# US 12,003,399 B2 · Request and response method for probing MLD, station, and access point

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- Number: US 12,003,399 B2
- Document ID: US12003399B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/091,924
- Filed: 2022-12-30
- Published: 2023-05-11
- Granted: 2024-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2020-07-02
- Assignees: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Yuchen Guo; Ming Gan; Yunbo Li; Guogang Huang
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12003399B2

## CPC

- H04L 43/12: Network monitoring probes
- H04W 76/15: Setup of multiple wireless link connections
- H04W 24/02: Arrangements for optimising operational condition
- H04W 8/005: {Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals}
- H04W 48/12: using downlink control channel
- H04W 84/12: WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
- 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

Embodiments of this application provide a probe request and response technology between a station and a plurality of AP MLDs. If the station wants to obtain a communication parameter of a nontransmitted BSSID AP, the station may send a probe request frame to a nontransmitted BSSID AP in an MBSSID set, and a transmitted BSSID AP in the MBSSID set may reply with a probe response frame. Alternatively, if the station wants to probe a plurality of AP MLDs at a time, the station may send the probe request frame to one transmitted BSSID AP in the MBSSID set, to request the AP to reply with a communication parameter of the nontransmitted BSSID AP. The nontransmitted BSSID AP and the transmitted BSSID AP may belong to different AP MLDs. During implementation of this application, a station may obtain communication parameters of a plurality of APs of one or more AP MLDs by sending one probe request frame, to obtain communication parameters of the AP MLD on a plurality of links, thereby efficiently implementing association between the station and the AP MLD or establishing multi-link transmission between the station and the AP MLD.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A station in a wireless local area network (WLAN), comprising:
at least one processor; and
a memory storing a program that is executable by the at least one processor, the program including instructions to:
generate a probe request frame, wherein the probe request frame requests an first access point (AP) to feed back a communication parameter that is of an AP multi-link device (MLD) and that is related to the first AP, wherein the communication parameter requested by the probe request frame comprises: the communication parameter of the AP MLD in which another AP belonging to a same multiple transmitted basic service set identifier (MBSSID) set as the first AP is located, the first AP is a transmitted basic service set identifier (BSSID) AP, and the communication parameter of the AP MLD comprises communication parameters of a plurality of links supported by the AP MLD, and wherein the probe request frame carries first lists of identifiers of first information elements, each first list of identifiers of first information elements corresponding to an AP in the AP MLD, to request content of the first information elements of the corresponding AP in the AP MLD; and
a transceiver, configured to send the probe request frame to the first AP.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The station according to claim 1, wherein the probe request frame carries first indication information, and the first indication information indicates to the first AP to feed back the communication parameter that is of the AP MLD and that is related to the first AP.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The station according to claim 2, wherein the communication parameter that is of the AP MLD and that is related to the first AP further comprises at least one of following:
a communication parameter of another AP MLD related to the first AP, the first AP being located in the AP MLD related to the first AP;
or
a communication parameter of another AP MLD in which another AP collocated with the first AP is located.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The station according to claim 2, wherein the first indication information is carried in the probe request frame, the first indication information comprises an MLD identifier or an MLD address, and the MLD identifier or the MLD address indicates to the first AP to feed back a communication parameter of an AP MLD corresponding to the MLD identifier or the MLD address.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The station according to claim 1, wherein the probe request frame further carries a second list of identifiers of second information elements, to request to acquire the second information elements of each requested AP in the AP MLD.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The station according to claim 5, wherein the transceiver is further configured to receive a probe response frame, the probe response frame comprises communication parameters of a plurality of APs in the AP MLD, and a communication parameter of each AP in the plurality of APs comprises content of a second information element corresponding to an identifier of the second list of identifiers carried in the probe request frame.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The station according to claim 1, wherein the transceiver is further configured to receive a probe response frame comprising an information element of a communication parameter corresponding to each corresponding AP in the AP MLD.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The station according to claim 1, wherein the first lists of identifiers of the first information elements are carried in a multi-link element of the probe request frame.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

A non-access point station (non-AP STA) multi-link device (MLD), comprising at least one STA, wherein the at least one STA includes a station according to claim 1.

### Claim 10

A method comprising:
generating, by a station in a wireless local area network (WLAN), a probe request frame, wherein the probe request frame requests a first access point (AP) to feed back a communication parameter that is of an AP multi-link device (MLD) and that is related to the first AP, wherein the communication parameter requested by the probe request frame comprises: the communication parameter of the AP MLD in which another AP belonging to a same multiple transmitted basic service set identifier (MBSSID) set as the first AP is located, the first AP being is a transmitted basic service set identifier (BSSID) AP, and the communication parameter of the AP MLD comprises communication parameters of a plurality of links supported by the AP MLD, and wherein the probe request frame carries first lists of identifiers of first information elements, each first list of identifiers of first information elements corresponding to an AP in the AP MLD, to request content of the first information elements of the corresponding AP in the AP MLD; and
sending, by the station, the probe request frame to the first AP.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method according to claim 10, wherein the probe request frame carries first indication information, and the first indication information indicates to the first AP to feed back the communication parameter that is of the AP MLD and that is related to the first AP.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method according to claim 11, wherein the communication parameter that is of the AP MLD and that is related to the first AP comprises at least one of following:
a communication parameter of another AP MLD related to the first AP, the first AP being located in the AP MLD related to the first AP;
or
a communication parameter of another AP MLD in which another AP collocated with the first AP is located.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The method according to claim 11, wherein the first indication information is carried in the probe request frame, the first indication information comprises an MLD identifier or an MLD address, and the MLD identifier or the MLD address indicates to the first AP to feed back a communication parameter of an AP MLD corresponding to the MLD identifier or the MLD address.

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

The method according to claim 10, wherein the probe request frame further carries a second list of identifiers of second information elements, to request to acquire the second information elements of each requested AP in the AP MLD.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method according to claim 14, further comprising:
receiving, by the station, a probe response frame, wherein the probe response frame comprises communication parameters of a plurality of APs in the AP MLD, and a communication parameter of each AP in the plurality of APs comprises content of a second information element corresponding to an identifier of the second list of identifiers carried in the probe request frame.

### Claim 16 (depends on 10)

The method according to claim 10, further comprising:
receiving, by the station, a probe response frame, wherein the probe response frame comprises an information element of a communication parameter corresponding to each corresponding AP in the AP MLD.

### Claim 17 (depends on 10)

The method according to claim 10, wherein the first lists of identifiers of the first information elements are carried in a multi-link element of the probe request frame.