Methods, devices and systems for wireless communication using multi-link
A wireless communication method of a first device with a second device using multiple links, including first and second links, the method including obtaining transmission-related information in response to entering a transmission preparation period of a first request-to-send (RTS) frame through the first link, the transmission-related information corresponding to a second RTS frame associated with the second link, determining at least one of an additional length or cross-link-related information of the first RTS frame based on the transmission-related information, and determining whether to transmit the second RTS frame based on the at least one of the additional length of the cross-link-related information of the first RTS frame.
1 . A wireless communication method of a first device with a second device using multiple links, the multiple links comprising a first link and a second link, and the method comprising:
obtaining transmission-related information in response to entering a transmission preparation period of a first request-to-send (RTS) frame through the first link, the transmission-related information corresponding to a second RTS frame associated with the second link;
determining cross-link-related information of the first RTS frame based on the transmission-related information; and
determining whether to transmit the second RTS frame based on the at least one of the additional length or the cross-link-related information of the first RTS frame,
wherein determining the cross-link-related information of the first RTS frame comprises:
identifying a transmission timing of the second RTS frame based on the transmission-related information,
identifying whether the first link and the second link have a cross-link relationship based on a difference between a transmission timing of the first RTS frame and the transmission timing of the second RTS frame,
determining the cross-link-related information of the first RTS frame based on whether the first link and the second link have the cross-link relationship to obtain determined cross-link-related information, and
filling the first RTS frame with data corresponding to the determined cross-link-related information.
2 . The wireless communication method of claim 1 , wherein the determining whether to transmit the second RTS frame comprises determining to omit transmission of the second R TS frame based on the first link and the second link being in the cross-link relationship.
3 . The wireless communication method of claim 1 , wherein
a format of the first RTS frame comprises a plurality of fields corresponding to the cross-link-related information; and
the plurality of fields comprise a first field indicating the multiple links, a second field indicating whether link sensing is to be performed for the multiple links, and a third field indicating resources allocated to the multiple links for transmission of clear-to-send (CTS) frames.
4 . The wireless communication method of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of fields comprise at least one of:
a fourth field indicating whether transmission of the CTS frame is possible through an alternative link with respect to the multiple links; and
a padding field filled with padding data having a variable length according to the additional length of the first RTS frame.
5 . The wireless communication method of claim 1 , wherein
a format of the first RTS frame comprises a plurality of individual fields corresponding to the cross-link-related information; and
each of the plurality of individual fields comprises a first subfield indicating a specific link, a second subfield indicating whether link sensing is to be performed for the specific link, and a third subfield indicating resources allocated to the specific link for transmission of a clear-to-send (CTS) frame.
6 . The wireless communication method of claim 5 , wherein each of the plurality of individual fields comprises a fourth subfield indicating whether transmission of the CTS frame is possible through an alternative link with respect to the specific link.
7 . The wireless communication method of claim 5 , wherein the format of the first RTS frame comprises a padding field in which padding data having a variable length is arranged according to the additional length of the first RTS frame.
8 . The wireless communication method of claim 1 , wherein a format of the first RTS frame corresponds to any one of a plurality of trigger frame types corresponding to an IEEE 802.11ax standard.
9 . The wireless communication method of claim 8 , wherein
the format of the first RTS frame comprises a common information field and a user information field; and
the cross-link-related information of the first RTS frame is arranged in any one of the common information field or the user information field.
10 . A first device configured to communicate with a second device using multiple links, the multiple links comprising a first link and a second link, and the first device comprising:
a radio frequency (RF) integrated circuit configured to provide access points respectively corresponding to the first link and the second link; and
processing circuitry configured to,
obtain transmission-related information in a transmission preparation period of a first request-to-send (RTS) frame through the first link, the transmission-related information corresponding to a second RTS frame associated with the second link,
determine cross-link-related information of the first RTS frame based on the transmission-related information, and
determine whether to transmit the second R TS frame based on the at least one of the additional length or the cross-link-related information of the first RTS frame,
wherein a format of the first RTS frame comprises at least one of (i) a plurality of fields corresponding to the cross-link-related information or (ii) a plurality of individual fields corresponding to the cross-link-related information of the first RTS frame, and
wherein the plurality of fields comprise at least one of a first field indicating the multiple links, a second field indicating whether link sensing is to be performed for the multiple links, a third field indicating resources allocated to the multiple links for transmission of clear-to-send (CTS) frames, a fourth field indicating whether transmission of the CTS frames is possible through an alternative link with respect to the multiple links, or a fifth field filled with padding data having a variable length according to the additional length of the first RTS frame.
11 . The first device of claim 10 , wherein
each of the plurality of individual fields comprises at least one of a first subfield indicating a specific link, a second subfield indicating whether link sensing is to be performed for the specific link, a third sub-field indicating resources allocated to the specific link for transmission of clear-to-send (CTS) frames, and a fourth subfield indicating whether transmission of the CTS frames is possible through an alternative link with respect to the specific link.
12 . The first device of claim 10 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to control the access points to:
transmit the first RTS frame to the second device through the first link, the first RTS frame comprising the cross-link-related information; and
omit transmitting the second RTS frame to the second device through the second link.
13 . The first device of claim 12 , wherein
the access points include a first access point and a second access point;
the first access point is configured to receive a first clear-to-send (CTS) frame via the first link from the second device based on the first RTS frame; and
the second access point is configured to receive a second CTS frame via the second link from the second device based on the first RTS frame, the first CTS frame and the second CTS frame being mutually aligned.
14 . A wireless communication system comprising:
a first device; and
a second device, the first device and the second device being configured to communicate with each other through multiple links, wherein
the first device is configured to determine cross-link-related information of a first request-to-send (RTS) frame among a plurality of RTS frames based on transmission-related information of the plurality of RTS frames through the multiple links, and generate the first RTS frame based on the at least one of the additional length or cross-link-related information to transmit the first RTS frame to the second device through a first link among the multiple links,
wherein the first device is configured to:
generate the first RTS frame based on the cross-link-related information; and
omit transmission of a second RTS frame among the plurality of RTS frames to the second device through a second link of the multiple links based on transmission of the first RTS frame.
15 . The wireless communication system of claim 14 , wherein the second device is configured to:
sense the second link based on the cross-link-related information based on the first RTS frame to obtain a sensing result; and
determine whether to transmit a clear-to-send (CTS) frame to the first device through the second link based on the sensing result.
16 . The wireless communication system of claim 15 , wherein the second device is configured to:
determine to transmit the CTS frame to the first device through the second link in response to the sensing result indicating that the second link is in a ready state; and
determine to transmit the CTS frame to the first device through an alternative link in response to the sensing result indicating that the second link is in a busy state.