A paging indication method and related apparatus

Abstract

Embodiments of the present application disclose a paging indication method and device. The method comprises: receiving, by a terminal device, downlink control information (DCI) from a network device, the DCI being used to indicate whether M terminal devices in N groups are paged, M being an integer greater than or equal to 1, and N being an integer greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to M; and receiving, by the terminal device, a PDSCH scheduled by the DCI from the network device when it is determined that a terminal device in a group to which the terminal device belongs is paged, the PDSCH being used to carry a paging message. According to the embodiments of the present application, power consumption can be saved.

Description

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202010534749.X, filed on June 12, 2020, entitled “A Paging Indication Method and Related Device”, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to a paging indication method and related apparatus. Background Technology

[0003] The 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) standards organization is currently developing the protocol standard for 5th generation cellular mobile communication systems (5G), also known as New Radio (NR). Compared to Long Term Evolution (LTE) systems, NR supports larger transmission bandwidth, more transceiver antenna arrays, higher transmission rates, and more flexible, finer-grained scheduling mechanisms. While these characteristics of NR provide wider applicability, they significantly increase the power consumption burden on the user interface (UE).

[0004] In idle (RRC_IDLE) or inactive (RRC_INACTIVE) states, the user equipment (UE) typically shuts down its receiver and enters a low-power state. The base station sends paging messages to the UE, and the UE periodically wakes up from low-power mode to attempt to receive the paging message in order to wake itself up. Regardless of whether the physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) carries a paging message, the UE needs to decode and parse the received PDSCH, resulting in wasted power consumption. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a paging indication method and related apparatus that can save power consumption.

[0006] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a paging indication method, comprising: a terminal device receiving downlink control information (DCI) from a network device, wherein the DCI is used to indicate whether M terminal devices in N packets are paged, where M is an integer greater than or equal to 1 and N is an integer greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to M; when it is determined that a terminal device in the packet to which the terminal device belongs is paged, the terminal device receives a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) scheduled by the DCI from the network device, wherein the PDSCH is used to carry a paging message. By indicating whether terminal devices in N packets are paged through the DCI, after receiving the DCI, the terminal device can determine whether the packet to which the terminal device belongs is paged based on the DCI. If it is paged, it receives the PDSCH scheduled by the DCI and parses the PDSCH to obtain the paging message. If it is not paged, it does not need to decode the received PDSCH to obtain the paging message, thereby saving power consumption.

[0007] In one possible design, the DCI includes first indication information, which comprises N bits. The position of the i-th bit in the N bits indicates the i-th packet among the N packets, and the status of the i-th bit indicates whether the terminal device in the i-th packet has been paged. i is an integer greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to N. By using the N bits in the DCI to indicate whether the terminal device in the N packets has been paged, signaling overhead can be saved.

[0008] In another possible design, the DCI includes second indication information, which indicates whether some or all of the N bits of the first indication information are carried in the short message field of the DCI. By indicating that the first indication information is carried in the short message field of the DCI, signaling overhead can be saved.

[0009] In another possible design, the DCI includes third indication information, which indicates that the DCI does not contain a short message field. Determining that the short message field is used to carry the first indication information by indicating that the DCI does not contain a short message field saves signaling overhead.

[0010] In another possible design, the terminal device determines N packets based on at least one of the identifiers of M terminal devices and time information, including the time when the DCI was sent or the paging time (PO) to which the DCI belongs. Determining N packets using terminal identifiers and time information increases the randomness of the packets. Then, by indicating the paging status of the terminal devices in the N packets via the DCI, not only signaling overhead can be saved, but power consumption can also be reduced.

[0011] In another possible design, the first indication information also includes K bits, which are used to indicate whether a specific Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS) exists within a first time period. The first time period includes the next discontinuous reception period after the discontinuous reception period, and K is an integer greater than or equal to 1. By indicating the existence of a specific Channel State Information Reference Signal within the first time period through the DCI, the terminal device, after receiving the DCI, can determine whether the specific Channel State Information Reference Signal exists within the first time period. If it exists, the terminal device receives and parses the CSI-RS in the next discontinuous reception period; if it does not exist, the terminal device does not need to receive and parse the CSI-RS, thereby saving power consumption.

[0012] In another possible design, the terminal device receives configuration information from the network device. This configuration information indicates that the first indication information also includes K bits. By specifying the contents of the first indication information through the configuration information, the time required for the UE to parse the DCI can be reduced, thus saving power consumption.

[0013] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a paging indication method, comprising: a network device sending downlink control information (DCI) to M terminal devices, the M terminal devices corresponding to N packets, the DCI indicating that a terminal device in at least one of the N packets is paging, where M is an integer greater than or equal to 1, and N is an integer greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to M; and sending a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) scheduled by the DCI to the terminal devices in at least one packet, the PDSCH carrying a paging message. By indicating whether a terminal device in the N packets is paging through the DCI, after receiving the DCI, the terminal device can determine whether the packet to which the terminal device belongs is paging based on the DCI. If it is paging, it receives the PDSCH scheduled by the DCI and parses the PDSCH to obtain the paging message. If it is not paging, it does not need to decode the received PDSCH to obtain the paging message, thereby saving power consumption.

[0014] In one possible design, DCI is used to indicate that terminal devices in N packets, except for those in at least one packet, have not been paged.

[0015] In another possible design, the DCI includes first indication information, which consists of N bits. The position of the i-th bit in the N bits indicates the i-th packet among the N packets, and the status of the i-th bit indicates whether the terminal device in the i-th packet has been paged. i is an integer greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to N. By using the N bits in the DCI to indicate whether the terminal device in the N packets has been paged, signaling overhead can be saved.

[0016] In another possible design, the DCI includes second indication information, which indicates whether some or all of the N bits of the first indication information are carried in the short message field of the DCI. By indicating that the first indication information is carried in the short message field of the DCI, signaling overhead can be saved.

[0017] In another possible design, the DCI includes third indication information, which indicates that the DCI does not contain a short message field. Determining that the short message field is used to carry the first indication information by indicating that the DCI does not contain a short message field saves signaling overhead.

[0018] In another possible design, the network device determines N packets based on at least one of the identifiers and time information of M terminal devices. The time information includes the time when the DCI was sent or the paging time (PO) to which the DCI belongs. Determining N packets using terminal identifiers and time information increases the randomness of the packets. Then, the DCI indicates the paging status of the terminal devices in the N packets, which not only saves signaling overhead but also saves power consumption.

[0019] In another possible design, the first indication information also includes K bits, which are used to indicate whether a specific Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS) exists within a first time period. The first time period includes the next discontinuous reception period after the discontinuous reception period, and K is an integer greater than or equal to 1. By indicating the existence of a specific Channel State Information Reference Signal within the first time period through the DCI, the terminal device, after receiving the DCI, can determine whether the specific Channel State Information Reference Signal exists within the first time period. If it exists, the terminal device receives and parses the CSI-RS in the next discontinuous reception period; if it does not exist, the terminal device does not need to receive and parse the CSI-RS, thereby saving power consumption.

[0020] In another possible design, the network device sends configuration information to M terminal devices. This configuration information indicates that the first indication information also includes K bits. By specifying the contents of the first indication information through the configuration information, the time for the UE to parse the DCI can be reduced, thus saving power consumption.

[0021] Thirdly, embodiments of this application provide a reference signal indication method, comprising: a terminal device receiving a Channel State Information (CSI) from a network device, the CSI including first indication information, the first indication information indicating whether a specific Channel State Information (CSI) exists within a first time period, the first time period including the next discontinuous reception period of the discontinuous reception period; when it is determined that a specific CSI exists within the first time period, the terminal device receives the CSI from the network device. By indicating whether a specific CSI exists within the first time period through the CSI, after receiving the CSI, the terminal device can determine whether a specific CSI exists within the first time period. If it exists, it receives and parses the CSI-RS in the next discontinuous reception period; if it does not exist, it does not need to receive and parse the CSI-RS, thereby saving power consumption.

[0022] In one possible design, the terminal device receives configuration information from the network device. This configuration information instructs the DCI to carry first indication information. By instructing the DCI to carry the first indication information using the configuration information, the terminal device can reduce the time spent parsing the DCI and save power.

[0023] Fourthly, embodiments of this application provide a reference signal indication method, comprising: a network device sending a Channel State Information (CSI) to a terminal device, the CSI including first indication information, the first indication information indicating the existence of a specific Channel State Information (CSI) within a first time period, the first time period including the next discontinuous reception period; and sending the CSI to the terminal device. By indicating the existence of a specific CSI within the first time period through the DCI, the terminal device, upon receiving the DCI, can determine whether the specific CSI exists within the first time period. If it exists, it receives and parses the CSI in the next discontinuous reception period; if it does not exist, it does not need to receive and parse the CSI, thereby saving power consumption.

[0024] In one possible design, the network device sends configuration information to the terminal device, the configuration information indicating that the DCI is used to carry the first indication information. By instructing the DCI to carry the first indication information through configuration information, the terminal device can reduce the time spent parsing the DCI and save power.

[0025] Fifthly, embodiments of this application provide a communication device configured to implement the methods and functions performed by the terminal device in the first and third aspects described above. This device is implemented in hardware / software, and its hardware / software includes modules corresponding to the aforementioned functions. The communication device can be a terminal device or at least one chip implementing the functions of a terminal device.

[0026] Sixthly, embodiments of this application provide a communication device configured to implement the methods and functions performed by the network device in the second and fourth aspects described above. This device is implemented in hardware / software, and its hardware / software includes modules corresponding to the aforementioned functions. The communication device can be a network device or at least one chip implementing the functions of a network device.

[0027] In a seventh aspect, embodiments of this application provide a terminal device, which includes a processor, a memory, and a communication bus, wherein the communication bus is used to enable communication between the processor and the memory, and the processor executes a program stored in the memory to implement the steps of the first and third aspects described above.

[0028] Eighthly, embodiments of this application provide a network device, which includes: a processor, a memory, and a communication bus, wherein the communication bus is used to enable communication between the processor and the memory, and the processor executes a program stored in the memory to implement the steps provided in the second and fourth aspects above.

[0029] Ninthly, embodiments of this application provide a computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform the methods described above.

[0030] In a tenth aspect, embodiments of this application provide a computer program product containing instructions that, when run on a computer, cause the computer to perform the methods described above.

[0031] Eleventhly, embodiments of this application provide a chip, including a processor, for calling and executing instructions stored in a memory, causing a communication device on which the chip is installed to perform the method described above.

[0032] In a twelfth aspect, embodiments of this application also provide another chip, which can be a chip within a terminal device or a network device. The chip includes: an input interface, an output interface, and a processing circuit. The input interface, the output interface, and the processing circuit are connected through an internal connection path. The processing circuit is used to execute the method of any of the above aspects.

[0033] In a thirteenth aspect, embodiments of this application provide a system comprising a terminal device and a network device, wherein the terminal device is configured to perform the methods performed by the terminal device in the first and third aspects, and the network device is configured to perform the methods performed by the network device in the second and fourth aspects. Attached Figure Description

[0034] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the background art, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments of this application or the background art will be described below.

[0035] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a communication system provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0036] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a DRX mechanism provided in an embodiment of this application:

[0037] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the operation of a wake-up signal according to an embodiment of this application;

[0038] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a reference signal transmission provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0039] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating a paging indication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0040] Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating a reference signal indication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0041] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0042] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of another communication device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0043] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a terminal device proposed in an embodiment of this application;

[0044] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a network device proposed in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0045] The embodiments of this application are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0046] like Figure 1 As shown, Figure 1This is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a communication system 100 provided in an embodiment of this application. The communication system 100 may include a network device 110 and terminal devices 101 to 106. It should be understood that the communication system 100 to which the methods of the embodiments of this application can be applied may include more or fewer network devices or terminal devices. The network devices or terminal devices may be hardware, functionally defined software, or a combination of both. The network devices and terminal devices can communicate with each other through other devices or network elements. In this communication system 100, the network device 110 can send downlink data to the terminal devices 101 to 106. Of course, the terminal devices 101 to 106 can also send uplink data to the network device 110. The terminal devices 101 to 106 may be cellular phones, smartphones, portable computers, handheld communication devices, handheld computing devices, satellite radio devices, global positioning systems, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and / or any other suitable devices for communication on the wireless communication system 100, etc. The communication system 100 can employ a public land mobile network (PLMN), a device-to-device (D2D) network, a machine-to-machine (M2M) network, an Internet of Things (IoT) network, or other networks. Furthermore, terminal devices 104 to 106 can also form a communication system. In this communication system, terminal device 105 can send downlink data to terminal device 104 or terminal device 106. The method described in this embodiment can be applied to... Figure 1 In the communication system 100 shown.

[0047] The following is a description of the terms used in this application:

[0048] (1) Discontinuous reception (DRX) mechanism

[0049] In LTE systems, 3GPP designed the DRX mechanism to reduce UE power consumption in connected mode. Its main features are as follows:

[0050] like Figure 2 As shown, Figure 2This is a schematic diagram of a DRX mechanism provided in an embodiment of this application. When the UE is in the active state of RRC connection mode, it starts an inactive timer. The UE continuously attempts to receive the physical downlink control channel (PDCCH). If the UE receives downlink control information (DCI) on the PDCCH, it restarts the inactive timer. If the UE does not receive DCI within a certain period and the inactive timer times out, the UE enters the DRX state. The basic time unit in the DRX state is a DRX cycle, and the length of the DRX cycle is called the DRX period. A DRX cycle consists of a sleep mode and an on-duration mode. In sleep mode, the UE can completely shut down communication devices such as the receiver and baseband processor to reduce power consumption. In on-duration mode, when the DRX cycle enters the on-duration mode, the UE is woken up and listens to the PDCCH. Once it receives DCI on the PDCCH, the UE restarts the inactive timer. If the UE does not receive any DCI during the wake-up mode and the wake-up mode ends, or if the UE receives a DCI but the inactive timer times out, the UE will return to sleep mode.

[0051] It should be noted that, under normal circumstances, the UE does not wake up only when wake-up mode arrives. Instead, it wakes up within one or more LTE time slots before wake-up mode arrives and receives downlink reference signals for time-frequency offset synchronization. This prevents deviations between the system clock and operating frequency and the base station clock and frequency domain caused by prolonged UE sleep. Simultaneously, the UE can also attempt to receive downlink synchronization signals and update system messages to prevent system message deviations after the UE moves from one cell to another.

[0052] (2) Wake-up signal

[0053] The wake-up signal is a control signal introduced in narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT). It is mainly used in the paging mechanism during idle state to reduce UE power consumption.

[0054] In RRC idle mode, the UE is generally in sleep mode, but it wakes up periodically to attempt to receive paging messages. The time during which the UE is woken up to receive the PDCCH for scheduling paging messages is called a paging occasion (PO). In actual systems, the base station does not send the PDCCH for scheduling paging messages to the UE at every PO. For most of the time, waking up at a PO to receive the PDCCH is an ineffective operation and increases the UE's power consumption. Therefore, a wake-up signal is introduced in NB-IoT systems. If the base station has indeed sent the PDCCH for scheduling paging messages to the UE in a particular PO, the base station will send a wake-up signal before the next PO arrives; otherwise, the base station will not send a wake-up signal. The UE will attempt to receive the wake-up signal before the next PO arrives. Once it receives the wake-up signal, the UE confirms that a paging message exists in the next PO and will attempt to receive the PDCCH for scheduling paging messages. If the UE does not receive the wake-up signal, the UE assumes that no paging message exists in the next PO and continues to sleep. Since the power consumption and complexity of receiving a wake-up signal are much lower than those of attempting to receive a scheduling paging message via PDCCH, and the probability of sending a scheduling paging message via PDCCH in an idle state is not high, the wake-up signal can greatly save the UE's power consumption.

[0055] NR plans to introduce a PDCCH-based wake-up signal function as a power-saving feature in Release 16, with the UE operating in DRX mode. In connected mode, when the base station is not scheduling data, the UE saves power by entering DRX mode. In wake-up mode, the UE attempts to blindly detect DCI. If no DCI is detected, the UE returns to sleep mode after the wake-up mode ends. If the UE detects DCI (e.g., scheduling PDSCH data) during wake-up mode, it restarts an inactive timer after the scheduled PDSCH data transmission ends and returns to sleep mode after the inactive timer expires. Therefore, the UE primarily relies on sleep mode to save power.

[0056] Considering that the UE needs to continuously attempt blind detection during wake-up mode in order to determine whether there is a DCI sent to it, and in NR system, the UE can be configured with a variety of different types of PDCCH, and in most cases there will be no DCI sent to it during wake-up mode, the above blind detection operation still consumes a lot of power of the UE.

[0057] The transmission conditions for a PDCCH-based wake-up signal (also known as PDCCH-WUS) must meet the following conditions: First, the UE is in sleep mode within a PDCCH search space and transmits the signal for a period of time before the wake-up mode arrives. Second, during the subsequent wake-up mode, there must be a PDCCH to be sent to the current UE. In other words, the base station will only send PDCCH-WUS when it needs to schedule the UE to send or receive data and transmit a PDCCH during the wake-up mode; otherwise, it will not send PDCCH-WUS.

[0058] like Figure 3 As shown, Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the operation of a wake-up signal according to an embodiment of this application. Before the wake-up mode arrives in a DRX cycle, if the base station is configured with PDCCH-WUS, the UE can detect the wake-up signal transmitted using PDCCH within a fixed time period of frequency domain resources (e.g., search space). If the UE detects the wake-up signal, it indicates that there is data scheduling for the UE in the wake-up mode corresponding to the search space (or the wake-up signal). The UE needs to wake up and detect the DCI during the wake-up mode and send or receive data according to the DCI's instructions. If the UE does not detect the wake-up signal in the search space, the UE can assume that there is no data scheduling for the UE during the wake-up mode corresponding to the search space, and the UE can choose not to detect the DCI, etc., to save power consumption.

[0059] (3) Paging mechanism

[0060] When a UE is in idle mode (RRC_IDLE) or inactive mode (RRC_INACTIVE), it typically turns off its receiver and enters a low-power state. The base station sends paging messages to the UE, and the UE will periodically wake up from low-power mode and attempt to receive the paging messages, thus effectively waking the UE. These paging messages mainly include system message change notifications, short message alerts such as those for earthquakes and tsunamis, etc.

[0061] The specific time when a UE receives a paging message is determined by the paging frame (PF) and the paging occasion (PO). The PF represents the frame in which paging is sent; UEs in the RRC_IDLE and RRC_INACTIVE states will only receive paging attempts within the PF. The PO represents the timing of the paging attempt within a PF. Since paging messages are actually scheduled using DCIs scrambled with Paging-Radio Network Temporary Identifier (P-RNTI), one PO actually corresponds to the detection timing of S P-RNTI scrambled DCIs, where S can be obtained from the system message count. The PF is defined according to the following formula:

[0062] (SFN+PF_offset)mod T=(T div N)*(UE_ID mod N)

[0063] Wherein, SFN is the system frame number; PF_offset is the frame offset of the PF; T is the DRX period, a time unit, which can be understood as the UE having one or more opportunities to try to receive paging within a time T; N is the number of PFs included in each DRX period; UE_ID is the UE identifier, which can be 5G-S-TMSI (Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity) mod 1024 or an inactive radio network tempory identifier (I-RNTI).

[0064] When an SFN satisfies the above formula, it is considered a PF, and the UE attempts to receive paging within that PF. One PF can correspond to multiple POs. It's important to note that the base station does not send paging messages to the UE on every PO; the UE checks the DCI at each PO to determine if the base station has sent a paging message.

[0065] It should be noted that before the UE is woken up from idle state to attempt to receive paging messages, some receiver parameters need to be adjusted to ensure reception performance. The parameters to be adjusted mainly include:

[0066] Time-frequency tracking, also known as time-frequency synchronization, is crucial because the precision of the crystal oscillators used by the UE (User Equipment) is not particularly high due to manufacturing cost limitations. This causes a discrepancy between the UE's own maintenance time and operating frequency and the network's clock and frequency after a period of operation. Therefore, the base station needs to send specific reference signals for the UE to estimate the timing deviation, frequency domain deviation, delay spread, and Doppler spread between itself and the base station, and to compensate for its own time-frequency deviation. In idle mode, the UE typically performs initial time-frequency tracking by receiving a synchronization signal block (SSB). In connected mode, the UE can further perform fine-grained time-frequency tracking by receiving a channel state information reference signal for tracking (CSI-RS), also known as a tracking reference signal (TRS). Automatic gain control (AGC) primarily adjusts the signal output power of the baseband and RF circuits based on the power of the received signal; in idle mode, the UE also typically performs AGC estimation by receiving an SSB. In addition to the operations mentioned above, the UE may also need to perform operations such as signal-to-interference ratio (SIR) estimation and beam measurement.

[0067] (4) Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS)

[0068] By configuring more reference signals for UEs in idle or inactive states, more measurement opportunities can be provided, thereby reducing UE wake-up time and saving UE power consumption. Since a cell may simultaneously contain UEs in idle or inactive states and UEs in RRC connected states, and the base station configures reference signals (excluding SSB, such as TRS / CSI-RS) for RRC connected UEs, the reference signals configured for RRC connected UEs can also be configured for idle or inactive UEs. This allows idle or inactive UEs to utilize these reference signals for AGC adjustments, time-frequency tracking, beam selection, radio resource management (RRM), etc., thus saving UE power consumption. Furthermore, since these signals are configured for RRC connected UEs and are already existing reference signals in the cell, the base station does not specifically configure additional reference signals for idle or inactive UEs, thus avoiding the addition of signals to the system.

[0069] However, the reference signals configured by the base station for idle or inactive UEs in RRC connected state may be configured for multiple RRC connected UEs. For different RRC connected UEs, the base station configures reference signals independently; that is, the base station configures specific reference signals for each UE. When certain reference signals are no longer needed (e.g., the UE associated with the configured reference signal leaves the RRC connected state), the base station can release the reference signal and stop transmitting it, thereby saving base station power consumption. Furthermore, in multi-beam systems, due to factors such as UE mobility, different data services for different UEs, different DRX periods, and different times when different UEs leave the RRC connected state, the base station will transmit reference signals in different directions at different times, stopping transmission in directions where reference signals are not needed, thus saving base station power consumption. Therefore, the reference signal resources configured in RRC connected state are not always available, and the availability of RS in different beam directions also changes over time.

[0070] like Figure 4 As shown, Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of reference signal transmission provided in an embodiment of this application. An SS burst set includes four actually transmitted SSBs; therefore, a paging time includes four PDCCH listening opportunities, each corresponding to one of the four actually transmitted SSBs. CSI-RS resources are configured for UEs in RRC connected state. The diagram shows a total of four CSI-RS resources, each with a quasi-co-located (QCL) relationship with one of the four SSBs. In the reference signal resources before the first PO, the CSI-RS with QCL SSB3 is unavailable, and the base station stops transmitting reference signals on that resource. In the reference signal resources before the second PO, the CSI-RS with QCL SSB0 is unavailable, and the base station stops transmitting reference signals on that resource.

[0071] Currently, NR's paging DCI uses DCI format 1_0, which can be used to schedule paging messages carried on the physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH). However, since the base station does not indicate whether the PDSCH carries a paging message, the terminal device needs to decode and parse each received PDSCH, resulting in significant power consumption waste. To solve the above technical problems, this application provides the following solution.

[0072] like Figure 5 As shown, Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating a paging indication method provided in an embodiment of this application. The steps in this embodiment include at least:

[0073] S501, the network device sends Downlink Control Information (DCI) to M terminal devices, where the M terminal devices correspond to N packets. The DCI indicates that a terminal device in at least one of the N packets has been paged. Optionally, the DCI also indicates that terminal devices in the N packets other than those in the at least one packet have not been paged. M is an integer greater than or equal to 1, and N is an integer greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to M.

[0074] Specifically, the DCI includes first indication information, which comprises N bits. The position of the i-th bit in the N bits indicates the i-th group among the N groups, and the state of the i-th bit indicates whether the terminal device in the i-th group is paged. i is an integer greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to N. For example, if 16 terminal devices are divided into 4 groups, the DCI sent by the base station includes the first indication information, which consists of 4 bits (1001). Each bit corresponds to one group. The first bit "1" indicates that the terminal device in the first group is paged, the second bit "0" indicates that the terminal device in the first group is not paged, the third bit "0" indicates that the terminal device in the third group is not paged, and the fourth bit "1" indicates that the terminal device in the fourth group is paged. The meanings of bits 0 and 1 can also be reversed.

[0075] Optionally, the first indication information further includes K bits, which are used to indicate whether a specific Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS) exists within a first time period. The first time period includes the next discontinuous reception period after the discontinuous reception period, and K is an integer greater than or equal to 1. After receiving the DCI, the terminal device can determine whether a specific Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS) exists within the first time period based on the first indication information. If it exists, the CSI-RS is received and parsed in the next discontinuous reception period, and AGC adjustment, time-frequency tracking, beam selection, or RRM measurement is performed based on the CSI-RS. If it does not exist, there is no need to receive and parse the CSI-RS, thereby saving UE power consumption. Figure 4 As shown in the figure, only two discontinuous reception cycles are depicted. The network device can send a DCI in the first discontinuous reception cycle. This DCI is used to indicate whether a specific CSI-RS exists in the second discontinuous reception cycle. In the figure, there is no CSI-RS on SSB0 in the second discontinuous cycle, but there is CSI-RS on SSB1, SSB2 and SSB3.

[0076] Optionally, the network device may send configuration information to the terminal device, and the terminal device receives the configuration information from the network device, wherein the configuration information is used to indicate that the first indication information further includes the K bits.

[0077] Optionally, the configuration information may further include a first configuration parameter or a second configuration parameter. The first configuration parameter indicates the length of the priority packet information carried in the first indication information, and the second configuration parameter indicates the length of the priority reference signal information carried in the first indication information. For example, the base station configuration parameter X indicates the maximum number of packets to be indicated, and the configuration parameter Y indicates the number of CSI-RS in the desired CSI-RS set or the number of CSI-RS in the SSB direction. If the total number of bits that the DCI can carry for the first indication information is A bits, and A bits > (X + Y), if X bits of packet information are carried first, the remaining (AX) bits are used to carry reference signal information. If Y bits of reference signal information are carried first, the remaining (AY) bits are used to carry packet information. The reference signal information indicates whether a specific channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) exists within a first time period, and the packet information indicates whether the terminal device in the N packets is paged.

[0078] It should be noted that each terminal device and network device can determine the N packets based on at least one of the identifiers and time information of the M terminal devices. The time information includes the time when the DCI was sent or the paging time (PO) to which the DCI belongs. Generating packet identifiers using time information can increase randomness. For example, the UE or base station can use the value of one or more bits of the binary bits of the terminal identifier (UE ID) as a packet identifier. Alternatively, the UE ID and time information can be used as input to a hash function, and the output or a portion of the output of the hash function can be used as the packet identifier. That is, one packet identifier corresponds to one or more UE IDs, and the UE or base station can determine the N packets based on the packet identifier. Optionally, the core network can assign a packet identifier to the UE and send a paging message to the base station. The paging message includes the packet identifier, and one packet identifier corresponds to one or more UE IDs. The UE or base station can determine the N packets based on the packet identifier.

[0079] Optionally, the DCI can be an extended DCI format 1_0, i.e., a multiplexed DCI. This DCI is used not only to schedule paging messages but also to indicate whether M terminal devices in N packets have been paged. In this case, the DCI includes second indication information, which indicates whether some or all of the N bits of the first indication information are carried in the short message field of the DCI. Optionally, the DCI includes third indication information, which indicates that the DCI does not contain a short message field.

[0080] For example, as shown in Table 1, when there is no System Message Change (SI) or no Public Warning System (PWS) indication, the short message indicator field in the DCI indicates 01, meaning the DCI can be used to schedule paging messages carried by the PDSCH, but not to carry short messages. In this case, the 8-bit short message field in the DCI can be reused to carry the first indication information, or the 8-bit short message field and reserved bits can be used to carry the first indication information; that is, the reused DCI does not contain a short message field. Alternatively, when a System Message Change (SI) occurs or a Public Warning System (PWS) indication exists, the short message indicator field in the DCI indicates 11, meaning the DCI can be used to schedule paging messages carried by the PDSCH and also to carry short messages. In this scenario, the short message occupies 2 bits of the short message field. The base station can use the remaining 6 bits of the short message field to carry the first indication information, or it can use the reserved bit field and the remaining 6 bits of the short message field together to carry the first indication information. Considering that sending a short message is a low-probability event, the first indication information may not be sent. Alternatively, when a System Message Change (SIchange) occurs or a Public Warning System (PWS) indication exists, the short message indicator field in the DCI indicates 10, indicating that the DCI is not used to schedule paging messages. In this case, since there is no paging message, the DCI does not need to carry the first indication information; the DCI is only used to carry the short message. Alternatively, if the short message indicator field indicates 00, the reserved bit field in the DCI can be used to carry the first indication information. This reserved bit field is 6 bits.

[0081] Table 1

[0082]

[0083] Optionally, the DCI can be a separate DCI used to carry the first indication information, but not for scheduling paging messages; paging messages are scheduled by another DCI. This separate DCI also does not include a short message indicator field or a short message field. All bits in this separate DCI are used to carry the first indication information. This separate DCI can be scrambled using a new RNTI and transmitted in the same search space set and control resource set (CORESET) as the DCI used to schedule paging messages.

[0084] Furthermore, the network device can first broadcast via a system information block (SIB) that the cell in which the network device resides supports PI-RNTI scrambling DCI format 1_0. Before sending the DCI, the network device scrambles the DCI using a new RNTI (e.g., PI-RNTI). When the terminal device detects the PI-RNTI scrambled DCI, it descrambles it using the PI-RNTI obtained from the broadcast message to obtain the first indication information.

[0085] S502, the network device sends the DCI-scheduled Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) to the terminal devices in the at least one group. The PDSCH carries a paging message. When a terminal device determines that a terminal device in its group has been paging, it receives the DCI-scheduled PDSCH from the network device. Optionally, when a terminal device determines that a terminal device in its group has not been paging, it does not need to decode the received PDSCH.

[0086] In this embodiment, the network device sends a DCI (Distributed Content Indicator) to the terminal device indicating whether the terminal device is paged in N packets. After receiving the DCI, the terminal device can determine whether its packet is paged. If paged, it receives the PDSCH (Paged Message Distributor) scheduled by the DCI and parses the PDSCH to obtain the paging message. If not paged, there is no need to decode the received PDSCH to obtain the paging message, thus saving power consumption.

[0087] like Figure 6 As shown, Figure 6This is a flowchart illustrating a reference signal indication method provided in an embodiment of this application. The steps in this embodiment include at least:

[0088] S601, the network device sends a DCI to the terminal device, and the terminal device receives the DCI from the network device. The DCI includes first indication information, which is used to indicate whether a specific channel state information reference signal exists within a first time period. The first time period includes the next discontinuous reception period of the discontinuous reception period.

[0089] The specific channel state information reference signal can be a channel state information reference signal specific to one or more cells.

[0090] S602, when the terminal device determines that a specific channel state information reference signal exists within the first time period, it receives the channel state information reference signal from the network device.

[0091] Specifically, after receiving the DCI, the terminal device can determine whether a specific Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS) exists within a first time period based on the first indication information. If it exists, the CSI-RS is received and parsed in the next discontinuous reception cycle, and AGC adjustment, time-frequency tracking, beam selection, or RRM measurement is performed based on the CSI-RS. If it does not exist, there is no need to receive and parse the CSI-RS, thereby saving power consumption. Figure 4 As shown in the figure, only two discontinuous reception cycles are depicted. The network device can send a DCI in the first discontinuous reception cycle. This DCI is used to indicate whether a specific CSI-RS exists in the second discontinuous reception cycle. In the figure, there is no CSI-RS on SSB0 in the second discontinuous cycle, but there is CSI-RS on SSB1, SSB2 and SSB3.

[0092] Optionally, the network device may send configuration information to the terminal device, the configuration information being used to instruct the DCI to carry the first indication information. After receiving the configuration information, the terminal device can determine that the DCI is used to carry the first indication information.

[0093] In this embodiment of the application, the network device uses DCI to indicate whether a specific channel state information reference signal exists within a first time period. After receiving the DCI, the terminal device can determine whether a specific channel state information reference signal exists within the first time period. If it exists, it receives and parses the CSI-RS in the next discontinuous reception period. If it does not exist, it does not need to receive and parse the CSI-RS, thereby saving power consumption.

[0094] The methods of the embodiments of this application have been described in detail above, and the apparatus of the embodiments of this application is provided below.

[0095] Please see Figure 7 , Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. The communication device can be a terminal device, or a chip or processing system within a terminal device. The communication device can be used to implement any method and function of the terminal device involved in any of the foregoing embodiments. The communication device may include a receiving module 701 and a processing module 702. Optionally, the receiving module 701 may correspond to the radio frequency circuit and baseband circuit included in the terminal device. Detailed descriptions of each module are as follows.

[0096] The receiving module 701 is used to receive downlink control information (DCI) from the network device. The DCI is used to indicate whether M terminal devices in N packets are paged, where M is an integer greater than or equal to 1 and N is an integer greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to M.

[0097] The receiving module 701 is further configured to receive the physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) scheduled by the DCI from the network device when it is determined that the terminal device in the group to which the terminal device is located is being paged, wherein the PDSCH is used to carry the paging message.

[0098] Optionally, the DCI includes first indication information, which includes N bits. The position of the i-th bit in the N bits indicates the i-th packet among the N packets, and the state of the i-th bit indicates whether the terminal device in the i-th packet is paged. The i-th bit is an integer greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to N.

[0099] Optionally, the DCI includes second indication information, which is used to indicate whether some or all of the N bits of the first indication information are carried in the short message field of the DCI.

[0100] Optionally, the DCI includes third indication information, which is used to indicate that the DCI does not contain a short message field.

[0101] Optionally, the processing module 702 is configured to determine the N packets based on at least one of the identifiers and time information of the M terminal devices, wherein the time information includes the time when the DCI was sent or the paging time PO to which the DCI belongs.

[0102] Optionally, the first indication information further includes K bits, which are used to indicate whether a specific channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) exists within a first time period, the first time period including the next discontinuous reception period of the discontinuous reception period, and K being an integer greater than or equal to 1.

[0103] Optionally, the receiving module 701 is further configured to receive configuration information from the network device, the configuration information being used to indicate that the first indication information further includes the K bits.

[0104] It should be noted that the implementation of each module can also be referenced accordingly. Figure 5 and Figure 6 The corresponding description of the method embodiments shown above describes the methods and functions performed by the terminal device in the above embodiments.

[0105] Please see Figure 8 , Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of another communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. The communication device can be a network device, or a chip or processing system within a network device. This communication device can be used to implement any method and function of the network device involved in any of the foregoing embodiments. The device may include a transmitting module 801 and a processing module 802. Optionally, the transmitting module 801 may correspond to the radio frequency circuit and baseband circuit included in the terminal device. Detailed descriptions of each module are as follows.

[0106] The sending module 801 is used to send downlink control information (DCI) to M terminal devices, wherein the M terminal devices correspond to N packets, and the DCI is used to indicate that at least one terminal device in the N packets is paged, wherein M is an integer greater than or equal to 1, and N is an integer greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to M.

[0107] The sending module 801 is further configured to send the physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) scheduled by the DCI to the terminal devices in the at least one group, wherein the PDSCH is used to carry paging messages.

[0108] Optionally, the DCI is used to indicate that terminal devices in the N packets, other than those in the at least one packet, have not been paged.

[0109] Optionally, the DCI includes first indication information, which includes N bits. The position of the i-th bit in the N bits indicates the i-th packet among the N packets, and the state of the i-th bit indicates whether the terminal device in the i-th packet is paged. The i-th bit is an integer greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to N.

[0110] Optionally, the DCI includes second indication information, which is used to indicate whether some or all of the N bits of the first indication information are carried in the short message field of the DCI.

[0111] Optionally, the DCI includes third indication information, which is used to indicate that the DCI does not contain a short message field.

[0112] Optionally, the processing module 802 is configured to determine the N packets based on at least one of the identifiers and time information of the M terminal devices, wherein the time information includes the time when the DCI was sent or the paging time PO to which the DCI belongs.

[0113] Optionally, the first indication information further includes K bits, which are used to indicate whether a specific channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) exists within a first time period, the first time period including the next discontinuous reception period of the discontinuous reception period, and K being an integer greater than or equal to 1.

[0114] Optionally, the sending module 801 is further configured to send configuration information to the M terminal devices, wherein the configuration information is used to indicate that the first indication information also includes the K bits.

[0115] It should be noted that the implementation of each module can also be referenced accordingly. Figure 5 and Figure 6 The corresponding description of the method embodiments shown indicates that the methods and functions performed by the network device in the above embodiments are executed.

[0116] Please continue to refer to this. Figure 9 , Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a terminal device proposed in an embodiment of this application. For example... Figure 9 As shown, the terminal device may include: at least one processor 901, at least one communication interface 902, at least one memory 903, and at least one communication bus 904.

[0117] The processor 901 can be a central processing unit, a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic devices, transistor logic devices, hardware components, or any combination thereof. It can implement or execute various exemplary logic blocks, modules, and circuits described in conjunction with the disclosure of this application. The processor can also be a combination that implements computing functions, such as a combination of one or more microprocessors, a combination of a digital signal processor and a microprocessor, etc. The communication bus 904 can be a peripheral component interconnect standard PCI bus or an extended industry standard structure EISA bus, etc. The bus can be divided into an address bus, a data bus, a control bus, etc. For ease of representation, Figure 9 The bus is represented by a single thick line, but this does not imply that there is only one bus or one type of bus. The communication bus 904 is used to implement communication between these components. In this embodiment, the communication interface 902 of the device is used for signaling or data communication with other node devices. The memory 903 may include volatile memory, such as nonvolatile random access memory (NVRAM), phase change RAM (PRAM), magnetoresistive RAM (MRAM), etc., and may also include non-volatile memory, such as at least one disk storage device, electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory devices, such as NOR flash memory or NAND flash memory, semiconductor devices, such as solid-state disks (SSDs), etc. Optionally, the memory 903 may also be at least one storage device located remotely from the aforementioned processor 901. Optionally, a set of program code may also be stored in the memory 903. The processor 901 may also optionally execute programs stored in the memory 903.

[0118] Receive downlink control information (DCI) from network devices, wherein the DCI is used to indicate whether M terminal devices in N packets are paged, where M is an integer greater than or equal to 1 and N is an integer greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to M;

[0119] When it is determined that a terminal device in the group to which the terminal device belongs is being paged, the physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) scheduled by the DCI from the network device is received, and the PDSCH is used to carry the paging message.

[0120] Optionally, the DCI includes first indication information, which includes N bits. The position of the i-th bit in the N bits indicates the i-th packet among the N packets, and the state of the i-th bit indicates whether the terminal device in the i-th packet is paged. The i-th bit is an integer greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to N.

[0121] Optionally, the DCI includes second indication information, which is used to indicate whether some or all of the N bits of the first indication information are carried in the short message field of the DCI.

[0122] Optionally, the DCI includes third indication information, which is used to indicate that the DCI does not contain a short message field.

[0123] Optionally, the processor 901 is also used to perform the following operational steps:

[0124] The N packets are determined based on at least one of the identifiers and time information of the M terminal devices, wherein the time information includes the time when the DCI was sent or the paging time PO to which the DCI belongs.

[0125] Optionally, the first indication information further includes K bits, which are used to indicate whether a specific channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) exists within a first time period, the first time period including the next discontinuous reception period of the discontinuous reception period, and K being an integer greater than or equal to 1.

[0126] Optionally, the processor 901 is also used to perform the following operational steps:

[0127] Receive configuration information from the network device, the configuration information being used to indicate that the first indication information further includes the K bits.

[0128] Furthermore, the processor can also cooperate with the memory and communication interface to perform the operations of the terminal device in the above-described embodiments.

[0129] Please continue to refer to this. Figure 10 , Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a network device according to an embodiment of this application. As shown in the figure, the network device may include: at least one processor 1001, at least one communication interface 1002, at least one memory 1003, and at least one communication bus 1004.

[0130] The processor 1001 can be any of the processors mentioned above. The communication bus 1004 can be a PCI bus (interconnection standard for peripheral components) or an EISA bus (extended industry standard structure). The bus can be divided into an address bus, a data bus, a control bus, etc. For ease of representation, Figure 10 The bus is represented by a single thick line, but this does not imply that there is only one bus or one type of bus. The communication bus 1004 is used to implement communication between these components. In this embodiment, the communication interface 1002 of the device is used for signaling or data communication with other node devices. The memory 1003 can be any of the types of memory mentioned above. Optionally, the memory 1003 can also be at least one storage device located remotely from the aforementioned processor 1001. The memory 1003 stores a set of program code, and the processor 1001 executes the program in the memory 1003.

[0131] Downlink control information (DCI) is sent to M terminal devices, the M terminal devices corresponding to N packets, the DCI is used to indicate that a terminal device in at least one of the N packets is paged, M is an integer greater than or equal to 1, and N is an integer greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to M;

[0132] The DCI-scheduled Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) is sent to the terminal devices in the at least one group, the PDSCH being used to carry paging messages.

[0133] Optionally, the DCI is used to indicate that terminal devices in the N packets, other than those in the at least one packet, have not been paged.

[0134] Optionally, the DCI includes first indication information, which includes N bits. The position of the i-th bit in the N bits indicates the i-th packet among the N packets, and the state of the i-th bit indicates whether the terminal device in the i-th packet is paged. The i-th bit is an integer greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to N.

[0135] Optionally, the DCI includes second indication information, which is used to indicate whether some or all of the N bits of the first indication information are carried in the short message field of the DCI.

[0136] Optionally, the DCI includes third indication information, which is used to indicate that the DCI does not contain a short message field.

[0137] Optionally, the processor 901 is also used to perform the following operational steps:

[0138] The N packets are determined based on at least one of the identifiers and time information of the M terminal devices, wherein the time information includes the time when the DCI was sent or the paging time PO to which the DCI belongs.

[0139] Optionally, the first indication information further includes K bits, which are used to indicate whether a specific channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) exists within a first time period, the first time period including the next discontinuous reception period of the discontinuous reception period, and K being an integer greater than or equal to 1.

[0140] Optionally, the processor 901 is also used to perform the following operational steps:

[0141] Configuration information is sent to the M terminal devices, wherein the configuration information is used to indicate that the first indication information also includes the K bits.

[0142] Furthermore, the processor can also cooperate with the memory and communication interface to perform the operations of the network device in the above-described embodiments.

[0143] This application also provides a chip system including a processor for supporting terminal devices or network devices to implement the functions involved in any of the above embodiments, such as sending or receiving the aforementioned DCI. In one possible design, the chip system may further include a memory for program instructions and data necessary for the terminal device or network device. This chip system may be composed of chips or may include chips and other discrete devices.

[0144] This application also provides a processor for coupling with a memory to execute any method and function of the terminal device or network device involved in any of the above embodiments.

[0145] This application also provides a computer program product containing instructions that, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform any method and function related to a terminal device or network device in any of the above embodiments.

[0146] This application also provides an apparatus for performing any method and function involving a terminal device or network device in any of the above embodiments.

[0147] This application also provides a wireless communication system, which includes at least one terminal device and at least one network device involved in any of the above embodiments.

[0148] In the above embodiments, implementation can be achieved entirely or partially through software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented using software, it can be implemented entirely or partially in the form of a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer instructions. When the computer program instructions are loaded and executed on a computer, all or part of the processes or functions described in the embodiments of this application are generated. The computer can be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, or other programmable device. The computer instructions can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transmitted from one computer-readable storage medium to another. For example, the computer instructions can be transmitted from one website network device, computer, server, or data center to another website network device, computer, server, or data center via wired (e.g., coaxial cable, fiber optic, digital subscriber line (DSL)) or wireless (e.g., infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.) means. The computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium that a computer can access or a data storage device such as a server or data center that integrates one or more available media. The available medium can be a magnetic medium (e.g., floppy disk, hard disk, magnetic tape), an optical medium (e.g., DVD), or a semiconductor medium (e.g., solid-state disk (SSD)).

[0149] The specific embodiments described above further illustrate the purpose, technical solution, and beneficial effects of this application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, or improvements made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A paging indication method, characterized by, The method includes: The terminal device receives configuration information from the network device, the configuration information being used to indicate that the first indication information includes K bits; The terminal device receives downlink control information (DCI) from the network device. The DCI is used to indicate whether M terminal devices in N packets are paged. The DCI includes the first indication information, which includes the K bits. The K bits are used to indicate whether a specific channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) exists within a first time period. The first time period includes the next discontinuous reception period after the discontinuous reception period of receiving the DCI. The specific CSI-RS that exists in the first discontinuous reception period is different from or the same as the specific CSI-RS that exists in the second discontinuous reception period, indicated by the K bits. K is an integer greater than or equal to 1, M is an integer greater than or equal to 1, and N is an integer greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to M. When the terminal device determines that a terminal device in the group to which it belongs has been paged, it receives a Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) scheduled by another DCI from the network device. The PDSCH is used to carry the paging message.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, The first indication information includes N bits, the position of the i-th bit in the N bits indicates the i-th group in the N groups, and the state of the i-th bit indicates whether the terminal device in the i-th group is paged, where i is an integer greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to N.

3. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein, The method further includes: The N packets are determined based on at least one of the identifiers and time information of the M terminal devices, wherein the time information includes the time when the DCI was sent or the paging time PO to which the DCI belongs.

4. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein, The method further includes: The terminal device determines whether the specific CSI-RS exists within the first time period based on the first indication information; If the specific CSI-RS exists within the first time period, the terminal device receives the specific CSI-RS within the first time period and performs automatic gain control (AGC) adjustment, time-frequency tracking, beam selection, or radio resource management (RRM) measurement based on the specific CSI-RS.

5. A paging indication method, characterized in that, The method includes: The network device sends configuration information to M terminal devices, wherein the configuration information is used to indicate that the first indication information includes K bits; The network device sends downlink control information (DCI) to the M terminal devices, the M terminal devices corresponding to N packets. The DCI is used to indicate that a terminal device in at least one of the N packets is paged. The DCI includes the first indication information, which includes the K bits. The K bits are used to indicate whether a specific channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) exists within a first time period. The first time period includes the next discontinuous reception period after the discontinuous reception period in which the DCI is sent. The specific CSI-RS indicated by the K bits in the first discontinuous reception period is different from or the same as the specific CSI-RS indicated by the K bits in the second discontinuous reception period. K is an integer greater than or equal to 1, M is an integer greater than or equal to 1, and N is an integer greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to M. The network device sends another DCI-scheduled Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) to the terminal devices in the at least one packet. The PDSCH is used to carry paging messages.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the DCI is used to indicate that terminal devices in the N packets other than those in the at least one packet are not paged.

7. The method as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The first indication information includes N bits, the position of the i-th bit in the N bits indicates the i-th group in the N groups, and the state of the i-th bit indicates whether the terminal device in the i-th group is paged, where i is an integer greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to N.

8. The method according to any one of claims 5-7, characterized in that, The method further includes: The N packets are determined based on at least one of the identifiers and time information of the M terminal devices, wherein the time information includes the time when the DCI was sent or the paging time PO to which the DCI belongs.

9. A communication device, characterized in that, It includes a processor and a memory, the memory being used to store a computer program, the processor running the computer program to cause the apparatus to perform the method of any one of claims 1 to 4.

10. A communication device, characterized in that, It includes a processor and a memory, the memory being used to store a computer program, the processor running the computer program to cause the apparatus to perform the method of any one of claims 5 to 8.

11. A chip, characterized in that, The chip includes a processing circuit and an input / output interface, the input / output interface being connected to the processing circuit via an internal connection path, and the processing circuit being used to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 8.

12. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, Used to store computer programs, which, when run on a computer, cause the computer to perform the method of any one of claims 1 to 8.

13. A computer program product, characterized in that, The computer program product includes a computer program that, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform the method of any one of claims 1 to 8.

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