BR112017028237B1 - METHOD AND APPARATUS OF ESTABLISHING ASSOCIATION - Google Patents

Abstract

METHOD AND APPARATUS OF ESTABLISHING ASSOCIATION. Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and apparatus for establishing association. The method includes: broadcasting, via an AP, a trigger frame, wherein the trigger frame is used to indicate one or more available subchannels and trigger multiple first STAs to perform uplink data transmission at the same time; receiving, via the AP, a sent association request message and a corresponding available subchannel via each first STA; broadcast, through the AP, a multi-block acknowledgment M-BA frame, wherein the M-BA frame includes one or more association acknowledgment information, wherein, if the trigger frame includes a temporary identifier that is allocated by the AP on an available subchannel, the association acknowledgment information will include a MAC address of one or more second STA; otherwise, the association recognition information includes a MAC address of one or more second STA and a first AID that is allocated, by the AP, to the second STA; and send, through the AP, a response message (...).

Description

FIELD OF TECHNIQUE

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to the field of wireless communications and, in particular, to an association establishment method and apparatus.

BACKGROUND

[0002] As orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) technology develops, a current wireless communications system can now support simultaneous data transmission by multiple stations (Station, STA for short). When multiple STAs send information to an access point (Access Point, AP for short) using OFDMA technology, the information can be a control frame, a management frame, or a common data frame. The AP can broadcast acknowledgment messages to multiple stations in a form of a multi-block acknowledgment frame structure (Multi-Block Acknowledgment, M-BA for short). Figure 1 is a schematic structural diagram of an M-BA frame according to the prior art. As shown in Figure 1, the M-BA frame includes one or more block/recognition information units. In the prior art, each block/acknowledgment information unit is sent to an STA for acknowledgment. Typically, if the AP sends an acknowledgment message to a single Medium Access Control Protocol data unit (MPDU for short) sent by only one STA, the block acknowledgment/acknowledgment information is recognition information. If the AP sends an acknowledgment message to an aggregate medium access control protocol data unit (A-MPDU for short) sent by only one STA, the block acknowledgment information/ recognition is block recognition information. Each block/recognition information unit includes an association identifier (AID for short). Each AID is a unique identifier allocated by the AP in a STA. The identifier is used to identify the STA. This indicates that acknowledgment information is sent through the AP to the STA identified by the AID. In this document, the AP allocates AID to the STA when establishing an association with the STA.

[0003] In the prior art, a process in which an AP establishes an association with multiple STAs through OFDMA is as follows: First, the AP broadcasts a Downlink Trigger frame. The downlink trigger frame indicates, using a resource allocation indication bit, subchannels used by multiple STAs to send association request messages. Second, multiple STAs require an available subchannel using a random termination algorithm, and send the association request messages to the AP. If the AP sends an association acknowledgment message to multiple STAs in the form of an M-BA, the following problem exists: Since the AP does not establish association with the multiple STAs, the AP does not know an AID of each STA.

[0004] Therefore, the AP cannot send an association acknowledgment message to the multiple STAs in the form of an M-BA. As a result, an association between the AP and an STA cannot be established, and communication reliability is reduced.

SUMMARY

[0005] Embodiments of the present invention provide a method of establishing association and apparatus, in order to associate an AP with an STA, and additionally ensure communication reliability.

[0006] According to a first aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a method of establishing association, which includes: broadcasting, by an AP access point, a trigger frame, wherein the trigger frame is used to indicate one or more available subchannels and trigger multiple first STA stations to perform uplink data transmission at the same time; receiving, via the AP, an association request message sent on a corresponding available subchannel via the multiple first STA, wherein the association request message includes a Medium Access Control address of the first STA; broadcasting, through the AP, an acknowledgment frame into multiple M-BA blocks, wherein the M-BA frame includes one or more association acknowledgment information, and the association acknowledgment information is acknowledgment information of the M-BA message. association request, wherein if the trigger frame includes a temporary identifier that is allocated by the AP on each available subchannel, the association acknowledgment information includes a MAC address of one or more second STA, such that each second STA determines that association acknowledgment information is acknowledgment information sent through the AP to the second STA and uses a temporary identifier of a corresponding available subchannel as a first AID of the second STA, wherein the second STA is a first STA that matches the message association request successfully received by the AP; Otherwise, the association recognition information includes a MAC address of one or more second STA and a first AID that is allocated, by the AP, in the second STA; and sending, via the AP, an association response message to the corresponding second STA in accordance with the first AID, wherein the association response message is used to indicate that an association between the second STA and the AP is established with success, the association response message includes a second AID, the second AID is used to identify the second STA, and the second AID is the same as or different from the first AID.

[0007] With reference to the first aspect, in a first possible implementation of the first aspect, if the trigger frame includes the temporary identifier that is allocated by the AP on each available subchannel, the association recognition information additionally includes the temporary identifier of the subchannel available that corresponds to the second STA.

[0008] With reference to the first possible implementation of the first aspect, in a second possible implementation of the first aspect, the temporary identifier included in the association recognition information is further used to indicate that the association recognition information is the association recognition information. membership request message.

[0009] With reference to the first aspect or the first possible deployment, in a third possible deployment of the first aspect, the association recognition information additionally includes a simulation association identifier, and the simulation association identifier is used to indicate that association acknowledgment information is the acknowledgment information of the association request message.

[0010] With reference to the first aspect or the first possible implementation, in a fourth possible implementation of the first aspect, a special traffic identifier TID in the association recognition information is additionally used to indicate that the association recognition information is the information recognition of the association request message.

[0011] With reference to any one of the first aspect to the third possible deployment, in a fifth possible deployment of the first aspect, a special traffic identifier TID or all 4 bits of a TID, in the association recognition information, indicates or indicate a number of second STAs to which the AP sends recognition requests using the same association recognition information.

[0012] With reference to any one of the first aspect to the fourth possible deployment, in a sixth possible deployment of the first aspect, the association recognition information additionally includes a statistical identifier, and the statistical identifier indicates a number of second STAs for the which the AP sends recognition requests using the same association recognition information.

[0013] With reference to the sixth possible implementation of the first aspect, in a seventh possible implementation of the first aspect, the statistical identifier is located after the traffic identifier information in the association recognition information.

[0014] With reference to the sixth possible implementation of the first aspect, in an eighth possible implementation of the first aspect, the statistical identifier occupies a reserved bit in block recognition initial sequence control in the association recognition information.

[0015] According to a second aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a method of establishing association, which includes: receiving, by a first STA station, a trigger frame broadcast by an AP access point, wherein the frame trigger is used to indicate one or more available subchannels and trigger multiple first STA stations to perform uplink data transmission at the same time; sending, by the first STA, an association request message on a corresponding available subchannel, wherein the association request message includes a Medium Access Control address of the first STA; receive, by the first STA, a multi-block acknowledgment M-BA frame broadcast through the AP, wherein the M-BA frame includes one or more association acknowledgment information, and the association acknowledgment information is association acknowledgment information association request message acknowledgment, wherein If the trigger frame includes a temporary identifier that is allocated by the AP on each available subchannel, the M-BA frame includes a MAC address of one or more second STA; and if the first STA verifies that the MAC address of the first STA is in the M-BA frame, the first STA determines that the association acknowledgment information is acknowledgment information sent through the AP to the first STA and uses a temporary identifier of the corresponding available subchannel as a first AID of the first STA; Otherwise, the M-BA frame includes a MAC address of one or more second STAs and a first AID that is allocated, by the AP, to the second STA, and if the first STA finds that the MAC address of the first STA is in the M-BA frame, the first STA obtains a first AID that corresponds to the MAC address of the first STA, wherein the second STA is an STA that corresponds to the association request message successfully received by the AP; and receiving, by the first STA, an association response message that is sent through the AP in accordance with the first AID, wherein the association response message is used to indicate that an association between the first STA and the AP is successfully established, the association response message includes a second AID, the second AID is used to identify the first STA, and the second AID is the same as or different from the first AID.

[0016] With reference to the second aspect, in a first possible implementation of the second aspect, if the trigger frame includes the temporary identifier that is allocated by the AP on each available subchannel, the association recognition information additionally includes a temporary identifier of the subchannel available that corresponds to the second STA.

[0017] With reference to the first possible implementation of the second aspect, in a second possible implementation of the second aspect, the temporary identifier included in the association recognition information is further used to indicate that the association recognition information is the association recognition information. membership request message.

[0018] With reference to the second aspect or the first possible deployment, in a third possible deployment of the second aspect, the association recognition information additionally includes a simulation association identifier, and the simulation association identifier is used to indicate that association acknowledgment information is the acknowledgment information of the association request message.

[0019] With reference to the second aspect or the first possible implementation, in a third possible implementation of the second aspect, a special traffic identifier TID in the association recognition information is additionally used to indicate that the association recognition information is the information recognition of the association request message.

[0020] With reference to any of the second aspect to the second possible deployment, in a fourth possible deployment of the second aspect, a special traffic identifier TID or all 4 bits of a TID, in the association recognition information, indicates or indicate a number of second STAs to which the AP sends recognition requests using the same association recognition information.

[0021] With reference to any one of the second aspect to the third possible deployment, in a fifth possible deployment of the second aspect, the association recognition information additionally includes a statistical identifier, and the statistical identifier indicates a number of second STAs for the which the AP sends recognition requests using the same association recognition information.

[0022] With reference to the fifth possible implementation of the second aspect, in a sixth possible implementation of the second aspect, the statistical identifier is located after the traffic identifier information in the association recognition information.

[0023] With reference to the fifth possible implementation of the second aspect, in a seventh possible implementation of the second aspect, the statistical identifier occupies a reserved bit in block recognition initial sequence control in the association recognition information.

[0024] According to a third aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a method of establishing association, which includes: receiving, by an AP access point, an association request message sent by each of one or more stations STA, wherein the association request message includes a token identifier generated by the first STA, and the token identifier is used to uniquely identify the first STA; broadcasting, through the AP, an acknowledgment frame into multiple M-BA blocks, wherein the M-BA frame includes one or more association acknowledgment information, and the association acknowledgment information is acknowledgment information of the M-BA message. association request, wherein the association acknowledgment information includes a token identifier of one or more second STA and a first AID association identifier that is allocated, by the AP, in the second STA, such that the second STA obtains the first AID according to the token identifier, wherein the second STA is a first STA that corresponds to the association request message successfully received by the AP; and sending, via the AP, an association response message to the corresponding second STA in accordance with the first AID, wherein the association response message is used to indicate that an association between the second STA and the AP is established with success, the association response message includes a second AID, the second AID is used to identify the second STA, and the second AID is the same as or different from the first AID.

[0025] With reference to the third aspect, in a first possible implementation of the third aspect, the association request message additionally includes a MAC address of the first STA.

[0026] With reference to the third aspect, in a second possible implementation of the third aspect, the association recognition information additionally includes a MAC address of the second STA.

[0027] With reference to any of the third aspect to the second possible deployment, in a third possible deployment of the third aspect, a special traffic identifier TID or all 4 bits of a TID, in the association recognition information, indicates or indicate a number of second STAs to which the AP sends recognition requests using the same association recognition information.

[0028] With reference to any one of the third aspect to the second possible deployment, in a fourth possible deployment of the third aspect, the association recognition information additionally includes a statistical identifier, and the statistical identifier indicates a number of second STAs for the which the AP sends recognition requests using the same association recognition information.

[0029] With reference to the fourth possible implementation of the third aspect, in a fifth possible implementation of the third aspect, the statistical identifier is located after the traffic identifier information in the association recognition information.

[0030] With reference to the fourth possible implementation of the third aspect, in a sixth possible implementation of the third aspect, the statistical identifier occupies a reserved bit in block recognition initial sequence control in the association recognition information.

[0031] According to a fourth aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a method of establishing association, which includes: generating, by a first STA station, a token identifier, wherein the token identifier is used to identify, uniquely, the first STA; sending, by the first STA, an association request message to an access point AP, wherein the association request message includes the token identifier generated by the first STA; receive, by the first STA, a multi-block acknowledgment M-BA frame broadcast through the AP, wherein the M-BA frame includes one or more association acknowledgment information, the association acknowledgment information is association acknowledgment information. acknowledgment of the association request message, the association acknowledgment information includes a token identifier of one or more second STAs and a first AID association identifier that is allocated, by the AP, in the second STA, and the second STA is an STA which corresponds to the association request message successfully received by the AP; if the first STA verifies that the token identifier of the first STA is in the M-BA frame, obtaining, by the first STA, a first AID in association recognition information that includes the token identifier of the first STA; and receiving, by the first STA, an association response message that is sent through the AP in accordance with the first AID, wherein the association response message is used to indicate that an association between the first STA and the AP is successfully established, the association response message includes a second AID, the second AID is used to identify the first STA, and the second AID is the same as or different from the first AID.

[0032] With reference to the fourth aspect, in a first possible implementation of the fourth aspect, the association request message additionally includes a Medium Access Control address of the first STA.

[0033] With reference to the first possible deployment of the fourth aspect, in a second possible deployment of the fourth aspect, the association recognition information additionally includes a MAC address of the second STA.

[0034] With reference to any one of the fourth aspect to the second possible deployment, in a third possible deployment of the fourth aspect, a special traffic identifier TID or all 4 bits of a TID, in the association recognition information, indicates or indicate a number of second STAs to which the AP sends recognition requests using the same association recognition information.

[0035] With reference to any one of the fourth aspect to the second possible deployment, in a fourth possible deployment of the fourth aspect, the association recognition information additionally includes a statistical identifier, and the statistical identifier indicates a number of second STAs for the which the AP sends recognition requests using the same association recognition information.

[0036] With reference to the fourth possible implementation of the fourth aspect, in a fifth possible implementation of the fourth aspect, the statistical identifier is located after the traffic identifier information in the association recognition information.

[0037] With reference to the fourth possible implementation of the fourth aspect, in a sixth possible implementation of the fourth aspect, the statistical identifier occupies a reserved bit in block recognition initial sequence control in the association recognition information.

[0038] According to a fifth aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides an association establishment apparatus, wherein the apparatus is an AP access point, and includes: a broadcast module, configured to broadcast a trigger frame, wherein the trigger frame is used to indicate one or more available subchannels and trigger multiple STA first stations to perform uplink data transmission at the same time; a receiving module, configured to receive an association request message sent on a corresponding available subchannel through the multiple first STAs, wherein the association request message includes a Medium Access Control address of the first STA, in that the broadcast module is further configured to broadcast an acknowledgment frame into multiple M-BA blocks, wherein the MBA frame includes one or more association acknowledgment information, and the association acknowledgment information is message acknowledgment information association request, where If the trigger frame includes a temporary identifier that is allocated by the AP on each available subchannel, the association acknowledgment information includes a MAC address of one or more second STA, such that each second STA determines that the association acknowledgment information is acknowledgment information sent through the AP to the second STA and uses a temporary identifier of a corresponding available subchannel as a first AID of the second STA, wherein the second STA is a first STA that matches the message association request successfully received by the AP; Otherwise, the association recognition information includes a MAC address of one or more second STA and a first AID that is allocated, by the AP, to the second STA; and a sending module configured to send an association response message to the corresponding second STA in accordance with the first AID, wherein the association response message is used to indicate that an association between the second STA and the AP is successfully established, the association response message includes a second AID, where the second AID is used to identify the second STA, and the second AID is the same as or different from the first AID.

[0039] With reference to the fifth aspect, in a first possible implementation of the fifth aspect, if the trigger frame includes the temporary identifier that is allocated by the AP on each available subchannel, the association recognition information additionally includes the temporary identifier of the subchannel available that corresponds to the second STA.

[0040] With reference to the first possible implementation of the fifth aspect, in a second possible implementation of the fifth aspect, the temporary identifier included in the association recognition information is further used to indicate that the association recognition information is the association recognition information. membership request message.

[0041] With reference to the fifth aspect or the first possible implementation, in a third possible implementation of the fifth aspect, the association recognition information additionally includes a simulation association identifier, and the simulation association identifier is used to indicate that association acknowledgment information is the acknowledgment information of the association request message.

[0042] With reference to the fifth aspect or the first possible implementation, in a fourth possible implementation of the fifth aspect, a special traffic identifier TID in the association recognition information is additionally used to indicate that the association recognition information is the information recognition of the association request message.

[0043] With reference to any one of the fifth aspect to the third possible deployment, in a fifth possible deployment of the fifth aspect, a special traffic identifier TID or all 4 bits of a TID, in the association recognition information, indicates or indicate a number of second STAs to which the AP sends recognition requests using the same association recognition information.

[0044] With reference to any one of the fifth aspect to the fourth possible implementation, in a sixth possible implementation of the fifth aspect, the association recognition information additionally includes a statistical identifier, and the statistical identifier indicates a number of second STAs for the which the AP sends recognition requests using the same association recognition information.

[0045] With reference to the sixth possible implementation of the fifth aspect, in a seventh possible implementation of the fifth aspect, the statistical identifier is located after the traffic identifier information in the association recognition information.

[0046] With reference to the sixth possible implementation of the fifth aspect, in an eighth possible implementation of the fifth aspect, the statistical identifier occupies a reserved bit in block recognition initial sequence control in the association recognition information.

[0047] According to a sixth aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides an association establishment apparatus, wherein the apparatus is a first station STA, and includes: a receiving module, configured to receive a trigger frame broadcast by an AP access point, wherein the trigger frame is used to indicate one or more available subchannels and trigger multiple first STA stations to perform uplink data transmission at the same time; and a sending module configured to send a membership request message on a corresponding available subchannel, wherein the membership request message includes a Medium Access Control address of the first STA, wherein the receiving module is configured further to receive a multi-block acknowledgment M-BA frame broadcast via the AP, wherein the M-BA frame includes one or more association acknowledgment information, and the association acknowledgment information is association acknowledgment information. membership request message; the apparatus further includes: a search module, a determination module, and a obtaining module; if the trigger frame includes a temporary identifier that is allocated by the AP on each available subchannel, the M-BA frame includes a MAC address of one or more second STA; and if the lookup module finds that the MAC address of the first STA is in the M-BA frame, the determination module determines that the membership acknowledgment information is acknowledgment information sent through the AP to the determination module and uses a temporary identifier of the corresponding available subchannel as a first AID of the determination module; Otherwise, the M-BA frame includes a MAC address of one or more second STAs and a first AID that is allocated, by the AP, to the second STA, and if the lookup module finds that the MAC address of the first STA is in the M-BA frame, the obtaining module obtains a first AID that corresponds to the MAC address of the first STA, wherein the second STA is an STA that corresponds to the association request message successfully received by the AP; and the receiving module is further configured to receive an association response message that is sent through the AP according to the first AID, wherein the association response message is used to indicate that an association between the first STA and the AP is established successfully, the association response message includes a second AID, the second AID is used to identify the first STA, and the second AID is the same as or different from the first AID.

[0048] With reference to the sixth aspect, in a first possible implementation of the sixth aspect, if the trigger frame includes the temporary identifier that is allocated by the AP on each available subchannel, the association recognition information additionally includes a temporary identifier of the subchannel available that corresponds to the second STA.

[0049] With reference to the first possible implementation of the sixth aspect, in a second possible implementation of the sixth aspect, the temporary identifier included in the association recognition information is further used to indicate that the association recognition information is the association recognition information. membership request message.

[0050] With reference to the sixth aspect or the first possible deployment, in a second possible deployment of the sixth aspect, the association recognition information additionally includes a simulation association identifier, and the simulation association identifier is used to indicate that association acknowledgment information is the acknowledgment information of the association request message.

[0051] With reference to the sixth aspect or the first possible implementation, in a third possible implementation of the sixth aspect, a special traffic identifier TID in the association recognition information is additionally used to indicate that the association recognition information is the information recognition of the association request message.

[0052] With reference to any one of the sixth aspect to the second possible deployment, in a fourth possible deployment of the sixth aspect, a special traffic identifier TID or all 4 bits of a TID, in the association recognition information, indicates or indicate a number of second STAs to which the AP sends recognition requests using the same association recognition information.

[0053] With reference to any one of the sixth aspect to the third possible deployment, in a fifth possible deployment of the sixth aspect, the association recognition information additionally includes a statistical identifier, and the statistical identifier indicates a number of second STAs for the which the AP sends recognition requests using the same association recognition information.

[0054] With reference to the fifth possible implementation of the sixth aspect, in a sixth possible implementation of the sixth aspect, the statistical identifier is located after the traffic identifier information in the association recognition information.

[0055] With reference to the fifth possible implementation of the sixth aspect, in a seventh possible implementation of the sixth aspect, the statistical identifier occupies a reserved bit in block recognition initial sequence control in the association recognition information.

[0056] According to a seventh aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides an association establishment apparatus, wherein the apparatus is an AP access point, and includes: a receiving module, configured to receive a request message association sent by each of one or more STA stations, wherein the association request message includes a token identifier generated by the first STA, and the token identifier is used to uniquely identify the first STA; a broadcast module, configured to broadcast an acknowledgment frame into multiple M-BA blocks, wherein the M-BA frame includes one or more association acknowledgment information, and the association acknowledgment information is message acknowledgment information association request, wherein the association acknowledgment information includes a token identifier of one or more second STAs and a first AID association identifier that is allocated, by the AP, to the second STA, such that the second STA obtains the first AID according to the token identifier, wherein the second STA is a first STA that corresponds to the association request message successfully received by the AP; and a sending module configured to send an association response message to the corresponding second STA in accordance with the first AID, wherein the association response message is used to indicate that an association between the second STA and the AP is successfully established, the association response message includes a second AID, where the second AID is used to identify the second STA, and the second AID is the same as or different from the first AID.

[0057] With reference to the seventh aspect, in a first possible implementation of the seventh aspect, the association request message additionally includes a MAC address of the first STA.

[0058] With reference to the seventh aspect, in a second possible implementation of the seventh aspect, the association recognition information additionally includes a MAC address of the second STA.

[0059] With reference to any one of the seventh aspect to the second possible deployment, in a third possible deployment of the seventh aspect, a special traffic identifier TID or all 4 bits of a TID, in the association recognition information, indicates or indicate a number of second STAs to which the AP sends recognition requests using the same association recognition information.

[0060] With reference to any one of the seventh aspect to the second possible deployment, in a fourth possible deployment of the seventh aspect, the association recognition information additionally includes a statistical identifier, and the statistical identifier indicates a number of second STAs for the which the AP sends recognition requests using the same association recognition information.

[0061] With reference to the fourth possible implementation of the seventh aspect, in a fifth possible implementation of the seventh aspect, the statistical identifier is located after the traffic identifier information in the association recognition information.

[0062] With reference to the fourth possible implementation of the seventh aspect, in a sixth possible implementation of the seventh aspect, the statistical identifier occupies a reserved bit in block recognition initial sequence control in the association recognition information.

[0063] According to an eighth aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides an association establishment apparatus, wherein the apparatus is a first station STA, and includes: a generation module, configured to generate a token identifier, in that the token identifier is used to uniquely identify the first STA; a sending module configured to send a membership request message to an access point AP, wherein the membership request message includes the token identifier generated by the generation module; a receiving module, configured to receive a multi-block acknowledgment M-BA frame broadcast through the AP, wherein the M-BA frame includes one or more association acknowledgment information, the association acknowledgment information is association request message acknowledgment information, the association acknowledgment information includes a token identifier of one or more second STA and a first AID association identifier that is allocated, by the AP, in the second STA, and the second STA is an STA that corresponds to the association request message successfully received by the AP; and a lookup module, configured to: if the lookup module verifies that the lookup module's token identifier is in the M-BA frame, obtain a first AID in association recognition information that includes the module's token identifier search module, wherein the receiving module is further configured to receive an association response message that is sent through the AP according to the first AID, wherein the association response message is used to indicate that an association between the first STA and AP is successfully established, the association response message includes a second AID, the second AID is used to identify the first STA, and the second AID is the same as or different from the first AID.

[0064] With reference to the eighth aspect, in a first possible implementation of the eighth aspect, the association request message additionally includes a Medium Access Control address of the first STA.

[0065] With reference to the first possible deployment of the eighth aspect, in a second possible deployment of the eighth aspect, the association recognition information additionally includes a MAC address of the second STA.

[0066] With reference to any one of the eighth aspect to the second possible implementation, in a third possible implementation of the eighth aspect, a special traffic identifier TID or all 4 bits of a TID, in the association recognition information, indicates or indicate a number of second STAs to which the AP sends recognition requests using the same association recognition information.

[0067] With reference to any one of the eighth aspect to the second possible deployment, in a fourth possible deployment of the eighth aspect, the association recognition information additionally includes a statistical identifier, and the statistical identifier indicates a number of second STAs for the which the AP sends recognition requests using the same association recognition information.

[0068] With reference to the fourth possible implementation of the eighth aspect, in a fifth possible implementation of the eighth aspect, the statistical identifier is located after the traffic identifier information in the association recognition information.

[0069] With reference to the fourth possible implementation of the eighth aspect, in a sixth possible implementation of the eighth aspect, the statistical identifier occupies a reserved bit in block recognition initial sequence control in the association recognition information.

[0070] Embodiments of the present invention provide the method of establishing association and apparatus. The method includes: broadcasting, by the AP access point, the trigger frame; receiving, via the AP, the association request message sent on the corresponding available subchannel by each of the multiple first STA stations; broadcast, through the AP, the acknowledgment frame into multiple M-BA blocks, wherein the MBA frame includes one or more association acknowledgment information, and the association acknowledgment information is acknowledgment information of the request message message. association, wherein if the trigger frame includes the temporary identifier that is allocated by the AP on each available subchannel, the association acknowledgment information includes the MAC address of one or more second STA, such that each second STA uses the temporary identifier of the corresponding available subchannel as the first AID association identifier of the second STA; otherwise, the association recognition information includes the MAC address of one or more second STA and the first AID that is allocated, by the AP, to the second STA; and sending, via the AP, the association response message to the second STA, wherein the association response message is used to indicate that the association between the second STA and the AP is successfully established. Since the AP adds a MAC address of a second STA to a membership awareness information unit in the M-BA frame, as long as the second STA reads the MAC address of the second STA, this indicates that the membership awareness information are an acknowledgment of a membership request sent by the second STA. In this way, the AP is associated with the STA, and communication reliability is guaranteed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0071] To describe the solutions of the art in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art more clearly, the following section briefly describes the accompanying drawings necessary to describe the embodiments or the prior art. Apparently, the attached drawings in the following description merely show some embodiments of the present invention and persons of ordinary skill in the art can also derive other drawings from these attached drawings without creative efforts.

[0072] Figure 1 is a schematic structural diagram of an M-BA frame according to the prior art;

[0073] Figure 2 is a flowchart of a method of establishing association in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[0074] Figure 3A is a first schematic structural diagram of an M-BA frame in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[0075] Figure 3B is a second schematic structural diagram of an M-BA frame in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[0076] Figure 4 is a third schematic structural diagram of an M-BA frame in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[0077] Figure 5 is a fourth schematic structural diagram of an M-BA frame in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[0078] Figure 6 is a fifth schematic structural diagram of an M-BA frame in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[0079] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of a block recognition initial sequence control field in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[0080] Figure 8 is a flowchart of a method of establishing association according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0081] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram for sending a membership request message and a membership acknowledgment message in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[0082] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram for sending an association response message and an acknowledgment message in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[0083] Figure 11 is a flowchart of a method of establishing association according to yet another embodiment of the present invention;

[0084] Figure 12 is a sixth schematic structural diagram of an M-BA frame in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[0085] Figure 13 is a seventh schematic structural diagram of an M-BA frame in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[0086] Figure 14 is a flowchart of a method of establishing association in accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention;

[0087] Figure 15 is a first schematic structural diagram of an association establishment apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[0088] Figure 16 is a second schematic structural diagram of an association establishment apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[0089] Figure 17 is a third schematic structural diagram of an association establishment apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[0090] Figure 18 is a fourth schematic structural diagram of an association establishment apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[0091] Figure 19 is a fifth schematic structural diagram of an association establishment apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[0092] Figure 20 is a sixth schematic structural diagram of an association establishment apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[0093] Figure 21 is a seventh schematic structural diagram of an association establishment apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[0094] Figure 22 is an eighth schematic structural diagram of an association establishment apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; It is

[0095] Figure 23 is an eighth schematic structural diagram of an M-BA frame in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF MODALITIES

[0096] In the following, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention are clearly described with reference to the attached drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Apparently, the described embodiments are merely some, but not all, embodiments of the present invention. All other embodiments acquired by persons of ordinary skill in the art based on embodiments of the present invention without creative efforts shall fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0097] Embodiments of the present invention are based on a wireless local area network technology (Wireless Local Area Network, WLAN for short). An application scenario of embodiments of the present invention is as follows: Before communicating with a STA, an AP needs to establish an association with the STA, and an important step of establishing an association is that the STA needs to obtain an AID allocated by the AP to STA, where the AID is used to uniquely identify the STA. Typically, the AP receives association request messages sent by multiple STAs. The multiple STAs can send the association request messages based on an OFDMA technology. The AP can send a membership acknowledgment message to multiple STAs in two ways. A first mode is an OFDMA acknowledgment. That is, the AP sends an ACK acknowledgment or a BA block acknowledgment to multiple stations on orthogonal subchannels. ACK is an acknowledgment of a single Media Access Control Protocol Data Unit (MPDU for short). The BA is an acknowledgment of an aggregated Media Access Control Protocol Data Unit (A-MPDU for short). A second mode is an M-BA frame acknowledgment, which is a broadcast message. In other words, the AP sends, to the STAs through broadcast using an M-BA frame, acknowledgments to be sent to multiple STAs. As shown in Figure 1, the M-BA frame includes: a Control frame, duration/ID, a Receive Address (RA for short), a transmit address (Transmit Address, TA for short), block acknowledgment control (BA Control), block acknowledgment/Acknowledgment information (BA/ACK Info for short), and a frame check sequence (Frame Check Sequence, FCS for short). The block acknowledgment control includes a block/acknowledgment policy (BA/ACK policy), a multi-traffic identifier (Multi-Traffic Identifier, Multi-TID for short), a compressed bitmap and a compressed bitmap. , groupcast with repetitions (GCR), a reserved field (Reserved), and traffic identifier_information (TID_). TID information is used to indicate how many BA/ACK Info there are. Additionally, the BA/ACK Info includes traffic identifier information (Per TID Info). When the BA/ACK Info is BA information, the BA/ACK Info additionally includes block acknowledgment start sequence control and a block acknowledge bitmap. Still further, an AID of an STA is defined in the first 11 bits of the Per TID information, and is used to indicate a station to which the AP should send an acknowledgment. The 12th bit is a block/acknowledgment indication (BA/ACK indication). The 13th to 16th bits are a TID traffic identifier. The following section describes in detail a method for establishing an association between an AP and a STA.

[0098] Figure 2 is a flowchart of a method of establishing association in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The method is performed by an AP. As shown in Figure 2, the method specifically includes the following procedure.

[0099] S201. The access point AP broadcasts a trigger frame, wherein the trigger frame is used to indicate one or more available subchannels and trigger multiple first STA stations to perform uplink data transmission at the same time.

[0100] Specifically, the first STA in this document is an STA with which the AP does not establish any association. Typically, the trigger frame broadcast through the AP may indicate, using a resource allocation indication bit, which STAs transmit data on which available subchannels, or it may indicate, using a resource allocation indication bit. , which available subchannels are used by the first multiple STAs through random access, such that the first multiple STAs would require an available subchannel using a random termination algorithm. Since no association is established between the AP and the first STA, the trigger frame in the present document can only be the latter. That is, the trigger frame indicates, using a resource allocation indication bit, that one or more available subchannels are used by multiple STAs through random access. In the present document, the multiple first STAs can transmit uplink data at the same time in an OFDMA manner.

[0101] S202. The AP receives an association request message sent on a corresponding available subchannel via the multiple first STA, wherein the association request message includes a Medium Access Control (MAC) address of the first STA.

[0102] Specifically, when the AP sends the trigger frame, and a resource indication bit in the trigger frame indicates which subchannels may be required by multiple first STAs, a first STA that receives the trigger frame sends a request message association using an available subchannel. For example, a STA 1 and a STA 2 send association request messages on a subchannel 8. Of course, the association request message carries a MAC address of the first STA.

[0103] S203. The AP broadcasts an acknowledgment frame into multiple M-BA blocks, wherein the M-BA frame includes one or more association acknowledgment information, and the association acknowledgment information is acknowledgment information of the association request message, wherein if the trigger frame includes a temporary identifier that is allocated by the AP on each available subchannel, the association acknowledgment information includes a MAC address of one or more second STA, such that each second STA determines that the acknowledgment information association is acknowledgment information sent through the AP to the second STA and uses a temporary identifier of a corresponding available subchannel as a first AID of the second STA, wherein the second STA is a first STA that matches the association request message successfully received by the AP; otherwise, the association recognition information includes a MAC address of one or more second STA and a first AID that is allocated, by the AP, to the second STA.

[0104] Specifically, the association recognition information in the present document corresponds to block/recognition information in Figure 1. However, unlike the block recognition information in the prior art, block recognition information in this embodiment of the present invention is an association recognition information unit that can be sent to multiple first STAs for recognition at the same time, or can be sent to a first STA for recognition. Additionally, when the AP receives association request messages that are sent on the same subchannel, the AP usually successfully receives a signal with a higher signal-to-noise ratio. For example, STA 1 and STA 2 each send a membership request message on subchannel 8, but the signal-to-noise ratio of the message sent by STA 1 is greater than that of the message sent by STA 2. In this case, the AP can normally only receive the message from STA 1. According to different content included in the trigger frame, there may be the following two cases.

[0105] Case 1: If the trigger frame includes the temporary identifier that is allocated by the AP in each available contention subchannel, the first STA that receives the trigger frame learns the temporary identifier of the available contention subchannel. In this case, after obtaining the subchannel through contention, the first STA obtains the temporary identifier of the subchannel, and by default uses the temporary identifier as a first AID of the first STA. In this case, the association recognition information may include only the MAC address of the one or more second STA. After a first STA receives the M-BA frame, if the first STA reads a MAC address of the first STA from a BA/ACK Info association acknowledgment information unit, this indicates that the BA/ACK Info association information association acknowledgment is an acknowledgment of a association request message sent by the first STA. In this case, the first STA is a second STA. The second STA uses, as a first AID membership identifier of the second STA, a temporary identifier of a subchannel previously used to send a membership request message. The second STA in this modality is the first STA that corresponds to the association request message successfully received by the AP.

[0106] Optionally, the M-BA frame additionally includes the temporary identifier of the available subchannel that corresponds to the second STA. In other words, although the AP already broadcasts, in the trigger frame, the temporary identifier of each available subchannel, as a guarantee, the AP adds, to the M-BA frame again, the temporary identifier of the available subchannel that corresponds to the second STA.

[0107] Case 2: If the trigger frame does not include the temporary identifier allocated by the AP on each available subchannel, the membership acknowledgment information includes the MAC address of the one or more second STA and the first AID that is allocated, by the AP , in the second STA. In this case, when a first STA learns, through reading, that a unit of association recognition information in the M-BA frame includes a MAC address of the first STA, this indicates that the association recognition information is a recognition of a membership request message sent by the first STA. The first STA obtains a first AID included in the association recognition information that includes the MAC address of the first STA.

[0108] Notably, the first AID in this embodiment of the present invention is equivalent to a temporary identifier allocated by the AP in the second STA.

[0109] S204. The AP sends an association response message to the corresponding second STA according to the first AID, wherein the association response message is used to indicate that an association between the second STA and the AP is successfully established, the message association response includes a second AID, the second AID is used to identify the second STA, and the second AID is the same as or different from the first AID.

[0110] Specifically, in step S203, the M-BA frame broadcast by the AP is just a frame that includes association recognition information. However, in addition to sending the AID to the second STA, the AP needs to additionally send other information to the second STA, such as an Enhanced Distributed Channel Access (EDCA for short) parameter, or a basic service set. /40 (Basic Service Set, BSS for short) BSS. Of course, after sending the M-BA frame, the current AP may cancel some associated STAs. After the cancellation is made, the STA AID can be cancelled. For ease of management, for example, the AP expects that AIDs allocated to STAs can be consecutive. Based on such a case, the AP can adjust the previously allocated first AID in the second STA, i.e., reallocate a second AID in the second STA. Therefore, the first previous AID is called the temporary identifier allocated by the AP in the second STA. Of course, the second AID in this document may be the same as the first AID.

[0111] This embodiment of the present invention provides the method of establishing association, which includes: broadcasting, by the AP access point, the trigger frame; receiving, via the AP, the association request message sent on the corresponding available subchannel by each of the multiple first STA stations; broadcasting, through the AP, the acknowledgment frame into multiple M-BA blocks, wherein the M-BA frame includes one or more association acknowledgment information, and the association acknowledgment information is acknowledgment information of the M-BA message. association request, wherein if the trigger frame includes the temporary identifier that is allocated by the AP on each available contention subchannel, the association acknowledgment information includes the MAC address of one or more second STA, such that each second STA use the temporary identifier of the corresponding available subchannel as the first AID association identifier of the second STA; otherwise, the association recognition information includes the MAC address of one or more second STA and a first AID that is allocated, by the AP, to the second STA; and sending, via the AP, the association response message to the second STA in downlink OFDMA mode, and indicating, using a downlink OFDMA resource indication bit, that the STA corresponding to the first AID receives an association response on a subchannel. The subchannel in this document is any currently available subchannel. Typically, the AP selects a best subchannel, to send an association response message to the STA. The association response message is used to indicate that an association between the second STA and the AP is successfully established. Since the AP adds a MAC address of a second STA to a membership awareness information unit in the M-BA frame, as long as the second STA reads the MAC address of the second STA, this indicates that the membership awareness information are an acknowledgment of a membership request sent by the second STA. In this way, the AP is associated with the STA, and communication reliability is guaranteed.

[0112] Typically, an M-BA frame may include one or more association recognition information, or may include common recognition information. Ordinary acknowledgment information is not association request message acknowledgment information. The following section describes in detail how to differentiate whether recognition information in an M-BA frame is association recognition information or common recognition information.

[0113] In an optional mode, if the trigger frame includes the temporary identifier allocated by the AP on each available subchannel, the association recognition information additionally includes the temporary identifier of the available subchannel that corresponds to the second STA. The temporary identifier is additionally used to indicate that the association recognition information is the recognition information of the association request message. Block/recognition information in all accompanying drawings is the association recognition information in this embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3A is a first schematic structural diagram of an M-BA frame in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 3A, per-traffic identifier information in block/acknowledge information includes a temporary identifier. Specifically, block acknowledgment/BA Info/ACK acknowledgment information in an M-BA frame broadcast through the AP normally may not be association acknowledgment information, and may be ordinary acknowledgment information. Therefore, upon receiving a trigger frame, a first STA learns a temporary identifier from an available subchannel, and uses the temporary identifier as a first AID of the first STA. Therefore, upon receiving an M-BA frame, as long as the first STA identifies that the temporary identifier exists in a block/acknowledgment information unit, the first STA may determine that the block/acknowledgment information is information association recognition. Additionally, as shown in Figure 3A, the block/acknowledge information additionally includes a MAC address. Therefore, the first STA may additionally determine, using the MAC address, whether block/acknowledgment information is sent to the first STA. Figure 3B is a second schematic structural diagram of an M-BA frame in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Per-traffic identifier information in Figure 3B includes a 4-bit MAC address. Upon receiving a trigger frame, a first STA learns a temporary identifier from an available subchannel, and uses the temporary identifier as a first AID of the first STA. Therefore, upon receiving an M-BA frame, as long as the first STA identifies that the temporary identifier exists in a block/acknowledgment information unit, the first STA may determine that the block/acknowledgment information is information association recognition. Additionally, the first STA may determine, according to the temporary identifier, that block/acknowledgment information is sent via the AP to the first STA. Still further, the first STA may determine, by comparing the 4-bit MAC address with a MAC address of the first STA, which block/acknowledgment information is sent via the AP to the first STA.

[0114] In another optional mode, the association recognition information in the M-BA frame additionally includes a simulation association identifier and the simulation association identifier is used to indicate that the association recognition information is the simulation information. recognition of the association request message. The simulation association identifier can be indicated using 11 bits of 0, or it can be a special identifier specified by the AP. Specifically, Figure 4 is a third schematic structural diagram of an M-BA frame in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 4, the simulation association identifier is located in the per-traffic identifier information and occupies 11 bits, and can be indicated using a special AID. For example, the simulation association identifier may be indicated using 11 bits of 0. When the first STA receives a trigger frame M-BA frame, when the first STA determines that the simulation association identifier exists in a unit of block/recognition information, the first STA determines that the block/recognition information is association recognition information. Additionally, as shown in Figure 4, a MAC address in the M-BA frame is located after the traffic identifier information and occupies 6 bytes. In both cases for the M-BA frame, the temporary identifier or the first AID can be located after the MAC address and occupy 2 bytes.

[0115] The method for recognizing an association request via the M-BA frame can be further extended to a recognition other than a recognition of a common data frame, for example, a recognition of a matrix feedback frame. sounding or an acknowledgment of a token request. In this case, the first 11 bits of a simulation association identifier in each traffic identifier field are used to indicate that the acknowledgment information is acknowledgment information of an acknowledgment other than an acknowledgment of a common data frame. The last 5 bits in each traffic identifier field may be redefined, and may be used to indicate a type of a frame to be recognized using the recognition information and a length that immediately follows each traffic identifier field. The length in this document may be in a 1-byte unit, or it may be in a 2-byte unit. For example, 2 of the 5 bits are used to indicate four types of acknowledgment information, and 3 of the 5 bits are used to indicate the length that immediately follows each traffic identifier field. For sounding matrix feedback frame recognition, a 2-byte Segment ACK Bitmap immediately follows each traffic identifier field.

[0116] In yet another optional mode, a special traffic identifier TID in the association acknowledgment information is further used to indicate that the association acknowledgment information is the acknowledgment information of the association request message. Figure 5 is a fourth schematic structural diagram of an M-BA frame in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 5, a TID is typically populated in the 13th to 16th bits in per-traffic identifier information. However, based on Enhanced Distributed Channel Access (EDCA for short) technology, there are typically eight types of TIDs in an M-BA frame. These eight types of TIDs only need to occupy 3 bits. However, 4 bits are allocated to the TID in the per-traffic identifier information. Therefore, a TID whose values are 0 to 7 may indicate a normal TID, and a TID whose values are 8 to 15 is a special TID. Therefore, a special TID can be used to indicate that block/acknowledge information is acknowledgment information of the association request message. Additionally, a MAC address in the MBA frame is located after the traffic identifier information and occupies 6 bytes. When the trigger frame includes the temporary identifier allocated by the AP on each available subchannel, there may be no temporary identifier after the MAC address.

[0117] In yet another optional mode, 1 bit, in a TID traffic identifier, in the association acknowledgment information is further used to indicate that the association acknowledgment information is the acknowledgment information of the association request message. Figure 23 is an eighth schematic structural diagram of an M-BA frame in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 23, a TID is typically populated in the 13th to 16th bits in per-traffic identifier information. However, based on Enhanced Distributed Channel Access (EDCA for short) technology, there are typically eight types of TIDs in an M-BA frame. These eight types of TIDs need to be indicated using only 3 bits. However, 4 bits are allocated to the TID in the per-traffic identifier information. Therefore, 3 bits of the TIDs can still be used to indicate a TID in a corresponding MAC frame to be recognized. Therefore, the other bit in the TID can be used to indicate that the block/acknowledge information is acknowledgment information of the association request message. The bit is a membership acknowledgment indication bit in Figure 23. In an example of a deployment, the bit is the last bit in the TID. It can be understood that the bit can be any one of the 13th to 16th bits in the traffic identifier information.

[0118] Specifically, a value of the association indication bit may be specifically as follows: For example, if the bit is set to 1, it indicates that the block/acknowledge information is request message acknowledgment information association; otherwise, it indicates that the block/acknowledgment information is not recognition information of the association request message. Additionally, a MAC address in the M-BA frame is located after the traffic identifier information and occupies 6 bytes. In this case, a first AID that is allocated by the AP at a station that successfully sends an association request is populated into an AID subfield in each traffic identifier field. It should be noted that a first AID name may be Pre-AID or another similar name.

[0119] Additionally, a BA/ACK Info unit in an M-BA frame may include acknowledgments of association requests sent by multiple unassociated STAs. That is, the M-BA board includes a BA/ACK Info unit. The BA/ACK Info includes acknowledgments of association requests sent by multiple unassociated STAs. Figure 6 is a fifth schematic structural diagram of an M-BA frame in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 6, the M-BA frame includes a BA/ACK Info unit. The BA/ACK Info includes multiple MAC addresses and temporary identifiers or first AIDs that correspond to the MAC addresses. The following section specifically describes how to determine a number of STAs to which the AP sends acknowledgment requests using the same association acknowledgment information.

[0120] 1. A special traffic identifier TID or all 4 bits of a TID, in the association acknowledgment information, indicates or indicates a number of second STAs to which the AP sends acknowledgment requests using the same information association recognition. Such a method is not applicable to a case in which a special TID is used to indicate that the association recognition information is the recognition information of the association request message. In other cases, the indication may be carried out in this way. For example, if a value of a TID is 8, which corresponds to the membership acknowledgment information, an acknowledgment is sent to a STA. If a value of a TID is 9, which corresponds to the association acknowledgment information, acknowledgments are sent to two STAs. Optionally, all 4 bits of the TID are used to indicate a number of STAs to which membership acknowledgment information is sent for acknowledgment.

[0121] In another implementation, a range of a special traffic identifier TID or all 4 bits of a TID may be used to indicate how many byte information follows identifier information per traffic in the association recognition information. For example, 2 bytes are used as a unit.

[0122] 2. The M-BA frame additionally includes a statistical identifier, and the statistical identifier indicates a number of second STAs to which the AP sends acknowledgment requests using the same association acknowledgment information. On the one hand, the statistical identifier can be located after the traffic identifier information, and the AP can fixedly allocate bits in the statistical identifier. On the other hand, a block acknowledgment start sequence is located after the traffic identifier information, and the statistical identifier occupies a reserved bit in block acknowledgment start sequence control in the M-BA frame. Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of a block recognition initial sequence control field in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 7, the block recognition starting sequence control includes 4 reserved bits and a starting sequence number. Therefore, when the starting sequence number is a special starting sequence number, for example, all 0s, the statistical identifier can be filled in the reserved bits. Notably, the statistical identifier may be further away in another location of the M-BA frame. This is not limited in the present invention.

[0123] It should be noted that in this embodiment of the present invention, after traffic identifier information, if a MAC address follows, a temporary identifier/first AID may be additionally included; or if multiple MAC addresses follow, multiple temporary identifiers/first AIDs may be additionally included. In this case, 0 needs to be padded to ensure that a bit quantity required by the previous content is a multiple of 8. That is, 1 byte is used as a unit, or 10 bytes are used as a unit.

[0124] Figure 8 is a flowchart of a method of establishing association, according to another embodiment of the present invention. The method is carried out by a first STA. The method specifically includes the following procedure.

[0125] S801. The first STA station receives a trigger frame broadcast by an AP access point, wherein the trigger frame is used to indicate one or more available subchannels and trigger multiple first STA stations to perform uplink data transmission at the same time.

[0126] Specifically, the first STA in this document is an STA with which the AP does not establish any association. Typically, the trigger frame broadcast through the AP may indicate, using a resource allocation indication bit, which STAs transmit data on which available subchannels, or it may indicate, using a resource allocation indication bit. , which available subchannels are used by the multiple first STAs through random access, such that the first STAs require an available subchannel using a random termination algorithm. Since no association is established between the AP and the first STA, the trigger frame can only be the last one. That is, the trigger frame is used to indicate one or more available subchannels.

[0127] S802. The first STA sends an association request message on a corresponding available subchannel, wherein the association request message includes a Medium Access Control address of the first STA.

[0128] S803. The first STA receives a multi-block acknowledgment M-BA frame broadcast through the AP, wherein the M-BA frame includes one or more association acknowledgment information, and the association acknowledgment information is acknowledgment information. of the membership request message.

[0129] S804. If the trigger frame includes a temporary identifier that is allocated by the AP on each available subchannel, the MBA frame includes a MAC address of one or more second STA; and if the first STA verifies that the MAC address of the first STA is in the M-BA frame, the first STA determines that the association acknowledgment information is acknowledgment information sent through the AP to the first STA and uses a temporary identifier of a corresponding available subchannel as a first AID of the first STA; if the trigger frame does not include a temporary identifier that is allocated by the AP on each available subchannel, the M-BA frame includes a MAC address of one or more second STA and a first AID that is allocated, by the AP, on the second STA; and if the first STA verifies that the MAC address of the first STA is in the M-BA frame, the first STA obtains a first AID that matches the MAC address of the first STA, wherein the second STA is a STA that matches the message of association request successfully received by the AP.

[0130] Specifically, after determining that the M-BA frame is an association request message, the first STA searches the M-BA frame for a MAC address of the first STA. If the MAC address of the first STA is found, this indicates that handshake information that includes the MAC address is sent through the AP to the first STA. In this case, there are two cases. In case 1, if the trigger frame includes the temporary identifier allocated by the AP on each available subchannel, when the first STA receives the trigger frame, the first STA already uses the temporary identifier as a first AID of the first STA. The first AID in this document can be considered as a temporary identifier allocated by the AP in the first STA. Since the first STA did not receive the association response message sent through the AP to the first STA, an AID (i.e., a second AID to be mentioned below) actually allocated by the AP in the first STA may be different from the first AID. Of course, if the trigger frame includes the temporary identifier allocated by the AP on each available subchannel, the M-BA frame may additionally include a temporary identifier of an available subchannel that corresponds to the second STA. In case 2, if the trigger frame does not include the temporary identifier allocated by the AP on each available subchannel, the M-BA frame includes the MAC address of the one or more second STA and the first AID that is allocated, by the AP, on the second STA. If the first STA verifies that the MAC address of the first STA is in the M-BA frame, the first STA obtains a first AID that corresponds to the MAC address of the first STA.

[0131] Specifically, the first STA first determines, using a temporary identifier in each traffic identifier, or a special TID, or 1 bit in a TID in block acknowledge/acknowledge information in the M-BA frame, or a mock association identifier, if the block/acknowledgment information is acknowledgment information of the association request message. Then, the first STA determines, using a MAC address following each traffic identifier, whether the block/acknowledgment information is an association request sent to the first STA for acknowledgment.

[0132] S805. The first STA receives an association response message that is sent through the AP according to the first AID, wherein the association response message is used to indicate that an association between the first STA and the AP is successfully established , the association response message includes a second AID, the second AID is used to identify the first STA, and the second AID is the same as or different from the first AID.

[0133] Specifically, in step S804, it is anticipated that the AP will successfully receive the association request message sent by the first STA. Therefore, in step S805, the first STA receives the association response message which is sent through the AP according to the first AID through OFDMA. The second AID included in the association response message is a final, actual AID allocated by the AP in the first STA. Subsequently, the AP can communicate with the first STA using the second AID.

[0134] This embodiment of the present invention provides the method of establishing association, which includes: receiving, by the first STA station, the trigger frame broadcast by the AP access point; receive, by the first STA, the multi-block acknowledgment M-BA frame broadcast through the AP, wherein if the trigger frame includes the temporary identifier that is allocated by the AP on each available subchannel, the M-BA frame includes the MAC address of one or more second STA; and if the first STA verifies that the MAC address of the first STA is in the M-BA frame, the first STA determines that association acknowledgment information is the acknowledgment information sent through the AP to the first STA and uses the temporary identifier of the corresponding available subchannel as the first AID of the first STA; if the trigger frame does not include a temporary identifier that is allocated by the AP on each available subchannel, the MBA frame includes the MAC address of one or more second STA and the first AID that is allocated, by the AP, on the second STA; and if the first STA finds that a MAC address of the first STA is in the M-BA frame, the first STA obtains the first AID that matches the MAC address of the first STA, where the second STA is the STA that matches the message of association request successfully received by the AP; and receiving, by the first STA, the association response message that is sent through the AP according to the first AID via OFDMA, wherein the association response message includes the second AID. Since the AP adds the MAC address to the M-BA frame association acknowledgment information, as long as the first STA reads the MAC address of the first STA, the first STA can determine that the acknowledgment information sent through the AP to the first STA exists in the association recognition information, obtain the first AID, and finally, obtain the second AID. In this way, the AP is associated with the STA, and communication reliability is guaranteed.

[0135] Typically, an M-BA frame may include one or more association recognition information, or may include common recognition information. Ordinary acknowledgment information is not association request message acknowledgment information. The following section describes in detail how to differentiate whether recognition information in an M-BA frame is association recognition information or common recognition information.

[0136] Case 1. If the trigger frame includes the temporary identifier allocated by the AP on each available subchannel, the association recognition information additionally includes the temporary identifier of the available subchannel that corresponds to the second STA. The temporary identifier is additionally used to indicate that the association recognition information is the recognition information of the association request message. In this case, the first STA already uses, as a first AID of the first STA by default, a temporary identifier of a subchannel used when the first STA sends a membership request message. Therefore, after the first STA receives an M-BA frame, if the first STA learns, through reading, that a default temporary identifier obtained by the first STA is included in a BA/ACK Info unit in the M-BA frame , this indicates that the BA/ACK Info is association acknowledgment information. As shown in Figure 3A, the first STA reads a MAC address that is located after the traffic identifier information, and then determines whether the MAC address is a MAC address of the first STA. If the MAC address is the MAC address of the first STA, it indicates that the AP successfully receives the association request message from the first STA. If the M-BA frame additionally includes a temporary identifier of an available subchannel that corresponds to the first STA, in addition to determining, using the MAC address, whether acknowledgment information is sent to the first STA, the first STA may additionally determine, using the temporary identifier, if the recognition information is sent to the first STA.

[0137] Case 2. The association recognition information additionally includes a simulation association identifier. The mock association identifier is used to indicate that the association recognition information is the recognition information of the association request message. The simulation association identifier can be indicated using 11 bits of 0, or it can be a special identifier specified by the AP. As shown in Figure 4, after receiving the M-BA frame, if the first STA reads the simulation association identifier, the BA/ACK Info in the MBA frame is considered to be association acknowledgment information. The first STA reads a MAC address that is located after the traffic identifier information, and then determines whether the MAC address is a MAC address of the first STA. If the MAC address is the MAC address of the first STA, it indicates that the AP successfully receives the association request message from the first STA.

[0138] Case 3. The association recognition information additionally includes a special TID. The special TID is used to indicate that the association acknowledgment information is the acknowledgment information of the association request message. Based on an Enhanced Distributed Channel Access (EDCA for short) technology, there are typically eight types of TIDs in an M-BA frame. These eight types of TIDs only need to occupy 3 bits. However, 4 bits are allocated in a TID in per-traffic identifier information. Therefore, a TID whose values are 0 to 7 may indicate a normal TID, and a TID whose values are 8 to 15 is a special TID. Therefore, a special TID may indicate that block/acknowledgment information is acknowledgment information of the association request message. As shown in Figure 5, after receiving the M-BA frame, if the first STA reads a special TID, the BA/ACK Info in the M-BA frame is considered to be association acknowledgment information. The first STA reads a MAC address that is located after the traffic identifier information, and then determines whether the MAC address is a MAC address of the first STA. If the MAC address is the MAC address of the first STA, it indicates that the AP successfully receives the association request message from the first STA.

[0139] Case 4. The association recognition information additionally includes an association recognition indication. The association acknowledgment indication is 1 bit of a TID subfield in each traffic identifier field, and is used to indicate that the association acknowledgment information is the acknowledgment information of the association request message. As shown in Figure 23, after receiving the M-BA frame, if the first STA reads an association acknowledgment indication, and if the bit indication is association acknowledgment information, the BA/ACK Info in the M-BA frame is association recognition information. The first STA reads a MAC address that is located after the traffic identifier information, and then determines whether the MAC address is a MAC address of the first STA. If the MAC address is the MAC address of the first STA, it indicates that the AP successfully receives the association request message from the first STA. Additionally, the STA obtains a first AID that is allocated by the AP in an AID subfield in each traffic identifier field through the M-BA frame.

[0140] Additionally, a BA/ACK Info unit in an M-BA frame may include acknowledgments of association requests sent by multiple unassociated STAs. That is, the M-BA board includes a BA/ACK Info unit. The BA/ACK Info includes acknowledgments of association requests sent by multiple unassociated STAs. As shown in Figure 6, the M-BA frame includes a BA/ACK Info unit. The block recognition information includes multiple MAC addresses and temporary identifiers or first AIDs that correspond to the MAC addresses. The following section specifically describes how to determine a number of STAs to which the AP sends acknowledgment requests using the same association acknowledgment information.

[0141] 1. A special traffic identifier TID or all 4 bits of a TID, in the association acknowledgment information, indicates or indicates a number of second STAs to which the AP sends acknowledgment requests using the same information association recognition. Certainly, such a case cannot be based on case 3 described above.

[0142] 2. The M-BA frame additionally includes a statistical identifier, and the statistical identifier indicates a number of second STAs to which the AP sends acknowledgment requests using the same association acknowledgment information. The statistical identifier is located after the traffic identifier information in the MBA frame. Alternatively, the statistical identifier occupies a reserved bit in control block initial recognition sequence in the M-BA frame.

[0143] It should be noted that in this embodiment of the present invention, after traffic identifier information, if a MAC address follows, a temporary identifier/first AID may be additionally included; or if multiple MAC addresses follow, multiple temporary identifiers/first AIDs may be additionally included. In this case, 0 needs to be padded to ensure that a bit quantity required by the previous content is a multiple of 8. That is, one byte is used as a unit, or 10 bytes are used as a unit.

[0144] The following section describes an association establishment process.

[0145] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram for sending a membership request message and a membership acknowledgment message in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The association recognition message herein may be constructed as an M-BA frame that includes one or more association recognition information. As shown in Figure 9, an AP broadcasts a trigger frame. The trigger frame indicates that available subchannels are subchannel 1 to subchannel 9. A STA 1 and STA 2 send respective association request messages using subchannel 8. Then, the AP broadcasts an M-BA frame. The M-BA frame includes one or more association recognition information. Membership acknowledgment information is acknowledgment information for a membership request message. In this case, STA 1 finds a MAC address of STA 1 after reading an association recognition information unit. Then, STA 1 determines that the AP has successfully received an association request message sent by STA 1, where the M-BA frame includes acknowledgment information for STA 1, and STA 1 obtains a first AID .

[0146] Typically, after an STA receives an association response message sent through the AP to the STA, the STA may send an uplink acknowledgment message to the AP. Figure 10 is a schematic diagram for sending an association response message and an acknowledgment message in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 10, an AP sends an association response message to a STA 1 via downlink OFDMA. A resource indication bit in downlink OFDMA indicates, using a temporary identifier (first AID), that STA 1 receives an association response on a subchannel. As shown in Figure 10, the subchannel is subchannel 8. It can be understood that the subchannel selection method depends on which subchannel is best for STA 1 to receive the association response.

[0147] Figure 11 is a flowchart of a method of establishing association in accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention. The method is performed by an AP. The method specifically includes the following procedure:

[0148] S1101. The AP access point receives a membership request message sent by each of one or more STA stations, wherein the membership request message includes a token identifier generated by the first STA, and the token identifier is used to identify , uniquely, the first STA.

[0149] S1102. The AP broadcasts an acknowledgment frame into multiple M-BA blocks, wherein the M-BA frame includes one or more association acknowledgment information, the association acknowledgment information is acknowledgment information of the association request message, and association recognition information includes a token identifier of one or more second STA and a first AID association identifier that is allocated, by the AP, to the second STA, such that the second STA obtains the first AID according to the identifier token, where the second STA is a first STA that corresponds to the association request message successfully received by the AP.

[0150] S1103. The AP sends an association response message to the corresponding second STA according to the first AID, wherein the association response message is used to indicate that an association between the second STA and the AP is successfully established, the association message is association response includes a second AID, the second AID is used to identify the second STA, and the second AID is the same as or different from the first AID.

[0151] Specifically, the AP sends the association response message to the corresponding second STA according to the first AID in an OFDMA mode. Typically, the token identifier generated by each first STA occupies 11 bits. Therefore, token identifiers are typically different from each other. Upon receiving the association request message sent by the first STA, the AP obtains the token identifier of each first STA. Since the token identifier may be the same as an AID of another STA already associated with the AP, the AP allocates a first AID in each first STA and broadcasts an M-BA frame. The membership recognition information includes a token identifier of one or more second STA and a first AID membership identifier that is allocated, by the AP, in the second STA. When a first STA finds a token identifier of the first STA, it indicates that the AP receives an association request message from the first STA, and the first STA may additionally read an M-BA frame to obtain a first AID . Finally, the AP sends the association response message to the corresponding second STA according to the first AID through OFDMA. The association response message is used to indicate that an association between the second STA and the AP is successfully established. The association response message includes a second AID.

[0152] This embodiment of the present invention provides the method of establishing association. In the method, the AP allocates the first AID to the first STA according to the token identifier of the first STA. Therefore, the first STA can obtain the first AID as long as the first STA reads the token identifier of the first STA. Finally, the AP allocates a second AID in the first STA according to the first AID. In this way, the AP is associated with the first STA, and additional communication reliability is guaranteed.

[0153] Additionally, the association request message additionally includes a MAC address of the first STA. Therefore, the membership acknowledgment information may additionally include a MAC address of the second STA. Figure 12 is a sixth schematic structural diagram of an M-BA frame in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 12, the M-BA frame includes a token identifier and a first AID. The token identifier additionally has a function: The token identifier may indicate that the association recognition information that includes the token identifier is recognition information of a association request message. Optionally, the M-BA frame additionally includes a MAC address. Figure 13 is a seventh schematic structural diagram of an M-BA frame in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 13, the M-BA framework includes multiple token identifiers, multiple first AIDs, and a simulation association identifier. The simulation association identifier in this document is used to identify that the association recognition information that includes the simulation association identifier is recognition information of an association request message. The simulation association identifier can be indicated using 11 bits of 0, or it can be a special identifier specified by the AP. Optionally, the M-BA frame may additionally include multiple MAC addresses.

[0154] It should be noted that in this embodiment of the present invention, after traffic identifier information, if a token identifier and a first AID are included, a MAC address is optionally included, or if multiple token identifiers and multiple first AIDs are included, multiple MAC addresses are optionally included. In this case, 0 needs to be padded to ensure that a bit quantity required by the previous content is a multiple of 8. That is, one byte is used as a unit, or 10 bytes are used as a unit.

[0155] Still further, it can be determined, using a token identifier in a membership recognition information unit in the M-BA frame, that the membership recognition information is recognition information of the membership request message. Association. Alternatively, it can be indicated, using a simulation association identifier or a special TID traffic identifier, that the M-BA frame is acknowledgment information for the association request message. This is specifically the same as the mode in the previous embodiment. Details are not described again in this document.

[0156] Still further, it may be determined, using a 1-bit association acknowledgment indication in a TID traffic identifier in a association acknowledgment information unit in the M-BA frame, that the association acknowledgment information association information is acknowledgment information from the association request message.

[0157] Optionally, a special traffic identifier TID or all 4 bits of a TID, in the association acknowledgment information, indicates or indicates a number of second STAs to which the AP sends acknowledgment requests using the same information association recognition.

[0158] Optionally, the association recognition information additionally includes a statistical identifier, and the statistical identifier indicates a number of second STAs to which the AP sends recognition requests using the same association recognition information. The statistical identifier is located after the traffic identifier information in the association recognition information, or the statistical identifier occupies a reserved bit in block recognition initial sequence control in the association recognition information. This is specifically the same as the mode in the previous embodiment. Details are not described again in this document.

[0159] Figure 14 is a flowchart of a method of establishing association in accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention. The method is carried out by a first STA. The method specifically includes the following procedure:

[0160] S1401. The first STA station generates a token identifier, where the token identifier is used to uniquely identify the first STA.

[0161] S1402. The first STA sends a membership request message to an access point AP, wherein the membership request message includes the token identifier generated by the first STA.

[0162] S1403. The first STA receives a multi-block acknowledgment M-BA frame broadcast through the AP, wherein the M-BA frame includes one or more association acknowledgment information, the association acknowledgment information is association acknowledgment information. association request message, the association acknowledgment information includes a token identifier of one or more second STA and a first AID association identifier that is allocated, by the AP, in the second STA, and the second STA is an STA that matches to the association request message successfully received by the AP.

[0163] S1404. If the first STA verifies that the first STA's token identifier is in the M-BA frame, the first STA obtains a first AID in the membership recognition information that includes the first STA's token identifier.

[0164] S1405. The first STA receives an association response message that is sent through the AP according to the first AID, wherein the association response message is used to indicate that an association between the first STA and the AP is successfully established , the association response message includes a second AID, the second AID is used to identify the first STA, and the second AID is the same as or different from the first AID.

[0165] Specifically, the token identifier generated by the first STA occupies 11 bits. Upon receiving the M-BA frame sent through the AP, the first STA first checks whether the token identifier of the first STA is in traffic identifier information in a BA/ACK Info unit in the M-BA frame. If the token identifier of the first STA is in the per-traffic identifier information, the first STA additionally reads a first AID located after the per-traffic identifier information. The first AID is allocated by the AP in the first STA. Then, the first STA receives an association response message which is sent through the AP according to the first AID in an OFDMA mode. The association response message is used to indicate that an association between the first STA and the AP is successfully established. The association response message includes a second AID, the second AID is used to identify the first STA, and the second AID is the same as or different from the first AID.

[0166] This embodiment of the present invention provides the method of establishing association. In the method, the first STA generates the token identifier, so that the AP allocates the first AID to the first STA according to the token identifier of the first STA. In this way, the first STA can obtain the first AID as long as the first STA reads the token identifier of the first STA. In this case, the first STA is converted to a second STA. Finally, the AP sends an association response to the second STA according to the first AID through OFDMA, and allocates a second AID to the second STA. In this way, the AP is associated with the first STA, and additional communication reliability is guaranteed.

[0167] Additionally, the association request message additionally includes a MAC address of the first STA. Therefore, the membership acknowledgment information additionally includes a MAC address of the second STA.

[0168] Still further, it can be determined, using a token identifier in a membership recognition information unit in the M-BA frame, that the membership recognition information is recognition information of the membership request message. Association. Alternatively, it can be indicated, using a simulation association identifier or a special TID traffic identifier, that the M-BA frame is acknowledgment information for the association request message. This is specifically the same as the mode in the previous embodiment. Details are not described again in this document.

[0169] Still further, it may be determined, using a 1-bit association acknowledgment indication in a TID traffic identifier in a association acknowledgment information unit in the M-BA frame, that the association acknowledgment information association information is acknowledgment information from the association request message.

[0170] Optionally, a special traffic identifier TID or all 4 bits of a TID, in the association acknowledgment information, indicates or indicates a number of second STAs to which the AP sends acknowledgment requests using the same information association recognition.

[0171] Optionally, the association recognition information additionally includes a statistical identifier, and the statistical identifier indicates a number of second STAs to which the AP sends recognition requests using the same association recognition information. The statistical identifier is located after the traffic identifier information in the association recognition information. Alternatively, the statistical identifier occupies a reserved bit in block recognition initial sequence control in the association recognition information. This is specifically the same as the mode in the previous embodiment. Details are not described again in this document.

[0172] Figure 15 is a first schematic structural diagram of an association establishment apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The apparatus is an AP access point, and includes: a broadcast module 1501, configured to broadcast a trigger frame, wherein the trigger frame is used to indicate one or more available subchannels and trigger multiple first STA stations to transmit of uplink data at the same time; a receiving module 1502, configured to receive an association request message sent on a corresponding available subchannel via the multiple first STA, wherein the association request message includes a Media Access Control address of the first STA, in that the broadcast module 1501 is further configured to broadcast an acknowledgment frame into multiple M-BA blocks, wherein the M-BA frame includes one or more association acknowledgment information, and the association acknowledgment information is association acknowledgment information. association request message acknowledgment, wherein if the trigger frame includes a temporary identifier that is allocated by the AP on each available subchannel, the association acknowledgment information includes a MAC address of one or more second STA, such that each second STA determine that the association acknowledgment information is acknowledgment information sent through the AP to the second STA and use a temporary identifier of a corresponding available subchannel as a first AID of the second STA, wherein the second STA is a first STA which corresponds to the association request message successfully received by the AP; otherwise, the association recognition information includes a MAC address of one or more second STA and a first AID that is allocated, by the AP, to the second STA; and a sending module 1503, configured to send an association response message to the corresponding second STA in accordance with the first AID, wherein the association response message is used to indicate that an association between the second STA and the AP is successfully established, the association response message includes a second AID, the second AID is used to identify the second STA, and the second AID is the same as or different from the first AID.

[0173] The association establishment apparatus provided in this embodiment can be configured to perform the method steps in the embodiment shown in Figure 2. Its implementation principles and technical effects are similar, and details are not described again herein.

[0174] Additionally, if the trigger frame includes the temporary identifier that is allocated by the AP on each available subchannel, the association recognition information additionally includes the temporary identifier of the available subchannel that corresponds to the second STA.

[0175] In an optional mode, the temporary identifier included in the association recognition information is further used to indicate that the association recognition information is the recognition information of the association request message.

[0176] In another optional mode, the association recognition information additionally includes a simulation association identifier, and the simulation association identifier is used to indicate that the association recognition information is the recognition information of the request message association.

[0177] In yet another optional mode, a special traffic identifier TID in the association acknowledgment information is further used to indicate that the association acknowledgment information is the acknowledgment information of the association request message.

[0178] In yet another optional mode, 1 bit, in a TID traffic identifier, in the association acknowledgment information is further used to indicate that the association acknowledgment information is the acknowledgment information of the association request message.

[0179] Still further, a special traffic identifier TID or all 4 bits of a TID, in the association acknowledgment information, indicates or indicates a number of second STAs to which the AP sends acknowledgment requests using the same association recognition information.

[0180] Alternatively, the association recognition information additionally includes a statistical identifier, and the statistical identifier indicates a number of second STAs to which the AP sends recognition requests using the same association recognition information. The statistical identifier is located after the traffic identifier information in the association recognition information, or the statistical identifier occupies a reserved bit in block recognition initial sequence control in the association recognition information.

[0181] Figure 16 is a second schematic structural diagram of an association establishment apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The apparatus is a first station STA, and includes: a receive module 1601, configured to receive a trigger frame broadcast by an AP access point, wherein the trigger frame is used to indicate one or more available subchannels and trigger multiple first STA stations to perform uplink data transmission at the same time; and a sending module 1602 configured to send a membership request message on a corresponding available subchannel, wherein the membership request message includes a Media Access Control address of the first STA, wherein the receiving module 1601 is further configured to receive a multi-block acknowledgment M-BA frame broadcast through the AP, wherein the M-BA frame includes one or more association acknowledgment information, and the association acknowledgment information is association acknowledgment information. recognition of the association request message; the apparatus further includes: a search module 1603, a determination module 1604, and a retrieval module 1605; if the trigger frame includes a temporary identifier that is allocated by the AP on each available subchannel, the M-BA frame includes a MAC address of one or more second STA and if the lookup module 1603 verifies that the MAC address of the first STA is in the M-BA frame, the determination module 1604 determines that the association recognition information is recognition information sent through the AP to the determination module 1604 and uses a temporary identifier of a corresponding available subchannel as a first AID of the determination module 1604; otherwise, the M-BA frame includes a MAC address of one or more second STAs and a first AID that is allocated, by the AP, to the second STA, and if the lookup module 1603 finds that the MAC address of the first STA is in the M-BA frame, the obtaining module 1605 obtains a first AID that corresponds to the MAC address of the first STA, wherein the second STA is an STA that corresponds to the association request message successfully received by the AP; and the receiving module 1601 is further configured to receive an association response message that is sent through the AP according to the first AID, wherein the association response message is used to indicate that an association between the first STA and the AP is established successfully, the association response message includes a second AID, the second AID is used to identify the first STA, and the second AID is the same as or different from the first AID.

[0182] The association establishment apparatus provided in this embodiment can be configured to perform the method steps in the embodiment shown in Figure 8. Its implementation principles and technical effects are similar, and details are not described again herein.

[0183] Additionally, if the trigger frame includes the temporary identifier that is allocated by the AP on each available subchannel, the association recognition information additionally includes the temporary identifier of the available subchannel that corresponds to the second STA.

[0184] In an optional mode, the temporary identifier included in the association recognition information is further used to indicate that the association recognition information is the recognition information of the association request message.

[0185] In another optional mode, the association recognition information additionally includes a simulation association identifier, and the simulation association identifier is used to indicate that the association recognition information is the recognition information of the request message association.

[0186] In yet another optional mode, a special traffic identifier TID in the association acknowledgment information is further used to indicate that the association acknowledgment information is the acknowledgment information of the association request message.

[0187] In yet another optional mode, 1 bit, in a TID traffic identifier, in the association acknowledgment information is further used to indicate that the association acknowledgment information is the acknowledgment information of the association request message.

[0188] Still further, a special traffic identifier TID or all 4 bits of a TID, in the association acknowledgment information, indicates or indicates a number of second STAs to which the AP sends acknowledgment requests using the same association recognition information. The association recognition information additionally includes a statistical identifier, and the statistical identifier indicates a number of second STAs to which the AP sends recognition requests using the same association recognition information. The statistical identifier is located after the traffic identifier information in the association recognition information. Alternatively, the statistical identifier occupies a reserved bit in block recognition initial sequence control in the association recognition information.

[0189] Figure 17 is a third schematic structural diagram of an association establishment apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The apparatus is an AP access point, includes: a receive module 1701, configured to receive a membership request message sent by each of one or more STA stations, wherein the membership request message includes a token identifier generated by the first STA, and the token identifier is used to uniquely identify the first STA; a broadcast module 1702, configured to broadcast an acknowledgment frame into multiple M-BA blocks, wherein the M-BA frame includes one or more association acknowledgment information, and the association acknowledgment information is association acknowledgment information. association request message, wherein the association acknowledgment information includes a token identifier of one or more second STA and a first AID association identifier that is allocated, by the AP, to the second STA, such that the second STA obtains the first AID according to the token identifier, wherein the second STA is a first STA corresponding to the association request message successfully received by the AP; and a sending module 1703, configured to send an association response message to the corresponding second STA in accordance with the first AID, wherein the association response message is used to indicate that an association between the second STA and the AP is successfully established, the association response message includes a second AID, the second AID is used to identify the second STA, and the second AID is the same as or different from the first AID.

[0190] The association establishment apparatus provided in this embodiment can be configured to perform the method steps in the embodiment shown in Figure 13. Its implementation principles and technical effects are similar, and details are not described again herein.

[0191] Additionally, the association request message additionally includes a MAC address of the first STA. The membership acknowledgment information additionally includes a MAC address of the second STA.

[0192] In an optional mode, a special traffic identifier TID or all 4 bits of a TID, in the association acknowledgment information, indicates or indicates a number of second STAs to which the AP sends acknowledgment requests using the same association recognition information.

[0193] In another optional mode, the association recognition information additionally includes a statistical identifier, and the statistical identifier indicates a number of second STAs to which the AP sends recognition requests using the same association recognition information. The statistical identifier is located after the traffic identifier information in the association recognition information. Alternatively, the statistical identifier occupies a reserved bit in block recognition initial sequence control in the association recognition information.

[0194] Figure 18 is a fourth schematic structural diagram of an association establishment apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The apparatus is a first station STA, and includes: a generation module 1801, configured to generate a token identifier, wherein the token identifier is used to uniquely identify the first STA; a sending module 1802 configured to send a membership request message to an access point AP, wherein the membership request message includes the token identifier generated by the generation module 1801; a receiving module 1803, configured to receive a multi-block acknowledgment M-BA frame broadcast through the AP, wherein the M-BA frame includes one or more association acknowledgment information, the association acknowledgment information is association request message acknowledgment information, the association acknowledgment information includes a token identifier of one or more second STA and a first AID association identifier that is allocated, by the AP, in the second STA, and the second STA is an STA that corresponds to the association request message successfully received by the AP; and a lookup module 1804, configured to: if the lookup module 1804 verifies that the token identifier of the lookup module 1804 is in the M-BA frame, obtain a first AID in association recognition information that includes the token identifier token of polling module 1804, wherein the receiving module 1803 is further configured to receive an association response message that is sent through the AP according to the first AID, wherein the association response message is used to indicates that an association between the first STA and the AP is successfully established, the association response message includes a second AID, the second AID is used to identify the first STA, and the second AID is the same as the first AID or different from the same.

[0195] The association establishment apparatus provided in this embodiment can be configured to perform the method steps in the embodiment shown in Figure 14. Its implementation principles and technical effects are similar, and details are not described again herein.

[0196] Additionally, the association request message additionally includes a Medium Access Control address of the first STA. The membership acknowledgment information additionally includes a MAC address of the second STA.

[0197] In an optional mode, a special traffic identifier TID or all 4 bits of a TID, in the association acknowledgment information, indicates or indicates a number of second STAs to which the AP sends acknowledgment requests using the same association recognition information.

[0198] In another optional mode, the association recognition information additionally includes a statistical identifier, and the statistical identifier indicates a number of second STAs to which the AP sends recognition requests using the same association recognition information. The statistical identifier is located after the traffic identifier information in the association recognition information. Alternatively, the statistical identifier occupies a reserved bit in block recognition initial sequence control in the association recognition information.

[0199] Figure 19 is a fifth schematic structural diagram of an association establishment apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The apparatus is an AP access point, and includes: a processor 1901, configured to broadcast a trigger frame, wherein the trigger frame is used to indicate one or more available subchannels and trigger multiple first STA stations to perform data transmission uplink at the same time; a receiver 1902, configured to receive an association request message sent on a corresponding available subchannel via the multiple first STA, wherein the association request message includes a Media Access Control address of the first STA, wherein the Processor 1901 is further configured to broadcast an acknowledgment frame into multiple M-BA blocks, wherein the MBA frame includes one or more association acknowledgment information, and the association acknowledgment information is acknowledgment information from the M-BA request message. association, wherein if the trigger frame includes a temporary identifier that is allocated by the AP on each available subchannel, the association acknowledgment information includes a MAC address of one or more second STA, such that each second STA determines that the information association acknowledgment is acknowledgment information sent through the AP to the second STA and uses a temporary identifier of a corresponding available subchannel as a first AID of the second STA, wherein the second STA is a first STA that matches the request message of association successfully received by the AP; otherwise, the association recognition information includes a MAC address of one or more second STA and a first AID that is allocated, by the AP, to the second STA; and a transmitter 1903, configured to send an association response message to the corresponding second STA in accordance with the first AID, wherein the association response message is used to indicate that an association between the second STA and the AP is established on success, the association response message includes a second AID, the second AID is used to identify the second STA, and the second AID is the same as or different from the first AID.

[0200] The association establishment apparatus provided in this embodiment can be configured to perform the method steps in the embodiment shown in Figure 2. Its implementation principles and technical effects are similar, and details are not described again herein.

[0201] Additionally, if the trigger frame includes the temporary identifier that is allocated by the AP on each available subchannel, the association recognition information additionally includes the temporary identifier of the available subchannel that corresponds to the second STA.

[0202] In an optional mode, the temporary identifier included in the association acknowledgment information is further used to indicate that the association acknowledgment information is the acknowledgment information of the association request message.

[0203] In another optional mode, the association recognition information additionally includes a simulation association identifier, and the simulation association identifier is used to indicate that the association recognition information is the recognition information of the request message association.

[0204] In yet another optional mode, a special traffic identifier TID in the association acknowledgment information is further used to indicate that the association acknowledgment information is the acknowledgment information of the association request message.

[0205] In yet another optional mode, 1 bit, in a TID traffic identifier, in the association acknowledgment information is further used to indicate that the association acknowledgment information is the acknowledgment information of the association request message.

[0206] Still further, a special traffic identifier TID or all 4 bits of a TID, in the association acknowledgment information, indicates or indicates a number of second STAs to which the AP sends acknowledgment requests using the same association recognition information.

[0207] Alternatively, the association recognition information additionally includes a statistical identifier, and the statistical identifier indicates a number of second STAs to which the AP sends recognition requests using the same association recognition information. The statistical identifier is located after the traffic identifier information in the association recognition information, or the statistical identifier occupies a reserved bit in block recognition initial sequence control in the association recognition information.

[0208] Figure 20 is a sixth schematic structural diagram of an association establishment apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The apparatus is a first station STA, and includes: a receiver 2001, configured to receive a trigger frame broadcast by an AP access point, wherein the trigger frame is used to indicate one or more available subchannels and trigger multiple first stations STA to realize uplink data transmission at the same time; and a transmitter 2002 configured to send an association request message on a corresponding available subchannel, wherein the association request message includes a Media Access Control address of the first STA, wherein the receiver 2001 is further configured to receiving a multi-block acknowledgment M-BA frame broadcast through the AP, wherein the M-BA frame includes one or more association acknowledgment information, and the association acknowledgment information is acknowledgment information of the acknowledgment message. membership request; the apparatus further includes a processor 2003, wherein if the trigger frame includes a temporary identifier that is allocated by the AP on each available subchannel, the M-BA frame includes a MAC address of one or more second STA; and if the processor 2003 verifies that the MAC address of the first STA is in the M-BA frame, the processor 2003 determines that the association recognition information is recognition information sent through the AP to the processor 2003 and uses a temporary identifier of a corresponding available subchannel as a first AID of the processor 2003; otherwise, the M-BA frame includes a MAC address of one or more second STA and a first AID that is allocated, by the AP, to the second STA; If the processor 2003 finds that the MAC address of the first STA is in the M-BA frame, the processor 2003 obtains a first AID that matches the MAC address of the first STA, wherein the second STA is an STA that matches the request message association successfully received by the AP; the receiver 2001 is further configured to receive an association response message that is sent through the AP in accordance with the first AID, wherein the association response message is used to indicate that an association between the first STA and the AP is successfully established, the association response message includes a second AID, the second AID is used to identify the first STA, and the second AID is the same as or different from the first AID.

[0209] The association establishment apparatus provided in this embodiment can be configured to perform the method steps in the embodiment shown in Figure 8. Its implementation principles and technical effects are similar, and details are not described again herein.

[0210] Additionally, if the trigger frame includes the temporary identifier that is allocated by the AP on each available subchannel, the association recognition information additionally includes the temporary identifier of the available subchannel that corresponds to the second STA.

[0211] In an optional mode, the temporary identifier included in the association acknowledgment information is further used to indicate that the association acknowledgment information is the acknowledgment information of the association request message.

[0212] In another optional mode, the association recognition information additionally includes a simulation association identifier, and the simulation association identifier is used to indicate that the association recognition information is the recognition information of the request message association.

[0213] In yet another optional mode, a special traffic identifier TID in the association acknowledgment information is further used to indicate that the association acknowledgment information is the acknowledgment information of the association request message.

[0214] In yet another optional mode, 1 bit, in a TID traffic identifier, in the association acknowledgment information is further used to indicate that the association acknowledgment information is the acknowledgment information of the association request message.

[0215] Still further, a special traffic identifier TID or all 4 bits of a TID, in the association acknowledgment information, indicates or indicates a number of second STAs to which the AP sends acknowledgment requests using the same association recognition information. The association recognition information additionally includes a statistical identifier, and the statistical identifier indicates a number of second STAs to which the AP sends recognition requests using the same association recognition information. The statistical identifier is located after the traffic identifier information in the association recognition information. Alternatively, the statistical identifier occupies a reserved bit in block recognition initial sequence control in the association recognition information.

[0216] Figure 21 is a seventh schematic structural diagram of an association establishment apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The apparatus is an AP access point, and includes: a receiver 2101, configured to receive a membership request message sent by each of one or more STA stations, wherein the membership request message includes a generated token identifier by the first STA, and the token identifier is used to uniquely identify the first STA; a processor 2102, configured to broadcast an acknowledgment frame into multiple M-BA blocks, wherein the M-BA frame includes one or more association acknowledgment information, and the association acknowledgment information is association acknowledgment information. association request, wherein the association acknowledgment information includes a token identifier of one or more second STA and a first AID association identifier that is allocated, by the AP, in the second STA, such that the second STA obtains the first AID according to the token identifier, wherein the second STA is a first STA that corresponds to the association request message successfully received by the AP; and a transmitter 2103, configured to send an association response message to the corresponding second STA in accordance with the first AID, wherein the association response message is used to indicate that an association between the second STA and the AP is established on success, the association response message includes a second AID, the second AID is used to identify the second STA, and the second AID is the same as or different from the first AID.

[0217] The association establishment apparatus provided in this embodiment can be configured to perform the method steps in the embodiment shown in Figure 13. Its implementation principles and technical effects are similar, and details are not described again herein.

[0218] Additionally, the association request message additionally includes a MAC address of the first STA. The membership acknowledgment information additionally includes a MAC address of the second STA.

[0219] In an optional mode, a special traffic identifier TID or all 4 bits of a TID, in the association acknowledgment information, indicates or indicates a number of second STAs to which the AP sends acknowledgment requests using the same association recognition information.

[0220] In another optional mode, the association recognition information additionally includes a statistical identifier, and the statistical identifier indicates a number of second STAs to which the AP sends recognition requests using the same association recognition information. The statistical identifier is located after the traffic identifier information in the association recognition information. Alternatively, the statistical identifier occupies a reserved bit in block recognition initial sequence control in the association recognition information.

[0221] Figure 22 is an eighth schematic structural diagram of an association establishment apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The apparatus is a first station STA, and includes: a processor 2201, configured to generate a token identifier, wherein the token identifier is used to uniquely identify the first STA; a transmitter 2202 configured to send an association request message to an access point AP, wherein the association request message includes the token identifier generated by the processor 2201; and a receiver 2203, configured to receive a multi-block acknowledgment M-BA frame broadcast via the AP, wherein the M-BA frame includes one or more association acknowledgment information, the association acknowledgment information is association request message acknowledgment information, the association acknowledgment information includes a token identifier of one or more second STA and a first AID association identifier that is allocated, by the AP, in the second STA, and the second STA is an STA that corresponds to the association request message successfully received by the AP, wherein the processor 2201 is further configured to: if the processor 2201 verifies that the token identifier of the processor 2201 is in the M-BA frame, obtain a first AID in association recognition information that includes the processor token identifier 2201; and the receiver 2203 is further configured to receive an association response message that is sent through the AP in accordance with the first AID, wherein the association response message is used to indicate that an association between the first STA and the AP is established successfully, the association response message includes a second AID, the second AID is used to identify the first STA, and the second AID is the same as or different from the first AID.

[0222] The association establishment apparatus provided in this embodiment can be configured to perform the method steps in the embodiment shown in Figure 14. Its implementation principles and technical effects are similar, and details are not described again herein.

[0223] Additionally, the association request message additionally includes a Medium Access Control address of the first STA. The membership acknowledgment information additionally includes a MAC address of the second STA.

[0224] In an optional mode, a special traffic identifier TID or all 4 bits of a TID, in the association acknowledgment information, indicates or indicates a number of second STAs to which the AP sends acknowledgment requests using the same association recognition information.

[0225] In another optional mode, the association recognition information additionally includes a statistical identifier, and the statistical identifier indicates a number of second STAs to which the AP sends recognition requests using the same association recognition information. The statistical identifier is located after the traffic identifier information in the association recognition information. Alternatively, the statistical identifier occupies a reserved bit in block recognition initial sequence control in the association recognition information.

[0226] Persons of ordinary skill in the art can understand that all or some of the steps of embodiments of the method can be implemented by a program that instructs relevant hardware. The program can be stored on a computer-readable storage medium. When the program is executed, the steps of the method embodiments are performed. The storage media set out above includes: any media that can store program code, such as a ROM, a RAM, a magnetic disk, or an optical disk.

[0227] Finally, it should be noted that the modalities set out above are intended merely to describe the technical solutions of the present invention and not to limit the present invention. Although the present invention is described in detail with reference to the embodiments set forth above, persons of ordinary skill in the art should understand that it is still possible to make modifications to the technical solutions described in the embodiments set out above or to make equivalent substitutions in some or all of the features. technical solutions, without departing from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims (13)

1. Association establishment method, CHARACTERIZED by the fact that it comprises: sending, by an access point (AP), a trigger frame, wherein the trigger frame is used to trigger one or more unassociated stations (STAs) to perform uplink data transmission and indicate one or more subchannels available for random access from the one or more unassociated STAs; receive, by the AP, an association request message sent on an available subchannel, among the one or more available subchannels, acquired by a first unassociated STA, wherein the first unassociated STA is one of the one or more unassociated STAs ; send, by the AP, a multi-user block acknowledgment frame, wherein the multi-user block acknowledgment frame comprises association acknowledgment information, the association acknowledgment information comprises traffic identifier information, the of traffic comprise a simulation association identifier, and the simulation association identifier indicates that the association recognition information is recognition information of the association request message; wherein the association acknowledgment information comprises a medium access control (MAC) address of the first non-associated STA; and sending, by the AP, an association response message to the first non-associated STA, the association response message carries a first association identifier (AID), wherein the first AID is allocated by the AP to the first non-associated STA and used to identify the first unassociated STA, wherein the association response message indicates that an association between the first unassociated STA and the AP is successfully established. 2. Association establishment method, CHARACTERIZED by the fact that it comprises: receiving, by a non-associated first station (STA), a trigger frame from an access point (AP), in which the trigger frame is used to trigger one or more unassociated stations (STAs) to perform uplink data transmission and indicate one or more subchannels available for random access from the one or more unassociated STAs, wherein the first unassociated STA is one or more more unassociated STAs; sending, by the first non-associated STA, an association request message on an available subchannel, among the one or more available subchannels, acquired by the first non-associated STA; receiving, by the first unassociated STA, a multi-user block acknowledgment frame, wherein the multi-user block acknowledgment frame comprises association acknowledgment information, the association acknowledgment information comprises traffic identifier information, the traffic identifier information comprises a simulation association identifier, and the simulation association identifier indicates that the association recognition information is recognition information of the association request message; wherein the association acknowledgment information comprises a medium access control (MAC) address of the first non-associated STA; and receiving, by the first STA, an association response message from the AP, the association response message carries a first association identifier (AID), wherein the first AID is allocated by the AP to the first unassociated STA and used to identify the first unassociated STA, wherein the association response message indicates that an association between the first unassociated STA and the AP is successfully established. 3. Method, according to claim 1 or 2, CHARACTERIZED by the fact that the simulation association identifier occupies 11 bits. 4. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, CHARACTERIZED by the fact that the simulation association identifier is a special AID. 5. Method, according to claim 1 or 2, CHARACTERIZED by the fact that the MAC address occupies 6 octets. 6. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, CHARACTERIZED by the fact that the traffic identifier information occupies 2 octets, and the traffic identifier information additionally comprises a block acknowledgment/acknowledgment indication (BA/ Ack) and a traffic identifier (TID). 7. Association establishment apparatus, CHARACTERIZED by the fact that it comprises: a sending module, configured to send a trigger frame, wherein the trigger frame is used to trigger one or more unassociated stations (STAs) to perform transmission of uplink data and indicate one or more subchannels available for random access from the one or more unassociated STAs; and a receiving module, configured to receive an association request message sent on an available subchannel, among the one or more available subchannels, acquired by a first unassociated STA, wherein the first unassociated STA is one of the one or more more unassociated STAs; wherein the sending module is further configured to send a multi-user block acknowledgment frame, wherein the multi-user block acknowledgment frame comprises association acknowledgment information, the association acknowledgment information comprises association identifier information. traffic, the traffic identifier information comprises a simulation association identifier, and the simulation association identifier indicates that the association recognition information is recognition information of the association request message; wherein the association acknowledgment information comprises a medium access control (MAC) address of the first non-associated STA; and the sending module is further configured to send an association response message to the first unassociated STA, the association response message carrying a first association identifier (AID), wherein the first AID is allocated by the apparatus to the first Unassociated STA and used to identify the first unassociated STA, wherein the association response message indicates that an association between the first unassociated STA and the device is successfully established. 8. Association establishment apparatus, CHARACTERIZED by the fact that it comprises: a receiving module, configured to receive a trigger frame from an access point (AP), wherein the trigger frame is used to trigger one or more unassociated stations (STAs) to perform uplink data transmission and indicate one or more subchannels available for random access of the one or more unassociated STAs; and a sending module configured to send an association request message on an available subchannel, among the one or more available subchannels, acquired by the device, wherein the device is one of the one or more unassociated STAs; wherein the receiving module is further configured to receive a multi-user block acknowledgment frame, wherein the multi-user block acknowledgment frame comprises association acknowledgment information, the association acknowledgment information comprises association identifier information. traffic, the traffic identifier information comprises a simulation association identifier, and the simulation association identifier indicates that the association recognition information is recognition information of the association request message; wherein the association recognition information comprises a medium access control (MAC) address of the apparatus; and the receiving module is further configured to receive an association response message from the AP, the association response message carries a first association identifier (AID), wherein the first AID is allocated by the AP to the apparatus and used to identify the device, wherein the association response message indicates that an association between the device and the AP is successfully established. 9. Apparatus according to claim 7 or 8, CHARACTERIZED by the fact that the simulation association identifier occupies 11 bits. 10. Apparatus according to any one of claims 7 to 9, CHARACTERIZED by the fact that the simulation association identifier is a special AID. 11. Apparatus, according to claim 7 or 8, CHARACTERIZED by the fact that the MAC address occupies 6 octets. 12. Apparatus according to any one of claims 7 to 11, CHARACTERIZED by the fact that the traffic identifier information occupies 2 octets, and the traffic identifier information additionally comprises a block acknowledgment/acknowledgement indication (BA/ Ack) and a traffic identifier (TID). 13. Computer-readable recording medium on which a set of instructions is recorded, CHARACTERIZED by the fact that the set of instructions, when executed, enables a computer to perform the method as defined in any one of claims 1 to 6.