QoS traffic stream setup with stream classification service (SCS) request/response
A non-Access Point Extremely High Throughput Station (non-AP EHT STA) initiates a Quality-of-Service (QoS) setup by sending a Stream Classification Service (SCS) Request frame to an associated access point (AP). The SCS request frame may be encoded to have a request type field set to “Add” and may contain an SCS Descriptor element having a traffic description field, a traffic classification field, and a Multi-Link Operation (MLO) field. The non-AP EHT STA may decode an SCS Response frame from the AP that indicate whether the QoS setup has been added. The non-AP EHT STA may then exchange a QoS traffic flow with the associated AP in accordance with the QoS setup when the QoS setup has been added. When the QoS traffic flow ends, the non-AP EHT STA may encode a second SCS Request frame for transmission to the AP with the request type field set to “Remove” to delete the QoS setup.
1 . An apparatus of a non-Access Point Extremely High Throughput Station (non-AP EHT STA), the apparatus comprising: processing circuitry; and memory,
wherein the non-AP EHT STA is configured for operating as an affiliated STA that is part of a non-AP multi-link device (MLD) that includes a plurality of affiliated non-AP STAs, wherein the non-AP MLD communicates with an AP MLD comprising a plurality of affiliated APs over a plurality of links;
wherein to initiate a Quality-of-Service (QoS) setup for a Stream Classification Service (SCS) stream with the AP MLD at an MLD level, the processing circuitry is configured to:
encode an SCS Request frame for transmission to a first of the affiliated APs of the AP MLD,
the SCS request frame encoded to include an SCS Descriptor element containing a QoS characteristics element with a direction subfield set to either uplink or downlink indicating a request for creation of an SCS stream that applies at an MLD level,
wherein the QoS characteristics element is to include a request type field set to “Add” to add the SCS stream,
wherein the SCS Descriptor element is to include a traffic classification (TCLAS) elements field describing a traffic classification that the non-AP STA is requesting the AP MLD to apply to the SCS stream, and
wherein the SCS request frame further encoded to include an SCSID to identify the SCS stream,
decode an SCS Response frame from the first affiliated AP, the SCS Response frame indicating whether the SCS stream having QoS characteristics indicated by the QoS characteristics element has been accepted, the SCS Response frame including the SCSID; and
when the SCS stream has been added, communicate a traffic flow comprising the SCS stream with the AP MLD in accordance with the QoS characteristics; and
encode a second SCS Request frame a QoS characteristics element for transmission to the AP MLD with the request type field set to “Remove” to remove the SCS stream, the second SCS Request frame including the SCSID.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the non-AP MLD communicates with the AP MLD over the plurality of links using a single medium access control (MAC) service access point (SAP).
3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein when the SCS stream has been added, the traffic flow comprising the SCS stream is communicated between the non-AP MLD and the AP MLD in accordance with the QoS characteristics over multiple links of the plurality of links.
4 . The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the QoS characteristics element is encoded to have a subfield set to indicate that the QoS setup for the SCS stream is for an SCS stream at the MLD level rather than a single link between the non-AP EHT STA and the first affiliated AP.
5 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the non-AP STA is associated with the first affiliated AP of the AP MLD to which the SCS request frame is sent.
6 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the SCS stream is an audio-visual (AV) stream.
7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein to modify the QoS setup for the SCS stream, the processing circuitry is configured to encode a third SCS request frame for transmission to the first affiliated AP with the request type field set to “Change” and include the SCSID in the SCS Descriptor element,
wherein modifications to the QoS setup are indicated a traffic description field.
8 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein for modification of the QoS setup for the SCS stream by the first affiliated AP, the processing circuitry is configured to decode an autonomous SCS Response frame from the first affiliated AP, and
wherein when the autonomous SCS Response frame has a Dialog Token set to zero (0) and has an SCSID field set to the SCSID of the SCS stream, the processing circuitry is configured to modify the QoS setup in accordance with an SCS Description element of the autonomous SCS Response frame.
9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the SCS Descriptor element is encoded to include QoS characteristics comprising: a maximum MAC service data unit (MSDU) size, a latency bound, a minimum service interval, a maximum service interval, a burst size, a MSDU delivery ratio, a medium time, and a service start time.
10 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry comprises a baseband processor; and
wherein the memory is configured to store the QoS characteristics element.
11 . An apparatus of an Access Point Extremely High Throughput Station (AP EHT STA), the apparatus comprising: processing circuitry; and memory,
wherein the AP EHT STA is configured for operating as an affiliated AP that is part of an AP multi-link device (AP MLD) that includes a plurality of affiliated APs, wherein the AP MLD communicates with a non-AP MLD comprising a plurality of affiliated non-AP station (STAs) over a plurality of links,
wherein a Quality-of-Service (QoS) setup for a Stream Classification Service (SCS) stream at an MLD level initiated by one of the STAs of the non-AP MLD, the processing circuitry is configured to:
decode an SCS Request frame received from the one STA of the non-AP MLD, the SCS request frame including a SCS Descriptor element containing a QoS characteristics element with a direction subfield set to either uplink or downlink indicating a request for creation of an SCS stream that applies at an MLD level, wherein the QoS characteristics element includes a request type field set to “Add” to add the SCS stream, wherein the SCS Descriptor element includes a traffic classification (TCLAS) elements field describing a traffic classification that the non-AP STA is requesting the AP MLD to apply to the SCS stream, wherein the SCS request frame further includes an SCSID to identify the SCS stream;
encode an SCS Response frame for transmission to the non-AP MLD, the SCS Response frame indicating whether the SCS stream having QoS characteristics indicated by the QoS characteristics element has been accepted, the SCS Response frame including the SCSID; and
when the SCS stream has been added, communicate a traffic flow comprising the SCS stream with the non-AP MLD in accordance with the QoS characteristics; and
decode a second SCS Request frame without a QoS characteristics element from the non-AP MLD with the request type field set to “Remove” to remove the SCS stream, the second SCS Request frame including the SCSID.
12 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the processing circuitry configures the AP MLD to communicate with the non-AP MLD over the plurality of links using a single medium access control (MAC) service access point (SAP).
13 . The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein when the SCS stream has been added, the traffic flow comprising the SCS stream is communicated between the non-AP MLD and the AP MLD in accordance with the QoS characteristics over multiple links of the plurality of links.
14 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the QoS characteristics element is encoded to have a subfield set to indicate that the QoS setup for the SCS stream is for an SCS stream at the MLD level rather than a single link between the non-AP EHT STA and the affiliated AP.