Physical random access channel processing method and apparatus

Abstract

This application discloses a physical random access channel (PRAN) processing method and apparatus. The method includes: a terminal device receiving first indication information. When the first indication information indicates that PRACH should be repeatedly transmitted using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS at different times, the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH according to the PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS. When the first indication information indicates that PRACH should be repeatedly transmitted using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS at different times, the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH according to the PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS, or repeatedly transmits PRACH according to the PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS. This method can enhance the uplink coverage capability of the terminal device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to a physical random access channel processing method and apparatus. Background Technology

[0002] In mobile communication systems, network equipment can transmit at a power of up to 53dBm (200W) to ensure downlink transmission quality. However, to meet the long battery life requirements of terminal devices, their transmit power is typically lower. Currently, the maximum transmit power of a terminal device with two transmit antennas is 26dBm (400mW). It is clear that the transmit power of the network equipment is much greater than that of the terminal device. Therefore, while a terminal device located at the cell edge can receive downlink signals from the network equipment, the network equipment cannot recognize the uplink signals transmitted by the terminal device, meaning the terminal device has poor uplink coverage.

[0003] Therefore, enhancing uplink coverage is one of the urgent problems to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a physical random access channel processing method and apparatus, which can enhance the uplink coverage capability of terminal devices.

[0005] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) processing method. The method includes: a terminal device receiving first indication information, the first indication information indicating whether to repeatedly transmit PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with the same Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) or Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS) at different times, or to repeatedly transmit PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RSs respectively. When the first indication information indicates that PRACH should be repeatedly transmitted using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS at different times, the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH according to the PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS. When the first indication information indicates that PRACH should be repeatedly transmitted using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RSs at different times, the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH according to the PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS, or repeatedly transmits PRACH according to the PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RSs respectively.

[0006] In this method, the network device associates the PRACH opportunity for repeated PRACH transmission with the SSB or with the CSI-RS through the first indication information, so that the terminal device can repeatedly transmit PRACH according to the beam associated with the SSB or CSI-RS, thereby enhancing the uplink coverage capability of the terminal device.

[0007] In addition, when the first indication information indicates that the terminal device should repeatedly send PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS, the terminal device can flexibly choose whether to repeatedly send PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS, or to repeatedly send PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS.

[0008] In one optional implementation, the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH based on a PRACH opportunity associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS, including: the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH based on a PRACH opportunity associated with a first SSB or a first CSI-RS. Wherein, the first SSB is one of a plurality of SSBs in a first uplink coverage enhancement level, the first CSI-RS is one of a plurality of CSI-RS in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, and the first uplink coverage level is determined from a plurality of uplink coverage levels based on the measured reference signal received power (RSRP) of the SSB or CSI-RS.

[0009] In other words, when the first indication information indicates that the terminal device should repeatedly transmit PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS at different times, the terminal device will repeatedly transmit PRACH based on the PRACH opportunity associated with any SSB or CSI-RS in the first uplink coverage level to which the measured RSRP of the SSB or CSI-RS belongs. In this method, the terminal device can flexibly select the PRACH opportunity for repeated transmission within the first uplink coverage level.

[0010] In one optional implementation, the first SSB is the SSB with the highest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, or the first CSI-RS is the CSI-RS with the highest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level. That is, when the first indication information indicates that the terminal device should repeatedly transmit PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS at different times, it will repeatedly transmit PRACH based on the PRACH opportunity associated with the SSB or CSI-RS with the highest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level. This increases the probability of successful access for the terminal device and enhances its uplink coverage capability.

[0011] In one optional implementation, the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH based on PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RSs, including: the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH based on PRACH opportunities associated with multiple SSBs or multiple CSI-RSs. The multiple SSBs are multiple SSBs in a first uplink coverage level, or the multiple CSI-RSs are multiple CSI-RSs in a first uplink coverage level, the first uplink coverage level being determined from multiple uplink coverage levels based on the measured reference signal received power (RSRP) of the SSBs or CSI-RSs.

[0012] It is evident that when the first indication information indicates that the terminal device should repeatedly transmit PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS at different times, the terminal device will repeatedly transmit PRACH based on the PRACH opportunities associated with multiple SSBs or CSI-RS in the first uplink coverage level. This can increase the probability of successful access for the terminal device and enhance its uplink coverage capability.

[0013] In one optional implementation, the plurality of SSBs include the SSB with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, and the SSB with the difference between RSRP and the largest RSRP less than or equal to a first value; or, the plurality of CSI-RSs include the CSI-RS with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, and the CSI-RS with the difference between RSRP and the largest RSRP less than or equal to a first value.

[0014] It is evident that by repeatedly transmitting PRACH based on the SSB or CSI-RS associated PRACH opportunity within a certain range of RSRP in the first uplink coverage level, the terminal device can ensure that it repeatedly transmits PRACH using the SSB or CSI-RS associated PRACH opportunity with higher signal quality, thereby increasing the probability of successful access for the terminal device.

[0015] In one optional implementation, the terminal device may further receive second indication information, which indicates the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to each uplink coverage level among multiple uplink coverage levels, and that the number of PRACH repetitions is the number of times a PRACH is transmitted by an SSB or CSI-RS in the corresponding uplink coverage level. The number of PRACH repetitions when the terminal device transmits PRACH based on PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS is equal to the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to the first uplink coverage level; or, the number of PRACH repetitions when the terminal device transmits PRACH based on PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RSs is equal to the product between the number of SSBs or CSI-RSs among the different SSBs or CSI-RSs and the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to the first uplink coverage level; the first uplink coverage level is determined from multiple uplink coverage levels based on the measured reference signal received power (RSRP) of the SSB or CSI-RS.

[0016] In another optional implementation, the terminal device may further receive second indication information, which indicates the number of times the Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) is repeated for each uplink coverage level among multiple uplink coverage levels, and that the number of times each PRACH is repeated is the sum of the number of times each SSB or CSI-RS in the corresponding uplink coverage level transmits PRACH; the number of times the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH based on the PRACH opportunity associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS is equal to the number of times the PRACH is repeated for the first uplink coverage level; or, the number of times the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH based on the PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS is equal to the sum of the product of the proportion of the number of repetitions of each SSB or CSI-RS in different SSBs or CSI-RS and the number of times the PRACH is repeated for the first uplink coverage level; the first uplink coverage level is determined from multiple uplink coverage levels based on the measured Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP) of the SSB or CSI-RS.

[0017] In another optional implementation, the terminal device may further receive second indication information, which indicates the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to each uplink coverage level among multiple uplink coverage levels, and the number of PRACH repetitions for each PRACH is the number of times the SSB or CSI-RS with the maximum RSRP sends PRACH, and the number of times the SSB or CSI-RS other than the SSB or CSI-RS with the maximum RSRP sends PRACH is determined based on the difference between the RSRP value of the SSB or CSI-RS and the maximum RSRP; the number of repetitions when the terminal device retransmits PRACH according to the PRACH opportunity associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS is equal to the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to the first uplink coverage level when the same SSB or CSI-RS is the SSB or CSI-RS with the maximum RSRP, and is based on the difference between the RSRP value of the SSB or CSI-RS and the maximum RSRP when the same SSB or CSI-RS is not the SSB or CSI-RS with the maximum RSRP. The RSRP value of the SSB or CSI-RS is determined by the difference between the RSRP value and the maximum RSRP; or, the number of times the terminal device retransmits PRACH based on the PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS is equal to the sum of the number of times each SSB or CSI-RS retransmits PRACH among the different SSBs or CSI-RS; wherein, the number of times the SSB or CSI-RS with the maximum RSRP among the different SSBs or CSI-RS retransmits PRACH is equal to the number of times PRACH is retransmitted corresponding to the first uplink coverage level, and the number of times the SSB or CSI-RS other than the SSB or CSI-RS with the maximum RSRP retransmits PRACH is determined based on the difference between the RSRP value of the SSB or CSI-RS and the maximum RSRP; the first uplink coverage level is determined from multiple uplink coverage levels based on the measured reference signal received power RSRP of the SSB or CSI-RS.

[0018] It can be seen that the terminal device can also determine the number of times to send PRACH repeatedly based on the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to each uplink coverage level indicated by the second indication information, and the different implementation methods of the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to each uplink coverage level.

[0019] Secondly, embodiments of this application also provide a physical random access channel (PRACH) processing method. The method includes: when a terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with the same synchronization signal block (SSB) or channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) at different times, it determines a first SSB from multiple SSBs of a first uplink coverage enhancement level, or determines a first CSI-RS from multiple CSI-RSs of the first uplink coverage enhancement level. The terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH based on the PRACH opportunity associated with the first SSB or the first CSI-RS. The first uplink coverage level is determined from multiple uplink coverage levels based on the measured reference signal received power (RSRP) of the SSB or CSI-RS.

[0020] It is evident that when a terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS at different times, it can repeatedly transmit PRACH based on the PRACH opportunity associated with any SSB in the first uplink coverage level to which the measured RSRP of the SSB belongs, or repeatedly transmit PRACH based on the PRACH opportunity associated with any CSI-RS in the first uplink coverage level to which the measured RSRP of the CSI-RS belongs. In other words, the terminal device can flexibly select the PRACH opportunity for repeated transmission within the first uplink coverage level.

[0021] In one alternative implementation, the first SSB is the SSB with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, or the first CSI-RS is the CSI-RS with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level.

[0022] In an optional implementation, the terminal device may further receive second indication information, which indicates the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to each uplink coverage level among multiple uplink coverage levels, and that the number of PRACH repetitions is the number of times a PRACH is sent by an SSB or CSI-RS in the corresponding uplink coverage level. The number of repetitions when the terminal device sends PRACH according to the PRACH opportunity associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS is equal to the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to the first uplink coverage level.

[0023] In another optional implementation, the terminal device may further receive second indication information, which indicates the number of times the Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) is repeated for each uplink coverage level among multiple uplink coverage levels, and that the number of times each PRACH is repeated is the sum of the number of times each SSB or CSI-RS in the corresponding uplink coverage level transmits PRACH. The number of times the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH based on the PRACH opportunity associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS is equal to the number of times the PRACH is repeated for the first uplink coverage level.

[0024] In another optional implementation, the terminal device receives second indication information. This second indication information indicates the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to each uplink coverage level among multiple uplink coverage levels, and the number of PRACH repetitions for each PRACH is the number of times the SSB or CSI-RS with the maximum RSRP sends PRACH. The number of times other SSBs or CSI-RSs besides the SSB or CSI-RS with the maximum RSRP send PRACH is determined based on the difference between the RSRP value of that SSB or CSI-RS and the maximum RSRP. The number of repetitions when the terminal device retransmits PRACH based on the PRACH opportunity associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS is equal to the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to the first uplink coverage level when the same SSB or CSI-RS is the SSB or CSI-RS with the maximum RSRP, and is determined based on the difference between the RSRP value of that SSB or CSI-RS and the maximum RSRP when the same SSB or CSI-RS is not the SSB or CSI-RS with the maximum RSRP.

[0025] Thirdly, embodiments of this application also provide a physical random access channel (PRACH) processing method. The method includes: when a terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with different synchronization signal blocks (SSBs) or channel state information reference signals (CSI-RS) at different times, it determines multiple SSBs or CSI-RSs from a first uplink coverage level. The terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH based on the PRACH opportunities associated with the multiple SSBs or CSI-RSs. The first uplink coverage level is determined from the multiple uplink coverage levels based on the measured reference signal received power (RSRP) of the SSBs or CSI-RSs.

[0026] It is evident that when a terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH at multiple different times associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS, it increases the probability of successful access and enhances the uplink coverage capability of the terminal device by repeatedly transmitting PRACH based on the multiple PRACH opportunities associated with multiple SSBs or CSI-RS in the first uplink coverage level.

[0027] In one optional implementation, the plurality of SSBs include the SSB with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, and the SSB with the difference between RSRP and the largest RSRP less than or equal to a first value; or, the plurality of CSI-RSs include the CSI-RS with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, and the CSI-RS with the difference between RSRP and the largest RSRP less than or equal to a first value.

[0028] In an optional embodiment, the terminal device may further receive second indication information. The second indication information is used to indicate the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to each uplink coverage level among multiple uplink coverage levels, and the number of PRACH repetitions is the number of times a PRACH is sent by an SSB or CSI-RS in the corresponding uplink coverage level. The number of repetitions when the terminal device sends PRACH according to the PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS is equal to the product between the number of SSBs or CSI-RSs among different SSBs or CSI-RSs and the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to the first uplink coverage level.

[0029] In another optional implementation, the terminal device may also receive second indication information, which indicates the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to each uplink coverage level among multiple uplink coverage levels, and that the number of PRACH repetitions is the sum of the number of PRACH repetitions sent by each SSB or CSI-RS in the corresponding uplink coverage level; the number of repetitions when the terminal device retransmits PRACH according to the PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS is equal to the sum of the product of the repetition ratio of each SSB or CSI-RS in different SSBs or CSI-RS and the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to the first uplink coverage level.

[0030] In another optional implementation, the terminal device may further receive second indication information, which indicates the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to each uplink coverage level among multiple uplink coverage levels, and the number of PRACH repetitions for each PRACH is the number of times the SSB or CSI-RS with the maximum RSRP sends PRACH, and the number of times the SSB or CSI-RS other than the SSB or CSI-RS with the maximum RSRP sends PRACH is determined based on the difference between the RSRP value of the SSB or CSI-RS and the maximum RSRP; the terminal device associates different SSBs or CSI-RS respectively. The number of times a PRACH is retransmitted when it is a chance to do so is equal to the sum of the number of times each SSB or CSI-RS in different SSBs or CSI-RSs retransmits the PRACH. Among these, the number of times the SSB or CSI-RS with the highest RSRP in different SSBs or CSI-RSs retransmits the PRACH is equal to the number of times the PRACH is retransmitted corresponding to the first uplink coverage level. The number of times the SSB or CSI-RS other than the SSB or CSI-RS with the highest RSRP retransmits the PRACH is determined based on the difference between the RSRP value of that SSB or CSI-RS and the highest RSRP.

[0031] Fourthly, embodiments of this application also provide a physical random access channel (PRACH) processing method, the method comprising: a terminal device receiving second indication information, the second indication information being used to indicate the number of times the physical random access channel (PRACH) is repeated for each uplink coverage level among a plurality of uplink coverage levels, and the number of times each PRACH is repeated is the number of times a synchronization signal block (SSB) or channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) in the corresponding uplink coverage level is repeated; the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH according to the second indication information and a first uplink coverage level; the first uplink coverage level is determined from the plurality of uplink coverage levels based on the measured reference signal received power (RSRP) of the SSB or CSI-RS.

[0032] It is evident that the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to each uplink coverage level indicated by the network device through the second indication information is the number of times a PRACH is repetitively sent by an SSB or CSI-RS within the corresponding uplink coverage level. Therefore, the number of times the terminal device sends PRACH based on the PRACH opportunity associated with any SSB or CSI-RS in the first uplink coverage level is equal to the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to the first uplink coverage level. Thus, the terminal device can determine the number of PRACH repetitions to be sent based on the second indication information.

[0033] In one optional implementation, the terminal device receives first indication information; the first indication information is used to indicate whether to repeatedly transmit PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS at different times, or to repeatedly transmit PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS respectively; when the first indication information indicates that PRACH should be repeatedly transmitted using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS at different times, the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH according to the PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS; when the first indication information indicates that PRACH should be repeatedly transmitted using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS at different times, the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH according to the PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS, or repeatedly transmits PRACH according to the PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS respectively.

[0034] Wherein, the number of times the terminal device re-sends PRACH based on the PRACH opportunity associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS is equal to the number of PRACH re-sends corresponding to the first uplink coverage level; or...

[0035] The number of times a terminal device retransmits a PRACH when it sends a PRACH based on the PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RSs is equal to the product of the number of SSBs or CSI-RSs among the different SSBs or CSI-RSs and the number of PRACH retransmissions corresponding to the first uplink coverage level.

[0036] In one optional implementation, the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH based on the PRACH opportunity associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS, including: the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH based on the PRACH opportunity associated with the first SSB or the first CSI-RS; the first SSB is one of a plurality of SSBs in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, and the first CSI-RS is one of a plurality of CSI-RS in the first uplink coverage enhancement level.

[0037] In one alternative implementation, the first SSB is the SSB with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, or the first CSI-RS is the CSI-RS with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level.

[0038] In one optional implementation, the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH based on PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS, including: the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH based on PRACH opportunities associated with multiple SSBs or multiple CSI-RS; the multiple SSBs are multiple SSBs in a first uplink coverage level, or the multiple CSI-RSs are multiple CSI-RSs in a first uplink coverage level.

[0039] In one optional implementation, the plurality of SSBs include the SSB with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, and the SSB with the difference between RSRP and the largest RSRP less than or equal to a first value; or, the plurality of CSI-RSs include the CSI-RS with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, and the CSI-RS with the difference between RSRP and the largest RSRP less than or equal to a first value.

[0040] In one optional implementation, when the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS at different times, it determines the first SSB from among the multiple SSBs of the first uplink coverage enhancement level, or determines the first CSI-RS from among the multiple CSI-RS of the first uplink coverage enhancement level; the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH according to the PRACH opportunity associated with the first SSB or the first CSI-RS; wherein, the number of times the terminal device transmits PRACH according to the PRACH opportunity associated with the first SSB or the first CSI-RS is equal to the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to the first uplink coverage level.

[0041] In one alternative implementation, the first SSB is the SSB with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, or the first CSI-RS is the CSI-RS with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level.

[0042] In one optional implementation, when the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RSs at different times, it determines multiple SSBs or CSI-RSs from a first uplink coverage level; the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH based on the PRACH opportunities associated with the multiple SSBs or CSI-RSs; wherein, the number of times the terminal device transmits PRACH based on the PRACH opportunities associated with the multiple SSBs or CSI-RSs is equal to the product between the number of SSBs or CSI-RSs among the multiple SSBs or CSI-RSs and the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to the first uplink coverage level.

[0043] In one optional implementation, the plurality of SSBs include the SSB with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, and the SSB with the difference between RSRP and the largest RSRP less than or equal to a first value; or, the plurality of CSI-RSs include the CSI-RS with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, and the CSI-RS with the difference between RSRP and the largest RSRP less than or equal to a first value.

[0044] Fifthly, embodiments of this application also provide a physical random access channel (PRACH) processing method, the method comprising: a terminal device receiving second indication information, the second indication information being used to indicate the number of times the physical random access channel (PRACH) is repeated for each uplink coverage level among a plurality of uplink coverage levels, and the number of times each PRACH is repeated is the sum of the number of times the PRACH is transmitted by each synchronization signal block (SSB) or channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) in the corresponding uplink coverage level; the terminal device repeatedly transmitting the PRACH according to the second indication information and a first uplink coverage level; the first uplink coverage level being determined from the plurality of uplink coverage levels based on the measured reference signal received power (RSRP) of the SSB or CSI-RS.

[0045] It is evident that the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to each uplink coverage level indicated by the network device through the second indication information is the sum of the number of PRACH repetitions sent by each SSB or CSI-RS in the corresponding uplink coverage level. Therefore, the terminal device can determine the number of PRACH repetitions to be sent based on the proportion of repetitions corresponding to each SSB or CSI-RS and the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to the first uplink coverage level.

[0046] In one optional embodiment, the terminal device may further receive first indication information; the first indication information is used to indicate whether to repeatedly transmit PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS at different times, or to repeatedly transmit PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS respectively; when the first indication information indicates that PRACH should be repeatedly transmitted using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS at different times, the terminal device will repeatedly transmit PRACH according to the PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS; when the first indication information indicates that PRACH should be repeatedly transmitted using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS at different times, the terminal device will repeatedly transmit PRACH according to the PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS, or repeatedly transmit PRACH according to the PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS respectively.

[0047] Specifically, the number of times a terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH based on the PRACH opportunity associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS is equal to the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to the first uplink coverage level; or, the number of times a terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH based on the PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS is equal to the sum of the product of the repetition ratio of each SSB or CSI-RS among the different SSBs or CSI-RS and the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to the first uplink coverage level.

[0048] In one optional implementation, the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH based on the PRACH opportunity associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS, including: the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH based on the PRACH opportunity associated with the first SSB or the first CSI-RS; the first SSB is one of a plurality of SSBs in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, and the first CSI-RS is one of a plurality of CSI-RS in the first uplink coverage enhancement level.

[0049] In one alternative implementation, the first SSB is the SSB with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, or the first CSI-RS is the CSI-RS with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level.

[0050] In one optional implementation, the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH based on PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS, including: the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH based on PRACH opportunities associated with multiple SSBs or multiple CSI-RS; the multiple SSBs are multiple SSBs in a first uplink coverage level, or the multiple CSI-RSs are multiple CSI-RSs in a first uplink coverage level.

[0051] In one optional implementation, the plurality of SSBs include the SSB with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, and the SSB with the difference between RSRP and the largest RSRP less than or equal to a first value; or, the plurality of CSI-RSs include the CSI-RS with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, and the CSI-RS with the difference between RSRP and the largest RSRP less than or equal to a first value.

[0052] In one optional implementation, when the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS at different times, it determines the first SSB from among the multiple SSBs of the first uplink coverage enhancement level, or determines the first CSI-RS from among the multiple CSI-RS of the first uplink coverage enhancement level; the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH according to the PRACH opportunity associated with the first SSB or the first CSI-RS; wherein, the number of times the terminal device transmits PRACH according to the PRACH opportunity associated with the first SSB or the first CSI-RS is equal to the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to the first uplink coverage level.

[0053] In one alternative implementation, the first SSB is the SSB with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, or the first CSI-RS is the CSI-RS with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level.

[0054] In one optional implementation, when the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with different synchronization signal blocks (SSBs) or channel state information reference signals (CSI-RS) at different times, it determines multiple SSBs or CSI-RSs from a first uplink coverage level; the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH based on the PRACH opportunities associated with the multiple SSBs or CSI-RSs; wherein, the number of times the terminal device transmits PRACH based on the PRACH opportunities associated with the multiple SSBs or CSI-RSs is equal to the product between the number of SSBs or CSI-RSs among the multiple SSBs or CSI-RSs and the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to the first uplink coverage level.

[0055] In one optional implementation, the plurality of SSBs include the SSB with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, and the SSB with the difference between RSRP and the largest RSRP less than or equal to a first value; or, the plurality of CSI-RSs include the CSI-RS with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, and the CSI-RS with the difference between RSRP and the largest RSRP less than or equal to a first value.

[0056] Sixthly, embodiments of this application also provide a physical random access channel processing method, the method comprising: a terminal device receiving second indication information, the second indication information being used to indicate the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to each uplink coverage level among a plurality of uplink coverage levels, and the number of PRACH repetitions being the number of times the SSB or CSI-RS with the maximum RSRP transmits PRACH, and the number of times the SSB or CSI-RS other than the SSB or CSI-RS with the maximum RSRP transmits PRACH being determined based on the difference between the RSRP value of the SSB or CSI-RS and the maximum RSRP; the terminal device repeatedly transmitting PRACH according to the second indication information and a first uplink coverage level; the first uplink coverage level being determined from the plurality of uplink coverage levels based on the measured reference signal received power RSRP of the SSB or CSI-RS.

[0057] As can be seen, the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to each uplink coverage level indicated by the network device through the second indication information is the number of times the PRACH is repetitively sent by the SSB or CSI-RS with the maximum RSRP. Thus, the terminal device can determine the number of repetitions for each SSB or CSI-RS based on the difference between each RSRP and the maximum RSRP, and then determine the number of times to send PRACH based on the number of repetitions for each SSB or CSI-RS.

[0058] In one optional implementation, the terminal device receives first indication information; the first indication information is used to indicate whether to repeatedly transmit PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS at different times, or to repeatedly transmit PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS respectively; when the first indication information indicates that PRACH should be repeatedly transmitted using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS at different times, the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH according to the PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS; when the first indication information indicates that PRACH should be repeatedly transmitted using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS at different times, the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH according to the PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS, or repeatedly transmits PRACH according to the PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS respectively.

[0059] Specifically, the number of times a terminal device retransmits a PRACH based on the PRACH opportunity associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS is equal to the number of PRACH retransmissions corresponding to the first uplink coverage level when the same SSB or CSI-RS is the SSB or CSI-RS with the maximum RSRP; when the same SSB or CSI-RS is not the SSB or CSI-RS with the maximum RSRP, it is determined based on the difference between the RSRP value of that SSB or CSI-RS and the maximum RSRP; or,

[0060] The number of times a terminal device retransmits a PRACH when it is associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS is equal to the sum of the number of times each SSB or CSI-RS retransmits a PRACH among the different SSBs or CSI-RS. Among these, the number of times the SSB or CSI-RS with the highest RSRP among the different SSBs or CSI-RS retransmits a PRACH is equal to the number of times the PRACH is retransmitted corresponding to the first uplink coverage level. The number of times the SSB or CSI-RS other than the SSB or CSI-RS with the highest RSRP retransmits a PRACH is determined based on the difference between the RSRP value of that SSB or CSI-RS and the highest RSRP.

[0061] In one optional implementation, the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH based on the PRACH opportunity associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS, including: the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH based on the PRACH opportunity associated with the first SSB or the first CSI-RS; the first SSB is one of a plurality of SSBs in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, and the first CSI-RS is one of a plurality of CSI-RS in the first uplink coverage enhancement level.

[0062] In one alternative implementation, the first SSB is the SSB with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, or the first CSI-RS is the CSI-RS with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level.

[0063] In one optional implementation, the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH based on PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS, including: the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH based on PRACH opportunities associated with multiple SSBs or multiple CSI-RS; the multiple SSBs are multiple SSBs in a first uplink coverage level, or the multiple CSI-RSs are multiple CSI-RSs in a first uplink coverage level.

[0064] In one optional implementation, the plurality of SSBs include the SSB with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, and the SSB with the difference between RSRP and the largest RSRP less than or equal to a first value; or, the plurality of CSI-RSs include the CSI-RS with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, and the CSI-RS with the difference between RSRP and the largest RSRP less than or equal to a first value.

[0065] In one optional implementation, when the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS at different times, it determines the first SSB from among the multiple SSBs of the first uplink coverage enhancement level, or determines the first CSI-RS from among the multiple CSI-RS of the first uplink coverage enhancement level. The terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH according to the PRACH opportunity associated with the first SSB or the first CSI-RS. The number of times the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH according to the PRACH opportunity associated with the first SSB or the first CSI-RS is equal to the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to the first uplink coverage level when the same SSB or CSI-RS is the SSB or CSI-RS with the maximum RSRP. When the same SSB or CSI-RS is not the SSB or CSI-RS with the maximum RSRP, it is determined based on the difference between the RSRP value of the SSB or CSI-RS and the maximum RSRP.

[0066] In one alternative implementation, the first SSB is the SSB with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, or the first CSI-RS is the CSI-RS with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level.

[0067] In one alternative implementation, when the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS at different times, it determines multiple SSBs or CSI-RS from a first uplink coverage level.

[0068] The terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH based on PRACH opportunities associated with multiple SSBs or CSI-RSs. The number of times the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH based on PRACH opportunities associated with multiple SSBs or CSI-RSs is equal to the sum of the number of times each SSB or CSI-RS transmits PRACH. The number of times the SSB or CSI-RS with the highest RSRP transmits PRACH is equal to the number of times the PRACH is transmitted corresponding to the first uplink coverage level. The number of times the SSB or CSI-RS other than the SSB or CSI-RS with the highest RSRP transmits PRACH is determined based on the difference between the RSRP value of that SSB or CSI-RS and the highest RSRP.

[0069] In one optional implementation, the plurality of SSBs include the SSB with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, and the SSB with the difference between RSRP and the largest RSRP less than or equal to a first value; or, the plurality of CSI-RSs include the CSI-RS with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, and the CSI-RS with the difference between RSRP and the largest RSRP less than or equal to a first value.

[0070] Seventhly, embodiments of this application also provide a physical random access channel (PRACH) processing method, described from the perspective of a network device. The method includes: the network device determining first indication information, the first indication information indicating whether to repeatedly transmit PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with the same synchronization signal block (SSB) or channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) at different times, or to repeatedly transmit PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS at different times; and the network device transmitting the first indication information.

[0071] As can be seen, the network device, through the first indication information, indicates to the terminal device whether to repeatedly transmit PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS at different times, or to repeatedly transmit PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS at different times. This allows the terminal device to flexibly select the PRACH opportunity when repeatedly transmitting PRACH.

[0072] Eighthly, embodiments of this application also provide a physical random access channel processing method, described from the perspective of a network device. The method includes: the network device determining second indication information, the second indication information indicating the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to each uplink coverage level among multiple uplink coverage levels, and the number of PRACH repetitions being the number of times a PRACH is transmitted by an SSB or CSI-RS in the corresponding uplink coverage level; and the network device transmitting the second indication information.

[0073] As can be seen, the network device, through the second indication information, indicates to the terminal device the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to each uplink coverage level, and the number of PRACH repetitions is the number of times a PRACH is sent by an SSB or CSI-RS in the corresponding uplink coverage level. This helps the terminal device determine the number of repetitions when sending PRACH based on the second indication information.

[0074] Ninthly, embodiments of this application also provide a physical random access channel (PRACH) processing method, described from the perspective of a network device. The method includes: the network device determining second indication information, the second indication information indicating the number of times the physical random access channel (PRACH) is repeated for each uplink coverage level among multiple uplink coverage levels, and the number of times each PRACH is repeated is the sum of the number of times the PRACH is transmitted by each synchronization signal block (SSB) or channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) in the corresponding uplink coverage level; and the network device transmitting the second indication information.

[0075] As can be seen, the network device, through the second indication information, indicates to the terminal device the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to each uplink coverage level, and that the number of PRACH repetitions is the sum of the number of PRACH repetitions sent by each SSB or CSI-RS in the corresponding uplink coverage level. This helps the terminal device determine the number of repetitions when sending PRACH based on the second indication information.

[0076] Tenthly, embodiments of this application also provide a physical random access channel processing method, described from the perspective of a network device. The method includes: the network device determining second indication information, the second indication information indicating the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to each uplink coverage level among multiple uplink coverage levels, and the number of PRACH repetitions for each PRACH being the number of times the SSB or CSI-RS with the maximum RSRP transmits PRACH, and the number of times the SSB or CSI-RS other than the SSB or CSI-RS with the maximum RSRP transmits PRACH being determined based on the difference between the RSRP value of the SSB or CSI-RS and the maximum RSRP; the network device transmitting the second indication information.

[0077] As can be seen, the network device, through the second indication information, indicates to the terminal device the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to each uplink coverage level, and the number of PRACH repetitions for each PRACH is the number of times the SSB or CSI-RS with the largest RSRP in the corresponding uplink coverage level repetitions, thereby facilitating the terminal device to retransmit PRACH according to the second indication information.

[0078] Eleventhly, embodiments of this application provide a physical random access channel processing apparatus, the physical random access channel processing apparatus comprising:

[0079] A communication unit is configured to receive first indication information, which indicates whether to repeatedly transmit PRACH using multiple physical random access channel (PRACH) opportunities associated with the same synchronization signal block (SSB) or channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) at different times, or to repeatedly transmit PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RSs respectively. A processing unit is configured to repeatedly transmit PRACH according to the PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS when the first indication information indicates that PRACH should be repeatedly transmitted using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS. The processing unit is further configured to repeatedly transmit PRACH according to the PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS, or repeatedly transmit PRACH according to the PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RSs, when the first indication information indicates that PRACH should be repeatedly transmitted using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RSs respectively.

[0080] In addition, other alternative implementations of the physical random access channel processing apparatus in this regard can be found in the relevant content of the first aspect above, and will not be described in detail here.

[0081] In a twelfth aspect, embodiments of this application also provide a physical random access channel processing apparatus, the physical random access channel processing apparatus comprising: a processing unit, configured to determine a first SSB from a plurality of SSBs of a first uplink coverage enhancement level, or a first CSI-RS from a plurality of CSI-RSs of a first uplink coverage enhancement level, when repeatedly transmitting PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS at different times; and a communication unit, configured to repeatedly transmit PRACH according to the PRACH opportunity associated with the first SSB or the first CSI-RS; wherein the first uplink coverage level is determined from a plurality of uplink coverage levels based on the measured reference signal received power (RSRP) of the SSB or CSI-RS.

[0082] In addition, other alternative implementations of the physical random access channel processing apparatus in this regard can be found in the relevant content of the second aspect above, and will not be described in detail here.

[0083] In a thirteenth aspect, embodiments of this application also provide a physical random access channel (PRACH) processing apparatus, comprising: a processing unit configured to determine multiple SSBs or CSI-RS from a first uplink coverage level when repeatedly transmitting PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with different synchronization signal blocks (SSBs) or channel state information reference signals (CSI-RS) at different times; and a communication unit configured to repeatedly transmit PRACH based on the PRACH opportunities associated with the multiple SSBs or CSI-RS; wherein the first uplink coverage level is determined from the multiple uplink coverage levels based on the measured reference signal received power (RSRP) of the SSBs or CSI-RS.

[0084] In addition, other alternative implementations of the physical random access channel processing apparatus in this regard can be found in the relevant content of the third aspect above, and will not be described in detail here.

[0085] In a fourteenth aspect, embodiments of this application also provide a physical random access channel processing apparatus, the physical random access channel processing apparatus comprising: a communication unit configured to receive second indication information, the second indication information being configured to indicate the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to each uplink coverage level among a plurality of uplink coverage levels and the number of PRACH repetitions being the number of times a PRACH is transmitted by an SSB or CSI-RS in the corresponding uplink coverage level; the communication unit further configured to repeatedly transmit PRACH according to the second indication information and a first uplink coverage level; the first uplink coverage level being determined from the plurality of uplink coverage levels based on the measured reference signal received power RSRP of the SSB or CSI-RS.

[0086] In addition, other alternative implementations of the physical random access channel processing apparatus in this regard can be found in the relevant content of the fourth aspect above, and will not be described in detail here.

[0087] In a fifteenth aspect, embodiments of this application also provide a physical random access channel (PRACH) processing apparatus, comprising: a communication unit configured to receive second indication information, the second indication information indicating the number of times the physical random access channel (PRACH) is repeated for each uplink coverage level among a plurality of uplink coverage levels, and the number of times each PRACH is repeated is the sum of the number of times each SSB or CSI-RS transmits the PRACH in the corresponding uplink coverage level; and a processing unit configured to repeatedly transmit the PRACH according to the second indication information and a first uplink coverage level; the first uplink coverage level being determined from the plurality of uplink coverage levels based on the measured reference signal received power (RSRP) of the SSB or CSI-RS.

[0088] In addition, other alternative implementations of the physical random access channel processing apparatus in this regard can be found in the relevant content of the fifth aspect above, and will not be described in detail here.

[0089] In a sixteenth aspect, embodiments of this application also provide a physical random access channel processing apparatus, the physical random access channel processing apparatus comprising: a communication unit configured to receive second indication information, the second indication information being configured to indicate the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to each uplink coverage level among a plurality of uplink coverage levels, and the number of PRACH repetitions being the number of times the SSB or CSI-RS with the maximum RSRP transmits PRACH, and the number of times the SSB or CSI-RS other than the SSB or CSI-RS with the maximum RSRP transmits PRACH being determined based on the difference between the RSRP value of the SSB or CSI-RS and the maximum RSRP; and a processing unit configured to repeatedly transmit PRACH according to the second indication information and a first uplink coverage level; the first uplink coverage level being determined from the plurality of uplink coverage levels based on the measured reference signal received power RSRP of the SSB or CSI-RS.

[0090] In addition, other alternative implementations of the physical random access channel processing apparatus in this regard can be found in the relevant content of the sixth aspect above, and will not be described in detail here.

[0091] In a seventeenth aspect, embodiments of this application also provide a physical random access channel (PRACH) processing apparatus, comprising: a processing unit configured to determine first indication information, the first indication information being configured to indicate whether to repeatedly transmit PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with the same synchronization signal block (SSB) or channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) at different times, or to repeatedly transmit PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS at different times; and a communication unit configured to transmit the first indication information.

[0092] In addition, other alternative implementations of the physical random access channel processing apparatus in this regard can be found in the relevant content of the seventh aspect above, and will not be described in detail here.

[0093] Eighteenthly, embodiments of this application also provide a physical random access channel processing apparatus, the physical random access channel processing apparatus comprising: a processing unit for second indication information, the second indication information being used to indicate the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to each uplink coverage level in a plurality of uplink coverage levels and the number of PRACH repetitions being the number of times a PRACH is transmitted by an SSB or CSI-RS in the corresponding uplink coverage level; and a communication unit for transmitting the second indication information.

[0094] In addition, other alternative implementations of the physical random access channel processing apparatus in this regard can be found in the relevant content of the eighth aspect above, and will not be described in detail here.

[0095] In a nineteenth aspect, embodiments of this application also provide a physical random access channel (PRACH) processing apparatus, the PRACH processing apparatus comprising: a processing unit configured to determine second indication information, the second indication information being configured to indicate the number of times the physical random access channel (PRACH) is repeated for each uplink coverage level among a plurality of uplink coverage levels, and the number of times each PRACH is repeated is the sum of the number of times each SSB or CSI-RS transmits PRACH in the corresponding uplink coverage level; and a communication unit configured to transmit the second indication information.

[0096] In addition, other alternative implementations of the physical random access channel processing apparatus in this regard can be found in the relevant content of the ninth aspect above, and will not be described in detail here.

[0097] In a twentieth aspect, embodiments of this application also provide a physical random access channel processing apparatus, the physical random access channel processing apparatus comprising: a processing unit configured to determine second indication information, the second indication information being configured to indicate the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to each uplink coverage level among a plurality of uplink coverage levels, and the number of PRACH repetitions for each PRACH being the number of times the SSB or CSI-RS with the maximum RSRP transmits PRACH, and the number of times the SSB or CSI-RS other than the SSB or CSI-RS with the maximum RSRP transmits PRACH being determined based on the difference between the RSRP value of the SSB or CSI-RS and the maximum RSRP; and a communication unit configured to transmit the second indication information.

[0098] In addition, other alternative implementations of the physical random access channel processing apparatus in this regard can be found in the relevant content of the tenth aspect above, and will not be described in detail here.

[0099] In a twentieth aspect, embodiments of this application provide a communication device, including a processor and a communication interface, the communication interface being used to communicate with other communication devices; the processor being used to run a program so that the communication device implements the methods described in the first to tenth aspects above.

[0100] In a twentieth aspect, embodiments of this application provide a chip for performing the methods described in the first to tenth aspects, which will not be detailed here.

[0101] In a twentieth aspect, embodiments of this application provide a module device for performing the methods described in the first to tenth aspects, which will not be detailed here.

[0102] In a twentieth aspect, embodiments of this application provide a computer-readable storage medium for storing a computer program that, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform the methods described in the first to tenth aspects, which will not be detailed here.

[0103] In a twentieth aspect, embodiments of this application provide a computer program product including computer instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform the methods described in the first to tenth aspects, which will not be detailed here. Attached Figure Description

[0104] Figure 1 This application provides a schematic diagram of the system architecture of a communication system according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0105] Figure 2 An interactive schematic diagram of a physical random access channel processing method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0106] Figure 3 A schematic diagram illustrating an uplink coverage enhancement level provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0107] Figure 4(a) is a schematic diagram of the uplink coverage enhancement level to which the RSRP of an SSB belongs, according to an embodiment of this application;

[0108] Figure 4(b) is a schematic diagram of the uplink coverage enhancement level to which the RSRP of another SSB belongs, provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0109] Figure 5 A flowchart illustrating a physical random access channel processing method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0110] Figure 6 A flowchart illustrating another physical random access channel processing method provided in this application embodiment;

[0111] Figure 7An interactive schematic diagram of another physical random access channel processing method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0112] Figure 8 An interactive schematic diagram of another physical random access channel processing method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0113] Figure 9 An interactive schematic diagram of another physical random access channel processing method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0114] Figure 10 A schematic diagram of a physical random access channel processing device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0115] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0116] The embodiments of this application will now be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0117] The communication system involved in this application, such as Figure 1 As shown, the communication system may include, but is not limited to, a network device and a terminal device. Figure 1 The number and form of devices shown are for illustrative purposes and do not constitute a limitation on the embodiments of this application. In actual applications, more than one network device and more than one terminal device may be included. Figure 1 The communication system shown is illustrated using a network device 101 and a terminal device 102 as an example. The terminal device 102 can communicate with the network device 101.

[0118] In this application, the terminal device may also be referred to as a terminal, user equipment, access terminal, user unit, user station, mobile station, mobile station, remote station, remote terminal, mobile device, user terminal, user agent, or user device. The terminal device in the embodiments of this application may be a mobile phone, tablet computer, computer with wireless transceiver capabilities, virtual reality (VR) terminal device, augmented reality (AR) terminal device, wireless terminal in industrial control, wireless terminal in self-driving, wireless terminal in remote medical care, wireless terminal in smart grid, wireless terminal in transportation safety, wireless terminal in smart city, wireless terminal in smart home, etc.

[0119] In this application, network equipment is a physical entity connected to the network. Network equipment can be a base station or a core network unit. The base station can be a 5th-Generation (5G) base station (gNB). Network equipment can also be network equipment in a subsequent evolved communication system.

[0120] The technical solution proposed in this application can be applied to various communication systems, such as Global System for Mobile Communications (GSMO), Long Term Evolution (LTE) frequency division duplex system, LTE time division duplex system, Universal Mobile Communications System (UMS), new wireless systems, and subsequent evolution communication systems.

[0121] In mobile communication systems, network equipment can transmit at a power of up to 53dBm (200W) to ensure downlink transmission quality. However, to meet the longer battery life requirements of terminal devices, their transmit power is typically lower. Currently, the maximum transmit power of a terminal device with two transmit antennas is 26dBm (400mW). It is clear that the transmit power of the network equipment is much greater than that of the terminal device. Therefore, while terminal devices located at the cell edge can receive downlink signals from the network equipment, the network equipment cannot recognize the uplink signals transmitted by the terminal devices. To maintain the continuity of uplink coverage for terminal devices, network equipment typically calculates the inter-site spacing based on the uplink coverage radius during network planning. This increases the number of sites required, but because the downlink signal strength is higher at the cell edge, this can also lead to more severe inter-cell interference.

[0122] 5G communication systems introduce new frequency bands such as Sub-6GHz and millimeter waves. These new frequency bands are higher than those of 2G, 3G, and 4G mobile communications, resulting in greater transmission loss and a more pronounced difference in uplink and downlink power. Furthermore, 5G systems employ flexible uplink / downlink time slot allocation, but downlink demand is typically higher than uplink demand, leading to a bias towards allocating more time slots to downlink and exacerbating the uplink / downlink imbalance. The use of massive MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) technology in 5G systems further widens the gap in the number of antenna arrays between network devices and terminals, further amplifying the uplink / downlink imbalance.

[0123] For 5G services, many target applications (such as live video streaming software) will generate uplink traffic of the same magnitude as downlink traffic. These applications require 5G networks to have high uplink coverage capabilities. Therefore, how to enhance uplink coverage is one of the urgent problems to be solved.

[0124] I. Physical random access method 100.

[0125] Based on the above description, this application proposes a physical random access channel processing method 100. Figure 2 This is an interactive schematic diagram of a physical random access channel processing method 100, which may include steps S101-S104:

[0126] S101. The network device determines first indication information, which is used to indicate whether to repeatedly transmit PRACH using multiple physical random access channel PRACH opportunities associated with the same synchronization signal block SSB or channel state information reference signal CSI-RS at different times, or to repeatedly transmit PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS at different times.

[0127] Understandably, each synchronization signal block (SSB) is associated with a physical random access channel (PRACH) opportunity, or each channel status information reference signal (CSI-RS) is associated with a PRACH opportunity, which is used to perform repeated PRACH transmissions, and one PRACH opportunity occupies multiple different time periods.

[0128] As can be seen, the network device associates the PRACH opportunity for repeated PRACH transmission with the SSB, or with the CSI-RS, through the first indication information. The SSB or CSI-RS is associated with the beam through which the terminal device receives the SSB or CSI-RS, thus enabling the terminal device to repeatedly transmit PRACH according to the beam associated with the SSB or CSI-RS, thereby enhancing the uplink coverage capability of the terminal device.

[0129] In one alternative implementation, the network device further determines third indication information, which indicates one or more reference signal receiving power (RSRP) thresholds used to determine multiple uplink coverage enhancement levels. This allows the terminal device to determine multiple uplink coverage enhancement levels based on one or more RSRP thresholds.

[0130] In one optional implementation, the network device may further determine second indication information, which indicates the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to each of the multiple uplink coverage levels. Therefore, each of the multiple uplink coverage enhancement levels corresponds to a PRACH repetition count, thereby enabling the terminal device to determine the number of PRACH repetitions based on the PRACH repetition count corresponding to each uplink coverage level.

[0131] Understandably, the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to each uplink coverage enhancement level indicated by the second indication information has the following implementation:

[0132] Implementation method 1: The second indication information is used to indicate the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to each uplink coverage level in multiple uplink coverage levels, and the number of PRACH repetitions is the number of times that an SSB or CSI-RS in the corresponding uplink coverage level sends PRACH repetitions.

[0133] In other words, the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to each uplink coverage level determined by the network device is the number of times the terminal device retransmits PRACH when it uses the PRACH opportunity associated with one of the multiple SSBs included in that uplink coverage level, or the number of times the terminal device retransmits PRACH when it uses the PRACH opportunity associated with one of the multiple CSI-RSs included in that uplink coverage level.

[0134] For example, the uplink coverage level to which the RSRP of the SSB measured by the terminal device belongs is uplink coverage level A, and the SSBs measured by the terminal device in uplink coverage level A are SSB#1, SSB#2, and SSB#3. Then, the number of PRACH repetitions determined by the network device for uplink coverage level A is the number of times the terminal device repeatedly sends PRACH using the PRACH opportunities associated with SSB#1, SSB#2, and SSB#3, respectively.

[0135] Implementation Method 2: The second indication information is used to indicate the number of times the Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) is repeated for each uplink coverage level in multiple uplink coverage levels, and the number of times each PRACH is repeated is the sum of the number of times each SSB or CSI-RS transmits PRACH in the corresponding uplink coverage level.

[0136] In other words, the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to the uplink coverage level determined by the network device is the sum of the number of times the terminal device retransmits PRACH when it uses the PRACH opportunity associated with each SSB in the multiple SSBs included in the uplink coverage level, or the sum of the number of times the terminal device retransmits PRACH when it uses the PRACH opportunity associated with each CSI-RS in the multiple CSI-RS included in the uplink coverage level.

[0137] For example, the uplink coverage level to which the RSRP of the SSB measured by the terminal device belongs is uplink coverage level A. Uplink coverage level A includes SSBs measured by the terminal device as SSB#1, SSB#2, and SSB#3. Then, the number of PRACH repetitions determined by the network device for uplink coverage level A is the sum of the number of times the terminal device retransmits PRACH using the PRACH opportunity associated with SSB#1, the PRACH opportunity associated with SSB#2, and the PRACH opportunity associated with SSB#3.

[0138] In this approach, the network device and the terminal device pre-agree on the proportion of each SSB's (Search Server Bundles) or CSI-RS (Content Service Index) retransmissions when the number of SSBs or CSI-RSs included in each uplink coverage level differs. For example, if the uplink coverage level B to which the terminal device measures an SSB includes two SSBs, the network device and the terminal device agree that the SSB with the higher RSRP (Recovery Rate Per Second) accounts for 60% of the retransmissions, and the SSB with the lower RSRP accounts for 40%. This allows the terminal device to determine the number of PRACH retransmissions when utilizing the PRACH opportunities associated with each of the two SSBs, based on the number of PRACH retransmissions corresponding to the uplink coverage level to which the measured SSB belongs and the proportion of retransmissions by the two SSBs.

[0139] Implementation method 3: The second indication information is used to indicate the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to each uplink coverage level in multiple uplink coverage levels, and the number of PRACH repetitions is the number of times the SSB or CSI-RS sends PRACH with the maximum RSRP.

[0140] In other words, the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to the uplink coverage level determined by the network device is the number of times the terminal device retransmits PRACH when it takes advantage of the PRACH opportunity associated with the SSB with the largest RSRP among the multiple SSBs included in the uplink coverage level, or the number of times the terminal device retransmits PRACH when it takes advantage of the PRACH opportunity associated with the CSI-RS with the largest RSRP among the multiple CSI-RS included in the uplink coverage level.

[0141] For example, the uplink coverage level to which the RSRP of the SSB measured by the terminal device belongs is uplink coverage level A. Uplink coverage level A includes SSBs measured by the terminal device as SSB#1, SSB#2, and SSB#3, and SSB#2 is the SSB with the highest RSRP among the three SSBs. Then, the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to uplink coverage level A determined by the network device is the number of times the terminal device repeatedly sends PRACH when it uses the PRACH opportunity associated with SSB#2.

[0142] In this method, the network device also configures a second value for the terminal device, which helps the terminal device determine the number of repetitions when sending PRACH based on the difference between the maximum RSRP and the RSRP of each SSB or CSI-RS, as well as the second value.

[0143] S102. The network device sends the first instruction information.

[0144] Optionally, the network device may also send a second instruction message.

[0145] Optionally, the network device may also send third instruction information.

[0146] S103. The terminal device receives the first instruction information.

[0147] Optionally, the terminal device may also receive a second instruction.

[0148] Optionally, the terminal device may also receive third instruction information.

[0149] S104. When the first indication information indicates that the terminal device should repeatedly transmit PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS at different times, the terminal device should repeatedly transmit PRACH according to the PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS.

[0150] In one optional implementation, the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH based on the PRACH opportunity associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS, including: the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH based on the PRACH opportunity associated with the first SSB or the first CSI-RS. Wherein, the first SSB is one of a plurality of SSBs in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, the first CSI-RS is one of a plurality of CSI-RS in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, and the first uplink coverage level is determined based on the measured reference signal received power (RSRP) of the SSB or CSI-RS.

[0151] In other words, when the first indication information indicates that the terminal device should repeatedly transmit PRACH using the PRACH opportunity associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS, it will repeatedly transmit PRACH based on the PRACH opportunity associated with any SSB among multiple SSBs in the first uplink coverage level to which the measured RSRP of the SSB belongs, or the PRACH opportunity associated with any CSI-RS among multiple CSI-RSs in the first uplink coverage level to which the measured RSRP of the CSI-RS belongs. This allows the terminal device to flexibly select any SSB or any CSI-RS associated with the PRACH opportunity in the first uplink coverage level to repeatedly transmit PRACH.

[0152] Optionally, the first SSB is the SSB with the highest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, or the first CSI-RS is the CSI-RS with the highest RSR in the first uplink coverage enhancement level. That is, when the terminal device indicates in the first indication information that it should retransmit PRACH using the PRACH opportunity associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS, it retransmits PRACH based on the PRACH opportunity associated with the SSB with the highest RSRP in the first uplink coverage level to which the measured SSB's RSRP belongs, or based on the PRACH opportunity associated with the CSI-RS with the highest RSRP in the first uplink coverage level to which the measured CSI-RS's RSRP belongs. This allows the terminal device to retransmit PRACH using a beam with better signal quality, which is the beam that receives the SSB or CSI-RS with the highest RSRP, thereby increasing the probability of successful access for the terminal device.

[0153] In one alternative implementation, the terminal device determines multiple uplink coverage enhancement levels based on one or more RSRP thresholds indicated by third indication information, thereby facilitating the determination of the uplink coverage enhancement level to which the measured SSB or CSI-RS reference signal received power RSRP belongs.

[0154] For example, if the third indication information indicates one or more RSRP thresholds as RSRP#1 and RSRP#2, and RSRP#1 is greater than RSRP#2, then the terminal device determines the three uplink coverage enhancement levels based on RSRP#1 and RSRP#2 as follows: Figure 3 As shown. Figure 3 As shown, the uplink coverage enhancement levels include uplink coverage enhancement level A, uplink coverage enhancement level B, and uplink coverage enhancement level C, with the levels decreasing sequentially from A to B.

[0155] Understandably, the terminal device measures one or more received SSBs to obtain the RSRP of one or more SSBs; or, the terminal device measures one or more received CSI-RSs to obtain the RSRP of one or more CSI-RSs. Thus, the terminal device determines the uplink coverage enhancement level to which the measured RSRP of the SSB or CSI-RS belongs based on the measured RSRP.

[0156] In one optional implementation, the uplink coverage enhancement level to which the measured RSRP of the SSB or CSI-RS belongs is an uplink coverage enhancement level. As shown in Figure 4(a), the measured SSBs include SSB#1, SSB#2, and SSB#3. The RSRPs of SSB#1, SSB#2, and SSB#3 all belong to the RSRP range of uplink coverage level B. Therefore, the terminal device determines that the uplink coverage enhancement level to which the measured RSRP of the SSB belongs is uplink coverage level B.

[0157] In another optional implementation, if the measured RSRP of the SSB or CSI-RS belongs to multiple uplink coverage enhancement levels, the terminal device determines the uplink coverage level with the highest level among the multiple uplink coverage levels as the uplink coverage level to which the measured RSRP of the SSB or CSI-RS belongs. Therefore, the terminal device repeatedly sends PRACH based on the uplink coverage level with the highest level among the multiple uplink coverage levels and the first configuration information. For example, as shown in Figure 4(b), the measured SSBs include SSB#1, SSB#2, SSB#3, and SSB#4. The RSRPs of SSB#1 and SSB#3 belong to the RSRP range of uplink coverage level B, and the RSRPs of SSB#2 and SSB#4 belong to the RSRP range of uplink coverage level C. Since the level of uplink coverage level B is higher than that of uplink coverage level C, the terminal device determines uplink coverage level B as the uplink coverage level to which the measured RSRP of the SSB belongs.

[0158] Understandably, each uplink coverage level corresponds to a PRACH retransmission configuration, which determines whether the terminal device should retransmit PRACH. Therefore, when the first indication information indicates that PRACH retransmission should be performed using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS at different times, the terminal device retransmits PRACH according to the PRACH opportunity associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS. This includes: the terminal device determining whether to retransmit PRACH based on the PRACH retransmission configuration corresponding to the uplink coverage enhancement level to which the measured RSRP of the SSB or CSI-RS belongs; and when determining whether to retransmit PRACH, retransmitting PRACH according to the PRACH opportunity associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS.

[0159] S105. When the first indication information indicates that the terminal device should repeatedly transmit PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS at different times, the terminal device should repeatedly transmit PRACH according to the PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS, or repeatedly transmit PRACH according to the PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS.

[0160] It is evident that when the first indication information instructs the terminal device to repeatedly transmit PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS at different times, the terminal device can choose to repeatedly transmit PRACH based on PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS, or to repeatedly transmit PRACH based on PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS.

[0161] In one optional implementation, when the first indication information indicates that PRACH retransmission should be performed using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS at different times, and the beam of the SSB receiving the maximum RSRP is not blocked, the terminal device selects to retransmit PRACH based on the PRACH opportunity associated with the same CSI-RS. This increases the probability of successful access for the terminal device by using the PRACH opportunity associated with the SSB with the maximum RSRP; or the terminal device performs PRACH retransmission based on the PRACH opportunity associated with any SSB in the first uplink coverage level, allowing the terminal device to flexibly select the PRACH opportunity for retransmission.

[0162] Alternatively, when the first indication information indicates that the terminal device should repeatedly transmit PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS at different times, and the beam of the CSI-RS receiving the maximum RSRP is not blocked, the terminal device may choose to repeatedly transmit PRACH based on the PRACH opportunity associated with the same CSI-RS. This increases the probability of successful access for the terminal device by using the PRACH opportunity associated with the CSI-RS with the maximum RSRP; or the terminal device may repeatedly transmit PRACH based on the PRACH opportunity associated with any CSI-RS in the first uplink coverage level, allowing the terminal device to flexibly select the PRACH opportunity for repeated transmission.

[0163] In another optional implementation, the terminal device, in accordance with the first indication information, repeatedly transmits PRACH at multiple PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS at different times, and the beam of the SSB or CSI-RS receiving the maximum RSRP is blocked. The terminal device then selects to repeatedly transmit PRACH based on the PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS. This increases the probability of successful access for the terminal device and enhances its uplink coverage capability.

[0164] In an optional implementation, when the terminal device selects to repeatedly transmit PRACH based on the PRACH opportunity associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS, the implementation method of the terminal device repeatedly transmitting PRACH based on the PRACH opportunity associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS is the same as the implementation method in S104 above, and will not be repeated here.

[0165] In one optional implementation, when the terminal device selects to repeatedly transmit PRACH based on PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS, the repeated transmission of PRACH based on PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS includes: repeatedly transmitting PRACH based on PRACH opportunities associated with multiple SSBs or multiple CSI-RS.

[0166] In this context, multiple SSBs refer to multiple SSBs within the first uplink coverage level, and multiple CSI-RSs refer to multiple CSI-RSs within the first uplink coverage level. These multiple SSBs or CSI-RSs may be some or all of the SSBs or CSI-RSs within the first uplink coverage level. The first uplink coverage level is determined from multiple uplink coverage levels based on the measured RSRP of the SSBs or CSI-RS; that is, the first uplink coverage level is the uplink coverage level to which the measured RSRP of the SSBs or CSI-RS belongs. The implementation method for the terminal device to determine the first uplink coverage level based on the measured RSRP of the SSBs or CSI-RS can be found in S104 and will not be repeated here.

[0167] In one optional implementation, when the terminal device selects to repeatedly transmit PRACH based on the PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS, it repeatedly transmits PRACH based on the PRACH opportunities associated with all SSBs or all CSI-RS in the first uplink coverage level.

[0168] As can be seen, in this method, the terminal device utilizes the number of SSBs associated with its PRACH to repeatedly transmit PRACH within the uplink coverage enhancement level to which the measured SSB's RSRP belongs; or, the terminal device utilizes the number of CSI-RS associated with its PRACH to repeatedly transmit PRACH within the uplink coverage enhancement level to which the measured CSI-RS's RSRP belongs. Thus, the terminal device utilizes all PRACH opportunities associated with SSBs or CSI-RS in the first uplink coverage level for repeated PRACH transmission, increasing the probability of successful access and enhancing the uplink coverage capability of the terminal device.

[0169] In this method, if the network device configures the terminal device with a maximum number of SSBs or CSI-RSs that can be used, where N is an integer greater than or equal to 1, then the total number of SSBs in the first uplink coverage level is less than or equal to N, or the total number of multiple CSI-RSs in the first uplink coverage level is less than or equal to N.

[0170] In another alternative implementation, the plurality of SSBs includes the SSB with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, and the SSB with the difference between RSRP and the largest RSRP less than or equal to a first value; or, the plurality of CSI-RSs includes the CSI-RS with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, and the CSI-RS with the difference between RSRP and the largest RSRP less than or equal to a first value.

[0171] Understandably, the first value is pre-configured by the network device. That is, when a terminal device chooses to retransmit PRACH based on PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS, it retransmits PRACH based on the PRACH opportunity associated with the SSB with the largest RSRP among the multiple SSBs included in the uplink coverage enhancement level to which the measured SSB's RSRP belongs, and the PRACH opportunity associated with the SSB whose RSRP difference from the largest RSRP is less than or equal to the first value; or, it retransmits PRACH based on the PRACH opportunity associated with the CSI-RS with the largest RSRP among the multiple CSI-RS included in the uplink coverage enhancement level to which the measured CSI-RS's RSRP belongs, and the PRACH opportunity associated with the CSI-RS whose RSRP difference from the largest RSRP is less than or equal to the first value.

[0172] It is evident that when a terminal device chooses to repeatedly send PRACH based on the PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS, it can repeatedly send PRACH based on the PRACH opportunities associated with SSBs or CSI-RS within a certain range according to RSRP, thereby increasing the probability of successful access for the terminal device and saving the terminal device's overhead.

[0173] For example, the SSBs measured by the terminal device include SSB#1, SSB#2, and SSB#3. The RSRP of SSB#1, SSB#2, and SSB#3 all belong to uplink coverage level B, and the RSRP of SSB#1 is 6dB, the RSRP of SSB#2 is 12dB, and the RSRP of SSB#3 is 8dB. The first value is 5. The terminal device determines that the SSB with the highest RSRP in uplink coverage level B is SSB#2, and the difference between the RSRP of SSB#2 and the RSRP of SSB#1 is 6dB, and the difference between the RSRP of SSB#2 and the RSRP of SSB#3 is 4dB. As can be seen, the difference between the RSRP of SSB#2 and the RSRP of SSB#3 is less than 5. Therefore, when the terminal device selects to retransmit PRACH based on the PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS, it will retransmit PRACH using the PRACH opportunities associated with SSB#2 and SSB#3.

[0174] In addition, when terminal devices repeatedly transmit PRACH based on multiple PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS at different times, using these multiple PRACH opportunities associated with multiple SSBs or CSI-RS allows network devices to select one or more beams for downlink data transmission from multiple transmission beams corresponding to multiple SSBs or multiple transmission beams corresponding to multiple CSI-RS, which helps improve system performance.

[0175] In one optional implementation, the number of times the terminal device transmits PRACH is determined based on the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to each uplink coverage enhancement level indicated by the second indication information. The following describes three implementations of the number of PRACH repetitions when the terminal device transmits PRACH based on PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS, and the number of repetitions when the terminal device transmits PRACH based on PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS, respectively:

[0176] Implementation 1: When the second indication information indicates the number of times each PRACH repetition is sent by an SSB or CSI-RS in the corresponding uplink coverage level, the number of times the terminal device sends PRACH according to the PRACH opportunity associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS is equal to the number of times the PRACH is sent corresponding to the first uplink coverage level; the number of times the terminal device sends PRACH according to the PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS is equal to the product between the number of SSBs or CSI-RSs in different SSBs or CSI-RSs and the number of times the PRACH is sent corresponding to the first uplink coverage level.

[0177] In other words, the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to each uplink coverage level indicated by the second indication information is the number of times the terminal device repetitively sends PRACH based on the opportunity associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS in the corresponding uplink coverage level. This is because the terminal device repetitively sends PRACH based on the opportunity associated with one SSB or CSI-RS in the first uplink coverage level. Therefore, the number of times the terminal device repetitively sends PRACH based on the opportunity associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS is equal to the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to the first uplink coverage level.

[0178] For example, the first uplink coverage level is uplink coverage level B, and the PRACH repetition count corresponding to uplink coverage level B is 5 times. Uplink coverage level B includes SSB#1, SSB#2, and SSB#3. When the terminal device sends PRACH based on the PRACH opportunity associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS, it determines that the PRACH retransmission will be performed based on the PRACH opportunity associated with SSB#2. Therefore, when the terminal device sends PRACH based on the PRACH opportunity associated with SSB#2, it will retransmit 5 times.

[0179] Furthermore, when a terminal device sends a PRACH based on PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RSs, it repeatedly sends the PRACH based on the PRACH opportunities associated with multiple SSBs or CSI-RSs in the first uplink coverage level. Therefore, the number of times the terminal device sends a PRACH based on PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RSs is equal to the product of the number of SSBs or CSI-RSs among the different SSBs or CSI-RSs and the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to the first uplink coverage level.

[0180] For example, if the measured RSRP of SSB#1, RSRP of SSB#2, and RSRP of SSB#3 belong to uplink coverage level B, and the PRACH repetition count corresponding to uplink coverage level B is 3 times, then when the terminal device determines to send PRACH based on the PRACH opportunity associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS, if it determines to resend PRACH based on the PRACH opportunities associated with SSB#2 and SSB#3 respectively, then the repetition count is 6 times.

[0181] Implementation Method 2: The number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to each uplink coverage level indicated by the second indication information is the sum of the number of PRACH repetitions sent by each SSB or CSI-RS in the corresponding uplink coverage level. When the terminal device retransmits PRACH based on the PRACH opportunity associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS, the number of repetitions is equal to the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to the first uplink coverage level. When the terminal device retransmits PRACH based on the PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS, the number of repetitions is equal to the sum of the product of the repetition ratio of each SSB or CSI-RS in different SSBs or CSI-RS and the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to the first uplink coverage level.

[0182] The second indication information indicates that the number of times each PRACH is repeated is the sum of the number of times each SSB or CSI-RS in the corresponding uplink coverage level transmits PRACH. When the terminal device retransmits PRACH based on the PRACH opportunity associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS, it is based on the PRACH associated with one SSB or CSI-RS in the first uplink coverage level. Therefore, the number of times the terminal device retransmits PRACH based on the PRACH opportunity associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS is equal to the number of times the PRACH is repeated in the first uplink coverage level.

[0183] In this approach, the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to each uplink coverage enhancement level is the sum of the repetitions corresponding to multiple SSBs or multiple CSI-RSs included in that uplink coverage level. Furthermore, the network device and the terminal device predefine the repetition ratio for each SSB or CSI-RS with different numbers of SSBs or CSI-RSs. Optionally, the repetition ratio for each SSB or CSI-RS is the same.

[0184] Therefore, when a terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH based on PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS, the number of repetitions corresponding to each SSB is determined by the ratio of the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to the uplink coverage level to which the RSRP of that SSB belongs to that SSB and the number of repetitions corresponding to that SSB; or, when a terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH using PRACH opportunities associated with each CSI-RS, the number of repetitions corresponding to each CSI-RS is determined by the ratio of the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to the uplink coverage level to which the RSRP of that CSI-RS belongs to that CSI-RS and the number of repetitions corresponding to that CSI-RS.

[0185] Therefore, the number of times a terminal device retransmits a PRACH when it is associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS is equal to the sum of the product of the retransmission ratio of each SSB or CSI-RS and the PRACH retransmission number corresponding to the first uplink coverage level.

[0186] For example, uplink coverage level B includes SSBs: SSB#1, SSB#2, and SSB#3. The RSRP of SSB#1, SSB#2, and SSB#3, in descending order, is SSB#2, SSB#3, and SSB#1. The network device configures the PRACH repetition count for uplink coverage level B to be 10 times. Furthermore, the network device and the terminal device predefine that when there are three SSBs, the RSRP repetition counts in descending order are 50%, 30%, and 20%, respectively. Therefore, the terminal device determines the repetition counts for SSB#1, SSB#2, and SSB#3 to be 2, 5, and 3, respectively. Thus, the terminal device will resend the PRACH based on the PRACH opportunities associated with SSB#1, SSB#2, and SSB#3, with a repetition count of 10 (10*50% + 10*30% + 10*20%) times.

[0187] Implementation Method 3: The number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to each uplink coverage level indicated by the second indication information is the number of repetitions sent by the SSB or CSI-RS with the highest RSRP in the corresponding uplink coverage level. The terminal device retransmits the PRACH based on the PRACH opportunity associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS. When the same SSB or CSI-RS is the SSB or CSI-RS with the highest RSRP, this number is equal to the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to the first uplink coverage level. When the same SSB or CSI-RS is not the SSB or CSI-RS with the highest RSRP, this number is determined based on the difference between the RSRP value of that SSB or CSI-RS and the highest RSRP; or...

[0188] The number of times a terminal device retransmits a PRACH when it is associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS is equal to the sum of the number of times each SSB or CSI-RS retransmits a PRACH among the different SSBs or CSI-RS. Among these, the number of times the SSB or CSI-RS with the highest RSRP among the different SSBs or CSI-RS retransmits a PRACH is equal to the number of times the PRACH is retransmitted corresponding to the first uplink coverage level. The number of times the SSB or CSI-RS other than the SSB or CSI-RS with the highest RSRP retransmits a PRACH is determined based on the difference between the RSRP value of that SSB or CSI-RS and the highest RSRP.

[0189] In other words, each uplink coverage level indicated by the second indication information is the number of times the PRACH is repeated by the SSB or CSI-RS with the highest RSRP in that uplink coverage level. When the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH based on the PRACH opportunity associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS, if the PRACH is repeatedly transmitted based on the PRACH opportunity associated with the SSB or CSI-RS with the highest RSRP in the first uplink coverage level, then the number of repetitions is equal to the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to the first uplink coverage level. If the PRACH is repeatedly transmitted based on the PRACH opportunity associated with any SSB or CSI-RS in the first uplink coverage level, then the number of repetitions is determined based on the difference between the RSRP value of that SSB or CSI-RS and the maximum RSRP.

[0190] When a terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH based on PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RSs, it does so based on the PRACH opportunities associated with multiple SSBs or CSI-RSs in the first uplink coverage level. Among these multiple SSBs or CSI-RSs, the number of times the SSB or CSI-RS with the highest RSRP transmits PRACH is equal to the number of times PRACH is transmitted corresponding to the first uplink coverage level. The number of times PRACH is transmitted by SSBs or CSI-RS other than the SSB or CSI-RS with the highest RSRP is determined based on the difference between the RSRP value of that SSB or CSI-RS and the highest RSRP. Therefore, the number of times the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH based on PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RSs is equal to the sum of the number of times PRACH is transmitted by each of the different SSBs or CSI-RSs.

[0191] For example, uplink coverage level B includes SSBs: SSB#1, SSB#2, and SSB#3. The network device configures the PRACH repetition count for uplink coverage level B to be 10 times, and the RSRP of SSB#2 is greater than the RSRP of SSB#3, the RSRP of SSB#3 is greater than the RSRP of SSB#1, the difference between the RSRP of SSB#2 and the RSRP of SSB#3 is 0.4dB, and the difference between the RSRP of SSB#2 and the RSRP of SSB#1 is 0.7dB. If the difference between the RSRP of an SSB and the RSRP of SSB#2 is greater than 0.5dB, the repetition count of that SSB is the repetition count of SSB#2 + 2; if the difference between the RSRP of an SSB and the RSR of SSB#2 is less than or equal to 0.5dB, the repetition count of that SSB is the repetition count of SSB#2.

[0192] Therefore, when the terminal device determines to use the PRACH associated with SSB#2 for repeated PRACH transmission, the number of repetitions is 10; when it determines to use the PRACH associated with SSB#1 for repeated PRACH transmission, the number of repetitions is 12; and when it determines to use the PRACH associated with SSB#3 for repeated PRACH transmission, the number of repetitions is 10. Thus, the total number of repetitions when the terminal device retransmits PRACH based on the PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS (SSB#1 and SSB#2) is equal to the sum of the number of repetitions when using the PRACH opportunities associated with SSB#1 and SSB#2 respectively, which is 22 repetitions.

[0193] Understandably, when the terminal device determines to repeatedly transmit PRACH based on the PRACH repetition configuration corresponding to the first uplink coverage level, it performs repeated PRACH transmission according to the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to the first uplink coverage level and the first indication information.

[0194] In this embodiment of the application, the network device associates the PRACH opportunity for repeated PRACH transmission with the SSB or the PRACH opportunity for repeated PRACH transmission with the CSI-RS through the first indication information. As a result, the terminal device can repeatedly transmit PRACH according to the beam associated with the SSB or CSI-RS, which helps to enhance the uplink coverage capability of the terminal device.

[0195] In addition, when the first indication information indicates that the terminal device should repeatedly send PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS, the terminal device can flexibly choose whether to repeatedly send PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS, or to repeatedly send PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS.

[0196] II. Physical Random Access Method 200.

[0197] This application also proposes a physical random access channel processing method 200. Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating a physical random access channel processing method 200, which may include steps S201-S202:

[0198] S201. When the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH using multiple physical random access channels (PRACH) opportunities associated with the same synchronization signal block (SSB) or channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) at different times, it determines the first SSB from among the multiple SSBs of the first uplink coverage enhancement level, or determines the first CSI-RS from among the multiple CSI-RSs of the first uplink coverage enhancement level.

[0199] The first uplink coverage level is determined from multiple uplink coverage levels based on the measured reference signal received power RSRP of the SSB or CSI-RS.

[0200] The implementation method for the terminal device to determine the first uplink coverage level based on the measured RSRP of SSB or CSI-RS can be found in the above-described physical random access channel processing method 100, and will not be repeated here.

[0201] In one optional implementation, the terminal device may determine to repeatedly transmit PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS when the network device instructs that PRACH be repeatedly transmitted using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS at different times. For example, as described in the Physical Random Access Channel Processing Method 100 above, the first indication information received by the terminal device is used to instruct that PRACH be repeatedly transmitted using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS at different times, thereby the terminal device determines the first SSB from multiple SSBs of the first uplink coverage enhancement level, or determines the first CSI-RS from multiple CSI-RSs of the first uplink coverage enhancement level.

[0202] In another alternative implementation, the terminal device performs repeated PRACH transmissions at multiple different times predefined by the network device using the same SSB or CSI-RS. In this case, the terminal device determines the first SSB from the multiple SSBs of the first uplink coverage enhancement level, or determines the first CSI-RS from the multiple CSI-RS of the first uplink coverage enhancement level.

[0203] Understandably, when a terminal device determines to repeatedly transmit PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS at different times, it determines any one SSB or CSI-RS from the first uplink coverage level to which the measured RSRP of the SSB or CSI-RS belongs. This allows the terminal device to flexibly repeat PRACH transmission based on any PRACH opportunity associated with any SSB or CSI-RS in the first uplink coverage level.

[0204] Optionally, the first SSB is the SSB with the highest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, or the first CSI-RS is the CSI-RS with the highest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level. That is, when the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS at different times, it repeatedly transmits PRACH based on the PRACH opportunity associated with the SSB or CSI-RS with the highest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level. This helps increase the probability of successful access for the terminal device and improves its uplink coverage enhancement capability.

[0205] In an optional implementation, the terminal device may further receive second indication information, which indicates the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to each uplink coverage level among multiple uplink coverage levels, and the meaning of the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to each uplink coverage level. The implementation method for the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to each uplink coverage level indicated by the second indication information can be found in the above-described physical random access channel processing method 100, and will not be repeated here.

[0206] S202. The terminal device retransmits the PRACH based on the PRACH opportunity associated with the first SSB or the first CSI-RS.

[0207] Understandably, when the terminal device is configured to repeatedly transmit PRACH in the first uplink coverage level, it will repeatedly transmit PRACH using the PRACH opportunity associated with the first SSB or the first CSI-RS.

[0208] Optionally, the number of times the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH based on the PRACH opportunity associated with the first SSB or the first CSI-RS is determined according to the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to the first uplink coverage level indicated by the second indication information. The implementation method for the number of repetitions can be found in the above-described physical random access channel processing method 100, which describes the implementation method for the number of repetitions when the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH based on the same PRACH opportunity associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS. It will not be repeated here.

[0209] In this embodiment, when a terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS at different times, it determines any one SSB from the multiple SSBs of the first uplink coverage enhancement level, or any one CSI-RS from the multiple CSI-RSs of the first uplink coverage enhancement level, and repeatedly transmits PRACH according to the PRACH opportunity associated with the determined SSB or CSI-RS. This method allows the terminal device to flexibly utilize the PRACH opportunity associated with any SSB or CSI-RS in the first uplink coverage level to repeatedly transmit PRACH.

[0210] III. Physical Random Access Method 300.

[0211] This application also proposes a physical random access channel processing method 300. Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating a physical random access channel processing method 300, which may include steps S301-S302:

[0212] S301. When the terminal equipment repeatedly transmits PRACH using multiple physical random access channels (PRACH) opportunities associated with different synchronization signal blocks (SSBs) or channel state information reference signals (CSI-RS) at different times, it determines multiple SSBs or CSI-RS from the first uplink coverage level.

[0213] The first uplink coverage level is determined from multiple uplink coverage levels based on the reference signal received power (RSRP) of the measured SSB or CSI-RS. These multiple SSBs may be some or all of the SSBs in the first uplink coverage level, or the multiple CSI-RSs may be some or all of the CSI-RSs in the first uplink coverage level.

[0214] The implementation method for determining the first uplink coverage level from multiple uplink coverage levels based on the measured RSRP of SSB or CSI-RS can be found in the above-described physical random access channel processing method 100, and will not be repeated here.

[0215] In one optional implementation, the terminal device may determine to repeatedly transmit PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS when the network device instructs that PRACH be repeatedly transmitted using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS at different times. For example, as described in the Physical Random Access Channel Processing Method 100 above, the first indication information received by the terminal device is used to instruct that PRACH be repeatedly transmitted using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS at different times, thereby determining multiple SSBs or CSI-RS from a first uplink coverage level.

[0216] In another alternative implementation, the terminal device performs repeated PRACH transmissions at multiple different times, predefined by the network device, using different SSBs or CSI-RSs. In this case, the terminal device determines multiple SSBs or CSI-RSs from the first uplink coverage level.

[0217] Understandably, when a terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RSs at different times, it identifies multiple SSBs or CSI-RSs from the first uplink coverage level to which the measured SSBs or CSI-RSs belong. This facilitates the transmission of PRACH opportunities associated with multiple SSBs or CSI-RSs. In other words, by repeatedly transmitting PRACH based on multiple receive beams receiving multiple SSBs or CSI-RSs, the terminal device increases the probability of successful access and enhances its uplink coverage capability.

[0218] In one optional implementation, the multiple SSBs refer to all SSBs included in the first uplink coverage level, and the multiple CSI-RS refer to all CSI-RS included in the first uplink coverage level. That is, the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH based on the number of PRACH opportunities associated with each SSB or CSI-RS included in the first uplink coverage level.

[0219] In another alternative implementation, the plurality of SSBs includes the SSB with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, and the SSB with the difference between RSRP and the largest RSRP less than or equal to a first value; or, the plurality of CSI-RSs includes the CSI-RS with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, and the CSI-RS with the difference between RSRP and the largest RSRP less than or equal to a first value.

[0220] In other words, the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH based on the PRACH opportunities associated with the SSB or CSI-RS with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage level, and the PRACH opportunities associated with CSI-RS where the difference between the RSRP and the largest RSRP is less than or equal to a first value. Specifically, when the terminal device chooses to repeatedly transmit PRACH based on PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS, it repeatedly transmits PRACH based on the PRACH opportunities associated with SSBs or CSI-RS within a certain range of RSRP, thereby increasing the probability of successful access for the terminal device and saving on terminal device overhead.

[0221] In an optional implementation, the terminal device may further receive second indication information, which indicates the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to each uplink coverage level among multiple uplink coverage levels, and the meaning of the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to each uplink coverage level. The implementation method for the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to each uplink coverage level indicated by the second indication information can be found in the above-described physical random access channel processing method 100, and will not be repeated here.

[0222] S302. The terminal device repeatedly sends PRACH based on multiple PRACH opportunities associated with SSB or CSI-RS.

[0223] Understandably, when the terminal device is configured to repeatedly transmit PRACH in the first uplink coverage level, it will repeatedly transmit PRACH by taking advantage of the PRACH opportunities associated with multiple SSBs or CSI-RS in the first uplink coverage level.

[0224] Optionally, the number of times the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH based on multiple SSBs or multiple CSI-RS associated PRACH opportunities is determined according to the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to the first uplink coverage level indicated by the second indication information. It is understood that the implementation method for determining the number of repetitions when the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH based on multiple SSBs or multiple CSI-RS associated PRACH opportunities can be found in the above-described physical random access channel processing method 100, specifically the implementation method for determining the number of repetitions when the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH based on different SSBs or CSI-RS associated PRACH opportunities, and will not be repeated here.

[0225] As can be seen, in this embodiment, when the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RSs at different times, it determines multiple SSBs or CSI-RSs from the first uplink coverage level and repeatedly transmits PRACH according to the PRACH opportunities associated with the multiple SSBs or CSI-RSs. This increases the probability of successful access for the terminal device and enhances its uplink coverage capability.

[0226] IV. Physical Random Access Method 400.

[0227] This application also proposes a physical random access channel processing method 400. Figure 7 This is a flowchart illustrating a physical random access channel processing method 400, which may include steps S401-S404:

[0228] S401. The network device determines the second indication information, which is used to indicate the number of times the Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) is repeated for each uplink coverage level in multiple uplink coverage levels, and the number of times each PRACH is repeated is the number of times the PRACH is transmitted by a Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) or Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS) in the corresponding uplink coverage level.

[0229] Understandably, the network device indicates the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to each uplink coverage level through the second indication information. This number represents the number of times each SSB or CSI-RS in that uplink coverage level sends PRACH, which is the number of times the terminal device sends PRACH when it takes advantage of any PRACH opportunity associated with any SSB or CSI-RS in that uplink coverage level.

[0230] Optionally, the network device may also determine first indication information. The implementation method of the first indication information can be found in the above-described physical random access channel processing method 100, and will not be repeated here.

[0231] Optionally, the network device may also determine third indication information. The implementation method of the third indication information can be found in the above-described physical random access channel processing method 100, and will not be repeated here.

[0232] S402. The network device sends a second instruction message.

[0233] Optionally, the network device may also send a first instruction message.

[0234] Optionally, the network device may also send third instruction information.

[0235] S403. The terminal device receives the second instruction information.

[0236] Optionally, the terminal device may also receive first instruction information.

[0237] Optionally, the terminal device may also receive third instruction information.

[0238] S404. The terminal device repeatedly sends PRACH according to the second instruction information and the first uplink coverage level.

[0239] The first uplink coverage level is determined from multiple uplink coverage levels based on the measured reference signal received power (RSRP) of the SSB or CSI-RS. The implementation method for the terminal device to determine the first uplink coverage level from multiple uplink coverage levels based on the measured RSRP of the SSB or CSI-RS can be found in the above-described physical random access channel processing method 100, and will not be repeated here.

[0240] Understandably, when the terminal device is configured to repeatedly transmit PRACH at the first uplink coverage level, it will repeatedly transmit PRACH according to the number of times PRACH is repeated corresponding to the first uplink coverage level indicated by the second indication information.

[0241] In one optional implementation, when the first indication information indicates that PRACH should be repeatedly transmitted using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS at different times, the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH according to the PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS; when the first indication information indicates that PRACH should be repeatedly transmitted using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS at different times, the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH according to the PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS, or repeatedly transmits PRACH according to the PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS.

[0242] Specifically, the number of times a terminal device sends PRACH based on a PRACH opportunity associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS is equal to the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to the first uplink coverage level; or, the number of times a terminal device sends PRACH based on PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RSs is equal to the product of the number of SSBs or CSI-RSs among the different SSBs or CSI-RSs and the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to the first uplink coverage level.

[0243] In another optional implementation, when the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS at different times, it determines the first SSB from among the multiple SSBs of the first uplink coverage enhancement level, or determines the first CSI-RS from among the multiple CSI-RS of the first uplink coverage enhancement level; the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH according to the PRACH opportunity associated with the first SSB or the first CSI-RS. The number of times the terminal device transmits PRACH according to the PRACH opportunity associated with the first SSB or the first CSI-RS is equal to the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to the first uplink coverage level.

[0244] In another optional implementation, when the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with different synchronization signal blocks (SSBs) or channel state information reference signals (CSI-RS) at different times, it determines multiple SSBs or CSI-RSs from the first uplink coverage level; the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH based on the PRACH opportunities associated with the multiple SSBs or CSI-RSs. The number of times the terminal device retransmits PRACH based on the PRACH opportunities associated with the multiple SSBs or CSI-RSs is equal to the product of the number of SSBs or CSI-RSs among the multiple SSBs or CSI-RSs and the number of PRACH retransmissions corresponding to the first uplink coverage level.

[0245] The implementation methods for the terminal device to send PRACH based on the same SSB or CSI-RS associated PRACH opportunity, and the implementation methods for sending PRACH based on different SSB or CSI-RS associated PRACH opportunities, can be found in the above-described Physical Random Access Channel Processing Method 100, and will not be repeated here.

[0246] In this embodiment, the network device indicates the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to each uplink coverage level through the second indication information. This number represents the number of times a PRACH is repetitively sent by an SSB or CSI-RS within the corresponding uplink coverage level. Therefore, the number of times the terminal device sends PRACH based on the PRACH opportunity associated with any SSB or CSI-RS in the first uplink coverage level is equal to the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to the first uplink coverage level. Thus, the terminal device can determine the number of PRACH repetitions based on the repetition count of each SSB or CSI-RS.

[0247] V. Physical Random Access Method 500.

[0248] This application also proposes a physical random access channel processing method 500. Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating a physical random access channel processing method 500, which may include steps S501-S504:

[0249] S501. The network device determines the second indication information, which is used to indicate the number of times the Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) is repeated for each uplink coverage level in multiple uplink coverage levels, and the number of times each PRACH is repeated is the sum of the number of times each SSB or CSI-RS transmits PRACH in the corresponding uplink coverage level.

[0250] Understandably, the network device indicates the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to each uplink coverage level through the second indication information. This number is the sum of the number of PRACH repetitions sent by each SSB or CSI-RS in that uplink coverage level, which is the sum of the number of repetitions when the terminal device sends PRACH using the PRACH opportunities associated with each SSB or CSI-RS in that uplink coverage level.

[0251] Optionally, the network device may also determine first indication information. The implementation method of the first indication information can be found in the above-described physical random access channel processing method 100, and will not be repeated here.

[0252] Optionally, the network device may also determine third indication information. The implementation method of the third indication information can be found in the above-described physical random access channel processing method 100, and will not be repeated here.

[0253] S502. The network device sends a second instruction message.

[0254] Optionally, the network device may also send a first instruction message.

[0255] Optionally, the network device may also send third instruction information.

[0256] S503. The terminal device receives the second instruction information.

[0257] Optionally, the terminal device may also receive first instruction information.

[0258] Optionally, the terminal device may also receive third instruction information.

[0259] S504. The terminal device repeatedly sends PRACH according to the second instruction information and the first uplink coverage level.

[0260] The first uplink coverage level is determined from multiple uplink coverage levels based on the measured reference signal received power (RSRP) of the SSB or CSI-RS. The implementation method for the terminal device to determine the first uplink coverage level from multiple uplink coverage levels based on the measured RSRP of the SSB or CSI-RS can be found in the above-described physical random access channel processing method 100, and will not be repeated here.

[0261] Understandably, when the terminal device is configured to repeatedly transmit PRACH at the first uplink coverage level, it will repeatedly transmit PRACH according to the number of times PRACH is repeated corresponding to the first uplink coverage level indicated by the second indication information.

[0262] In one optional implementation, when the first indication information indicates that PRACH should be repeatedly transmitted using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS at different times, the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH according to the PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS; when the first indication information indicates that PRACH should be repeatedly transmitted using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS at different times, the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH according to the PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS, or repeatedly transmits PRACH according to the PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS.

[0263] Specifically, the number of times a terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH based on the same SSB or CSI-RS associated with a PRACH opportunity is equal to the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to the first uplink coverage level. The number of times a terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH based on different SSBs or CSI-RS associated with different PRACH opportunities is equal to the sum of the products of the repetition ratio of each SSB or CSI-RS and the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to the first uplink coverage level.

[0264] In another optional implementation, when the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS at different times, it determines the first SSB from among the multiple SSBs of the first uplink coverage enhancement level, or determines the first CSI-RS from among the multiple CSI-RS of the first uplink coverage enhancement level; the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH according to the PRACH opportunity associated with the first SSB or the first CSI-RS. The number of times the terminal device transmits PRACH according to the PRACH opportunity associated with the first SSB or the first CSI-RS is equal to the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to the first uplink coverage level.

[0265] In another optional implementation, when the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with different synchronization signal blocks (SSBs) or channel state information reference signals (CSI-RS) at different times, it determines multiple SSBs or CSI-RSs from a first uplink coverage level. The terminal device then repeatedly transmits PRACH based on the PRACH opportunities associated with the multiple SSBs or CSI-RSs. The number of times the terminal device transmits the PRACH based on the PRACH opportunities associated with the multiple SSBs or CSI-RSs is equal to the sum of the products of the repetition ratio of each SSB or CSI-RS and the PRACH repetition count corresponding to the first uplink coverage level.

[0266] The implementation methods for the terminal device to send PRACH based on the same SSB or CSI-RS associated PRACH opportunity, and the implementation methods for sending PRACH based on different SSB or CSI-RS associated PRACH opportunities, can be found in the above-described Physical Random Access Channel Processing Method 100, and will not be repeated here.

[0267] In this embodiment of the application, the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to each uplink coverage level indicated by the second indication information is the sum of the number of PRACH repetitions sent by each SSB or CSI-RS in the corresponding uplink coverage level. Then, the terminal device can determine the number of PRACH repetitions to be sent based on the ratio of the number of times corresponding to each SSB or CSI-RS and the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to the first uplink coverage level.

[0268] VI. Physical Random Access Method 600.

[0269] This application also proposes a physical random access channel processing method 600. Figure 9 This is a flowchart illustrating a physical random access channel processing method 600, which may include steps S601-S604:

[0270] S601. The network device determines second indication information, which is used to indicate the number of times the Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) is repeated for each uplink coverage level among multiple uplink coverage levels, and the number of times each PRACH is repeated is the number of times the PRACH is transmitted by the Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) or Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS) of the Maximum Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP), and the number of times the PRACH is transmitted by the SSB or CSI-RS other than the SSB or CSI-RS of the maximum RSRP is determined based on the difference between the RSRP value of the SSB or CSI-RS and the maximum RSRP.

[0271] Understandably, the network device indicates the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to each uplink coverage level through the second indication information. This number represents the number of times the SSB or CSI-RS with the highest RSRP in that uplink coverage level sends PRACH repetitions, which is the number of times the terminal device sends PRACH when it takes advantage of the PRACH opportunity associated with the SSB or CSI-RS with the highest RSRP in that uplink coverage level.

[0272] Optionally, the network device may also determine first indication information. The implementation method of the first indication information can be found in the above-described physical random access channel processing method 100, and will not be repeated here.

[0273] Optionally, the network device may also determine third indication information. The implementation method of the third indication information can be found in the above-described physical random access channel processing method 100, and will not be repeated here.

[0274] S602. The network device sends a second instruction message.

[0275] Optionally, the network device may also send a first instruction message.

[0276] Optionally, the network device may also send third instruction information.

[0277] S603. The terminal device receives the second instruction information.

[0278] Optionally, the terminal device may also receive first instruction information.

[0279] Optionally, the terminal device may also receive a second instruction.

[0280] S604. The terminal device repeatedly sends PRACH according to the second instruction information and the first uplink coverage level.

[0281] The first uplink coverage level is determined from multiple uplink coverage levels based on the measured reference signal received power (RSRP) of the SSB or CSI-RS. The implementation method for the terminal device to determine the first uplink coverage level from multiple uplink coverage levels based on the measured RSRP of the SSB or CSI-RS can be found in the above-described physical random access channel processing method 100, and will not be repeated here.

[0282] Understandably, when the terminal device is configured to repeatedly transmit PRACH at the first uplink coverage level, it will repeatedly transmit PRACH according to the number of times PRACH is repeated corresponding to the first uplink coverage level indicated by the second indication information.

[0283] In one optional implementation, when the first indication information indicates that PRACH should be repeatedly transmitted using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS at different times, the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH according to the PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS; when the first indication information indicates that PRACH should be repeatedly transmitted using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS at different times, the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH according to the PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS, or repeatedly transmits PRACH according to the PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS.

[0284] Specifically, the number of times a terminal device retransmits a PRACH based on the PRACH opportunity associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS is equal to the number of PRACH retransmissions corresponding to the first uplink coverage level when the same SSB or CSI-RS is the SSB or CSI-RS with the maximum RSRP; when the same SSB or CSI-RS is not the SSB or CSI-RS with the maximum RSRP, it is determined based on the difference between the RSRP value of that SSB or CSI-RS and the maximum RSRP; or,

[0285] The number of times a terminal device retransmits a PRACH when it is associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS is equal to the sum of the number of times each SSB or CSI-RS retransmits a PRACH among the different SSBs or CSI-RS. Among these, the number of times the SSB or CSI-RS with the highest RSRP among the different SSBs or CSI-RS retransmits a PRACH is equal to the number of times the PRACH is retransmitted corresponding to the first uplink coverage level. The number of times the SSB or CSI-RS other than the SSB or CSI-RS with the highest RSRP retransmits a PRACH is determined based on the difference between the RSRP value of that SSB or CSI-RS and the highest RSRP.

[0286] In another optional implementation, when the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS at different times, it determines the first SSB from among the multiple SSBs of the first uplink coverage enhancement level, or determines the first CSI-RS from among the multiple CSI-RS of the first uplink coverage enhancement level; the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH according to the PRACH opportunity associated with the first SSB or the first CSI-RS.

[0287] In this embodiment, the number of times the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH based on the PRACH opportunity associated with the first SSB or the first CSI-RS is equal to the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to the first uplink coverage level when the same SSB or CSI-RS is the SSB or CSI-RS with the maximum RSRP. When the same SSB or CSI-RS is not the SSB or CSI-RS with the maximum RSRP, the number of repetitions is determined based on the difference between the RSRP value of the SSB or CSI-RS and the maximum RSRP. In another optional embodiment, when the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS at different times, it determines multiple SSBs or CSI-RS from the first uplink coverage level; the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH based on the PRACH opportunities associated with the multiple SSBs or CSI-RS. The number of times a terminal device sends PRACH when it is sent based on the PRACH opportunities associated with multiple SSBs or CSI-RS is equal to the sum of the product of the proportion of repetitions of each SSB or CSI-RS and the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to the first uplink coverage level.

[0288] In another optional implementation, when the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS at different times, it determines multiple SSBs or CSI-RS from the first uplink coverage level; the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH based on the PRACH opportunities associated with the multiple SSBs or CSI-RS.

[0289] The number of times a terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH based on the PRACH opportunity associated with multiple SSBs or CSI-RSs is equal to the sum of the number of times each SSB or CSI-RS transmits PRACH among the multiple SSBs or CSI-RSs. The number of times the SSB or CSI-RS with the highest RSRP transmits PRACH is equal to the number of times the PRACH is transmitted corresponding to the first uplink coverage level. The number of times the SSB or CSI-RS other than the SSB or CSI-RS with the highest RSRP transmits PRACH is determined based on the difference between the RSRP value of that SSB or CSI-RS and the highest RSRP.

[0290] The implementation methods for terminal equipment to transmit PRACH based on PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS, and the implementation methods for transmitting PRACH based on PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS, can be found in the above-described Physical Random Access Channel Processing Method 100, and will not be repeated here.

[0291] In this embodiment of the application, the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to each uplink coverage level indicated by the second indication information of the network device is the number of times the PRACH is repetitively sent by the SSB or CSI-RS with the maximum RSRP. Thus, the terminal device can determine the number of repetitions for each SSB or CSI-RS based on the difference between each RSRP and the maximum RSRP, and then the terminal device can determine the number of times to send PRACH based on the number of repetitions for each SSB or CSI-RS.

[0292] VII. Apparatus.

[0293] See Figure 10 , Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of a physical random access channel processing device provided in an embodiment of the present invention. The physical random access channel processing device can be applied to terminal equipment or network equipment.

[0294] In an optional embodiment, when the physical random access channel processing device is applied in a terminal device, the physical random access channel processing device 1000 may include: a communication unit 1002, configured to receive first indication information, the first indication information being used to indicate whether to repeatedly transmit PRACH using multiple physical random access channel PRACH opportunities associated with the same synchronization signal block SSB or channel state information reference signal CSI-RS at different times, or to repeatedly transmit PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS at different times; and a processing unit 1001, configured to, in accordance with the first indication information... When the processing unit 1001 indicates that PRACH should be repeatedly transmitted using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS at different times, it shall repeatedly transmit PRACH according to the PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS; the processing unit 1001 is further configured to, when the first indication information indicates that PRACH should be repeatedly transmitted using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS at different times, repeatedly transmit PRACH according to the PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS, or repeatedly transmit PRACH according to the PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS.

[0295] For details regarding this implementation method, please refer to the relevant content of the above-described method embodiments. It will not be elaborated further here.

[0296] The embodiments of this application and the above-described method embodiments are based on the same concept and have the same technical effects. For the specific principles, please refer to the description of the above-described method embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0297] In another optional implementation, when the physical random access channel processing apparatus is applied in a terminal device, the physical random access channel processing apparatus 1000 may include: a processing unit 1001, configured to determine a first SSB from multiple SSBs of a first uplink coverage enhancement level, or a first CSI-RS from multiple CSI-RSs of a first uplink coverage enhancement level, when repeatedly transmitting PRACH using multiple physical random access channel PRACH opportunities associated with the same synchronization signal block SSB or channel state information reference signal CSI-RS at different times; and a communication unit 1002, configured to repeatedly transmit PRACH according to the PRACH opportunity associated with the first SSB or the first CSI-RS; wherein the first uplink coverage level is determined from multiple uplink coverage levels based on the measured reference signal received power RSRP of the SSB or CSI-RS.

[0298] For details regarding this implementation method, please refer to the relevant content of the above-described method embodiments. It will not be elaborated further here.

[0299] The embodiments of this application and the above-described method embodiments are based on the same concept and have the same technical effects. For the specific principles, please refer to the description of the above-described method embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0300] In another optional embodiment, when the physical random access channel processing apparatus is applied in a terminal device, the physical random access channel processing apparatus 1000 may include: a processing unit 1001, configured to determine multiple SSBs or CSI-RS from a first uplink coverage level when repeatedly transmitting PRACH using multiple physical random access channel PRACH opportunities associated with different synchronization signal blocks SSBs or channel state information reference signals CSI-RS at different times; and a communication unit 1002, configured to repeatedly transmit PRACH according to the PRACH opportunities associated with the multiple SSBs or CSI-RS; the first uplink coverage level is determined from the multiple uplink coverage levels based on the measured reference signal received power RSRP of the SSBs or CSI-RS.

[0301] For details regarding this implementation method, please refer to the relevant content of the above-described method embodiments. It will not be elaborated further here.

[0302] The embodiments of this application and the above-described method embodiments are based on the same concept and have the same technical effects. For the specific principles, please refer to the description of the above-described method embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0303] In another optional embodiment, when the physical random access channel processing device is applied in a terminal device, the physical random access channel processing device 1000 may include: a communication unit 1002, configured to receive second indication information, the second indication information being configured to indicate the number of times the physical random access channel PRACH is repeated for each uplink coverage level among a plurality of uplink coverage levels, and the number of times each PRACH is repeated is the number of times a synchronization signal block (SSB) or channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) in the corresponding uplink coverage level is repeated; the communication unit 1002 is further configured to repeatedly transmit PRACH according to the second indication information and a first uplink coverage level; the first uplink coverage level is determined from a plurality of uplink coverage levels based on the measured reference signal received power (RSRP) of the SSB or CSI-RS.

[0304] For details regarding this implementation method, please refer to the relevant content of the above-described method embodiments. It will not be elaborated further here.

[0305] The embodiments of this application and the above-described method embodiments are based on the same concept and have the same technical effects. For the specific principles, please refer to the description of the above-described method embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0306] In another optional implementation, when the physical random access channel processing device is applied in a terminal device, the physical random access channel processing device 1000 may include: a communication unit 1002, configured to receive second indication information, the second indication information indicating the number of times the physical random access channel (PRACH) is repeated for each uplink coverage level among multiple uplink coverage levels, and the number of times each PRACH is repeated is the sum of the number of times the PRACH is transmitted by each synchronization signal block (SSB) or channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) in the corresponding uplink coverage level; the communication unit 1002, configured to repeatedly transmit PRACH according to the second indication information and a first uplink coverage level; the first uplink coverage level is determined from multiple uplink coverage levels based on the measured reference signal received power (RSRP) of the SSB or CSI-RS.

[0307] For details regarding this implementation method, please refer to the relevant content of the above-described method embodiments. It will not be elaborated further here.

[0308] The embodiments of this application and the above-described method embodiments are based on the same concept and have the same technical effects. For the specific principles, please refer to the description of the above-described method embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0309] In another optional implementation, when the physical random access channel processing device is applied in a terminal device, the physical random access channel processing device 1000 may include: a communication unit 1002, configured to receive second indication information, the second indication information indicating the number of times the physical random access channel (PRACH) is repeated for each uplink coverage level among multiple uplink coverage levels, and the number of times each PRACH is repeated is the number of times the PRACH is transmitted by the synchronization signal block (SSB) or channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) with the maximum RSRP, and the number of times the PRACH is transmitted by the SSB or CSI-RS other than the SSB or CSI-RS with the maximum RSRP is determined based on the difference between the RSRP value of the SSB or CSI-RS and the maximum RSRP; the communication unit 1002 is configured to repeatedly transmit PRACH according to the second indication information and a first uplink coverage level, the first uplink coverage level being determined from multiple uplink coverage levels based on the measured reference signal received power (RSRP) of the SSB or CSI-RS.

[0310] For details regarding this implementation method, please refer to the relevant content of the above-described method embodiments. It will not be elaborated further here.

[0311] The embodiments of this application and the above-described method embodiments are based on the same concept and have the same technical effects. For the specific principles, please refer to the description of the above-described method embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0312] In another optional implementation, when the physical random access channel processing device is applied in a network device, the physical random access channel processing device 1000 may include: a processing unit 1001, configured to determine first indication information, the first indication information being used to indicate whether to repeatedly transmit PRACH using multiple physical random access channel PRACH opportunities associated with the same synchronization signal block SSB or channel state information reference signal CSI-RS at different times, or to repeatedly transmit PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS at different times; and a communication unit 1002, configured to transmit the first indication information.

[0313] For details regarding this implementation method, please refer to the relevant content of the above-described method embodiments. It will not be elaborated further here.

[0314] The embodiments of this application and the above-described method embodiments are based on the same concept and have the same technical effects. For the specific principles, please refer to the description of the above-described method embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0315] In another optional implementation, when the physical random access channel processing device is applied in a network device, the physical random access channel processing device 1000 may include: a processing unit 1001, configured to determine second indication information, the second indication information being used to indicate the number of times the physical random access channel (PRACH) is repeated for each uplink coverage level among multiple uplink coverage levels, and the number of times each PRACH is repeated is the number of times the PRACH is repeated by a synchronization signal block (SSB) or channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) in the corresponding uplink coverage level; and a communication unit 1002, configured to transmit the second indication information.

[0316] For details regarding this implementation method, please refer to the relevant content of the above-described method embodiments. It will not be elaborated further here.

[0317] The embodiments of this application and the above-described method embodiments are based on the same concept and have the same technical effects. For the specific principles, please refer to the description of the above-described method embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0318] In another optional implementation, when the physical random access channel processing device is applied in a network device, the physical random access channel processing device 1000 may include: a processing unit 1001, configured to determine second indication information, the second indication information being configured to indicate the number of times the physical random access channel (PRACH) is repeated for each uplink coverage level among multiple uplink coverage levels, and the number of times each PRACH is repeated is the sum of the number of times the PRACH is transmitted by each synchronization signal block (SSB) or channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) in the corresponding uplink coverage level; and a communication unit 1002, configured to transmit the second indication information.

[0319] For details regarding this implementation method, please refer to the relevant content of the above-described method embodiments. It will not be elaborated further here.

[0320] The embodiments of this application and the above-described method embodiments are based on the same concept and have the same technical effects. For the specific principles, please refer to the description of the above-described method embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0321] In another optional embodiment, when the physical random access channel processing device is applied in a network device, the physical random access channel processing device 1000 may include: a processing unit 1001, configured to determine second indication information, the second indication information indicating the number of times the physical random access channel (PRACH) is repeated for each uplink coverage level among multiple uplink coverage levels, and the number of times each PRACH is repeated is the number of times the PRACH is transmitted by the synchronization signal block SSB or channel state information reference signal CSI-RS with the maximum RSRP, and the number of times the PRACH is transmitted by the SSB or CSI-RS other than the maximum RSRP is determined based on the difference between the RSRP value of the SSB or CSI-RS and the maximum RSRP; and a communication unit 1002, configured to transmit the second indication information.

[0322] For details regarding this implementation method, please refer to the relevant content of the above-described method embodiments. It will not be elaborated further here.

[0323] The embodiments of this application and the above-described method embodiments are based on the same concept and have the same technical effects. For the specific principles, please refer to the description of the above-described method embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0324] Optionally, the physical random access channel processing apparatus also includes a storage unit 1003 for storing computer programs.

[0325] Please see Figure 11 , Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. The communication device 1100 described in this embodiment can be a terminal device or a network device. The communication device 1100 includes: a processor 1101, a communication interface 1102, and may also include a memory 1103. The processor 1101, the communication interface 1102, and the memory 1103 are connected through one or more communication buses.

[0326] The processor 1101 described above can be a Central Processing Unit (CPU), but it can also be other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, etc. The general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor or any conventional processor. The processor 1101 is configured to support the terminal device in performing the corresponding functions of the terminal device in the method, or is configured to support the network device in performing the corresponding functions of the network device in the method.

[0327] The aforementioned memory 1103 may include read-only memory and random access memory, and provides computer programs and data to the processor 1101. A portion of memory 1103 may also include non-volatile random access memory.

[0328] In one optional implementation, when the processor 1101 invokes the computer program, it performs the following: receiving first indication information, the first indication information indicating whether to repeatedly transmit PRACH using multiple physical random access channel (PRACH) opportunities associated with the same synchronization signal block (SSB) or channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) at different times, or to repeatedly transmit PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS respectively; when the first indication information indicates that PRACH should be repeatedly transmitted using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS at different times, to repeatedly transmit PRACH according to the PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS; when the first indication information indicates that PRACH should be repeatedly transmitted using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS at different times, to repeatedly transmit PRACH according to the PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS, or to repeatedly transmit PRACH according to the PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS respectively.

[0329] In another optional implementation, when the processor 1101 invokes the computer program, it performs the following: when repeatedly transmitting PRACH using multiple physical random access channel (PRACH) opportunities at different times associated with the same synchronization signal block (SSB) or channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS), determining a first SSB from multiple SSBs of a first uplink coverage enhancement level, or determining a first CSI-RS from multiple CSI-RSs of a first uplink coverage enhancement level; repeatedly transmitting PRACH based on the PRACH opportunity associated with the first SSB or the first CSI-RS; the first uplink coverage level is determined from multiple uplink coverage levels based on the measured reference signal received power (RSRP) of the SSB or CSI-RS.

[0330] In another optional implementation, when the processor 1101 invokes the computer program, it performs the following: when repeatedly transmitting PRACH using multiple physical random access channel (PRACH) opportunities associated with different synchronization signal blocks (SSBs) or channel state information reference signals (CSI-RS) at different times, it determines multiple SSBs or CSI-RS from a first uplink coverage level; it repeatedly transmits PRACH based on the PRACH opportunities associated with the multiple SSBs or CSI-RS; the first uplink coverage level is determined from the multiple uplink coverage levels based on the measured reference signal received power (RSRP) of the SSBs or CSI-RS.

[0331] In another optional implementation, when the processor 1101 invokes the computer program, it is configured to perform: receiving second indication information, the second indication information indicating the number of times the Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) is repeated for each uplink coverage level among a plurality of uplink coverage levels, and the number of times each PRACH is repeated is the number of times a Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) or Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS) transmits PRACH in the corresponding uplink coverage level; repeatedly transmitting PRACH according to the second indication information and the first uplink coverage level; the first uplink coverage level is determined from the plurality of uplink coverage levels based on the measured Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP) of the SSB or CSI-RS.

[0332] In another optional implementation, when the processor 1101 invokes the computer program, it performs the following: receiving second indication information, the second indication information indicating the number of times the Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) is repeated for each uplink coverage level among multiple uplink coverage levels, and the number of times each PRACH is repeated is the sum of the number of times the PRACH is transmitted by each Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) or Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS) in the corresponding uplink coverage level; repeatedly transmitting PRACH according to the second indication information and the first uplink coverage level; the first uplink coverage level is determined from multiple uplink coverage levels based on the measured Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP) of the SSB or CSI-RS.

[0333] In another optional implementation, when the processor 1101 invokes the computer program, it performs the following: receiving second indication information, the second indication information indicating the number of times the Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) is repeated for each uplink coverage level among a plurality of uplink coverage levels, and the number of times each PRACH is repeated is the number of times the PRACH is transmitted by the Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) or Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS) with the maximum RSRP, and the number of times the PRACH is transmitted by the SSB or CSI-RS other than the SSB or CSI-RS with the maximum RSRP is determined based on the difference between the RSRP value of the SSB or CSI-RS and the maximum RSRP; repeatedly transmitting PRACH according to the second indication information and the first uplink coverage level; the first uplink coverage level is determined from the plurality of uplink coverage levels based on the measured reference signal received power (RSRP) of the SSB or CSI-RS.

[0334] In another optional implementation, when the processor 1101 calls the computer program, it is configured to: determine first indication information, the first indication information being used to indicate whether to repeatedly transmit PRACH using multiple physical random access channel (PRACH) opportunities associated with the same synchronization signal block (SSB) or channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) at different times, or to repeatedly transmit PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with different synchronization signal blocks (SSB) or channel state information reference signals (CSI-RS) at different times; and transmit the first indication information.

[0335] In another optional implementation, when the processor 1101 calls the computer program, it is used to execute: determining second indication information, the second indication information being used to indicate the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to each uplink coverage level in a plurality of uplink coverage levels and the number of PRACH repetitions being the number of times the PRACH is repetitively transmitted by a synchronization signal block SSB or channel state information reference signal CSI-RS in the corresponding uplink coverage level; and transmitting the second indication information.

[0336] In another optional implementation, when the processor 1101 calls the computer program, it is used to execute: determining second indication information, the second indication information being used to indicate the number of times the Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) is repeated for each uplink coverage level in a plurality of uplink coverage levels, and the number of times each PRACH is repeated is the sum of the number of times the PRACH is transmitted by each Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) or Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS) in the corresponding uplink coverage level; and transmitting the second indication information.

[0337] In another optional implementation, when the processor 1101 calls the computer program, it is configured to: determine second indication information, the second indication information being used to indicate the number of times the Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) is repeated for each uplink coverage level among multiple uplink coverage levels, and the number of times each PRACH is repeated is the number of times the PRACH is transmitted by the Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) or Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS) with the maximum RSRP, and the number of times the PRACH is transmitted by the SSB or CSI-RS other than the SSB or CSI-RS with the maximum RSRP is determined based on the difference between the RSRP value of the SSB or CSI-RS and the maximum RSRP; and transmit the second indication information.

[0338] For details regarding this implementation method, please refer to the relevant content of the above-described method embodiments. It will not be elaborated further here.

[0339] The embodiments of this application and the above-described method embodiments are based on the same concept and have the same technical effects. For the specific principles, please refer to the description of the above-described method embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0340] This application also provides a chip for executing the method described in the communication device 1100 described above.

[0341] Other implementations of this chip can be found in the relevant content of the above method embodiments. They will not be described in detail here.

[0342] The embodiments of this application and the above-described method embodiments are based on the same concept and have the same technical effects. For the specific principles, please refer to the description of the above-described method embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0343] This application provides a module device, which includes a processor and a communication interface. The communication interface is used to communicate with other devices, and the processor is used to execute the method described in the communication device 1100.

[0344] Other implementations of this module device can be found in the relevant content of the above method embodiments. They will not be detailed here.

[0345] The embodiments of this application and the above-described method embodiments are based on the same concept and have the same technical effects. For the specific principles, please refer to the description of the above-described method embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0346] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program. When the computer program is executed by a processor, it can be used to implement the physical random access channel processing method described in this application embodiment, which will not be repeated here.

[0347] This application also provides a computer program product, including computer instructions, which, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform the physical random access channel processing method described in this application embodiment, which will not be described in detail here.

[0348] The computer-readable storage medium can be an internal storage unit of the terminal device described in any of the foregoing embodiments, such as the device's hard drive or memory. The computer-readable storage medium can also be an external storage device of the terminal device, such as a plug-in hard drive, Smart Media Card (SMC), Secure Digital (SD) card, or Flash Card. Furthermore, the computer-readable storage medium can include both internal and external storage units of the terminal device. The computer-readable storage medium is used to store the computer program and other programs and data required by the terminal device. The computer-readable storage medium can also be used to temporarily store data that has been output or will be output.

[0349] Those skilled in the art will understand that all or part of the processes in the above embodiments can be implemented by a computer program instructing related hardware. The program can be stored in a readable storage medium, and when executed, it can include the processes of the embodiments of the above methods. The storage medium can be a magnetic disk, optical disk, read-only memory (ROM), or random access memory (RAM), etc.

[0350] The above-disclosed embodiments are merely preferred embodiments of this application and should not be construed as limiting the scope of this application. Therefore, any equivalent variations made in accordance with the claims of this application shall still fall within the scope of this application.

Claims

1. A method for processing a physical random access channel, characterized in that, The method includes: The terminal device receives a first indication information, which is used to indicate whether to repeatedly transmit PRACH using multiple physical random access channel PRACH opportunities associated with the same synchronization signal block SSB or channel state information reference signal CSI-RS at different times, or to repeatedly transmit PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS at different times. When the first indication information indicates that the terminal device should repeatedly transmit PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS at different times, the terminal device should repeatedly transmit the PRACH according to the PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS. When the terminal device is instructed by the first indication information to repeatedly transmit PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS at different times, it repeatedly transmits the PRACH according to the PRACH opportunity associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS, or repeatedly transmits the PRACH according to the PRACH opportunity associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The terminal device repeatedly transmits the PRACH based on the PRACH opportunity associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS, including: The terminal device repeatedly sends the PRACH based on the PRACH opportunity associated with the first SSB or the first CSI-RS; The first SSB is one of a plurality of SSBs in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, and the first CSI-RS is one of a plurality of CSI-RSs in the first uplink coverage enhancement level; the first uplink coverage level is determined from a plurality of uplink coverage levels based on the reference signal received power RSRP of the measured SSB or CSI-RS.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first SSB is the SSB with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, or the first CSI-RS is the CSI-RS with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The terminal device repeatedly transmits the PRACH based on the PRACH associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS, including: The terminal device repeatedly sends the PRACH based on multiple SSB or multiple CSI-RS associated PRACH opportunities; The plurality of SSBs are plurality of SSBs in a first uplink coverage level, or the plurality of CSI-RSs are plurality of CSI-RSs in a first uplink coverage level; the first uplink coverage level is determined from the plurality of uplink coverage levels based on the reference signal received power (RSRP) of the measured SSBs or CSI-RSs.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that, The plurality of SSBs includes the SSB with the highest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, and SSBs whose RSRP difference from the highest RSRP is less than or equal to a first value; or, The plurality of CSI-RS includes the CSI-RS with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, and the CSI-RS whose difference between RSRP and the largest RSRP is less than or equal to a first value.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The method further includes: The terminal device receives second indication information, which is used to indicate the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to each uplink coverage level in multiple uplink coverage levels, and the number of PRACH repetitions is the number of times the PRACH is sent by an SSB or CSI-RS in the corresponding uplink coverage level. The number of times the terminal device retransmits the PRACH when it is associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS is equal to the number of PRACH retransmissions corresponding to the first uplink coverage level; or... The number of times the terminal device retransmits the PRACH when it sends the PRACH according to the PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS is equal to the product between the number of SSBs or CSI-RSs among the different SSBs or CSI-RSs and the number of PRACH retransmissions corresponding to the first uplink coverage level; the first uplink coverage level is determined from the plurality of uplink coverage levels based on the measured reference signal received power RSRP of the SSB or CSI-RS.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The method further includes: The terminal device receives second indication information, which is used to indicate the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to each uplink coverage level in multiple uplink coverage levels, and the number of PRACH repetitions is the sum of the number of times the PRACH is sent by each SSB or CSI-RS in the corresponding uplink coverage level; The number of times the terminal device retransmits the PRACH when it has the same SSB or CSI-RS associated PRACH opportunity is equal to the number of PRACH retransmissions corresponding to the first uplink coverage level; or... The number of times the terminal device retransmits the PRACH when it retransmits the PRACH according to the PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS is equal to the sum of the product of the retransmission ratio of each SSB or CSI-RS and the PRACH retransmission number corresponding to the first uplink coverage level; the first uplink coverage level is determined from the plurality of uplink coverage levels based on the measured reference signal received power RSRP of the SSB or CSI-RS.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The method further includes: The terminal device receives second indication information, which is used to indicate the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to each uplink coverage level in multiple uplink coverage levels, and the number of PRACH repetitions is the number of times the SSB or CSI-RS with the maximum RSRP sends the PRACH, and the number of times the SSB or CSI-RS other than the SSB or CSI-RS with the maximum RSRP sends the PRACH is determined based on the difference between the RSRP value of the SSB or CSI-RS and the maximum RSRP; The number of times the terminal device retransmits the PRACH when it has the same SSB or CSI-RS associated with the same PRACH opportunity is equal to the number of PRACH retransmissions corresponding to the first uplink coverage level when the same SSB or CSI-RS is the SSB or CSI-RS with the maximum RSRP; when the same SSB or CSI-RS is not the SSB or CSI-RS with the maximum RSRP, it is determined based on the difference between the RSRP value of the SSB or CSI-RS and the maximum RSRP; or, The number of times the terminal device retransmits the PRACH when it is associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS is equal to the sum of the number of times each SSB or CSI-RS retransmits the PRACH among the different SSBs or CSI-RS; wherein, the number of times the SSB or CSI-RS with the largest RSRP among the different SSBs or CSI-RS retransmits the PRACH is equal to the number of times the PRACH is retransmitted corresponding to the first uplink coverage level, and the number of times the SSB or CSI-RS other than the SSB or CSI-RS with the largest RSRP retransmits the PRACH is determined based on the difference between the RSRP value of the SSB or CSI-RS and the largest RSRP; the first uplink coverage level is determined from the plurality of uplink coverage levels based on the measured reference signal received power RSRP of the SSB or CSI-RS.

9. A method for processing a physical random access channel, characterized in that, The method includes: When the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH using multiple physical random access channels (PRACH) opportunities associated with the same synchronization signal block (SSB) or channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) at different times, it determines the first SSB from multiple SSBs of the first uplink coverage enhancement level, or determines the first CSI-RS from multiple CSI-RSs of the first uplink coverage enhancement level. The terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH based on the PRACH opportunity associated with the first SSB or the first CSI-RS; the first uplink coverage level is determined from multiple uplink coverage levels based on the measured reference signal received power (RSRP) of the SSB or CSI-RS.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The first SSB is the SSB with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, or the first CSI-RS is the CSI-RS with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level.

11. The method according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that, The method further includes: The terminal device receives second indication information, which is used to indicate the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to each uplink coverage level in multiple uplink coverage levels, and the number of PRACH repetitions is the number of times the PRACH is sent by an SSB or CSI-RS in the corresponding uplink coverage level. The number of times the terminal device retransmits the PRACH when it sends the PRACH based on the same SSB or CSI-RS associated PRACH opportunity is equal to the number of times the PRACH is retransmitted corresponding to the first uplink coverage level.

12. The method according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that, The method further includes: The terminal device receives second indication information, which is used to indicate the number of times the Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) is repeated for each uplink coverage level in the multiple uplink coverage levels, and the number of times each PRACH is repeated is the sum of the number of times the PRACH is sent by each SSB or CSI-RS in the corresponding uplink coverage level. The number of times the terminal device retransmits the PRACH when it is associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS is equal to the number of times the PRACH is retransmitted corresponding to the first uplink coverage level.

13. The method according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that, The method further includes: The terminal device receives second indication information, which is used to indicate the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to each uplink coverage level in multiple uplink coverage levels, and the number of PRACH repetitions is the number of times the SSB or CSI-RS with the maximum RSRP sends the PRACH, and the number of times the SSB or CSI-RS other than the SSB or CSI-RS with the maximum RSRP sends the PRACH is determined based on the difference between the RSRP value of the SSB or CSI-RS and the maximum RSRP; The number of times the terminal device retransmits the PRACH when it has the opportunity to retransmit the PRACH based on the same SSB or CSI-RS is equal to the number of PRACH retransmissions corresponding to the first uplink coverage level when the same SSB or CSI-RS is the SSB or CSI-RS with the maximum RSRP. When the same SSB or CSI-RS is not the SSB or CSI-RS with the maximum RSRP, the number of times the PRACH is retransmitted is determined based on the difference between the RSRP value of the SSB or CSI-RS and the maximum RSRP.

14. A method for processing a physical random access channel, characterized in that, The method includes: When the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH using multiple physical random access channel PRACH opportunities associated with different synchronization signal blocks SSB or channel state information reference signals CSI-RS at different times, it determines multiple SSBs or multiple CSI-RS from the first uplink coverage level. The terminal device repeatedly transmits the PRACH based on the PRACH opportunities associated with the plurality of SSBs or CSI-RS; the first uplink coverage level is determined from the plurality of uplink coverage levels based on the measured reference signal received power (RSRP) of the SSB or CSI-RS.

15. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that, The plurality of SSBs includes the SSB with the highest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, and SSBs whose RSRP difference from the highest RSRP is less than or equal to a first value; or, The plurality of CSI-RS includes the CSI-RS with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, and the CSI-RS whose difference between RSRP and the largest RSRP is less than or equal to a first value.

16. The method according to claim 14 or 15, characterized in that, The method further includes: The terminal device receives second indication information, which is used to indicate the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to each uplink coverage level in multiple uplink coverage levels, and the number of PRACH repetitions is the number of times the PRACH is sent by an SSB or CSI-RS in the corresponding uplink coverage level. The number of times the terminal device retransmits the PRACH when it sends the PRACH according to the PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS is equal to the product between the number of SSBs or CSI-RSs among the different SSBs or CSI-RSs and the number of PRACH retransmissions corresponding to the first uplink coverage level.

17. The method according to claim 14 or 15, characterized in that, The method further includes: The terminal device receives second indication information, which is used to indicate the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to each uplink coverage level in multiple uplink coverage levels, and the number of PRACH repetitions is the sum of the number of times the PRACH is sent by each SSB or CSI-RS in the corresponding uplink coverage level; The number of times the terminal device retransmits the PRACH when it is associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS is equal to the sum of the product of the retransmission ratio of each SSB or CSI-RS and the PRACH retransmission number corresponding to the first uplink coverage level.

18. The method according to claim 14 or 15, characterized in that, The method further includes: The terminal device receives second indication information, which is used to indicate the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to each uplink coverage level in multiple uplink coverage levels, and the number of PRACH repetitions is the number of times the SSB or CSI-RS with the maximum RSRP sends the PRACH, and the number of times the SSB or CSI-RS other than the SSB or CSI-RS with the maximum RSRP sends the PRACH is determined based on the difference between the RSRP value of the SSB or CSI-RS and the maximum RSRP; The number of times the terminal device retransmits the PRACH when it is associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS is equal to the sum of the number of times each SSB or CSI-RS retransmits the PRACH among the different SSBs or CSI-RS; wherein, the number of times the SSB or CSI-RS with the largest RSRP among the different SSBs or CSI-RS retransmits the PRACH is equal to the number of times the PRACH is retransmitted corresponding to the first uplink coverage level, and the number of times the SSB or CSI-RS other than the SSB or CSI-RS with the largest RSRP retransmits the PRACH is determined based on the difference between the RSRP value of the SSB or CSI-RS and the largest RSRP.

19. A method for processing a physical random access channel, characterized in that, The terminal device receives a second indication information, which is used to indicate the number of times the Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) is repeated for each uplink coverage level in multiple uplink coverage levels, and the number of times each PRACH is repeated is the number of times the PRACH is transmitted by a Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) or Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS) in the corresponding uplink coverage level. The terminal device repeatedly transmits the PRACH according to the second indication information and the first uplink coverage level; the first uplink coverage level is determined from the plurality of uplink coverage levels based on the measured reference signal received power RSRP of SSB or CSI-RS.

20. The method according to claim 19, characterized in that, The method further includes: The terminal device receives first indication information; the first indication information is used to indicate whether to repeatedly transmit PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS at different times, or to repeatedly transmit PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS at different times. When the first indication information indicates that the terminal device should repeatedly transmit PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS at different times, the terminal device should repeatedly transmit the PRACH according to the PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS. When the terminal device is instructed by the first indication information to repeatedly transmit PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS at different times, it repeatedly transmits the PRACH according to the PRACH opportunity associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS, or repeatedly transmits the PRACH according to the PRACH opportunity associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS. Wherein, the number of times the terminal device retransmits the PRACH when it is sent based on the same SSB or CSI-RS associated PRACH opportunity is equal to the number of PRACH retransmissions corresponding to the first uplink coverage level; or... The number of times the terminal device retransmits the PRACH when it sends the PRACH according to the PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS is equal to the product between the number of SSBs or CSI-RSs among the different SSBs or CSI-RSs and the number of PRACH retransmissions corresponding to the first uplink coverage level.

21. The method according to claim 20, characterized in that, The terminal device repeatedly transmits the PRACH based on the PRACH opportunity associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS, including: The terminal device repeatedly sends the PRACH based on the PRACH opportunity associated with the first SSB or the first CSI-RS; The first SSB is one of the multiple SSBs in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, and the first CSI-RS is one of the multiple CSI-RS in the first uplink coverage enhancement level.

22. The method according to claim 21, characterized in that, The first SSB is the SSB with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, or the first CSI-RS is the CSI-RS with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level.

23. The method according to claim 20, characterized in that, The terminal device repeatedly transmits the PRACH based on the PRACH associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS, including: The terminal device repeatedly sends the PRACH based on multiple SSB or multiple CSI-RS associated PRACH opportunities; The plurality of SSBs are the plurality of SSBs in the first uplink coverage level, or the plurality of CSI-RSs are the plurality of CSI-RSs in the first uplink coverage level.

24. The method according to claim 23, characterized in that, The plurality of SSBs includes the SSB with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, and the SSB whose difference between RSRP and the largest RSRP is less than or equal to a first value; or, the plurality of CSI-RSs includes the CSI-RS with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, and the CSI-RS whose difference between RSRP and the largest RSRP is less than or equal to a first value.

25. The method according to claim 19, characterized in that, The method further includes: When a terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS at different times, it determines the first SSB from among the multiple SSBs of the first uplink coverage enhancement level, or determines the first CSI-RS from among the multiple CSI-RSs of the first uplink coverage enhancement level. The terminal device repeatedly sends PRACH based on the PRACH opportunity associated with the first SSB or the first CSI-RS; Wherein, the number of times the terminal device sends the PRACH when it is sent according to the PRACH opportunity associated with the first SSB or the first CSI-RS is equal to the number of times the PRACH is repeated corresponding to the first uplink coverage level.

26. The method according to claim 25, characterized in that, The first SSB is the SSB with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, or the first CSI-RS is the CSI-RS with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level.

27. The method according to claim 19, characterized in that, The method further includes: When the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS at different times, it determines multiple SSBs or multiple CSI-RS from the first uplink coverage level. The terminal device repeatedly sends the PRACH based on the PRACH opportunities associated with the multiple SSBs or CSI-RS; The number of times the terminal device retransmits the PRACH when it sends the PRACH according to the PRACH opportunity associated with the plurality of SSBs or CSI-RS is equal to the product between the number of SSBs or CSI-RSs and the number of PRACH retransmissions corresponding to the first uplink coverage level.

28. The method according to claim 27, characterized in that, The plurality of SSBs includes the SSB with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, and the SSB whose difference between RSRP and the largest RSRP is less than or equal to a first value; or, the plurality of CSI-RSs includes the CSI-RS with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, and the CSI-RS whose difference between RSRP and the largest RSRP is less than or equal to a first value.

29. A method for processing a physical random access channel, characterized in that, The terminal device receives a second indication information, which is used to indicate the number of times the Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) is repeated for each uplink coverage level in multiple uplink coverage levels, and the number of times each PRACH is repeated is the sum of the number of times the PRACH is transmitted by each Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) or Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS) in the corresponding uplink coverage level. The terminal device repeatedly sends the PRACH according to the second indication information and the first uplink coverage level; The first uplink coverage level is determined from the plurality of uplink coverage levels based on the measured reference signal received power RSRP of the SSB or CSI-RS.

30. The method according to claim 29, characterized in that, The method further includes: The terminal device receives first indication information; the first indication information is used to indicate whether to repeatedly transmit PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS at different times, or to repeatedly transmit PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS at different times. When the first indication information indicates that the terminal device should repeatedly transmit PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS at different times, the terminal device should repeatedly transmit the PRACH according to the PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS. When the terminal device is instructed by the first indication information to repeatedly transmit PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS at different times, it repeatedly transmits the PRACH according to the PRACH opportunity associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS, or repeatedly transmits the PRACH according to the PRACH opportunity associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS. Wherein, the number of times the terminal device retransmits the PRACH when it has the same SSB or CSI-RS associated PRACH opportunity is equal to the number of PRACH retransmissions corresponding to the first uplink coverage level; or... The number of times the terminal device retransmits the PRACH when it is associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS is equal to the sum of the product of the retransmission ratio of each SSB or CSI-RS and the PRACH retransmission number corresponding to the first uplink coverage level.

31. The method according to claim 30, characterized in that, The terminal device repeatedly transmits the PRACH based on the PRACH opportunity associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS, including: The terminal device repeatedly sends the PRACH based on the PRACH opportunity associated with the first SSB or the first CSI-RS; The first SSB is one of the multiple SSBs in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, and the first CSI-RS is one of the multiple CSI-RS in the first uplink coverage enhancement level.

32. The method according to claim 31, characterized in that, The first SSB is the SSB with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, or the first CSI-RS is the CSI-RS with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level.

33. The method according to claim 30, characterized in that, The terminal device repeatedly transmits the PRACH based on the PRACH associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS, including: The terminal device repeatedly sends the PRACH based on multiple SSB or multiple CSI-RS associated PRACH opportunities; The plurality of SSBs are the plurality of SSBs in the first uplink coverage level, or the plurality of CSI-RSs are the plurality of CSI-RSs in the first uplink coverage level.

34. The method according to claim 33, characterized in that, The plurality of SSBs includes the SSB with the highest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, and SSBs whose RSRP difference from the highest RSRP is less than or equal to a first value; or, The plurality of CSI-RS includes the CSI-RS with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, and the CSI-RS whose difference between RSRP and the largest RSRP is less than or equal to a first value.

35. The method according to claim 29, characterized in that, The method further includes: When a terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS at different times, it determines the first SSB from among the multiple SSBs of the first uplink coverage enhancement level, or determines the first CSI-RS from among the multiple CSI-RSs of the first uplink coverage enhancement level. The terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH based on the PRACH opportunity associated with the first SSB or the first CSI-RS; wherein, the number of times the terminal device transmits the PRACH based on the PRACH opportunity associated with the first SSB or the first CSI-RS is equal to the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to the first uplink coverage level.

36. The method according to claim 35, characterized in that, The first SSB is the SSB with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, or the first CSI-RS is the CSI-RS with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level.

37. The method according to claim 29, characterized in that, The method further includes: When the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS at different times, it determines multiple SSBs or multiple CSI-RS from the first uplink coverage level. The terminal device repeatedly sends the PRACH based on the PRACH opportunities associated with the multiple SSBs or multiple CSI-RS; The number of times the terminal device retransmits the PRACH when it sends the PRACH according to the PRACH opportunities associated with the plurality of SSBs or CSI-RS is equal to the sum of the product of the retransmission ratio of each SSB or CSI-RS and the PRACH retransmission number corresponding to the first uplink coverage level.

38. The method according to claim 37, characterized in that, The plurality of SSBs includes the SSB with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, and the SSB whose difference between RSRP and the largest RSRP is less than or equal to a first value; or, the plurality of CSI-RSs includes the CSI-RS with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, and the CSI-RS whose difference between RSRP and the largest RSRP is less than or equal to a first value.

39. A method for processing a physical random access channel, characterized in that, The terminal device receives second indication information, which is used to indicate the number of times the Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) is repeated for each uplink coverage level in multiple uplink coverage levels, and the number of times each PRACH is repeated is the number of times the PRACH is repeated by the Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) or Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS) with the maximum RSRP, and the number of times the PRACH is repeated by the SSB or CSI-RS other than the SSB or CSI-RS with the maximum RSRP is determined based on the difference between the RSRP value of the SSB or CSI-RS and the maximum RSRP. The terminal device repeatedly sends the PRACH according to the second indication information and the first uplink coverage level; The first uplink coverage level is determined from the plurality of uplink coverage levels based on the measured reference signal received power RSRP of the SSB or CSI-RS.

40. The method according to claim 39, characterized in that, The method further includes: The terminal device receives first indication information; the first indication information is used to indicate whether to repeatedly transmit PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS at different times, or to repeatedly transmit PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS at different times. When the first indication information indicates that the terminal device should repeatedly transmit PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS at different times, the terminal device should repeatedly transmit the PRACH according to the PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS. When the terminal device is instructed by the first indication information to repeatedly transmit PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS at different times, it repeatedly transmits the PRACH according to the PRACH opportunity associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS, or repeatedly transmits the PRACH according to the PRACH opportunity associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS. Wherein, the number of times the terminal device retransmits the PRACH when it has the same SSB or CSI-RS associated with the same PRACH opportunity is equal to the number of PRACH retransmissions corresponding to the first uplink coverage level when the same SSB or CSI-RS is the SSB or CSI-RS with the maximum RSRP; when the same SSB or CSI-RS is not the SSB or CSI-RS with the maximum RSRP, it is determined based on the difference between the RSRP value of the SSB or CSI-RS and the maximum RSRP; or, The number of times the terminal device retransmits the PRACH when it is associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS is equal to the sum of the number of times each SSB or CSI-RS retransmits the PRACH among the different SSBs or CSI-RS; wherein, the number of times the SSB or CSI-RS with the largest RSRP among the different SSBs or CSI-RS retransmits the PRACH is equal to the number of times the PRACH is retransmitted corresponding to the first uplink coverage level, and the number of times the SSB or CSI-RS other than the SSB or CSI-RS with the largest RSRP retransmits the PRACH is determined based on the difference between the RSRP value of the SSB or CSI-RS and the largest RSRP.

41. The method according to claim 40, characterized in that, The terminal device repeatedly transmits the PRACH based on the PRACH opportunity associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS, including: The terminal device repeatedly sends the PRACH based on the PRACH opportunity associated with the first SSB or the first CSI-RS; The first SSB is one of the multiple SSBs in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, and the first CSI-RS is one of the multiple CSI-RS in the first uplink coverage enhancement level.

42. The method according to claim 41, characterized in that, The first SSB is the SSB with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, or the first CSI-RS is the CSI-RS with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level.

43. The method according to claim 40, characterized in that, The terminal device repeatedly transmits the PRACH based on the PRACH associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS, including: The terminal device repeatedly sends the PRACH based on multiple SSB or multiple CSI-RS associated PRACH opportunities; The plurality of SSBs are the plurality of SSBs in the first uplink coverage level, or the plurality of CSI-RSs are the plurality of CSI-RSs in the first uplink coverage level.

44. The method according to claim 43, characterized in that, The plurality of SSBs includes the SSB with the highest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, and SSBs whose RSRP difference from the highest RSRP is less than or equal to a first value; or, The plurality of CSI-RS includes the CSI-RS with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, and the CSI-RS whose difference between RSRP and the largest RSRP is less than or equal to a first value.

45. The method according to claim 39, characterized in that, The method further includes: When a terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS at different times, it determines the first SSB from among the multiple SSBs of the first uplink coverage enhancement level, or determines the first CSI-RS from among the multiple CSI-RSs of the first uplink coverage enhancement level. The terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH based on the PRACH opportunity associated with the first SSB or the first CSI-RS; wherein, the number of times the terminal device repeatedly transmits the PRACH based on the PRACH opportunity associated with the first SSB or the first CSI-RS is equal to the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to the first uplink coverage level when the same SSB or CSI-RS is the SSB or CSI-RS with the maximum RSRP, and is determined based on the difference between the RSRP value of the SSB or CSI-RS and the maximum RSRP when the same SSB or CSI-RS is not the SSB or CSI-RS with the maximum RSRP.

46. ​​The method according to claim 45, characterized in that, The first SSB is the SSB with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, or the first CSI-RS is the CSI-RS with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level.

47. The method according to claim 39, characterized in that, The method further includes: When the terminal device repeatedly transmits PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS at different times, it determines multiple SSBs or multiple CSI-RS from the first uplink coverage level. The terminal device repeatedly sends the PRACH based on the PRACH opportunities associated with the multiple SSBs or multiple CSI-RS; Wherein, the number of times the terminal device repeatedly transmits the PRACH according to the PRACH opportunity associated with the plurality of SSBs or CSI-RS is equal to the sum of the number of times each SSB or CSI-RS in the plurality of SSBs or CSI-RS transmits the PRACH; wherein, the number of times the SSB or CSI-RS with the largest RSRP in the plurality of SSBs or CSI-RS transmits the PRACH is equal to the number of times the PRACH is transmitted corresponding to the first uplink coverage level, and the number of times the SSB or CSI-RS other than the SSB or CSI-RS with the largest RSRP transmits the PRACH is determined based on the difference between the RSRP value of the SSB or CSI-RS and the largest RSRP.

48. The method according to claim 47, characterized in that, The plurality of SSBs includes the SSB with the highest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, and SSBs whose RSRP difference from the highest RSRP is less than or equal to a first value; or, The plurality of CSI-RS includes the CSI-RS with the largest RSRP in the first uplink coverage enhancement level, and the CSI-RS whose difference between RSRP and the largest RSRP is less than or equal to a first value.

49. A method for processing a physical random access channel, characterized in that, The method includes: The network device determines first indication information, which is used to indicate whether to repeatedly transmit PRACH using multiple physical random access channel PRACH opportunities associated with the same synchronization signal block SSB or channel state information reference signal CSI-RS at different times, or to repeatedly transmit the PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS at different times. The network device sends the first indication information.

50. A method for processing a physical random access channel, characterized in that, The method includes: The network device determines the second indication information, which is used to indicate the number of PRACH repetitions corresponding to each uplink coverage level in multiple uplink coverage levels, and the number of PRACH repetitions is the number of times the PRACH is repetitively transmitted by a synchronization signal block SSB or channel state information reference signal CSI-RS in the corresponding uplink coverage level; The network device sends the second instruction information.

51. A method for processing a physical random access channel, characterized in that, The method includes: The network device determines the second indication information, which is used to indicate the number of times the Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) is repeated for each uplink coverage level in multiple uplink coverage levels, and the number of times each PRACH is repeated is the sum of the number of times the PRACH is transmitted by each Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) or Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS) in the corresponding uplink coverage level; The network device sends the second instruction information.

52. A method for processing a physical random access channel, characterized in that, The method includes: The network device determines second indication information, which is used to indicate the number of times the Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) is repeated for each uplink coverage level among multiple uplink coverage levels, and the number of times each PRACH is repeated is the number of times the PRACH is transmitted by the Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) or Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS) with the maximum RSRP, and the number of times the PRACH is transmitted by the SSB or CSI-RS other than the SSB or CSI-RS with the maximum RSRP is determined based on the difference between the RSRP value of the SSB or CSI-RS and the maximum RSRP; The network device sends the second instruction information.

53. A physical random access channel processing apparatus, characterized in that, The device includes: A communication unit is configured to receive first indication information, which indicates whether to repeatedly transmit PRACH using multiple physical random access channel PRACH opportunities associated with the same synchronization signal block SSB or channel state information reference signal CSI-RS at different times, or to repeatedly transmit the PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS at different times. The processing unit is configured to repeatedly transmit the PRACH according to the PRACH opportunity associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS when the first indication information indicates that the PRACH is repeatedly transmitted using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS at different times. The processing unit is further configured to, when the first indication information indicates that PRACH is repeatedly transmitted using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS at different times, repeatedly transmit the PRACH according to the PRACH opportunity associated with the same SSB or CSI-RS, or repeatedly transmit the PRACH according to the PRACH opportunity associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS.

54. A physical random access channel processing apparatus, characterized in that, The device includes: The processing unit is configured to determine a first SSB from multiple SSBs of a first uplink coverage enhancement level, or to determine a first CSI-RS from multiple CSI-RSs of a first uplink coverage enhancement level, when PRACH is repeatedly transmitted using multiple physical random access channels (PRACH) opportunities associated with the same synchronization signal block (SSB) or channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) at different times. The communication unit is configured to repeatedly transmit PRACH based on the PRACH opportunity associated with the first SSB or the first CSI-RS. The first uplink coverage level is determined from multiple uplink coverage levels based on the measured reference signal received power RSRP of the SSB or CSI-RS.

55. A physical random access channel processing apparatus, characterized in that, The device includes: The processing unit is used to determine multiple SSBs or CSI-RS from the first uplink coverage level when PRACH is repeatedly transmitted using multiple physical random access channel PRACH opportunities associated with different synchronization signal blocks SSBs or channel state information reference signals CSI-RS at different times. A communication unit is configured to repeatedly transmit the PRACH based on the PRACH opportunities associated with the plurality of SSBs or CSI-RS; The first uplink coverage level is determined from multiple uplink coverage levels based on the measured reference signal received power RSRP of the SSB or CSI-RS.

56. A physical random access channel processing apparatus, characterized in that, The device includes: The communication unit is used to receive second indication information, which indicates the number of times the Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) is repeated for each uplink coverage level in multiple uplink coverage levels, and the number of times each PRACH is repeated is the number of times the PRACH is repeated by a Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) or Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS) in the corresponding uplink coverage level. The communication unit is further configured to repeatedly transmit the PRACH according to the second indication information and the first uplink coverage level; The first uplink coverage level is determined from the plurality of uplink coverage levels based on the measured reference signal received power RSRP of the SSB or CSI-RS.

57. A physical random access channel processing apparatus, characterized in that, The device includes: The communication unit is used to receive second indication information, which indicates the number of times the Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) is repeated for each uplink coverage level in multiple uplink coverage levels, and the number of times each PRACH is repeated is the sum of the number of times the PRACH is repeated by each Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) or Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS) in the corresponding uplink coverage level. The processing unit is configured to repeatedly transmit the PRACH according to the second indication information and the first uplink coverage level; The first uplink coverage level is determined from the plurality of uplink coverage levels based on the measured reference signal received power RSRP of the SSB or CSI-RS.

58. A physical random access channel processing apparatus, characterized in that, The device includes: The communication unit is configured to receive second indication information, which indicates the number of times the Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) is repeated for each uplink coverage level among multiple uplink coverage levels, and the number of times each PRACH is repeated is the number of times the PRACH is transmitted by the Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) or Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS) with the maximum RSRP, and the number of times the PRACH is transmitted by the SSB or CSI-RS other than the SSB or CSI-RS with the maximum RSRP is determined based on the difference between the RSRP value of the SSB or CSI-RS and the maximum RSRP. The processing unit is configured to repeatedly transmit the PRACH according to the second indication information and the first uplink coverage level; The first uplink coverage level is determined from the plurality of uplink coverage levels based on the measured reference signal received power RSRP of the SSB or CSI-RS.

59. A physical random access channel processing apparatus, characterized in that, The device includes: The processing unit is configured to determine first indication information, which indicates whether to repeatedly transmit PRACH using multiple physical random access channel PRACH opportunities associated with the same synchronization signal block SSB or channel state information reference signal CSI-RS at different times, or to repeatedly transmit the PRACH using multiple PRACH opportunities associated with different SSBs or CSI-RS at different times. A communication unit is used to send the first indication information.

60. A physical random access channel processing apparatus, characterized in that, The device includes: The processing unit is used for the second indication information, which indicates the number of times the Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) is repeated for each uplink coverage level in multiple uplink coverage levels, and the number of times each PRACH is repeated is the number of times the PRACH is transmitted by a Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) or Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS) in the corresponding uplink coverage level. A communication unit is used to send the second instruction information.

61. A physical random access channel processing apparatus, characterized in that, The device includes: The processing unit is configured to determine second indication information, which indicates the number of times the Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) is repeated for each uplink coverage level in a plurality of uplink coverage levels, and the number of times each PRACH is repeated is the sum of the number of times the PRACH is transmitted by each Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) or Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS) in the corresponding uplink coverage level. A communication unit is used to send the second instruction information.

62. A physical random access channel processing apparatus, characterized in that, The device includes: The processing unit is configured to determine second indication information, which indicates the number of times the Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) is repeated for each uplink coverage level among multiple uplink coverage levels, and the number of times each PRACH is repeated is the number of times the PRACH is transmitted by the Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) or Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS) with the maximum RSRP, and the number of times the PRACH is transmitted by the SSB or CSI-RS other than the SSB or CSI-RS with the maximum RSRP is determined based on the difference between the RSRP value of the SSB or CSI-RS and the maximum RSRP. A communication unit is used to send the second instruction information.

63. A communication device, characterized in that, The device includes a processor and a communication interface for communicating with other communication devices. The processor is configured to run a program that causes the communication device to implement the method of any one of claims 1 to 8, or to implement the method of any one of claims 9 to 13, or to implement the method of any one of claims 14 to 18, or to implement the method of any one of claims 19 to 28, or to implement the method of any one of claims 29 to 38, or to implement the method of any one of claims 39 to 48, or to implement the method of claim 49, or to implement the method of claim 50, or to implement the method of claim 51, or to implement the method of claim 52.

64. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, Used to store a computer program that, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, or causes the computer to perform the method according to any one of claims 9 to 13, or causes the computer to perform the method according to any one of claims 14 to 18, or causes the computer to perform the method according to any one of claims 19 to 28, or causes the computer to perform the method according to any one of claims 29 to 38, or causes the computer to perform the method according to any one of claims 39 to 48, or causes the computer to perform the method according to claim 49, or causes the computer to perform the method according to claim 50, or causes the computer to perform the method according to claim 51, or causes the computer to perform the method according to claim 52.

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