| CPC H04W 74/0816 (2013.01) [H04W 72/0446 (2013.01); H04W 74/085 (2013.01); H04W 74/0866 (2013.01)] | 18 Claims |

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1. An apparatus for wireless communication in a network, the apparatus comprising:
(a) a wireless multiple-link device (MLD) having multiple stations (STAs) affiliated with the MLD for performing multi-link operations over multiple links using carrier sense multiple access/collision avoidance (CSMA/CA) for communicating with other wireless stations (STAs) of a network;
(b) a processor of said MLD for performing a communication protocol over at least a first link and a second link;
(c) a non-transitory memory storing instructions executable by the processor for communicating with other STAs on the network; and
(d) wherein said instructions, when executed by the processor, performs steps comprising:
(i) wherein said MLD is affiliated with another MLD on the network, and said MLD can determine the transmitting and receiving status of STA1 on a first link (Link1) of that other MLD because STA3 of said MLD is transmitting or receiving with STA1 on Link1 of that other MLD;
(ii) wherein said MLD is configured for simultaneous transmit and receive (STR) and the other MLD is configured for non-simultaneous transmit receive (NSTR) communications;
(iii) wherein said MLD contends and obtains channel access over a second link (Link2) to the other MLD, wherein the other MLD is a transmit opportunity (TXOP) holder of Link1; and
(iv) wherein said MLD immediately transmits over Link2 to the other MLD if that other MLD is receiving on Link1; or wherein said MLD transmits a frame over Link2 to occupy the channel if the other MLD is transmitting on Link1; wherein afterward when the other MLD is receiving on Link1, then said MLD performs transmitting another frame to the other MLD.
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