Early critical update indications for multi-link devices

A method for wireless communication performed by a wireless station (STA) of a STA multi-link device (MLD), comprising:

• associating with a first access point (AP) of an AP MLD, the AP MLD further including one or more secondary APs associated with one or more respective secondary communication links of the AP MLD;
• and
• receiving a frame from the first AP via a first communication link of the AP MLD, the frame including:
• a first change sequence field carrying a first value of a most-recent critical update for the first AP of the AP MLD;
• one or more secondary change sequence fields carrying second values of most-recent critical updates for respective secondary APs of the one or more secondary APs of the AP MLD;
• and
• a critical update flag subfield carrying an indication of a change in value of at least one of the one or more secondary change sequence fields.

An access point (AP) multi-link device (MLD) including a first AP associated with a first communication link of the AP MLD and including one or more secondary APs associated with one or more respective secondary communication links of the AP MLD, the AP MLD comprising:

• at least one modem;
• at least one processor communicatively coupled with the at least one modem;
• and
• at least one memory communicatively coupled with the at least one processor and storing processor-readable code that, when executed by the at least one processor in conjunction with the at least one modem, causes the AP MLD to perform operations comprising:
• generating a frame by the first AP of the AP MLD, the frame including:
• a first change sequence field carrying a first value of a most-recent critical update for the first AP of the AP MLD;
• one or more secondary change sequence fields carrying second values of most-recent critical updates for respective secondary APs of the one or more secondary APs of the AP MLD;
• and
• a critical update flag subfield carrying an indication of a change in value of at least one of the one or more secondary change sequence fields;
• and
• transmitting the frame via the first communication link from the first AP of the AP MLD.

A wireless station (STA) multi-link device (MLD), comprising:

• at least one modem;
• at least one processor communicatively coupled with the at least one modem;
• and
• at least one memory communicatively coupled with the at least one processor and storing processor-readable code that, when executed by the at least one processor in conjunction with the at least one modem, causes the STA MLD to perform operations comprising:
• associating with a first access point (AP) of an AP MLD, the AP MLD further including one or more secondary APs associated with one or more respective secondary communication links of the AP MLD, and
• receiving a frame from the first AP via a first communication link of the AP MLD, the frame including:
• a first change sequence field carrying a first value of a most-recent critical update for the first AP of the AP MLD;
• one or more secondary change sequence fields carrying second values of most-recent critical updates for respective secondary APs of the one or more secondary APs of the AP MLD;
• and
• a critical update flag subfield carrying an indication of a change in value of at least one of the one or more secondary change sequence fields.