Data transmission method, access point, and station

Abstract

This application provides a data transmission method. When performing data transmission with a first station in a bandwidth power saving mode by using an operating channel of the first station, an access point performs data transmission with a second station by using an operating channel of the second station. Therefore, even if the operating channel of the first station includes a primary channel, the access point can still perform data transmission with the second station by using another channel. Further, for the access point, although the operating channel of the first station occupies only a part of available bandwidth resources of the access point, the access point can still perform data transmission with the second station by using a remaining channel.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A data transmission method, comprising:
 performing, by an access point, data transmission with a first station by using an operating channel of the first station, wherein the first station enables a bandwidth power saving mode, and the operating channel of the first station is an available channel of the first station; and   when the access point performs data transmission with the first station by using the operating channel of the first station, performing, by the access point, data transmission with a second station by using an operating channel of the second station, wherein the operating channel of the first station and the operating channel of the second station form all or a part of available channels of the access point.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , before the performing, by an access point, data transmission with a first station by using an operating channel of the first station, further comprising: instructing, by the access point, the first station to enable the bandwidth power saving mode, wherein
 a process of the instructing, by the access point, the first station to enable the bandwidth power saving mode specifically comprises:   sending, by the access point, first signaling, wherein the first signaling is used to instruct to enable the bandwidth power saving mode, and indicate a first channel set available to the first station, and total bandwidth of channels in the first channel set is less than bandwidth of the available channels of the access point.   
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , before the performing, by an access point, data transmission with a first station by using an operating channel of the first station, further comprising:
 receiving, by the access point, a request for enabling the bandwidth power saving mode from the first station, wherein the request carries a second channel set, the second channel set is an available channel, requested by the first station from the access point, in the bandwidth power saving mode, and total bandwidth of channels in the second channel set is less than bandwidth of the available channels of the access point; and   sending, by the access point, a request response to the first station, wherein the request response carries a third channel set, and total bandwidth of channels in the third channel set is less than the bandwidth of the available channels of the access point.   
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 sending, by the access point, an update instruction to the station in the bandwidth power saving mode, wherein the update instruction is used to indicate an updated channel set allocated by the access point to the station in the bandwidth power saving mode, total bandwidth of channels in the updated channel set is less than the bandwidth of the available channels of the access point, and the updated channel set is different from a to-be-updated channel set of the station in the bandwidth power saving mode.   
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein there is one or more second stations. 
     
     
         6 . An access point, comprising:
 a processor configured to perform data transmission with a first station by using an operating channel of the first station, wherein the first station enables a bandwidth power saving mode, and the operating channel of the first station is an available channel of the first station; and   the processor configured to: when data transmission with the first station is performed by using the operating channel of the first station, perform data transmission with a second station by using an operating channel of the second station, wherein the operating channel of the first station and the operating channel of the second station form all or a part of available channels of the access point.   
     
     
         7 . The access point according to  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a transmitter, configured to: before data transmission with the first station is performed by using the operating channel of the first station, send first signaling to the first station, wherein the first signaling is used to instruct to enable the bandwidth power saving mode, and indicate a first channel set available to the first station, and total bandwidth of channels in the first channel set is less than bandwidth of the available channels of the access point.   
     
     
         8 . The access point according to  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a receiver, configured to: before data transmission with the first station is performed by using the operating channel of the first station, receive a request for enabling the bandwidth power saving mode from the first station, wherein the request carries a second channel set, the second channel set is an available channel, requested by the first station from the access point, in the bandwidth power saving mode, and total bandwidth of channels in the second channel set is less than bandwidth of the available channels of the access point; and   a transmitter, configured to send a request response to the first station, wherein the request response carries a third channel set, and total bandwidth of channels in the third channel set is less than the bandwidth of the available channels of the access point.   
     
     
         9 . The access point according to  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a transmitter, configured to send an update instruction to the station in the bandwidth power saving mode, wherein the update instruction is used to indicate an updated channel set allocated by the access point to the station in the bandwidth power saving mode, total bandwidth of channels in the updated channel set is less than the bandwidth of the available channels of the access point, and the updated channel set is different from a to-be-updated channel set of the station in the bandwidth power saving mode.   
     
     
         10 . The access point according to  claim 6 , wherein that the second data transmission unit is configured to perform data transmission with the second station by using the operating channel of the second station comprises:
 the second data transmission unit is specifically configured to perform data transmission with the second station by using the operating channel of the second station, wherein there is one or more second stations.   
     
     
         11 . A station, comprising:
 a processor, configured to enable a bandwidth power saving mode, wherein   the station enabling the bandwidth power saving mode performs data transmission with an access point by using an operating channel, wherein the operating channel is an available channel, in the bandwidth power saving mode, of the station, and the access point is configured to perform, by using an operating channel of a second station, data transmission with the second station when performing data transmission with the station, wherein the operating channel of the station and the operating channel of the second station form all or a part of available channels of the access point.   
     
     
         12 . The station according to  claim 11 , wherein the station comprises:
 a transmitter, configured to send a request to the access point, wherein the request carries a fourth channel set, the fourth channel set is an available channel requested by the station from the access point, and total bandwidth of channels in the fourth channel set is less than bandwidth of the available channels of the access point; and   a receiver, configured to receive a request response sent by the access point, wherein the request response carries a fifth channel set, and total bandwidth of channels in the fifth channel set is less than the bandwidth of the available channels of the access point.   
     
     
         13 . The station according to  claim 11 , wherein the station comprises:
 a receiver, configured to receive second signaling sent by the access point, wherein the second signaling is used to instruct the station to enable the bandwidth power saving mode, and indicate a sixth channel set available to the station, and total bandwidth of channels in the sixth channel set is less than bandwidth of the available channels of the access point.   
     
     
         14 . The station according to  claim 11 , wherein the station further comprising:
 a transmitter, configured to: after the station enables the bandwidth power saving mode, send an update request to the access point, wherein the update request carries a seventh channel set, total bandwidth of channels in the seventh channel set is less than the bandwidth of the available channels of the access point, and the seventh channel set is different from a to-be-updated channel set of the station in the bandwidth power saving mode; and   a receiver, configured to receive a response returned by the access point for the update request, wherein the response is used to instruct to change the channel set of the station to the seventh channel set.   
     
     
         15 . The station according to  claim 11 , wherein the station further comprising:
 a receiver, configured to receive an update instruction sent by the access point, wherein the update instruction is used to indicate an updated channel set allocated by the access point to the station, total bandwidth of channels in the updated channel set is less than the bandwidth of the available channels of the access point, and the updated channel set is different from a to-be-updated channel set of the station in the bandwidth power saving mode.