任意能够实现存储功能的装置，用于存储程序指令和/或数据。
处理器920主要用于对通信协议以及通信数据进行处理，以及对整个通信装置进行控制，执行软件程序，处理软件程序的数据。存储器930主要用于存储软件程序和数据。收发器910可以包括控制电路和天线，控制电路主要用于基带信号与射频信号的转换以及对射频信号的处理。天线主要用于收发电磁波形式的射频信号。输入输出装置，例如触摸屏、显示屏，键盘等主要用于接收用户输入的数据以及对用户输出数据。
当通信装置开机后，处理器920可以读取存储器930中的软件程序，解释并执行软件程序的指令，处理软件程序的数据。当需要通过无线发送数据时，处理器920对待发送的数据进行基带处理后，输出基带信号至射频电路，射频电路将基带信号进行射频处理后将射频信号通过天线以电磁波的形式向外发送。当有数据发送到通信装置时，射频电路通过天线接收到射频信号，将射频信号转换为基带信号，并将基带信号输出至处理器920，处理器920将基带信号转换为数据并对该数据进行处理。
在另一种实现中，所述的射频电路和天线可以独立于进行基带处理的处理器而设置，例如在分布式场景中，射频电路和天线可以与独立于通信装置，呈拉远式的布置。
可理解，本申请实施例示出的通信装置还可以具有比图9更多的元器件等，本申请实施例对此不作限定。以上所示的处理器和收发器所执行的方法仅为示例，对于该处理器和收发器具体所执行的步骤可参照上文介绍的方法。
在另一种可能的实现方式中，图8所示的通信装置中，处理单元801可以是一个或多个逻辑电路，收发单元802可以是输入输出接口，又或者称为通信接口，或者接口电路，或接口等等。或者收发单元802还可以是发送单元和接收单元，发送单元可以是输出接口，接收单元可以是输入接口，该发送单元和接收单元集成于一个单元，例如输入输出接口。如图10所示，图10所示的通信装置包括逻辑电路1001和接口1002。即上述处理单元801可以用逻辑电路1001实现，收发单元802可以用接口1002实现。其中，该逻辑电路1001可以为芯片、处理电路、集成电路或片上系统(system on chip，SoC)芯片等，接口1002可以为通信接口、输入输出接口、管脚等。示例性的，图10是以上述通信装置为芯片为例出的，该芯片包括逻辑电路1001和接口1002。
本申请实施例中，逻辑电路和接口还可以相互耦合。对于逻辑电路和接口的具体连接方式，本申请实施例不作限定。
示例性的，当通信装置用于执行上述发送端设备执行的方法或功能或步骤时，逻辑电路1001，用于生成探测请求帧；接口1002，用于输出该探测请求帧。
示例性的，当通信装置用于执行上述接收端设备执行的方法或功能或步骤时，接口1002，用于输入探测请求帧；逻辑电路1001，用于根据该探测请求帧生成探测响应帧；接口1002，用于输出该探测响应帧。
可理解，本申请实施例示出的通信装置可以采用硬件的形式实现本申请实施例提供的方 法，也可以采用软件的形式实现本申请实施例提供的方法等，本申请实施例对此不作限定。
本申请实施例中，关于探测请求类多链路元素、第一链路信息、第二链路信息、第三链路信息、第一子字段、第二子字段、请求元素或关键更新相关的元素信息等的说明还可以参考上文方法实施例(包括图5或图7等)中的介绍，这里不再一一详述。
对于图10所示的各个实施例的具体实现方式，还可以参考上述各个实施例，这里不再详述。
本申请实施例还提供了一种无线通信系统，该无线通信系统包括发送端设备和接收端设备，该发送端设备和该接收端设备可以用于执行前述任一实施例(如图5或图7)中的方法。
此外，本申请还提供一种计算机可读存储介质，该计算机可读存储介质中存储有计算机代码，当计算机代码在计算机上运行时，使得计算机执行本申请提供的方法中由发送端设备执行的操作和/或处理。
本申请还提供一种计算机可读存储介质，该计算机可读存储介质中存储有计算机代码，当计算机代码在计算机上运行时，使得计算机执行本申请提供的方法中由接收端设备执行的操作和/或处理。
本申请还提供一种计算机程序产品，该计算机程序产品包括计算机代码或计算机程序，当该计算机代码或计算机程序在计算机上运行时，使得本申请提供的方法中由发送端设备执行的操作和/或处理被执行。
本申请还提供一种计算机程序产品，该计算机程序产品包括计算机代码或计算机程序，当该计算机代码或计算机程序在计算机上运行时，使得本申请提供的方法中由接收端设备执行的操作和/或处理被执行。
在本申请所提供的几个实施例中，应该理解到，所揭露的系统、装置和方法，可以通过其它的方式实现。例如，以上所描述的装置实施例仅是示意性的，例如，所述单元的划分，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，例如多个单元或组件可以结合或者可以集成到另一个系统，或一些特征可以忽略，或不执行。另外，所显示或讨论的相互之间的耦合或直接耦合或通信连接可以是通过一些接口、装置或单元的间接耦合或通信连接，也可以是电的，机械的或其它的形式连接。
所述作为分离部件说明的单元可以是或者也可以不是物理上分开的，作为单元显示的部件可以是或者也可以不是物理单元，即可以位于一个地方，或者也可以分布到多个网络单元上。可以根据实际的需要选择其中的部分或者全部单元来实现本申请实施例提供的方案的技术效果。
另外，在本申请各个实施例中的各功能单元可以集成在一个处理单元中，也可以是各个单元单独物理存在，也可以是两个或两个以上单元集成在一个单元中。上述集成的单元既可以采用硬件的形式实现，也可以采用软件功能单元的形式实现。
所述集成的单元如果以软件功能单元的形式实现并作为独立的产品销售或使用时，可以存储在一个计算机可读取存储介质中。基于这样的理解，本申请的技术方案本质上或者说对现有技术做出贡献的部分，或者该技术方案的全部或部分可以以软件产品的形式体现出来，该计算机软件产品存储在一个可读存储介质中，包括若干指令用以使得一台计算机设备(可以是个人计算机，服务器，或者网络设备等)执行本申请各个实施例所述方法的全部或部分步骤。而前述的可读存储介质包括：U盘、移动硬盘、只读存储器(read-only memory,ROM)、随机存取存储器(random access memory,RAM)、磁碟或者光盘等各种可以存储程序代码的介质。
以上所述，仅为本申请的具体实施方式，但本申请的保护范围并不局限于此，任何熟悉本技术领域的技术人员在本申请揭露的技术范围内，可轻易想到变化或替换，都应涵盖在本申请的保护范围之内。因此，本申请的保护范围应以所述权利要求的保护范围为准。

Claims (25)

  1. 一种基于多链路通信的探测请求方法，其特征在于，所述方法包括：
    发送端设备生成探测请求帧，所述探测请求帧包括探测请求类多链路元素，所述探测请求类多链路元素包括第一链路信息，所述第一链路信息包括第一子字段和第二子字段，在所述第一子字段的取值为第一值，所述第二子字段的取值为第二值，且所述探测请求帧的帧体中包括请求元素，但所述第一链路信息不包括请求元素的情况下，所述第一链路信息用于指示请求第一链路的与关键更新相关的元素信息，所述第一子字段的取值为所述第一值用于指示请求所述第一链路的部分信息，所述第二子字段的取值为所述第二值用于指示请求所述第一链路的与关键更新相关的元素信息，所述第一链路信息与所述第一链路对应；
    所述发送端设备发送所述探测请求帧。
  2. 一种基于多链路通信的探测请求方法，其特征在于，所述方法包括：
    接收端设备接收探测请求帧，所述探测请求帧包括探测请求类多链路元素，所述探测请求类多链路元素包括第一链路信息，所述第一链路信息包括第一子字段和第二子字段，在所述第一子字段的取值为第一值，所述第二子字段的取值为第二值，且所述探测请求帧的帧体中包括请求元素，但所述第一链路信息不包括请求元素的情况下，所述第一链路信息用于指示请求第一链路的与关键更新相关的元素信息，所述第一子字段的取值为所述第一值用于指示请求所述第一链路的部分信息，所述第二子字段的取值为所述第二值用于指示请求所述第一链路的与关键更新相关的元素信息，所述第一链路信息与所述第一链路对应；
    所述接收端设备根据所述探测请求帧生成探测响应帧，并发送所述探测响应帧。
  3. 根据权利要求1或2所述的方法，其特征在于，所述请求元素包括普通的请求元素或扩展的请求元素中的至少一项。
  4. 根据权利要求1-3任一项所述的方法，其特征在于，所述探测请求类多链路元素还包括第二链路信息，所述第二链路信息包括第一子字段和第二子字段，在所述第一子字段的取值为所述第一值，所述第二子字段的取值为所述第二值，且所述第二链路信息包括请求元素的情况下，所述第二链路信息用于指示请求第二链路的与关键更新相关的元素信息以及所述第二链路信息中所述请求元素所请求的元素信息，所述第二链路信息与所述第二链路对应。
  5. 根据权利要求1-4任一项所述的方法，其特征在于，所述探测请求类多链路元素还包括第三链路信息，所述第三链路信息包括第一子字段和第二子字段，在所述第一子字段的取值为所述第一值，所述第二子字段的取值为所述第一值，且所述第三链路信息不包括请求元素的情况下，所述第三链路信息用于指示请求的第三链路的元素信息从所述探测请求帧的帧体中继承，所述第二子字段的取值为所述第一值用于指示不请求所述第三链路的与关键更新相关的元素信息，所述第三链路信息与所述第三链路对应。
  6. 一种基于多链路通信的探测请求方法，其特征在于，所述方法包括：
    发送端设备生成探测请求帧，所述探测请求帧包括探测请求类多链路元素，所述探测请求类多链路元素包括第一链路信息，所述第一链路信息包括第一子字段和第二子字段，在所 述第一子字段的取值为第一值，所述第二子字段的取值为第二值，所述第一链路信息包括请求元素，且所述请求元素中第一字段的取值为特殊值的情况下，所述第一链路信息用于指示请求第一链路的与关键更新相关的元素信息，所述第一子字段的取值为所述第一值用于指示请求所述第一链路的部分信息，所述第二子字段的取值为所述第二值用于指示请求所述第一链路的与关键更新相关的元素信息，所述第一链路信息与所述第一链路对应；
    所述发送端设备发送所述探测请求帧。
  7. 一种基于多链路通信的探测请求方法，其特征在于，所述方法包括：
    接收端设备接收探测请求帧，所述探测请求帧包括探测请求类多链路元素，所述探测请求类多链路元素包括第一链路信息，所述第一链路信息包括第一子字段和第二子字段，在所述第一子字段的取值为第一值，所述第二子字段的取值为第二值，所述第一链路信息包括请求元素，且所述请求元素中第一字段的取值为特殊值的情况下，所述第一链路信息用于指示请求第一链路的与关键更新相关的元素信息，所述第一子字段的取值为所述第一值用于指示请求所述第一链路的部分信息，所述第二子字段的取值为所述第二值用于指示请求所述第一链路的与关键更新相关的元素信息，所述第一链路信息与所述第一链路对应；
    所述接收端设备根据所述探测请求帧生成探测响应帧，并发送所述探测响应帧。
  8. 根据权利要求6或7所述的方法，其特征在于，所述请求元素包括普通的请求元素或扩展的请求元素中的至少一项。
  9. 根据权利要求6-8任一项所述的方法，其特征在于，所述第一字段包括长度字段、请求的元素标识字段、元素标识扩展字段或请求的元素标识扩展字段中的任一项或多项。
  10. 根据权利要求6-9任一项所述的方法，其特征在于，所述探测请求帧的帧体中包括请求元素。
  11. 一种通信装置，其特征在于，所述装置包括：
    处理单元，用于生成探测请求帧，所述探测请求帧包括探测请求类多链路元素，所述探测请求类多链路元素包括第一链路信息，所述第一链路信息包括第一子字段和第二子字段，在所述第一子字段的取值为第一值，所述第二子字段的取值为第二值，且所述探测请求帧的帧体中包括请求元素，但所述第一链路信息不包括请求元素的情况下，所述第一链路信息用于指示请求第一链路的与关键更新相关的元素信息，所述第一子字段的取值为所述第一值用于指示请求所述第一链路的部分信息，所述第二子字段的取值为所述第二值用于指示请求所述第一链路的与关键更新相关的元素信息，所述第一链路信息与所述第一链路对应；
    收发单元，用于发送所述探测请求帧。
  12. 一种通信装置，其特征在于，所述装置包括：
    收发单元，用于接收探测请求帧，所述探测请求帧包括探测请求类多链路元素，所述探测请求类多链路元素包括第一链路信息，所述第一链路信息包括第一子字段和第二子字段，在所述第一子字段的取值为第一值，所述第二子字段的取值为第二值，且所述探测请求帧的帧体中包括请求元素，但所述第一链路信息不包括请求元素的情况下，所述第一链路信息用 于指示请求第一链路的与关键更新相关的元素信息，所述第一子字段的取值为所述第一值用于指示请求所述第一链路的部分信息，所述第二子字段的取值为所述第二值用于指示请求所述第一链路的与关键更新相关的元素信息，所述第一链路信息与所述第一链路对应；
    处理单元，用于根据所述探测请求帧生成探测响应帧；
    所述收发单元，还用于发送所述探测响应帧。
  13. 根据权利要求11或12所述的装置，其特征在于，所述请求元素包括普通的请求元素或扩展的请求元素中的至少一项。
  14. 根据权利要求11-13任一项所述的装置，其特征在于，所述探测请求类多链路元素还包括第二链路信息，所述第二链路信息包括第一子字段和第二子字段，在所述第一子字段的取值为所述第一值，所述第二子字段的取值为所述第二值，且所述第二链路信息包括请求元素的情况下，所述第二链路信息用于指示请求第二链路的与关键更新相关的元素信息以及所述第二链路信息中所述请求元素所请求的元素信息，所述第二链路信息与所述第二链路对应。
  15. 根据权利要求11-14任一项所述的装置，其特征在于，所述探测请求类多链路元素还包括第三链路信息，所述第三链路信息包括第一子字段和第二子字段，在所述第一子字段的取值为所述第一值，所述第二子字段的取值为所述第一值，且所述第三链路信息不包括请求元素的情况下，所述第三链路信息用于指示请求的第三链路的元素信息从所述探测请求帧的帧体中继承，所述第二子字段的取值为所述第一值用于指示不请求所述第三链路的与关键更新相关的元素信息，所述第三链路信息与所述第三链路对应。
  16. 一种通信装置，其特征在于，所述装置包括：
    处理单元，用于生成探测请求帧，所述探测请求帧包括探测请求类多链路元素，所述探测请求类多链路元素包括第一链路信息，所述第一链路信息包括第一子字段和第二子字段，在所述第一子字段的取值为第一值，所述第二子字段的取值为第二值，所述第一链路信息包括请求元素，且所述请求元素中第一字段的取值为特殊值的情况下，所述第一链路信息用于指示请求第一链路的与关键更新相关的元素信息，所述第一子字段的取值为所述第一值用于指示请求所述第一链路的部分信息，所述第二子字段的取值为所述第二值用于指示请求所述第一链路的与关键更新相关的元素信息，所述第一链路信息与所述第一链路对应；
    收发单元，用于发送所述探测请求帧。
  17. 一种通信装置，其特征在于，所述装置包括：
    收发单元，用于接收探测请求帧，所述探测请求帧包括探测请求类多链路元素，所述探测请求类多链路元素包括第一链路信息，所述第一链路信息包括第一子字段和第二子字段，在所述第一子字段的取值为第一值，所述第二子字段的取值为第二值，所述第一链路信息包括请求元素，且所述请求元素中第一字段的取值为特殊值的情况下，所述第一链路信息用于指示请求第一链路的与关键更新相关的元素信息，所述第一子字段的取值为所述第一值用于指示请求所述第一链路的部分信息，所述第二子字段的取值为所述第二值用于指示请求所述第一链路的与关键更新相关的元素信息，所述第一链路信息与所述第一链路对应；
    处理单元，用于根据所述探测请求帧生成探测响应帧；
    所述收发单元，还用于发送所述探测响应帧。
  18. 根据权利要求16或17所述的装置，其特征在于，所述请求元素包括普通的请求元素或扩展的请求元素中的至少一项。
  19. 根据权利要求16-18任一项所述的装置，其特征在于，所述第一字段包括长度字段、请求的元素标识字段、元素标识扩展字段或请求的元素标识扩展字段中的任一项或多项。
  20. 根据权利要求16-19任一项所述的装置，其特征在于，所述探测请求帧的帧体中包括请求元素。
  21. 一种通信装置，其特征在于，包括处理器和存储器；
    所述存储器用于存储计算机指令；
    所述处理器用于执行所述计算机指令，以使权利要求1-10任一项所述的方法被执行。
  22. 一种通信装置，其特征在于，包括逻辑电路和接口，所述逻辑电路和接口耦合；
    所述逻辑电路用于按照权利要求1-10任一项所述的方法，获得处理后的数据，所述接口用于输出所述处理后的数据。
  23. 一种计算机可读存储介质，其特征在于，所述计算机可读存储介质用于存储计算机程序或指令，当所述计算机程序或指令被执行时，如权利要求1-10任一项所述的方法被执行。
  24. 一种计算机程序产品，其特征在于，所述计算机程序产品包括计算机程序或指令，当所述计算机程序或指令被执行时，如权利要求1-10任一项所述的方法被执行。
  25. 一种多链路通信系统，其特征在于，包括发送端设备和接收端设备，所述发送端设备用于执行如权利要求1、3至5任一项所述的方法，所述接收端设备用于执行如权利要求2至5任一项所述的方法；或者，所述发送端设备用于执行如权利要求6、8至10任一项所述的方法，所述接收端设备用于执行如权利要求7至10任一项所述的方法。
PCT/CN2022/098393 2021-06-15 2022-06-13 基于多链路通信的探测请求方法及装置 WO2022262675A1 (zh)

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