Granted Patent B2

US 12,557,160 · App. 18/118,067 · Granted Feb 17, 2026

Inventors: Geonjung Ko (Gyeonggi-do, KR); Juhyung Son (Gyeonggi-do, KR); Sanghyun Kim (Seoul, KR); Jinsam Kwak (Gyeonggi-do, KR); Hanseul Hong (Seoul, KR)

Assignee: WILUS INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY INC.

H04W76/15H04W48/12H04W48/14

Abstract

Claims (44)

1 . A non-access point multi-link device (non-AP MLD) configured to operate in a wireless communication system, the MLD comprising:

a communication module; and

a processor configured to control the communication module, wherein the processor is configured to:

transmit a probe request frame for association to an AP MLD, and

receive a beacon frame for the association from the AP MLD,

wherein multiple links are set up for the AP MLD, wherein the multiple links comprise i) a primary link and ii) one or more non-primary links, wherein the primary link and the one or more non-primary links operate as a non simultaneous transmit and receive (NSTR) link pair that does not support simultaneous transmission and reception,

wherein at least one traffic identifier (TID) among a plurality of TIDs is mapped to at least one non-primary link, which is enabled, among the one or more non-primary links, and

wherein all of the plurality of TIDs are mapped to the primary link.

2 . The MLD of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to receive a probe response frame as a response to the probe request frame through the primary link when the probe request frame is transmitted through the primary link.

3 . The MLD of claim 2 ,

wherein the beacon frame and the probe response frame are received through only the primary link among the multiple links.

4 . The MLD of claim 1 ,

wherein the non-AP MLD comprises multiple stations (STAs),

wherein one STA of the multiple STAs constituting the non-AP MLD sets up the primary link with one AP of multiple APs constituting the AP MLD, and

wherein STAs that do not include the one STA among the multiple STAs set up the one or more non-primary links with APs that do not include the one AP among the multiple APs.

5 . The MLD of claim 1 ,

wherein when the AP MLD operates as an NSTR soft AP MLD, a number of the multiple links set up by the AP MLD is equal to or less than a specific number.

6 . The MLD of claim 5 , wherein the processor is configured to;

receive link information related to the multiple links set up between the AP MLD and the non-AP MLD from the AP MLD,

wherein the link information comprises at least one of i) the number of the multiple links set up between the non-AP MLD and the AP MLD and ii) a bitmap indicating whether each of the multiple links supports an STR operation.

7 . The MLD of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to transmit PPDUs to the AP MLD through the primary link and the at least one non-primary link,

wherein transmission start time points of the PPDUs in the primary link and the at least one non-primary link are identical.

8 . A method for performing association by a non-access point multi-link device (non-AP MLD) in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:

transmitting a probe request frame for association to an AP MLD; and

receiving a beacon frame for the association from the AP MLD,

wherein multiple links are set up for the AP MLD, wherein the multiple links comprise i) a primary link and ii) one or more non-primary links,

wherein the primary link and the one or more non-primary links operate as a non simultaneous transmit and receive (NSTR) link pair that does not support simultaneous transmission and reception,

wherein at least one traffic identifier (TID) among a plurality of TIDs is mapped to at least one non-primary link, which is enabled, among the one or more non-primary links, and

wherein all of the plurality of TIDs are mapped to the primary link.

9 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising receiving a probe response frame as a response to the probe request frame through the primary link when the probe request frame is transmitted through the primary link.

10 . The method of claim 9 ,

wherein the beacon frame and the probe response frame are received through only the primary link among the multiple links.

11 . The method of claim 8 ,

wherein the non-AP MLD comprises multiple stations (STAs),

wherein one STA of the multiple STAs constituting the non-AP MLD sets up the primary link with one AP of multiple APs constituting the AP MLD, and

wherein STAs that do not include the one STA among the multiple STAs set up the one or more non-primary links with APs that do not include the one AP among the multiple APs.

12 . The method of claim 8 ,

wherein when the AP MLD operates as an NSTR soft AP MLD, a number of the multiple links set up by the AP MLD is equal to or less than a specific number.

13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

receiving link information related to the multiple links set up between the AP MLD and the non-AP MLD from the AP MLD,

wherein the link information comprises at least one of i) the number of the multiple links set up between the non-AP MLD and the AP MLD and ii) a bitmap indicating whether each of the multiple links supports an STR operation.

14 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

transmitting PPDUs to the AP MLD through the primary link and the at least one non-primary link,

wherein transmission start time points of the PPDUs in the primary link and the at least one non-primary link are identical.

Assignments (2)

Priority Claims (3)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (34)