Switching mechanism for dynamic multicast optimization

An access point (AP) multi-link device (MLD) comprising:

• at least one processor;
• and
• a memory coupled to the at least one processor, the memory storing instructions to cause the at least one processor to:
• determine an average rate for downlink (DL) traffic to a plurality of stations (STAs) on a link;
• determine a first index based on a number of the STAs on the link, an average length of non-unicast (UC) frames, the average rate and a predetermined parameter, wherein the predetermined parameter is associated with at least one of a first amount of time indicating that UC frames are transmitted using single user (SU) transmission (TX) flow, or a second amount of time indicating that UC frames are transmitted using multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) or orthogonal frequency-division multiple access (OFDMA) TX flow;
• wherein the first amount of time comprises a second sum of short inter frame space (SIFS) and a time length for receiving an acknowledgement (ACK),
• and wherein the AP MLD further comprises instructions to cause the at least one processor to determine the second amount of time:
• determine a third sum of short inter frame space (SIFS) and a time length for receiving a block ACK;
• and
• determine a third proportion based on the third sum and a number of users of a multi-user (MU) group;
• determine a second index based on the average length of non-UC frames and a basic rate for the STAs on the link;
• compare the first index and the second index;
• and
• trigger a dynamic multicast optimization (DMO) on the link based on the comparison of the first index and the second index.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions stored thereon which, when executed by an access point (AP) multi-link device (MLD), cause the AP MLD to:

• determine an average rate for downlink (DL) traffic to a plurality of stations (STAs) on a link;
• determine a first index based on a number of the STAs on the link, an average length of non-unicast (UC) frames, the average rate and a predetermined parameter, wherein the predetermined parameter is associated with at least one of a first amount of time indicating that UC frames are transmitted using single user (SU) transmission (TX) flow, or a second amount of time indicating that UC frames are transmitted using multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) or orthogonal frequency-division multiple access (OFDMA) TX flow;
• determine a second index based on the average length of non-UC frames and a basic rate for the STAs on the link, wherein determining the second index comprises causing the AP MLD to:
• determine a second proportion based on the average length of non-UC frames and the basic rate;
• and
• determine the second proportion as the second index;
• compare the first index and the second index;
• and
• trigger a dynamic multicast optimization (DMO) on the link based on the comparison of the first index and the second index.