IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,550,192
Granted Patent B2
US 12,550,192 · App. 18/168,048 · Granted Feb 10, 2026

Channel contention method and related apparatus

Inventors: Yiqing Li (Shenzhen, CN); Yunbo Li (Shenzhen, CN); Yuchen Guo (Shenzhen, CN); Ming Gan (Shenzhen, CN)
Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
H04W74/0816
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,550,192
App. No.
18/168,048
Granted
Feb 10, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

This application provides a channel contention method and a related apparatus. The method includes: After data transmission on a first link is completed or a block acknowledgment corresponding to data is received on the first link, a first non-access point station of a first multi-link device performs clear channel assessment CCA detection on a second link in a first time period, where a start moment corresponding to the first time period is the same as a moment at which the data transmission on the first link is completed; and when the CCA detection on the second link fails, the first non-access point station performs channel contention on the second link based on a second time period.

Claims (34)

1 . A method, comprising:

after data transmission on a first link is completed, or after a block acknowledgment corresponding to transmitted data is received on the first link, performing, by a first non-access point station of a first multi-link device, clear channel assessment (CCA) detection on a second link in a first time period, wherein a start moment corresponding to the first time period is the same as a moment at which the data transmission on the first link is completed, and the first link and the second link are links corresponding to the first multi-link device; and

when the CCA detection on the second link fails, performing, by the first non-access point station, channel contention on the second link based on a second time period, wherein a start moment of the second time period is a moment at which failure of the CCA detection changes to success.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein a CCA threshold of the CCA detection is −82 dbm, −72 dbm, or −62 dbm.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein performing channel contention on the second link based on the second time period comprises:

when an end moment corresponding to the second time period is earlier than an end moment corresponding to the first time period, performing, by the first non-access point station, channel contention on the second link after the end moment corresponding to the second time period.

4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein performing channel contention on the second link based on the second time period comprises:

when an end moment corresponding to the second time period is later than an end moment corresponding to the first time period, performing, by the first non-access point station, channel contention on the second link after the end moment corresponding to the first time period or after the end moment corresponding to the second time period.

5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein performing channel contention on the second link based on the second time period comprises:

when the CCA detection on the second link fails and no start of a physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU) is detected when the CCA detection on the second link fails, starting to perform channel contention on the second link after the second time period from the moment at which failure of CCA detection changes to success.

6 . The method according to claim 5 , wherein the second time period corresponds to an extended inter-frame space (EIFS) time period.

7 . A communication apparatus, comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory memory, wherein the non-transitory memory is configured to store instructions, and when the processor runs the instructions, the communication apparatus is enabled to perform the following:

performing clear channel assessment (CCA) detection on a second link in a first time period, after data transmission on a first link is completed or after a block acknowledgment corresponding to transmitted data is received on the first link, wherein a start moment corresponding to the first time period is the same as a moment at which the data transmission on the first link is completed, and the first link and the second link are links corresponding to the communication apparatus; and

when the CCA detection on the second link fails, performing channel contention on the second link based on a second time period, wherein a start moment of the second time period is a moment at which failure of the CCA detection changes to success.

8 . The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein a CCA threshold of the CCA detection is −82 dbm, −72 dbm, or −62 dbm.

9 . The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein performing channel contention on the second link based on the second time period comprises:

when the CCA detection on the second link fails and no start of a physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU) is detected when the CCA detection on the second link fails, starting to perform channel contention on the second link after the second time period from the moment at which failure of CCA detection changes to success.

10 . The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the second time period is an extended inter-frame space (EIFS) time period.

11 . The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein performing channel contention on the second link based on the second time period comprises:

when an end moment corresponding to the second time period is earlier than an end moment corresponding to the first time period, performing channel contention on the second link after the end moment corresponding to the second time period.

12 . The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein performing channel contention on the second link based on the second time period comprises:

when an end moment corresponding to the second time period is later than an end moment corresponding to the first time period, performing channel contention on the second link after the end moment corresponding to the first time period or after the end moment corresponding to the second time period.

13 . A wireless communication system, comprising:

a first multi-link device; and

a second multi-link device;

wherein the first multi-link device comprises a communication apparatus, and the communication apparatus is configured to perform the following steps:

performing clear channel assessment (CCA) detection on a second link in a first time period after data transmission on a first link is completed, wherein a start moment corresponding to the first time period is the same as a moment at which the data transmission on the first link is completed, and the first link and the second link are links corresponding to the first multi-link device and the second multi-link device; and

when the CCA detection on the second link fails, performing channel contention on the second link based on a second time period, wherein a start moment of the second time period is a moment at which failure of the CCA detection changes to success.

14 . The system according to claim 13 , wherein a CCA threshold of the CCA detection is −72 dbm.

15 . The system according to claim 13 , wherein performing channel contention on the second link based on the second time period comprises:

when the CCA detection on the second link fails and no start of a physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU) is detected, starting to perform channel contention on the second link after the second time period from the moment at which failure of CCA detection changes to success.

16 . The system according to claim 15 , wherein the second time period is an extended inter-frame space (EIFS) time period.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 15, 2023
From: LI, YIQING; LI, YUNBO; GUO, YUCHEN; GAN, MING
To: HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 064596/0699 →
Priority Claims (1)
CN 202010820609.9 · Aug 14, 2020 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTCN2021107596 · Jul 21, 2021
Related Publication 20230199850A1 · Jun 22, 2023
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