Systems for and methods of multilink communication in a network

1 . A device, comprising:

a circuit configured to use a discovery operation and an association operation on a first channel in a first band and use a first data operation on a second channel in a second band after performing an authorization operation on the first channel, wherein the circuit is configured to use a second data operation on a third channel in a third band if interference is detected in the second channel and wherein the circuit is configured to use a third data operation on the first channel if a range between the device and an Access Point (AP) is greater than a threshold when the second data operation is used.

2 . A device, comprising:

a circuit configured to use a discovery operation and an association operation on a first channel in a first band and use a first data operation on a second channel in a second band after performing an authorization operation on the first channel, wherein the circuit is configured to use a second data operation on a third channel in a third band if interference is detected in the second channel, and wherein the circuit is configured to provide at least one frame while a connection is being established, the at least one frame comprising data indicating that the device is capable of a data management multilink (DMML) operation.

3 . The device of claim 2 , wherein the circuit is further configured to use a third channel in the second band after performing another authorization operation on the third channel in the second band and another association operation on the first channel in the first band.

4 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the device comprises a station or an access point.

5 . A first device for communicating with a second device, the first device comprising:

a processor configured to:

use a discovery operation and an association operation on a primary channel in a first band;

use a first data operation on a second channel in a second band after performing an authorization operation on the primary channel;

communicate with the second device using the primary channel;

detect occupation on the primary channel by a third device;

communicate with the second device using a secondary channel in response to the occupation by the third device, the secondary channel being chosen from a set of channels, the set of channels being determined at least partially in response to a frame exchanged during association of the first device and the second device;

use a second data operation on a third channel in a third band if interference is detected in the secondary channel; and

one of: use a third data operation on the primary channel if a range between the first device and an Access Point (AP) is greater than a threshold when the second data operation is used, or provide at least one frame while a connection is being established, the frame comprising data indicating that the first device is capable of a data management multilink (DMML) operation.

6 . The first device of claim 5 , the processor is further configured to;

communicate with the second device using the primary channel when the occupation by the third device is completed.

7 . The first device of claim 5 , wherein the first device comprises a station (STA) device communicating via a protocol employing 20 MHz beacon signals.

8 . The first device of claim 5 , wherein the frame comprises a first capability of the first device and a second capability of the second device.

9 . The first device of claim 8 , wherein the first capability comprises a capability to perform a preamble decode operation in parallel on multiple channels.

10 . The first device of claim 9 , wherein a number of channels in the set of channels is less than or equal to a number of the multiple channels upon which the preamble decode operation is performed in parallel.

11 . The first device of claim 8 , wherein the second capability comprises a capability to perform a clear channel assessment operation in parallel on multiple channels.

12 . The first device of claim 11 , wherein the clear channel assessment operation comprises a virtual clear channel assessment operation.

13 . The device of claim 2 , wherein the circuit is configured to use a third data operation on the first channel if a range between the device and an AP is greater than a threshold when the second data operation is used.

14 . The device of claim 2 , wherein the device comprises a station or an access point.

15 . The device of claim 2 , wherein the DMML operation comprises:

performing one or more data transfers on at least one of the first band or the second band.

16 . The device of claim 2 , wherein the at least one frame is a control frame.

17 . The device of claim 2 , wherein, when using a DMML operation, association operations are only performed in the first band.

18 . The device of claim 2 , wherein the circuit is configured to disable the DMML operation in response to a low battery mode.

19 . The device of claim 2 , wherein the circuit is configured to:

transfer data on the second channel in the second band according to the DMML operation; and

perform power management communications on the first channel in the first band according to the DMML operation.

20 . The device of claim 2 , wherein the circuit is configured to:

perform security communications on the first channel in the first band according to the DMML operation.