Identifier assignment method and device in wireless local area network

• US 20140146809A1
• Filed: 04/16/2012
• Published: 05/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ZTE Corporation
• Original Assignee: ZTE Corporation
• Inventors: Xing, Weimin, Li, Nan, Sun, Bo, Lv, Kaiying
• Granted Patent: US 9,794,966 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/11 Allocation or use of connection identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

The disclosure discloses an identifier assignment method in a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), which includes: a group identifier is set for a non-Access Point Station (STA). The method further includes: in a process during which the STA associates or reassociates to an Access Point (AP), a terminal identifier is assigned to the associated or reassociated STA or a terminal identifier and a group identifier are assigned to the associated or reassociated STA. The disclosure also discloses an identifier assignment device in a WLAN for implementing the terminal access method. The terminal identifier is significantly expanded through the setting of the group identifier, so that a unique identifier can be assigned to the STA accessing to the AP without identifier repetition of the STA. Meanwhile, the grouping of the STA also facilitates the scheduling and management of the STA in a group. The disclosure ensures that sufficient STAs can access to the AP and a different identifier can be assigned to each STA.

Claims

1. An identifier assignment method in a wireless local area network, which comprises:

setting a group identifier for a non-Access Point Station (STA), wherein the method further comprising;

in a process during which the STA associates or reassociates to an Access Point (AP), assigning a terminal identifier to the associated or reassociated STA, or assigning a terminal identifier and a group identifier to the associated or reassociated STA.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the assigning a terminal identifier to the associated or reassociated STA or assigning a terminal identifier and a group identifier to the associated or reassociated STA in a process during which the STA associates or reassociates to an AP comprises:

sending, by the STA, an association request frame or a reassociation request frame to the AP, wherein the association request frame or the reassociation request frame includes at least one of followings;

application category information of the STA, power saving capability information of the STA, operator'"'"'s identifier information of the STA, manufacturer'"'"'s identifier information of the STA and physical location information of the STA; and

returning, by the AP, an association response frame or a reassociation response frame to the STA, wherein the association response frame or the reassociation response frame includes the terminal identifier assigned by the AP to the STA, or the terminal identifier and the group identifier assigned by the AP to the STA.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the AP determines grouping of the STA and the group identifier according to at least one of followings:

the application category information of the STA, the power saving capability information of the STA, the operator'"'"'s identifier information of the STA, the manufacturer'"'"'s identifier information of the STA and the physical location information of the STA.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the group identifier is composed of bits in bytes corresponding to an Association Identifier (AID);

or

the group identifier is composed of bits in a separately set byte.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the AID is 2 bytes, and the separately set byte is 1 byte.

12. The method according to claim 2, wherein the group identifier is composed of bits in bytes corresponding to an Association Identifier (AID);

or the group identifier is composed of bits in a separately set byte.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the AID is 2 bytes, and the separately set byte is 1 byte.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the terminal identifier is 11 bits, or 12 bits, or 13 bits, and the group identifier is 1 bit, or 2 bits, or 3 bits.

15. The method according to claim 4, wherein the terminal identifier is 11 bits, or 12 bits, or 13 bits, and the group identifier is 1 bit, or 2 bits, or 3 bits.

6. (canceled)

7. An identifier assignment device in a wireless local area network, comprising a setting unit and an assignment unit, wherein

the setting unit is configured to set a group identifier for a non-Access Point Station (STA);

and

the assignment unit, located in an Access Point (AP), is configured to, in a process during which the STA associates or reassociates to the AP, assign a terminal identifier to the associated or reassociated STA or assign a terminal identifier and a group identifier to the associated or reassociated STA.

8. The device according to claim 7, further comprising:

a sending unit configured to return an association response frame or a reassociation response frame to the STA when the STA sends an association request frame or a reassociation request frame to the AP,

wherein the association request frame or the reassociation request frame includes at least one of followings;

application category information of the STA, power saving capability information of the STA, operator'"'"'s identifier information of the STA, manufacturer'"'"'s identifier information of the STA and physical location information of the STA; and

the association response frame or the reassociation response frame includes the terminal identifier assigned by the AP to the STA, or the terminal identifier and the group identifier assigned by the AP to the STA.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein the assignment unit is further configured to determine grouping of the STA and the group identifier according to at least one of followings:

the application category information of the STA, the power saving capability information of the STA, the operator'"'"'s identifier information of the STA, the manufacturer'"'"'s identifier information of the STA and the physical location information of the STA.

10. The device according to claim 7, wherein the group identifier is composed of bits in bytes corresponding to an Association Identifier (AID);

or

the group identifier is composed of bits in a separately set byte.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein the AID is 2 bytes, and the separately set byte is 1 byte;

and

the terminal identifier is 11 bits, or 12 bits, or 13 bits, and the group identifier is 1 bit, or 2 bits, or 3 bits.

16. The device according to claim 8, wherein the group identifier is composed of bits in bytes corresponding to an Association Identifier (AID);

or

the group identifier is composed of bits in a separately set byte.

17. The device according to claim 16, wherein the AID is 2 bytes, and the separately set byte is 1 byte.

18. The device according to claim 16, wherein the terminal identifier is 11 bits, or 12 bits, or 13 bits, and the group identifier is 1 bit, or 2 bits, or 3 bits.