# US 2024/0205995 A1 · Multi-link device frame exchange within a wlan (wireless local area network) > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2024/0205995 A1 - Document ID: US20240205995A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/535,624 - Filed: 2023-12-11 - Published: 2024-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2022-12-19 - Assignees: NXP USA, Inc. - Applicants: NXP USA, Inc. - Inventors: Liwen Chu; Kiseon Ryu; Huizhao Wang; Hongyuan Zhang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20240205995A1 ## CPC - H04W 76/15: Setup of multiple wireless link connections - 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 One example discloses a first WLAN (wireless local area network) device, including: a controller configured to, establish a multi-link association with a second WLAN device; wherein the multi-link association includes a primary link and a non-primary link; detect that the primary-link is busy; and perform frame exchanges on the non-primary link if the primary-link is busy. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A first WLAN (wireless local area network) device, comprising: a controller configured to, establish a multi-link association with a second WLAN device; wherein the multi-link association includes a primary link and a non-primary link; detect that the primary-link is busy; and perform frame exchanges on the non-primary link if the primary-link is busy. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The first WLAN device of claim 1: wherein the first WLAN device is an AP (access point) MLD (multi-link device); and wherein the first WLAN device is a non-AP MLD. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The first WLAN device of claim 1, further comprising: detect that the primary-link is no longer busy; and perform frame exchanges on the primary link if the primary-link is no longer busy. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The first WLAN device of claim 3: wherein the primary link is busy if either the first or second WLAN devices holds a TXOP. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The first WLAN device of claim 1: wherein the first WLAN device communicates with the second WLAN device simultaneously over both the primary link and the non-primary link. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The first WLAN device of claim 1: wherein if either the first or second WLAN devices loses communications medium synchronization when switching between the primary link and the non-primary link, and a peer device to either the first or second WLAN devices has the medium synchronization information, then the peer device performs communications medium re-synchronization by transmitting an RTS frame to at least one of the first or second WLAN devices, and detects a received PPDU. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The first WLAN device of claim 6: wherein the RTS frame use an ED based backoff within a time period defined by a MediumSyncDelay timer, and the peer device detects a timeout of the MediumSyncDelay timer. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The first WLAN device of claim 1: wherein the second WLAN device is included a set of affiliated WLAN devices; and wherein each of the set of affiliated WLAN devices selects its own primary link. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The first WLAN device of claim 1: wherein the second WLAN device is included a set of affiliated WLAN devices; and wherein the first WLAN device assigns a primary link to each device in the set of affiliated WLAN devices. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The first WLAN device of claim 8: wherein each of the set of affiliated WLAN devices shares a common setup link. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The first WLAN device of claim 1: wherein at least one of the first and second WLAN devices requests enabling of the primary link and the non-primary link mode of operation; and wherein a peer device to the at least one of the first and second WLAN devices decides whether or not to accept or reject the request for the primary link and the non-primary link mode of operation. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The first WLAN device of claim 1: wherein at least one of the first and second WLAN devices requests disabling of the primary link and the non-primary link mode of operation; and wherein a peer device to the at least one of the first and second WLAN devices stops using the primary link and the non-primary link mode of operation in response to the request disabling. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The first WLAN device of claim 1: wherein at least one of the first and second WLAN devices announces enablement of the primary link and the non-primary link mode of operation using at least one of: a basic multi-link element, a reduced neighbor report, an additional element in a beacon frame, another management (i.e. action) frame, a trigger frame, or a control frame. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The first WLAN device of claim 13: wherein the announces includes a link identifier (ID) that identifies which of the WLAN devices is using which link as the primary link, and which link as the non-primary link. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The first WLAN device of claim 1: wherein the primary link and a non-primary link are in a same power save mode at a same time. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The first WLAN device of claim 1: wherein the primary link and a non-primary link are in a different power save mode at a same time. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The first WLAN device of claim 1: wherein the primary link and a non-primary link are in an awake state in a power save mode at a same time. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The first WLAN device of claim 1: wherein at least one of the first and second WLAN devices is a multi-link single-radio (MLSR) device. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The first WLAN device of claim 1: wherein at least one of the first and second WLAN devices is a multi-link multi-radio (MLMR) device. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The first WLAN device of claim 1: wherein at least one of the first and second WLAN devices is a STR (Simultaneous Transmit and Receive) MLMR (Multilink Multi-Radio) MLD device. ### Claim 21 Method of enabling a first WLAN (wireless local area network) device to be operated, comprising: establishing a multi-link association with a second WLAN device; wherein the multi-link association includes a primary link and a non-primary link; detecting that the primary-link is busy; and performing frame exchanges on the non-primary link if the primary-link is busy.