Mechanism to enable aligned channel access

Abstract

This disclosure describes systems, methods, and devices related to aligned channel access. A device may perform a first backoff countdown on a first link associated with a first station device (STA) of the device, wherein the device is a multi-link device (MLD). The device may detect a second backoff countdown associated with a second STA of the MLD after the first backoff countdown reaches zero. The device may determine to hold the first backoff countdown at zero based on the value of the second backoff countdown. The device may transmit in synchronization on the first link and on the second link from the first STA and the second STA respectively based on holding the first backoff countdown at zero.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device, the device comprising processing circuitry coupled to storage, the processing circuitry configured to:
 perform a first backoff countdown on a first link associated with a first station device (STA) of the device, wherein the device is an multi-link device (MLD);   detect a second backoff countdown associated with a second STA of the MLD after the first backoff countdown reaches zero;   determine to hold the first backoff countdown at zero based on the value of the second backoff countdown; and   transmit in synchronization on the first link and on the second link from the first STA and the second STA respectively based on holding the first backoff countdown at zero.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to compare a remainder of the second backoff countdown to a threshold value. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to determine to hold the first backoff countdown at zero when the remainder of the second backoff countdown is less than the threshold value. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to determine not to hold off the first backoff countdown at zero when the remainder of the second backoff countdown is greater than the threshold value. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the first backoff countdown is held at zero for a first duration. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein the first duration is a duration that results in simultaneous transmissions on the first link and the second link. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to determine an access category (AC) associated with transmissions on the first link and the second link. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a transceiver configured to transmit and receive wireless signals. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 8 , further comprising an antenna coupled to the transceiver to cause to send a frame. 
     
     
         10 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions which when executed by one or more processors result in performing operations comprising:
 performing a first backoff countdown on a first link associated with a first station device (STA) of the device, wherein the device is an multi-link device (MLD);   detecting a second backoff countdown associated with a second STA of the MLD after the first backoff countdown reaches zero;   determining to hold the first backoff countdown at zero based on the value of the second backoff countdown; and   transmitting in synchronization on the first link and on the second link from the first STA and the second STA respectively based on holding the first backoff countdown at zero.   
     
     
         11 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein the operations further comprise comparing a remainder of the second backoff countdown to a threshold value. 
     
     
         12 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein the operations further comprise determining to hold the first backoff countdown at zero when the remainder of the second backoff countdown is less than the threshold value. 
     
     
         13 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein the operations further comprise determining not to hold off the first backoff countdown at zero when the remainder of the second backoff countdown is greater than the threshold value. 
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein the first backoff countdown is held at zero for a first duration. 
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein the first duration is a duration that results in simultaneous transmissions on the first link and the second link. 
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein the operations further comprise determining an access category (AC) associated with transmissions on the first link and the second link. 
     
     
         17 . A method comprising:
 performing, by one or more processors, a first backoff countdown on a first link associated with a first station device (STA) of the device, wherein the device is an multi-link device (MLD);   detecting a second backoff countdown associated with a second STA of the MLD after the first backoff countdown reaches zero;   determining to hold the first backoff countdown at zero based on the value of the second backoff countdown; and   transmitting in synchronization on the first link and on the second link from the first STA and the second STA respectively based on holding the first backoff countdown at zero.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising comparing a remainder of the second backoff countdown to a threshold value. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising determining to hold the first backoff countdown at zero when the remainder of the second backoff countdown is less than the threshold value. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising determining not to hold off the first backoff countdown at zero when the remainder of the second backoff countdown is greater than the threshold value.