# US 12,604,358 B2 · Network-aided multi-link operation for single-radio devices

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- Number: US 12,604,358 B2
- Document ID: US12604358B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/360,527
- Filed: 2023-07-27
- Published: 2025-01-30
- Granted: 2026-04-14
- Earliest claimed: 2023-07-27
- Assignees: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation
- Applicants: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation
- Inventors: Amit Shaw; Naga Lakshmana Sundeep Kancherla
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12604358B2

## CPC

- H04W 76/20: Manipulation of established connections
- H04W 74/0808: using carrier sensing, e.g. carrier sense multiple access [CSMA]
- H04W 74/0816: with collision avoidance
- H04W 76/15: Setup of multiple wireless link connections
- H04W 88/06: adapted for operation in multiple networks {or having at least two operational modes}, e.g. multi-mode terminals
- H04W 84/12: WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)

## Abstract

A system includes a first multi-link operation (MLO) device and a second MLO device. The first MLO device is to send a frame to the second MLO device via a first link. The frame includes a link occupancy information field, including link occupancy information of a second link.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system comprising:
a first multi-link operation (MLO) device; and
a second MLO device, wherein the first MLO device is to:
send a frame to the second MLO device via a first link, wherein the frame comprises a link occupancy information field comprising link occupancy information of a second link,
wherein the frame comprises a legacy frame having a plurality of legacy fields and wherein the link occupancy information field is an additional field added to the plurality of legacy fields.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the frame is at least one of an MLO-compliant request-to-send (RTS) frame or an MLO-compliant clear-to-send (CTS) frame.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the link occupancy information comprises link occupancy duration information.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the link occupancy information comprises at least of network allocation vector (NAV) information or virtual carrier sense (V-CRS) information.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the first MLO device is at least one of a simultaneous transmit and receive (STR) device or an enhanced multi-link single radio (eMLSR) device; and
the second MLO device is a multi-link single-radio (MLSR) device.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the second MLO device is to:
receive the frame via the first link;
extract the link occupancy information of the second link; and
determining whether to switch to the second link, based on the link occupancy information of the second link.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the link occupancy information of the second link indicates that a status of the second link is unknown.

### Claim 8

A method comprising:
receiving a frame from an access point, via a first link, wherein the frame comprises a link occupancy information field comprising link occupancy information of a second link;
extracting the link occupancy information of the second link; and
determining whether to switch to the second link based on the link occupancy information,
wherein the frame comprises a legacy frame having a plurality of legacy fields, and wherein the link occupancy information field is an additional field added to the plurality of legacy fields.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the frame is at least one of an MLO-compliant request-to-send (RTS) frame or an MLO-compliant clear-to-send (CTS) frame.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the link occupancy information comprises link occupancy duration information.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the link occupancy information comprises at least one of network allocation vector (NAV) information or virtual carrier sense (V-CRS) information.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the access point comprises at least one of a simultaneous transmit and receive (STR) device or an enhanced multi-link single radio (eMLSR) device.

### Claim 13

A method comprising:
determining link occupancy information of a first link; and
sending a frame to a station device, via a second link, wherein the frame comprises a link occupancy information field comprising the link occupancy information of the first link,
wherein the frame comprises a legacy frame having a plurality of legacy fields, and wherein the link occupancy information field is an additional field added to the plurality of legacy fields.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the frame is at least one of an MLO-compliant request-to-send (RTS) frame or an MLO-compliant clear-to-send (CTS) frame.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the station device comprises a multi-link single-radio (MLSR) device.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the link occupancy information comprises link occupancy duration information.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the link occupancy information comprises at least one of network allocation vector (NAV) information or virtual carrier sense (V-CRS) information.