# US 12,192,894 B2 · Multi-link hibernation mode for WLAN

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- Number: US 12,192,894 B2
- Document ID: US12192894B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/213,674
- Filed: 2023-06-23
- Published: 2024-02-29
- Granted: 2025-01-07
- Earliest claimed: 2020-06-02
- Assignees: Apple Inc.
- Applicants: Apple Inc.
- Inventors: Yong Liu; Su Khiong Yong; Qi Wang; Tianyu Wu; Lochan Verma; Jinjing Jiang; Jarkko L. Kneckt
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12192894B2

## CPC

- H04W 52/0206: {in access points, e.g. base stations}
- H04W 28/0263: {involving mapping traffic to individual bearers or channels, e.g. traffic flow template [TFT]}
- H04W 76/14: Direct-mode setup
- H04W 76/25: Maintenance of established connections
- H04W 76/27: Transitions between radio resource control [RRC] states
- H04W 88/04: adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
- Y02D 30/70: in wireless communication networks
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)
- Y02D: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES [ICT], I.E. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AIMING AT THE REDUCTION OF THEIR OWN ENERGY USE

## Abstract

Some aspects of this disclosure include apparatuses and methods for implementing a hibernation mode for multi-link wireless communication networks such as a wireless local area network (WLAN). For example, some aspects relate to a multi-link device (MLD) including a first station (STA) associated with a first link of a wireless network and configured to communicate with a second MLD over the first link. The MLD also includes a second STA associated with a second link of the wireless network. The second STA is in a hibernation mode. The MLD also includes one or more processors communicatively coupled to the first and second STAs and configured to control operations of the first and second STAs.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A multi-link device (MLD), comprising:
a first station (STA) associated with a first link of a wireless network and configured to communicate with a second MLD over the first link;
a second STA associated with a second link of the wireless network, wherein the second STA is in a first mode; and
one or more processors communicatively coupled to the first and second STAs and configured to:
transmit, using the first STA on the first link, a message to the second MLD indicating that the second STA is in the first mode, wherein the message comprises an association request transmitted during an association of the MLD and the second MLD and wherein the message further comprises a request for the second MLD to map one or more traffic identifiers (TIDs) to the first and second links;
transition the first STA from a second mode to the first mode, wherein the first mode causes the first STA to use less power than the second mode;
transition the second STA from the first mode to the second mode; and
transmit a frame, using the second STA, to the second MLD indicating that the second STA has exited the first mode.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The MLD of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to transition the first STA from the second mode to the first mode before transitioning the second STA from the first mode to the second mode.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The MLD of claim 2, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to transmit, using the first link, a second frame to the second MLD indicating that a link switch is occurring before transitioning the first STA from the second mode to the first mode.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The MLD of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
transmit, using the first link, a second frame to the second MLD indicating that the first STA is transitioning from the second mode to the first mode; and
transition the first STA from the second mode to the first mode after transitioning the second STA from the first mode to the second mode.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The MLD of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to transmit, using the first STA, a keep-alive message within a shorter of a first time period that corresponds to a first idle period associated with the first STA and a second time period that corresponds to a second idle period associated with the second STA.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The MLD of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to receive, using the first STA and from the second MLD, at least one of an updated Group Temporal Key (GTK) or an updated Integrity GTK (IGTK) associated with the second STA.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The MLD of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
in response to determining that the first link is unavailable, control the first STA to transition from the second mode to the first mode.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The MLD of claim 1, wherein:
when in the first mode, the second STA does not track Delivery Traffic Indication Map (DTIM) beacons, and
when in the second mode, the second STA tracks DTIM beacons.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The MLD of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors do not perform management handshakes to enter or exit the first mode.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The MLD of claim 1, wherein during an association operation, the first STA is in the second mode for the association operation while the second STA is the first mode.

### Claim 11

A method, comprising:
communicating on a first link of a wireless network, using a first station (STA) of a first multi-link device (MLD), at least one of a data frame, a management frame, or a control frame with a second MLD when a second STA of the first MLD associated with a second link of the wireless network is in a first mode;
transitioning the first STA from a second mode to the first mode, wherein the first mode comprises a lower power mode than the second mode;
transitioning the second STA from the first mode to the second mode; and
transmitting a frame, using the second STA, to the second MLD indicating that the second STA has exited the first mode, wherein:
when in the first mode, the second STA does not track Delivery Traffic Indication Map (DTIM) beacons, and
when in the second mode, the second STA tracks the DTIM beacons.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein transitioning the first STA from the second mode to the first mode occurs before transitioning the second STA from the first mode to the second mode.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, further comprising transmitting, using the first link, a second frame to the second MLD indicating that a link switch is occurring, wherein the transmitting occurs before transitioning the first STA from the second mode to the first mode.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein transitioning the first STA from the second mode to the first mode occurs after transitioning the second STA from the first mode to the second mode and the method further comprises:
transmitting, using the first link, a second frame to the second MLD indicating that the first STA is transitioning from the second mode to the first mode.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein during an association operation, the first STA is in the second mode for the association operation while the second STA is the first mode.

### Claim 16

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor of a first multi-link device (MLD), cause the first MLD to perform operations, comprising:
communicating on a first link of a wireless network, using a first station (STA) of the first MLD, at least one of a data frame, a management frame, or a control frame with a second MLD, wherein a second STA of the first MLD associated with a second link of the wireless network is in a first mode;
transitioning the first STA from a second mode to the first mode, wherein the first mode comprises a lower power mode than the second mode;
transitioning the second STA from the first mode to the second mode;
transmitting a frame, using the second STA, to the second MLD indicating that the second STA has exited the first mode; and
receiving, using the first STA and from the second MLD, at least one of an updated Group Temporal Key (GTK) or an updated Integrity GTK (IGTK) associated with the second STA.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein transitioning the first STA from the second mode to the first mode occurs before transitioning the second STA from the first mode to the second mode.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, the operations further comprising transmitting, using the first link, a second frame to the second MLD indicating that a link switch is occurring, wherein the transmitting occurs before transitioning the first STA from the second mode to the first mode.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein transitioning the first STA from the second mode to the first mode occurs after transitioning the second STA from the first mode to the second mode, and the operations further comprising:
transmitting, using the first link, a second frame to the second MLD indicating that the first STA is transitioning from the second mode to the first mode.

### Claim 20 (depends on 16)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein during an association operation, the first STA is in the second mode for the association operation while the second STA is the first mode.