# US 12,193,050 B2 · Enhanced channel access for multi-link devices > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,193,050 B2 - Document ID: US12193050B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/587,806 - Filed: 2024-02-26 - Published: 2024-08-22 - Granted: 2025-01-07 - Earliest claimed: 2020-07-24 - Assignees: Intel Corporation - Applicants: Intel Corporation - Inventors: Laurent Cariou; Dmitry Akhmetov; Dibakar Das - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12193050B2 ## CPC - H04W 74/002: {Transmission of channel access control information} - H04W 74/085: {collision avoidance} - H04W 76/15: Setup of multiple wireless link connections - H04W 76/27: Transitions between radio resource control [RRC] states - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract This disclosure describes systems, methods, and devices related to channel access for multi-link devices (MLDs). A MLD may identify a first backoff count associated with a first enhanced distributed channel access function (EDCAF) for a first communication link used by the MLD; identify a second backoff count associated with a second EDCAF for a second communication link used by the MLD, the first backoff count less than the second backoff count; determine a time period after that the first backoff count reaches zero and during which to refrain from transmitting using the first communication link, the time period based on the second backoff count; determine that the first communication link transitioned from an idle state to a busy state during the time period; and generate a third backoff count associated with the first EDCAF based on the first communication link transitioning to the busy state during the time period. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A device, the device comprising processing circuitry coupled to storage, the processing circuitry configured to: align backoff counters of two or more Stations (STAs) within a Multi-Link Device (MLD) for enhanced channel access; initiate transmission based on a status of backoff counters associated with Enhanced Distributed Channel Access Functions (EDCAFs) for each link; manage backoff counters by increasing a backoff count to match or be smaller than a non-zero value of a second backoff count used by another STA of the same MLD; generate a new backoff count for an EDCAF when a backoff count of a STA of the MLD reaches zero and another communication link used by a second STA of the MLD becomes busy; and determine whether to transmit using a communication link or generate a new backoff counter based on the state of the communication link and the backoff counters of other STAs in the MLD. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to hold a backoff count at zero for an EDCAF after it counts down to zero and before initiating a new backoff procedure. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to resume regular EDCA operation after generating a new backoff counter value for an EDCAF whose backoff count was previously held at zero. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to initiate transmission on two links simultaneously if at least one of the links has a corresponding EDCAF that counted down to zero and the other link is holding its backoff counter value for the corresponding EDCAF at zero. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to select one EDCAF for gaining an EDCA TXOP when one or more EDCAF backoff counters reach zero simultaneously on different links. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to monitor communication links to determine whether they are busy or idle, inducing a decision to transmit or generate a new backoff count. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to use a same or a different contention window for a new backoff counter as compared to an expired backoff counter. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to coordinate transmissions across multiple links by synchronizing the backoff counters of different STAs within the same MLD. ### Claim 9 A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions which when executed by one or more processors result in performing operations comprising: aligning backoff counters of two or more Stations (STAs) within a Multi-Link Device (MLD) for enhanced channel access; initiating transmission based on a status of backoff counters associated with Enhanced Distributed Channel Access Functions (EDCAFs) for each link; managing backoff counters by increasing a backoff count to match or be smaller than a non-zero value of a second backoff count used by another STA of the same MLD; generating a new backoff count for an EDCAF when a backoff count of a STA of the MLD reaches zero and another communication link used by a second STA of the MLD becomes busy; and determining whether to transmit using a communication link or generate a new backoff counter based on the state of the communication link and the backoff counters of other STAs in the MLD. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise holding a backoff count at zero for an EDCAF after it counts down to zero and before initiating a new backoff procedure. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise resuming regular EDCA operation after generating a new backoff counter value for an EDCAF whose backoff count was previously held at zero. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise initiating transmission on two links simultaneously if at least one of the links has a corresponding EDCAF that counted down to zero and the other link is holding its backoff counter value for the corresponding EDCAF at zero. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise selecting one EDCAF for gaining an EDCA TXOP when one or more EDCAF backoff counters reach zero simultaneously on different links. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise monitoring communication links to determine whether they are busy or idle, inducing a decision to transmit or generate a new backoff count. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise using a same or a different contention window for a new backoff counter as compared to an expired backoff counter. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise coordinating transmissions across multiple links by synchronizing the backoff counters of different STAs within the same MLD. ### Claim 17 A method comprising: aligning backoff counters of two or more Stations (STAs) within a Multi-Link Device (MLD) for enhanced channel access; initiating transmission based on a status of backoff counters associated with Enhanced Distributed Channel Access Functions (EDCAFs) for each link; managing backoff counters by increasing a backoff count to match or be smaller than a non-zero value of a second backoff count used by another STA of the same MLD; generating a new backoff count for an EDCAF when a backoff count of a STA of the MLD reaches zero and another communication link used by a second STA of the MLD becomes busy; and determining whether to transmit using a communication link or generate a new backoff counter based on the state of the communication link and the backoff counters of other STAs in the MLD. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising holding a backoff count at zero for an EDCAF after it counts down to zero and before initiating a new backoff procedure. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising resuming regular EDCA operation after generating a new backoff counter value for an EDCAF whose backoff count was previously held at zero. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising initiating transmission on two links simultaneously if at least one of the links has a corresponding EDCAF that counted down to zero and the other link is holding its backoff counter value for the corresponding EDCAF at zero.