Network-aided multi-link operation for single-radio devices
A system includes a first multi-link operation (MLO) device and a second MLO device. The first MLO device is to send a frame to the second MLO device via a first link. The frame includes a link occupancy information field, including link occupancy information of a second link.
1 . A system comprising:
a first multi-link operation (MLO) device; and
a second MLO device, wherein the first MLO device is to:
send a frame to the second MLO device via a first link, wherein the frame comprises a link occupancy information field comprising link occupancy information of a second link,
wherein the frame comprises a legacy frame having a plurality of legacy fields and wherein the link occupancy information field is an additional field added to the plurality of legacy fields.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the frame is at least one of an MLO-compliant request-to-send (RTS) frame or an MLO-compliant clear-to-send (CTS) frame.
3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the link occupancy information comprises link occupancy duration information.
4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the link occupancy information comprises at least of network allocation vector (NAV) information or virtual carrier sense (V-CRS) information.
5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first MLO device is at least one of a simultaneous transmit and receive (STR) device or an enhanced multi-link single radio (eMLSR) device; and
the second MLO device is a multi-link single-radio (MLSR) device.
6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the second MLO device is to:
receive the frame via the first link;
extract the link occupancy information of the second link; and
determining whether to switch to the second link, based on the link occupancy information of the second link.
7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the link occupancy information of the second link indicates that a status of the second link is unknown.
8 . A method comprising:
receiving a frame from an access point, via a first link, wherein the frame comprises a link occupancy information field comprising link occupancy information of a second link;
extracting the link occupancy information of the second link; and
determining whether to switch to the second link based on the link occupancy information,
wherein the frame comprises a legacy frame having a plurality of legacy fields, and wherein the link occupancy information field is an additional field added to the plurality of legacy fields.
9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the frame is at least one of an MLO-compliant request-to-send (RTS) frame or an MLO-compliant clear-to-send (CTS) frame.
10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the link occupancy information comprises link occupancy duration information.
11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the link occupancy information comprises at least one of network allocation vector (NAV) information or virtual carrier sense (V-CRS) information.
12 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the access point comprises at least one of a simultaneous transmit and receive (STR) device or an enhanced multi-link single radio (eMLSR) device.
13 . A method comprising:
determining link occupancy information of a first link; and
sending a frame to a station device, via a second link, wherein the frame comprises a link occupancy information field comprising the link occupancy information of the first link,
wherein the frame comprises a legacy frame having a plurality of legacy fields, and wherein the link occupancy information field is an additional field added to the plurality of legacy fields.
14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the frame is at least one of an MLO-compliant request-to-send (RTS) frame or an MLO-compliant clear-to-send (CTS) frame.
15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the station device comprises a multi-link single-radio (MLSR) device.
16 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the link occupancy information comprises link occupancy duration information.
17 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the link occupancy information comprises at least one of network allocation vector (NAV) information or virtual carrier sense (V-CRS) information.