Method and Communication Device for Paging

Abstract

The present application provides a paging method and a communication device. In this method, a first access network device may determine a first target paging mode for paging a first terminal device according to the packet capability information of the first terminal device and the packet mode supported by the first access network device for use. When determining the first target mode, the first access network device takes into account the packet capability information of the first terminal device. The first target mode determined in this way is a packet mode supported by the first terminal device. Therefore, the first terminal device can also receive the paging from the first access network device using the first target mode, which helps to avoid paging errors.

Description

[0001] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the Intellectual Property Office of the People's Republic of China on July 28, 2021, with application number 202110857438.1, and invention name "A communication method, UE and network device", the Chinese patent application filed with the Intellectual Property Office of the People's Republic of China on August 13, 2021, with application number 202110931978.X, and invention name "Method and communication device for paging", and the Chinese patent application filed with the Intellectual Property Office of the People's Republic of China on September 30, 2021, with application number 202111165249.4, and invention name "Method and communication device for paging", the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0002] The present application relates to the field of communications, and more particularly to a method and a communication device for user paging in the field of communications. Background Art

[0003] In some communication mechanisms, the terminal device can wake up periodically to receive paging messages, and stay in a dormant state at other times to save power consumption of the terminal device. If the access network device or the core network device needs to send downlink data to a certain terminal device, the access network device or the core network device will send a paging message, and the paging message may include the identifier of the terminal device to be paged by the access network device or the core network device. If the core network device wants to page the terminal device, the core network device can send the paging message to the access network device, and the access network device sends the paging message. If there are multiple terminal devices, the multiple terminal devices need to wake up periodically to receive the paging message. The paging message pages a certain terminal device, but multiple terminal devices need to wake up to receive the paging message, so the energy consumption of the terminal device is relatively large. When a terminal device receives a paging message, if the identifier included in the paging message is the identifier of the terminal device, the terminal device initiates a radio resource control (RRC) establishment request. That is to say, no matter which terminal device the access network device or the core network device is paging, multiple terminal devices must wake up to receive the paging message. After receiving the paging message, they find that the identifier included in the paging message is not the identifier of their own terminal device, which will cause the terminal device to consume more power.

[0004] Based on the above problems, a grouping mechanism is introduced. The core network device can group multiple terminal devices, or the access network device can group multiple terminal devices. When the core network device or the access network device paging a certain terminal device, it can indicate the group number of the terminal device. The terminal devices in this group number can wake up to receive the paging message, and the terminal devices in other groups can not wake up to receive the paging message. In this way, the power consumption of the terminal devices in other groups can be saved. However, paging errors will occur when the grouping method used by the terminal device is inconsistent with the grouping method used by the access network device, or when the number of grouping groups supported by the terminal device is inconsistent with the number of grouping groups supported by the access network device. Summary of the Invention

[0005] An embodiment of the present application provides a paging method and a communication device, which helps to avoid paging errors.

[0006] In a first aspect, a paging method is provided. The method is applicable to a first access network device and includes: obtaining grouping capability information of a first terminal device; determining a first target method for paging the first terminal device according to the grouping method supported by the first access network device and the grouping capability information of the first terminal device; paging the first terminal device according to the first target method.

[0007] In the above solution, the first access network device can determine the first target method for paging the first terminal device according to the grouping capability information of the first terminal device and the grouping method supported by the first access network device. When determining the first target method, the first access network device considers the grouping capability information of the first terminal device. The first target method determined in this way is a grouping method supported by the first terminal device. Therefore, the first terminal device can also use the first target method to receive the paging from the first access network device, which helps to avoid paging errors.

[0008] Optionally, paging the first terminal device according to the first target mode includes paging the first terminal device according to the group number corresponding to the first target mode. For example, if the first target mode is the first grouping mode, paging the first terminal device according to the first group number corresponding to the first grouping mode, where the first group number is the group number assigned by the core network device to the first terminal device; or, for another example, if the first target mode is the second grouping mode, paging the first terminal device according to the second group number corresponding to the second grouping mode, where the second group number is the group number calculated by the first access network device based on the identifier of the first terminal device. For yet another example, if the first target mode is a non-grouping mode, paging the first terminal device according to the non-grouping mode, that is, the first access network device sends a DCI without carrying the group number of the first terminal device at the paging opportunity of the first terminal device, and the first terminal device receives the DCI at the paging opportunity of the first terminal device and receives the paging message sent by the first access network device on the time-frequency resources indicated by the DCI.

[0009] Optionally, the grouping capability information of the first terminal device is used to indicate whether the first terminal device supports the grouping mode. If the grouping capability information of the first terminal device is used to indicate that the first terminal device supports the grouping mode, it means that the first terminal device supports the first grouping mode and the second grouping mode. If the grouping capability information of the first terminal device is used to indicate that the first terminal device does not support the grouping mode, it means that the first terminal device does not support the first grouping mode nor the second grouping mode.

[0010] Optionally, the first target mode is the first grouping mode, or the second grouping mode, or the non-grouping mode.

[0011] Optionally, the grouping capability information is used to indicate that the first terminal device supports the first grouping mode and / or the second grouping mode.

[0012] Optionally, the first grouping mode is the way for the core network device to group multiple terminal devices. Optionally, the first grouping mode can be the grouping mode controlled by the core network device, or the first grouping mode is the way of grouping controlled by the core network device. Optionally, the first grouping mode is the way of grouping based on the characteristic information of multiple terminal devices. After the core network device groups multiple terminal devices, it can notify the group numbers of each terminal device to each terminal device.

[0013] Optionally, the second grouping method is a method for the access network device to group multiple terminal devices. Optionally, the second grouping method may also be referred to as a grouping method controlled by the access network device, or the second grouping method is a method for the access network device to control grouping. Optionally, the second grouping method may also be referred to as a method for grouping based on the identifier of the terminal device. After calculating the identifiers of each terminal device, the access network device may obtain the group number of each terminal device, and group the terminal devices with the same group number into one group. Correspondingly, each terminal device may calculate its own group number according to the identifier of each terminal device using the same calculation method as the access network device.

[0014] Optionally, the grouping methods supported by the first access network device may be the first grouping method and / or the second grouping method.

[0015] Optionally, if the first target method is the first grouping method, paging the first terminal device according to the first target method includes: paging the first terminal device according to the first group number corresponding to the first grouping method. The first group number is the group number assigned by the core network device to the first terminal device.

[0016] Optionally, if the first target method is the second grouping method, paging the first terminal device according to the first target method includes: paging the first terminal device according to the second group number corresponding to the second grouping method. The second group number is calculated by the first access network device according to the identifier of the first terminal device.

[0017] In some possible implementation manners, before determining, according to the grouping used by the first access network device and the grouping capability information of the first terminal device, the first target method for paging the first terminal device, the method further includes:

[0018] Broadcasting the grouping methods supported by the first access network device.

[0019] In the above solution, if the first access network device broadcasts the grouping methods supported by the first access network device, the cells within the coverage range of the first access network device may learn the grouping methods supported by the first access network device, and determine the first target method for receiving the paging message according to the grouping methods supported by the first access network device and the grouping methods supported by the first terminal device. In this way, the first target method for the first access network device to page the first terminal device may be the same as the first target method used by the first terminal device to receive the paging from the first access network device.

[0020] In some possible implementation manners, receive first indication information sent by a core network device, where the first indication information is used to indicate whether the core network device supports using a first grouping manner, and the first grouping manner is a manner in which the core network device groups multiple terminal devices; determine the grouping manner supported by the first access network device according to whether the core network device indicated by the first indication information supports using the first grouping manner and the grouping manner supported by the first access network device.

[0021] In the above solution, since the first grouping manner is a grouping manner controlled by the core network device, the first access network device needs to combine whether the first core network device supports the first grouping manner and the grouping manner supported by the first access network device to determine the grouping manner supported by the first access network device.

[0022] Optionally, after the first access network device establishes a connection with the core network device, the core network device may send the first indication information to the first access network device.

[0023] In some possible implementation manners, the determining the grouping manner supported by the first access network device according to whether the core network device indicated by the first indication information supports using the first grouping manner and the grouping manner supported by the first access network device includes:

[0024] If the first indication information indicates that the core network device supports using the first grouping manner, and the grouping manner supported by the first access network device includes the first grouping manner, determine that the grouping manner supported by the first access network device is the first grouping manner.

[0025] In the above solution, if the core network device supports using the first grouping manner, and the grouping manner supported by the first access network device includes the first grouping manner, determine that the grouping manner supported by the first access network device is the first grouping manner.

[0026] Optionally, the fact that the grouping manner supported by the first access network device includes the first grouping manner may be understood as that the grouping manner supported by the first access network device is the first grouping manner, or is the first grouping manner and the second grouping manner.

[0027] In some possible implementation manners, the determining the grouping manner supported by the first access network device according to whether the core network device indicated by the first indication information supports using the first grouping manner and the grouping manner supported by the first access network device includes: If the first indication information indicates that the core network device supports using the first grouping manner, and the first access network device supports the second grouping manner and does not support the first grouping manner, determine that the grouping manner supported by the first access network device is the second grouping manner.

[0028] In some possible implementation manners, determining the packet mode supported by the first access network device according to whether the core network device indicated by the first indication information supports using the first packet mode and the packet mode supported by the first access network device includes: if the first indication information indicates that the core network device does not support using the first packet mode, and the packet mode supported by the first access network device includes a second packet mode, determining that the packet mode supported by the first access network device is the second packet mode.

[0029] Optionally, the packet mode supported by the first access network device includes a second packet mode, which can be understood as the packet mode supported by the first access network device being the second packet mode, or being the first packet mode and the second packet mode.

[0030] In some possible implementation manners, determining the packet mode supported by the first access network device according to whether the core network device indicated by the first indication information supports using the first packet mode and the packet mode supported by the first access network device includes: if the first indication information indicates that the core network device supports using the first packet mode, and the packet mode supported by the first access network device is the first packet mode and the second packet mode, determining that the packet mode supported by the first access network device is the first packet mode and the second packet mode.

[0031] In some possible implementation manners, determining the packet mode supported by the first access network device according to whether the core network device indicated by the first indication information supports using the first packet mode and the packet mode supported by the first access network device includes: if the first access network device does not support the first packet mode and does not support the second packet mode, determining that the first access network device does not support using a packet mode. That is, at this time, the first indication information from the core network device is not referred to either.

[0032] In some possible implementation manners, the method further includes: when the packet mode supported by the first access network device is the first packet mode or is the first packet mode and the second packet mode, indicating to the core network device that the packet mode supported by the first access network device includes the first packet mode.

[0033] In the above solution, after indicating to the core network device that the first access network device supports using the first packet mode, the core network device may send the first group number of the first terminal device to be paged to the first access network device. This avoids the situation where the core network device blindly sends the first group number to the first access network device without knowing whether the first access network device supports the first packet mode. Since the first access network device may not support the first packet mode, the first group number may be discarded or ignored, thus saving signaling overhead.

[0034] In some possible implementation manners, the method further includes: receiving, from the core network device, the first group number of the first terminal device after the core network device groups multiple terminal devices by using the first packet mode.

[0035] In some possible implementation manners, if it is indicated to the core network device that the packet mode supported by the first access network device is the first packet mode, the first group number of the first terminal device is received from the core network device, and the first group number is a group number corresponding to the first packet mode.

[0036] In some possible implementation manners, if the first target mode is the first packet mode, paging the first terminal device according to the first target mode includes: paging the first terminal device according to the first group number corresponding to the first packet mode.

[0037] In the above solution, if the first access network device indicates to the core network device that the packet mode supported by the first access network device is the first packet mode, the first access network device may receive the first group number sent by the core network device. If the first target mode is the first packet mode, the first access network device can use the first group number to page the first terminal device.

[0038] In some possible implementation manners, the method further includes: when the packet mode supported by the first access network device is the second packet mode or the first access network device does not support using a packet mode, indicating to the core network device that the first access network device does not support using the first packet mode.

[0039] In the above solution, after indicating to the core network device that the first access network device does not support using the first packet mode, the core network device may not send the first group number for paging the first terminal device, thus saving signaling overhead.

[0040] In some possible implementation manners, if the packet modes supported by the first access network device are the first packet mode and the second packet mode, the method further includes: instructing a terminal device in a target group that supports the first target mode to receive a paging message, where the target group is the group where the first terminal device is located.

[0041] In the above solution, if the first access network device supports using the first packet mode and the second packet mode, the first access network device broadcasts that it supports using the first packet mode and the second packet mode. Among the multiple terminal devices within the coverage of the first access network device, some terminal devices support the first packet mode and some support the second packet mode. This will cause the target mode determined by some terminal devices within the coverage of the first access network device to be the first packet mode, and the target mode determined by some terminal devices to be the second packet mode. If a certain terminal device supports both the first packet mode and the second packet mode, the terminal device can determine the target mode as the first packet mode according to the priorities of the first packet mode and the second packet mode. The group numbers of the terminal devices within the coverage of the first access network device whose determined target mode is the first packet mode are allocated by the core network device according to the characteristic information of these terminal devices. The group numbers of the terminal devices within the coverage of the first access network device whose determined target mode is the second packet mode are calculated by these terminal devices according to their own identifiers. This may cause the group numbers of the terminal devices with the second packet mode as the target mode to be the same as those of the terminal devices with the first packet mode as the target mode. That is to say, a group of terminal devices may include terminal devices grouped according to the first packet mode and may also include terminal devices grouped according to the second packet mode. In this way, the paging efficiency is reduced or the power consumption of the terminal devices may be affected. The first access network device can instruct the terminal devices in the target group where the first terminal device is located and whose target mode is the first target mode to receive the paging message. In this way, the terminal devices in the target group that are not in the first target mode do not receive the paging message, avoiding waking up the terminal devices in the target group that are not in the first target mode due to paging the first terminal device in the target group, thereby saving power consumption.

[0042] In some possible implementation manners, a wake-up signal or downlink control information DCI is used to instruct a terminal device in the target group that the target mode of the terminal device in the target group is the first target mode to receive a paging message, where the wake-up signal is used to wake up the first terminal device.

[0043] In the above solution, for the first group paging mechanism, the first access network device can use a wake-up signal to indicate to the terminal devices in the target group that the terminal devices with the target mode being the first target mode in the target group receive paging messages; for the second group paging mechanism, the first access network device can use the downlink control information (DCI) sent on the PO of the first terminal device to indicate to the terminal devices with the target mode being the first target mode in the target group to receive paging messages.

[0044] It can be understood that the wake-up signal can be a WUS or a PEI.

[0045] In some possible implementation manners, indicating to the terminal devices in the target group that the terminal devices with the target mode being the first target mode in the target group receive paging messages by using the wake-up signal or DCI includes:

[0046] Indicating to the terminal devices in the target group that the terminal devices with the target mode being the first target mode in the target group receive paging messages by using the second indication information included in the wake-up signal or DCI, where the wake-up signal or the DCI includes the target group number corresponding to the first target mode, and the target group number corresponding to the first target mode is used to page the first terminal device.

[0047] In the above solution, the wake-up signal or DCI may include second indication information, and the second indication information is used to indicate to the terminal devices in the target group that the terminal devices with the target mode being the first grouping mode in the target group receive paging messages. For example, the second indication information occupies 1 bit. If the value of this bit is 1, it means that the terminal devices with the target mode being the first grouping mode in the target group receive paging messages, and the terminal devices with the target mode being the second grouping mode in the target group do not receive paging messages; if the value of this bit is 0, it means that the terminal devices with the target mode being the second grouping mode in the target group receive paging messages, and the terminal devices with the target mode being the first grouping mode in the target group do not receive paging messages.

[0048] Optionally, the first target mode is the first grouping mode, and the target group number is the first group number; if the first target mode is the second grouping mode, the target group number is the second group number.

[0049] In some possible implementation manners, indicating to the terminal devices in the target group that the terminal devices supporting the first target mode in the target group receive paging messages by using the wake-up signal includes:

[0050] The target group number corresponding to the first target manner is carried in a target field in the wake-up signal to indicate to the terminal devices in the target group that the terminal devices whose target manner in the target group is the first target manner receive paging messages, and the target group number corresponding to the first target manner is used to page the first terminal device;

[0051] Wherein, the target field is a first field or a second field, the first field is a field corresponding to a first grouping manner, the second field is a field corresponding to the second grouping manner, and the first target manner is the first grouping manner or the second grouping manner.

[0052] In the above solution, different fields in the wake-up signal or DCI are used to distinguish whether the terminal devices in different grouping manners need to receive paging messages. For example, if the first target manner is the first grouping manner, the first terminal device resolves the first group number in the first field, and the target manner determined by the first terminal device is the first grouping manner, then the first terminal device receives the paging message. If the second terminal device does not resolve the first group number in the second field, or resolves the first group number in the first field and the target manner of the second terminal device is the second grouping manner, then the second terminal device does not receive the paging message. Another example is that if the first target manner is the second grouping manner, the first terminal device resolves the first group number in the second field, and the target manner determined by the first terminal device is the second grouping manner, then the first terminal device receives the paging message. If the second terminal device does not resolve the first group number in the first field, or resolves the first group number in the second field and the target manner of the second terminal device is the first grouping manner, then the second terminal device does not receive the paging message.

[0053] It should be noted that the fields in the wake-up signal and DCI are different. For the convenience of understanding and description in the embodiments of the present application, the same fields are used for description.

[0054] In some possible implementation manners, the step of indicating to the terminal devices in the target group by the wake-up signal that the terminal devices whose target manner in the target group is the first target manner receive paging messages includes:

[0055] Indicating to the terminal devices in the target group by the wake-up signal sent at a target resource location that the terminal devices whose target manner in the target group is the first target manner receive paging messages;

[0056] Wherein, the target resource location is a first resource location or a second resource location, the first resource location is a resource location corresponding to the first grouping manner, the second resource location is a resource location corresponding to the second grouping manner, and the first target manner is the first grouping manner or the second grouping manner.

[0057] In the above solution, different packet mode terminal devices are distinguished by different resource positions of the wake-up signal to determine whether to receive a paging message. For example, if the first target mode is the first packet mode, the first terminal device receives the wake-up signal at the first resource position, and the target mode determined by the first terminal device is the first packet mode, then the first terminal device receives the paging message. If the second terminal device does not parse the wake-up signal at the second resource position, or receives the wake-up signal at the first resource position and the target mode of the second terminal device is the second packet mode, then the second terminal device does not receive the paging message. Another example, if the first target mode is the second packet mode, the first terminal device receives the wake-up signal at the second resource position, and the target mode determined by the first terminal device is the second packet mode, then the first terminal device receives the paging message. If the second terminal device does not receive the wake-up signal at the first resource position, or receives the first group number at the second resource position and the target mode of the second terminal device is the first packet mode, then the second terminal device does not receive the paging message.

[0058] In some possible implementation manners, the step of indicating, by the wake-up signal, that the terminal device in the target group whose target mode is the first target mode receives the paging message includes:

[0059] scrambling the wake-up signal with a target radio network temporary identifier to indicate that the terminal device in the target group whose target mode is the first target mode receives the paging message, and the terminal device in the target group that does not support the first target mode does not receive the paging message;

[0060] wherein, the target radio network temporary identifier is a first radio network temporary identifier or a second radio network temporary identifier, the first radio network temporary identifier is a radio network temporary identifier corresponding to the first packet mode, the second radio network temporary identifier is a radio network temporary identifier corresponding to the second packet mode, and the first target mode is the first packet mode or the second packet mode.

[0061] In the above solution, different wireless network temporary identifiers are used to scramble the wake-up signal or DCI to distinguish whether terminal devices in different packet modes need to receive paging messages. If the first access network device determines that the first target mode for paging the first terminal device is the first packet mode, the first access network device may use the first RNTI to scramble the WUS or DCI. When the first terminal device receives the WUS or DCI descrambled by the first RNTI, since the first terminal device determines that the first target mode for receiving the paging from the first access network device is the first packet mode, therefore, the first terminal device can determine that the first access network device receives the paging message sent by the first access network device according to the WUS descrambled by the first RNTI. The group numbers of the first terminal device and the second terminal device are both the first group number, that is, both the first terminal device and the second terminal device are terminal devices in the target group. When the second terminal device receives the WUS or DCI descrambled by the first RNTI, since the second terminal device determines that the target mode for receiving the paging from the first access network device is the second packet mode, and since the second RNTI corresponding to the second packet mode does not correspond to the first RNTI, the second terminal device determines not to receive the paging message sent by the first access network device. Alternatively, the second terminal device may only detect the WUS or DCI scrambled by the second RNTI and not detect the WUS or DCI scrambled by the first RNTI. When the second terminal device does not receive the WUS or DCI scrambled by the second RNTI, or when the WUS or DCI scrambled by the second RNTI received does not include the first group number, the second terminal device determines not to receive the paging message sent by the first access network device.

[0062] In some possible implementation manners, if the packet modes supported by the first access network device include the first packet mode and the second packet mode, paging the first terminal device according to the first target mode includes:

[0063] Paging the first terminal device through the target group number corresponding to the first target mode;

[0064] Wherein, the target group number belongs to the first group number range or the second group number range, the first group number range is the group number range corresponding to the first packet mode, the second group number range is the group number range corresponding to the second packet mode, there is no intersection between the first group number range and the second group number range, and the first target mode is the first packet mode or the second packet mode.

[0065] In the above solution, different paging messages are received by terminal devices with different grouping methods distinguished by different group number ranges. When the core network device groups multiple terminal devices, the group numbers of each terminal device belong to the first group number range. When the first access network device groups multiple terminal devices, the group numbers of each terminal device belong to the second group number range. If the first access network device determines that the first target method for paging the first terminal device is the first grouping method, and the group number assigned by the core network device to the first terminal device is the first group number, the first access network device carries the first group number in the WUS or DCI. If the first access network device determines that the first target method for paging the first terminal device is the second grouping method, the first access network device and the first terminal device calculate the group number of the first terminal device as the second group number according to the identifier of the first terminal device, and the first access network device carries the second group number in the WUS or DCI.

[0066] In some possible implementation manners, if the grouping methods supported by the first access network device include the first grouping method and the second grouping method, the method further includes: indicating to the terminal devices in the target group to receive paging messages, where the target group is the group corresponding to the first target method, and the target group number corresponding to the target group is the group number corresponding to the first target method used by the first access network device to page the first terminal device. The target methods of the terminal devices included in the target group are the first target method, and the group numbers of the terminal devices included in the target group are all the target group numbers. That is to say, in some embodiments, the target group only includes terminal devices with the same group number and the same target method, and different target groups have the same group number but different target methods, or different target groups have different group numbers and different target methods. In other embodiments, the target group includes terminal devices with the same group number but different target methods, and different target groups have different group numbers.

[0067] In some possible implementation manners, determining the first target method for paging the first terminal device according to the grouping methods supported by the first access network device and the grouping capability information of the first terminal device includes:

[0068] If the grouping methods supported by the first access network device include the first grouping method, and the grouping capability information of the first terminal device indicates that the first terminal device supports the first grouping method, it is determined that the first target method for paging the first terminal device is the first grouping method.

[0069] Optionally, the grouping methods supported by the first access network device include the first grouping method, which can be understood as: the grouping methods supported by the first access network device are the first grouping method, or the first grouping method and the second grouping method.

[0070] In some possible implementation manners, determining a first target manner for paging the first terminal device according to the packet mode supported by the first access network device and the packet capability information of the first terminal device includes: if the packet mode supported by the first access network device is a first packet mode, and the packet capability information of the first terminal device indicates that the packet modes supported by the first terminal device include the first packet mode, determining that the first target manner for paging the first terminal device is the first packet mode.

[0071] Optionally, the packet capability information of the first terminal device indicating that the packet modes supported by the first terminal device include the first packet mode can be understood as: the packet capability information of the first terminal device indicates that the packet mode supported by the first terminal device is the first packet mode, or is the first packet mode and the second packet mode.

[0072] In some possible implementation manners, determining a first target manner for paging the first terminal device according to the packet mode supported by the first access network device and the packet capability information of the first terminal device includes: if the packet mode supported by the first access network device includes a second packet mode, and the packet capability information of the first terminal device indicates that the first terminal device supports the second packet mode, determining that the first target manner for paging the first terminal device is the second packet mode.

[0073] Optionally, the packet mode supported by the first access network device including the second packet mode can be understood as: the packet mode supported by the first access network device is the second packet mode, or is the first packet mode and the second packet mode.

[0074] In some possible implementation manners, determining a first target manner for paging the first terminal device according to the packet mode supported by the first access network device and the packet capability information of the first terminal device includes: if the packet mode supported by the first access network device is a second packet mode, and the packet capability information of the first terminal device indicates that the packet modes supported by the first terminal device include the second packet mode, determining that the first target manner for paging the first terminal device is the second packet mode.

[0075] Optionally, the packet capability information of the first terminal device indicating that the packet modes supported by the first terminal device include the second packet mode can be understood as: the packet capability information of the first terminal device indicates that the packet mode supported by the first terminal device is the second packet mode, or is the first packet mode and the second packet mode.

[0076] In some possible implementation manners, determining a first target manner for paging the first terminal device according to the packet mode supported by the first access network device and the packet capability information of the first terminal device includes: if the packet mode supported by the first access network device is a first packet mode, and the packet capability information of the first terminal device indicates that the first terminal device supports a second packet mode and does not support the first packet mode, determining that the first target manner for paging the first terminal device is a non-packet mode.

[0077] In some possible implementation manners, determining a first target manner for paging the first terminal device according to the packet mode supported by the first access network device and the packet capability information of the first terminal device includes: if the packet mode supported by the first access network device is a second packet mode, and the packet capability information of the first terminal device indicates that the first terminal device supports the first packet mode and does not support the second packet mode, determining that the first target manner for paging the first terminal device is a non-packet mode.

[0078] In some possible implementation manners, determining a first target manner for paging the first terminal device according to the packet mode supported by the first access network device and the packet capability information of the first terminal device includes: if the packet mode supported by the first access network device is the first packet mode and the second packet mode, and the packet capability information of the first terminal device indicates that the first terminal device supports the first packet mode and the second packet mode, determining the first target manner according to the priority of the first packet mode and the priority of the second packet mode.

[0079] In some possible implementation manners, determining the first target manner according to the priority of the first packet mode and the priority of the second packet mode includes:

[0080] Determining the first packet mode with a priority higher than that of the second packet mode as the first target manner.

[0081] In the above solution, generally, since the first packet mode is a packet made by the core network device according to the feature information of the terminal device, and the second packet mode is a randomized packet made by the access network device, the priority of the first packet mode is higher than the priority of the second packet mode.

[0082] In some possible implementation manners, the obtaining of the packet capability information of the first terminal device includes: receiving the packet capability information of the first terminal device from a second access network device or a core network device, where the second access network device is the access network device that releases the first terminal device to enter the Radio Resource Control (RRC) Inactive state, and the first access network device is an access network device belonging to the same Notification Area (NA) as the second access network device.

[0083] Optionally, the first terminal device may send the packet capability information of the first terminal device to the core network device through the first access network device. Specifically, the first terminal device may first send the packet capability information of the first terminal device to the first access network device, and then the access network device sends the packet capability information of the first terminal device to the core network device. The core network device stores the packet capability information of the first terminal device. When the core network device needs to page the first terminal device, it may send the packet capability information of the first terminal device to the first access network device.

[0084] Optionally, the first access network device may obtain the packet capability information of the first terminal device from the second access network device. For example, the second access network device is the last serving access network device when the first terminal device is in the RRC Connected state, and the first access network device is the access network device where the first terminal device camps when it is in the RRC Inactive state. Therefore, the second access network device may send the packet capability information of the first terminal device to the first access network device, so that the first access network device can determine the first target paging manner according to the packet capability information of the first terminal device when paging the first terminal device.

[0085] In some possible implementation manners, receive, from the second access network device, a first group number for the first terminal device after the core network device groups multiple terminal devices through a first packet manner, where the second access network device is the access network device that releases the first terminal device to enter the Radio Resource Control (RRC) Inactive state, and the first access network device is an access network device belonging to the same Notification Area (NA) as the second access network device.

[0086] Optionally, the method further includes: receiving, from a second access network device, fourth indication information for indicating whether the first terminal device can use a packet mode in the RRC inactive state. In this way, the first terminal device can determine a first target mode for receiving a paging from the first access network device according to the fourth indication information and the packet mode supported by the first access network device, and the first access network device can determine a first target mode for paging the first terminal device according to the fourth indication information and the packet mode supported by the first access network device. That is to say, the strategy used by the first access network device to determine paging the first terminal device is consistent with the strategy used by the first terminal device to determine receiving paging. In this way, it can enable the first access network device and the first terminal device to have a consistent understanding, improve the probability of paging, and save power consumption.

[0087] In a second aspect, a paging method is provided. The method is applicable to a first terminal device and includes: obtaining a packet mode supported by a first access network device;

[0088] determining, according to the packet mode supported by the first access network device and the packet mode supported by the first terminal device, a first target mode for the first terminal device to receive paging from the first access network device;

[0089] receiving a paging message from the first access network device according to the first target mode.

[0090] In the above solution, the first terminal device can determine a first target mode for receiving paging from the first access network device according to the packet mode supported by the first terminal device and the packet mode supported by the first access network device. When determining the first target mode, the first terminal device not only considers the packet mode supported by the first terminal device but also considers the packet mode supported by the first access network device. The first target mode determined in this way is the packet mode supported by the first access network device. Therefore, the first terminal device can also use the first target mode to receive paging from the first access network device, which helps to avoid paging errors.

[0091] In some possible implementation manners, the first target mode is the first packet mode, or the second packet mode, or a non-packet mode;

[0092] wherein, the first packet mode is a packet mode controlled by a core network device, and the second packet mode is a packet mode controlled by an access network device.

[0093] In some possible implementation manners, the obtaining the packet mode supported by the first access network device includes: receiving the packet mode supported by the first access network device broadcast by the first access network device.

[0094] In some possible implementations, the method further includes: obtaining from the first access network device that the first terminal device is to receive a paging message;

[0095] Wherein, the group where the first terminal device is located is a target group, and the target group includes terminal devices whose target mode is not the first target mode and terminal devices whose target mode is the first target mode, and the terminal devices whose target mode is the first target mode include the first terminal device.

[0096] In some possible implementations, the obtaining from the first access network device that the first terminal device is to receive a paging message includes: determining that the first terminal device is to receive a paging message by receiving a wake-up signal or downlink control information (DCI) from the first access network device, where the wake-up signal is used to wake up the first terminal device.

[0097] In some possible implementations, the determining that the first terminal device is to receive a paging message by receiving a wake-up signal or DCI from the first access network device includes: determining that the first terminal device is to receive the paging message by receiving a wake-up signal from the first access network device or the second indication information included in the DCI, where the wake-up signal or the DCI includes the target group number corresponding to the first target mode, and the target group number corresponding to the first target mode is used to receive the paging message from the first access network device.

[0098] In some possible implementations, the determining that the first terminal device is to receive a paging message by receiving a wake-up signal or DCI from the first access network device includes: determining that the first terminal device is to receive a paging message by carrying the target group number corresponding to the first target mode in the target field included in the wake-up signal or DCI, where the target group number corresponding to the first target mode is used to receive the paging message from the first access network device;

[0099] Wherein, the target field is a first field or a second field, the first field is the field corresponding to the first grouping mode, the second field is the field corresponding to the second grouping mode, and the first target mode is the first grouping mode or the second grouping mode.

[0100] In some possible implementations, the determining that the first terminal device is to receive a paging message by receiving a wake-up signal from the first access network device includes: determining that the first terminal device is to receive a paging message by receiving a wake-up signal from the first access network device at a target resource location;

[0101] Wherein, the target resource location is the first resource location or the second resource location, the first resource location is the resource location corresponding to the first grouping mode, the second resource location is the resource location corresponding to the second grouping mode, and the first target mode is the first grouping mode or the second grouping mode.

[0102] In some possible implementation manners, determining that the first terminal device is to receive a paging message by receiving a wake-up signal from the first access network device includes: if the wake-up signal received from the first access network device is scrambled by a target radio network temporary identifier, determining that the first terminal device is to receive a paging message;

[0103] Wherein, the target radio network temporary identifier is a first radio network temporary identifier or a second radio network temporary identifier, the first radio network temporary identifier is the radio network temporary identifier corresponding to the first grouping mode, the second radio network temporary identifier is the radio network temporary identifier corresponding to the second grouping mode, and the first target mode is the first grouping mode or the second grouping mode.

[0104] In some possible implementation manners, receiving the paging message of the first access network device according to the first target mode includes: receiving the paging message of the first access network device according to a target group number corresponding to the first target mode;

[0105] Wherein, the target group number belongs to a first group number range or a second group number range, the first group number range is the group number range corresponding to the first grouping mode, the second group number range is the group number range corresponding to the second grouping mode, there is no intersection between the first group number range and the second group number range, and the first target mode is the first grouping mode or the second grouping mode.

[0106] In some possible implementation manners, determining the first target mode used by the first terminal device to receive the paging of the first access network device according to the grouping mode supported by the first access network device and the grouping mode supported by the first terminal device includes:

[0107] If the grouping mode supported by the first access network device includes a first grouping mode and the first terminal device can use the first grouping mode, determining that the first target mode used by the first terminal device to receive the paging of the first access network device is the first grouping mode, where the first grouping mode is a mode in which a core network device groups multiple terminal devices; or,

[0108] If the packet modes supported by the first access network device include a second packet mode, and the first terminal device can use the second packet mode, determine that the first target mode used by the first terminal device to receive paging from the first access network device is the second packet mode, where the second packet mode is the mode by which the first access network device groups multiple terminal devices; or,

[0109] If the packet mode supported by the first access network device is a first packet mode, and the first terminal device can use a second packet mode but cannot use the first packet mode, determine that the first target mode used by the first terminal device to receive paging from the first access network device is a non-packet mode; or,

[0110] If the packet mode supported by the first access network device is a second packet mode, and the first terminal device can use the first packet mode but cannot use the second packet mode, determine that the first target mode used by the first terminal device to receive paging from the first access network device is a non-packet mode; or,

[0111] If the packet modes supported by the first access network device are the first packet mode and the second packet mode, and the first terminal device can use the first packet mode and the second packet mode, determine the first target mode according to the priority of the first packet mode and the priority of the second packet mode;

[0112] Wherein, the packet modes that the first terminal device can use are determined according to the packet modes supported by the first terminal device.

[0113] Optionally, in some embodiments, the packet modes that the first terminal device can use are the same as the packet modes supported by the first terminal device. In other embodiments, the packet modes that the first terminal device can use are the packet modes determined according to the packet modes supported by the first terminal device and third indication information.

[0114] In some possible implementation manners, determining the first target mode according to the priority of the first packet mode and the priority of the second packet mode includes:

[0115] Determine the first packet mode with a priority higher than that of the second packet mode as the first target mode.

[0116] In some possible implementation manners, the method further includes: receiving third indication information from a second access network device, where the third indication information is used to indicate whether the first terminal device can use a packet mode when it is in the radio resource control (RRC) inactive state.

[0117] In the above solution, the first terminal device may receive third indication information from the second access network device, so that the first terminal device may refer to the third indication information when determining the first target mode.

[0118] In some possible implementation manners, the method further includes: if the third indication information is used to indicate that the first terminal device cannot use the packet mode when in the RRC inactive state, the packet mode supported by the first access network device is not obtained.

[0119] Wherein, the obtaining the packet mode supported by the first access network device includes: if the third indication information is used to indicate that the first terminal device can use the packet mode when in the RRC inactive state, the packet mode supported by the first access network device is obtained.

[0120] In the above solution, when the third indication information indicates that the first terminal device can use the packet mode when in the RRC inactive state, the first terminal device may obtain the packet mode supported by the first access network device, and then determine the first target mode used to receive the paging of the first access network device according to the packet mode supported by the first access network device and the packet mode supported by the first terminal device. When the third indication information indicates that the first terminal device cannot use the packet mode when in the RRC inactive state, the first terminal device may not obtain the packet mode supported by the first access network device, thereby saving signaling overhead.

[0121] In some possible implementation manners, the receiving the third indication information from the second access network device includes: receiving an RRC release message from the second access network device, where the RRC release message includes the third indication information, and the RRC release message is used to release the first terminal device from the RRC connected state to the RRC inactive state.

[0122] In the above solution, when the second access network device releases the first terminal device, the third indication information may be carried in the RRC release message, so that the first terminal device can also determine the first target mode used to receive the paging of the first access network device according to the third indication information when in the RRC inactive state.

[0123] In some possible implementation manners, the receiving the third indication information from the second access network device includes: receiving a broadcast system message from the second access network device, where the system message includes the third indication information.

[0124] In the above solution, when the first terminal device is within the coverage area of the second access network device, the first terminal device may receive the broadcast system message of the second access network device, and the third indication information may be carried in the system message.

[0125] In some possible implementations, the third indication information is specifically used to indicate that the first terminal device can use the first packet mode and / or the second packet mode when it is in the RRC inactive state; the method further includes:

[0126] Determine the packet modes whose intersection exists between the packet modes supported by the first terminal device and the packet modes indicated by the third indication information as the packet modes that the first terminal device can use.

[0127] In some possible implementations, the method further includes: if the first terminal device supports the first packet mode, or supports both the first packet mode and the second packet mode, and the third indication information is used to indicate that the first terminal device can use the first packet mode when it is in the RRC inactive state, determine that the first terminal device can use the first packet mode.

[0128] In some possible implementations, the method further includes: if the first terminal device supports the second packet mode, or supports both the first packet mode and the second packet mode, and the third indication information is used to indicate that the first terminal device can use the second packet mode when it is in the RRC inactive state, determine that the first terminal device can use the second packet mode.

[0129] In some possible implementations, the method further includes: if the first terminal device supports both the first packet mode and the second packet mode, and the third indication information is used to indicate that the first terminal device can use both the first packet mode and the second packet mode when it is in the RRC inactive state, determine that the first terminal device can use both the first packet mode and the second packet mode.

[0130] In some possible implementations, the method further includes: receiving fourth indication information from a second access network device, where the fourth indication information is used to indicate whether the first terminal device can use a packet mode when it is in the RRC inactive state. The first terminal device can determine a first target mode for receiving paging from the first access network device according to the packet modes supported by the first access network device and the fourth indication information, and the first access network device can determine a first target mode for paging the first terminal device according to the fourth indication information and the packet modes supported by the first access network device.

[0131] Optionally, the fourth indication information is specifically used to indicate that the first terminal device can use the first packet mode and / or the second packet mode when it is in the RRC inactive state.

[0132] It should be noted that for other descriptions of the second aspect, refer to the descriptions of the first aspect. To avoid repetition, the embodiments of the present application will not be described in detail.

[0133] In a third aspect, a paging method is provided. The method is applicable to a second access network device and includes: generating third indication information according to a packet mode supported by the second access network device, where the third indication information is used to indicate whether the first terminal device can use the packet mode when the first terminal device is in the Radio Resource Control (RRC) inactive state; and sending the third indication information to the first terminal device.

[0134] In the above solution, the second access network device can indicate to the first terminal device whether it can use the packet mode when in the RRC inactive state, or indicate the specific packet mode that can be used. In this way, the first terminal device can determine the packet mode that the first terminal device can use according to the packet mode supported by the first terminal device and the third indication information.

[0135] Optionally, the first access network device determines a first target mode for paging the first terminal device according to the packet mode supported by the first access network device, the packet capability information and / or the first group number of the first terminal device received from the second access network device, and the packet mode supported by the first terminal device indicated by the packet capability information of the first terminal device. The first access network device may broadcast the packet mode supported by the first access network device, and the first terminal device may determine the first target mode for receiving the paging from the first access network device according to the packet mode supported by the first access network device and the packet mode that the first terminal device can use. The first access network device determines the first target mode for paging the first terminal device according to the packet mode supported by the first access network device and the packet capability information of the first terminal device. In this way, it can be ensured that the first target mode for the first access network device to page the first terminal device is consistent with the first target mode for the first terminal device to receive the paging, thereby saving power consumption.

[0136] Optionally, since the second access network device supports different packet modes, the capabilities of the information for paging that the second access network device can send to the first access network device are also different. For example, if the second access network device supports the first packet mode, the second access network device can send the packet capabilities information of the first terminal device to the first access network device; for another example, if the second access network device supports the first packet mode and the second packet mode, or supports the first packet mode, the second access network device can send the packet capabilities information of the first terminal device and the first group number to the first access network device; for still another example, if the second access network device supports the first packet mode, the second access network device can send the first group number to the first access network device and does not send the capabilities information of the first terminal device. In this way, the first access network device can determine the first target mode for paging the first terminal device according to the packet capabilities information of the first terminal device and / or the first group number received from the second access network device, the packet mode supported by the first access network device, and the packet mode supported by the first terminal device indicated by the packet capabilities information of the first terminal device. The first terminal device can determine the first paging mode for receiving the paging from the first access network device according to the third indication information, the packet mode supported by the first terminal device, and the packet mode supported by the first access network device.

[0137] Optionally, the method further includes: generating fourth indication information according to the packet mode supported by the second access network device and the packet mode supported by the first terminal device indicated by the packet capabilities information of the first terminal device, where the fourth indication information is used to indicate whether the first terminal device can use the packet mode when in the RRC inactive state. The second access network device can send the fourth indication information to the first terminal device and the first access network device. In this way, the first terminal device can determine the first target mode for receiving the paging from the first access network device according to the fourth indication information and the packet mode supported by the first access network device, and the first access network device can determine the first target mode for paging the first terminal device according to the fourth indication information and the packet mode supported by the first access network device. That is to say, the strategy used by the first access network device to determine paging the first terminal device is consistent with the strategy used by the first terminal device to determine receiving paging. In this way, it can enable the first access network device and the first terminal device to have a consistent understanding, improve the probability of paging, and save power consumption.

[0138] Optionally, the fourth indication information is specifically used to indicate that the first terminal device can use the first packet mode and / or the second packet mode when in the RRC inactive state.

[0139] In some possible implementations, sending the third indication information to the first terminal device includes: sending an RRC release message to the first terminal device in the RRC connected state, where the RRC release message includes the third indication information; wherein, after receiving the RRC release message, the first terminal device enters the RRC inactive state from the RRC connected state.

[0140] In some possible implementations, sending the third indication information to the first terminal device includes: broadcasting a system message, where the system message includes the third indication information.

[0141] In some possible implementations, the third indication information is specifically used to indicate that the first terminal device can use the first packet mode and / or the second packet mode when in the RRC inactive state;

[0142] wherein, the second packet mode is a packet mode controlled by the access network device, and the first packet mode is a packet mode controlled by the core network device.

[0143] In some possible implementations, generating the third indication information according to the packet mode supported by the second access network device includes:

[0144] If the second access network device supports using the second packet mode, the generated third indication information is specifically used to indicate that the first terminal device can use the second packet mode when in the RRC inactive state;

[0145] If the second access network device supports using the first packet mode, or supports both the first packet mode and the second packet mode, the generated third indication information is specifically used to indicate that the first terminal device can use the first packet mode and the second packet mode when in the RRC inactive state.

[0146] In some possible implementations, the method further includes: receiving, from the core network device, the packet capability information of the first terminal device, where the packet capability information of the first terminal device is used to indicate the packet modes supported by the first terminal device;

[0147] Determining whether to send the packet capability information of the first terminal device to the first access network device according to the packet mode supported by the second access network device, where the first access network device is an access network device belonging to the same notification area NA as the second access network device.

[0148] In some possible implementations, determining whether to send the packet capability information of the first terminal device to the first access network device according to the packet mode supported by the second access network device includes:

[0149] If the packet modes supported by the second access network device are the first packet mode and / or the second packet mode, determine to send the packet capability information of the first terminal device to the first access network device, and the method further includes:

[0150] Send the packet capability information of the first terminal device to the first access network device; or,

[0151] If the second access network device does not support using a packet mode, determine not to send the packet capability information of the first terminal device to the first access network device.

[0152] In some possible implementation manners, the method further includes:

[0153] Receive, from a core network device, a first group number of the core network device for the first terminal device through the first terminal device, where the first group number is a group number corresponding to the first packet mode;

[0154] Determine whether to send the first group number of the first terminal device to the first access network device according to the packet mode supported by the second access network device.

[0155] In some possible implementation manners, the determining whether to send the first group number of the first terminal device to the first access network device according to the packet mode supported by the second access network device includes:

[0156] If the packet mode supported by the second access network device includes the first packet mode, send the first group number of the first terminal device to the first access network device.

[0157] For the description of the third aspect, refer to the descriptions of the second aspect and the first aspect. To avoid repetition, the embodiments of the present application do not describe it in detail.

[0158] Fourth aspect, a method for paging is provided, which is characterized by sending first indication information to a first access network device, where the first indication information is used to indicate whether a core network device supports a first packet mode, and the first packet mode is a packet mode controlled by the core network device.

[0159] In the above solution, the core network device can indicate to the first access network device whether the core network device supports the first packet mode, so that the first access network device can determine the packet mode supported by the first access network device according to the indication of the core network device and the packet mode supported by the first access network device, providing a possibility for paging the first terminal device using the packet mode.

[0160] In some possible implementation manners, obtain from the first access network device whether the first access network device supports using the first packet mode; if it is obtained from the first access network device that the first access network device supports using the first packet mode, send to the first access network device the first group number for the first terminal device after the core network device groups multiple terminal devices by using the first packet mode.

[0161] In some possible implementation manners, the method further includes: sending the packet capability information of the first terminal device to the first access network device.

[0162] In a fifth aspect, a communication device for paging is provided. The communication device is configured to execute the method in any possible implementation manner of the first aspect above. Specifically, the communication device may include a processing unit and a transceiver unit. The transceiver unit may communicate with the outside, and the processing unit is configured to perform data processing. The transceiver unit may also be referred to as a communication interface or a communication unit.

[0163] The communication device may be configured to execute the actions performed by the first access network device in any possible implementation manner of the first aspect. At this time, the communication device may be referred to as the first access network device. The transceiver unit is configured to perform the operations related to transceiver on the side of the first access network device in any possible implementation manner of the first aspect, and the processing unit is configured to perform the operations related to processing on the side of the first access network device in any possible implementation manner of the first aspect.

[0164] In a sixth aspect, a communication device for paging is provided. The communication device is configured to execute the method in any possible implementation manner of the second aspect above. Specifically, the communication device may include a processing unit and a transceiver unit. The transceiver unit may communicate with the outside, and the processing unit is configured to perform data processing. The transceiver unit may also be referred to as a communication interface or a communication unit.

[0165] The communication device may be configured to execute the actions performed by the first terminal device in any possible implementation manner of the second aspect. At this time, the communication device may be referred to as the first terminal device. The transceiver unit is configured to perform the operations related to transceiver on the side of the first terminal device in any possible implementation manner of the second aspect, and the processing unit is configured to perform the operations related to processing on the side of the first terminal device in any possible implementation manner of the second aspect.

[0166] In a seventh aspect, a communication device for paging is provided. The communication device is configured to execute the method in any possible implementation manner of the third aspect above. Specifically, the communication device may include a processing unit and a transceiver unit. The transceiver unit may communicate with the outside, and the processing unit is configured to perform data processing. The transceiver unit may also be referred to as a communication interface or a communication unit.

[0167] The communication device can be used to perform the actions executed by the second access network device in any possible implementation manner of the third aspect. At this time, the communication device can be referred to as the second access network device. The transceiver unit is used to perform the transceiver-related operations on the second access network device side in any possible implementation manner of the third aspect, and the processing unit is used to perform the processing-related operations on the second access network device side in any possible implementation manner of the third aspect.

[0168] In an eighth aspect, a communication device for paging is provided. The communication device is used to perform the method in any possible implementation manner of the fourth aspect described above. Specifically, the communication device may include a processing unit and a transceiver unit. The transceiver unit can communicate with the outside, and the processing unit is used for data processing. The transceiver unit may also be referred to as a communication interface or a communication unit.

[0169] The communication device can be used to perform the actions executed by the core network device in any possible implementation manner of the fourth aspect. At this time, the communication device can be referred to as the core network device. The transceiver unit is used to perform the transceiver-related operations on the core network device side in any possible implementation manner of the fourth aspect, and the processing unit is used to perform the processing-related operations on the core network device side in any possible implementation manner of the fourth aspect.

[0170] In a ninth aspect, a communication device is provided. The communication device includes a processor and a memory. The processor is coupled to the memory. The memory is used to store computer programs or instructions, and the processor is used to execute the computer programs or instructions stored in the memory, so that the method in the first aspect or any possible implementation manner of the first aspect is executed.

[0171] For example, the processor is used to execute the computer programs or instructions stored in the memory, so that the communication device executes the method in the first aspect or any possible implementation manner of the first aspect.

[0172] Optionally, the communication device includes one or more processors.

[0173] Optionally, the communication device may further include a memory coupled to the processor.

[0174] Optionally, the memory included in the communication device may be one or more.

[0175] Optionally, the memory may be integrated with the processor or separately provided.

[0176] Optionally, the communication device may further include a transceiver.

[0177] In a tenth aspect, a communication device is provided. The communication device includes a processor and a memory, the processor is coupled to the memory, the memory is used to store computer programs or instructions, and the processor is used to execute the computer programs or instructions stored in the memory, so that the method in the second aspect or any possible implementation manner of the second aspect is executed.

[0178] For example, the processor is used to execute the computer programs or instructions stored in the memory, so that the communication device executes the method in the second aspect or any possible implementation manner of the second aspect.

[0179] Optionally, the communication device includes one or more processors.

[0180] Optionally, the communication device may further include a memory coupled to the processor.

[0181] Optionally, the communication device includes one or more memories.

[0182] Optionally, the memory may be integrated with the processor or separately provided.

[0183] Optionally, the communication device may further include a transceiver.

[0184] In an eleventh aspect, a communication device is provided. The communication device includes a processor and a memory, the processor is coupled to the memory, the memory is used to store computer programs or instructions, and the processor is used to execute the computer programs or instructions stored in the memory, so that the method in the third aspect or any possible implementation manner of the third aspect is executed.

[0185] For example, the processor is used to execute the computer programs or instructions stored in the memory, so that the communication device executes the method in the third aspect or any possible implementation manner of the third aspect.

[0186] Optionally, the communication device includes one or more processors.

[0187] Optionally, the communication device may further include a memory coupled to the processor.

[0188] Optionally, the communication device includes one or more memories.

[0189] Optionally, the memory may be integrated with the processor or separately provided.

[0190] Optionally, the communication device may further include a transceiver.

[0191] In a twelfth aspect, a communication device is provided. The communication device includes a processor and a memory, the processor is coupled to the memory, the memory is used to store computer programs or instructions, and the processor is used to execute the computer programs or instructions stored in the memory, so that the method in the above-mentioned fourth aspect or any possible implementation manner of the fourth aspect is executed.

[0192] For example, the processor is used to execute the computer programs or instructions stored in the memory, so that the communication device executes the method in the above-mentioned fourth aspect or any possible implementation manner of the fourth aspect.

[0193] Optionally, the communication device includes one or more processors.

[0194] Optionally, the communication device may further include a memory coupled to the processor.

[0195] Optionally, the communication device includes one or more memories.

[0196] Optionally, the memory may be integrated with the processor or separately provided.

[0197] Optionally, the communication device may further include a transceiver.

[0198] In a thirteenth aspect, a communication system is provided. The communication system includes the communication devices in at least two aspects among the communication devices in the above-mentioned fifth aspect or any possible implementation manner of the fifth aspect to the communication devices in the eighth aspect or any possible implementation manner of the eighth aspect; or, the communication system includes the communication devices in at least two aspects among the communication devices in the above-mentioned ninth aspect or any possible implementation manner of the ninth aspect to the communication devices in the twelfth aspect or any possible implementation manner of the twelfth aspect.

[0199] In a fourteenth aspect, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, on which a computer program (which may also be referred to as an instruction or code) for implementing the method in each aspect or any possible implementation manner of each aspect is stored.

[0200] For example, when the computer program is executed by a computer, the computer can execute the method in each aspect or any possible implementation manner of each aspect. The computer may be a communication device.

[0201] In a fifteenth aspect, the present application provides a chip, including a processor. The processor is used to read and execute a computer program stored in a memory to execute the method in each aspect and any possible implementation manner thereof.

[0202] Optionally, the chip further includes a memory, and the memory is connected to the processor through a circuit or a wire.

[0203] Further optionally, the chip further includes a communication interface.

[0204] In a sixteenth aspect, the present application provides a computer program product, which includes a computer program (also referred to as instructions or code). When the computer program is executed by a computer, the computer is caused to implement the methods in various aspects or any possible implementation manners of various aspects. Description of the Drawings

[0205] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the system architecture provided by an embodiment of the present application.

[0206] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of PO and packets provided by an embodiment of the present application.

[0207] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the method for paging provided by an embodiment of the present application.

[0208] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of another method for paging provided by an embodiment of the present application.

[0209] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of yet another method for paging provided by an embodiment of the present application.

[0210] Figure 6 It is a schematic block diagram of a communication device for paging provided by an embodiment of the present application.

[0211] Figure 7 It is a schematic block diagram of another communication device for paging provided by an embodiment of the present application. Detailed Embodiments

[0212] Next, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the present application.

[0213] The technical solution of the embodiment of the present application can be applied to various communication systems, such as: Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) system, Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) system, Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) system, General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Long Term Evolution (LTE) system, LTE Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) system, LTE Time Division Duplex (TDD), Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS), Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) communication system, future 5th generation (5G) system or New Radio (NR), etc.

[0214] Figure 1 Fig. shows a schematic diagram of a system architecture applied to the embodiment of the present application. As Figure 1 shown, the system includes: a terminal device 110, an access network device 120, and a core network device 130.

[0215] The terminal device 110 is also referred to as a user equipment (UE), mobile station (MS), mobile terminal (MT), access terminal, user unit, user station, mobile station, mobile terminal, remote station, remote terminal, mobile device, user terminal, terminal, wireless communication device, user agent, or user communication device, etc.

[0216] The terminal device 110 can be a device that provides voice / data connectivity to users. For example, it can be a handheld device, in-vehicle device, etc. with wireless connection capabilities. Currently, some examples of terminal devices include: mobile phones, tablet computers, laptop computers, handheld computers, mobile internet devices (MIDs), wearable devices, virtual reality (VR) devices, augmented reality (AR) devices, wireless terminals in industrial control, wireless terminals in self-driving, wireless terminals in remote medical surgery, wireless terminals in smart grid, wireless terminals in transportation safety, wireless terminals in smart city, wireless terminals in smart home, cellular phones, cordless phones, session initiation protocol (SIP) phones, wireless local loop (WLL) stations, personal digital assistants (PDAs), handheld devices with wireless communication capabilities, computing devices, or other processing devices connected to a wireless modem, in-vehicle devices, wearable devices, terminal devices in a 5G network, or terminal devices in a future evolved public land mobile network (PLMN), etc. This application does not limit this. For example, the terminal device 110 is used to receive paging messages from the access network device 120.

[0217] The access network device 120, which can also be referred to as a radio access network (RAN) or a radio access network device. The access network device 120 can be a transmission reception point (TRP), can also be an evolved NodeB (eNB or eNodeB) in the LTE system, can also be a home base station (for example, home evolved NodeB, or home Node B, HNB), a base band unit (BBU), can also be a radio controller in the cloud radio access network (CRAN) scenario, or the access network device 120 can be a relay station, an access point, a vehicle-mounted device, a wearable device, and a network device in a 5G network or a network device in a future evolved PLMN network, etc., can also be an access point (AP) in a WLAN, can also be a gNB in an NR system. The above access network device 120 can also be an urban base station, a micro base station, a pico base station, a femto base station, etc. This application does not make any limitations. For example, the access network device 120 is used to send a paging message to page the terminal device 110.

[0218] In a network structure (which can be called a CU-DU network architecture), the access network device 120 can include a centralized unit (CU) node, or a distributed unit (DU) node, or a radio access network (RAN) device including a CU node and a DU node, or a device including a control plane CU node (CU-CP node), a user plane CU node (CU-UP node), and a DU node. The interface between the CU and the DU is the F1 interface. The UE can be connected to the DU in the gNB. The CU represents that the access network device is connected to the core network device through an interface (for example, the Ng interface). Among them, the CU processes the functions of the radio high-layer protocol stack. For example, the radio resource control (RRC) layer and the packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) layer, etc.; the DU processes the physical layer of the baseband processing and some protocol stack functions of layer 2. For example, the radio link control (RLC) layer, the media access control (MAC) layer, and the physical layer (PHY), etc.

[0219] The core network device 130 is used to manage one or more access network devices 120. For example, the core network device 130 is used to send information for the access network device to send a paging message to the access network device 120, such as including the identifier of the terminal device 110 and the group number of the terminal device 110. For example, the core network device 130 may include at least one of a core access and mobility management function (AMF), a user plane function (UPF) network element, a session management function (SMF) network element, a data network (DN), a unified data repository (UDR), or a unified data management (UDM).

[0220] In some communication mechanisms, the terminal device 110 can wake up periodically during the paging occasion (PO) to receive paging messages and remain in a dormant state at other times to save power consumption of the terminal device 110. The PO of the terminal device 110 can be calculated based on the identifier of the terminal device 110. Specifically, during its own paging occasion, the terminal device 110 first receives downlink control information (DCI) used to indicate the scheduling of paging messages. The downlink control information is the downlink control information scrambled by a paging radio network temporary identifier (P-RNTI), which is used to indicate the time-frequency resource location where the paging message is sent. The downlink control information is transmitted on the physical downlink control channel (PDCCH), and the paging message is transmitted on the physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH). If the DCI indicates the time-frequency resource location where the paging message is sent, the terminal device 110 receives the paging message at the time-frequency location indicated by the DCI. When the access network device 120 or the core network device 130 needs to send downlink data to the terminal device 110, the access network device 120 or the core network device 130 sends a paging message at the time-frequency resource location indicated by the DCI, and the paging message may include the identifier of the terminal device 110. If the core network device 130 wants to page the terminal device 110, the core network device 130 can send the paging message to the access network device 120, and the access network device 120 sends the paging message. If the access network device 120 wants to page the terminal device 110, the access network device 120 can send the paging message to the terminal device 110. If there are multiple terminal devices within the coverage area of the access network device 120, the multiple terminal devices wake up to receive the DCI during their respective paging occasions (PO). The multiple terminal devices are in a sleep state outside their respective POs.The PO is periodic. The access network device 120 broadcasts a cell-common paging cycle value, called the default paging cycle. The terminal device 110 itself has a specific paging cycle value, called the UE specific paging cycle. The paging cycle value actually used by the terminal device can be the smaller value of the default paging cycle and the UE specific paging cycle. The paging cycle values defined in the existing standards (such as the default paging cycle or the UE specific paging cycle) include 0.32 s, 0.64 s, 1.28 s, and 2.56 s. Since the DCI sent by the access network device on the PO of the terminal device 110 to be paged, the POs of some terminal devices are the same as the PO of the terminal device 110 to be paged. Therefore, these terminal devices may all receive the DCI on the PO of the terminal device 110, and these terminal devices will receive the paging message at the time-frequency resource position indicated by the DCI. After the terminal device 110 receives the paging message, if the identifier included in the paging message is the identifier of the terminal device 110, the terminal device 110 initiates a radio resource control (RRC) establishment request. That is to say, regardless of which terminal device the access network device 120 or the core network device 130 pages, all terminal devices corresponding to this PO within the coverage of the access network device have to wake up at the PO to receive the DCI, and then receive the paging message at the time-frequency resource position indicated by the DCI. Only after receiving the paging message do they find that the identifier included in the paging message is not the identifier of their own terminal device, which will result in relatively high power consumption of the terminal device.

[0221] To save the power consumption of the terminal device, in a possible implementation, the core network device 130 may group multiple terminal devices corresponding to a PO into multiple groups. Each group of terminal devices corresponds to a group number, and multiple groups of terminal devices correspond to multiple group numbers. The core network device 130 grouping multiple terminal devices is also referred to as the first grouping method. Optionally, the core network device 130 may group according to the characteristic information of each terminal device, and group terminal devices with similar characteristics into one group. For example, terminal devices with a low paging probability are grouped into one group, and terminal devices with a high paging probability are grouped into one group. The core network device 130 may notify each terminal device of the group number to which the terminal device belongs. Each terminal device may save the group number assigned by the core network device 130 for itself. Each terminal device includes the terminal device 110. In another possible implementation, the core network device 130 may assign a paging probability to each terminal device. Optionally, the core network device 130 may assign the finally used paging probability to each terminal device according to the paging probability characteristics of each terminal device. The terminal device 110 may determine the finally used group number according to the correspondence between the paging probability and the group number indicated by the access network device 120 and according to the finally used paging probability negotiated with the core network device 130. When the core network device 130 needs to page the terminal device 110, it may send the group number of the terminal device 110 and the identifier of the terminal device 110 to the access network device 120. The access network device 120 pages the terminal device 110 according to the group number of the terminal device 110 and the identifier of the terminal device 110. Terminal devices with the same group number as the terminal device 110 need to wake up to receive the paging message, and terminal devices with a different group number from the terminal device 110 may not wake up to receive the paging message. In this way, the power consumption of some terminal devices can be saved.

[0222] To save the power consumption of the terminal device, in another possible implementation, the access network device 120 may group multiple terminal devices into multiple groups. Each group of terminal devices corresponds to a group number, and multiple groups of terminal devices correspond to multiple group numbers. The access network device 120 grouping multiple terminal devices is also referred to as the second grouping method. Optionally, the access network device 120 may group according to the identifier of each terminal device. Specifically, the access network device 120 may calculate the group number according to the identifier of each terminal device. For example, perform a modulo operation on the identifier of each terminal device with the number of grouping groups. Each terminal device may also calculate its own group number in the same way as the access network device 120 calculates the group number. Each terminal device includes the terminal device 110. When the access network device 120 needs to page the terminal device 110, the access network device 120 pages the terminal device 110 according to the group number of the terminal device 110. Terminal devices with the same group number as the terminal device 110 need to wake up to receive the paging message, and terminal devices with a different group number from the terminal device 110 may not wake up to receive the paging message. In this way, the power consumption of some terminal devices can be saved.

[0223] The power consumption of the terminal device can be saved through the above two grouping mechanisms. During the process of paging the terminal device 110 through the above two grouping mechanisms, first, the access network device 120 calculates the PO of the terminal device 110 according to the identifier of the terminal device 110, where the method for the access network device 120 to calculate the PO is the same as that of the terminal device 110 to calculate the PO. Under the above two grouping mechanisms, there can be two grouping paging mechanisms.

[0224] The first grouping paging mechanism

[0225] The access network device 120 may send a wake-up signal (WUS) at a time-frequency resource position with an offset before the PO of the terminal device 110. The WUS is used to indicate whether a certain group of terminal devices of the PO receive DCI, or the WUS is used to indicate whether a certain group of terminal devices of a certain PO among multiple POs receive DCI, where the received DCI may be DCI scrambled with a paging radio network temporary identifier. A certain group of terminal devices may be a group of terminal devices after grouping by the access network device 120 or a group of terminal devices after grouping by the core network device 130. The WUS may also be referred to as a paging early indication (PEI). The position for sending the WUS may be specified by the protocol or configured by the access network device 120. Each terminal device may wake up at the position where the WUS is sent to receive the WUS. Each terminal device determines whether a certain group of terminal devices of a certain PO indicated by the WUS receive DCI according to the WUS. Each terminal device determines according to the indication of the WUS that the terminal devices in the group indicated by the WUS need to wake up at the PO to receive DCI, and the terminal devices in the group not indicated by the WUS continue to be in the sleep state and do not wake up at the PO. The WUS or PEI may be a type of DCI or a sequence or a reference signal. For example, as Figure 2 shown, the access network device 120 may send a PEI with an offset before PO1. The PEI includes fields or bits to indicate whether the terminal devices in a certain group in a subsequent certain PO receive a paging message. For example, the fields or bits included in the PEI are 12 bits or 16 bits. Exemplarily, the fields or bits are 12 bits. For example, 12 bits are associated with Figure 2 the 3 POs shown in the figure, namely PO1, PO2, and PO3. Each PO supports 4 groups, Figure 2Only 4 groups supported by PO3 are shown, namely Group 1, Group 2, Group 3, and Group 4. For example, 12 bits are 0000 00000100. Among them, the first four 0000 indicate that the 4 groups supported by PO1 do not receive paging messages, the middle four 0000 indicate that the 4 groups supported by PO2 do not receive paging messages, and the last four 0100 indicate that the terminal devices in Group 2 supported by PO3 receive paging messages. Alternatively, 12 bits are associated with 2 POs, and each PO supports 6 groups. Optionally, the number of POs associated with the PEI and the number of groups in each PO can be configured by the network device or predefined by the protocol. The terminal device 110 can calculate the PO based on the identifier of the terminal device 110 and receive the PEI at an offset before the PO. The terminal device 110 determines whether the PO indicated in the PEI is the PO calculated by the terminal device 110 based on a certain group in a certain PO indicated in the PEI. If the PO indicated in the PEI is the PO calculated by the terminal device 110 based on the identifier of the terminal device 110, the terminal device 110 further determines whether the group number in the PO indicated in the PEI is the group number assigned by the core network device 130 to the terminal device 110. If so, the terminal device 110 wakes up in this PO to receive the DCI, and all terminal devices in the same group as the terminal device 110 wake up in this PO to receive the DCI. All terminal devices in the same group as the terminal device 110 receive paging messages at the time-frequency resource position indicated by the DCI. If the paging message includes the identifier of the terminal device 110, the terminal device 110 initiates an RRC establishment request message. If the PO indicated in the PEI is not the PO calculated by the terminal device 110 based on the identifier of the terminal device 110, the terminal device continues to sleep and does not receive downlink control information on the PO. Or if the PO indicated in the PEI is the PO calculated by the terminal device 110 based on the identifier of the terminal device 110, but the group number of the PO indicated in the PEI is not the group number to which the terminal device 110 belongs, then the terminal device 110 continues to sleep, does not wake up on the PO, and does not receive the DCI on the PO. In the first paging mechanism, the terminal devices in the group corresponding to the group number wake up in the PO to receive the DCI, and the terminal devices in other groups continue to be in the sleep state, which can save the power consumption of the terminal devices in other groups.

[0226] The second group paging mechanism

[0227] The access network device 120 may send DCI on the PO of the terminal device 110. The DCI is used to indicate the group number of the paged terminal device and the time-frequency resource location for sending the paging message. All terminal devices corresponding to the PO of the terminal device 110 need to wake up to receive the DCI. Each terminal device determines whether it needs to receive the paging message according to the group number indicated by the DCI. If the group number indicated by the DCI is the same as the group number of some terminal devices, these terminal devices need to receive the paging message at the time-frequency resource location indicated by the DCI, and then determine whether they are paged according to the identifier of the terminal device in the paging message. For example, the group number of the group where the terminal device 110 is located is 4. If the access network device 120 wants to page the terminal device 110, the access network device 120 calculates the PO of the terminal device 110 as PO4 according to the identifier of the terminal device 110. The access network device 120 sends DCI on PO4. The DCI is used to indicate the group number 4 and the time-frequency resource location for sending the paging message. After receiving the DCI, the terminal device 110, the terminal device 140, and the terminal device 150 determine that the group number 4 indicated by the DCI is the same as the group number of the terminal device 110. Therefore, the terminal device 110 receives the paging message at the time-frequency resource location indicated by the DCI. If the group number of the terminal device 140 is the same as that of the terminal device 110, both being 4, the terminal device 140 receives the paging message at the time-frequency resource location indicated by the DCI. If the group number of the terminal device 150 is not 4, the terminal device 150 does not receive the paging message at the time-frequency resource location indicated by the DCI. In the second paging mechanism, the terminal devices of each group corresponding to the PO of the terminal device 110 wake up at the PO to receive the DCI. The terminal devices in the group corresponding to the group number of the terminal device 110 to be paged receive the paging message at the time-frequency resource location indicated by the DCI. The terminal devices of other groups enter the sleep state again and no longer receive the paging message, which can save the power consumption of the terminal devices of other groups.

[0228] In an actual application scenario, the access network device 120 may support the first grouping method and / or the second grouping method, and the terminal device 110 may also support the first grouping method and / or the second grouping method; or, the access network device 120 does not support the grouping method, and the terminal device 110 supports the first grouping method and / or the second grouping method; or, the terminal device 110 does not support the grouping method, and the access network device 120 supports the first grouping method and / or the second grouping method. In this way, when the access network device 120 paging the terminal device 110, the method used may be inconsistent with the method supported by the terminal device 110, thus reducing the success rate of paging. For example, if the terminal device 110 does not support the grouping method and wakes up at each PO to try to receive DCI, and the access network device 120 supports the first grouping method and / or the second grouping method, when the access network device 120 pages the terminal device 110 according to the first paging mechanism, the PEI is sent at an offset before the PO. Since the terminal device 110 does not support the grouping method, the terminal device 110 will not receive the PEI either. That is to say, the signaling sent by the access network device 120 to page the terminal device 110 in the first grouping method or the second grouping method cannot be received by the terminal device 110, which will cause signaling waste. Another example, if the terminal device 110 supports the first grouping method or the second grouping method and the access network device 120 does not support the grouping method, the access network device 120 cannot group multiple terminal devices either. If the group number for the terminal device 110 sent by the core network device 130 cannot be parsed by the access network device 120 either. Therefore, when the access network device 120 pages the terminal device 110, it does not use the grouping mechanism for paging, and the access network device 120 will not send the PEI at an offset before the PO of the terminal device 110. Since the terminal device 110 supports the first grouping method or the second grouping method, if the terminal device 110 tries to receive the PEI at an offset before the PO using the first paging mechanism, but since the access network device 120 does not send the PEI, it will cause the terminal device 110 to wake up at the time-frequency resource position where the PEI is sent, thus increasing the power consumption of the terminal device 110. Another example, if the access network device 120 supports the first grouping method and the terminal device 110 supports the second grouping method, the group number used by the access network device 120 when paging the terminal device 110 is allocated by the core network device 130. However, since the terminal device 110 does not support the first grouping method, the terminal device 110 cannot parse the group number allocated by the core network device 130 for the terminal device 110, and thus cannot parse the group number carried in the PEI or DCI when the access network device 120 pages the terminal device 110, which may lead to the situation of paging failure.In addition, the terminal device 110 supports the second grouping method. The terminal device 110 calculates its own group number based on its own identifier. The group number carried in the PEI or DCI sent by the access network device 120 may be for paging another terminal device. However, since the group number carried in the PEI or DCI may be the group number calculated by the terminal device 110 based on its own identifier, the terminal device 110 mistakenly believes that it needs to wake up to receive the paging message at the time-frequency resource position indicated by the DCI. The terminal device 110 will receive the paging message at the time-frequency resource position indicated by the DCI. After receiving the paging message, the terminal device 110 will find that the identifier carried in the paging message is not its own, which will result in relatively high power consumption. That is to say, since the grouping methods supported by the terminal device 110 and the access network device 120 are inconsistent, the group numbers of different terminal devices may be the same under different grouping methods. When the access network device 120 pages one of the terminal devices, the terminal devices with the same group number will all wake up to receive the paging message, which will result in relatively high power consumption.

[0229] Therefore, in the embodiments of the present application, the access network device 120 may determine the first target method for paging the terminal device 110 according to the grouping capability information supported by the terminal device 110 and the grouping method supported by the access network device 120, and the access network device 120 uses the first target method to page the terminal device 110. Correspondingly, the terminal device 110 may determine the first target method for receiving the paging of the access network device 120 according to the grouping method supported by the access network device 120 and the grouping method supported by the terminal device 110, and the terminal device 110 receives the paging message of the access network device 120 according to the first target method. In this way, the first target method for the access network device 120 to page the terminal device 110 can be made consistent with the first target method for the terminal device 110 to receive the paging of the access network device 120, thereby improving the success rate of paging and saving overhead.

[0230] The method for paging in the embodiments of the present application is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In order to avoid repetition, the numbers of the devices are omitted. For example, the core network device below may be Figure 1 the core network device 130, and the first access network device may be Figure 1 the access network device 120, and the first terminal device may be Figure 1 the terminal device 110.

[0231] Figure 3 Fig. 300 shows the method for paging provided by the embodiments of the present application.

[0232] S301, the first access network device obtains the grouping capability information of the first terminal device, and the grouping capability information is used to indicate the grouping method supported by the first terminal device.

[0233] Optionally, S301 includes: The first access network device obtains the packet capability information of the first terminal device from the core network device. Optionally, the first terminal device may send the packet capability information of the first terminal device to the core network device through the first access network device. Specifically, the first terminal device may first send the packet capability information of the first terminal device to the first access network device, and then the access network device sends the packet capability information of the first terminal device to the core network device. The core network device stores the packet capability information of the first terminal device. When the core network device needs to page the first terminal device, it may send the packet capability information of the first terminal device to the first access network device. Optionally, when the first terminal device registers to the core network device, it may send the packet capability information of the first terminal device to the core network device, and the core network device stores the packet capability information of the first terminal device. Optionally, the first terminal device may send the packet capability information of the first terminal device to the core network device through a registration request message.

[0234] Optionally, S301 includes: The first access network device may obtain the packet capability information of the first terminal device from the second access network device. For example, the second access network device is the last serving access network device when the first terminal device is in the RRC connected state, and the first access network device is the access network device where the first terminal device camps when it is in the RRC inactive state. Therefore, the second access network device may send the packet capability information of the first terminal device to the first access network device, so that when the first access network device pages the first terminal device, it can determine the first target paging method according to the packet capability information of the first terminal device.

[0235] Optionally, S301 includes: The first access network device may obtain the packet capability information of the first terminal device from the first terminal device. For example, after the first terminal device accesses the first access network device, the first terminal device may send the packet capability information of the first terminal device to the first access network device.

[0236] In an actual application scenario, due to factors such as different versions of different terminal devices, different manufacturers of different terminal devices, or different chip models of different terminal devices, the packet support capabilities of different terminal devices are different. Some terminal devices support packet capabilities, some terminal devices do not support packet capabilities, some terminal devices support one packet capability, and some terminal devices support two packet capabilities. Therefore, the first access network device needs to know the packet capability information of the first terminal device, so as to determine the first target paging method used to page the first terminal device.

[0237] Optionally, the grouping capability information of the first terminal device is used to indicate whether the first terminal device supports the grouping mode. Optionally, the grouping capability information of the first terminal device is used to indicate that the first terminal device supports the grouping mode, which may implicitly support that the first terminal device supports the first grouping mode and the second grouping mode; optionally, the grouping capability information of the first terminal device is used to indicate that the first terminal device does not support the grouping mode, indicating that the first terminal device neither supports the first grouping mode nor the second grouping mode.

[0238] Optionally, the grouping capability information of the first terminal device is used to indicate the grouping mode supported by the first terminal device. Specifically, the grouping capability information of the first terminal device is used to indicate that the grouping mode supported by the first terminal device is the first grouping mode; or the grouping capability information of the first terminal device is used to indicate that the supported grouping mode of the first terminal device is the second grouping mode; or the grouping capability information of the first terminal device is used to indicate that the grouping mode supported by the first terminal device is the first grouping mode and the second grouping mode.

[0239] Optionally, the first grouping method is a method for the core network device to group multiple terminal devices. After the core network device groups multiple terminal devices, it can notify the group numbers of the respective terminal devices to the respective terminal devices. Optionally, the first grouping method can be referred to as a grouping method controlled by the core network device. Optionally, the first grouping method is a method for grouping based on the characteristic information of multiple terminal devices. Optionally, each terminal device sends the characteristic information of each terminal device to the first core network device. Optionally, each terminal device can send the characteristic information of each terminal device to the core network device through a non-access stratum (NAS) message. The NAS message carrying the characteristic information can be a Registration Request message or a Service Request message. The core network device groups the respective terminal devices according to the characteristic information of each terminal device according to a rule. For example, the characteristic information of each terminal device can be the paging probability of each terminal device. Terminal devices with similar paging probabilities can be divided into a group. The smaller the paging probability of a terminal device, the smaller its group number, and the larger the paging probability of a terminal device, the larger its group number. For example, the characteristic information of each terminal device can be the power consumption sensitivity of each terminal device. Terminal devices with similar sensitivity levels can be divided into a group. The more power consumption-sensitive a terminal device is, the smaller its group number, and the less power consumption-sensitive a terminal device is, the larger its group number. For example, the characteristic information of each terminal device can include at least two of the RRC state of each terminal device, the paging probability of each terminal device, or the power consumption sensitivity of each terminal device. The core network device can group the respective terminal devices in combination with at least two of the RRC state of each terminal device, the paging probability of each terminal device, or the power consumption sensitivity of each terminal device. That is to say, when the core network device groups the respective terminal devices, it adopts a certain rule. For example, the rule is that terminal devices with similar characteristic information are in a group. In this way, a group of terminal devices can wake up or be in a sleep state simultaneously according to the group number, which is beneficial to power consumption saving.

[0240] Optionally, the second grouping method is a method for an access network device (which can be any access network device, such as the first access network device or the second access network device) to group multiple terminal devices. Optionally, the second grouping method can also be referred to as a grouping method controlled by the access network device. Optionally, the second grouping method can also be referred to as a method for grouping based on the identifier of the terminal device. The access network device can calculate the group numbers of the respective terminal devices after calculating the identifiers of each terminal device, and divide the terminal devices with the same group number into a group. Correspondingly, each terminal device can calculate its own group number according to the identifier of each terminal device by using the same calculation method as the access network device.

[0241] It can be understood that the first grouping method is superior to the second grouping method. When the core network device groups multiple terminal devices by the first grouping method, the characteristic information of each terminal device is considered. In this way, during the paging process, terminal devices with similar or the same characteristics can wake up simultaneously or be in the sleep state simultaneously, which is beneficial to globally controlling the terminal devices and reducing the probability that the terminal devices can be wrongly awakened. When the access network device groups multiple terminal devices by the second grouping method, the group numbers of each terminal device are calculated based on the identifiers of each terminal device, which belongs to randomized grouping. Terminal devices randomly grouped into a group may be continuously awakened due to a terminal device with a high probability, increasing the power consumption of the terminal devices.

[0242] S302. The first access network device determines a first target method for paging the first terminal device according to the grouping method supported by the first access network device and the grouping capability information of the first terminal device.

[0243] Before S302, the first access network device determines the grouping method supported by the first access network device according to whether the core network device supports using the first grouping method and the grouping method supported by the first access network device. It should be noted that the grouping method supported by the first access network device may be the grouping method supported by one or more cells of the first access network device.

[0244] Optionally, the first access network device may receive first indication information sent by the core network device. The first indication information is used to indicate whether the core network device supports using the first grouping method. The first access network device determines the grouping method supported by the first access network device according to whether the core network device supports using the first grouping method indicated by the first indication information and the grouping method supported by the first access network device. That is to say, when the first access network device determines the grouping method supported by the first access network device, it may refer to whether the core network device supports the first grouping method.

[0245] The following is a discussion in different cases. The first access network device determines the grouping method supported by the first access network device according to the first indication information and the grouping method supported by the first access network device.

[0246] Case 1. If the first indication information indicates that the core network device supports using the first grouping method, and the grouping method supported by the first access network device includes the first grouping method, it is determined that the grouping method supported by the first access network device is the first grouping method.

[0247] In Case 1, if the first indication information indicates that the core network device supports using the first packet mode, and the packet mode supported by the first access network device is the first packet mode or both the first packet mode and the second packet mode, it is determined that the packet mode supported by the first access network device is the first packet mode. That is to say, if the first access network device supports both the first packet mode and the second packet mode, and the core network device supports the first packet mode, the first packet mode is preferentially supported for use.

[0248] In Case 2, if the first indication information indicates that the core network device supports using the first packet mode, and the packet mode supported by the first access network device includes the second packet mode but does not include the first packet mode, it is determined that the packet mode supported by the first access network device is the second packet mode.

[0249] In Case 3, if the first indication information indicates that the core network device does not support using the first packet mode, and the packet mode supported by the first access network device includes the second packet mode, it is determined that the packet mode supported by the first access network device is the second packet mode.

[0250] In Case 3, if the first indication information indicates that the core network device does not support using the first packet mode, and the packet mode supported by the first access network device is the second packet mode or both the first packet mode and the second packet mode, it is determined that the packet mode supported by the first access network device is the second packet mode. That is to say, if the first access network device supports both the first packet mode and the second packet mode, but since the core network device does not support the first packet mode, the first access network device can only support using the second packet mode.

[0251] In Case 4, if the first indication information indicates that the core network device supports using the first packet mode, and the packet mode supported by the first access network device includes both the first packet mode and the second packet mode, it is determined that the packet mode supported by the first access network device is both the first packet mode and the second packet mode.

[0252] In Case 5, if the first access network device does not support the first packet mode and does not support the second packet mode, it is determined that the first access network device does not support using a packet mode.

[0253] That is to say, in Case 5, if the first access network device does not support the first packet mode and does not support the second packet mode, then even if the core network device supports the first packet mode, the first access network device cannot parse the content related to the first packet mode. Therefore, in this case, the first access network device can determine that it does not support using a packet mode without considering whether the core network device supports the first packet mode.

[0254] Optionally, the core network device may not send the first indication information to the first access network device to indicate whether the core network device supports using the first packet mode. The protocol may stipulate whether the core network device supports using the first packet mode, or, if the first access network device can receive the group number obtained by grouping according to the first packet mode sent by the core network device, it implicitly indicates that the core network device supports using the first packet mode. If the first access network device cannot receive the group number obtained by grouping according to the first packet mode sent by the core network device, it implicitly indicates that the core network device does not support using the first packet mode. Embodiments of the present application do not impose any restrictions on how the first access network device learns whether the core network device supports the first packet mode.

[0255] That is to say, through any one of the above five cases, it is determined that the first access network device may support using the first packet mode, or support using the second packet mode, or support using the first packet mode and the second packet mode, or not support using the packet mode.

[0256] Optionally, after the first access network device determines the supported packet mode, it may broadcast the supported packet mode. Optionally, the first access network device may also broadcast the configuration information related to the supported packet mode. For example, after the first access network device determines that it supports using the first packet mode, the first access network device may broadcast through the system message that the first access network device supports using the first packet mode and the configuration information related to the first packet mode. For example, the configuration information related to the first packet mode may be the time-frequency resource location of the PEI. Optionally, the configuration information related to the first packet mode may also not include the time-frequency resource location of the PEI, and the time-frequency resource location of the PEI may be stipulated by the protocol. It should be noted that after the first access network device determines the packet mode supported by one or more cells of the first access network device, it may broadcast the packet mode supported by one or more cells, and optionally, may also broadcast the configuration information related to the packet mode supported by one or more cells.

[0257] After the first access network device determines the packet mode supported by the first access network device, it may execute S302. The following discusses S302 in different cases.

[0258] Case A1, if the packet mode supported by the first access network device includes the first packet mode, and the first terminal device packet capability information indicates that the first terminal device supports the first packet mode, the first access network device determines that the first target mode used to page the first terminal device is the first packet mode. Optionally, the packet mode supported by the first access network device includes the first packet mode, which can be understood as the packet mode supported by the first access network device is the first packet mode, or the first packet mode and the second packet mode.

[0259] Optionally, case A1 can also be replaced with: If the first access network device supports using the first packet mode, and the first terminal device packet capability information indicates that the first terminal device supports the first packet mode and the second packet mode, the first access network device determines that the first target mode for paging the first terminal device is the first packet mode.

[0260] For example, the first access network device determines that the first packet mode supported for use by the first access network device is the first packet mode according to the above-mentioned case 1. For another example, the first access network device determines that the first packet mode supported for use by the first access network device is the first packet mode and the second packet mode according to the above-mentioned case 4, that is, the first packet mode supported for use by the first access network device includes the first packet mode.

[0261] Case B1: If the first packet mode supported for use by the first access network device includes the second packet mode, and the first terminal device packet capability information indicates that the first terminal device supports the second packet mode, it is determined that the first target mode for paging the first terminal device is the second packet mode.

[0262] Optionally, the first packet mode supported for use by the first access network device includes the second packet mode, which can be understood as the first access network device supports the second packet mode, or the first packet mode and the second packet mode.

[0263] Optionally, case B1 can also be replaced with: If the first packet mode supported for use by the first access network device is the second packet mode, and the first terminal device packet capability information indicates that the first terminal device supports the first packet mode and the second packet mode, it is determined that the first target mode for paging the first terminal device is the second packet mode.

[0264] For example, the first access network device determines that the first packet mode supported for use by the first access network device is the second packet mode according to the above-mentioned case 2 or case 3. For another example, the first access network device determines that the first packet mode supported for use by the first access network device is the first packet mode and the second packet mode according to the above-mentioned case 4, that is, the first packet mode supported for use by the first access network device includes the second packet mode.

[0265] Case C1: If the first packet mode supported for use by the first access network device is the first packet mode, and the first terminal device packet capability information indicates that the first terminal device supports the second packet mode and does not support the first packet mode, it is determined that the first target mode for paging the first terminal device is the non-packet mode, that is, the packet paging mechanism is not used, and the non-packet paging mechanism is used.

[0266] For example, the first access network device determines that the first packet mode supported for use by the first access network device is the first packet mode according to the above-mentioned case 1.

[0267] In case D1, if the first access network device supports using the second packet mode and the packet capability information of the first terminal device indicates that the first terminal device supports the first packet mode but does not support the second packet mode, it is determined that the first target mode for paging the first terminal device is the non-packet mode.

[0268] For example, the first access network device determines that the packet mode it supports using is the second packet mode according to the above case two or case three.

[0269] In case E1, if the first access network device supports using the first packet mode and the second packet mode, and the capability information of the first terminal device indicates that the first terminal device supports the first packet mode and the second packet mode, the first access network device determines the first target mode according to the priority of the first packet mode and the priority of the second packet mode.

[0270] For example, the first access network device determines that the packet mode it supports using is the first packet mode and the second packet mode according to the above case four.

[0271] Optionally, the first access network device determines the first target mode according to the priority of the first packet mode and the priority of the second packet mode, including:

[0272] If the priority of the first packet mode is higher than the priority of the second packet mode, the first packet mode is determined as the first target mode. Optionally, the protocol may stipulate that the priority of the first packet mode is higher than the priority of the second packet mode. Optionally, the first access network device may determine that the priority of the first packet mode is higher than the priority of the second packet mode. Optionally, the first access network device may broadcast that the priority of the first packet mode is higher than the priority of the second packet mode. Of course, the priority of the second packet mode may also be higher than the priority of the first packet mode. In this case, the first access network device determines the second packet mode as the first target mode.

[0273] In case F1, if the first access network device does not support using the packet mode, that is, it does not support using the first packet mode nor the second packet mode, the first access network device determines that the first target mode for paging the first terminal device is the non-packet mode. That is to say, if in the above case five, the first access network device determines that it does not support using the packet mode, the first access network device determines that the first target mode for paging the first terminal device is the non-packet mode, that is, the first terminal device is not paged using the packet paging mechanism.

[0274] Case G1. If the packet capability information of the first terminal device indicates that the first terminal device does not support the packet mode, that is, the first terminal device does not support the first packet mode nor the second packet mode, regardless of whether the first access network device supports the first packet mode and / or the second packet mode, the first access network device determines that the first target mode for paging the first terminal device is the non-packet mode, that is, the first terminal device is not paged using the packet paging mechanism.

[0275] S303. The first terminal device obtains the packet modes supported by the first access network device for use.

[0276] Specifically, after the first access network device determines the packet modes supported by the first access network device for use according to any one of the above cases 1 to 5, the first access network device may broadcast the packet modes supported by the first access network device for use. For example, the first access network device broadcasts the packet modes supported by the first access network device for use through a system message. After the first terminal device camps on the first access network device, the first terminal device may receive the system message broadcast by the first access network device, and thus may obtain the packet modes supported by the first access network device for use in the system message. For example, the first access network device may broadcast through a system message that the first access network device supports using the first packet mode, or the first access network device supports using the second packet mode, or the first access network device supports using the first packet mode and the second packet mode, or the first access network device indicates in the system message that the first access network device does not support using the packet mode. For example, the first access network device may implicitly indicate that the first access network device does not support using the packet mode by not carrying the relevant information of the packet modes supported by the first access network device for use in the system message.

[0277] Optionally, the first access network device broadcasts whether it supports using the packet mode, and the first terminal device obtains whether the first access network device supports using the packet mode. It can be understood that if it supports using the packet mode, it means that it supports both the first packet mode and the second packet mode; if it does not support using the packet mode, it means that it does not support both the first packet mode and the second packet mode.

[0278] S304. The first terminal device determines the first target mode for the first terminal device to receive paging from the first access network device according to the packet modes supported by the first access network device for use and the packet modes supported by the first terminal device.

[0279] After the first terminal device obtains the packet modes supported by the first access network device for use, S304 may be executed. S304 is discussed in the following cases.

[0280] In case A2, if the first access network device supports a packet mode including a first packet mode and the first terminal device supports the first packet mode, the first terminal device determines that the first target mode used by the first terminal device to receive the paging from the first access network device is the first packet mode.

[0281] Optionally, the packet mode supported by the first access network device includes the first packet mode, which can be understood as the packet mode supported by the first access network device being the first packet mode, or being the first packet mode and the second packet mode.

[0282] Optionally, case A2 can also be replaced with: if the packet mode supported by the first access network device is the first packet mode and the first terminal device supports the first packet mode and the second packet mode, the first terminal device determines that the first target mode used by the first terminal device to receive the paging from the first access network device is the first packet mode.

[0283] Among them, case A2 corresponds to case A1 above. That is to say, the first access network device and the first terminal device adopt the same strategy to determine that the first target mode is the first packet mode. In this way, it can make the first target mode for the first access network device to page the first terminal device the same as the first target mode for the first terminal device to determine to receive the paging from the first access network device.

[0284] In case B2, if the packet mode supported by the first access network device is the second packet mode and the first terminal device supports the second packet mode, the first terminal device determines that the first target mode used by the first terminal device to receive the paging from the first access network device is the second packet mode.

[0285] Optionally, the packet mode supported by the first access network device includes the second packet mode, which can be understood as the packet mode supported by the first access network device being the second packet mode, or being the first packet mode and the second packet mode.

[0286] Optionally, case B2 can also be replaced with: if the packet mode supported by the first access network device is the second packet mode and the first terminal device supports the first packet mode and the second packet mode, the first terminal device determines that the first target mode used by the first terminal device to receive the paging from the first access network device is the second packet mode.

[0287] Among them, case B2 corresponds to case B1 above. That is to say, the first access network device and the first terminal device adopt the same strategy to determine that the first target mode is the second packet mode. In this way, it can make the first target mode for the first access network device to page the first terminal device the same as the first target mode for the first terminal device to determine to receive the paging from the first access network device.

[0288] Case C2: If the packet mode supported by the first access network device is the first packet mode, and the first terminal device supports the second packet mode but does not support the first packet mode, the first terminal device determines that the first target mode used by the first terminal device to receive the paging from the first access network device is the non-packet mode.

[0289] Among them, case C2 corresponds to case C1 mentioned above. That is to say, the first access network device and the first terminal device adopt the same strategy to determine that the first target mode is the non-packet mode. In this way, the first target mode for the first access network device to page the first terminal device can be the same as the first target mode determined by the first terminal device to receive the paging from the first access network device.

[0290] Case D2: If the packet mode supported by the first access network device is the second packet mode, and the first terminal device supports the first packet mode but does not support the second packet mode, the first terminal device determines that the first target mode used by the first terminal device to receive the paging from the first access network device is the non-packet mode.

[0291] Among them, case D2 corresponds to case D1 mentioned above. That is to say, the first access network device and the first terminal device adopt the same strategy to determine that the first target mode is the non-packet mode. In this way, the first target mode for the first access network device to page the first terminal device can be the same as the first target mode determined by the first terminal device to receive the paging from the first access network device.

[0292] Case E2: If the packet modes supported by the first access network device are the first packet mode and the second packet mode, and the first terminal device supports the first packet mode and the second packet mode, the first terminal device determines the first target mode used to receive the paging from the first access network device according to the priorities of the first packet mode and the second packet mode.

[0293] Optionally, the first terminal device determines the first target mode used to receive the paging from the first access network device according to the priorities of the first packet mode and the second packet mode, including: if the priority of the first packet mode is higher than that of the second packet mode, the first packet mode is determined as the first target mode. Optionally, the protocol can stipulate that the priority of the first packet mode is higher than that of the second packet mode. Optionally, the first access network device can broadcast that the priority of the first packet mode is higher than that of the second packet mode. Of course, the priority of the second packet mode can also be higher than that of the first packet mode. In this case, the first terminal device determines the second packet mode as the first target mode.

[0294] Among them, case E2 corresponds to the above-mentioned case E1. That is to say, the first access network device and the first terminal device adopt the same policy to determine that the first target mode is the first packet mode. In this way, it can be ensured that the first target mode for the first access network device to page the first terminal device is the same as the first target mode for the first terminal device to determine to receive the paging of the first terminal device.

[0295] Case F2: If the first access network device does not support using the packet mode, that is, it does not support using the first packet mode nor the second packet mode, the first terminal device determines that the first target mode used by the first terminal device to receive the paging of the first access network device is the non-packet mode.

[0296] Among them, case F2 corresponds to the above-mentioned case F1. That is to say, the first access network device and the first terminal device adopt the same policy to determine that the first target mode is the non-packet mode. In this way, it can be ensured that the first target mode for the first access network device to page the first terminal device is the same as the first target mode for the first terminal device to determine to receive the paging of the first terminal device.

[0297] Case G2: If the first terminal device does not support the packet mode, that is, the first terminal device does not support the first packet mode nor the second packet mode, the first terminal device determines that the first target mode used by the first terminal device to receive the paging of the first access network device is the non-packet mode.

[0298] Among them, case G2 corresponds to the above-mentioned case G1. That is to say, the first access network device and the first terminal device adopt the same policy to determine that the first target mode is the non-packet mode. In this way, it can be ensured that the first target mode for the first access network device to page the first terminal device is the same as the first target mode for the first terminal device to determine to receive the paging of the first terminal device.

[0299] S305: The first access network device pages the first terminal device according to the first target mode determined in S302, and the first terminal device receives the paging message of the first access network device according to the first target mode determined in S304.

[0300] Optionally, if the first target mode determined by the first access network device in S302 is the first packet mode, the first target mode determined by the first terminal device in S304 is the first packet mode. In the first packet paging mechanism, S305 includes: the first access network device sends a WUS at an offset time-frequency resource position before the PO, and the WUS carries the first group number assigned by the core network device to the first terminal device. The first terminal device determines that the first group number carried in the WUS is the group number assigned by the core network device to the first terminal device. Therefore, the first terminal device needs to wake up at the PO of the first terminal device to receive the DCI, and receive the paging message sent by the first access network device at the time-frequency resource position indicated by the DCI. If the paging message carries the identifier of the first terminal device, the first terminal device initiates a radio resource control (RRC) establishment request. If the PO of the first terminal device is the same as that of the second terminal device, and the core network device assigns the first group number to both the first terminal device and the second terminal device in the first core network device, when the second terminal device receives the WUS, the first group number carried in the WUS is the group number assigned by the core network device to the second terminal device. Therefore, the second terminal device needs to wake up at the PO of the second terminal device to receive the DCI, and receive the paging message sent by the first access network device at the time-frequency resource position indicated by the DCI. If the paging message does not carry the identifier of the second terminal device, the second terminal device continues to be in the sleep state. The terminal devices in other group numbers can also receive the WUS, and determine that the terminal devices in other groups do not need to wake up at the PO to receive the DCI according to the first group number carried in the WUS. That is, the terminal devices in other group numbers continue to be in the sleep state after receiving the WUS, thereby saving overhead.

[0301] If the first target mode determined by the first access network device in S302 is the first packet mode, the first target mode determined by the first terminal device in S304 is the first packet mode. In the second packet paging mechanism, S305 includes: the first access network device sends DCI on the PO of the first terminal device, and the DCI carries the first group number assigned by the core network device to the first terminal device. The first terminal device determines that the first group number in the DCI is the group number assigned by the core network device to the first terminal device. Therefore, the first terminal device receives the paging message sent by the first access network device at the time-frequency resource position indicated by the DCI. If the paging message carries the identifier of the first terminal device, the first terminal device initiates an RRC establishment request. If the PO of the first terminal device is the same as that of the second terminal device, and the core network device assigns the first group number to both the first terminal device and the second terminal device for the first core network device, when the second terminal device receives the DCI on the PO, the first group number carried by the DCI is the group number assigned by the core network device to the second terminal device. Therefore, the second terminal device needs to receive the paging message sent by the first access network device at the time-frequency resource position indicated by the DCI. If the paging message does not carry the identifier of the second terminal device, the second terminal device continues to be in the sleep state. Terminal devices with other group numbers can wake up on the PO to receive the DCI. The terminal devices with other group numbers determine that the group number is not their own group number according to the first group number carried in the DCI. Therefore, they also do not receive the paging message at the time-frequency resource position indicated by the DCI and continue to be in the sleep state, waiting for the arrival of the next PO.

[0302] Optionally, if the first target mode determined by the first access network device in S302 is the second packet mode, the first target mode determined by the first terminal device in S304 is the second packet mode. In the first packet paging mechanism, S305 includes: the first access network device sends a WUS at an offset time-frequency resource position before the PO, and the WUS carries a second group number calculated by the first access network device according to the identifier of the first terminal device. The first terminal device calculates a second group number of the first terminal device according to the identifier of the first terminal device, where the calculation rule of the first access network device is the same as that of the first terminal device. The first terminal device determines, according to the second group number carried in the WUS, that it needs to wake up at the PO of the first terminal device to receive the DCI, and receives the paging message sent by the first access network device at the time-frequency resource position indicated by the DCI. If the identifier of the first terminal device is carried in the paging message, the first terminal device initiates an RRC establishment request. If the group number calculated by the first access network device according to the identifier of the first terminal device is the same as the group number calculated according to the identifier of the second terminal device, both being the second group number, the group number calculated by the second terminal device according to the identifier of the second terminal device is also the second group number. When the second terminal device receives the WUS, with the second group number carried in the WUS, the second terminal device needs to wake up at the PO of the second terminal device to receive the DCI, and receives the paging message sent by the first access network device at the time-frequency resource position indicated by the DCI. If the identifier of the second terminal device is not carried in the paging message, the second terminal device continues to be in the sleep state. Terminal devices in other group numbers can also receive the WUS, and determine according to the second group number carried in the WUS that terminal devices in other groups do not need to wake up at the PO to receive the DCI, that is, terminal devices in other group numbers continue to be in the sleep state after receiving the WUS, thereby saving overhead.

[0303] Optionally, if the first target mode determined by the first access network device in S302 is the second packet mode, the first target mode determined by the first terminal device in S304 is the second packet mode. In the second packet paging mechanism, S305 includes: the first access network device sends DCI on the PO of the first terminal device, and the DCI carries the second group number calculated by the first access network device according to the identifier of the first terminal device. The first terminal device calculates the second group number of the first terminal device according to the identifier of the first terminal device, where the calculation rule of the first access network device is the same as that of the first terminal device. The first terminal device determines that it needs to receive the paging message sent by the first access network device at the time-frequency resource position indicated by the DCI according to the second group number carried in the DCI. If the identifier of the first terminal device is carried in the paging message, the first terminal device initiates an RRC establishment request. If the group number calculated by the first access network device according to the identifier of the first terminal device is the same as the group number calculated according to the identifier of the second terminal device, both are the second group number, and the group number calculated by the second terminal device according to the identifier of the second terminal device is also the second group number. When the second terminal device receives the DCI, the second terminal device determines that it needs to receive the paging message sent by the first access network device at the time-frequency resource position indicated by the DCI according to the second group number carried in the DCI. If the identifier of the second terminal device is not carried in the paging message, the second terminal device continues to be in the sleep state. Terminal devices with other group numbers can wake up on the PO to receive the DCI. The terminal devices with other group numbers determine that this group number is not their own group number according to the second group number carried in the DCI. Therefore, they also do not receive the paging message at the time-frequency resource position indicated by the DCI and continue to be in the sleep state, waiting for the arrival of the next PO.

[0304] It should be noted that in method 300, there is no restriction on the order of S301 or S302 and S303 or S304. S301 or S302 can be executed simultaneously with S303 or S304, and S301 or S302 can be executed before or after S303 or S304.

[0305] Therefore, in the above method 300, the first access network device may determine a first target method for paging the first terminal device according to the packet mode supported by the first access network device and the packet mode supported by the first terminal device. The first terminal device may determine a first target method for receiving the paging of the first access network device according to the packet mode supported by the first access network device and the packet mode supported by the first terminal device. The rule for the first access network device to determine the first target method is the same as the rule for the first terminal device to determine the first target method. Therefore, the first target method determined by the first access network device is the same as the first target method determined by the first terminal device. That is to say, the method used by the first access network device to page the first terminal device is the same as the method used by the first terminal device to receive the paging, thereby improving the success rate of paging and reducing power consumption.

[0306] If the first access network device determines that it supports using a certain packet mode, the first access network device can broadcast that it supports using this certain packet mode. If a terminal device within the coverage area of the first access network device needs to receive paging using a packet mode, it can only use the packet mode broadcast by the first access network device. For example, if the first access network device determines that it supports using the first packet mode, the first access network device can broadcast that it supports using the first packet mode. On the premise that the first terminal device supports the first packet mode, the first terminal device uses the first packet mode to receive paging. Another example, if the first access network device determines that it supports using the second packet mode, the first access network device broadcasts that it supports using the second packet mode. On the premise that the first terminal device supports the second packet mode, the first terminal device uses the first packet mode to receive paging. If the first access network device supports using the first packet mode and the second packet mode, the first access network device broadcasts that it supports using the first packet mode and the second packet mode. Among the multiple terminal devices within the coverage area of the first access network device, some terminal devices support the first packet mode and some support the second packet mode. This will result in some terminal devices within the coverage area of the first access network device determining the target mode as the first packet mode and some determining the target mode as the second packet mode. If a certain terminal device supports both the first packet mode and the second packet mode, the terminal device can determine the target mode as the first packet mode according to the priorities of the first packet mode and the second packet mode. The group numbers of the terminal devices within the coverage area of the first access network device that determine the target mode as the first packet mode are assigned by the core network device according to the characteristic information of these terminal devices. The group numbers of the terminal devices within the coverage area of the first access network device that determine the target mode as the second packet mode are calculated by these terminal devices according to their own identifiers. This will result in the group numbers of the terminal devices with the target mode as the second packet mode possibly being the same as those of the terminal devices with the target mode as the first packet mode. That is to say, a group of terminal devices may include terminal devices grouped according to the first packet mode and may also include terminal devices grouped according to the second packet mode. In this way, the paging efficiency is reduced or the power consumption of the terminal devices may be affected.For example, the first terminal device and the first access network device determine that the first target mode corresponding to the first terminal device is the first packet mode, the second terminal device and the first access network device determine that the target mode corresponding to the second terminal device is the second packet mode. The paging probability of the first terminal device is relatively low, such as 1%. The core network device assigns the group number 1 to the first terminal device according to the paging probability of the first terminal device. The first access network device also calculates the group number of the second terminal device as 1 based on the identifier of the second terminal device. That is to say, the first terminal device and the second terminal device are in the same group, and the group number is 1. However, the second terminal device may be a terminal device with a high paging probability. For example, the paging probability of the second terminal device is 50%. Therefore, the first access network device will frequently page the second terminal device, and thus will frequently send WUS or DCI to attempt to page the second terminal device. Then, the terminal devices with the group number 1 have to wake up to receive the paging message at the time-frequency resource position indicated by the DCI. However, the first terminal device itself is a terminal device with a low paging probability, but due to the existence of the second terminal device, it needs to wake up frequently to receive the paging message, so it will cause a relatively large power consumption of the first terminal device. Since the original intention of the packet mechanism is to save the power consumption of the terminal device, in this case, on the contrary, the packet mechanism causes the power consumption of some terminal devices to increase. Therefore, in this case, if the first access network device broadcasts support for using the first packet mode and the second packet mode, the first access network device also needs to indicate whether the target mode of the terminal devices in the paging target group is the first target mode or the second target mode. For example, the first access network device indicates that the terminal devices in the paging target group with the target mode of the first target mode receive the paging message. In this way, the terminal devices in the target group with the target mode of the first target mode receive the paging message, and the terminal devices with the target mode not being the first target mode do not receive the paging message. If the first access network device wants to page the first terminal device, the group where the first terminal device is located is the target group. For example, in combination with the above example, when the first access network device wants to page the second terminal device, it indicates in the DCI or WUS that the terminal devices with the target mode of the second packet mode receive the paging message. In this way, since the first target mode of the first terminal device with the group number 1 is the first packet mode rather than the second packet mode, it does not receive the paging message, thus saving the power consumption of the first terminal device. Or, similarly, the first access network device indicates that the terminal devices in the paging target group with the target mode of the second target mode receive the paging message. In this way, the terminal devices in the target group with the target mode of the second target mode receive the paging message, and the terminal devices with the target mode not being the second target mode do not receive the paging message. If the first access network device wants to page the first terminal device, the group where the first terminal device is located is the target group.

[0307] Optionally, after determining to page the first terminal device, the first access network device may use WUS in the first packet paging mechanism to indicate to the terminal devices in the target group that the terminal devices in the target group with the target mode being the first target mode receive the paging message, where the first target mode is the target mode of the first terminal device.

[0308] In the first packet paging mechanism, the first access network device uses WUS to indicate to the terminal devices in the target group that the terminal devices in the target group with the target mode being the first target mode and / or the second target mode receive the paging message. The target group is the group where the first terminal device is located. Some terminal devices in the target group have the target mode as the first target mode and some terminal devices do not have the target mode as the first target mode. If the first target mode is the first packet mode, the first access network device uses WUS to indicate to the terminal devices in the target group that the terminal devices in the target group with the target mode being the first packet mode receive the paging message. If there are also terminal devices in the target group with the target mode being the second packet mode, these terminal devices do not receive the paging message. For example, for the first packet paging mechanism, after receiving WUS, these terminal devices determine not to receive DCI according to the indication of WUS, and of course do not receive the paging message at the time-frequency resource position indicated by DCI. Only the terminal devices with the target mode being the first packet mode receive DCI and receive the paging message at the time-frequency resource position indicated by DCI. Or, similarly, if the first target mode is the second packet mode, the first access network device uses WUS to indicate to the terminal devices in the target group that the terminal devices in the target group with the target mode being the second packet mode receive the paging message. If there are also terminal devices in the target group with the target mode being the first packet mode, these terminal devices do not receive the paging message. Or, if the first target mode is the first target mode and the second packet mode, the first access network device uses WUS to indicate to the terminal devices in the target group that the terminal devices in the target group with the target mode being the first target mode and the second packet mode receive the paging message.

[0309] In the first packet mechanism, the terminal devices in the target group with the target mode being the first target mode can be indicated to receive the paging message in any of the following ways.

[0310] In Method 1, the WUS includes second indication information, which is used to indicate the target method in the target group. For example, the second indication information is used to indicate that the terminal device with the target method as the first target method in the target group receives the paging message. For example, the second indication information occupies 1 bit. If the value of this bit is 1 or the first value, it means that the terminal device with the target method as the first grouping method in the target group receives the DCI, and the terminal device with the target method as the second grouping method in the target group does not receive the DCI; if the value of this bit is 0 or the second value, it means that the terminal device with the target method as the second grouping method in the target group receives the DCI, and the terminal device with the target method as the first grouping method in the target group does not receive the DCI.

[0311] That is to say, if the first access network device paging the first terminal device adopts the first paging mechanism for grouping, in S305, it can send the WUS, which includes the target group number of the first terminal device (if the first target method is the first grouping method, this target group number is the aforementioned first group number; if the first target method is the second grouping method, this target group number is the aforementioned second group number, and in this embodiment, the first group number is the same as the second group number) and the second indication information. If the first target method is the first grouping method, the second indication information indicates that the terminal device in the target group with the target method as the first grouping method receives the paging message. The terminal device that receives the WUS determines according to the second indication information that the terminal device with the target method as the second grouping method does not receive the paging message, and the terminal device with the target method as the first grouping method receives the paging message, which can avoid the power consumption caused by both the terminal device with the target method as the first grouping method and the terminal device with the target method as the second grouping method receiving the paging message. If the first target method is the second grouping method, the second indication information indicates that the terminal device in the target group with the target method as the second grouping method receives the paging message. The terminal device that receives the WUS determines according to the second indication information that the terminal device with the target method as the first grouping method does not receive the paging message, and the terminal device with the target method as the second grouping method receives the paging message, which can avoid the power consumption caused by both the terminal device with the target method as the first grouping method and the terminal device with the target method as the second grouping method receiving the paging message. In other words, if there is an intersection in the group number ranges corresponding to the first grouping method and the second grouping method, it will result in the same group number for the terminal device with the target method as the first grouping method and the terminal device with the target method as the second grouping method. The second indication information can distinguish the terminal devices with different target methods but the same group number.

[0312] It should be noted that the second indication information is only a 1-bit indication, that is, it can only indicate that the target mode is the first target mode or the second target mode. If the packet mode corresponding to the currently paged terminal device includes the first packet mode and the second packet mode, the first access network device needs to send two WUSs. The second indication information included in one WUS indicates that the target mode in the target group is the first target mode, and the second indication information included in the other WUS indicates that the target mode in the target group is the second target mode.

[0313] Method 2: The WUS includes a first field and a second field. The first field is the field corresponding to the target mode being the first packet mode, and the second field is the field corresponding to the target mode being the second packet mode. If the first access network device wants to page the first terminal device and the first target mode for paging the first terminal device is the first packet mode, the first access network device carries the target group number for paging the first terminal device in the first field. If the first access network device wants to page the first terminal device and the first target mode for paging the first terminal device is the second packet mode, the first access network device carries the target group number for paging the first terminal device in the second field. Therefore, when the first access network device wants to page the first terminal device, it first determines the first target mode and selects the target field from the first field and the second field according to the first target mode.

[0314] If the first access network device determines that the first target method for paging the first terminal device is the first packet method, the first access network device may carry the first group number in the first field of the WUS. That is to say, the target group number at this time is the first group number, and the first group number is the group number assigned by the core network device to the first terminal device. When the first terminal device parses the first group number in the first field, since the first terminal device determines that the first target method for receiving the paging from the first access network device is the first packet method, therefore, the first group number parsed by the first terminal device according to the first field can determine that the first access network device receives the DCI on the PO and receives the paging message sent by the first access network device on the time-frequency resource indicated by the DCI. The group numbers of the first terminal device and the second terminal device are both the first group number. The first group number of the second terminal device is calculated by the second terminal device according to the identifier of the second terminal device. When the second terminal device parses the first group number in the first field, since the second terminal device determines that the target method for receiving the paging from the first access network device is the second packet method, and since the second field corresponding to the second packet method does not correspond to the first field, the second terminal device determines not to receive the DCI on the PO, nor to receive the paging message sent by the first access network device on the time-frequency resource indicated by the DCI. Alternatively, the second terminal device may only parse the second field corresponding to the second packet method and not parse the first field corresponding to the first packet method. When the second terminal device does not parse the first group number in the second field, the second terminal device determines not to receive the DCI on the PO, nor to receive the paging message sent by the first access network device on the time-frequency resource indicated by the DCI.

[0315] If the first access network device determines that the first target method for paging the first terminal device is the second packet method, the first access network device may carry the second group number in the second field of the WUS. That is to say, the target group number is the second group number at this time, and the second group number is the group number calculated by the first access network device and the first terminal device according to the identifier of the first terminal device. When the first terminal device parses the second group number in the second field, since the first terminal device determines that the first target method for receiving the paging from the first access network device is the second packet method, therefore, the second group number parsed by the first terminal device according to the second field can determine that the first access network device receives the DCI on the PO and receives the paging message sent by the first access network device on the time-frequency resource indicated by the DCI. If the group numbers of the first terminal device and the second terminal device are both the second group number, and the second group number of the second terminal device is allocated by the core network device for the second terminal device, when the second terminal device parses the second group number in the second field, since the second terminal device determines that the target method for receiving the paging from the first access network device is the first packet method, and since the first field corresponding to the first packet method does not correspond to the second field, the second terminal device determines not to receive the DCI on the PO, nor to receive the paging message sent by the first access network device on the time-frequency resource indicated by the DCI. Alternatively, the second terminal device may only parse the first field corresponding to the first packet method and not parse the second field corresponding to the second packet method. When the second terminal device does not parse the second group number in the first field, the second terminal device determines not to receive the DCI on the PO, nor to receive the paging message sent by the first access network device on the time-frequency resource indicated by the DCI.

[0316] For example, the first field occupies the first 8 predefined bits, the second field occupies the last 8 predefined bits, and the two fields together occupy 16 bits. Or, the first field occupies the first 4 predefined bits, the second field occupies the last 4 predefined bits, and the two fields together occupy 8 bits. Optionally, the following methods are included:

[0317] (1) If the maximum number of packet groups supported by the protocol for the first packet method and the second packet method is N, the first field occupies N predefined bits, the second field occupies N predefined bits, and the two fields together occupy 2N bits.

[0318] (2) If the maximum number of packet groups supported by the protocol for the first packet mode and the second packet mode is N, the first field occupies L predefined bits, the second field occupies M predefined bits, and the two fields together occupy N bits. Among them, the values of L and M can be predefined by the protocol (for example, L = M = 2 / N), or configured by the network. For example, the core network device interacts or negotiates with the access network device. In one possible way, the core network device determines the value of L according to the value of N and sends the value of L to the access network device. The access network device determines the value of M as N - L according to the values of N and L, and the access network device configures one or more of N, M, and L for the terminal device, for example, by broadcasting a message; in another possible way, the access network device determines the value of M according to the value of N and sends the value of M to the access network device. The core network device determines the value of L as N - M according to the values of N and M, and the access network device configures one or more of N, M, and L for the terminal device, for example, by broadcasting a message.

[0319] Optionally, in the CU-DU network architecture, specifically, it can be: In one possible way, the core network device determines the value of L according to the value of N and sends the value of L to the CU. The CU sends the value of L to the DU. The DU determines the value of M as N - L according to the values of N and L, and the DU configures one or more of N, M, and L for the terminal device, for example, by broadcasting a message; in another possible way, the DU determines the value of M according to the value of N and sends the value of M to the CU. The CU sends the value of M to the core network device. The core network device determines the value of L as N - M according to the values of N and M, and the DU configures one or more of N, M, and L for the terminal device, for example, by broadcasting a message.

[0320] (3) If the maximum number of packet groups supported by the cell for the first packet mode is N and the maximum number of packet groups supported by the cell for the second packet mode is M, the first field occupies N predefined bits, the second field occupies M predefined bits, and the two fields together occupy N + M bits.

[0321] (4) If the maximum number of packet groups supported by the cell for the first packet mode is N and the maximum number of packet groups supported by the cell for the second packet mode is M, where N is less than or equal to M, the first field occupies N predefined bits, the second field occupies M - N predefined bits, and the two fields together occupy M bits.

[0322] (5) If the maximum number of groups in the first grouping method supported by the cell is N, and the maximum number of groups in the second grouping method supported by the cell is M, where N is greater than M, the first field occupies a predefined L bits (L is less than N and less than M), the second field occupies a predefined M - L bits, and the two fields together occupy M bits. Among them, the value of L can be predefined by the protocol (e.g., L = 2 / M), or configured by the network, such as the core network device and the access network device interact or negotiate. In one possible way, the core network device determines the value of L according to the value of M and sends the value of L to the access network device. The access network device determines M - L according to the value of M and the value of L, and the access network device configures one or more of N, M, and L to the terminal device, such as by broadcast information.

[0323] Optionally, in the CU-DU network architecture, specifically, it can be: In one possible way, the core network device determines the value of L according to the value of M and sends the value of L to the CU. The CU sends the value of L to the DU. The DU determines M - L according to the value of M and the value of L, and the DU configures one or more of N, M, and L to the terminal device, such as by broadcast information.

[0324] It should be noted that the above N, M, and L are integers greater than zero. The first field can be before or after the second field, and can be predefined by the protocol or configured by the network. For example, the network device indicates the positions of the first field and the second field to the terminal device, that is, the first field can be before or after the second field, and the network device can indicate it through broadcast information.

[0325] Optionally, the protocol can stipulate that the first field included in the WUS corresponds to the first grouping method, and the second field corresponds to the second grouping method.

[0326] Method 3: The first resource position for sending the WUS corresponds to the first grouping method, and the second resource position for sending the WUS corresponds to the second grouping method. The first access network device can implicitly indicate to the terminal device whose target method is the first grouping method to receive the paging message by sending the WUS at the first resource position, and the terminal device whose target method is the second grouping method does not receive the paging message; the first access network device can implicitly indicate to the terminal device whose target method is the second target method to receive the paging message by sending the WUS at the second resource position, and the terminal device whose target method is the first grouping method does not receive the paging message. Therefore, when the first access network device wants to page the first terminal device, it first determines the first target method and selects the target resource from the first resource position and the second resource position according to the first target method.

[0327] If the first access network device determines that the first target method used to page the first terminal device is the first packet method, the first access network device may send a WUS at the first resource location. The WUS includes a first group number, that is, the target group number at this time is the first group number, and the first group number is the group number assigned by the core network device to the first terminal device. When the first terminal device receives the WUS at the first resource location and parses the WUS to obtain the first group number, since the first terminal device determines that the first target method used to receive the paging from the first access network device is the first packet method, therefore, the first terminal device can determine that the first access network device receives DCI on the PO based on the WUS received at the first resource location, and receives the paging message sent by the first access network device on the time-frequency resources indicated by the DCI. The group numbers of the first terminal device and the second terminal device are both the first group number. The first group number of the second terminal device is calculated by the second terminal device based on the identifier of the second terminal device. When the second terminal device receives the WUS at the first resource location, since the second terminal device determines that the target method for receiving the paging from the first access network device is the second packet method, and since the second resource location corresponding to the second packet method does not correspond to the first resource location, the second terminal device determines not to receive DCI on the PO, nor to receive the paging message sent by the first access network device on the time-frequency resources indicated by the DCI. Alternatively, the second terminal device may only detect the WUS at the second resource location and not detect the WUS at the first resource location. When the second terminal device does not receive the WUS or receives the WUS that does not include the first group number at the second resource location, the second terminal device determines not to receive DCI on the PO, nor to receive the paging message sent by the first access network device on the time-frequency resources indicated by the DCI.

[0328] If the first access network device determines that the first target method for paging the first terminal device is the second packet method, the first access network device may send a WUS at the second resource location. The WUS includes a second group number, that is, the target group number is the second group number at this time. The second group number is the group number calculated by the first access network device and the first terminal device according to the identifier of the first terminal device. When the first terminal device receives the WUS at the second resource location and parses the second group number from the WUS, since the first terminal device determines that the first target method for receiving the paging from the first access network device is the second packet method, therefore, the first terminal device can determine that the first access network device receives the DCI on the PO and receives the paging message sent by the first access network device on the time-frequency resources indicated by the DCI according to the WUS received at the second resource location. The group numbers of the first terminal device and the second terminal device are both the second group number. The second group number of the second terminal device is allocated by the core network device for the second terminal device. When the second terminal device receives the WUS at the second resource location and parses the second group number from the WUS, since the second terminal device determines that the target method for receiving the paging from the first access network device is the first packet method, and since the first resource location corresponding to the first packet method does not correspond to the second resource location, the second terminal device determines not to receive the DCI on the PO nor receive the paging message sent by the first access network device on the time-frequency resources indicated by the DCI. Alternatively, the second terminal device may only detect the WUS at the first resource location and not detect the WUS at the second resource location. When the second terminal device does not receive the WUS or receives the WUS that does not include the second group number at the first resource location, the second terminal device determines not to receive the DCI on the PO nor receive the paging message sent by the first access network device on the time-frequency resources indicated by the DCI.

[0329] Optionally, the protocol may stipulate that the first resource location included in the WUS corresponds to the first packet method, and the second resource location corresponds to the second packet method.

[0330] In Method 4, the first radio network temporary identity (RNTI) for scrambling the wake-up signal (WUS) corresponds to the first packet mode, and the second RNTI for scrambling the WUS corresponds to the second packet mode. The first access network device can use the first RNTI to scramble the WUS to implicitly indicate that a terminal device with the first packet mode as the target mode receives a paging message, and a terminal device with the second packet mode as the target mode does not receive the paging message; the first access network device can use the second RNTI to scramble the WUS to implicitly indicate that a terminal device with the second target mode as the target mode receives the paging message, and a terminal device with the first packet mode as the target mode does not receive the paging message. Therefore, when the first access network device wants to page the first terminal device, it first determines the first target mode, and selects the target RNTI from the first RNTI and the second RNTI to scramble the WUS according to the first target mode.

[0331] If the first access network device determines that the first target mode used to page the first terminal device is the first packet mode, the first access network device can use the first RNTI to scramble the WUS. The WUS includes the first group number, that is, the target group number at this time is the first group number, and the first group number is the group number assigned by the core network device to the first terminal device. When the first terminal device receives the WUS descrambled by the first RNTI and parses the WUS to obtain the first group number, since the first terminal device determines that the first target mode used to receive the paging from the first access network device is the first packet mode, therefore, the first terminal device can determine that the first access network device receives the downlink control information (DCI) on the physical opportunity (PO) and receives the paging message sent by the first access network device on the time-frequency resource indicated by the DCI according to the WUS descrambled by the first RNTI. The group numbers of the first terminal device and the second terminal device are both the first group number. The first group number of the second terminal device is calculated according to the identifier of the second terminal device. When the second terminal device receives the WUS descrambled by the first RNTI, since the second terminal device determines that the target mode for receiving the paging from the first access network device is the second packet mode, and since the second RNTI corresponding to the second packet mode does not correspond to the first RNTI, the second terminal device determines not to receive the DCI on the PO, nor to receive the paging message sent by the first access network device on the time-frequency resource indicated by the DCI. Alternatively, the second terminal device can only detect the WUS scrambled by the second RNTI and not detect the WUS scrambled by the first RNTI. When the second terminal device does not receive the WUS scrambled by the second RNTI or the WUS scrambled by the second RNTI does not include the first group number, the second terminal device determines not to receive the DCI on the PO, nor to receive the paging message sent by the first access network device on the time-frequency resource indicated by the DCI.

[0332] If the first access network device determines that the first target method for paging the first terminal device is the second packet method, the first access network device may scramble the WUS with the second RNTI. The WUS includes a second group number, that is, the target group number is the second group number at this time. The second group number is the group number calculated by the first access network device and the first terminal device according to the identifier of the first terminal device. When the first terminal device descrambles the WUS with the second RNTI and parses the second group number in the WUS, since the first terminal device determines that the first target method for receiving the paging from the first access network device is the second packet method, therefore, the first terminal device can determine that the first access network device receives the DCI on the PO according to the descrambling of the WUS with the second RNTI, and receives the paging message sent by the first access network device on the time-frequency resource indicated by the DCI. The group numbers of the first terminal device and the second terminal device are both the second group number. The second group number of the second terminal device is allocated by the core network device for the second terminal device. When the second terminal device descrambles the WUS with the second RNTI and parses the second group number in the WUS, since the second terminal device determines that the target method for receiving the paging from the first access network device is the first packet method, and since the first RNTI corresponding to the first packet method does not correspond to the second RNTI, the second terminal device determines not to receive the DCI on the PO, nor to receive the paging message sent by the first access network device on the time-frequency resource indicated by the DCI. Alternatively, the second terminal device may only detect the WUS scrambled with the first RNTI and not detect the WUS scrambled with the second RNTI. When the second terminal device does not receive the WUS scrambled with the first RNTI or the WUS scrambled with the first RNTI received does not include the second group number, the second terminal device determines not to receive the DCI on the PO, nor to receive the paging message sent by the first access network device on the time-frequency resource indicated by the DCI.

[0333] Optionally, the protocol may stipulate that the first RNTI for scrambling the WUS corresponds to the first packet method, and the second RNTI corresponds to the second packet method.

[0334] Method 5: It is stipulated that the first grouping method corresponds to the first group number range, and the second grouping method corresponds to the second group number range. There is no intersection between the first group number range and the second group number range. For example, the first group number range is [1, 6], and the second group number range is [7, 8]. That is to say, when the core network device groups multiple terminal devices, the group numbers of each terminal device belong to the first group number range. When the first access network device groups multiple terminal devices, the group numbers of each terminal device belong to the second group number range. That is to say, the group numbers of each terminal device calculated by the first access network device according to the identifiers of each terminal device belong to the second group number range. If the first access network device determines that the first target method for paging the first terminal device is the first grouping method, and the group number assigned by the core network device to the first terminal device is the first group number, the first access network device carries the first group number in the WUS. If the first access network device determines that the first target method for paging the first terminal device is the second grouping method, the first access network device and the first terminal device calculate the group number of the first terminal device as the second group number according to the identifier of the first terminal device, and the first access network device carries the second group number in the WUS.

[0335] Optionally, if the value range of the first group number is smaller than that of the second group number, special processing is required to implement the above-mentioned "the group numbers of each terminal device calculated by the first access network device according to the identifiers of each terminal device belong to the second group number range", that is, the group number directly calculated according to the identifiers of each terminal device needs to be added with the maximum value of the first group number range to be the group number of each terminal device actually corresponding to the second grouping method. That is, the first group number range is [1, N], the second group number range is [N + 1, M], the value directly calculated according to the identifier of the terminal device is L (the value obtained by modulo / remainder operation is L or L - 1), and the actual group number of the terminal device in the second grouping method is L + N. For example, the first group number range is [1, 6], the second group number range is [7, 8], the value directly calculated according to the identifier of the terminal device is 2 (the value obtained by modulo operation is 2 or 1), and the actual group number of the terminal device in the second grouping method is 8. If the value range of the first group number is larger than that of the second group number, no special processing is required to implement the above-mentioned "the group numbers of each terminal device calculated by the first access network device according to the identifiers of each terminal device belong to the second group number range", that is, the group number directly calculated according to the identifiers of each terminal device is the group number of each terminal device actually corresponding to the second grouping method. For example, the second group number range is [1, 2], the first group number range is [3, 8], the value directly calculated according to the identifier of the terminal device is 2 (the value obtained by modulo / remainder operation is 2 or 1), and the actual group number of the terminal device in the second grouping method is 2. However, special processing is required to implement the above-mentioned "when the core network device groups multiple terminal devices, the group numbers of each terminal device belong to the first group number range", that is, the core network device groups according to the first group number range. For example, the second group number range is [1, 2], the first group number range is [3, 8], and the core network device assigns group numbers to the terminal devices in the group number range [3, 8]; or, the core network device still groups according to the number of groups supported by the core network device. For example, the number of groups supported by the core network device or the first grouping method is 6, then the core network device assigns group numbers to the terminal devices in the group number range [1, 6], but the group number indicating the first grouping method carried in the WUS needs to be specially processed, that is, the group number indicating the first grouping method carried in the WUS is the group number assigned by the core network device plus the number of groups supported by the second grouping method. For example, the number of groups supported by the second grouping method is 2, the second group number range is [1, 2], the number of groups supported by the first grouping method is 6, the group number range assigned by the core network device is [1, 6], but the group number range indicating the first grouping method carried in the WUS is [3, 8]. For example, if the group number assigned by the core network device is 3, then the group number indicating the 3rd group assigned by the core network device carried in the WUS is 3 + 2 = 5.It should be noted that the range of the first group number can be smaller than the value range of the second group number, or larger than the value range of the second group number. It can be predefined by the protocol. For example, the range of the first group number is larger than the value range of the second group number, or it can be configured by the network. For example, the network device indicates the range of the first group number and / or the range of the second group number, or the network device indicates whether the range of the first group number is smaller or larger than the value range of the second group number.

[0336] Optionally, the protocol can stipulate that the range of the first group number corresponds to the first grouping method, and the range of the second group number corresponds to the second grouping method. Optionally, the first access network device and the core network device can negotiate the range of the first group number and the range of the second group number. Exemplarily, the core network device can determine the range of the first group number corresponding to the first grouping method according to the total group number range, and send the determined range of the first group number to the first access network device. The first access network device determines the range of the second group number corresponding to the second grouping method through the total group number range and the range of the first group number sent by the core network device; or, the first access network device can determine the range of the second group number corresponding to the second grouping method according to the total group number range, and send the determined range of the second group number to the core network device. The core network device determines the range of the first group number corresponding to the first grouping method through the total group number range and the range of the first group number sent by the first access network device. Optionally, the first access network device indicates the range of the first group number and / or the range of the second group number to the terminal device, and the first access network device can indicate it to the terminal device through broadcast information.

[0337] Optionally, in the CU-DU network architecture, specifically: the core network device can determine the range of the first group number corresponding to the first grouping method according to the total group number range, and send the determined range of the first group number to the CU. The CU sends the range of the first group number to the DU, and the DU determines the range of the second group number corresponding to the second grouping method through the total group number range and the range of the first group number sent by the CU; or, the DU can determine the range of the second group number corresponding to the second grouping method according to the total group number range. The DU sends the range of the second group number to the CU, and the CU sends the range of the second group number to the core network device. The core network device determines the range of the first group number corresponding to the first grouping method through the total group number range and the range of the first group number sent by the first access network device. Or, the core network device can send the number of groups supported by the core network device or the first grouping method to the CU, and the CU sends the number of groups supported by the core network device or the first grouping method to the DU. The DU determines the group number indicating the first grouping method carried in the WUS through the number of groups supported by the core network device or the first grouping method and the number of groups supported by the second grouping method.

[0338] Optionally, at least two of the above-mentioned Method 1 to Method 5 can be combined. That is to say, the first access network device can indicate to the terminal devices in the target group to receive paging messages by two or more methods for the terminal devices in the target group that support the first target method.

[0339] In the second paging mechanism for groups, the first access network device uses DCI to indicate to the terminal devices in the target group that the terminal devices in the target group whose target method is the first target method and / or the second target method receive paging messages. The target group is the group where the first terminal device is located. Some terminal devices in the target group have the first target method and some terminal devices do not have the first target method. If the first target method is the first grouping method, the first access network device uses DCI to indicate to the terminal devices in the target group that the terminal devices in the target group with the first grouping method receive paging messages. If there are also terminal devices in the target group with the second grouping method, these terminal devices do not receive paging messages. For example, for the second paging mechanism for groups, these terminal devices do not receive paging messages at the time-frequency resource positions indicated by the DCI when they receive the DCI. Only the terminal devices with the first grouping method as the target method receive the DCI and receive paging messages at the time-frequency resource positions indicated by the DCI. Or, similarly, if the first target method is the second grouping method, the first access network device uses DCI to indicate to the terminal devices in the target group that the terminal devices in the target group with the second grouping method receive paging messages. If there are also terminal devices in the target group with the first grouping method, these terminal devices do not receive paging messages. Or, if the first target method is the first target method and the second grouping method, the first access network device uses DCI to indicate to the terminal devices in the target group that the terminal devices in the target group with the first target method and the second grouping method receive paging messages.

[0340] In the second grouping mechanism, any of the following methods can be used to indicate to the terminal devices in the target group that the terminal devices in the target group with the first target method receive paging messages.

[0341] In Method 1, the DCI includes second indication information, which is used to indicate the target mode in the target group. For example, the second indication information is used to indicate that the terminal device with the target mode of the first target mode in the target group receives a paging message. For example, the second indication information occupies 1 bit. If the value of this bit is 1 or the first value, it means that the terminal device with the target mode of the first grouping mode in the target group receives the paging message on the time domain resource indicated by the DCI, and the terminal device with the target mode of the second grouping mode in the target group does not receive the paging message on the time-frequency resource indicated by the DCI; if the value of this bit is 0 or the second value, it means that the terminal device with the target mode of the second grouping mode in the target group receives the paging message on the time domain resource indicated by the DCI, and the terminal device with the target mode of the first grouping mode in the target group does not receive the paging message on the time-frequency resource indicated by the DCI.

[0342] That is to say, if the first access network device paging the first terminal device adopts the second paging mechanism for grouping, in S305, it may send DCI, and the DCI includes the target group number of the first terminal device (if the first target mode is the first grouping mode, the target group number is the aforementioned first group number; if the first target mode is the second grouping mode, the target group number is the aforementioned second group number, and in this embodiment, the first group number is the same as the second group number) and the second indication information. If the first target mode is the first grouping mode, the second indication information indicates that the terminal device in the target group with the target mode of the first grouping mode receives the paging message. The terminal device that receives the DCI determines according to the second indication information in the DCI that the terminal device with the target mode of the second grouping mode does not receive the paging message, and the terminal device with the target mode of the first grouping mode receives the paging message, which can avoid the power consumption caused by both the terminal device with the target mode of the first grouping mode and the terminal device with the target mode of the second grouping mode receiving the paging message. If the first target mode is the second grouping mode, the second indication information indicates that the terminal device in the target group with the target mode of the second grouping mode receives the paging message. The terminal device that receives the DCI determines according to the second indication information that the terminal device with the target mode of the first grouping mode does not receive the paging message, and the terminal device with the target mode of the second grouping mode receives the paging message, which can avoid the power consumption caused by both the terminal device with the target mode of the first grouping mode and the terminal device with the target mode of the second grouping mode receiving the paging message. In other words, if there is an intersection in the group number ranges corresponding to the first grouping mode and the second grouping mode, it will result in the same group numbers for the terminal device with the target mode of the first grouping mode and the terminal device with the target mode of the second grouping mode, and the second indication information can distinguish the terminal devices with different target modes but the same group numbers.

[0343] It should be noted that the second indication information is only a 1-bit indication, that is, it can only indicate that the target mode is the first target mode or the second target mode. If the packet mode corresponding to the currently paged terminal device includes the first packet mode and the second packet mode, the first access network device needs to send two DCIs. The second indication information included in one DCI indicates that the target mode in the target group is the first target mode, and the second indication information included in the other DCI indicates that the target mode in the target group is the second target mode.

[0344] It can be understood that the second indication information in the first packet paging mechanism may be different from the second indication information in the second packet paging mechanism.

[0345] Method 2: The DCI includes a first field and a second field. The first field is the field corresponding to the target mode being the first packet mode, and the second field is the field corresponding to the target mode being the second packet mode. If the first access network device wants to page the first terminal device, and the first target mode for paging the first terminal device is the first packet mode, the first access network device carries the target group number for paging the first terminal device in the first field. If the first access network device wants to page the first terminal device, and the first target mode for paging the first terminal device is the second packet mode, the first access network device carries the target group number for paging the first terminal device in the second field. Therefore, when the first access network device wants to page the first terminal device, it first determines the first target mode and selects the target field from the first field and the second field according to the first target mode.

[0346] If the first access network device determines that the first target manner for paging the first terminal device is the first packet manner, the first access network device may carry the first group number in the first field of the DCI. That is to say, the target group number at this time is the first group number, and the first group number is the group number assigned by the core network device to the first terminal device. When the first terminal device parses and obtains the first group number in the first field, since the first terminal device determines that the first target manner for receiving the paging from the first access network device is the first packet manner, therefore, the first group number parsed by the first terminal device according to the first field can be used to determine that the first access network device receives the paging message sent by the first access network device on the time-frequency resource indicated by the DCI. The group numbers of the first terminal device and the second terminal device are both the first group number. The first group number of the second terminal device is calculated by the second terminal device according to the identifier of the second terminal device. When the second terminal device parses and obtains the first group number in the first field, since the second terminal device determines that the target manner for receiving the paging from the first access network device is the second packet manner, and since the second packet manner corresponds to the second field and does not correspond to the first field, the second terminal device determines not to receive the paging message sent by the first access network device on the time-frequency resource indicated by the DCI. Alternatively, the second terminal device may only parse the second field corresponding to the second packet manner and not parse the first field corresponding to the first packet manner. When the second terminal device does not parse and obtain the first group number in the second field, the second terminal device determines not to receive the paging message sent by the first access network device on the time-frequency resource indicated by the DCI.

[0347] If the first access network device determines that the first target manner for paging the first terminal device is the second packet manner, the first access network device may carry the second group number in the second field of the DCI. That is to say, the target group number is the second group number at this time, and the second group number is the group number calculated by the first access network device and the first terminal device according to the identifier of the first terminal device. When the first terminal device parses the second group number in the second field, since the first terminal device determines that the first target manner for receiving the paging from the first access network device is the second packet manner, therefore, the second group number parsed by the first terminal device according to the second field may be used to determine that the first access network device sends a paging message on the time-frequency resource indicated by the DCI. The group numbers of the first terminal device and the second terminal device are both the second group number, and the second group number of the second terminal device is allocated by the core network device for the second terminal device. When the second terminal device parses the second group number in the second field, since the second terminal device determines that the target manner for receiving the paging from the first access network device is the first packet manner, and since the first packet manner corresponds to the first field and does not correspond to the second field, the second terminal device determines not to receive the paging message sent by the first access network device on the time-frequency resource indicated by the DCI. Alternatively, the second terminal device may only parse the first field corresponding to the first packet manner and not parse the second field corresponding to the second packet manner. When the second terminal device does not parse the second group number in the first field, the second terminal device determines not to receive the paging message sent by the first access network device on the time-frequency resource indicated by the DCI.

[0348] For example, the first field occupies the first 8 predefined bits, the second field occupies the last 8 predefined bits, the first field and the second field are adjacent, and the two fields together occupy 16 bits. Or, the first field occupies the first 4 predefined bits, the second field occupies the last 4 predefined bits, and the two fields together occupy 8 bits. Optionally, the following manners are included:

[0349] (1) If the maximum number of packet groups of the first packet manner and the second packet manner supported by the protocol is N, the first field occupies N predefined bits, the second field occupies N predefined bits, and the two fields together occupy 2N bits.

[0350] (2) If the maximum number of packet groups supported by the protocol for the first packet mode and the second packet mode is N, the first field occupies L predefined bits, the second field occupies M predefined bits, and the two fields together occupy N bits. Among them, the values of L and M can be predefined by the protocol (for example, L = M = 2 / N), or configured by the network, such as through interaction or negotiation between the core network device and the access network device. In one possible way, the core network device determines the value of L according to the value of N and sends the value of L to the access network device. The access network device determines the value of M as N - L according to the values of N and L, and the access network device configures one or more of N, M, and L for the terminal device, for example, through a broadcast message; In another possible way, the access network device determines the value of M according to the value of N and sends the value of M to the access network device. The core network device determines the value of L as N - M according to the values of N and M, and the access network device configures one or more of N, M, and L for the terminal device, for example, through a broadcast message.

[0351] Optionally, in the CU-DU network architecture, specifically, it can be: In one possible way, the core network device determines the value of L according to the value of N and sends the value of L to the CU. The CU sends the value of L to the DU. The DU determines the value of M as N - L according to the values of N and L, and the DU configures one or more of N, M, and L for the terminal device, for example, through a broadcast message; In another possible way, the DU determines the value of M according to the value of N and sends the value of M to the CU. The CU sends the value of M to the core network device. The core network device determines the value of L as N - M according to the values of N and M, and the DU configures one or more of N, M, and L for the terminal device, for example, through a broadcast message.

[0352] (3) If the maximum number of packet groups supported by the cell for the first packet mode is N and the maximum number of packet groups supported by the cell for the second packet mode is M, the first field occupies N predefined bits, the second field occupies M predefined bits, and the two fields together occupy N + M bits.

[0353] (4) If the maximum number of packet groups supported by the cell for the first packet mode is N and the maximum number of packet groups supported by the cell for the second packet mode is M, where N is less than or equal to M, the first field occupies N predefined bits, the second field occupies M - N predefined bits, and the two fields together occupy M bits.

[0354] (5) If the maximum number of packets in the first packet mode supported by the cell is N, and the maximum number of packets in the second packet mode supported by the cell is M, where N is greater than M, the first field occupies a predefined L bits (L is less than N and less than M), the second field occupies a predefined M - L bits, and the two fields together occupy M bits. Among them, the value of L can be predefined by the protocol (for example, L = 2 / M), or configured by the network. For example, the core network device interacts or negotiates with the access network device. In one possible way, the core network device determines the value of L according to the value of M and sends the value of L to the access network device. The access network device determines M - L according to the value of M and the value of L, and the access network device configures one or more of N, M, and L to the terminal device, for example, through broadcast information configuration.

[0355] Optionally, in the CU-DU network architecture, specifically, it can be: In one possible way, the core network device determines the value of L according to the value of M and sends the value of L to the CU. The CU sends the value of L to the DU. The DU determines M - L according to the value of M and the value of L, and the DU configures one or more of N, M, and L to the terminal device, for example, through broadcast information configuration.

[0356] It should be noted that the above N, M, and L are integers greater than zero. The first field can be before or after the second field, and can be predefined by the protocol or configured by the network. For example, the network device indicates the positions of the first field and the second field to the terminal device, that is, the first field can be before or after the second field, and the network device can indicate through broadcast information. Optionally, the protocol can stipulate that the first field included in the DCI corresponds to the first packet mode, and the second field corresponds to the second packet mode.

[0357] It can be understood that the first field in the first packet paging mechanism can be different from the first field in the second packet paging mechanism. The second field in the first packet paging mechanism can be different from the second field in the second packet paging mechanism.

[0358] In the third method, the first RNTI that scrambles the DCI corresponds to the first packet mode, and the second RNTI that scrambles the DCI corresponds to the second packet mode. The first access network device can use the first RNTI to scramble the DCI to implicitly indicate that the terminal device with the target mode of the first packet mode receives the paging message, and the terminal device with the target mode of the second packet mode does not receive the paging message; the first access network device can use the second RNTI to scramble the DCI to implicitly indicate that the terminal device with the target mode of the second target mode receives the paging message, and the terminal device with the target mode of the first packet mode does not receive the paging message. Therefore, when the first access network device wants to page the first terminal device, it first determines the first target mode, and selects the target RNTI to scramble the DCI from the first RNTI and the second RNTI according to the first target mode.

[0359] If the first access network device determines that the first target method for paging the first terminal device is the first packet method, the first access network device may use the first RNTI to scramble the DCI. The DCI includes the first group number. That is to say, the target group number at this time is the first group number, and the first group number is the group number assigned by the core network device to the first terminal device. When the first terminal device receives the DCI scrambled by the first RNTI and parses the DCI to obtain the first group number, since the first terminal device determines that the first target method for receiving the paging from the first access network device is the first packet method, therefore, the first terminal device can determine, according to the DCI scrambled by the first RNTI, that the first access network device sends a paging message on the time-frequency resources indicated by the DCI. The group numbers of the first terminal device and the second terminal device are both the first group number. The first group number of the second terminal device is calculated by the second terminal device according to the identifier of the second terminal device. When the second terminal device receives the DCI scrambled by the first RNTI, since the second terminal device determines that the target method for receiving the paging from the first access network device is the second packet method, and since the second packet method corresponds to the second RNTI and does not correspond to the first RNTI, the second terminal device determines not to receive the paging message sent by the first access network device on the time-frequency resources indicated by the DCI. Alternatively, the second terminal device may only detect the DCI scrambled by the second RNTI and not detect the DCI scrambled by the first RNTI. When the second terminal device does not receive the DCI scrambled by the second RNTI or the DCI scrambled by the second RNTI does not include the first group number, the second terminal device determines not to receive the paging message sent by the first access network device on the time-frequency resources indicated by the DCI.

[0360] If the first access network device determines that the first target manner for paging the first terminal device is the second packet manner, the first access network device may scramble the DCI with the second RNTI. The DCI includes a second group number, that is, the target group number is the second group number at this time. The second group number is the group number calculated by the first access network device and the first terminal device according to the identifier of the first terminal device. When the first terminal device descrambles the DCI with the second RNTI and parses the second group number from the DCI, since the first terminal device determines that the first target manner for receiving the paging from the first access network device is the second packet manner, therefore, the first terminal device can determine, according to the DCI descrambled with the second RNTI, to receive the paging message sent by the first access network device on the time-frequency resource indicated by the DCI. The group numbers of the first terminal device and the second terminal device are both the second group number. The second group number of the second terminal device is allocated by the core network device for the second terminal device. When the second terminal device descrambles the DCI with the second RNTI and parses the second group number from the DCI, since the second terminal device determines that the target manner for receiving the paging from the first access network device is the first packet manner, and since the first packet manner corresponds to the first RNTI and does not correspond to the second RNTI, the second terminal device determines not to receive the paging message sent by the first access network device on the time-frequency resource indicated by the DCI. Alternatively, the second terminal device may only detect the DCI scrambled with the first RNTI and not detect the DCI scrambled with the second RNTI. When the second terminal device does not receive the DCI scrambled with the first RNTI or the DCI scrambled with the first RNTI received does not include the second group number, the second terminal device determines not to receive the paging message sent by the first access network device on the time-frequency resource indicated by the DCI.

[0361] Optionally, the protocol may stipulate that the first RNTI for scrambling the DCI corresponds to the first packet manner, and the second RNTI corresponds to the second packet manner.

[0362] In the fourth method, it is stipulated that the first grouping method corresponds to the first group number range, and the second grouping method corresponds to the second group number range, and there is no intersection between the first group number range and the second group number range. For example, the first group number range is [1, 6], and the second group number range is [7, 8]. That is to say, when the core network device groups multiple terminal devices, the group numbers of each terminal device belong to the first group number range, and when the first access network device groups multiple terminal devices, the group numbers of each terminal device belong to the second group number range. That is to say, the group numbers of each terminal device calculated by the first access network device according to the identifiers of each terminal device belong to the second group number range. If the first access network device determines that the first target method used to page the first terminal device is the first grouping method, the group number assigned by the core network device to the first terminal device is the first group number, and the first access network device carries the first group number in the DCI. If the first access network device determines that the first target method used to page the first terminal device is the second grouping method, the first access network device and the first terminal device calculate the group number of the first terminal device as the second group number according to the identifier of the first terminal device, and the first access network device carries the second group number in the WUS.

[0363] Optionally, if the value range of the first group number is smaller than that of the second group number, special processing is required to implement the above "the group numbers of the respective terminal devices calculated by the first access network device according to the identifiers of the respective terminal devices belong to the second group number range", that is, the group number directly calculated according to the identifiers of the respective terminal devices needs to be added with the maximum value of the first group number range to be the group number of the respective terminal devices actually corresponding to the second grouping method. That is, the first group number range is [1, N], the second group number range is [N + 1, M], the value directly calculated according to the identifier of the terminal device is L (the value obtained by modulo / remainder operation is L or L - 1), and the actual group number of the terminal device in the second grouping method is L + N. By way of example, the first group number range is [1, 6], the second group number range is [7, 8], the value directly calculated according to the identifier of the terminal device is 2 (the value obtained by modulo operation is 2 or 1), and the actual group number of the terminal device in the second grouping method is 8. If the value range of the first group number is larger than that of the second group number, special processing is not required to implement the above "the group numbers of the respective terminal devices calculated by the first access network device according to the identifiers of the respective terminal devices belong to the second group number range", that is, the group number directly calculated according to the identifiers of the respective terminal devices is the group number of the respective terminal devices actually corresponding to the second grouping method. By way of example, the second group number range is [1, 2], the first group number range is [3, 8], the value directly calculated according to the identifier of the terminal device is 2 (the value obtained by modulo / remainder operation is 2 or 1), and the actual group number of the terminal device in the second grouping method is 2. However, special processing is required to implement the above "when the core network device groups multiple terminal devices, the group numbers of the respective terminal devices belong to the first group number range", that is, the core network device groups according to the first group number range. For example, the second group number range is [1, 2], the first group number range is [3, 8], and the core network device assigns group numbers to the terminal devices within the group number range [3, 8]; or, the core network device still groups according to the number of groups supported by the core network device. For example, the number of groups supported by the core network device or the first grouping method is 6, then the core network device assigns group numbers to the terminal devices within the group number range [1, 6], but the group number indicating the first grouping method carried in the WUS needs to be specially processed, that is, the group number indicating the first grouping method carried in the WUS is the group number assigned by the core network device plus the number of groups supported by the second grouping method. For example, the number of groups supported by the second grouping method is 2, the second group number range is [1, 2], the number of groups supported by the first grouping method is 6, the group number range assigned by the core network device is [1, 6], but the group number range indicating the first grouping method carried in the WUS is [3, 8]. By way of example, if the group number assigned by the core network device is 3, then the group number indicating the 3rd group assigned by the core network device carried in the WUS is 3 + 2 = 5.It should be noted that the range of the first group number can be smaller than the value range of the second group number or larger than the value range of the second group number. It can be predefined by the protocol. For example, the range of the first group number is larger than the value range of the second group number, or it can be configured by the network. For example, the network device indicates the range of the first group number and / or the range of the second group number, or the network device indicates whether the range of the first group number is smaller or larger than the value range of the second group number.

[0364] Optionally, the protocol can stipulate that the range of the first group number corresponds to the first grouping method, and the range of the second group number corresponds to the second grouping method. Optionally, the first access network device and the core network device can negotiate the range of the first group number and the range of the second group number. Exemplarily, the core network device can determine the range of the first group number corresponding to the first grouping method according to the total group number range, and send the determined range of the first group number to the first access network device. The first access network device determines the range of the second group number corresponding to the second grouping method through the total group number range and the range of the first group number sent by the core network device; or, the first access network device can determine the range of the second group number corresponding to the second grouping method according to the total group number range, and send the determined range of the second group number to the core network device. The core network device determines the range of the first group number corresponding to the first grouping method through the total group number range and the range of the first group number sent by the first access network device. Optionally, the first access network device indicates the range of the first group number and / or the range of the second group number to the terminal device, and the first access network device can indicate it to the terminal device through broadcast information.

[0365] Optionally, in the CU-DU network architecture, specifically, it can be as follows: The core network device can determine the range of the first group number corresponding to the first grouping method according to the total group number range, and send the determined range of the first group number to the CU. The CU sends the range of the first group number to the DU. The DU determines the range of the second group number corresponding to the second grouping method through the total group number range and the range of the first group number sent by the CU; or, the DU can determine the range of the second group number corresponding to the second grouping method according to the total group number range. The DU sends the range of the second group number to the CU. The CU sends the range of the second group number to the core network device. The core network device determines the range of the first group number corresponding to the first grouping method through the total group number range and the range of the first group number sent by the first access network device. Or, the core network device can send the number of groups supported by the core network device or the first grouping method to the CU. The CU sends the number of groups supported by the core network device or the first grouping method to the DU. The DU determines the group number indicating the first grouping method carried in the WUS through the number of groups supported by the core network device or the first grouping method and the number of groups supported by the second grouping method.

[0366] Optionally, at least two of the above-mentioned Method 1 to Method 4 can be combined. That is to say, the first access network device can indicate to the terminal devices in the target group in two or more ways that the terminal devices supporting the first target method in the target group receive paging messages.

[0367] In the above embodiments, the first terminal device may be in the RRC inactive state or the RRC idle state. When the first terminal device is in the RRC connected state, the second access network device may release the first terminal device from the RRC connected state and enter the RRC inactive state. After the first terminal device enters the RRC inactive state, the currently resident access network device may be the first access network device. When the first terminal device is in the RRC inactive state, if there is downlink data of the first terminal device to be sent, the first terminal device needs to be paged. Then, the last access network device in which the first terminal device is in the RRC connected state (i.e., the second access network device) needs to initiate paging to page the first terminal device. If the second access network device wants to page the first terminal device, since the first terminal device has moved to the coverage area of the first access network device, the second access network device may not be able to page the first terminal device when paging the first terminal device only within the coverage area of the second access network device. The second access network device may send the paging information to multiple access network devices in the same notification area (NA) as the second access network device. The multiple access network devices include the first access network device, and the first access network device pages the first terminal device according to the paging information. The paging information may include the packet capability information of the first terminal device, or include the packet capability information of the first terminal device and the first group number assigned by the core network device to the first terminal device. Among them, the packet capability information of the first terminal device may be the information sent by the core network device to the second access network device. If the second access network device supports packet capabilities, the second access network device may send the paging information to the first access network device in the same NA. If the second access network device does not support packet capabilities, the second access network device may not be able to recognize the paging information from the core network device. Therefore, it is also unable to send the paging information to the first access network device in the same NA, resulting in the first access network device being unable to use the packet paging mechanism to page the first terminal device. After the first terminal device resides in the first access network device, according to the description of method 300, the first terminal device may receive the packet mode supported by the first access network device broadcast by the first access network device. Therefore, the first terminal device may determine the first target mode used to receive the paging from the first access network device according to the packet mode supported by the first terminal device and the packet mode supported by the first access network device for use. In this way, the first terminal device will receive the paging message from the first access network device in the packet mode, but the first access network device cannot page the first terminal device in the packet mode, which will cause the first terminal device and the first access network device to have inconsistent understandings of paging, resulting in the situation that the first terminal device misses its own paging message.For example, if the first paging mechanism is adopted, the first terminal device attempts to receive the PEI at an offset before the PO of the first terminal device. However, since the first access network device cannot use the packet mode, it will not send the PEI at the first offset before the PO of the first terminal device. This will cause the PEI received by the first terminal device not to indicate that its group needs to wake up and further receive the paging message. Therefore, the first terminal device will not wake up on the PO to receive the DCI either. However, the first access network device may send the DCI on the PO, resulting in the first terminal device missing the paging message. Therefore, in the paging method provided in the embodiments of the present application, the second access network device can indicate to the first terminal device whether the first terminal device can use the packet mode when it is in the RRC inactive state.

[0368] The following Figure 4 describes the paging method 400 provided in the embodiments of the present application. The method 400 includes:

[0369] S401. The second access network device generates third indication information according to the packet mode supported by the second access network device. The third indication information is used to indicate whether the first terminal device can use the packet mode when it is in the RRC inactive state.

[0370] Optionally, the third indication information is specifically used to indicate that the first terminal device can use the first packet mode and / or the second packet mode when it is in the RRC inactive state. In other words, in one possible implementation, the third indication information can indicate that the first terminal device can use the packet mode or cannot use the packet mode when it is in the RRC inactive state. In another possible implementation, the third indication information can indicate that the packet mode that the first terminal device can use when it is in the RRC inactive state is specifically the first packet mode and / or the second packet mode. Optionally, if the second access network device does not send the third indication information, it is default that the second access network device implicitly indicates that the first terminal device cannot use the packet mode when it is in the RRC inactive state; Optionally, if the second access network device sends the third indication information, but the third indication information does not indicate the first packet mode nor the second packet mode, the first terminal device determines that it cannot use the packet mode when it is in the RRC inactive state.

[0371] Optionally, the third indication information is used to indicate whether the second access network device supports the packet mode, or the third indication information is specifically used to indicate that the second access network device supports the first packet mode and / or the second packet mode.

[0372] It can be understood that the first packet mode and the second packet mode in the method 400 refer to the descriptions of the first packet mode and the second packet mode in the method 300. To avoid repetition, the embodiments of the present application do not describe them in detail.

[0373] Optionally, the third indication information is specifically used to indicate that the first terminal device can use the first packet mode and / or the second packet mode when it is in the RRC inactive state. S401 includes: If the second access network device supports using the second packet mode, the generated third indication information is specifically used to indicate that the first terminal device can use the second packet mode when it is in the RRC inactive state. That is to say, if the second access network device supports using the second packet mode, it means that the second access network device can send the packet capability information of the first terminal device from the core network device to the first access network device, but will not send the first group number allocated by the core network device to the first terminal device. Therefore, the first access network device cannot use the first packet mode to page the first terminal device, and the first terminal device cannot use the first packet mode to receive the paging message from the first access network device. Therefore, the third indication information is used to indicate that the first terminal device can use the second packet mode and cannot use the first packet mode when it is in the RRC inactive state.

[0374] Optionally, the third indication information is specifically used to indicate that the first terminal device can use the first packet mode and / or the second packet mode when it is in the RRC inactive state. S401 includes: If the second access network device supports using the first packet mode, or supports both the first packet mode and the second packet mode, the generated third indication information is specifically used to indicate that the first terminal device can use the first packet mode and the second packet mode when it is in the RRC inactive state. That is to say, if the packet modes supported by the second access network device include the first packet mode, it means that the second access network device can send the packet capability information of the first terminal device from the core network device and the first group number allocated by the core network device to the first terminal device. Therefore, the first access network device can use the first packet mode or the second packet mode to page the first terminal device, and the first terminal device can use the first packet mode or the second packet mode to receive the paging message from the first access network device. Therefore, the third indication information is used to indicate that the first terminal device can use the second packet mode and the first packet mode when it is in the RRC inactive state.

[0375] Optionally, the third indication information is specifically used to indicate that the first terminal device can use the first packet mode and / or the second packet mode when it is in the RRC inactive state. S401 includes: If the second access network device supports using the first packet mode, or supports both the first packet mode and the second packet mode, the generated third indication information is specifically used to indicate that the first terminal device can use the first packet mode when it is in the RRC inactive state. That is to say, if the packet modes supported by the second access network device include the first packet mode, it means that the second access network device can send the packet capability information of the first terminal device from the core network device and the first group number allocated by the core network device for the first terminal device to the first access network device. Therefore, the first access network device can page the first terminal device using the first packet mode or the second packet mode, and the first terminal device can receive the paging message from the first access network device using the first packet mode or the second packet mode. However, since the priority of the first packet mode is higher than that of the second packet mode, and the second access network device determines that it only wants the first terminal device to use the first packet mode, the third indication information is used to indicate that the first terminal device can use the first packet mode when it is in the RRC inactive state.

[0376] S402. The second access network device sends the third indication information to the first terminal device, and the first terminal device receives the third indication information from the second access network device.

[0377] Optionally, in Method 1, S402 includes: The second access network device broadcasts a system message, and the system message includes the third indication information. After receiving the system message, the first terminal device obtains the third indication information in the system message. That is to say, in this method, the first terminal device can receive the system message broadcast by the second access network device. In other words, if the first terminal device is in the RRC inactive state or the RRC connected state, but within the coverage area of the second access network device, it can receive the system message broadcast by the second access network device.

[0378] Optionally, in Method 2, in S402, when the first terminal device is in the RRC connected state and has no data transmission requirement within a preset time period, the second access network device can carry the third indication information in the RRC release message. After receiving the RRC release message, the first terminal device enters the RRC inactive state from the RRC connected state.

[0379] Optionally, in the third method, as an alternative to S402, the second access network device may broadcast the packet mode supported by the second access network device in the system message. Before the first terminal device moves to the coverage area of the first access network device, if the first terminal device can receive the packet mode broadcast by the second access network device within the coverage area of the second access network device, the first terminal device can determine the packet mode that can be used when the first terminal device is in the RRC inactive state according to the packet mode supported by the second access network device. Specifically, if the packet mode supported by the second access network device is the first packet mode or the first packet mode and the second packet mode, the packet mode that can be used when the first terminal device is in the RRC inactive state is the first packet mode and the second packet mode; if the packet mode supported by the second access network device is the second packet mode, the packet mode that can be used when the first terminal device is in the RRC inactive state is the second packet mode. That is to say, in this method, the second access network device may not send the third indication information to specifically indicate the packet mode that can be used when the first terminal device is in the RRC inactive state, but the first terminal device can determine the packet mode that can be used when the first terminal device is in the RRC inactive state through the packet mode supported by the first access network device broadcast in the system message.

[0380] It should be noted that although in the third method of S402, no new third indication information is introduced to specifically indicate the packet mode that the first terminal device can use when it is in the RRC inactive state, which can achieve the purpose of saving signaling overhead. However, the packet mode supported by the second access network device broadcast in the system message is not necessarily the packet mode actually supported by the second access network device. For example, the second access network device broadcasts in the system message that it supports using the second packet mode, but it may be that the second access network device can support both the first packet mode and the second packet mode. Since the second access network device determines that it currently supports using the second packet mode, at this time, the second access network device can still send the packet capability information of the first terminal device from the core network device and the first group number allocated by the core network device for the first terminal device to the first access network device. Therefore, the first access network device can page the first terminal device using the first packet mode or the second packet mode, and the first terminal device can receive the paging message from the first access network device using the first packet mode or the second packet mode. Then, there is a problem that the information obtained by the first terminal device is incomplete or inconsistent with the actual situation supported by the second access network device. In addition, in the first or third method of S402, the packet mode supported by the second access network device broadcast in the system message may change. The packet mode that the first terminal device determines it can use when it is in the RRC inactive state through the system message may be outdated information. The second access network device also does not know when the information saved by the first terminal device was broadcast in the system message, and there will still be a problem of inconsistency with the packet mode used by the second access network device when paging the first terminal device. The second method of S402 can effectively solve this problem. Since the packet mode that the first terminal device can use when it is in the RRC inactive state is configured by the second access network device to the first terminal device through a dedicated message (RRC release message), both the second access network device and the first terminal device can clearly understand the packet mode that the first terminal device can use when it is in the RRC inactive state, and there will be no problem of inconsistent understanding. In other words, in the first and third methods, the packet mode supported by the second access network device included in the system message broadcast by the second access network device may be an outdated packet mode supported by the second access network device. The packet mode supported by the second access network device may change in different scenarios. Therefore, by clearly indicating in the third indication information in the RRC release message in the second method the packet mode that the first terminal device can use when it is in the RRC inactive state, the problem of inconsistent understanding caused by non-real-time can be avoided.

[0381] S403. The first terminal device determines the packet mode that the first terminal device can use when it is in the RRC inactive state according to the packet mode supported by the first terminal device and the third indication information.

[0382] The following discusses S403 in different cases.

[0383] Case 1, S403 includes: If the first terminal device supports the first packet mode, or supports both the first packet mode and the second packet mode, and the third indication information is used to indicate that the first terminal device can use the first packet mode when in the RRC inactive state, then determine that the first terminal device can use the first packet mode; or,

[0384] Case 2, S403 includes: If the first terminal device supports the second packet mode, or supports both the first packet mode and the second packet mode, and the third indication information is used to indicate that the first terminal device can use the second packet mode when in the RRC inactive state, then determine that the first terminal device can use the second packet mode; or,

[0385] Case 3, S403 includes: If the first terminal device supports both the first packet mode and the second packet mode, and the third indication information is used to indicate that the first terminal device can use both the first packet mode and the second packet mode when in the RRC inactive state, then determine that the first terminal device can use both the first packet mode and the second packet mode.

[0386] Case 4, S403 includes: If the first terminal device does not support the first packet mode nor the second packet mode, even if the third indication information is used to indicate that the first terminal device can use a packet mode when in the RRC inactive state, or can use the first packet mode and / or the second packet mode, then determine that the first terminal device cannot use the first packet mode nor the second packet mode.

[0387] Case 5, S403 includes: If the first terminal device supports the first packet mode and / or the second packet mode, and the third indication information is used to indicate that the first terminal device cannot use a packet mode when in the RRC inactive state, then determine that the first terminal device cannot use the first packet mode nor the second packet mode.

[0388] Case 6, S403 includes: If the first terminal device supports the first packet mode, and the third indication information is used to indicate that the first terminal device can use a packet mode when in the RRC inactive state, then determine that the first terminal device can use the first packet mode.

[0389] Case 7, S403 includes: If the first terminal device supports the second packet mode, and the third indication information is used to indicate that the first terminal device can use a packet mode when in the RRC inactive state, then determine that the first terminal device can use the second packet mode.

[0390] Scenario 8, S403, includes: If the first terminal device supports the first packet mode and the second packet mode, and the third indication information is used to indicate that the first terminal device can use the packet mode when in the RRC inactive state, determine that the first terminal device can use the first packet mode and the second packet mode.

[0391] Scenario 9, S403, includes: If the third indication information indicates that the packet mode that the first terminal device can use when in the RRC inactive state is inconsistent with the packet modes supported by the first terminal device, determine that the first terminal device cannot use the first packet mode nor the second packet mode. For example, if the third indication information indicates that the packet mode that the first terminal device can use when in the RRC inactive state is the first packet mode, and the packet modes supported by the first terminal device are the second packet mode, determine that the first terminal device cannot use the first packet mode nor the second packet mode; another example, if the third indication information indicates that the packet mode that the first terminal device can use when in the RRC inactive state is the second packet mode, and the packet modes supported by the first terminal device are the first packet mode, determine that the first terminal device cannot use the first packet mode nor the second packet mode.

[0392] Optionally, if the third indication information indicates that the first terminal device cannot use the packet mode, S403 may not be executed, and / or S408 may also not be executed, that is, the first terminal device does not obtain the packet modes supported by the first access network device either; if the third indication information indicates that the first terminal device can use the first packet mode and / or the second packet mode, S403 may be executed, and S408 may also be executed, and the first terminal device obtains the packet modes supported by the first access network device.

[0393] S404, The core network device sends the packet capability information of the first terminal device to the second access network device, and the second access network device receives the packet capability information of the first terminal device sent by the core network device; or, the core network device sends the packet capability information of the first terminal device and the first group number allocated by the core network device for the first terminal device to the second access network device, and the second access network device receives the packet capability information of the first terminal device and the first group number sent by the core network device.

[0394] Optionally, the core network device may send the packet capability information of the first terminal device to the second access network device through the Core Network Assistance Information for RRC INACTIVE. Alternatively, the core network device may send the packet capability information of the first terminal device and the first group number allocated by the core network device for the first terminal device to the second access network device through the Core Network Assistance Information for RRC INACTIVE.

[0395] S405. The second access network device determines whether to send the packet capability information and / or the first group number of the first terminal device to the first access network device according to the packet mode supported by the second access network device for use.

[0396] Optionally, S405 includes: If the packet mode supported by the second access network device for use is the second packet mode, it is determined to send the packet capability information of the first terminal device to the first access network device and not send the first group number. That is to say, at this time, the third indication information may indicate that the first terminal device can use the second packet mode when in the RRC inactive state.

[0397] Optionally, S405 includes: If the packet mode supported by the second access network device for use is the first packet mode, or the first packet mode and the second packet mode, it is determined to send the first group number and the packet capability information of the first terminal device to the first access network device. That is to say, at this time, the third indication information may indicate that the first terminal device can use the first packet mode and the second packet mode when in the RRC inactive state, or the third indication information may indicate that the first terminal device can use the packet mode when in the RRC inactive state. At this time, by default, it can be considered that the first terminal device can use the first packet mode and the second packet mode when in the RRC inactive state.

[0398] Optionally, S405 includes: If the packet mode supported by the second access network device for use is the first packet mode, it is determined to send the first group number to the first access network device and not send the packet capability information of the first terminal device. That is to say, at this time, the third indication information may indicate that the first terminal device can use the first packet mode when in the RRC inactive state. In other words, the packet mode that the third indication information sent by the second access network device indicates that the first terminal device can use when in the RRC inactive state is the same as the packet mode supported by the second access network device for use, both being the first packet mode.

[0399] Optionally, S405 includes: if the second access network device supports using the packet mode, determining to send the packet capability information and the first group number of the first terminal device to the first access network device. That is to say, at this time, the third indication information can indicate that the first terminal device can use the packet mode when it is in the RRC inactive state. In other words, if the second access network device supports using the packet mode, then the third indication information indicates that the first terminal device can use the packet mode when it is in the RRC inactive state.

[0400] S406, the second access network device sends the packet capability information of the first terminal device, and / or the first group number, to the first access network device.

[0401] Optionally, S406 can send the packet capability information of the first terminal device through the paging message between access network devices, or send the capability information and the first group number of the first terminal device through the paging message between access network devices.

[0402] S407, the first access network device broadcasts the packet mode supported by the first access network device, and the first terminal device obtains the packet mode supported by the first access network device.

[0403] Specifically, when the first terminal device is in the RRC connected state and within the coverage area of the second access network device, when the first terminal device enters the RRC inactive state, the first terminal device is within the coverage area of the first access network device. Therefore, the first terminal device can obtain the packet mode supported by the first access network device.

[0404] Optionally, for the first access network device to determine the packet mode supported by the first access network device in S407, reference can be made to cases 1 to 5 described in S302.

[0405] Specifically, S407 refers to the description in S303. To avoid repetition, the embodiments of the present application do not describe it in detail.

[0406] As an alternative to S407, the first access network device broadcasts whether the first access network device supports using the packet mode, and the first terminal device obtains whether the first access network device supports using the packet mode. It can be understood that if it supports using the packet mode, it means that it supports both the first packet mode and the second packet mode; if it does not support using the packet mode, it means that it does not support both the first packet mode and the second packet mode.

[0407] S408, the first access network device determines the first target mode for paging the first terminal device according to the received packet capability information and / or the first group number of the first terminal device, the packet mode supported by the first access network device broadcast in S407, and the packet mode supported by the first terminal device indicated by the packet capability information.

[0408] The following discusses S408 in different cases.

[0409] Case 1, S408, includes: If the first access network device receives the packet capability information of the first terminal device, it determines that the first access network device can use the second packet mode to page the first terminal device. If the packet capability information of the first terminal device indicates that the packet modes supported by the first terminal device include the second packet mode, and the packet modes supported by the first access network device for use include the second packet mode, then the first access network device determines that the first target mode used to page the first terminal device is the second packet mode.

[0410] Optionally, the packet capability information of the first terminal device indicating that the packet modes supported by the first terminal device include the second packet mode can be understood as: the packet capability information of the first terminal device indicates that the packet mode supported by the first terminal device is the second packet mode, or the packet capability information of the first terminal device indicates that the packet modes supported by the first terminal device are the first packet mode and the second packet mode.

[0411] Optionally, the packet modes supported by the first access network device for use including the second packet mode can be understood as: the packet mode supported by the first access network device for use is the second packet mode, or the packet modes supported by the first access network device for use are the first packet mode and the second packet mode.

[0412] Case 2, S408, includes: If the first access network device receives the packet capability information of the first terminal device, it determines that the first access network device can use the second packet mode to page the first terminal device. If the packet capability information of the first terminal device indicates that the packet modes supported by the first terminal device do not include the second packet mode, or the packet modes supported by the first access network device for use do not include the second packet mode, then the first access network device determines that the first target mode used to page the first terminal device is a non-packet mode.

[0413] Case 3, S408, includes: If the first access network device receives the packet capability information and the first group number of the first terminal device, it determines that the first access network device can use the first packet mode and the second packet mode to page the first terminal device. If the packet capability information of the first terminal device indicates that the packet mode supported by the first terminal device is the first packet mode, and the packet modes supported by the first access network device for use include the first packet mode, then the first access network device determines that the first target mode used to page the first terminal device is the first packet mode. Or, if the packet capability information of the first terminal device indicates that the packet modes supported by the first terminal device include the first packet mode, and the packet mode supported by the first access network device for use is the first packet mode, then the first access network device determines that the first target mode used to page the first terminal device is the first packet mode.

[0414] Optionally, the packet modes supported by the first access network device for use include the first packet mode, which can be understood as: the packet mode supported by the first access network device for use is the first packet mode, or the packet modes supported by the first access network device for use are the first packet mode and the second packet mode.

[0415] Optionally, the packet capability information of the first terminal device indicates that the packet modes supported by the first terminal device include the first packet mode, which can be understood as: the packet capability information of the first terminal device indicates that the packet mode supported by the first terminal device is the first packet mode, or the packet modes supported by the first terminal device indicated by the packet capability information of the first terminal device are the first packet mode and the second packet mode.

[0416] Case 4, S408, includes: If the first access network device receives the packet capability information and the first group number of the first terminal device, it determines that the first access network device can use the first packet mode and the second packet mode to page the first terminal device. If the packet capability information of the first terminal device indicates that the packet mode supported by the first terminal device is the second packet mode, and the packet modes supported by the first access network device for use include the second packet mode, then the first access network device determines that the first target mode used to page the first terminal device is the second packet mode. Or, if the packet capability information of the first terminal device indicates that the packet modes supported by the first terminal device include the second packet mode, and the packet mode supported by the first access network device for use is the second packet mode, then the first access network device determines that the first target mode used to page the first terminal device is the second packet mode.

[0417] Optionally, the packet modes supported by the first access network device for use include the second packet mode, which can be understood as: the packet mode supported by the first access network device for use is the second packet mode, or the packet modes supported by the first access network device for use are the first packet mode and the second packet mode.

[0418] Optionally, the grouping capability information of the first terminal device indicates that the grouping methods supported by the first terminal device include a second grouping method. It can be understood that: the grouping capability information of the first terminal device indicates that the grouping method supported by the first terminal device is the second grouping method, or the grouping capability information of the first terminal device indicates that the grouping methods supported for use by the first terminal device are the first grouping method and the second grouping method.

[0419] Case 5, S408, includes: If the first access network device receives the grouping capability information and the first group number of the first terminal device, it determines that the first access network device can use the first grouping method and the second grouping method to page the first terminal device. If the grouping capability information of the first terminal device indicates that the first terminal device supports the first grouping method but does not support the second grouping method, and the first access network device does not support using the first grouping method but supports using the second grouping method, then the first access network device determines that the first target method used to page the first terminal device is a non-grouping method. Or, if the grouping capability information of the first terminal device indicates that the first terminal device does not support the first grouping method but supports the second grouping method, and the first access network device supports using the first grouping method but does not support using the second grouping method, then the first access network device determines that the first target method used to page the first terminal device is a non-grouping method. Or, if the grouping capability information of the first terminal device indicates that the first terminal device does not support the first grouping method nor the second grouping method, or the first access network device does not support using the first grouping method nor the second grouping method, then the first access network device determines that the first target method used to page the first terminal device is a non-grouping method.

[0420] Case 6, S408, includes: If the first access network device receives the grouping capability information and the first group number of the first terminal device, it determines that the first access network device can use the first grouping method and the second grouping method to page the first terminal device. If the grouping capability information of the first terminal device indicates that the grouping methods supported by the first terminal device are the first grouping method and the second grouping method, and the grouping methods supported for use by the first access network device include the first grouping method and the second grouping method, then the first access network device determines that the first target method used to page the first terminal device is the grouping method with a higher priority among the first grouping method and the second grouping method. For example, if the priority of the first grouping method is higher than the priority of the second grouping method, then the first target method is the first grouping method.

[0421] Case 7, S408, includes: If the first access network device receives the first group number, it is determined that the first access network device can use the first packet mode to page the first terminal device. If the packet capability information of the first terminal device indicates that the packet modes supported by the first terminal device include the first packet mode, and the packet modes supported by the first access network device for use include the first packet mode, then the first access network device determines that the first target mode used to page the first terminal device is the first packet mode.

[0422] Optionally, the packet capability information of the first terminal device indicating that the packet modes supported by the first terminal device include the first packet mode can be understood as: the packet capability information of the first terminal device indicates that the packet mode supported by the first terminal device is the first packet mode, or the packet capability information of the first terminal device indicates that the packet modes supported by the first terminal device are the first packet mode and the second packet mode.

[0423] Optionally, the packet modes supported by the first access network device for use including the first packet mode can be understood as: the packet mode supported by the first access network device for use is the first packet mode, or the packet modes supported by the first access network device for use are the first packet mode and the second packet mode.

[0424] Case 8, S408, includes: If the first access network device receives the first group number, it is determined that the first access network device can use the first packet mode to page the first terminal device. If the packet capability information of the first terminal device indicates that the packet modes supported by the first terminal device do not include the first packet mode, or the packet modes supported by the first access network device for use do not include the first packet mode, then the first access network device determines that the first target mode used to page the first terminal device is a non-packet mode.

[0425] That is to say, in the above eight cases, if the first access network device receives the packet capability information of the first terminal device, the first access network device can use the second packet mode to page the first terminal device. If the packet modes supported by the first terminal device indicated by the packet capability information of the first terminal device and the packet modes supported by the first access network device for use both include the second packet mode, the first target mode for the first access network device to page the first terminal device is the second packet mode; if the packet modes supported by the first terminal device indicated by the packet capability information of the first terminal device or the packet modes supported by the first access network device for use do not include the second packet mode, the first target mode for the first access network device to page the first terminal device is the non-packet mode. If the first access network device receives the packet capability information and the first group number of the first terminal device, it is determined that the first access network device can use the first packet mode and the second packet mode to page the first terminal device. If there is an intersection between the packet modes supported by the first terminal device indicated by the packet capability information of the first terminal device and the packet modes supported by the first access network device for use and the first packet mode, the first target mode for the first access network device to page the first terminal device is the first packet mode; if there is an intersection between the packet modes supported by the first terminal device indicated by the packet capability information of the first terminal device and the packet modes supported by the first access network device for use and the second packet mode, the first target mode for the first access network device to page the first terminal device is the second packet mode; if there are intersections between the packet modes supported by the first terminal device indicated by the packet capability information of the first terminal device and the packet modes supported by the first access network device for use and both the first packet mode and the second packet mode, the first target mode for the first access network device to page the first terminal device is the packet mode with a higher priority among the first packet mode and the second packet mode, such as the first packet mode; if there is no intersection between the packet modes supported by the first terminal device indicated by the packet capability information of the first terminal device and the packet modes supported by the first access network device for use and the second packet mode, and there is also no intersection with the first packet mode, the first target mode for the first access network device to page the first terminal device is the non-packet mode. If the first access network device receives the first group number of the first terminal device, the first access network device can use the first packet mode to page the first terminal device. If the packet modes supported by the first terminal device indicated by the packet capability information of the first terminal device and the packet modes supported by the first access network device for use both include the first packet mode, the first target mode for the first access network device to page the first terminal device is the first packet mode; if the packet modes supported by the first terminal device indicated by the packet capability information of the first terminal device or the packet modes supported by the first access network device for use do not include the first packet mode, the first target mode for the first access network device to page the first terminal device is the non-packet mode.

[0426] S409. The first terminal device determines a first target mode for receiving paging from the first access network device according to the packet mode that the first terminal device can use in S403 and the packet mode supported by the first access network device obtained in S407.

[0427] After the first terminal device obtains the packet mode supported by the first access network device, S409 can be executed. S409 is discussed in different cases below.

[0428] Case 1. S409 includes: the packet mode that the first terminal device can use is the first packet mode, and the packet mode supported by the first access network device includes the first packet mode. Then the first terminal device determines that the first target mode for receiving paging from the first access network device is the first packet mode.

[0429] Optionally, the packet mode supported by the first access network device includes the first packet mode, which can be understood as: the packet mode supported by the first access network device is the first packet mode, or the packet mode supported by the first access network device is the first packet mode and the second packet mode.

[0430] Case 2. S409 includes: the packet mode that the first terminal device can use is the second packet mode, and the packet mode supported by the first access network device includes the second packet mode. Then the first access network device determines that the first target mode for paging the first terminal device is the second packet mode.

[0431] Optionally, the packet mode supported by the first access network device includes the second packet mode, which can be understood as: the packet mode supported by the first access network device is the second packet mode, or the packet mode supported by the first access network device is the first packet mode and the second packet mode.

[0432] Case 3. S409 includes: the packet mode that the first terminal device can use is the first packet mode and the second packet mode, and the packet mode supported by the first access network device is the first packet mode. Then the first terminal device determines that the first target mode for receiving paging from the first access network device is the first packet mode.

[0433] Case 4. S409 includes: the packet mode that the first terminal device can use is the first packet mode and the second packet mode, and the packet mode supported by the first access network device is the second packet mode. Then the first terminal device determines that the first target mode for receiving paging from the first access network device is the second packet mode.

[0434] Case 5, S409, includes: The packet modes that the first terminal device can use are the first packet mode and the second packet mode. The first access network device supports using the first packet mode and the second packet mode. The first terminal device determines that the first target mode for receiving the paging from the first access network device is the packet mode with a higher priority among the first packet mode and the second packet mode. For example, if the priority of the first packet mode is higher than that of the second packet mode, the first target mode is the first packet mode.

[0435] Case 6, S409, includes: The packet mode that the first terminal device can use is the first packet mode, and the packet modes supported by the first access network device do not include the first packet mode. Then the first terminal device determines that the first target mode for receiving the paging from the first access network device is the non-packet mode. Alternatively, the packet mode that the first terminal device can use is the second packet mode, and the packet modes supported by the first access network device do not include the second packet mode. Then the first terminal device determines that the first target mode for receiving the paging from the first access network device is the non-packet mode. Alternatively, the packet modes that the first terminal device can use are the first packet mode and the second packet mode, and the first access network device does not support using the first packet mode nor the second packet mode. Then the first terminal device determines that the first target mode for receiving the paging from the first access network device is the non-packet mode.

[0436] Case 7, S409, includes: The first terminal device cannot use the first packet mode nor the second packet mode. Then the first terminal device determines that the first target mode for receiving the paging from the first access network device is the non-packet mode.

[0437] S410, The first access network device pages the first terminal device according to the first target mode determined in S408, and the first terminal device receives the paging message from the first access network device according to the first target mode determined in S409.

[0438] Specifically, for the description of S410, refer to the description of S305. To avoid redundancy, the embodiments of the present application will not describe it in detail.

[0439] It should be noted that method 400 may only include S401 and S402. The other steps are optional steps. That is, after the second access network device generates the third indication information and sends the third indication information to the first terminal device, method 400 may also end. At this time, method 400 provides a method for learning whether the first terminal device can use the packet mode when it is in the RRC inactive state, or method 400 provides a method for learning that the first terminal device can use the packet mode when it is in the RRC inactive state, so that the first terminal device can use the packet mode to receive the paging message when it is in the RRC inactive state.

[0440] It can be understood that there is no restriction on the order of S401, S402, S403, and S404. S401, S402, and S403 can be performed before, after, or simultaneously with S404. There is no restriction on the order of S406, S408, and S407. S406 and S408 can be performed before, after, or simultaneously with S407. There is no restriction on the order of S408 and S409 or S403. S408 can be performed before, after, or simultaneously with S409 or S403.

[0441] It can also be understood that S403 and S409 can be one step. In this case, S403 and S409 can be combined and performed after S407.

[0442] In the above method 400, when the first terminal device enters the RRC inactive state from the RRC connected state within the coverage area of the second access network device, the second access network device can indicate to the first terminal device whether it can use the packet mode or indicate the specific packet mode that can be used when in the RRC inactive state. In this way, the first terminal device can determine the packet mode that the first terminal device can use according to the packet mode supported by the first terminal device and the third indication information. The first access network device determines the first target mode for paging the first terminal device according to the packet mode supported by the first access network device, the packet capability information and / or the first group number of the first terminal device received from the second access network device, and the packet mode supported by the first terminal device indicated by the packet capability information of the first terminal device. The first access network device can broadcast the packet mode supported by the first access network device for use, and the first terminal device can determine the first target mode for receiving the paging of the first access network device according to the packet mode supported by the first access network device for use and the packet mode that the first terminal device can use. The first access network device determines the first target mode for paging the first terminal device according to the packet mode supported by the first access network device for use and the packet capability information of the first terminal device. In this way, it can be ensured that the first target mode for the first access network device to page the first terminal device is consistent with the first target mode for the first terminal device to receive the paging, thereby saving power consumption.

[0443] The following combines Figure 5 Describe the paging method 500 provided by the embodiments of the present application. The method 500 includes:

[0444] S501. The core network device sends the packet capability information of the first terminal device to the second access network device, and the second access network device receives the packet capability information of the first terminal device sent by the core network device; or, the core network device sends the packet capability information of the first terminal device and the first group number allocated by the core network device for the first terminal device to the second access network device, and the second access network device receives the packet capability information of the first terminal device and the first group number sent by the core network device.

[0445] Optionally, the core network device may send the packet capability information of the first terminal device to the second access network device through the Core Network Assistance Information for RRC INACTIVE, or may send the packet capability information of the first terminal device and the first group number allocated by the core network device for the first terminal device to the second access network device through the Core Network Assistance Information for RRC INACTIVE.

[0446] S502. The second access network device generates a fourth indication information according to the packet mode supported by the second access network device and the packet capability information of the first terminal device, and the fourth indication information is used to indicate whether the first terminal device can use the packet mode in the RRC inactive state.

[0447] Optionally, the fourth indication information is specifically used to indicate that the first terminal device can use the first packet mode and / or the second packet mode in the RRC inactive state. In other words, in one possible implementation, the fourth indication information may indicate that the first terminal device can use the packet mode or cannot use the packet mode in the RRC inactive state. In another possible implementation, the fourth indication information may indicate that the packet mode that the first terminal device can use in the RRC inactive state is specifically the first packet mode and / or the second packet mode. Optionally, if the second access network device does not send the fourth indication information, it is default that the second access network device implicitly indicates that the first terminal device cannot use the packet mode in the RRC inactive state; optionally, if the second access network device sends the fourth indication information, but the fourth indication information does not indicate the first packet mode nor the second packet mode, the first terminal device determines that it cannot use the packet mode in the RRC inactive state.

[0448] It can be understood that the first packet mode and the second packet mode in method 500 refer to the descriptions of the first packet mode and the second packet mode in method 300. To avoid repetition, the embodiments of the present application do not describe them in detail.

[0449] When the fourth indication information is specifically used to indicate that the first terminal device can use ...

Claims

1. A paging method, characterized in that, The method is applicable to a first terminal device or a chip in the first terminal device, and includes: Obtaining a packet mode supported by a first access network device; Determining, according to the packet mode supported by the first access network device and the packet mode supported by the first terminal device, a first target mode used by the first terminal device to receive paging from the first access network device, where the packet mode supported by the first access network device is a first packet mode and a second packet mode, the packet modes supported by the first terminal device include the first packet mode and the second packet mode, the first packet mode is a packet mode controlled by a core network device, and the second packet mode is a packet mode based on a terminal device identifier; Receiving a paging message from the first access network device according to a target group number corresponding to the first target mode; Wherein the target group number belongs to a first group number range or a second group number range, the first group number range is a group number range corresponding to the first packet mode, the second group number range is a group number range corresponding to the second packet mode, there is no intersection between the first group number range and the second group number range, and the first target mode is the first packet mode or the second packet mode; Wherein, if the target group number belongs to the second group number range, the target group number is the sum of a value obtained by modulo calculation according to the terminal device identifier and the number of groups supported by the first packet mode.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein The value range of the first group number range is smaller than that of the second group number range.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The obtaining of the packet mode supported by the first access network device includes: Receiving a system message broadcast by the first access network device, and obtaining the packet mode supported by the first access network device from the system message.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein The target group number is generated by the core network device and notified to the first terminal device.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein The method further includes: Receiving third indication information from a second access network device, where the third indication information indicates that the first terminal device can use a packet mode in a radio resource control (RRC) inactive state.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The receiving of the third indication information from the second access network device includes: Receiving an RRC release message from the second access network device, where the RRC release message includes the third indication information, and the RRC release message is used to release the first terminal device from the RRC connected state to the RRC inactive state.

7. The method according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that, The receiving of the third indication information from the second access network device includes: Receiving a broadcast system message from the second access network device, where the system message includes the third indication information.

8. A communication device, characterized in that, Including a processor and a memory coupled to the processor, when a computer program or instruction stored in the memory is run, the method according to any one of claims 1 to 7 is executed or implemented.

9. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium is stored in a communication device, the computer-readable storage medium stores a computer program or instruction, and when the computer program or instruction is run, the method according to any one of claims 1 to 7 is executed or implemented.

10. A computer program product comprising a computer program which, when run on a communication device, causes the method according to any one of claims 1 to 7 to be performed or implemented.

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