# US 10,873,651 B2 · Communication device and communication method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,873,651 B2 - Document ID: US10873651B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/436,942 - Filed: 2019-06-11 - Published: 2019-10-03 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2015-09-09 - Assignees: Sony Corporation - Applicants: Sony Corporation - Inventors: Shigeru Sugaya - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10873651B2 ## CPC - H04L 69/22: Parsing or analysis of headers - H04L 69/324: in the data link layer [OSI layer 2], e.g. HDLC - H04W 28/06: Optimizing {the usage of the radio link}, e.g. header compression, information sizing {, discarding information (system modifying transmission characteristic according to link quality by modifying frame length H04L1/0007; dynamic adaptation of the packet size for flow control or congestion control H04L47/365)} - H04W 76/10: Connection setup - H04W 80/02: Data link layer protocols - H04W 84/12: WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks] - H04W 48/12: using downlink control channel - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract [Object] To provide a mechanism capable of improving communication efficiency even in communication before allocation of an AID. [Solution] A communication device including: a communication unit configured to transmit a first frame including a second association identifier decided by a communication device to which a first association identifier is allocated and receive a second frame including information related to the second association identifier. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A communication device comprising: wireless communication control circuitry configured to set an association identifier that the communication device uses in a wireless communication network, transmit a first frame including the association identifier, and receive a second frame including information related to the association identifier; wherein the association identifier is shorter in data length than a Media Access Control (MAC) address; wherein the association identifier is taken from a set of values different from a set of values in the range of 0x0001 to 0x07D7; wherein the wireless communication control circuitry is further configured to transmit the first frame including the association identifier taken from the set of values different from the set of values in the range of 0x0001 to 0x07D7, in both a first case in which the communication device is associated with a first another communication device using a first association identifier, and in a second case in which the communication device is not associated with a second another communication device using a second association identifier, wherein the first association identifier and the second association identifier are being taken from a set of values in the range of 0x0001 to 0x07D7. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the information related to the association identifier includes information decided on a basis of the association identifier. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the information related to the association identifier is information indicating the association identifier. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the first frame is a frame including the association identifier as transmission source information of the frame. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the second frame is a frame including the association identifier as destination information of the frame. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the second frame is transmitted to a plurality of communication devices at one time. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The communication device according to claim 6, wherein the second frame is multiplexed. ### Claim 8 A communication device comprising: wireless communication control circuitry configured to receive a first frame including an association identifier set by another communication device, and transmit a second frame including information related to the association identifier; wherein the association identifier is shorter in data length than a Media Access Control (MAC) address; wherein the association identifier is taken from a set of values different from a set of values in the range of 0x0001 to 0x07D7; wherein the wireless communication control circuitry is further configured to transmit the second frame including the information related to the association identifier taken from the set of values different from the set of values in the range of 0x0001 to 0x07D7, in both a first case in which the communication device is associated with the another communication device using a first association identifier, and in a second case in which the communication device is not associated with the another communication device using a second association identifier, wherein the first association identifier and the second association identifier are being taken from a set of values in the range of 0x0001 to 0x07D7. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The communication device according to claim 8, wherein the information related to the association identifier is information decided on a basis of the association identifier. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The communication device according to claim 8, wherein the information related to the association identifier is information indicating the association identifier. ### Claim 11 A communication method executed in a communication device comprising: setting an association identifier that the communication device uses in a wireless communication network; transmitting a first frame including the association identifier; and receiving a second frame including information related to the association identifier; wherein the association identifier is shorter in data length than a Media Access Control (MAC) address; wherein the association identifier is taken from a set of values different from a set of values in the range of 0x0001 to 0x07D7; and wherein the transmitting the first frame including the association identifier taken from the set of values different from the set of values in the range of 0x0001 to 0x07D7, is executed in both a first case in which the communication device is associated with a first another communication device using a first association identifier, and in a second case in which the communication device is not associated with a second another communication device using a second association identifier, wherein the first association identifier and the second association identifier are being taken from a set of values in the range of 0x0001 to 0x07D7. ### Claim 12 A communication method executed in a communication device, the method comprising: receiving a first frame including an association identifier set by another communication device; and transmitting a second frame including information related to the association identifier; wherein the association identifier is shorter in data length than a Media Access Control (MAC) address; wherein the association identifier is taken from a set of values different from a set of values in the range of 0x0001 to 0x07D7; and wherein the transmitting the second frame including the information related to the association identifier taken from the set of values different from the set of values in the range of 0x0001 to 0x07D7, is executed in both a first case in which the communication device is associated with the another communication device using a first association identifier, and in a second case in which the communication device is not associated with the another communication device using a second association identifier, wherein the first association identifier and the second association identifier are being taken from a set of values in the range of 0x0001 to 0x07D7.