Multilink device for switching operation

1 . A non-access point multilink device (non-AP MLD) configured to transmit or receive data with an access point multilink device (AP MLD) over a plurality of links including at least a first link and a second link, the non-AP MLD comprising:

processing circuitry;

a transceiver coupled to the processing circuitry; and

memory coupled to the processing circuitry, the memory storing instructions that when executed by the processing circuitry perform operations comprising:

detecting on a first link of the plurality of links that a switching link of the plurality of links is to be switched to a target channel by the AP MLD;

determining whether an AP affiliated with the AP MLD operating on the switching link has resumed basic service set (BSS) operation on the target channel; and

determining that the AP operating on the switching link has resumed BSS operation on the target channel after detecting that an AP affiliated with the same AP MLD operating on a link other than the switching link stops sending a MAX channel switch Time element corresponding to the AP operating on the switching link.

2 . The non-AP MLD of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:

determining whether the non-AP MLD switches the switching link to the target channel, and

sending a request indicating that the non-AP MLD removes the switching link from the plurality of links after determining that the non-AP MLD does not switch the switching link to the target channel.

3 . The non-AP MLD of claim 2 , wherein the operations further comprise:

detecting a target switching time, the target switching time being a time at which the switching link is scheduled to be switched to the target channel;

sending the request on at least one of the plurality of links before the target switching time; and

sending the request on at least one of the plurality of links other than the switching link after the target switching time.

4 . The non-AP MLD of claim 2 , wherein the request is at least one of:

a traffic identifier (TID)-to-link mapping request;

a reassociation request; or

a link reconfiguration request that requests deletion of the switching link from the plurality of links.

5 . The non-AP MLD of claim 1 , wherein:

the non-AP MLD is configured to transmit or receive the data with the AP MLD operating on a non-simultaneous transmit and receive operation (NSTR) mode;

the first link is the switching link and a primary link; and

the second link is a non-primary link.

6 . The non-AP MLD of claim 2 , wherein:

the non-AP MLD is configured to transmit or receive the data with the AP MLD operating on an NSTR mode;

the first link is the switching link and a primary link;

the second link is a non-primary link;

the request is a disassociation frame that initiates a tear down procedure; and

the operations further comprise:

detecting whether the plurality of links only includes the primary link and the non-primary link, and

sending the request after detecting that the plurality of links only includes the primary link and the non-primary link.

7 . The non-AP MLD of claim 2 , wherein:

the non-AP MLD is configured to transmit or receive the data with the AP MLD operating on an NSTR mode;

the first link is the switching link and a primary link;

the second link is a non-primary link;

the request is at least one of:

a TID-to-link mapping request;

a reassociation request; and

a link reconfiguration request that requests deletion of the primary link and the non-primary link, and

the operations further comprise:

detecting whether the plurality of links includes an additional link other than primary link and the non-primary link, and

sending the request after detecting that the plurality of links includes the additional link.

8 . The non-AP MLD of claim 2 , wherein:

the non-AP MLD is configured to transmit or receive the data with the AP MLD operating on an NSTR mode;

the first link is a primary link;

the second link is the switching link and a non-primary link; and

the operations further comprise:

detecting a target switching time, the target switching time being a time at which the switching link is scheduled to switch to the target channel, which is indicated by a target operating class and channel number; and

maintaining the non-primary link after detecting that the target operating class and channel number indicated in a Reduced Neighbor Report element corresponding to the non-primary link is an initial target operating class and channel number of the non-primary link after the target switching time has been reached.

9 . A method for transmitting or receiving data over a plurality of links including at least a first link and a second link, performed by a non-access point multilink device (non-AP MLD) and an access point multilink device (AP MLD), the method comprising:

sending, from the AP MLD to the non-AP MLD, an announcement indicating that a switching link is to be switched to a target channel, wherein the switching link is one of the plurality of links;

determining, by the non-AP MLD, whether an AP affiliated with the AP MLD operating on the switching link has resumed basic service set (BSS) operation on the target channel; and

determining that the AP operating on the switching link has resumed BSS operation on the target channel after detecting that an AP affiliated with the same AP MLD operating on a link other than the switching link stops sending a MAX channel switch Time element corresponding to the AP operating on the switching link.

10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

sending, by the AP MLD, a Max Channel Switch Time element corresponding to the second link, in at least one of a beacon frame and a probe response frame on the first link, to the non-AP MLD until an AP operating on the second link resumes a BSS operation on the target channel; and

stop sending, by the AP MLD, the Max Channel Switch Time element after the AP operating on the second link resumes the BSS operation on the target channel.

11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

determining, by the non-AP MLD, that the AP operating on the switching link has resumed BSS operation on the target channel after detecting that an AP affiliated with the same AP MLD operating on a link other than the switching link stops sending the MAX channel switch Time element corresponding to the AP operating on the switching link.