Link State Indication Method in EMLSR Mode and Related Apparatus Helping Wi-Fi 7 Devices Avoid Talking on Dead Links

This patent describes a signalling method that lets a Wi-Fi 7 device tell the access point which of its wireless links are available, so the network does not waste time sending data on a link that is not listening. It comes from Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., a major global telecommunications and networking company.

The Problem

The newest Wi-Fi standard, IEEE 802.11be or Wi-Fi 7, boosts speed by letting a device use several frequency bands at once, an approach called multi-link operation. Some devices, such as battery-powered phones and wearables, cannot afford to keep a full radio running on every link, so they use a power-saving mode called EMLSR, short for enhanced multi-link single radio. In that mode a device only lightly listens across its links and switches its full radio to whichever link the access point uses. The problem is that the states of those links can change, and if the access point keeps sending on a link the device is no longer ready to receive on, that airtime and energy are wasted. The network needs a clear, low-cost way to learn which links are currently available.

What This Invention Does

The patent provides a link state indication method for EMLSR mode. When a device operating in this mode finds that the state of some or all of its links has changed, it sends a frame on any available link carrying indication information that tells the access point which links are available, or which link has changed state. Armed with that information, the access point avoids sending signals on a link the device cannot currently receive on, which cuts wasted airtime and saves power. Because the indication can travel on any available link, the device can keep the network up to date even as conditions shift. The filing covers the method and the related apparatus that implement it.

Key Features

• Link state signalling. A device reports which of its links are available or have changed state.
• Sent on any link. The indication frame can be carried on any currently available link.
• Avoids dead links. The access point stops sending on links the device cannot receive on.
• Power and airtime savings. Targeting only live links reduces wasted energy and spectrum.
• EMLSR focus. The method is built for the single-radio power-saving mode of Wi-Fi 7.

Who Is Behind It

The applicant is Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., a Chinese multinational that is one of the world’s largest makers of telecommunications equipment, networking gear, and consumer devices, and an active contributor to wireless standards. The named inventors are Ming Gan and Yousi Lin. This filing is a divisional application from an earlier related Australian application, and claims priority from earlier Chinese filings.

Why It Matters

As Wi-Fi 7 brings multi-link operation to everyday devices, getting the most from it depends on coordinating links efficiently, especially for battery-powered gear that cannot keep every radio fully active. A simple way to tell the network which links are live improves speed and battery life at the same time. Protecting the method in Australia supports the company’s products and standards activity in the local market.

Related Concepts

• Wi-Fi 7 – the standard whose multi-link feature this method supports.
• IEEE 802.11be – the technical specification behind Wi-Fi 7.
• Wireless LAN – the local wireless networks the method applies to.
• Throughput – the data rate that multi-link operation aims to increase.
• IEEE 802.11 – the family of Wi-Fi standards this builds on.

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AU 2026201966 was published in the Australian Official Journal of Patents on 2 April 2026 and is open for public inspection. Patent applications represent inventions that are sought to be protected and do not necessarily reflect commercially available products.