Method and apparatus for assisting wireless communication device with switch back operation for early switching back to listening operation on enhanced multi-link single radio links

1 . A wireless communication device comprising:

a network interface circuit, arranged to perform frame exchanges with a first wireless communication device on a link that is selected from a plurality of links, wherein the first wireless communication device is operating in an enhanced multi-link single radio (EMLSR) mode; and

a control circuit, arranged to assist the first wireless communication device with a switch back operation for early switching back to a listening operation on the plurality of links after an end of the frame exchanges between the wireless communication device and the first wireless communication device;

wherein the control circuit assists the first wireless communication device with the switch back operation by sending a first frame to a second wireless communication device on the link after the end of the frame exchanges and before a start of at least one second frame sent to the second wireless communication device from the wireless communication device on the link, where the first frame is not addressed to the first wireless communication device, and a length of the first frame is shorter than a length of the at least one second frame.

2 . The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein the first frame is a control frame, a null data frame, or a quality of service (QoS) null data frame.

3 . A wireless communication method comprising:

performing frame exchanges with a first wireless communication device on a link that is selected from a plurality of links, wherein the first wireless communication device is operating in an enhanced multi-link single radio (EMLSR) mode; and

assisting the first wireless communication device with a switch back operation for early switching back to a listening operation on the plurality of links after an end of the frame exchanges, comprising:

sending a first frame to a second wireless communication device on the link after the end of the frame exchanges and before sending at least one second frame sent to the second wireless communication device on the link, wherein the first frame is not addressed to the first wireless communication device, and a length of the first frame is shorter than a length of the at least one second frame.

4 . The wireless communication method of claim 3 , wherein the first frame is a control frame, a null data frame, or a quality of service (QoS) null data frame.

5 . A wireless communication device comprising:

a network interface circuit, arranged to perform frame exchanges with a first wireless communication device on a link that is selected from a plurality of links, wherein the wireless communication device is operating in an enhanced multi-link single radio (EMLSR) mode; and

a control circuit, arranged to perform a switch back operation for early switching back to a listening operation on the plurality of links after an end of the frame exchanges;

wherein the control circuit starts the switch back operation before an end of a first transmitted physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU) that is sent to a second wireless communication device on the link from the first wireless communication device after the end of the frame exchanges; the control circuit is further arranged to detect the first transmitted PPDU is not addressed to the wireless communication device; and the control circuit starts the switch back operation before a start of the first transmitted PPDU that is sent to the second wireless communication device on the link from the first wireless communication device after the end of the frame exchanges.

6 . The wireless communication device of claim 5 , wherein the control circuit starts the switch back operation before an end of a first transmitted frame encapsulated in the first transmitted PPDU.