Patent Description:
The present invention relates to the communications field, and in particular, to a communication method, an access point and a computer-readable storage medium.

In network communication on an unlicensed frequency band, a communications system provides a request to send (Request To Send, RTS for short)/clear to send (Clear To Send, CTS for short) mechanism. After an access point (Access Point, AP for short) establishes a transmission opportunity (Transmission Opportunity, TXOP for short) for a service access category (Access Category, AC for short), the AP may transmit data of the AC by using the TXOP. In a transmission opportunity establishment process, a station (STA) obtains a network allocation vector (Network Allocation Vector, NAV for short). The NAV is used to specify a time during which a channel is occupied. When the NAV of the station is not zero, it indicates that the channel of the station is in a busy state. When the NAV of the station is zero, it indicates that the channel of the station is in an idle state.

In a process in which the access point establishes communication with the station, after the station sends an RTS that carries a bandwidth parameter, if available bandwidth of the access point is less than or equal to the bandwidth parameter carried in the RTS, the access point and the station may establish a TXOP by using the available bandwidth and perform data transmission; or if available bandwidth of the access point is greater than the bandwidth parameter carried in the RTS, a first station and a second station may perform data transmission by using bandwidth corresponding to the bandwidth parameter carried in the RTS.

However, when a station processes a service, the AP is occupied by the station, and available bandwidth of the AP is usually greater than bandwidth used by the station to implement a service. Therefore, the bandwidth of the AP is not fully used, and waste is caused. Matthew Gast: "<NUM>. 11ac: A survival guide", <NUM> December <NUM>, discloses the features of the MAC, specifically, framing, frame size, aggregation and medium access procedures. <NPL>, discloses the signaling to be carried by the trigger frame, wherein multiple PHY and MAC parameters need to be communicated to the STAs for a correct creation of the response UL MU PPDU. This document proposes that the trigger frame is a new subtype of the control type, not an extended type. <NPL>, discloses that an AP cannot identify which STA responded to MU-RTS frame transmission and recommends a mechanism for an AP to figure out which STA has sent back CTS frame as a response to MU-RTS frame. <NPL> suggests to modify current SFD text on UL MU transmission to further clarify for several cases.

This application provides a communication method, an apparatus and a computer-readable storage medium so as to improve bandwidth utilization of the access point and improve data transmission efficiency.

The inventin provides a communication method of claim <NUM>, a communication apparatus of claim <NUM>, and computer-readable storage medium of claim <NUM>. Further embodiments are disclosed in the dependent claims <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM>.

In the technical solutions according to this application, when the available bandwidth of the access point is greater than the bandwidth used by the station to implement a service, the access point may allocate the channel to the another station based on the remaining bandwidth, and perform data transmission. Therefore, bandwidth utilization is improved. For a communications system, more data may be transmitted within a given time. Therefore, data transmission efficiency of the communications system is improved.

The following clearly and completely describes the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Apparently, the described embodiments are merely a part rather than all of the embodiments of the present invention.

For ease of understanding, the following describes network nodes in a communications system applied to this application, referring to <FIG>.

In a wireless network, network nodes include an access point and a station. The access point provides a data service for a station in a coverage area of the access point, and the access point and the station served by the access point form a basic service set (Basic Service Set, BSS for short). Generally, the BSS includes several stations.

When a STA sends a service request to an AP, the AP may establish a TXOP for an AC, and transmit data of the AC by using the TXOP. When available bandwidth of the AP includes Ch1 and Ch2, and bandwidth required by a STA1 is Ch1, as shown in <FIG>, the access point communicates with the STA by using Ch1. It can be learned that the AP reserves a channel for only a single STA, and Ch2 is not used. Therefore, in an existing communication method, bandwidth of an AP is not fully used, and bandwidth waste is caused.

This application provides a transmission mechanism under a condition that available channels of transmit and receive nodes are asymmetric. A core idea of the transmission mechanism is to allocate available bandwidth of an access point to a plurality of stations, so as to improve bandwidth utilization, and improve data transmission efficiency of a communications system.

When the available bandwidth of the access point not only meets bandwidth requested by a station, but also includes remaining bandwidth, the following describes a communication process in which the available bandwidth of the access point is allocated to the plurality of stations.

Referring to <FIG>, an embodiment of a communication method according to this application includes the following steps.

An access point receives a sending request sent by a first station, where the sending request includes a first bandwidth parameter, and the first bandwidth parameter is corresponding to bandwidth required by the first station.

In this embodiment, the sending request is used to request a channel set corresponding to the first bandwidth parameter, and may be an RTS frame. The first station sends the sending request in a manner that includes but is not limited to a non-HT mode, a non-HT repetition mode, or an HE mode, and the sending request may be sent for one or more times. This is not limited herein. The non-HT repetition mode means that the non-HT mode is repeatedly used in frequency domain. The HE mode is an OFDMA mode. It can be understood that the non-HT mode is different from that defined in the <NUM>. 11n standard. The first bandwidth parameter may be represented by CH_BANDWIDTH_IN_NON_HT or CH_BANDWIDTH. When the sending request is an RTS frame, the first bandwidth parameter is a bandwidth included in an RX vector.

The bandwidth indicated by the first bandwidth parameter does not exceed bandwidth of an idle channel sensed by the first station.

The access point sends clear to send information to the first station and a second station, where the clear to send information includes a second bandwidth parameter, and the second bandwidth parameter is corresponding to available bandwidth of the access point.

The second bandwidth parameter is not greater than total bandwidth of all idle channels of the access point, and may be the total bandwidth of all the idle channels of the access point or bandwidth of some idle channels of the access point. When the sending request is an RTS frame, the clear to send information is a CTS frame. When the first station receives the CTS frame, it indicates that an RTS/CTS frame interaction succeeds, and step <NUM> is performed. A CTS frame format may be a DMG CTS format. The CTS frame may include only an RA field, or include both an RA field and a TA field.

During implementation, the second bandwidth parameter may be greater than the first bandwidth parameter, or the second bandwidth parameter may be less than or equal to the first bandwidth parameter.

It should be noted that, when the sending request is an RTS frame, and the clear to send information is a CTS frame, the first station receives a first indication service primitive before the CTS frame expires, and continues to wait for a second indication service primitive. After identifying the CTS frame sent by the access point, the first station may confirm that the RTS/CTS frame interaction succeeds, and then perform step <NUM>. The first indication service primitive is used to indicate that the event of sending the CTS frame starts, for example, a PHY-RXSTART. indication primitive, and the second service primitive is used to indicate that the event of sending the CTS frame ends, for example, a PHY-RXEND. indication primitive.

The access point receives uplink transmission data sent by the first station.

The access point allocates a channel to the first station, and the access point and the first station may transmit a physical layer protocol data unit (Presentation Protocol Data Unit, PPDU for short) on the channel. The PPDU may be classified into a data packet, a management packet, or a control packet by transport packet type. The control packet may be a CTS frame or an ACK frame.

An uplink transmission bandwidth parameter sent by the first station does not exceed a minimum value or an intersection set of the second bandwidth parameter and the first bandwidth parameter.

The access point receives uplink transmission data sent by the second station.

The access point allocates a channel to the second station based on remaining bandwidth, and the access point and the second station may transmit a PPDU on the channel.

An uplink transmission bandwidth parameter sent by the second station does not exceed the second bandwidth parameter.

The uplink transmission in steps <NUM> and <NUM> may be uplink transmission triggered by the AP. The AP sends a trigger frame, and adds bandwidth allocation information to the trigger frame. The first station and the second station set a bandwidth parameter of the uplink transmission based on the bandwidth allocation information carried in the received trigger frame sent by the AP.

In step <NUM>, optionally, a protocol may alternatively define that a channel used when the access point and the first station perform communication may be an intersection set of the available bandwidth of the access point and the bandwidth required by the first station.

It can be understood that, if the access point still has remaining bandwidth in addition to bandwidth allocated to the first station and the second station, the access point may further provide access for another station such as a third station or a fourth station by using the remaining bandwidth. When the access point and a plurality of stations perform communication, a channel used by the access point to send a PPDU is a channel set corresponding to the second bandwidth parameter or a subset of the channel set.

To avoid a data conflict, before a network node performs sending on a channel, the network node may determine, according to a protocol stipulation or an instruction of the AP, whether to sense the channel; and if the channel needs to be sensed, sense the channel and determine whether the channel is idle. When the channel is idle, the network node can send data. The communication method further includes: sensing, by the access point, a channel. If it is detected that the channel is idle within a sense time period, a PPDU is sent. Sense duration is point coordination function interframe space (PCF Interframe Space, PIFS for short) or short interframe space (Short Interframe Space, SIFS for short). It can be understood that a process of sensing a channel by a station is similar to the process of sensing the channel by the access point.

In actual application, different communications protocols are configured for different stations, or stations have different bandwidth negotiation/extension capabilities. According to this application, a channel may be allocated to a station based on a characteristic of the station, so that compatibility with different communications protocols can be achieved. Based on the embodiment shown in <FIG>, before step <NUM>, the communication method further includes: receiving, by the access point, an association request sent by the first station, where the association request includes at least one of a communications protocol version, bandwidth negotiation capability information, or bandwidth extension capability information. Step <NUM> may be specifically: sending, by the access point, the clear to send information to the first station according to a communications protocol or a station capability.

Optionally, the access point may use, only for a station that supports bandwidth extension, the second bandwidth parameter greater than the first bandwidth parameter. The station reports a protocol version or a bandwidth extension capability before the access point performs step <NUM>. If the protocol version is reported, the bandwidth extension capability of the station may be obtained by determining whether the protocol version supports the bandwidth extension capability.

Specifically, when the association request includes at least one of a predetermined communications protocol version, predetermined bandwidth negotiation capability information, or predetermined bandwidth extension information, the channel set corresponding to the second bandwidth parameter may be all or some idle channels of the access point, or the channel set corresponding to the second bandwidth parameter does not exceed idle channels of the access point, or the channel set corresponding to the second bandwidth parameter does not include a non-idle (busy) channel of the access point. The predetermined communications protocol version may be <NUM>. The predetermined communications protocol version, the predetermined bandwidth negotiation capability information, or the predetermined bandwidth extension information may be specified by a protocol. In the foregoing step, if the second bandwidth parameter is greater than the first bandwidth parameter, bandwidth extension is implemented, and channel bandwidth utilization is improved.

When the association request does not include any one of a predetermined communications protocol version, predetermined bandwidth negotiation capability information, or predetermined bandwidth extension information, a channel used when the access point and the first station perform communication is specifically as follows.

If the bandwidth required by the first station is in a range of the available bandwidth of the access point, the channel used when the access point and the first station perform communication may be the channel set corresponding to the first bandwidth parameter or a subset of the channel set; if the intersection set of the available bandwidth of the access point and the bandwidth required by the first station is less than both the available bandwidth of the access point and the bandwidth required by the first station, the channel used when the access point and the first station perform communication may be all or some channels in the intersection set; or if the available bandwidth of the access point is in a range of the bandwidth required by the first station, the channel used when the access point and the first station perform communication may be the channel set corresponding to the second bandwidth parameter or a subset of the channel set.

During implementation, optionally, a protocol may define that the channel used when the access point and the first station perform communication is an intersection set of the available bandwidth of the access point and the first bandwidth parameter.

During implementation, optionally, a protocol may define that the sending request or the clear to send information may carry duration information, and that the foregoing bandwidth parameters are limited to be used within duration that is after the first station sends the request or the access point sends the clear to send information.

The available bandwidth of the access point or a station is an intersection set of bandwidth supported by transmit and receive modules of the access point or the station and idle bandwidth.

The following details a process of communication between the access point and the first station, and a process of communication between the access point and the second station. Referring to <FIG>, based on the embodiment shown in <FIG>, another embodiment of a communication method according to this application includes the following steps.

The access point sends clear to send information to the first station, where the clear to send information includes a second bandwidth parameter.

Step <NUM> and step <NUM> are similar to step <NUM> and step <NUM> in the embodiment shown in <FIG>, and details are not described herein again.

<NUM>-<NUM>. The first station sends feedback information to the access point.

After receiving the clear to send information, the first station may send the feedback information to the access point. The feedback information may be a data packet, an ACK frame, a CTS frame, a channel state report frame, a control frame, or a management frame.

<NUM>-<NUM>. The access point sends trigger information to the first station.

After receiving the feedback information, the access point generates the trigger information, and then sends the trigger information to the first station. The trigger information may include only a trigger frame, or include both a trigger frame and an ACK frame. The trigger information is used to schedule a station by the access point.

<NUM>-<NUM>. The access point receives uplink data sent by the first station.

After receiving the trigger information, the first station may send the uplink data to the access point based on the trigger information.

<NUM>-<NUM>. The access point sends the trigger information to a second station.

The trigger information in step <NUM>-<NUM> is consistent with the trigger information in step <NUM>-<NUM>. For example, if the trigger information in step <NUM>-<NUM> includes only a trigger frame, the trigger information in step <NUM>-<NUM> may also include only a trigger frame. The access point may synchronously or asynchronously send the trigger information to the first station and the second station. For example, after receiving the feedback information, the access point may first send the trigger information to the first station, and then send the trigger information to the second station.

<NUM>-<NUM>. The access point receives uplink data sent by the second station.

After receiving the trigger information on a channel set corresponding to remaining bandwidth, the second station sends the uplink data to the access point.

<FIG> is a schematic diagram of communication corresponding to <FIG>. According to a sequence of performing a communication process, the RTS frame is a first frame, the CTS frame is a second frame, the feedback information is a third frame, and the trigger information is a fourth frame. When sensing a channel, a network node (an access point or a station) may set a time interval between an nth frame and an (n+<NUM>)th frame to SIFS or PIFS according to a sense type.

Referring to <FIG>, another embodiment of a communication method according to this application includes: receiving, by an access point, a sending request sent by a first station, where the sending request includes a first bandwidth parameter, and the first bandwidth parameter is corresponding to bandwidth required by the first station; sending, by the access point, first trigger information to the first station, and receiving uplink data sent by the first station, where the first trigger information further includes a second bandwidth parameter, and the second bandwidth parameter is corresponding to available bandwidth of the access point; and sending, by the access point, second trigger information to a second station, and receiving uplink data sent by the second station, where the second trigger information includes the second bandwidth parameter.

Specifically, the first station may send the sending request to the access point on a channel set corresponding to the first bandwidth parameter. The sending request may be data that carries the first bandwidth parameter. The access point may send the trigger information in a downlink OFDMA mode, that is, in a non-HT repetition mode. A channel used for sending the trigger information is in a range of an intersection set of the channel set corresponding to the first bandwidth parameter and a channel set corresponding to the second bandwidth parameter, for example, Ch1. Acknowledgment information (an ACK frame) returned by the access point to the first station can be completely received on the channel set corresponding to the first bandwidth parameter.

The first trigger information may include an ACK frame and a trigger frame, and the second trigger information may include an ACK frame and a trigger frame (as shown in <FIG>), or include only a trigger frame. After receiving the trigger information, the first station and the second station may separately send the uplink data to the access point.

Based on the embodiment shown in <FIG>, optionally, after step <NUM>-<NUM> and before step <NUM>-<NUM>, the communication method according to this application further includes: performing, by the access point, cyclic redundancy check (Cyclic Redundancy Check, CRC for short) on the uplink data sent by the second station; if the check succeeds, performing step <NUM>-<NUM>; or if the check fails, performing, by the access point, step <NUM>-<NUM>, or stopping using the channel set corresponding to the remaining bandwidth.

Based on the embodiment shown in <FIG>, optionally, after step <NUM>-<NUM> and before step <NUM>-<NUM>, the communication method according to this application further includes: if a PPDU sent by the second station is not received by the access point within a preset sense time period, performing, by the access point, step <NUM>-<NUM>, or stopping using the channel set corresponding to the remaining bandwidth.

Based on the communication method shown in <FIG>, in an optional embodiment of this application, referring to <FIG>, a communication method according to this application includes the following steps.

<NUM>-<NUM>. The first station sends a data packet to the access point.

Step <NUM> and step <NUM>-<NUM> are similar to step <NUM> and step <NUM>-<NUM> in the embodiment shown in <FIG>, and details are not described herein again.

<NUM>-<NUM>. The access point sends trigger information to the first station, where the trigger information includes a trigger frame and an ACK frame.

<NUM>-<NUM>. The access point sends the trigger information on a channel set corresponding to remaining bandwidth.

<NUM>-<NUM>. The access point receives uplink data sent by a second station.

This embodiment provides a specific implementation, so that this solution is implementable.

For ease of understanding, the following details the communication method according to this application by using a specific application scenario, referring to <FIG>.

In the specific application scenario according to this application, a BSS includes an AP, a STA1, and a STA2, the sending request is an RTS frame, the first bandwidth parameter is BW1, a frequency band corresponding to BW1 is Ch1, the clear to send information is a CTS frame, the second bandwidth parameter is BW2, and a frequency band corresponding to BW2 is a set including Ch1 and Ch2.

The STA1 broadcasts the RTS frame on Ch1. Ch1 is assumed to be a frequency band ranging from <NUM> to <NUM>, and BW1 is <NUM>. The AP sends the CTS frame to the STA1 after receiving the RTS frame, and the STA1 receives the CTS frame on Ch1, determines that an RTS/CTS frame interaction is complete, and then sends data to the AP on Ch1. The AP generates a trigger frame and an ACK frame, sends the trigger frame and the ACK frame on Ch1 and Ch2, and triggers the station STA1 on Ch1 and the station STA2 on Ch2 to send uplink data to the AP. After data transmission is complete, the AP1 may send the ACK frame to the STA1 and the STA2, to indicate that transmission is complete.

Referring to <FIG>, another embodiment of a communication method according to this application includes the following steps.

A first station broadcasts a sending request, where the sending request includes a first bandwidth parameter.

In this embodiment, the first bandwidth parameter is corresponding to bandwidth required by the first station, and the bandwidth required by the first station may be available bandwidth or preferred bandwidth of the first station. Specifically, the bandwidth in this application may be a spectral width in a unit of Hz, or a set of channels. When the first station needs to implement a service, the first station broadcasts the sending request, and the access point may receive the sending request sent by the first station, and perform step <NUM> in response to the sending request.

The sending request further includes a time for which the first station occupies the frequency band (an NAV). For another station, the sending request is used to set the NAV. The sending request may be an RTS frame.

An access point sends clear to send information to the first station, where the clear to send information includes a second bandwidth parameter.

The second bandwidth parameter is corresponding to available bandwidth of the access point. When the access point sends the clear to send information to the first station, the first station may receive the clear to send information sent by the access point. The clear to send information may be a CTS frame.

It should be noted that, the available bandwidth of the access point may be all available bandwidths of the access point, or an available bandwidth mode in an available bandwidth mode set, for example, a maximum available bandwidth mode formed by available channels of the access point. The access point may further add a control transfer bit to the clear to send information. The bit may indicate two states: control transfer required and no control transfer required.

The first station determines whether the clear to send information meets a feedback condition; and if the clear to send information meets the feedback condition, performs step <NUM>; or if the clear to send information does not meet the feedback condition, performs step <NUM>.

After receiving the clear to send information, the first station determines whether the clear to send information meets the feedback condition. The first station may specifically use one or a combination of the following manners to determine whether the clear to send information meets the feedback condition.

Specifically, when determining that the first bandwidth parameter is less than the second bandwidth parameter, the access point may send, to the first station, the clear to send information that carries the control transfer identifier, indicating that the access point is to allocate some available channels to the first station for use. After receiving the clear to send information, the first station determines whether the clear to send information carries the control transfer identifier; and if yes, determines that the clear to send information meets the feedback condition and performs step <NUM>. For example, the control transfer identifier may be a non-data response indication bit in a CTS frame. When the non-data response indication bit is <NUM>, it indicates that the clear to send information meets the feedback condition.

It can be understood that the first station may use one or more determining manners to determine whether the clear to send information meets the feedback condition. If none of the foregoing conditions is met, the first station may determine that the clear to send information does not meet the feedback condition, and perform step <NUM>.

The first station broadcasts feedback information.

If the clear to send information meets the feedback condition, the first station broadcasts the feedback information, and the access point may sense the feedback information broadcast by the first station. The feedback information is an ACK frame, a CTS frame, or a channel state report frame. The channel report frame includes a channel quality indicator (Channel Quality Indicator, CQI for short), channel state information (Channel State Information, CSI for short), or interference information. Further, information included in the channel report frame may be given based on a status of each channel.

For another station, the feedback information may be further used to reconfirm the sending request sent by the first station in step <NUM>. The sending request is assumed to be an RTS frame. The another station can confirm the NAV only after receiving a PHY-RXSTART. indication primitive (event) within a <NUM> (aSIFSTime) + CTS_Time + aRxPHYStartDelay + <NUM> (aSlotTime) time that is after a PHY-RXEND. indication primitive (event) corresponding to the RTS frame is received. Otherwise, the setting of the NAVin step <NUM> is canceled (or reset).

When the access point receives the feedback information sent by the first station, the access point allocates a channel to the first station, and allocates a channel to a second station based on remaining bandwidth, where the remaining bandwidth is bandwidth in available bandwidth of the access point except bandwidth required by the first station.

The channel allocated to the second station is all or some channels in a channel set corresponding to the remaining bandwidth. This is not limited herein.

Specifically, the access point may allocate the channel to the first station in the following manners.

Specifically, the access point may allocate the channel to the second station based on the remaining bandwidth parameter in the following manners.

The access point generates a first trigger frame.

The first trigger frame carries resource allocation indication information used to allocate a channel. The channel may be one or more of a frequency, a time, and a spatial flow used in multi-antenna spatial multiplexing.

The access point sends the first trigger frame to the first station.

The first station sends uplink data to the access point based on the first trigger frame.

After receiving the first trigger frame sent by the access point, the first station sends the uplink data to the access point based on the first trigger frame, and the access point may receive the uplink data sent by the first station.

The access point sends the first trigger frame to the second station.

Step <NUM> and step <NUM> may be performed in a same step.

The second station sends uplink data to the access point based on the first trigger frame.

After receiving the first trigger frame sent by the access point, the second station sends the uplink data to the access point based on the first trigger frame, and the access point may receive the uplink data sent by the second station. Step <NUM> and step <NUM> may be performed in a same step.

The first station sends uplink data to the access point based on the second bandwidth parameter.

If the clear to send information does not meet the feedback condition, the first station sends the uplink data to the access point based on the second bandwidth parameter after receiving the clear to send information, and the access point may receive the uplink data. In this case, bandwidth used for data transmission is all or some of channels corresponding to the available bandwidth of the access point.

Optionally, after step <NUM>, the communication method according to this application further includes: determining, by the access point, whether the bandwidth required by the first station includes an available channel set that includes a control channel; and if yes, performing step <NUM>; or if no, prohibiting sending the clear to send information.

The available channel set may be a primary channel or a combination of a primary channel and a secondary channel. If the control channel is a primary channel, the control channel may be used to transmit control signaling and data. In the channel set indicated by the first bandwidth parameter, when the access point has the available channel set, it indicates that the access point may establish a communications connection to the first station on an available channel; or when the access point does not have the available channel set, it indicates that the access point cannot establish a communications connection to the first station within the bandwidth. The access point may reject the sending request and prohibit sending the clear to send information to the first station, and perform another procedure which is not limited herein.

After a station and the access point complete data transmission, an occupied channel needs to be released. Based on the embodiment shown in <FIG>, this application further provides a channel releasing method. In an optional embodiment, after the first station and the access point complete data transmission, the method further includes: sending, by the access point, a second trigger frame to the first station, where the second trigger frame is used to instruct the first station to release the channel.

Specifically, the second trigger frame carries indication information used to instruct the station to release the channel. After receiving the second trigger frame sent by the access point, the first station may release the channel based on the second trigger frame, and broadcast a resource release indication, where the resource release indication is used to instruct an adjacent node of the first station to reset an NAV. The access point may continue to communicate with another station that has not completed data transmission yet. Generally, resetting the NAV means setting the NAV to <NUM>. The resource release indication indicates that a channel occupied by the first station has been released and the channel is idle. The resource release indication may be a CF-END frame.

It can be understood that an object of sending the second trigger frame is not limited to the first station, and may also be another station that completes data transmission with the access point. When receiving the resource release indication, the adjacent station of the first station resets the NAV based on the resource release indication, and may communicate with the access point by using the released channel. If the first station also belongs to a BSS corresponding to another access point, the another access point may receive the resource release indication, reset the NAV according to the resource release indication, and reserve the released channel, so as to establish communication with a station that is in a coverage area of the another access point. It should be noted that when a plurality of stations simultaneously broadcast the resource release indication, a same scrambling code sequence needs to be used. The scrambling code sequence may be specified by an access point or defined by a protocol.

Further, before the access point sends the second trigger frame to the first station, the method further includes: determining, by the access point, whether a station that sends the resource release indication matches a station that occupies a channel; and if yes, performing the step that the access point sends a second trigger frame to the first station; or if no, performing another procedure.

Specifically, after receiving the resource release indication, the access point may obtain information about the station that sends the resource release indication, and if an address identifier of the resource release indication is the same as a station identifier of the station that occupies the channel, determine that the sending station is the station that occupies the channel, and perform the step that the access point sends a second trigger frame to the first station. If an address identifier of the resource release indication is different from a station identifier of the station that occupies the channel, it indicates that the station that sends the resource release indication is not the station that occupies the channel, and there is no need to send a second scheduling resource indication to the station that occupies the channel.

It should be noted that, if an address identifier of the resource release indication includes a group identifier, and the group identifier is not <NUM>, the access point compares a portion of the address identifier except the group identifier with a portion of the station identifier except a group identifier; and if the two portions are the same, performs the step that the access point sends a second trigger frame to the first station; or if the two portions are different, performs another procedure.

For ease of understanding, the following details the communication method according to this application by using a specific application scenario.

In the specific application scenario according to this application, a BSS1 includes an AP1, a STA1, a STA2, and a STA3, and a BSS2 includes an AP2, the STA1, the STA3, and a STA4, as shown in <FIG>; and the sending request is an RTS frame, the first bandwidth parameter is BW1, a frequency band corresponding to BW1 is Ch1, the clear to send information is a CTS frame, the second bandwidth parameter is BW2, a frequency band corresponding to BW2 is a set including Ch1 and Ch2, and the feedback information is an ACK frame.

The STA1 broadcasts the RTS frame on Ch1. Ch1 is assumed to be a frequency band ranging from <NUM> to <NUM>, BW1 is <NUM>, and an NAV carried in the RTS frame is <NUM>. The STA2, the STA3, and the AP2 may receive the RTS frame, set the NAV to <NUM>, and start countdown.

The AP1 sends the CTS frame on Ch1 and Ch2. A channel set including Ch1 and Ch2 is assumed to be a frequency band ranging from <NUM> to <NUM>, and BW2 is <NUM>.

The STA1 may determine that BW1 is less than BW2, indicating that the AP1 has remaining available bandwidth. The STA1 sends the ACK frame to the AP1, and after receiving the ACK frame, the AP1 allocates a frequency band ranging from <NUM> to <NUM> to the STA1, determines that the remaining bandwidth is a frequency band ranging from <NUM> to <NUM>, and allocates the frequency band ranging from <NUM> to <NUM> to the STA2.

The AP1 generates a trigger and sends the trigger to the STA1 and the STA2 by using Ch1 and Ch2, respectively. The STA1 may send uplink data datal to the AP1 by using the frequency band ranging from <NUM> to <NUM>, and the STA2 may send uplink data data2 to the AP1 by using the frequency band ranging from <NUM> to <NUM>, as shown in <FIG>. It can be understood that, after data transmission is complete, the AP1 may send the ACK frame to the STA1 and the STA2, to indicate that transmission is complete.

In another case, after the AP1 receives the RTS frame sent by the STA1, a non-data response indication bit in the CTS frame sent by the AP1 to the STA1 may be set to <NUM>, indicating that the AP1 is to allocate some available channels to the STA1. The STA1 sends the ACK frame to the AP1, and the AP1 allocates a frequency band ranging from <NUM> to <NUM> to the STA1 after receiving the ACK frame, determines that remaining bandwidth is a frequency band ranging from <NUM> to <NUM>, and may allocate a frequency band ranging from <NUM> to <NUM> to the STA2, and allocate a frequency band ranging from <NUM> to <NUM> to the STA3. It can be learned that the AP in this application may provide a data service to a plurality of STAs. Therefore, data transmission efficiency is improved.

After the STA1 and the AP1 complete data transmission, the AP1 sends the trigger to the STA1, to instruct the STA1 to release Ch1. After releasing Ch1, the STA1 broadcasts a CF-END frame, and the STA2 or the STA3 may receive the CF-END frame, and set an NAV corresponding to Ch1 to <NUM>. When the STA2 or the STA3 needs to access the AP1, the STA2 may send the CTS frame to the access point, and perform communication with the AP1 by using Ch1, as shown in <FIG>. The AP2 receives the CF-END frame, and may set the NAV corresponding to Ch1 to <NUM>, and perform communication with the STA3 or the STA4 by using Ch1.

In actual application, a communication process may be initiated by a station or by an access point. The following details a method for initiating a communication process by an access point.

Referring to <FIG>, the claimed embodiment of a communication method according to this application includes the following steps.

An access point sends a sending request to a first station. The sending request includes a first bandwidth parameter, and the first bandwidth parameter indicates a available bandwidth of the access point.

In this embodiment, the access point broadcasts the sending request on an available channel, and the sending request is an RTS frame.

The first station sends clear to send information to the access point. The clear to send information includes a second bandwidth parameter, and the second bandwidth parameter is corresponding to bandwidth required by the first station.

Spefically, after the sending request is sensed on a channel, the first station sends the clear to send information to the access point.

The access point sends trigger information to the first station.

Spefically, based on the receipt of the clear to send information, the access point confirms that an RTS/CTS frame transmission is successful, accordingly permitting the access point to send a trigger information on the available channel. The trigger information is a trigger frame.

The first station sends uplink data to the access point based on the trigger information.

After the first station sends the uplink data to the access point, the access point may send an ACK frame to the first station, to indicate that data transmission is successful. It should be noted that bandwidth used when the access point and the first station perform communication does not exceed bandwidth corresponding to the second bandwidth parameter.

The access point sends the trigger information to a second station.

When the first bandwidth parameter is greater than the second bandwidth parameter, the access point sends the trigger information on a channel set corresponding to remaining bandwidth. The second station may sense the channel set, and perform step <NUM> when the trigger information is received. It should be noted that step <NUM> and step <NUM> may be performed in a same step.

The second station sends uplink data to the access point based on the trigger information.

Step <NUM> is similar to the process of sending the uplink data by the first station to the access point, and details are not described herein again.

For ease of understanding, the following details the communication method according to this embodiment of this application by using a specific application scenario.

In the specific application scenario provided in this application, a BSS includes an AP, a STA1, and a STA2, the sending request is an RTS frame, the first bandwidth parameter is recorded as BW1, a frequency band corresponding to BW1 is a set including Ch1 and Ch2, the clear to send information is a CTS frame, the second bandwidth parameter is recorded as BW2, and a frequency band corresponding to BW2 is Ch1.

The AP1 sends the RTS frame on Ch1 and Ch2. The channel set including Ch1 and Ch2 is assumed to be a frequency band ranging from <NUM> to <NUM>, and BW1 is <NUM>.

The STA1 sends the CTS frame to the AP1. Ch2 is assumed to be a frequency band ranging from <NUM> to <NUM>, and BW2 is <NUM>.

The AP1 has remaining available bandwidth. The AP1 allocates the frequency band ranging from <NUM> to <NUM> to the STA1, determines that remaining bandwidth is a frequency band ranging from <NUM> to <NUM>, and allocates the frequency band ranging from <NUM> to <NUM> to the STA2.

The AP1 generates a trigger and sends the trigger to the STA1 and the STA2 by using Ch1 and Ch2, respectively. The STA1 may send uplink data datal to the AP1 by using the frequency band ranging from <NUM> to <NUM>, and the STA2 may send uplink data data2 to the AP1 by using the frequency band ranging from <NUM> to <NUM>, as shown in <FIG>. It can be understood that, after data transmission is complete, the AP1 may send an ACK frame respectively to the STA1 and the STA2, to indicate that transmission is successful. It can be learned that the AP in this application may simultaneously provide a data service to a plurality of stations. Therefore, data transmission efficiency is improved.

An access point sends poll information to a first station. The poll information includes a first bandwidth parameter, and the first bandwidth parameter is corresponding to available bandwidth of the access point.

In this embodiment, a basic service set corresponding to the access point includes a plurality of stations, for example, the first station and a second station. The first bandwidth parameter is corresponding to the available bandwidth of the access point. The poll information may be a trigger frame, bandwidth poll, or power save poll (Power Saving Poll, PS-Poll for short). Likewise, the access point may also send the poll information to the second station or another station. This is similar to sending the poll information to the first station, and details are not described herein again.

The first station sends poll feedback information to the access point, where the poll feedback information includes a second bandwidth parameter.

After receiving the poll information, the first station may send the poll feedback information to the access point in response to the poll information, and the access point may receive the poll feedback information sent by the first station. The poll feedback information may be a CTS frame. It should be noted that the first station may start to sense the poll information before step <NUM> or after step <NUM>.

The access point determines whether the second bandwidth parameter is less than the first bandwidth parameter; and if yes, performs step <NUM>; or if no, performs step <NUM>.

When the second bandwidth parameter is less than the first bandwidth parameter, it indicates that the available bandwidth of the access point is greater than bandwidth required by the first station. In addition to performing data transmission with the first station, the access point may perform step <NUM> to perform data transmission with the another station by using remaining bandwidth. If the first bandwidth parameter is not less than the second bandwidth parameter, step <NUM> is performed.

The access point allocates a channel to the first station based on the second bandwidth parameter, and allocates a channel to a second station based on remaining bandwidth, where the remaining bandwidth is bandwidth in the available bandwidth of the access point except bandwidth required by the first station.

After allocating the channels to the first station and the second station, the access point may generate the first trigger frame.

After receiving the first trigger frame, the first station sends the uplink data to the access point based on the first trigger frame, and the access point may receive the uplink data sent by the first station.

The second station sends uplink data to the access point.

After receiving the first trigger frame, the second station sends the uplink data to the access point based on the first trigger frame, and the access point may receive the uplink data sent by the second station.

The first station sends uplink data to the access point based on the first bandwidth parameter.

When the first bandwidth parameter is less than the second bandwidth parameter, the access point sends the first trigger frame to the first station based on the first bandwidth parameter, the first station sends the uplink data to the access point based on the first bandwidth parameter, and the access point may receive the uplink data.

Optionally, after the first station and the access point complete data transmission, the method further includes: sending, by the access point, a second trigger frame to the first station, where the second trigger frame is used to instruct the first station to release the channel.

After receiving the second trigger frame sent by the access point, the first station may release the channel based on the second trigger frame and broadcast a resource release indication. The resource release indication is used to instruct an adjacent node of the first station to reset a network allocation vector. The second trigger frame may be a trigger frame, and the resource release indication may be a CF-END frame.

In the specific application scenario provided in this application, a BSS1 includes an AP1, a STA1, and a STA2, and a BSS2 includes an AP2, the STA1, a STA3, and a STA4, as shown in <FIG>. The sending request is an RTS frame, the first bandwidth parameter is recorded as BW1, a frequency band corresponding to BW1 is a set including Ch1 and Ch2, the clear to send information is a CTS frame, the second bandwidth parameter is recorded as BW2, a frequency band corresponding to BW2 is Ch1, and the feedback information is assumed to be an ACK frame.

The AP1 sends a poll frame on Ch1 and Ch2. The channel set including Ch1 and Ch2 is assumed to be a frequency band ranging from <NUM> to <NUM>, and BW1 is <NUM>.

The AP1 may determine that BW2 is less than BW1, that is, the AP1 has remaining available bandwidth. The AP1 allocates the frequency band ranging from <NUM> to <NUM> to the STA1, determines that the remaining bandwidth is a frequency band ranging from <NUM> to <NUM>, and allocates the frequency band ranging from <NUM> to <NUM> to the STA2.

The AP1 generates a trigger and sends the trigger to the STA1 and the STA2 by using Ch1 and Ch2, respectively. The STA1 may send uplink data datal to the AP1 by using the frequency band ranging from <NUM> to <NUM>, and the STA2 may send uplink data data2 to the AP1 by using the frequency band ranging from <NUM> to <NUM>, as shown in <FIG>. It can be understood that, after data transmission is complete, the AP1 may send the ACK frame to the STA1 and the STA2, to indicate that transmission is successful. It can be learned that the AP in this application may simultaneously provide a data service to the plurality of stations. Therefore, data transmission efficiency is improved.

After the STA1 and the AP1 complete data transmission, the AP1 sends the trigger to the STA1, to instruct the STA1 to release Ch1. After releasing Ch1, the STA1 broadcasts a CF-END frame, and the STA2 or the STA3 may receive the CF-END frame, and set an NAV corresponding to Ch1 to <NUM>. When the STA2 or the STA3 needs to access the AP1, the STA2 may send the CTS frame to the access point, and perform communication with the AP1 by using Ch1, as shown in <FIG>. The AP2 receives the CF-END frame, and may set an NAV to <NUM>, and perform communication with the STA3 or the STA4 by using Ch1.

The foregoing describes the communication method in this application from a method perspective, while the following describes a network device in this application from an apparatus perspective.

Referring to <FIG>, this application provides an access point <NUM>, including:.

Optionally, in some embodiments of this application,.

Based on the previous embodiment, in some embodiments of this application, the feedback information is a data packet, an ACK frame, a CTS frame, a channel state report frame, a control frame, or a management frame, and the trigger information includes a trigger frame and an ACK frame.

Optionally, in some embodiments of this application, the feedback information is a data packet, an ACK frame, a CTS frame, a channel state report frame, a control frame, or a management frame, and the trigger information is a trigger frame.

Optionally, in other embodiments of this application, referring to <FIG>, this application provides an access point <NUM>, including:.

In some embodiments of this application, the allocation module <NUM> may randomly select a channel from a channel set corresponding to the remaining bandwidth, and allocate the channel to the second station; or.

In other embodiments of this application, the allocation module <NUM> may allocate all or some channels in a channel set corresponding to the first bandwidth parameter to the first station.

In other embodiments of this application, when the clear to send information further includes a control transfer identifier, the allocation module <NUM> may allocate some channels in a channel set corresponding to the second bandwidth parameter to the first station.

Referring to <FIG>, in some embodiments of this application, the access point <NUM> further includes:
a determining module <NUM>, configured to determine whether the bandwidth required by the first station includes an available channel set that includes a control channel; and if yes, trigger the sending module <NUM> to perform the step of sending, by the access point, clear to send information to the first station; or if no, trigger a processing module <NUM> to prohibit sending the clear to send information to the first station.

In some embodiments of this application, the feedback information is an acknowledgment ACK frame, a clear to send CTS frame, or a channel state report frame.

In some embodiments of this application, when the feedback information sent by the first station is not received, the sending module <NUM> may receive, based on the second bandwidth parameter, the uplink data sent by the first station.

Referring to <FIG>, this application provides a station <NUM>. The station serves as a first station, and the station includes:.

Based on the previous embodiment, in some embodiments of this application, the feedback information is a data packet, and the trigger information includes a trigger frame and an ACK frame.

Optionally, in some embodiments of this application, referring to <FIG>, this application provides a station <NUM>. The station serves as a first station, and the station includes:.

Referring to <FIG>, in some embodiments of this application, the station <NUM> further includes a determining module <NUM>, where.

In some embodiments of this application, if the clear to send information does not meet the feedback condition, the sending module <NUM> may send uplink data to the access point based on the second bandwidth parameter.

Referring to <FIG>, this application provides a station <NUM>, including:.

Referring to <FIG>, this application provides a station <NUM>. The station serves as a first station, and the station <NUM> includes:.

The foregoing describes the network node according to this application from a functional module perspective, and the following describes a network node according to this application from a hardware perspective. Referring to <FIG>, this application provides an access point, including a receiving apparatus <NUM>, a sending apparatus <NUM>, a processor <NUM>, a memory <NUM>, and a bus <NUM>. The receiving apparatus <NUM>, the sending apparatus <NUM>, the processor <NUM>, and the memory <NUM> are connected and communicate with each other by using the bus <NUM>, and the processor <NUM> is configured to perform the following method by invoking an operation instruction stored in the memory <NUM>:.

In some embodiments of this application, the processor <NUM> may be specifically configured to randomly select a channel from a channel set corresponding to the remaining bandwidth, and allocate the channel to the second station; or.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the processor <NUM> may be specifically configured to allocate all or some channels in a channel set corresponding to the first bandwidth parameter to the first station.

In some embodiments of the present invention, when the clear to send information further includes a control transfer identifier, the processor <NUM> may be specifically configured to allocate some channels in a channel set corresponding to the second bandwidth parameter to the first station.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the processor <NUM> is further configured to: determine whether the bandwidth required by the first station includes an available channel set that includes a control channel; and if yes, control the sending apparatus <NUM> to perform the step of sending, by the access point, clear to send information to the first station; or if no, prohibit sending the clear to send information to the first station.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the feedback information is an acknowledgment ACK frame, a clear to send CTS frame, or a channel state report frame.

In some embodiments of the present invention, when the feedback information sent by the first station is not received by the access point, under control of the processor <NUM>, the receiving apparatus <NUM> is further configured to receive, based on the second bandwidth parameter, the uplink data sent by the first station.

In some embodiments of the present invention, after the first station and the access point complete data transmission, under control of the processor <NUM>, the sending module <NUM> sends a second trigger frame to the first station, where the second trigger frame is used to instruct the first station to release the channel.

Referring to <FIG>, this application provides a station, including:
a receiving apparatus <NUM>, a sending apparatus <NUM>, a processor <NUM>, a memory <NUM>, and a bus <NUM>, where the receiving apparatus <NUM>, the sending apparatus <NUM>, the processor <NUM>, and the memory <NUM> are connected and communicate with each other by using the bus <NUM>, and the processor <NUM> is configured to perform the following method by invoking an operation instruction stored in the memory <NUM>:.

The processor <NUM> may determine whether the first bandwidth parameter is less than the second bandwidth parameter, and if yes, determine that the clear to send information meets the feedback condition; or.

If the clear to send information does not meet the feedback condition, under control of the processor <NUM>, the sending apparatus <NUM> sends uplink data to the access point based on the second bandwidth parameter.

Under control of the processor <NUM>, the receiving apparatus <NUM> receives a second trigger frame sent by the access point, where the second trigger frame is used to instruct the first station to release a channel.

Under control of the processor <NUM>, the sending apparatus <NUM> may broadcast a resource release indication based on the second trigger frame, where the resource release indication is used to instruct an adjacent node of the first station to reset a network allocation vector.

For example, the described apparatus embodiments are merely examples. In addition, the displayed or discussed mutual couplings or direct couplings or communication connections may be implemented through some interfaces, indirect couplings or communication connections between the apparatuses or units, or electrical connections, mechanical connections, or connections in other forms.

Some or all of the units may be selected based on actual needs to achieve the objectives of the solutions of the embodiments.

When the integrated unit is implemented in the form of a software functional unit and sold or used as an independent product, the integrated unit may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on such an understanding, the technical solutions of the present invention essentially, or the part contributing to the prior art, or all or some of the technical solutions may be implemented in the form of a software product. The software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions for instructing a computer device (which may be a personal computer, a server, a network device, or the like) to perform all or some of the steps of the methods described in the embodiments of the present invention. The foregoing storage medium includes any medium that can store program code, such as a USB flash drive, a removable hard disk, a read-only memory (ROM, Read-Only Memory), a random access memory (RAM, Random Access Memory), a magnetic disk, or an optical disc.

Claim 1:
A communication method performed by an access point, comprising:
broadcasting (<NUM>) a request to send, RTS, frame, wherein the RTS comprises a first bandwidth parameter, and the first bandwidth parameter indicates an available bandwidth of an access point;
receive (<NUM>) a clear to send, CTS, frame from a first station in response to the RTS frame, wherein the CTS comprises a second bandwidth parameter, and the second bandwidth parameter is corresponding to bandwidth required by the first station;
confirm, based on the receipt of the CTS frame, that an RTC/CTS frame transmission is successful; and
sending (<NUM>) a first trigger frame to the first station on the bandwidth required by the first station, wherein the first trigger frame is used to schedule the first station to send uplink data;
sending (<NUM>) the first trigger frame to a second station on a channel set corresponding to remaining bandwidth when the first bandwidth parameter is greater than the second bandwidth parameter, wherein the first trigger frame is used to schedule the second station to send uplink data.