WO2024096416A1

WO2024096416A1 - Electronic device for wireless lan communication, and operation method thereof

Info

Publication number: WO2024096416A1
Application number: PCT/KR2023/016490
Authority: WO
Inventors: 민현기; 박원빈; 정기영; 최준수
Original assignee: 삼성전자 주식회사
Priority date: 2022-11-01
Filing date: 2023-10-23
Publication date: 2024-05-10

Abstract

Various embodiments of the present invention relate to a device and a method for wireless LAN communication in an electronic device. The electronic device may comprise a communication circuit and a processor, wherein the processor: detects at least one DL in which a DL signal quality with respect to an external electronic device satisfies a designated first reference signal quality; when a link in which a UL signal quality satisfies a designated second reference signal quality is not detected, performs a function related to improvement of UL signal qualities with respect to a plurality of links; detects at least one UL which satisfies the designated second reference signal quality, on the basis of performing of the function related to improvement of the UL signal qualities; and performs wireless LAN communication with the external electronic device on the basis of the at least one DL and the at least one UL. Other embodiments may also be possible.

Description

Electronic device for wireless LAN communication and method of operating the same

Various embodiments of the present invention relate to an electronic device for wireless LAN communication and a method of operating the same.

A wireless local area network (WLAN) system uses a designated frequency band (e.g., about 2.4 GHz band, about 5 GHz band, and/or about 6 GHz band) to connect a smartphone, tablet personal computer (tablet PC), or laptop. ) can support wireless connection of various electronic devices such as.

Wireless LAN systems can be installed not only in private spaces such as homes, but also in public spaces such as airports, train stations, offices, or department stores. A wireless LAN system can be defined in the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standard. For example, the IEEE 802.11 standard is evolving into IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11g, IEEE 802.11n, IEEE 802.11ac, IEEE 802.11ax, and IEEE 802.11be.

Electronic devices in a wireless LAN system can be connected to an access point (AP) to perform wireless LAN communication. The electronic device may have a relatively smaller number of antennas for wireless LAN communication and/or lower transmission power than the AP due to restrictions on the size and/or weight of the electronic device for movement. The quality of the UL (uplink) signal transmitted by the electronic device to the AP is affected by the quality of the DL (downlink) signal transmitted by the AP to the electronic device as the electronic device has relatively fewer antennas and/or uses lower transmission power than the AP. It may be relatively lower than the signal quality. The electronic device may fail to transmit the UL signal due to the quality of the UL signal being relatively lower than the quality of the DL signal, thereby limiting wireless LAN communication using the AP. For example, when an electronic device is located in a non-line of sight (NLOS) environment, it can receive a DL signal from the AP. However, the electronic device may fail to transmit the UL signal to the AP in an NLOS environment, thereby limiting wireless LAN communication using the AP.

Various embodiments of the present invention disclose an apparatus and method for improving the quality of a UL signal and/or a DL signal in an electronic device with an external electronic device (e.g., AP).

The technical problem to be achieved in this document is not limited to the technical problem mentioned above, and other technical problems not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description below. There will be.

According to various embodiments, an electronic device may include a communication circuit supporting wireless LAN communication, and a processor operatively connected to the communication circuit. According to one embodiment, the processor may establish a plurality of links with an external electronic device through a communication circuit. According to one embodiment, the processor may check the downlink (DL) signal quality and the uplink (UL) signal quality of each of the plurality of links. According to one embodiment, the processor may detect at least one DL that satisfies a specified first reference signal quality among a plurality of links based on the DL signal quality. According to one embodiment, the processor performs a function related to improving the UL signal quality for a plurality of links when a link that satisfies a specified second reference signal quality is not detected in the plurality of links based on the UL signal quality. It can be done. According to one embodiment, the processor may detect at least one UL among a plurality of links that satisfies a specified second reference signal quality based on performance of a function related to improving UL signal quality. According to one embodiment, the processor may perform wireless LAN communication with an external electronic device based on at least one DL and the at least one UL.

According to various embodiments, an electronic device may include a communication circuit supporting wireless LAN communication, and a processor operatively connected to the communication circuit. According to one embodiment, the processor may establish a communication link with an external electronic device through a communication circuit. According to one embodiment, the processor may check downlink (DL) signal quality and uplink (UL) signal quality. According to one embodiment, if the processor determines that DL communication with an external electronic device is possible based on the DL signal quality and determines that UL communication with an external electronic device is not possible based on the UL signal quality, the processor improves the UL signal quality. Can perform functions related to According to one embodiment, when the processor determines that UL communication with an external electronic device is possible based on performance of a function related to improving UL signal quality, the processor may perform wireless LAN communication with an external electronic device.

According to various embodiments, a method of operating an electronic device may include establishing a plurality of links for wireless LAN communication with an external electronic device. According to one embodiment, a method of operating an electronic device may include checking downlink (DL) signal quality and uplink (UL) signal quality of each of a plurality of links. According to one embodiment, a method of operating an electronic device may include detecting at least one DL that satisfies a specified first reference signal quality among a plurality of links based on DL signal quality. According to one embodiment, a method of operating an electronic device includes determining the UL signal quality for a plurality of links when a link that satisfies a second reference signal quality specified in the plurality of links is not detected based on the UL signal quality. It may include actions that perform functions related to improvement. According to one embodiment, a method of operating an electronic device includes detecting at least one UL that satisfies a specified second reference signal quality among a plurality of links based on performance of a function related to improving UL signal quality. can do. According to one embodiment, a method of operating an electronic device may include performing wireless LAN communication with an external electronic device based on at least one DL and the at least one UL.

According to various embodiments, a method of operating an electronic device may include establishing a communication link with an external electronic device based on wireless LAN communication. According to one embodiment, a method of operating an electronic device may include checking downlink (DL) signal quality and uplink (UL) signal quality. According to one embodiment, a method of operating an electronic device may include determining that DL communication with an external electronic device is possible based on DL signal quality. According to one embodiment, a method of operating an electronic device may include performing a function related to improving UL signal quality when UL communication with an external electronic device is determined to be impossible based on UL signal quality. According to one embodiment, a method of operating an electronic device includes performing wireless LAN communication with an external electronic device when UL communication with an external electronic device is determined to be possible based on performance of a function related to improving UL signal quality. It may include actions such as:

According to various embodiments, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium (or computer program product) storing one or more programs may be described. According to one embodiment, one or more programs, when executed by a processor of an electronic device, operate to establish a plurality of links for wireless LAN communication with an external electronic device and determine the DL (downlink) signal quality of each of the plurality of links. and an operation of checking UL (uplink) signal quality and detecting at least one DL that satisfies a specified first reference signal quality among the plurality of links based on the DL signal quality and based on the UL signal quality. When a link satisfying a specified second reference signal quality is not detected in the plurality of links, performing a function related to improving UL signal quality for the plurality of links and the UL among the plurality of links Detecting at least one UL that satisfies the specified second reference signal quality based on performance of a function related to improving signal quality, and the external electronic device based on the at least one DL and the at least one UL It may include commands that perform an operation to perform wireless LAN communication with.

According to various embodiments of the present invention, at least one link for DL (downlink) communication exists among a plurality of links with an external electronic device (e.g., AP (access point)) in an electronic device, but UL (uplink) communication is present. When a link does not exist, the quality of wireless LAN communication can be improved by improving the UL signal quality for each link.

According to various embodiments, when the DL signal quality and the UL signal quality of an electronic device with an external electronic device (e.g., AP) are asymmetric, the quality of wireless LAN communication can be improved by improving the UL signal quality.

The effects that can be obtained from various embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned above can be obtained from the description below as a matter of common knowledge in the technical field to which the various embodiments of the present invention belong. It will be clearly understandable to those who have it.

1 is a block diagram of an electronic device in a network environment, according to various embodiments.

Figure 2 is an example of multi-link operation (MLO) in a wireless LAN system according to various embodiments.

Figure 3 is a block diagram of an electronic device for improving UL signal quality according to various embodiments.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for improving UL signal quality in an electronic device in an MLO environment according to various embodiments.

Figure 5 is a flowchart for checking DL and UL signal quality in an NLOS environment in an electronic device according to various embodiments.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart for checking DL and UL signal quality based on the UL retransmission rate in an electronic device according to various embodiments.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart for checking DL and UL signal quality based on sounding signals in an electronic device according to various embodiments.

Figure 8 is a flowchart for checking DL and UL signal quality in an electronic device according to various embodiments.

Figure 9 is a flowchart for improving UL signal quality in an electronic device according to various embodiments.

Various embodiments are described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings.

1 is a block diagram of an electronic device 101 in a network environment 100, according to various embodiments. Referring to FIG. 1, in the network environment 100, the electronic device 101 communicates with the electronic device 102 through a first network 198 (e.g., a short-range wireless communication network) or a second network 199. It is possible to communicate with the electronic device 104 or the server 108 through (e.g., a long-distance wireless communication network). According to one embodiment, the electronic device 101 may communicate with the electronic device 104 through the server 108. According to one embodiment, the electronic device 101 includes a processor 120, a memory 130, an input module 150, an audio output module 155, a display module 160, an audio module 170, and a sensor module ( 176), interface 177, connection terminal 178, haptic module 179, camera module 180, power management module 188, battery 189, communication module 190, subscriber identification module 196 , or may include an antenna module 197. In some embodiments, at least one of these components (eg, the connection terminal 178) may be omitted or one or more other components may be added to the electronic device 101. In some embodiments, some of these components (e.g., sensor module 176, camera module 180, or antenna module 197) are integrated into one component (e.g., display module 160). It can be.

The processor 120, for example, executes software (e.g., program 140) to operate at least one other component (e.g., hardware or software component) of the electronic device 101 connected to the processor 120. It can be controlled and various data processing or operations can be performed. According to one embodiment, as at least part of data processing or computation, the processor 120 stores commands or data received from another component (e.g., sensor module 176 or communication module 190) in volatile memory 132. The commands or data stored in the volatile memory 132 can be processed, and the resulting data can be stored in the non-volatile memory 134. According to one embodiment, the processor 120 includes a main processor 121 (e.g., a central processing unit or an application processor) or an auxiliary processor 123 that can operate independently or together (e.g., a graphics processing unit, a neural network processing unit ( It may include a neural processing unit (NPU), an image signal processor, a sensor hub processor, or a communication processor). For example, if the electronic device 101 includes a main processor 121 and a secondary processor 123, the secondary processor 123 may be set to use lower power than the main processor 121 or be specialized for a designated function. You can. The auxiliary processor 123 may be implemented separately from the main processor 121 or as part of it.

The auxiliary processor 123 may, for example, act on behalf of the main processor 121 while the main processor 121 is in an inactive (e.g., sleep) state, or while the main processor 121 is in an active (e.g., application execution) state. ), together with the main processor 121, at least one of the components of the electronic device 101 (e.g., the display module 160, the sensor module 176, or the communication module 190) At least some of the functions or states related to can be controlled. According to one embodiment, coprocessor 123 (e.g., image signal processor or communication processor) may be implemented as part of another functionally related component (e.g., camera module 180 or communication module 190). there is. According to one embodiment, the auxiliary processor 123 (eg, neural network processing device) may include a hardware structure specialized for processing artificial intelligence models. Artificial intelligence models can be created through machine learning. For example, such learning may be performed in the electronic device 101 itself, where artificial intelligence is performed, or may be performed through a separate server (e.g., server 108). Learning algorithms may include, for example, supervised learning, unsupervised learning, semi-supervised learning, or reinforcement learning, but It is not limited. An artificial intelligence model may include multiple artificial neural network layers. Artificial neural networks include deep neural network (DNN), convolutional neural network (CNN), recurrent neural network (RNN), restricted boltzmann machine (RBM), belief deep network (DBN), bidirectional recurrent deep neural network (BRDNN), It may be one of deep Q-networks or a combination of two or more, but is not limited to the examples described above. In addition to hardware structures, artificial intelligence models may additionally or alternatively include software structures.

The memory 130 may store various data used by at least one component (eg, the processor 120 or the sensor module 176) of the electronic device 101. Data may include, for example, input data or output data for software (e.g., program 140) and instructions related thereto. Memory 130 may include volatile memory 132 or non-volatile memory 134.

The program 140 may be stored as software in the memory 130 and may include, for example, an operating system 142, middleware 144, or application 146.

The input module 150 may receive commands or data to be used in a component of the electronic device 101 (e.g., the processor 120) from outside the electronic device 101 (e.g., a user). The input module 150 may include, for example, a microphone, mouse, keyboard, keys (eg, buttons), or digital pen (eg, stylus pen).

The sound output module 155 may output sound signals to the outside of the electronic device 101. The sound output module 155 may include, for example, a speaker or a receiver. Speakers can be used for general purposes such as multimedia playback or recording playback. The receiver can be used to receive incoming calls. According to one embodiment, the receiver may be implemented separately from the speaker or as part of it.

The display module 160 can visually provide information to the outside of the electronic device 101 (eg, a user). The display module 160 may include, for example, a display, a hologram device, or a projector, and a control circuit for controlling the device. According to one embodiment, the display module 160 may include a touch sensor configured to detect a touch, or a pressure sensor configured to measure the intensity of force generated by the touch.

The audio module 170 can convert sound into an electrical signal or, conversely, convert an electrical signal into sound. According to one embodiment, the audio module 170 acquires sound through the input module 150, the sound output module 155, or an external electronic device (e.g., directly or wirelessly connected to the electronic device 101). Sound may be output through the electronic device 102 (e.g., speaker or headphone).

The sensor module 176 detects the operating state (e.g., power or temperature) of the electronic device 101 or the external environmental state (e.g., user state) and generates an electrical signal or data value corresponding to the detected state. can do. According to one embodiment, the sensor module 176 includes, for example, a gesture sensor, a gyro sensor, an air pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, an acceleration sensor, a grip sensor, a proximity sensor, a color sensor, an IR (infrared) sensor, a biometric sensor, It may include a temperature sensor, humidity sensor, or light sensor.

The interface 177 may support one or more designated protocols that can be used to connect the electronic device 101 directly or wirelessly with an external electronic device (eg, the electronic device 102). According to one embodiment, the interface 177 may include, for example, a high definition multimedia interface (HDMI), a universal serial bus (USB) interface, an SD card interface, or an audio interface.

The connection terminal 178 may include a connector through which the electronic device 101 can be physically connected to an external electronic device (eg, the electronic device 102). According to one embodiment, the connection terminal 178 may include, for example, an HDMI connector, a USB connector, an SD card connector, or an audio connector (eg, a headphone connector).

The haptic module 179 can convert electrical signals into mechanical stimulation (e.g., vibration or movement) or electrical stimulation that the user can perceive through tactile or kinesthetic senses. According to one embodiment, the haptic module 179 may include, for example, a motor, a piezoelectric element, or an electrical stimulation device.

The camera module 180 can capture still images and moving images. According to one embodiment, the camera module 180 may include one or more lenses, image sensors, image signal processors, or flashes.

The power management module 188 can manage power supplied to the electronic device 101. According to one embodiment, the power management module 188 may be implemented as at least a part of, for example, a power management integrated circuit (PMIC).

Battery 189 may supply power to at least one component of electronic device 101. According to one embodiment, the battery 189 may include, for example, a non-rechargeable primary battery, a rechargeable secondary battery, or a fuel cell.

Communication module 190 is configured to provide a direct (e.g., wired) communication channel or wireless communication channel between electronic device 101 and an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device 102, electronic device 104, or server 108). It can support establishment and communication through established communication channels. Communication module 190 operates independently of processor 120 (e.g., an application processor) and may include one or more communication processors that support direct (e.g., wired) communication or wireless communication. According to one embodiment, the communication module 190 may be a wireless communication module 192 (e.g., a cellular communication module, a short-range wireless communication module, or a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) communication module) or a wired communication module 194 (e.g., : LAN (local area network) communication module, or power line communication module) may be included. Among these communication modules, the corresponding communication module is a first network 198 (e.g., a short-range communication network such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi (wireless fidelity) direct, or IrDA (infrared data association)) or a second network 199 (e.g. : Can communicate with an external electronic device 104 through a long-distance communication network such as a legacy cellular network, 5G network, next-generation communication network, Internet, or computer network (e.g., LAN or WAN). These various types of communication modules may be integrated into one component (e.g., a single chip) or may be implemented as a plurality of separate components (e.g., multiple chips). The wireless communication module 192 uses subscriber information (e.g., International Mobile Subscriber Identifier (IMSI)) stored in the subscriber identification module 196 within a communication network such as the first network 198 or the second network 199. The electronic device 101 can be confirmed or authenticated.

The wireless communication module 192 may support 5G networks after 4G networks and next-generation communication technologies, for example, NR access technology (new radio access technology). NR access technology provides high-speed transmission of high-capacity data (enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB)), minimization of terminal power and access to multiple terminals (massive machine type communications (mMTC)), or ultra-reliable and low-latency (URLLC). -latency communications)) can be supported. The wireless communication module 192 may support high frequency bands (eg, mmWave bands), for example, to achieve high data rates. The wireless communication module 192 uses various technologies to secure performance in high frequency bands, for example, beamforming, massive array multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO), and full-dimensional multiplexing. It can support technologies such as input/output (FD-MIMO: full dimensional MIMO), array antenna, analog beam-forming, or large scale antenna. The wireless communication module 192 may support various requirements specified in the electronic device 101, an external electronic device (e.g., electronic device 104), or a network system (e.g., second network 199). According to one embodiment, the wireless communication module 192 supports Peak data rate (e.g., 20 Gbps or more) for realizing eMBB, loss coverage (e.g., 164 dB or less) for realizing mmTC, or U-plane latency (e.g., 164 dB or less) for realizing URLLC. Example: Downlink (DL) and uplink (UL) each of 0.5 ms or less, or round trip 1 ms or less) can be supported. According to various embodiments, subscriber identification module 196 may include a plurality of subscriber identification modules. For example, a plurality of subscriber identification modules may store different subscriber information.

The antenna module 197 may transmit or receive signals or power to or from the outside (e.g., an external electronic device). According to one embodiment, the antenna module 197 may include an antenna including a radiator made of a conductor or a conductive pattern formed on a substrate (eg, PCB). According to one embodiment, the antenna module 197 may include a plurality of antennas (eg, an array antenna). In this case, at least one antenna suitable for the communication method used in the communication network, such as the first network 198 or the second network 199, is selected from the plurality of antennas by, for example, the communication module 190. It can be. Signals or power may be transmitted or received between the communication module 190 and an external electronic device through at least one selected antenna. According to some embodiments, in addition to the radiator, other components (eg, radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC)) may be additionally formed as part of the antenna module 197.

According to various embodiments, the antenna module 197 may form a mmWave antenna module. According to one embodiment, a mmWave antenna module includes a printed circuit board, an RFIC disposed on or adjacent to a first side (e.g., bottom side) of the printed circuit board and capable of supporting a designated high-frequency band (e.g., mmWave band), and It may include a plurality of antennas (e.g., array antennas) disposed on or adjacent to the second side (e.g., top or side) of the printed circuit board and capable of transmitting or receiving signals in a designated high frequency band. .

At least some of the components are connected to each other through a communication method between peripheral devices (e.g., bus, general purpose input and output (GPIO), serial peripheral interface (SPI), or mobile industry processor interface (MIPI)) and signal ( (e.g. commands or data) can be exchanged with each other.

According to one embodiment, commands or data may be transmitted or received between the electronic device 101 and the external electronic device 104 through the server 108 connected to the second network 199. Each of the external

electronic devices

102 or 104 may be of the same or different type as the electronic device 101. According to one embodiment, all or part of the operations performed in the electronic device 101 may be executed in one or more of the external

electronic devices

102, 104, or 108. For example, when the electronic device 101 needs to perform a certain function or service automatically or in response to a request from a user or another device, the electronic device 101 may perform the function or service instead of executing the function or service on its own. Alternatively, or additionally, one or more external electronic devices may be requested to perform at least part of the function or service. One or more external electronic devices that have received the request may execute at least part of the requested function or service, or an additional function or service related to the request, and transmit the result of the execution to the electronic device 101. The electronic device 101 may process the result as is or additionally and provide it as at least part of a response to the request. For this purpose, for example, cloud computing, distributed computing, mobile edge computing (MEC), or client-server computing technology can be used. The electronic device 101 may provide an ultra-low latency service using, for example, distributed computing or mobile edge computing. In another embodiment, the external electronic device 104 may include an Internet of Things (IoT) device. Server 108 may be an intelligent server using machine learning and/or neural networks. According to one embodiment, the external electronic device 104 or server 108 may be included in the second network 199. The electronic device 101 may be applied to intelligent services (e.g., smart home, smart city, smart car, or healthcare) based on 5G communication technology and IoT-related technology.

Electronic devices according to various embodiments disclosed in this document may be of various types. Electronic devices may include, for example, portable communication devices (e.g., smartphones), computer devices, portable multimedia devices, portable medical devices, cameras, wearable devices, or home appliances. Electronic devices according to embodiments of this document are not limited to the above-described devices.

The various embodiments of this document and the terms used herein are not intended to limit the technical features described in this document to specific embodiments, but should be understood to include various changes, equivalents, or replacements of the embodiments. In connection with the description of the drawings, similar reference numbers may be used for similar or related components. The singular form of a noun corresponding to an item may include one or more of the items, unless the relevant context clearly indicates otherwise. As used herein, “A or B”, “at least one of A and B”, “at least one of A or B”, “A, B or C”, “at least one of A, B and C”, and “A Each of phrases such as “at least one of , B, or C” may include any one of the items listed together in the corresponding phrase, or any possible combination thereof. Terms such as "first", "second", or "first" or "second" may be used simply to distinguish one component from another, and to refer to those components in other respects (e.g., importance or order) is not limited. One (e.g., first) component is said to be “coupled” or “connected” to another (e.g., second) component, with or without the terms “functionally” or “communicatively.” Where mentioned, it means that any of the components can be connected to the other components directly (e.g. wired), wirelessly, or through a third component.

As used in various embodiments of this document, the term "module" may include a unit implemented in hardware, software, or firmware, and may be interchangeable with terms such as logic, logic block, component, or circuit, for example. can be used A module may be an integrated part or a minimum unit of the parts or a part thereof that performs one or more functions. For example, according to one embodiment, the module may be implemented in the form of an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

Various embodiments of the present document are one or more instructions stored in a storage medium (e.g., built-in memory 136 or external memory 138) that can be read by a machine (e.g., electronic device 101). It may be implemented as software (e.g., program 140) including these. For example, a processor (e.g., processor 120) of a device (e.g., electronic device 101) may call at least one command among one or more commands stored from a storage medium and execute it. This allows the device to be operated to perform at least one function according to the at least one instruction called. The one or more instructions may include code generated by a compiler or code that can be executed by an interpreter. A storage medium that can be read by a device may be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. Here, 'non-transitory' only means that the storage medium is a tangible device and does not contain signals (e.g. electromagnetic waves). This term refers to cases where data is stored semi-permanently in the storage medium. There is no distinction between temporary storage cases.

According to one embodiment, methods according to various embodiments disclosed in this document may be provided and included in a computer program product. Computer program products are commodities and can be traded between sellers and buyers. The computer program product may be distributed in the form of a machine-readable storage medium (e.g. compact disc read only memory (CD-ROM)) or via an application store (e.g. Play Store ^TM ) or on two user devices (e.g. It can be distributed (e.g. downloaded or uploaded) directly between smart phones) or online. In the case of online distribution, at least a portion of the computer program product may be at least temporarily stored or temporarily created in a machine-readable storage medium, such as the memory of a manufacturer's server, an application store server, or a relay server.

According to various embodiments, each component (e.g., module or program) of the above-described components may include a single or plural entity, and some of the plurality of entities may be separately arranged in other components. . According to various embodiments, one or more of the components or operations described above may be omitted, or one or more other components or operations may be added. Alternatively or additionally, multiple components (eg, modules or programs) may be integrated into a single component. In this case, the integrated component may perform one or more functions of each component of the plurality of components identically or similarly to those performed by the corresponding component of the plurality of components prior to the integration. . According to various embodiments, operations performed by a module, program, or other component may be executed sequentially, in parallel, iteratively, or heuristically, or one or more of the operations may be executed in a different order, omitted, or , or one or more other operations may be added.

Figure 2 is an example of multi-link operation (MLO) in a wireless LAN system according to various embodiments. As an example, the electronic device 101 of FIG. 2 may be at least partially similar to the electronic device 101 of FIG. 1 or may include another embodiment of the electronic device.

According to various embodiments referring to FIG. 2, the wireless LAN system 200 may include an electronic device 101 and/or an external electronic device 220 (eg, the electronic device 102 of FIG. 1). According to one embodiment, the electronic device 101 may perform wireless LAN communication with the external electronic device 220. For example, wireless LAN communication is a communication method defined in the IEEE 802.11 standard and may include Wi-Fi. For example, the external electronic device 220 may function as a base station that provides wireless LAN communication to at least one electronic device 101 located within the communication radius of the wireless LAN system 200. For example, the external electronic device 220 may include an IEEE 802.11 access point (AP). As an example, the external electronic device 220 may have a plurality of links corresponding to a plurality of links (e.g., a first link 231, a second link 232, and/or a third link 233) with the electronic device 101. may include APs (e.g., AP 1 (221), AP 2 (222), and/or AP 3 (223)). For example, the electronic device 101 may include an IEEE 802.11 station (STA). As an example, the electronic device 101 may have a plurality of links corresponding to a plurality of links (e.g., the first link 231, the second link 232, and/or the third link 233) with the external electronic device 220. may include STAs (e.g., STA 1 (211), STA 2 (212), and/or STA 3 (213)).

According to various embodiments, the electronic device 101 and the external electronic device 220 may support multi-link operation (MLO). MLO includes a communication method of transmitting and/or receiving data (or packets) through a plurality of links (e.g., first link 231, second link 232, and/or third link 233). can do. For example, multiple links for MLO may include different media access control (MAC) addresses. As an example, a plurality of STAs (e.g., STA 1 (211), STA 2 (212), and/or STA 3 (213)) included in the electronic device 101 may include different MAC addresses. For example, the electronic device 101 and the external electronic device 220 may perform wireless LAN communication using one Internet protocol (IP) address.

According to various embodiments, when the electronic device 101 supports MLO, the electronic device 101 connects to the outside through each link (e.g., the first link 231, the second link 232, and/or the third link 233). Wireless LAN communication can be performed with the electronic device 220. According to one embodiment, the electronic device 101 (e.g., STA 1 211) may transmit and/or receive data (or packets) with the external electronic device 220 through the first link 231. . For example, data may be transmitted and/or received through a frequency band or channel corresponding to the first link 231. According to one embodiment, the electronic device 101 (e.g., STA 2 212) may transmit and/or receive data with the external electronic device 220 through the second link 232. For example, data may be transmitted and/or received over a frequency band or channel corresponding to second link 232. According to one embodiment, the electronic device 101 (e.g., STA 3 213) may transmit and/or receive data with the external electronic device 220 through the third link 233. For example, data may be transmitted and/or received over a frequency band or channel corresponding to third link 233.

According to various embodiments, when the external electronic device 220 supports MLO, the external electronic device 220 is connected through each link (e.g., the first link 231, the second link 232, and/or the third link 233). Wireless LAN communication can be performed with the electronic device 101. According to one embodiment, the external electronic device 220 (e.g., AP 1 221) may transmit and/or receive data (or packets) with the electronic device 101 through the first link 231. . According to one embodiment, the external electronic device 220 (eg, AP 2 222) may transmit and/or receive data with the electronic device 101 through the second link 232. According to one embodiment, the external electronic device 220 (eg, AP 3 223) may transmit and/or receive data with the electronic device 101 through the third link 233.

According to various embodiments, the frequency bands (or channels) of the first link 231, the second link 232, and the third link 233 may be set differently. For example, the first link 231 may support a band of about 2.4 GHz, the second link 232 may support a band of about 5 GHz, and the third link 233 may support a band of about 6 GHz.

According to various embodiments, the first link 231, the second link 232, and/or the third link 233 may also use external devices other than the electronic device 101. For example, the external device may include other electronic devices that support wireless LAN communication, excluding the electronic device 101 and the external electronic device 220. According to one embodiment, the electronic device 101 supports a carrier sense multiple access with collision avoidance (CSMA/CA) method to prevent the electronic device 101 and an external device from interfering with each other by using the same link at the same time. You can. For example, if the electronic device 101 supports CSMA/CA, the electronic device 101 can connect to an external device through a specific link (e.g., the first link 231, the second link 232, and/or the third link 233). You can check whether data is being transmitted. If the electronic device 101 determines that an external device is transmitting data through a specific link, it may restrict the transmission of data through the specific link. For example, if the electronic device 101 determines that the external device is not transmitting data through a specific link, it may transmit data through the specific link according to a designated method. As an example, the designated method may include clear channel assessment (CCA). For example, the first link 231, the second link 232, and/or the third link 233 may independently support CSMA/CA.

Figure 3 is a block diagram of an electronic device for improving UL signal quality according to various embodiments. According to one embodiment, the electronic device 101 of FIG. 3 may be at least partially similar to the electronic device 101 of FIG. 1 or 2 or may include another embodiment of the electronic device.

According to various embodiments referring to FIG. 3 , the electronic device 101 may include a processor 300 (eg, including a processing circuit), a communication circuit 310, and/or a memory 320. According to one embodiment, the processor 300 may be substantially the same as the processor 120 (eg, an application processor) of FIG. 1 or may be included in the processor 120. The communication circuit 310 may be substantially the same as the wireless communication module 192 of FIG. 1 or may be included in the wireless communication module 192. The memory 320 may be substantially the same as the memory 130 of FIG. 1 or may be included in the memory 130. According to one embodiment, the processor 300 may be operatively, functionally, and/or electrically connected to the communication circuit 310 and/or the memory 320.

According to various embodiments, the processor 300 connects an external electronic device (e.g., the external electronic device 220 of FIG. 2) and a plurality of links (e.g., the first link 231 and the second link 232 of FIG. 2). ) and/or the communication circuit 310 can be controlled to set up the third link 233). According to one embodiment, the processor 300 may control the communication circuit 310 to establish a plurality of links with the external electronic device 220 through at least one link. For example, the processor 300 may transmit an external electronic device ( 220), information related to the MLO can be obtained. As an example, the information related to MLO is not only the first frequency band (or first link 231) in which the beacon or probe response frame is received, but also the second frequency band (or first link 231) supportable for MLO in the external electronic device 220. It may include information related to the second link 232) and/or the third frequency band (or the third link 233). As an example, information related to a frequency band (or link) may include variables related to the basic service set identifier (BSSID) and/or MLO of each frequency band (or link). For example, the processor 300 sends an association request frame related to a plurality of links to the external electronic device 220 through at least one link based on information related to the MLO of the external electronic device 220. The communication circuit 310 can be controlled to transmit. As an example, the cooperation request frame is information related to the establishment of the first link 231, the second link 232, and/or the third link 233, and includes the capabilities and/or operational variables of each link. It may contain information related to parameters. For example, when the processor 300 obtains information related to acceptance from the external electronic device 220 in response to a negotiation request frame, it determines that a plurality of links with the external electronic device 220 are established. can do. For example, when the processor 300 obtains information related to a rejection related to at least one link among the plurality of links from the external electronic device 220 in response to the negotiation request frame, the external electronic device ( 220) and it may be determined that establishment of at least one link corresponding to information related to rejection among the plurality of links has failed. For example, at least one link corresponding to information related to rejection may be excluded from establishing a link with the external electronic device 220.

According to one embodiment, the processor 300 selects at least some frequency bands (e.g., at least two frequency bands) among a plurality of frequency bands that can be supported for MLO in the electronic device 101 and/or the external electronic device 220. The communication circuit 310 can be controlled to establish links corresponding to the . For example, the number of links corresponding to at least some frequency bands may be set based on the number of links that can be operated simultaneously in the electronic device 101 and/or the external electronic device 220.

According to various embodiments, the processor 300 may check downlink (DL) signal quality and uplink (UL) signal quality for each of a plurality of links with the external electronic device 220. According to one embodiment, the processor 300 may check channel state information (CSI) of each link based on signals received through each of a plurality of links with the external electronic device 220.

According to one embodiment, when the processor 300 determines that the electronic device 101 is located in a non-line of sight (NLOS) environment from the external electronic device 220 based on the channel state information of each link, You can check the DL signal quality and UL signal quality for each link.

According to one embodiment, when the processor 300 determines that the electronic device 101 is located in an NLOS environment based on channel state information of at least one link among a plurality of links, the processor 300 determines the DL signal quality for each link. and UL signal quality can be checked. For example, the processor 300 allows the electronic device 101 to operate in an NLOS environment based on at least one of the standard deviation, skewness, kurtosis, or Rician k factor of the channel state information. You can determine whether it is located or not. For example, channel state information may be obtained through channel estimation based on a long training field (LTF) included in a beacon or data preamble received from the external electronic device 220.

According to one embodiment, the processor 300 may check the UL retransmission rate and/or the number of UL failures for each link. For example, when the processor 300 determines that the UL retransmission rate for each link satisfies a specified signal quality confirmation condition, the processor 300 may check the DL signal quality and UL signal quality for each link. For example, if the processor 300 determines that the UL retransmission rate of at least one link among the plurality of links satisfies the specified signal quality confirmation condition, the processor 300 checks the DL signal quality and UL signal quality for each link. You can. For example, the UL retransmission rate may be confirmed based on the number of times the electronic device 101 transmits data to the external electronic device 220, the number of retransmissions of data, and the number of times the data transmission and/or retransmission fails during a specified time interval. You can. As an example, the number of UL failures is the number of times the electronic device 101 fails to transmit and/or retransmit data, and is a signal related to completion (or success) of receiving data transmitted and/or retransmitted to the external electronic device 220. (e.g., ACK (acknowledgement) signal) may include the number of times the signal was not acknowledged. For example, a state that satisfies the specified signal quality check conditions is a state in which the UL retransmission rate exceeds the specified standard retransmission rate and/or the number of UL failures exceeds the specified standard failure number, and the UL signal quality is determined to be relatively low. It may include the state of being. For example, a state in which the specified signal quality check conditions are not satisfied is a state in which the UL retransmission rate is less than or equal to the specified standard retransmission rate and/or the number of UL failures is less than or equal to the specified standard failure number, which is a state in which the UL signal quality is judged to be relatively high. It can be included.

According to one embodiment, the processor 300 may check the DL signal quality of each link. For example, when the processor 300 determines that the DL signal quality for each link satisfies specified signal quality confirmation conditions, the processor 300 may check the UL signal quality for each link. For example, when the processor 300 determines that the DL signal quality of at least one link among a plurality of links satisfies a specified signal quality confirmation condition, the processor 300 may check the UL signal quality for each link. For example, DL signal quality may be confirmed (or estimated) based on a signal received from the external electronic device 220. For example, a state that satisfies the specified signal quality confirmation conditions may include a state in which the DL signal quality is below the specified standard quality and a state in which the DL signal quality is determined to be relatively low. For example, a state in which the specified signal quality confirmation condition is not satisfied may include a state in which the DL signal quality exceeds the specified reference quality and a state in which the DL signal quality is determined to be relatively high.

According to one embodiment, when the transmission period of the sounding signal (or reference signal) of the electronic device 101 arrives, the processor 300 may check the DL signal quality and UL signal quality for each link. As an example, the sounding signal may include a reference signal transmitted by the electronic device 101 to check UL signal quality.

According to one embodiment, the processor 300 may check (or estimate) the DL signal quality of each link based on the signal received from the external electronic device 220. For example, the DL signal quality of each link includes information related to the standard of wireless LAN communication (e.g. Wi-Fi) (e.g. standard type), the number of spatial streams allowed by the external electronic device 220 , information related to the transmission power of the external electronic device 220, the number of spatial streams allowed by the electronic device 101, received signal strength (e.g., received signal strength indicator (RSSI)), signal to noise ratio (SNR), It may include at least one of link reception speed (e.g. link speed), channel utilization, CCA (clear channel assessment) busy time, or wireless communication active time (radio on time). For example, the number of spatial streams allowed by the external electronic device 220 may be set based on the antenna (or number of antennas) provided by the external electronic device 220. For example, information related to the transmission power of the external electronic device 220 is obtained from the external electronic device 220 through a beacon frame and may include transmit power control (TPC). For example, the number of spatial streams allowed by the electronic device 101 may be set based on the antenna (or number of antennas) provided by the electronic device 101. For example, the DL signal quality of each link may include the DL throughput of each link estimated based on the DL data rate, as shown in Equation 1 below.

For example, ET _DL,i may represent the throughput rate of the DL of the ith link, DR _DL,i may represent the data rate of the DL of the ith link, and CU _i may represent the channel utilization rate of the ith link. As an example, channel utilization can be replaced by the CCA busy time and the ratio of the time when wireless communication is active (radio on time) to measure CCA.

For example, the data rate of DL can be confirmed (or estimated) based on the SNR of each link, as shown in Equation 2 below.

For example, datarate represents the data rate of the link, SNR _tone represents the SNR of the subcarriers included in the link, MaxBitsPerSc is the maximum number of bits that can be sent on each subcarrier and is set based on the MCS (modulation and coding scheme) level, NSS _max represents the number of spatial streams, N _tone represents the number of subcarriers, and DSYM _DUR may represent the symbol duration.

According to one embodiment, the processor 300 determines the UL signal quality of each link based on a UL signal, such as a sounding signal, domain name system (DNS) query, or hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) request. It can be confirmed (or estimated). For example, the UL signal quality of each link may include the UL throughput of each link estimated based on the UL data rate, as shown in Equation 3 below.

For example, ET _UL,i may represent the uplink throughput of the ith link, DR _UL,i may represent the uplink data rate of the ith link, and CU _i may represent the channel utilization rate of the ith link. As an example, channel utilization can be replaced by the CCA busy time and the ratio of the time when wireless communication is active (radio on time) to measure CCA.

According to one embodiment, the processor 300 controls DL signal quality and You can check the UL signal quality. For example, the processor 300 may check the DL signal quality and UL signal quality of each of a plurality of links established with the external electronic device 220. For example, the processor 300 may additionally establish at least one link through negotiation (or renegotiation) with the external electronic device 220. The processor 300 may additionally check the DL signal quality and UL signal quality for at least one established link.

According to various embodiments, the processor 300 may check whether at least one first effective link in the DL exists among the plurality of links based on the DL signal quality of the plurality of links with the external electronic device 220. According to one embodiment, the processor 300 includes a plurality of links established with the external electronic device 220 and at least one link that is not established with the external electronic device 220 but can be additionally established (e.g., an additionally established link). It can be confirmed whether at least one first valid link among at least one link exists. As an example, the first effective link may include a link whose DL throughput exceeds a specified first reference throughput rate among a plurality of links.

According to various embodiments, the processor 300 may determine whether at least one second effective link in the UL exists among the plurality of links based on the UL signal quality of the plurality of links with the external electronic device 220. According to one embodiment, the processor 300 includes a plurality of links established with the external electronic device 220 and at least one link that is not established with the external electronic device 220 but can be additionally established (e.g., an additionally established link). It is possible to check whether at least one second valid link exists among at least one link. As an example, the second effective link may include a link whose UL throughput exceeds a specified second reference throughput among a plurality of links.

According to various embodiments, when at least one first effective link in the DL and at least one second effective link in the UL exist among the plurality of links with the external electronic device 220, at least The communication circuit 310 may be controlled to perform wireless LAN communication with the external electronic device 220 through one first effective link and at least one second effective link. According to one embodiment, the processor 300 connects at least one first effective link and at least one second link through traffic identifier (TID) link mapping (e.g., TID to link mapping) or power management (e.g., power management). Communication circuitry 310 can be controlled to activate a valid link. For example, the processor 300 may control the communication circuit 310 to allocate a TID to be used in at least one first effective link and/or at least one second effective link through TID link mapping. As an example, allocation of a TID may include a series of operations of negotiating with the external electronic device 220 a TID to be used in at least one first effective link and/or at least one second effective link. For example, the processor 300 may control the communication circuit 310 to activate at least one first effective link and/or at least one second effective link through power management. As an example, power management for activating a link involves setting the PM (power management) bit of the “Null data frame” to a first value (e.g., ‘0’) and transmitting it to the external electronic device 220. It can be included.

According to one embodiment, the processor 300 selects at least one first inactive link in the DL and/or at least one first inactive link in the UL among a plurality of links with the external electronic device 220 through TID link mapping or power management. Communication circuitry 310 may be controlled to deactivate the second inactive link. As an example, the first inactive link may include the remaining DLs excluding at least one first active link among the plurality of links with the external electronic device 220. As an example, the second inactive link may include the remaining ULs excluding at least one second active link among the plurality of links with the external electronic device 220. For example, processor 300 may control communication circuitry 310 to limit the allocation of TIDs for use on at least one first inactive link and/or at least one second inactive link, through TID link mapping. . As an example, limiting the allocation of TIDs may include a series of operations that unmap TIDs assigned to at least one first inactive link and/or at least one second inactive link. For example, the processor 300 may control the communication circuit 310 to deactivate at least one first inactive link and/or at least one second inactive link through power management. As an example, power management for deactivating a link may include a series of operations in which the PM bit of the “Null data frame” is set to a second value (e.g., ‘1’) and transmitted to the external electronic device 220. .

According to various embodiments, when the first valid link among the plurality of links with the external electronic device 220 does not exist, the processor 300 performs movement (e.g., roaming) to another external electronic device. The communication circuit 310 can be controlled to do so. According to one embodiment, when the first valid link among the plurality of links with the external electronic device 220 does not exist, the processor 300 scans to detect another external electronic device (e.g. : You can check whether another AP) exists. According to one embodiment, the processor 300 may control the communication circuit 310 to establish a communication link with another external electronic device that the electronic device 101 can connect to. The processor 300 may control the communication circuit 310 to perform wireless LAN communication through a communication link with another external electronic device. According to one embodiment, the processor 300 may control a separate communication circuit to access the cellular network when there is no other external electronic device that the electronic device 101 can connect to. For example, the separate communication circuit is a communication circuit that is different from the communication circuit 310 that supports wireless LAN communication and may support cellular communication of the electronic device 101.

According to various embodiments, the processor 300 improves the signal quality of the UL when at least one first effective link exists among the plurality of links with the external electronic device 220 but the second effective link does not exist. The communication circuit 310 can be controlled to perform the functions for. For example, functions to improve the signal quality of UL include applying dual carrier modulation (DCM) to UL, using extended range physical protocol data unit (PPDU), and multi-link (ML) duplication. It may include at least one of use of a mode, expansion of a guard interval (GI), or use of a diversity mode. For example, GI expansion uses a relatively long GI among GIs of different lengths defined in the wireless LAN standard to protect symbols (e.g., orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols) from inter symbol interference (ISI). It may include a series of actions. As an example, use of an extended range PPDU may include a series of operations in which the preamble extends the transmission distance by repeatedly using a specific field among the fields included in the packet's preamble or amplifying it to a certain value (e.g., about 3 dB). You can. For example, when OFDM modulation is used, application of DCM may include a series of operations for transmitting one piece of data through two subcarriers separated from each other. As an example, use of the ML redundancy mode may include a series of operations for transmitting the same data through at least two links among a plurality of links of an external electronic device.

According to one embodiment, the processor 300 may determine whether at least one second valid link exists based on application of a function for improving UL signal quality. For example, when at least one second valid link is detected based on application of a function for improving UL signal quality, the processor 300 configures at least one first valid link and at least one second valid link. The communication circuit 310 can be controlled to perform wireless LAN communication with the external electronic device 220. For example, if at least one second valid link is not detected, the processor 300 may control the communication circuit 310 to perform movement (eg, roaming) to another external electronic device.

According to various embodiments, the processor 300 processes a DL signal of a single link (e.g., the first link 231, the second link 232, or the third link 233 in FIG. 2) with the external electronic device 220. You can check the quality and UL signal quality. According to one embodiment, the processor 300 may check channel state information (CSI) based on a signal received from the external electronic device 220. According to one embodiment, the processor 300 may check the DL signal quality and UL signal quality when the electronic device 101 is determined to be located in an NLOS environment from the external electronic device 220 based on the channel state information. . According to one embodiment, the processor 300 may check the DL signal quality and the UL signal quality when it is determined that the UL retransmission rate and/or the number of UL failures satisfies specified signal quality confirmation conditions. According to one embodiment, the processor 300 may check the UL signal quality when it is determined that the DL signal quality satisfies specified signal quality confirmation conditions. According to one embodiment, the processor 300 may check the DL signal quality and UL signal quality when the transmission period of the sounding signal arrives.

According to various embodiments, when the processor 300 determines that DL communication with the external electronic device 220 is possible based on DL signal quality and UL communication with the external electronic device 220 is possible based on UL signal quality. , the communication circuit 310 can be controlled to perform wireless LAN communication with the external electronic device 220. For example, a state in which DL communication is possible may include a state in which the DL throughput rate exceeds a designated first reference throughput rate. For example, a state in which UL communication is possible may include a state in which the UL processing rate exceeds a specified second reference processing rate.

According to various embodiments, when the processor 300 determines that DL communication with the external electronic device 220 is impossible based on the DL signal quality, it moves to another external electronic device (e.g., roaming). The communication circuit 310 can be controlled to perform. According to one embodiment, when the electronic device 101 detects another connectable external electronic device through scanning, the processor 300 controls the communication circuit 310 to establish a communication link with the other external electronic device. You can. According to one embodiment, the processor 300 may control a separate communication circuit to access the cellular network when there is no other external electronic device that the electronic device 101 can connect to.

According to various embodiments, the processor 300 is capable of DL communication with the external electronic device 220 based on DL signal quality, but UL communication with the external electronic device 220 is not possible based on UL signal quality. If determined, the communication circuit 310 can be controlled to perform a function to improve UL signal quality. For example, a function for improving signal quality in the UL may include at least one of applying DCM to the UL, using an extended range PPDU, expanding GI, or using diversity mode.

According to one embodiment, when the processor 300 determines that UL communication with the external electronic device 220 is possible based on the application of a function for improving the signal quality of the UL, the processor 300 establishes a wireless LAN connection with the external electronic device 220. The communication circuit 310 can be controlled to perform communication. According to one embodiment, when the processor 300 determines that UL communication with the external electronic device 220 is impossible, it controls the communication circuit 310 to perform movement (e.g., roaming) to another external electronic device. can do.

According to various embodiments, the communication circuit 310 may transmit and/or receive data (or packets) with at least one external electronic device (e.g., the external electronic device 220 of FIG. 2) through wireless LAN communication. there is.

According to various embodiments, the memory 320 may store various data used by at least one component of the electronic device 101 (eg, the processor 300 and/or the communication circuit 310). As an example, the data may include data related to confirmation of the signal quality of the DL and/or UL, information related to a method for checking the signal quality of the DL and/or UL, and/or information related to functions for improving the signal quality of the UL. It can be included. According to one embodiment, the memory 320 may store various instructions that can be executed through the processor 300.

According to various embodiments, the electronic device 101 may check the downlink (DL) signal quality and the uplink (UL) signal quality for each of a plurality of links with the external electronic device 220 through the communication circuit 310. there is.

According to various embodiments, an electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 101 of FIG. 1, FIG. 2, or FIG. 3) includes a communication circuit (the wireless communication module 192 of FIG. 1 or the wireless LAN communication module 192 of FIG. 3) that supports wireless LAN communication. It may include a communication circuit 310) and a processor operatively connected to the communication circuit (eg, the processor 120 of FIG. 1 or the processor 300 of FIG. 3). According to one embodiment, the processor connects an external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 102 of FIG. 1 or the external electronic device 220 of FIG. 2) and a plurality of links (e.g., the electronic device 220 of FIG. 2) through a communication circuit. A first link (231), a second link (232) and/or a third link (233) may be established. According to one embodiment, the processor may check the downlink (DL) signal quality and the uplink (UL) signal quality of each of the plurality of links. According to one embodiment, the processor may detect at least one DL that satisfies a specified first reference signal quality among a plurality of links based on the DL signal quality. According to one embodiment, the processor performs a function related to improving the UL signal quality for a plurality of links when a link that satisfies a specified second reference signal quality is not detected in the plurality of links based on the UL signal quality. It can be done. According to one embodiment, the processor may detect at least one UL among a plurality of links that satisfies a specified second reference signal quality based on performance of a function related to improving UL signal quality. According to one embodiment, the processor may perform wireless LAN communication with an external electronic device based on at least one DL and the at least one UL.

According to various embodiments, when a link that satisfies a specified first reference signal quality is not detected in a plurality of links based on DL signal quality, the processor connects to another external electronic device or switches to a cellular network. It can be done.

According to various embodiments, when a link satisfying a specified second reference signal quality is not detected in a plurality of links based on the UL signal quality after performing a function related to improving UL signal quality, the processor detects another external electronic signal quality. You can connect to the device or switch to a cellular network.

According to various embodiments, the processor allocates at least one TID to at least one DL and at least one UL through TID link mapping (e.g., TID to link mapping), and at least one TID to which at least one TID is assigned. Wireless LAN communication with the external electronic device may be performed based on the DL and at least one UL.

According to various embodiments, the processor switches the DL function of at least one remaining DL except for at least one DL among the plurality of links to a deactivated state through TID link mapping, and switches the DL function of the plurality of links to a deactivated state through TID link mapping. The UL function of at least one remaining UL excluding at least one UL among the ULs may be switched to an inactive state.

According to various embodiments, when a non-line of sight (NLOS) detection condition is satisfied based on channel state information of at least one link among a plurality of links, the processor determines the DL signal quality and quality of each of the plurality of links. You can check the UL signal quality.

According to various embodiments, the processor determines the DL signal quality of each of the plurality of links when the UL retransmission rate and/or the UL failure number of at least one link among the plurality of links satisfies a specified signal quality check condition. and UL signal quality can be checked.

According to various embodiments, the processor checks the DL signal quality of each of the plurality of links, and when the DL signal quality of at least one link among the plurality of links satisfies a specified signal quality confirmation condition, the processor determines the DL signal quality of each of the plurality of links. You can check the quality of each UL signal.

According to various embodiments, an electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 101 of FIG. 1, 2, or 3) includes a communication circuit (the wireless communication module 192 of FIG. 1 or the wireless LAN communication module 192 of FIG. 3) that supports wireless LAN communication. It may include a communication circuit 310) and a processor operatively connected to the communication circuit (eg, the processor 120 of FIG. 1 or the processor 300 of FIG. 3). According to one embodiment, the processor establishes a communication link (e.g., the first link in FIG. 2) with an external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 102 in FIG. 1 or the external electronic device 220 in FIG. 2) through a communication circuit. (231), a second link (232) or a third link (233)) may be established. According to one embodiment, the processor may check downlink (DL) signal quality and uplink (UL) signal quality. According to one embodiment, if the processor determines that DL communication with an external electronic device is possible based on the DL signal quality and determines that UL communication with an external electronic device is not possible based on the UL signal quality, the processor improves the UL signal quality. Can perform functions related to According to one embodiment, when the processor determines that UL communication with an external electronic device is possible based on performance of a function related to improving UL signal quality, the processor may perform wireless LAN communication with an external electronic device.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart 400 for improving UL signal quality in an electronic device in an MLO environment according to various embodiments. In the following embodiments, each operation may be performed sequentially, but is not necessarily performed sequentially. For example, the order of each operation may be changed, and at least two operations may be performed in parallel. As an example, the electronic device in FIG. 4 may be the electronic device 101 in FIG. 1 , FIG. 2 , or FIG. 3 .

According to various embodiments referring to FIG. 4, an electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 101 of FIG. 1, FIG. 2, or FIG. 3) or a processor (e.g., the processor 120 of FIG. 1 or the processor 300 of FIG. 3) )), in operation 401, connects an external electronic device (e.g., the external electronic device 220 of FIG. 2) and a plurality of links (e.g., the first link 231, the second link 232 of FIG. 2, and/or A third link (233) can be set up. According to one embodiment, the processor 300 may establish a plurality of links with the external electronic device 220 through at least one frequency band (or link) among the plurality of frequency bands supported by the electronic device 101. there is. For example, the processor 300 may receive a beacon or probe response (for example, a first frequency band (or first link 231)) from the external electronic device 220 through at least one frequency band ( probe response) frame, links supportable for MLO in the external electronic device 220 (e.g., a first frequency band (or first link 231), a second frequency band (or second link 232), and /Or information related to the third frequency band (or third link 233) may be obtained. As an example, information related to a link (or frequency band) may include variables related to the BSSID and/or MLO of each link (or frequency band). According to one embodiment, the processor 300 sends an association request frame related to a plurality of links through at least one of the links supportable for MLO in the external electronic device 220 to the external electronic device (220). The wireless LAN communication circuit 310 can be controlled to transmit to 220). As an example, the cooperation request frame is information related to the establishment of the first link 231, the second link 232, and/or the third link 233, and includes the capabilities and/or operational variables of each link. It may contain information related to parameters. For example, when the processor 300 obtains information related to acceptance from the external electronic device 220 in response to a negotiation request frame, it determines that a plurality of links with the external electronic device 220 are established. can do. For example, when the processor 300 obtains information related to a rejection related to at least one link among the plurality of links from the external electronic device 220 in response to the negotiation request frame, the external electronic device ( 220) and it may be determined that establishment of at least one link corresponding to information related to rejection among the plurality of links has failed.

According to one embodiment, the processor 300 selects at least some frequency bands (e.g., at least two frequency bands) among a plurality of frequency bands that can be supported for MLO in the electronic device 101 and/or the external electronic device 220. The communication circuit 310 can be controlled to establish links corresponding to . For example, the number of links corresponding to at least some frequency bands may be set based on the number of links that can be operated simultaneously in the electronic device 101 and/or the external electronic device 220.

According to various embodiments, an electronic device (e.g., electronic device 101) or a processor (e.g., processor 120 or 300) performs DL (DL) for each of a plurality of links with the external electronic device 220 in operation 403. You can check downlink) signal quality and UL (uplink) signal quality. According to one embodiment, the processor 300 determines that the electronic device 101 is located in an NLOS environment from the external electronic device 220 based on the channel state information (CSI) of each of the plurality of links with the external electronic device 220. If it is determined that it is, the DL signal quality and UL signal quality for each link can be confirmed. According to one embodiment, when the processor 300 determines that the UL retransmission rate and/or the number of UL failures of at least one link among the plurality of links with the external electronic device 220 satisfies specified signal quality check conditions. , you can check the DL signal quality and UL signal quality for each link. According to one embodiment, when the processor 300 determines that the DL signal quality of at least one link among the plurality of links with the external electronic device 220 satisfies the specified signal quality confirmation condition, the processor 300 determines the UL signal quality for each link. You can check the signal quality. According to one embodiment, the processor 300 may check the DL signal quality and UL signal quality for each link when the transmission period of the sounding signal arrives.

According to one embodiment, the processor 300 may check (or estimate) the DL signal quality of each link based on the signal received from the external electronic device 220. For example, the DL signal quality of each link includes information related to the standard of wireless LAN communication (e.g. Wi-Fi) (e.g. standard type), the number of spatial streams allowed by the external electronic device 220 , information related to the transmission power of the external electronic device 220, the number of spatial streams allowed by the electronic device 101, received signal strength (e.g., received signal strength indicator (RSSI)), signal to noise ratio (SNR), It may include at least one of link reception speed (e.g. link speed), channel utilization, CCA (clear channel assessment) busy time, or wireless communication active time (radio on time). For example, the number of spatial streams allowed by the external electronic device 220 may be set based on the antenna (or number of antennas) provided by the external electronic device 220. For example, information related to the transmission power of the external electronic device 220 is obtained from the external electronic device 220 through a beacon frame and may include transmit power control (TPC). For example, the DL signal quality of each link may include the DL throughput of each link estimated based on the DL data rate, as shown in Equation 1.

According to one embodiment, when there is no traffic, the processor 300 connects each link based on a UL signal, such as a sounding signal, a domain name system (DNS) query, or a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) request. You can check (or estimate) the UL signal quality. For example, the UL signal quality of each link may include the UL throughput of each link estimated based on the UL data rate, as shown in Equation 3.

According to various embodiments, an electronic device (e.g., electronic device 101) or a processor (e.g., processor 120 or 300) performs DL signal quality of a plurality of links with the external electronic device 220 in operation 405. Thus, it can be confirmed whether at least one first valid link in the DL exists among the plurality of links. According to one embodiment, the processor 300 includes a plurality of links established with the external electronic device 220 and at least one link that is not established with the external electronic device 220 but can be additionally established (e.g., an additionally established link). It is possible to check whether at least one first valid link among at least one link exists. As an example, the first effective link may include a link whose DL throughput exceeds a specified first reference throughput rate among a plurality of links. As an example, the designated first reference throughput rate may include information related to a standard for determining a first valid link among a plurality of links.

According to various embodiments, an electronic device (e.g., electronic device 101) or a processor (e.g., processor 120 or 300) determines whether at least one first valid link exists (e.g., 'Yes' in operation 405). ), in operation 407, it may be confirmed whether at least one second valid link in the UL exists among the plurality of links based on the UL signal quality of the plurality of links with the external electronic device 220. According to one embodiment, the processor 300 includes a plurality of links established with the external electronic device 220 and at least one link that is not established with the external electronic device 220 but can be additionally established (e.g., an additionally established link). It is possible to check whether at least one second valid link exists among at least one link. As an example, the second effective link may include a link whose UL throughput exceeds a specified second reference throughput among a plurality of links. For example, the designated second reference throughput rate is a standard for determining a second effective link among a plurality of links and may be the same as or different from the designated first reference throughput rate.

According to various embodiments, an electronic device (e.g., electronic device 101) or a processor (e.g., processor 120 or 300) determines whether at least one second valid link exists (e.g., 'Yes' in operation 407). ), in operation 409, wireless LAN communication with the external electronic device 220 may be performed through at least one first effective link and at least one second effective link. According to one embodiment, the processor 300 activates at least one first effective link and at least one second effective link through TID link mapping (eg, TID to link mapping) or power management (eg, power management). The communication circuit 310 can be controlled to do so. The processor 300 may control the communication circuit 310 to perform wireless LAN communication through at least one activated first effective link and at least one second effective link. For example, the processor 300 may control the communication circuit 310 to allocate a TID to be used in at least one first effective link and/or at least one second effective link through TID link mapping. As an example, allocation of a TID may include a series of operations of negotiating with the external electronic device 220 a TID to be used in at least one first effective link and/or at least one second effective link. For example, the processor 300 may control the communication circuit 310 to activate at least one first effective link and/or at least one second effective link through power management. As an example, power management for activating a link involves setting the PM (power management) bit of the “Null data frame” to a first value (e.g., ‘0’) and transmitting it to the external electronic device 220. It can be included.

According to one embodiment, the processor 300 selects at least one first inactive link in the DL and/or at least one first inactive link in the UL among a plurality of links with the external electronic device 220 through TID link mapping or power management. Communication circuitry 310 may be controlled to deactivate the second inactive link. As an example, the first inactive link may include the remaining DLs excluding at least one first active link among the plurality of links with the external electronic device 220. As an example, the second inactive link may include the remaining ULs excluding at least one second active link among the plurality of links with the external electronic device 220. For example, processor 300 may control communication circuitry 310 to limit the allocation of TIDs for use on at least one first inactive link and/or at least one second inactive link, through TID link mapping. . As an example, limiting the allocation of TIDs may include a series of operations to unmap TIDs assigned to at least one first inactive link and/or at least one second inactive link. For example, the processor 300 may control the communication circuit 310 to deactivate at least one first inactive link and/or at least one second inactive link through power management. As an example, power management for deactivating a link may include a series of operations in which the PM bit of the “Null data frame” is set to a second value (e.g., ‘1’) and transmitted to the external electronic device 220. .

According to various embodiments, an electronic device (e.g., electronic device 101) or a processor (e.g., processor 120 or 300) determines that at least one second valid link does not exist (e.g., 'No' in operation 407). '), in operation 411, a function to improve the signal quality of UL may be performed. For example, functions to improve the signal quality of UL include applying dual carrier modulation (DCM) to UL, using extended range physical protocol data unit (PPDU), and multi-link (ML) duplication. It may include at least one of use of a mode, expansion of a guard interval (GI), or use of a diversity mode. For example, GI expansion uses a relatively long GI among GIs of different lengths defined in the wireless LAN standard to protect symbols (e.g., orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols) from inter symbol interference (ISI). It may include a series of actions. As an example, use of an extended range PPDU may include a series of operations in which the preamble extends the transmission distance by repeatedly using a specific field among the fields included in the packet's preamble or amplifying it to a certain value (e.g., about 3 dB). You can. For example, when OFDM modulation is used, application of DCM may include a series of operations for transmitting one piece of data through two subcarriers separated from each other. As an example, use of the ML redundancy mode may include a series of operations for transmitting the same data through at least two links among a plurality of links of an external electronic device.

According to various embodiments, an electronic device (e.g., electronic device 101) or a processor (e.g., processor 120 or 300), in operation 413, performs at least one function based on application of a function for improving signal quality of the UL. It can be checked whether a second valid link exists.

According to various embodiments, an electronic device (e.g., electronic device 101) or a processor (e.g., processor 120 or 300) determines whether at least one second valid link exists (e.g., 'Yes' in operation 413). ), in operation 409, wireless LAN communication with the external electronic device 220 may be performed through at least one first effective link and at least one second effective link.

According to various embodiments, an electronic device (e.g., electronic device 101) or a processor (e.g., processor 120 or 300) determines that at least one first valid link is not present (e.g., 'No' in operation 405). ) Or, if at least one second valid link does not exist (e.g., 'No' in operation 413), wireless LAN communication may be performed through another external electronic device in operation 415. According to one embodiment, when the first valid link among the plurality of links with the external electronic device 220 does not exist (e.g., 'No' in operation 405), the processor 300 moves to another external electronic device. The communication circuit 310 can be controlled to perform (e.g., roaming). According to one embodiment, the processor 300 applies a function to improve the signal quality of UL, but if at least one second valid link does not exist (e.g., 'No' in operation 413), other external electronic links The communication circuit 310 may be controlled to perform movement to a device (eg, roaming). According to one embodiment, the processor 300 may control the communication circuit 310 to check whether there is another external electronic device (eg, another AP) that the electronic device 101 can connect to through scanning. For example, when the processor 300 detects another external electronic device that is accessible to the electronic device 101 through scanning, the processor 300 may control the communication circuit 310 to establish a communication link with the other external electronic device. . The processor 300 may control the communication circuit 310 to perform wireless LAN communication through a communication link with another external electronic device.

According to various embodiments, the electronic device 101 may determine that wireless LAN communication cannot be provided when no other external electronic device that the electronic device 101 can connect to is detected through scanning. The electronic device 101 may perform cellular communication based on a determination that it cannot provide wireless LAN communication.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart 500 for checking DL and UL signal quality in an NLOS environment in an electronic device according to various embodiments. According to one embodiment, at least a portion of FIG. 5 may include detailed operations of operation 403 of FIG. 4 . In the following embodiments, each operation may be performed sequentially, but is not necessarily performed sequentially. For example, the order of each operation may be changed, and at least two operations may be performed in parallel. For example, the electronic device of FIG. 5 may be the electronic device 101 of FIG. 1, FIG. 2, or FIG. 3.

According to various embodiments referring to FIG. 5, an electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 101 of FIG. 1, FIG. 2, or FIG. 3) or a processor (e.g., the processor 120 of FIG. 1 or the processor 300 of FIG. 3) )) includes an external electronic device (e.g., the external electronic device 220 in FIG. 2) and a plurality of links (e.g., the first link 231, the second link 232, and/or the third link in FIG. 2). 233)) is set up (e.g., operation 401 of FIG. 4), in operation 501, the channel of each link is set based on signals received through each of a plurality of links with the external electronic device 220. You can check channel state information (CSI). According to one embodiment, the processor 300 performs channel estimation based on a long training field (LTF) included in a beacon or a preamble of data received from the external electronic device 220 through each link. Through this, you can check (or estimate) the channel status information of each link.

According to various embodiments, an electronic device (e.g., electronic device 101) or a processor (e.g., processor 120 or 300), in operation 503, determines a non-line NLOS (NLOS) specified based on channel state information of each link. of sight) You can check whether the detection conditions are met. According to one embodiment, the processor 300 may determine that a specified NLOS detection condition is satisfied when the standard deviation of the channel state information of at least one link exceeds a specified reference standard deviation. According to one embodiment, the processor 300 may determine that the specified NLOS detection condition is satisfied when the skewness value based on the channel state information of at least one link exceeds the specified reference skewness value. . According to one embodiment, the processor 300 may determine that the specified NLOS detection condition is satisfied when the kurtosis value based on the channel state information of at least one link is less than or equal to the specified reference kurtosis value. According to one embodiment, the processor 300 may determine that a specified NLOS detection condition is satisfied when the Rician k factor value based on the channel state information of at least one link is less than or equal to a specified reference coefficient value. . For example, a state satisfying a specified NLOS detection condition may include a state in which the electronic device 101 is determined to be located in an NLOS environment.

According to various embodiments, when an electronic device (e.g., electronic device 101) or a processor (e.g., processor 120 or 300) determines that a specified NLOS detection condition is not satisfied (e.g., 'No' in operation 503) ), an embodiment for checking DL and UL signal quality in an NLOS environment can be ended. According to one embodiment, when the processor 300 determines that the specified NLOS is not satisfied based on the channel state information of each link, the electronic device 101 receives line of sight (LOS) from the external electronic device 220. It can be judged as being located in the environment. When the electronic device 101 is located in a LOS environment, the processor 300 may determine that there is no difference between DL signal quality and UL signal quality. For example, a state in which there is no difference between the signal quality of the DL and the signal quality of the UL is a state in which the difference between the signal quality of the DL and the signal quality of the UL is less than a specified size, and the difference between the signal quality of the DL and the signal quality of the UL is detected by an electronic device. In (101), negligible states may be included.

According to various embodiments, when an electronic device (e.g., electronic device 101) or a processor (e.g., processor 120 or 300) determines that a specified NLOS detection condition is satisfied (e.g., 'Yes' in operation 503) , In operation 505, the DL signal quality and UL signal quality for each of the plurality of links with the external electronic device 220 can be checked. For example, DL signal quality may be confirmed (or estimated) based on a signal received from the external electronic device 220. For example, UL signal quality may be confirmed (or estimated) based on UL signals, such as sounding signals, domain name system (DNS) queries, or hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) requests.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart 600 for checking DL and UL signal quality based on the UL retransmission rate in an electronic device according to various embodiments. According to one embodiment, at least a portion of FIG. 6 may include detailed operations of operation 403 of FIG. 4 . In the following embodiments, each operation may be performed sequentially, but is not necessarily performed sequentially. For example, the order of each operation may be changed, and at least two operations may be performed in parallel. As an example, the electronic device in FIG. 6 may be the electronic device 101 in FIG. 1 , FIG. 2 , or FIG. 3 .

According to various embodiments referring to FIG. 6, an electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 101 of FIG. 1, FIG. 2, or FIG. 3) or a processor (e.g., the processor 120 of FIG. 1 or the processor 300 of FIG. 3) )) includes an external electronic device (e.g., the external electronic device 220 in FIG. 2) and a plurality of links (e.g., the first link 231, the second link 232, and/or the third link in FIG. 2). 233)) is set up (e.g., operation 401 of FIG. 4), in operation 601, the UL retransmission rate and/or the number of UL failures for each of the plurality of links with the external electronic device 220 You can check. For example, the UL retransmission rate may be confirmed based on the number of times the electronic device 101 transmits data to the external electronic device 220, the number of retransmissions of data, and the number of times the data transmission and/or retransmission fails during a specified time interval. You can. As an example, the number of UL failures is the number of times the electronic device 101 fails to transmit and/or retransmit data, and is a signal related to completion (or success) of receiving data transmitted and/or retransmitted to the external electronic device 220. It may include the number of times (e.g. ACK signal) was not acknowledged.

According to various embodiments, an electronic device (e.g., electronic device 101) or a processor (e.g., processor 120 or 300), in operation 603, determines the UL retransmission rate and/or UL failure count of each link. You can check whether the specified signal quality verification conditions are met. According to one embodiment, the processor 300 determines that a specified signal quality check condition is satisfied when the UL retransmission rate of at least one link among the plurality of links with the external electronic device 220 exceeds a specified reference retransmission rate. You can judge. According to one embodiment, the processor 300 may determine that a specified signal quality check condition is not satisfied when the UL retransmission rate of each of the plurality of links with the external electronic device 220 is less than or equal to a specified reference retransmission rate.

According to one embodiment, the processor 300 determines that the specified signal quality check condition is satisfied when the number of UL failures of at least one link among the plurality of links with the external electronic device 220 exceeds the specified reference failure number. You can judge. According to one embodiment, the processor 300 may determine that a specified signal quality check condition is not satisfied when the number of UL failures of each of the plurality of links with the external electronic device 220 is less than or equal to a specified reference failure number.

According to various embodiments, when an electronic device (e.g., electronic device 101) or a processor (e.g., processor 120 or 300) determines that a specified signal quality detection condition is not satisfied (e.g., 'No' in operation 603) '), an embodiment for checking DL and UL signal quality based on the UL retransmission rate can be ended. According to one embodiment, when there is no link whose UL retransmission rate exceeds a specified reference retransmission rate among the plurality of links with the external electronic device 220, the processor 300 configures the plurality of links with the external electronic device 220. It can be determined that the UL signal quality of the links is relatively high. The processor 300 may determine that improvement of the UL signal quality is unnecessary based on the determination that the UL signal quality of the plurality of links with the external electronic device 220 is relatively high.

According to various embodiments, when an electronic device (e.g., electronic device 101) or a processor (e.g., processor 120 or 300) determines that a specified signal quality detection condition is satisfied (e.g., 'Yes' in operation 603) ), in operation 605, the DL signal quality and UL signal quality for each of the plurality of links with the external electronic device 220 can be checked. For example, DL signal quality may be confirmed (or estimated) based on a signal received from the external electronic device 220. For example, UL signal quality may be confirmed (or estimated) based on UL signals, such as sounding signals, domain name system (DNS) queries, or hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) requests.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart 700 for checking DL and UL signal quality based on sounding signals in an electronic device according to various embodiments. According to one embodiment, at least a portion of FIG. 7 may include detailed operations of operation 403 of FIG. 4 . In the following embodiments, each operation may be performed sequentially, but is not necessarily performed sequentially. For example, the order of each operation may be changed, and at least two operations may be performed in parallel. For example, the electronic device of FIG. 7 may be the electronic device 101 of FIG. 1, FIG. 2, or FIG. 3.

According to various embodiments referring to FIG. 7, an electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 101 of FIG. 1, FIG. 2, or FIG. 3) or a processor (e.g., the processor 120 of FIG. 1 or the processor 300 of FIG. 3) )) includes an external electronic device (e.g., the external electronic device 220 in FIG. 2) and a plurality of links (e.g., the first link 231, the second link 232, and/or the third link in FIG. 2). If 233)) is set up (e.g., operation 401 of FIG. 4), in operation 701, it can be checked whether the sounding procedure can be provided. According to one embodiment, the processor 300 may check whether the external electronic device 220 supports a beamforming function based on the capability of the external electronic device 220. If the processor 300 determines that the external electronic device 220 supports the beam forming function, the processor 300 may control the communication circuit 310 to perform a sounding procedure.

According to various embodiments, if an electronic device (e.g., electronic device 101) or a processor (e.g., processor 120 or 300) is unable to provide a sounding procedure (e.g., 'No' in operation 701), An embodiment for checking DL and UL signal quality based on the sounding procedure can be completed.

According to various embodiments, if an electronic device (e.g., electronic device 101) or a processor (e.g., processor 120 or 300) is capable of providing a sounding procedure (e.g., 'Yes' in operation 701), In operation 703, it can be checked whether the transmission time (or period) of the sounding signal has arrived. According to one embodiment, if the transmission time (or period) of the sounding signal has not arrived ('No' in operation 703), the processor 300 checks again whether the transmission time (or period) of the sounding signal has arrived. You can.

According to various embodiments, an electronic device (e.g., electronic device 101) or a processor (e.g., processor 120 or 300) when the transmission time (or period) of the sound signal arrives ('Yes in operation 703 '), in operation 705, the DL signal quality and UL signal quality for each of the plurality of links with the external electronic device 220 may be confirmed based on the sounding signal. According to one embodiment, when the time (or period) for transmitting a sounding signal arrives, the processor 300 sends a null data packet announcement (NDPA) and/or a null data packet (NDP) to the external electronic device 220. The communication circuit 310 can be controlled to transmit. The processor 300 may check information related to the UL signal quality of each link in the beamforming report field of the CSI feedback frame received from the external electronic device 220 through the communication circuit 310. As an example, information related to the UL signal quality of each link may include SNR for each stream measured (or estimated) at the AP. According to one embodiment, the processor 300 may check (or estimate) the DL signal quality of each link based on the signal of each link received from the external electronic device 220 through the communication circuit 310.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart 800 for checking DL and UL signal quality in an electronic device according to various embodiments. According to one embodiment, at least a portion of FIG. 8 may include detailed operations of operation 403 of FIG. 4 . In the following embodiments, each operation may be performed sequentially, but is not necessarily performed sequentially. For example, the order of each operation may be changed, and at least two operations may be performed in parallel. As an example, the electronic device of FIG. 8 may be the electronic device 101 of FIG. 1, FIG. 2, or FIG. 3.

According to various embodiments referring to FIG. 8, an electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 101 of FIG. 1, FIG. 2, or FIG. 3) or a processor (e.g., the processor 120 of FIG. 1 or the processor 300 of FIG. 3) )) includes an external electronic device (e.g., the external electronic device 220 in FIG. 2) and a plurality of links (e.g., the first link 231, the second link 232, and/or the third link in FIG. 2). 233)) is set up (e.g., operation 401 of FIG. 4), the DL signal quality of each of the plurality of links with the external electronic device 220 can be checked in operation 801. According to one embodiment, the processor 300 may check (or estimate) the DL signal quality of each link based on the signal received from the external electronic device 220. For example, the DL signal quality of each link includes information related to the standard of wireless LAN communication (e.g. Wi-Fi) (e.g. standard type), the number of spatial streams allowed by the external electronic device 220 , information related to the transmission power of the external electronic device 220, the number of spatial streams allowed by the electronic device 101, received signal strength (e.g., received signal strength indicator (RSSI)), signal to noise ratio (SNR), It may include at least one of link reception speed (e.g. link speed), channel utilization, CCA (clear channel assessment) busy time, or wireless communication active time (radio on time). For example, the number of spatial streams allowed by the external electronic device 220 may be set based on the antenna (or number of antennas) provided by the external electronic device 220. For example, information related to the transmission power of the external electronic device 220 is obtained from the external electronic device 220 through a beacon frame and may include transmit power control (TPC). For example, the number of spatial streams allowed by the electronic device 101 may be set based on the antenna (or number of antennas) equipped with the electronic device 101. For example, the DL signal quality of each link may include the DL throughput of each link estimated based on the DL data rate, as shown in Equation 1.

According to various embodiments, an electronic device (e.g., electronic device 101) or a processor (e.g., processor 120 or 300) determines a specified signal quality check condition based on the DL signal quality of each link in operation 803. You can check if you are satisfied. According to one embodiment, the processor 300 may determine that the specified signal quality check condition is satisfied when the DL signal quality of at least one link among the plurality of links with the external electronic device 220 is lower than the specified standard quality. there is. According to one embodiment, when the DL signal quality of each of the plurality of links with the external electronic device 220 exceeds the specified reference quality, the processor 300 may determine that the specified signal quality confirmation condition is not satisfied. .

According to various embodiments, when an electronic device (e.g., electronic device 101) or a processor (e.g., processor 120 or 300) determines that a specified signal quality detection condition is not satisfied (e.g., 'No' in operation 803 '), an embodiment for checking the DL and UL signal quality based on the DL signal quality can be ended. According to one embodiment, if there is no link whose DL signal quality is lower than the specified standard quality among the plurality of links with the external electronic device 220, the processor 300 determines the DL signal quality of the plurality of links with the external electronic device 220. It can be judged that the signal quality and UL signal quality are relatively high. The processor 300 may determine that improvement of the UL signal quality is unnecessary based on the determination that the UL signal quality of the plurality of links with the external electronic device 220 is relatively high.

According to various embodiments, when an electronic device (e.g., electronic device 101) or a processor (e.g., processor 120 or 300) determines that a specified signal quality detection condition is satisfied (e.g., 'Yes' in operation 803) ), in operation 805, the UL signal quality for each of the plurality of links with the external electronic device 220 can be checked. For example, UL signal quality may be confirmed (or estimated) based on a sounding signal, domain name system (DNS) query, or hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) request.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart 900 for improving UL signal quality in an electronic device according to various embodiments. In the following embodiments, each operation may be performed sequentially, but is not necessarily performed sequentially. For example, the order of each operation may be changed, and at least two operations may be performed in parallel. For example, the electronic device of FIG. 9 may be the electronic device 101 of FIG. 1, FIG. 2, or FIG. 3.

According to various embodiments referring to FIG. 9, an electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 101 of FIG. 1, FIG. 2, or FIG. 3) or a processor (e.g., the processor 120 of FIG. 1 or the processor 300 of FIG. 3) )), in operation 901, connects an external electronic device (e.g., the external electronic device 220 of FIG. 2) and a communication link (e.g., the first link 231, the second link 232, or the third link of FIG. 2). 233)) can be set up. According to one embodiment, the processor 300 communicates to establish a single communication link with the external electronic device 220 through any one frequency band (or link) among a plurality of frequency bands supported by the electronic device 101. The circuit 310 can be controlled.

According to various embodiments, an electronic device (e.g., electronic device 101) or a processor (e.g., processor 120 or 300), in operation 903, determines the downlink (DL) signal quality of the communication link with the external electronic device 220. and UL (uplink) signal quality can be checked. According to one embodiment, when the processor 300 determines that the electronic device 101 is located in an NLOS environment from the external electronic device 220 based on the channel state information (CSI) with the external electronic device 220, the DL You can check signal quality and UL signal quality. According to one embodiment, when the processor 300 determines that the UL retransmission rate with the external electronic device 220 satisfies a specified signal quality confirmation condition, the processor 300 may check the DL signal quality and the UL signal quality. According to one embodiment, the processor 300 may check the UL signal quality when it is determined that the DL signal quality with the external electronic device 220 satisfies specified signal quality confirmation conditions. According to one embodiment, the processor 300 may check the DL signal quality and UL signal quality when the transmission period of the sounding signal of the electronic device 101 arrives.

According to one embodiment, the processor 300 may check (or estimate) the DL signal quality based on a signal received from the external electronic device 220. For example, DL signal quality may include information related to the standard of wireless LAN communication (e.g., Wi-Fi) (e.g., standard type), the number of spatial streams allowed by the external electronic device 220, and external electronic device 220. Information related to the transmission power of the device 220, the number of spatial streams allowed by the electronic device 101, received signal strength (e.g., received signal strength indicator (RSSI)), signal to noise ratio (SNR), and reception of the link. It may include at least one of speed (e.g. link speed), channel utilization, clear channel assessment (CCA) busy time, or wireless communication active time (radio on time). For example, DL signal quality may include DL throughput estimated based on the DL data rate, as shown in Equation 1.

According to one embodiment, the processor 300 determines the UL signal quality of each link based on a UL signal, such as a sounding signal, domain name system (DNS) query, or hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) request. It can be confirmed (or estimated). For example, the UL signal quality of each link may include the UL throughput of each link estimated based on the UL data rate, as shown in Equation 3.

According to various embodiments, an electronic device (e.g., electronic device 101) or a processor (e.g., processor 120 or 300), in operation 905, connects the external electronic device to the external electronic device 220 based on the DL signal quality with the external electronic device 220. You can check whether DL communication with (220) is possible. According to one embodiment, the processor 300 may determine that DL communication is possible when the DL processing rate with the external electronic device 220 exceeds the specified first reference processing rate. According to one embodiment, the processor 300 may determine that DL communication is impossible when the DL processing rate with the external electronic device 220 is less than or equal to a specified first reference processing rate. As an example, the designated first standard throughput rate may include information related to a standard for determining whether DL communication is possible.

According to various embodiments, when an electronic device (e.g., electronic device 101) or a processor (e.g., processor 120 or 300) determines that DL communication with the external electronic device 220 is possible (e.g., in operation 905) 'Yes'), in operation 907, it can be confirmed whether UL communication with the external electronic device 220 is possible based on the quality of the UL signal with the external electronic device 220. According to one embodiment, the processor 300 may determine that UL communication is possible when the UL processing rate with the external electronic device 220 exceeds the specified second reference processing rate. According to one embodiment, the processor 300 may determine that UL communication is impossible when the UL processing rate with the external electronic device 220 is less than or equal to a specified second reference processing rate. For example, the designated second standard throughput rate is a standard for determining whether UL communication is possible and may be the same as or different from the designated first standard throughput rate.

According to various embodiments, when an electronic device (e.g., electronic device 101) or a processor (e.g., processor 120 or 300) determines that UL communication with the external electronic device 220 is possible (e.g., in operation 907) 'Yes'), in operation 909, wireless LAN communication with the external electronic device 220 may be performed.

According to various embodiments, when an electronic device (e.g., electronic device 101) or a processor (e.g., processor 120 or 300) determines that UL communication with the external electronic device 220 is impossible (e.g., in operation 907) 'No'), in operation 911, a function to improve the signal quality of UL may be performed. For example, functions to improve the signal quality of UL include applying dual carrier modulation (DCM) to UL, using extended range physical protocol data unit (PPDU), expanding guard interval (GI), or diversity. It may include at least one of the uses of (diversity) mode.

According to various embodiments, an electronic device (e.g., electronic device 101) or a processor (e.g., processor 120 or 300), in operation 913, connects external electronic devices based on application of a function to improve signal quality of the UL. It can be confirmed whether UL communication with the device 220 is possible.

According to various embodiments, when an electronic device (e.g., electronic device 101) or a processor (e.g., processor 120 or 300) determines that UL communication with the external electronic device 220 is possible (e.g., in operation 913) 'Yes'), in operation 909, wireless LAN communication with the external electronic device 220 may be performed.

According to various embodiments, an electronic device (e.g., electronic device 101) or a processor (e.g., processor 120 or 300) is unable to perform DL communication with the external electronic device 220 (e.g., 'No' in operation 905). ') or when it is determined that UL communication with the external electronic device 220 is not possible (e.g., 'No' in operation 913), wireless LAN communication can be performed through another external electronic device in operation 915. According to one embodiment, when the processor 300 determines that DL communication with the external electronic device 220 is impossible (e.g., 'No' in operation 905), the processor 300 moves to another external electronic device (e.g., roaming). ) can be controlled to perform the communication circuit 310. According to one embodiment, the processor 300 applies a function to improve UL signal quality, but if it is determined that UL communication with the external electronic device 220 is not possible (e.g., 'No' in operation 913), another The communication circuit 310 can be controlled to perform movement (eg, roaming) to an external electronic device. According to one embodiment, the processor 300 may control the communication circuit 310 to check whether there is another external electronic device (eg, another AP) that the electronic device 101 can connect to through scanning. For example, when the processor 300 detects another external electronic device that is accessible to the electronic device 101 through scanning, the processor 300 may control the communication circuit 310 to establish a communication link with the other external electronic device. . The processor 300 may control the communication circuit 310 to perform wireless LAN communication through a communication link with another external electronic device.

According to various embodiments, a method of operating an electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 101 of FIG. 1, FIG. 2, or FIG. 3) includes operating an external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 102 of FIG. 1 or the external device of FIG. 2). An operation of establishing a plurality of links (e.g., the first link 231, the second link 232, and/or the third link 233 in FIG. 2) for wireless LAN communication with the electronic device 220 It can be included. According to one embodiment, a method of operating an electronic device may include checking downlink (DL) signal quality and uplink (UL) signal quality of each of a plurality of links. According to one embodiment, a method of operating an electronic device may include detecting at least one DL that satisfies a specified first reference signal quality among a plurality of links based on DL signal quality. According to one embodiment, a method of operating an electronic device includes determining the UL signal quality for a plurality of links when a link that satisfies a second reference signal quality specified in the plurality of links is not detected based on the UL signal quality. It may include actions that perform functions related to improvement. According to one embodiment, a method of operating an electronic device includes detecting at least one UL that satisfies a specified second reference signal quality among a plurality of links based on performance of a function related to improving UL signal quality. can do. According to one embodiment, a method of operating an electronic device may include performing wireless LAN communication with an external electronic device based on at least one DL and the at least one UL.

According to various embodiments, a method of operating an electronic device includes connecting to another external electronic device or connecting to a cellular network when a link that satisfies a specified first reference signal quality is not detected in a plurality of links based on DL signal quality. It may include an operation to perform a conversion.

According to various embodiments, a method of operating an electronic device includes: When a link that satisfies a specified second reference signal quality is not detected in a plurality of links based on the UL signal quality after performing a function related to improving UL signal quality, It may include an operation of connecting to another external electronic device or switching to a cellular network.

According to various embodiments, the operation of performing wireless LAN communication includes assigning at least one TID to at least one DL and the at least one UL through TID link mapping (e.g., TID to link mapping), and at least It may include performing wireless LAN communication with an external electronic device based on at least one DL and at least one UL to which one TID is assigned.

According to various embodiments, a method of operating an electronic device may include converting the DL function of at least one remaining DL, excluding at least one DL, among a plurality of links to a deactivated state through TID link mapping.

According to various embodiments, a method of operating an electronic device may include switching the UL function of at least one UL other than at least one UL among a plurality of links to an inactive state through TID link mapping.

According to various embodiments, the operation of checking the DL signal quality and the UL signal quality is performed when a non-line of sight (NLOS) detection condition is satisfied based on channel state information of at least one link among a plurality of links, It may include an operation of checking the DL signal quality and UL signal quality of each of the plurality of links.

According to various embodiments, the operation of checking the DL signal quality and the UL signal quality includes, when the UL retransmission rate of at least one link among the plurality of links satisfies a specified signal quality confirmation condition, each of the plurality of links It may include operations to check DL signal quality and UL signal quality.

According to various embodiments, the operation of checking the DL signal quality and the UL signal quality includes checking the DL signal quality of each of a plurality of links and the signal quality of at least one link among the plurality of links being specified. If the confirmation condition is satisfied, an operation of checking the UL signal quality of each of the plurality of links may be included.

According to various embodiments, a method of operating an electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 101 of FIG. 1, FIG. 2, or FIG. 3) includes operating an external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 102 of FIG. 1) based on wireless LAN communication. ) or an operation of establishing a communication link with the external electronic device 220 of FIG. 2). According to one embodiment, a method of operating an electronic device may include checking downlink (DL) signal quality and uplink (UL) signal quality. According to one embodiment, a method of operating an electronic device may include determining that DL communication with an external electronic device is possible based on DL signal quality. According to one embodiment, a method of operating an electronic device may include performing a function related to improving UL signal quality when UL communication with an external electronic device is determined to be impossible based on UL signal quality. According to one embodiment, a method of operating an electronic device includes performing wireless LAN communication with an external electronic device when UL communication with an external electronic device is determined to be possible based on performance of a function related to improving UL signal quality. It may include actions such as:

The embodiments of the present invention disclosed in the specification and drawings are merely presented as specific examples to easily explain the technical content according to the embodiments of the present invention and to aid understanding of the embodiments of the present invention, and do not limit the scope of the embodiments of the present invention. That's not what I want to do. Therefore, the scope of the various embodiments of the present invention should be construed as including all changes or modified forms derived based on the technical idea of the various embodiments of the present invention in addition to the embodiments disclosed herein.

Claims

In electronic devices,

A communication circuit supporting wireless LAN communication, and

comprising a processor operatively connected to the communication circuit,

The processor,

Establishing, through the communication circuit, a plurality of links with an external electronic device,

Checking the downlink (DL) signal quality and uplink (UL) signal quality of each of the plurality of links,

Detecting at least one DL that satisfies a specified first reference signal quality among the plurality of links based on the DL signal quality,

If a link satisfying a second reference signal quality specified in the plurality of links is not detected based on the UL signal quality, perform a function related to improving UL signal quality for the plurality of links,

Detecting at least one UL among the plurality of links that satisfies the specified second reference signal quality based on performance of a function related to improving the UL signal quality,

An electronic device that performs wireless LAN communication with the external electronic device based on the at least one DL and the at least one UL.
According to clause 1,

The processor performs connection to another external electronic device or conversion to a cellular network when a link satisfying the specified first reference signal quality is not detected in the plurality of links based on the DL signal quality. Electronic devices.
According to clause 1,

The processor, when a link satisfying the specified second reference signal quality is not detected in the plurality of links based on the UL signal quality after performing a function related to improving the UL signal quality, other external electronic device An electronic device that performs a connection to or transition to a cellular network.
According to clause 1,

The processor assigns at least one TID to the at least one DL and the at least one UL through TID link mapping,

An electronic device that performs wireless LAN communication with the external electronic device based on the at least one DL and the at least one UL to which the at least one TID is assigned.
According to clause 4,

The processor switches the DL function of at least one remaining DL among the plurality of links except for the at least one DL to a deactivated state through the TID link mapping,

An electronic device that switches the UL function of at least one remaining UL of the plurality of links, excluding the at least one UL, to an inactive state through the TID link mapping.
According to clause 1,

When a non-line of sight (NLOS) detection condition is satisfied based on channel state information of at least one link among the plurality of links, the processor determines the DL signal quality and UL signal quality of each of the plurality of links. An electronic device that checks.
According to clause 1,

The processor determines the DL signal quality and the UL signal quality of each of the plurality of links when the UL retransmission rate and/or the number of failures of at least one link among the plurality of links satisfies a specified signal quality check condition. Electronic device that checks.
According to clause 1,

The processor checks the DL signal quality of each of the plurality of links,

An electronic device that checks the UL signal quality of each of the plurality of links when the DL signal quality of at least one link among the plurality of links satisfies a specified signal quality confirmation condition.
In a method of operating an electronic device,

An operation to establish a plurality of links with an external electronic device through wireless LAN communication,

An operation of checking DL (downlink) signal quality and UL (uplink) signal quality of each of the plurality of links,

An operation of detecting at least one DL that satisfies a specified first reference signal quality among the plurality of links based on the DL signal quality,

When a link satisfying a second reference signal quality specified in the plurality of links is not detected based on the UL signal quality, performing a function related to improving UL signal quality for the plurality of links,

Detecting at least one UL among the plurality of links that satisfies the specified second reference signal quality based on performance of a function related to improving the UL signal quality, and

A method comprising performing wireless LAN communication with the external electronic device based on the at least one DL and the at least one UL.
According to clause 9,

When a link that satisfies the specified first reference signal quality is not detected in the plurality of links based on the DL signal quality, the method further includes connecting to another external electronic device or switching to a cellular network. How to.
According to clause 9,

If a link satisfying the specified second reference signal quality is not detected in the plurality of links based on the UL signal quality after performing the function related to improving the UL signal quality, connection to another external electronic device or A method further comprising performing a transition to a cellular network.
According to clause 9,

The operation of performing the wireless LAN communication is,

Allocating at least one TID to the at least one DL and the at least one UL through TID link mapping, and

A method comprising performing wireless LAN communication with the external electronic device based on the at least one DL and the at least one UL to which the at least one TID is assigned.
According to clause 12,

An operation of converting the DL function of at least one remaining DL among the plurality of links, excluding the at least one DL, to a deactivated state through the TID link mapping, and

The method further includes converting the UL function of at least one remaining UL of the plurality of links to an inactive state, excluding the at least one UL, through the TID link mapping.
According to clause 9,

The operation of checking the DL signal quality and the UL signal quality is,

An operation of checking the DL signal quality and UL signal quality of each of the plurality of links when a non-line of sight (NLOS) detection condition is satisfied based on the channel state information of at least one link among the plurality of links. How to include .
According to clause 9,

The operation of checking the DL signal quality and the UL signal quality is,

When the UL retransmission rate and/or the number of failures of at least one link among the plurality of links satisfies a specified signal quality confirmation condition, the operation of checking the DL signal quality and UL signal quality of each of the plurality of links. How to include it.