Method and apparatus for use of unlicensed spectrum

Abstract

This application discloses a method and apparatus for using unlicensed spectrum, relating to the field of communication technology, which can flexibly improve the uplink coverage capability of a network. The method includes: acquiring information about a target unlicensed frequency band, and transmitting a signal on a supplementary uplink (SUL) based on the information about the target unlicensed frequency band, wherein the spectrum of the SUL includes the target unlicensed frequency band. The information about the target unlicensed frequency band includes a combination of one or more of the following: Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP), Reference Signal Received Quality (RSRQ), and Signal-to-Interference-plus-Noise Ratio (SINR).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to methods and apparatus for using unlicensed spectrum. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, the standard for fifth-generation (5G) communication systems is under development. Compared to 4G systems, 5G systems typically use higher frequency electromagnetic waves for communication, and higher frequency electromagnetic waves usually mean higher power loss. Therefore, compared to 4G networks, 5G networks have slightly weaker coverage.

[0003] To compensate for the weak coverage of 5G networks, carrier aggregation (CA) technology can be used to improve 5G transmission capabilities by aggregating multiple carriers. However, carrier aggregation requires the use of carriers in a bundled manner, which means that using carrier aggregation to improve 5G coverage currently suffers from a lack of flexibility. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a method and apparatus for using unlicensed spectrum, which can flexibly improve the coverage of 5G networks.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the embodiments of this application adopt the following technical solutions:

[0006] Firstly, a method for using unlicensed spectrum is provided, which can be performed by a network device or a device supporting network device functions (such as a chip system of the network device). The method includes: acquiring information about a target unlicensed frequency band, and transmitting a signal on a supplementary uplink (SUL) based on the information about the target unlicensed frequency band. The spectrum of the SUL includes the target unlicensed frequency band; the information about the target unlicensed frequency band includes a combination of one or more of the following: reference signal received power (RSRP), reference signal received quality (RSRQ), and signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR).

[0007] In this way, using the target unlicensed frequency band for SUL communication of network devices expands the uplink spectrum of 5G networks, effectively improving the uplink coverage of 5G networks, and does not require the use of carriers in a bundled manner, making the implementation more flexible.

[0008] As a possible design, the target unlicensed frequency band satisfies one or more of the following first conditions: RSRP is less than or equal to a first threshold, RSRQ is less than or equal to a second threshold, and SINR is less than or equal to a third threshold.

[0009] It is evident that unlicensed frequency bands that meet the first condition, i.e., the target unlicensed frequency band, typically have weak signal quality. Therefore, when the target unlicensed frequency band is used simultaneously by different devices, interference between them can be reduced. For example, when the target unlicensed frequency band is used simultaneously by a base station and an access point (such as a router), the mutual interference between the base station and the router is low.

[0010] As one possible design, acquiring information about the target unlicensed frequency band includes:

[0011] Receive at least two measurement reports from at least two terminal devices; each measurement report includes the measurement results of each unlicensed frequency band under test in one or more unlicensed frequency bands under test, and the measurement results of each unlicensed frequency band under test include one or more of the following information of the unlicensed frequency band under test: RSRP, RSRQ, SINR;

[0012] Based on multiple measurement results from at least two measurement reports, obtain information on one or more target unlicensed frequency bands that meet the first condition.

[0013] This implementation method indicates that most measurement results show weak signal quality in one or more frequency bands, thus identifying those bands as target unlicensed frequency bands. Because multiple measurement results are referenced, the obtained target unlicensed frequency band information is relatively accurate.

[0014] In one possible design, the number of measurement results that satisfy the first condition is greater than or equal to the fourth threshold.

[0015] In one possible design, acquiring information about the target unlicensed frequency band includes:

[0016] Receive one or more measurement reports from the first terminal device; each measurement report includes the measurement results of each unlicensed frequency band to be measured in one or more unlicensed frequency bands to be measured; the measurement results of each unlicensed frequency band to be measured include any one or more of the following information of the unlicensed frequency band to be measured: RSRP, RSRQ, SINR;

[0017] Obtain information about the target unlicensed frequency band, including:

[0018] Based on one or more measurement reports, obtain information on one or more target unlicensed frequency bands that meet the first condition in one or more unlicensed frequency bands to be measured;

[0019] The first terminal device is a terminal device in a configured collaboration group; the collaboration group includes at least two terminal devices.

[0020] In this cooperative mode, the number of measurement results that meet the first condition is not required, and network devices can obtain information about the target unlicensed frequency band through fewer measurement reports. Compared with the non-cooperative mode, this reduces the signaling overhead caused by transmitting measurement configurations and measurement reports.

[0021] In one possible design, the method also includes:

[0022] Receive the first measurement result from the second terminal device;

[0023] Based on the first measurement result, the location information of the second terminal device is determined.

[0024] In one possible design, the location information of the second terminal device is determined based on the first measurement result, including:

[0025] If the first measurement result meets the second condition, it is determined that the second terminal device is located outdoors; the second condition is any one or a combination of the following conditions: RSRP is less than or equal to the fifth threshold, RSRQ is less than or equal to the sixth threshold, and SINR is less than or equal to the seventh threshold.

[0026] If the first measurement result meets the third condition, then the second terminal device is determined to be located indoors; the third condition is any one or a combination of the following conditions: RSRP is greater than the fifth threshold, RSRQ is greater than the sixth threshold, and SINR is greater than the seventh threshold.

[0027] Using this positioning method, when a terminal device is located at the boundary between indoor and outdoor areas, or on a rooftop, conventional positioning algorithms can locate the coordinates of the terminal device, but cannot determine whether the terminal device is indoors or outdoors. In this case, the network device can determine whether the terminal device is indoors or outdoors based on the measurement report reported by the terminal device and the coordinates of the terminal device, thereby improving the accuracy of location identification.

[0028] Secondly, this application provides a method for using unlicensed spectrum, which can be executed by a network device or a device supporting the functions of the network device (such as the chip system of the network device). The method includes:

[0029] Receive a first measurement result from the terminal device; the first measurement result includes one or more of the following information for the unlicensed frequency band to be measured: reference signal received power RSRP, reference signal received quality RSRQ, and signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio SINR;

[0030] Based on the first measurement result, the location information of the terminal device is determined.

[0031] In one possible design, based on the first measurement result, the location information of the terminal device is determined, including:

[0032] If the first measurement result meets the second condition, it is determined that the terminal device is located outdoors; the second condition is any one or a combination of the following conditions: RSRP is less than or equal to the fifth threshold, RSRQ is less than or equal to the sixth threshold, and SINR is less than or equal to the seventh threshold.

[0033] If the first measurement result meets the third condition, then the terminal device is determined to be located indoors; the third condition is any one or a combination of the following conditions: RSRP is greater than the fifth threshold, RSRQ is greater than the sixth threshold, and SINR is greater than the seventh threshold.

[0034] Thirdly, this application provides a communication device, which can be a network device or a device supporting network device functions (such as a chip system of a network device), the device comprising:

[0035] The processor is used to acquire information about the target unlicensed frequency band; the information about the target unlicensed frequency band includes one or more of the following: reference signal received power (RSRP), reference signal received quality (RSRQ), and signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR);

[0036] A transceiver is used to transmit signals on a supplementary uplink (SUL) based on information from a target unlicensed frequency band, the spectrum of which includes the target unlicensed frequency band.

[0037] In one possible design, the target unlicensed frequency band satisfies one or more of the following first conditions: RSRP is less than or equal to a first threshold, RSRQ is less than or equal to a second threshold, and SINR is less than or equal to a third threshold.

[0038] In one possible design, the processor is used to acquire information about the target unlicensed frequency band, including:

[0039] Used to control the transceiver to receive at least two measurement reports from at least two terminal devices; each measurement report includes the measurement result of each unlicensed frequency band under test in one or more unlicensed frequency bands under test, and the measurement result of each unlicensed frequency band under test includes any one or more of the following information of the unlicensed frequency band under test: RSRP, RSRQ, SINR;

[0040] It is also used to obtain information on one or more unlicensed frequency bands that meet the first condition based on multiple measurement results from at least two measurement reports.

[0041] In one possible design, the number of measurement results that satisfy the first condition is greater than or equal to the fourth threshold.

[0042] In one possible design, the processor is used to acquire information about the target unlicensed frequency band, including:

[0043] Used to control the transceiver to receive one or more measurement reports from a first terminal device; each measurement report includes the measurement result of each unlicensed frequency band to be measured in one or more unlicensed frequency bands to be measured; the measurement result of each unlicensed frequency band to be measured includes any one or more of the following information of the unlicensed frequency band to be measured: RSRP, RSRQ, SINR;

[0044] It is also used to obtain information on one or more target unlicensed frequency bands that meet the first condition, based on one or more measurement reports;

[0045] The first terminal device is a terminal device in a configured collaboration group; the collaboration group includes at least two terminal devices.

[0046] In one possible design, the transceiver is also used to receive the first measurement result from the second terminal device;

[0047] The processor is also used to determine the location information of the second terminal device based on the first measurement result.

[0048] In one possible design, the processor is used to determine the location information of the second terminal device based on the first measurement result, including:

[0049] If the first measurement result satisfies the second condition, then the second terminal device is determined to be located outdoors; the second condition is any one or a combination of the following conditions: RSRP is less than or equal to the fifth threshold, RSRQ is less than or equal to the sixth threshold, and SINR is less than or equal to the seventh threshold.

[0050] If the first measurement result meets the third condition, then the second terminal device is determined to be located indoors; the third condition is any one or a combination of the following conditions: RSRP is greater than the fifth threshold, RSRQ is greater than the sixth threshold, and SINR is greater than the seventh threshold.

[0051] Fourthly, this application provides a communication device, which can be a network device or a device supporting network device functions (such as a chip system of a network device), the device comprising:

[0052] A transceiver is used to receive a first measurement result from a terminal device; the first measurement result includes one or more of the following information for the unlicensed frequency band to be measured: reference signal received power RSRP, reference signal received quality RSRQ, and signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio SINR;

[0053] The processor is used to determine the location information of the terminal device based on the first measurement result.

[0054] In one possible design, the processor is used to determine the location information of the terminal device based on the first measurement result, including:

[0055] If the first measurement result satisfies the second condition, it is determined that the terminal device is located outdoors; the second condition is any one or a combination of the following conditions: RSRP is less than or equal to the fifth threshold, RSRQ is less than or equal to the sixth threshold, and SINR is less than or equal to the seventh threshold.

[0056] If the first measurement result meets the third condition, then the terminal device is determined to be located indoors; the third condition is any one or a combination of the following conditions: RSRP is greater than the fifth threshold, RSRQ is greater than the sixth threshold, and SINR is greater than the seventh threshold.

[0057] Fifthly, this application provides a communication device for implementing the functions of the network device in any of the above aspects.

[0058] Sixthly, this application provides a communication device that has the function of implementing the method of using unlicensed spectrum according to any of the above aspects. This function can be implemented by hardware or by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software includes one or more modules corresponding to the above functions.

[0059] A seventh aspect provides a communication device, comprising: a processor and a memory; the memory being used to store computer-executed instructions, wherein when the communication device is in operation, the processor executes the computer-executed instructions stored in the memory to cause the communication device to perform a method of using unlicensed spectrum as described in any of the preceding aspects.

[0060] Eighthly, a communication device is provided, comprising: a processor; the processor being coupled to a memory and, after reading instructions from the memory, executing, according to the instructions, a method for using an unlicensed spectrum as described in any of the preceding aspects.

[0061] Ninthly, embodiments of this application provide a communication device, including: a processor and an interface circuit; the interface circuit is configured to receive code instructions and transmit them to the processor; the processor is configured to execute the code instructions to perform a method of using unlicensed spectrum as described in any of the preceding aspects.

[0062] In a tenth aspect, embodiments of this application provide a communication device, which can be a chip system including a processor and optionally, a memory, for implementing the functions of the methods described in any of the preceding aspects. The chip system can be composed of chips or may include chips and other discrete devices.

[0063] Eleventhly, a communication apparatus is provided, which may be a circuit system including a processing circuit configured to perform a method of using unlicensed spectrum as described in any of the preceding aspects.

[0064] In a twelfth aspect, embodiments of this application also provide a computer-readable storage medium including instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform the methods described above.

[0065] In a thirteenth aspect, embodiments of this application also provide a computer program product, including instructions that, when run on a computer, cause the computer to perform the methods described above. Attached Figure Description

[0066] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the architecture of the communication system provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0067] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the communication device provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0068] Figure 3 A flowchart illustrating the method of using unlicensed spectrum provided in this application embodiment;

[0069] Figure 4 A scenario illustration of the method for using unlicensed spectrum provided in the embodiments of this application. Figure 1 ;

[0070] Figure 5 A scenario illustration of the method for using unlicensed spectrum provided in the embodiments of this application. Figure 2 ;

[0071] Figure 6 A schematic diagram illustrating the supplementary uplink scenario provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0072] Figure 7 A flowchart illustrating the method of using unlicensed spectrum provided in this application embodiment;

[0073] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the communication device provided in the embodiments of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0074] The terms "first" and "second," etc., used in the specification and drawings of this application are used to distinguish different objects or to distinguish different treatments of the same object, rather than to describe a specific order of objects.

[0075] "At least one" means one or more.

[0076] "Multiple" refers to two or more.

[0077] "And / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that there can be three relationships. For example, A and / or B can mean: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, or B exists alone. A and B can be singular or plural.

[0078] The character " / " generally indicates that the objects before and after it are in an "or" relationship. For example, A / B can mean A or B.

[0079] Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, used in the description of this application are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus that includes a series of steps or units is not limited to the steps or units listed, but may optionally include other steps or units not listed, or may optionally include other steps or units inherent to such process, method, product, or apparatus.

[0080] It should be noted that in the embodiments of this application, the words "exemplary" or "for example" are used to indicate examples, illustrations, or explanations. Any embodiment or design scheme described as "exemplary" or "for example" in the embodiments of this application should not be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments or design schemes. Specifically, the use of the words "exemplary" or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a specific manner.

[0081] In the specification and drawings of this application, the terms "of", "corresponding", and "corresponding" are sometimes used interchangeably. It should be noted that when the distinction is not emphasized, they have the same meaning.

[0082] This application provides a method for using unlicensed spectrum, applied to communication systems with weak uplink coverage to improve the uplink coverage capability of the system. For example, it can be applied to 5G systems, subsequent evolution systems, or other systems. See also... Figure 1 This is an exemplary architecture of a communication system to which the embodiments of this application are applicable. Figure 1 As shown, the communication system includes network devices (such as...) Figure 1 Network device 1 and network device 2 shown) and terminal device (e.g. Figure 1 Terminal device 1 and terminal device 2 are shown.

[0083] The network devices mentioned above can communicate with each other. Terminal devices can communicate with each other. Network devices and terminal devices can also communicate with each other.

[0084] Network device 2 is a device located on the network side of the aforementioned communication system and possessing wireless transceiver capabilities, or a chip or chip system that can be installed in this device, or other components with network device functions. Specifically, network device 2 is a device using unlicensed frequency bands. Network device 2 includes, but is not limited to, access points (APs) in wireless fidelity (WiFi) systems, such as home gateways, routers, servers, switches, bridges, etc.

[0085] Network device 1 is a device located on the network side of the aforementioned communication system and having wireless transceiver functionality, or a chip or chip system that can be installed in the device, or other components that have network device functionality. The network device 1 includes, but is not limited to: evolved Node B (eNB), radio network controller (RNC), Node B (NB), base station controller (BSC), base transceiver station (BTS), home base station (e.g., home evolved Node B, or home Node B, HNB), baseband unit (BBU), radio relay node, radio backhaul node, transmission and reception point (TRP or transmission point, TP), etc. It can also be a gNB in ​​a 5G system, such as a new radio (NR) system, or a transmission point (TRP or TP), one or a group of antenna panels (including multiple antenna panels) of a base station in a 5G system, or it can be a network node constituting a gNB or transmission point, such as a baseband unit (BBU), or a distributed unit (DU), a roadside unit (RSU) with base station function, etc.

[0086] The aforementioned terminal device is a terminal that accesses the aforementioned communication system and has wireless transceiver capabilities, or a chip or chip system that can be installed in the terminal, or other components with terminal functions. This terminal device can also be referred to as a user device, access terminal, user unit, user station, mobile station, mobile station, remote station, remote terminal, mobile device, user terminal, terminal, wireless communication device, user agent, or user equipment. In the embodiments of this application, the terminal device can 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, vehicle-mounted terminal, RSU with terminal functions, etc. The terminal device of this application may also be an on-board module, on-board component, on-board chip or on-board unit built into a vehicle as one or more components or units. The vehicle can implement the unlicensed spectrum usage method provided in this application through the built-in on-board module, on-board component, on-board chip or on-board unit.

[0087] Optionally, the number of network devices and the number of terminal devices in this system architecture may be different. Optionally, the system architecture may also include other devices; this application embodiment does not impose limitations on this.

[0088] Furthermore, the network architecture and business scenarios described in the embodiments of this application are for the purpose of more clearly illustrating the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and do not constitute a limitation on the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this application. As those skilled in the art will know, with the evolution of network architecture and the emergence of new business scenarios, the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this application are also applicable to similar technical problems.

[0089] Optionally, the terminal device and network device in the embodiments of this application can be equipped with... Figure 2 The communication device described is used to implement this structure. Figure 2 The diagram shows a hardware structure of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. The communication device 400 includes at least one processor 401, a memory 403, and at least one transceiver 404. The memory 403 may also be included within the processor 401.

[0090] The processor 401 may consist of one or more processing units, which may be a central processing unit (CPU), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or one or more integrated circuits used to control the execution of the program of the present application.

[0091] Communication lines may exist between the aforementioned components for transmitting information between them.

[0092] Transceiver 404 is used for communication with other devices. In this embodiment, the transceiver can be a module, circuit, interface, or other device capable of communication functions, used for communicating with other devices. Optionally, the transceiver can be a standalone transmitter used to send information to other devices, or it can be a standalone receiver used to receive information from other devices. The transceiver can also be a component that integrates sending and receiving information functions; this embodiment does not limit the specific implementation of the transceiver.

[0093] The memory 403 can be a read-only memory (ROM) or other type of storage module capable of storing static information and instructions, random access memory (RAM) or other type of storage module capable of dynamically storing information and instructions, or it can be an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), optical disk, magnetic disk, or other magnetic storage device. The memory can exist independently and be connected to the processor via communication lines. Alternatively, the memory can be integrated with the processor.

[0094] The memory 403 is used to store computer execution instructions, which can be invoked by one or more processing units in the processor 401 to perform the corresponding steps in the various methods provided in the following embodiments.

[0095] Optionally, the computer execution instructions in the embodiments of this application may also be referred to as application code, instructions, computer program or other names, and the embodiments of this application do not specifically limit them.

[0096] In a specific implementation, as one example, the communication device 400 may include multiple processors, such as... Figure 2Processors 401 and 407 are described herein. Each of these processors may be a single-core processor or a multi-core processor. A processor here may refer to one or more devices, circuits, and / or processing cores used to process data (e.g., computer program instructions).

[0097] In a specific implementation, as one embodiment, the communication device 400 may further include an output device 405 and an input device 406. The output device 405 communicates with the processor 401 and can display information in various ways. For example, the output device 405 may be a liquid crystal display (LCD), a light-emitting diode (LED) display device, a cathode ray tube (CRT) display device, or a projector, etc. The input device 406 communicates with the processor 401 and can receive user input in various ways. For example, the input device 406 may be a mouse, keyboard, touchscreen device, or sensing device, etc.

[0098] like Figure 2 The diagram shown is an exemplary structural diagram of a communication device. It should be understood that the illustrated communication device is merely an example, and in practical applications, communication devices can have significantly different features. Figure 2 The more or fewer components shown can be combined into two or more components, or they can have different component configurations.

[0099] The aforementioned communication device 400 can be a general-purpose device or a special-purpose device; the embodiments of this application do not limit the type of communication device 400. The terminal device or network device can be... Figure 2 Devices with similar structures.

[0100] The following describes in detail, with reference to the accompanying drawings, the method of using unlicensed spectrum provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0101] See Figure 3 The slice access method provided in this application includes the following steps:

[0102] S301. Network devices obtain information about the target unlicensed frequency band.

[0103] Network devices can be Figure 1 The network device shown is 1. For example, a network device could be a base station.

[0104] Information about the target unlicensed frequency band includes one or more of the following: RSRP, RSRQ, SINR.

[0105] One or more target unlicensed frequency bands satisfy the first condition. The first condition may be a condition used to indicate signal quality or connectivity status (such as Wi-Fi connectivity status). As one possible design, the first condition includes: (1) the reference signal receiving power (RSRP) is less than or equal to a first threshold, and / or, (2) the reference signal receiving quality (RSRQ) is less than or equal to a second threshold, and / or, (3) the signal to interference plus noise ratio (SINR) is less than or equal to a third threshold.

[0106] In other words, one or more target unlicensed frequency bands must satisfy at least one of the three conditions (1)-(3).

[0107] Optionally, the first condition may also be other conditions used to limit signal quality, such as conditions used to indicate channel quality indication (CQI). Specifically, the first condition may also include: CQI is less than or equal to a preset threshold. This application does not limit the specific design of the first condition in its embodiments.

[0108] It is evident that unlicensed frequency bands that meet the first condition, i.e., the target unlicensed frequency band, typically have weak signal quality. Therefore, when the target unlicensed frequency band is used simultaneously by different devices, interference between them can be reduced.

[0109] The following describes a method for network devices to acquire one or more target unlicensed frequency bands. See also... Figure 4 (a) or Figure 5 (a) The method includes the following steps:

[0110] S3011. The network device sends a measurement configuration to one or more terminal devices.

[0111] Accordingly, one or more terminal devices receive the measurement configuration from the network device.

[0112] The measurement configuration includes measurement object configuration and measurement reporting configuration. The measurement object configuration includes measurement frequency information. The frequency to be measured refers to an unlicensed frequency band. Unlicensed frequency bands can be unlicensed frequency bands used in various communication technologies. For example, when measuring the operating frequency band of Wi-Fi, the unlicensed frequency band to be measured is a band within the 2.4GHz and 5GHz range. A band within the 5GHz range could be, for example, 5.15GHz-5.85GHz. The measurement frequency information can be the absolute radio frequency channel number (ARFCN) of the frequency to be measured, or a frequency index, or other information.

[0113] The measurement reporting configuration includes the reported value and the reporting method. Reported values ​​include, but are not limited to, RSRP and / or RSRQ and / or SINR and / or CQI. That is, the reported value is one or more of RSRP, RSRQ, SINR, and CQI. The units for RSRP, RSRQ, and SINR are all dB.

[0114] Reporting methods can be periodic or event-based. Event-based reporting means that the terminal device only reports the measurement results when certain conditions are met. When a network device configures the terminal device to report measurement results periodically through measurement configuration, it also needs to indicate information such as the reporting period in the measurement configuration. When a network device configures the terminal device to report measurement results event-based through measurement configuration, it also needs to indicate the event that triggers the reporting of measurement results in the measurement configuration. The event that triggers the reporting of measurement results can be, for example, EventA1, EventA2, EventA3, EventB2, or others. For details on the specific events that trigger the reporting action, please refer to the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) standard 38.331 and other existing technologies, which will not be elaborated here.

[0115] For example, the specific contents of the measurement configuration can be seen in Table 1 below.

[0116] Table 1

[0117]

[0118]

[0119] Optionally, the network device can configure the terminal device to report measurement results that meet one or more of the following conditions through the above measurement configuration: RSRP measurement results in the range of -156dBm to -31dBm; RSRQ measurement results in the range of -43dB to 20dB; SINR measurement results in the range of -23dB to 40dB. Of course, the specific numerical range can be set separately, and this application embodiment does not limit this. For CQI, the network device can also be configured to configure the terminal device to report CQI measurement results within a certain range. The reporting conditions of RSRP, RSRQ, SINR, and CQI configured by the network device can be seen in Table 2 below.

[0120] Table 2

[0121]

[0122] S3012. One or more terminal devices measure the frequency point to be measured according to the measurement configuration.

[0123] The center frequency of the unlicensed frequency band to be measured can be referred to as the frequency point to be measured. Measuring the frequency point to be measured can also be understood as measuring the unlicensed frequency band to be measured.

[0124] For example, the terminal device measures RSRP and / or RSRQ and / or SINR and / or CQI for multiple unlicensed Wi-Fi frequency points.

[0125] S3013. One or more terminal devices send one or more measurement reports to the network device.

[0126] Correspondingly, network devices receive one or more measurement reports from one or more terminal devices.

[0127] The measurement report includes the measurement results of preset indicators for the unlicensed frequency band to be measured; the preset indicators include RSRP, and / or RSRQ, and / or SINR, that is, the preset indicators include one or more of RSRP, RSRQ, SINR, and CQI.

[0128] Optionally, the terminal device may reuse the NR message interface MeasurementReport to report measurement reports to the network device, or the terminal device may report one or more measurement results corresponding to one or more unlicensed frequency bands to the network device through an independent message interface.

[0129] S3014. The network device obtains information about the target unlicensed frequency band based on one or more measurement reports.

[0130] Information on unlicensed frequency bands, including but not limited to RSRP and / or RSRQ and / or SINR and / or CQI, i.e., including one or more of RSRP, RSRQ, SINR, and CQI.

[0131] As one possible implementation, see Figure 4 (a) The network device can send measurement configurations to multiple terminal devices. The unlicensed frequency point to be measured is then measured through multiple terminal devices.

[0132] Optionally, the network device can send the same measurement configuration to multiple terminal devices. For example, multiple terminal devices can be configured to measure RSRP, RSRQ, SINR, and CQI of unlicensed Wi-Fi bands, and the unlicensed bands that meet the first condition can be used as the target unlicensed bands.

[0133] Alternatively, the network device can send the same measurement configuration to some terminal devices and different measurement configurations to others. For example, the network device can configure terminal devices 1-3 to measure RSRP and RSRQ of the unlicensed Wi-Fi band, and configure terminal devices 4-6 to measure SINR and CQI of the unlicensed Wi-Fi band. Another example is that the network device can configure terminal devices 1-3 to measure RSRP, RSRQ, SINR, and CQI of the unlicensed 5GHz Wi-Fi band, and configure terminal devices 4-6 to measure RSRP, RSRQ, SINR, and CQI of the unlicensed 2.4GHz Wi-Fi band.

[0134] In this implementation, the network device receives at least two measurement reports from at least two terminal devices and obtains information about one or more unlicensed frequency bands based on multiple measurement results from the at least two measurement reports. For example, see [link to example]. Figure 4 (a) The network device obtains information about one or more unlicensed frequency bands based on the measurement report from the first terminal device (assuming it includes measurement results of RSRP, RSRQ, SINR, and CQI for the 5GHz and 2.4GHz unlicensed frequency bands) and the measurement report from the second terminal device (assuming it includes measurement results of RSRP, RSRQ, SINR, and CQI for the 5GHz and 2.4GHz unlicensed frequency bands). A scenario diagram of this method can be found in [reference needed]. Figure 4 (b)

[0135] Optionally, in this implementation, considering that measurement results at multiple time points under the base station may be inconsistent, or that measurement results from multiple terminals under the base station may be inconsistent, it is necessary to ensure that within a preset time period, the number of measurement results that meet the first condition is greater than or equal to the fourth threshold. Alternatively, the ratio of the number of measurement results that meet the first condition to the number of measurement results that do not meet the first condition must be greater than or equal to the eighth threshold. Alternatively, the ratio of the number of measurement results that meet the first condition to the total number of measurement results must be greater than or equal to the ninth threshold. The fourth, eighth, and ninth thresholds can all be flexibly set, and this application embodiment does not impose any restrictions.

[0136] Taking the example where the number of measurement results satisfying the first condition is greater than or equal to the fourth threshold, for instance, a preset time period of 1 minute is defined, with 6 measurement results collected within 1 minute, and the fourth threshold being 5. For terminal 1, the measurement results at the 5.15 GHz frequency point at time points 1, 3 to 6 all satisfy the first condition, while at time point 2, the measurement results at the 5.15 GHz frequency point do not satisfy the first condition. Since the number of measurement results satisfying the first condition (5) is equal to the fourth threshold, it can be considered that the measurement results at most time points indicate that the signal quality at the 5.15 GHz frequency point is poor, and therefore the 5.15 GHz frequency point can be used as the target unlicensed frequency band.

[0137] For example, within a preset time period, six terminal devices report measurement results, and the fourth threshold is 4. For terminals 1, 3 through 6, the measurement results for the 5.15GHz frequency point all meet the first condition. The measurement result for the 5.15GHz frequency point by terminal 2 does not meet the first condition. Since the number of measurement results that meet the first condition (the five measurement results from terminals 3 through 6) is greater than the fourth threshold (i.e., 4), it can be considered that the measurement results from most terminal devices indicate that the signal quality of the 5.15GHz frequency point is poor. Therefore, the 5.15GHz frequency point can be used as the target unlicensed frequency band.

[0138] This implementation method indicates that most measurement results show weak signal quality in one or more frequency bands, thus identifying those bands as target unlicensed frequency bands. Because multiple measurement results are referenced, the obtained target unlicensed frequency band information is relatively accurate.

[0139] As another possible implementation, the network device can configure a cooperation group. This cooperation group can be, but is not limited to, a device-to-device (D2D) cooperation group. The cooperation group includes at least two end devices. The network device sends measurement configurations to some of the end devices in the cooperation group and performs measurements on the unlicensed frequency band under test through these end devices. For example, see... Figure 5 (a) In this method, a network device configures a cooperation group, which includes a first terminal device, a second terminal device, and a third terminal device. The network device sends a measurement configuration to the first and second terminal devices, which then perform measurements on the unlicensed frequency band to be measured. A scenario diagram of this method can be found in [reference needed]. Figure 5 (b)

[0140] Unlike the non-cooperative mode, which requires a certain number of measurement results that meet the first condition, the cooperative mode does not limit the number of measurement results that meet the first condition. The network device can obtain information about the target unlicensed frequency band based on one or more measurement results reported by some terminal devices.

[0141] It should be noted that when the network device sends measurement configurations to both the first and second terminal devices, if the measurement configurations indicate event-driven reporting of measurement results, at some point in time, the second terminal device may trigger an event and report measurement results, while the first terminal device has not yet triggered an event and therefore has not reported any measurement results. In this case, the network device can first receive one or more measurement reports from the second terminal device; and based on these reports, obtain information about one or more unlicensed frequency bands. The network device does not need to wait for the measurement reports from the first terminal device.

[0142] In this cooperative mode, the number of measurement results that meet the first condition is not required, and network devices can obtain information about the target unlicensed frequency band through fewer measurement reports. Compared with the non-cooperative mode, this reduces the signaling overhead caused by transmitting measurement configurations and measurement reports.

[0143] S302. Network devices transmit signals on a supplementary uplink (SUL) based on information about a target unlicensed frequency band, the spectrum of which includes the target unlicensed frequency band.

[0144] This means that the target unlicensed frequency band is used as the SUL frequency domain resource for network devices. Specifically, in this embodiment, the SUL spectrum includes the target unlicensed frequency band. For example, see [link to example]. Figure 6 The base station configures the cell with uplink (UL) carriers for uplink transmission and downlink (DL) carriers for downlink transmission. This ensures that within a certain coverage area, for example... Figure 6 Terminal 1 within the shaded area shown can send uplink information to the base station via the UL carrier and receive downlink information from the base station via the DL carrier.

[0145] To further enhance the uplink coverage of this cell, the base station can also configure a SUL carrier for the cell. Specifically, the router operates in an unlicensed frequency band, and the base station instructs the terminal to detect one or more unlicensed frequency bands to obtain a target unlicensed frequency band with minimal interference to the base station, such as 2.4GHz. The base station then configures the 2.4GHz carrier as the SUL carrier for this cell. This ensures that within a certain coverage area, for example... Figure 6 Terminal 2, located within the larger elliptical region shown, can transmit uplink information to the base station via the SUL carrier. It is evident that, compared to... Figure 6 Compared to downlink transmission within the shaded area shown, the terminal can not only perform uplink transmission within the shaded area but also outside the shaded area, thus improving the network's uplink coverage capability.

[0146] The method for using unlicensed spectrum provided in this application uses the target unlicensed frequency band for SUL communication of network devices, which expands the uplink spectrum of 5G network, effectively improves the uplink coverage of 5G network, and does not require the use of carriers in a bundled manner, making the implementation more flexible.

[0147] In addition, the signal quality of the target unlicensed frequency band is relatively weak. Therefore, even if 5G network devices and other devices (such as Wi-Fi routers) are operating in the same target unlicensed frequency band, the interference to 5G network devices is relatively small due to the weak signal quality of the other devices, and it usually does not affect the normal use of 5G network devices.

[0148] This application also provides a method for using unlicensed spectrum, see [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 7 The method includes:

[0149] S701, The network device sends the measurement configuration to the terminal device.

[0150] Accordingly, the terminal device receives the measurement configuration from the network device.

[0151] S702. The terminal equipment measures the frequency point to be measured according to the measurement configuration.

[0152] S703, The terminal device sends a measurement report to the network device.

[0153] Correspondingly, network devices receive measurement reports from terminal devices.

[0154] The measurement report includes one or more measurement results.

[0155] S704. Based on this measurement report, the network device determines the location information of the terminal device.

[0156] As one possible implementation, if RSRP is less than or equal to the fifth threshold, and / or RSRQ is less than or equal to the sixth threshold, and / or SINR is less than or equal to the seventh threshold, then the network device determines that the terminal device is located outdoors. Alternatively, if RSRP is greater than the fifth threshold, and / or RSRQ is greater than the sixth threshold, and / or greater than the seventh threshold, then the network device determines that the terminal device is located indoors.

[0157] In other words, if the measurement result meets the second condition, it is determined that the second terminal device is located outdoors; the second condition is any one or a combination of the following conditions: RSRP is less than or equal to the fifth threshold, RSRQ is less than or equal to the sixth threshold, and SINR is less than or equal to the seventh threshold.

[0158] If the measurement result meets the third condition, then the second terminal device is determined to be located indoors; the third condition is any one or a combination of the following conditions: RSRP is greater than the fifth threshold, RSRQ is greater than the sixth threshold, and SINR is greater than the seventh threshold.

[0159] Optionally, the above measurement results are time series. The network device can perform a series of processing on this time series, such as time-domain to frequency-domain conversion. Based on the processed measurement results, the network device determines the location information of the terminal device. Optionally, the network device can also combine other wireless information to assist in obtaining the location of the terminal device, thereby improving the accuracy of location identification. This other wireless information may include, but is not limited to, Global Positioning System (GPS) information. For example, when the terminal device is located at the boundary between indoor and outdoor areas, or on a rooftop, conventional positioning algorithms can locate the coordinates of the terminal device, but cannot determine whether the terminal device is indoors or outdoors. In this case, the network device can determine whether the terminal device is indoors or outdoors based on the measurement report reported by the terminal device and the coordinates of the terminal device, thereby improving the accuracy of location identification.

[0160] It should be understood that the various solutions in the embodiments of this application can be used in a reasonable combination, and the explanations or descriptions of the various terms appearing in the embodiments can be referenced or explained to each other in the various embodiments, without limitation.

[0161] It should also be understood that, in the various embodiments of this application, the order of the above-mentioned processes does not imply the order of execution. The execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of this application.

[0162] It is understood that network devices or other devices (such as terminals) include hardware structures and / or software modules corresponding to perform the respective functions in order to implement the functions of any of the embodiments described above. Those skilled in the art should readily recognize that, based on the units and algorithm steps of the examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein, this application can be implemented in hardware or a combination of hardware and computer software. Whether a function is implemented in hardware or by computer software driving hardware depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0163] This application embodiment can divide network devices or other devices (such as terminals) into functional modules. For example, each function can be divided into its own functional module, or two or more functions can be integrated into one processing module. The integrated module can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional module. It should be noted that the module division in this application embodiment is illustrative and only represents one logical functional division; other division methods may be used in actual implementation.

[0164] For example, when dividing functional modules in an integrated manner, such as Figure 8 The diagram shown is a structural block diagram of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. The communication device can be a network device or a device supporting network device functions (such as, but not limited to, a chip system). The communication device may include a transceiver unit 1610 and a processing unit 1620.

[0165] The transceiver unit 1610 is used to support the network device in performing the above-described steps S3011, S3013, S701, and S703, and / or other processes used in the technology described herein. The processing unit 1620 is used to assist the network device in performing the above-described steps S302, S301, S3012, S3014, and S704, and / or other processes used in the technology described herein.

[0166] Optionally, the communication device also includes a storage unit (not in...) Figure 8 (As shown in the diagram). A storage unit is used to store the program code and data of the communication device. The data may include, but is not limited to, raw data or intermediate data.

[0167] In one possible approach, the processing unit 1620 may be a controller or Figure 2 The processor 401 or processor 407 shown may be, for example, a central processing unit (CPU), a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processing unit (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic devices, transistor logic devices, hardware components, or any combination thereof. It can implement or execute the various exemplary logic blocks, modules, and circuits described in conjunction with the disclosure of this application. The processor may also be a combination that implements computational functions, such as a combination of one or more microprocessors, a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, etc. The transceiver unit 1610 may be... Figure 2The transceiver 404 shown could also be a transceiver circuit, etc. The storage unit could be... Figure 2 The memory 403 shown.

[0168] Those skilled in the art will understand that the above embodiments can be implemented entirely or partially by software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented in software, it can be implemented entirely or partially in the form of a computer program product. A computer program product includes one or more computer instructions. When the computer program instructions are loaded and executed on a computer, all or part of the flow or function according to the embodiments of this application is generated. The computer can be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, or other programmable device. The computer instructions can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transmitted from one computer-readable storage medium to another. For example, computer instructions can be transmitted from one website, computer, server, or data center to another website, computer, server, or data center via wired (e.g., coaxial cable, fiber optic, Digital Subscriber Line (DSL)) or wireless (e.g., infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.) means. The computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium that a computer can access or a data storage device such as a server or data center that integrates one or more available media. The available media can be magnetic media (e.g., floppy disks, hard disks, magnetic tapes), optical media (e.g., digital video discs (DVDs)), or semiconductor media (e.g., solid-state drives (SSDs)).

[0169] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, apparatuses, and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the division of units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces, or indirect coupling or communication connection between apparatuses or units, and may be electrical or other forms.

[0170] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network devices (e.g., terminal devices). Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0171] Furthermore, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each functional unit can exist independently, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit. The integrated unit can be implemented in hardware or in a combination of hardware and software functional units.

[0172] Through the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that this application can be implemented by means of software plus necessary general-purpose hardware, and of course, it can also be implemented by hardware, but in many cases the former is a better implementation method. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a readable storage medium, such as a computer floppy disk, hard disk, or optical disk, and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute the methods described in the various embodiments of this application.

[0173] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A method for using unlicensed spectrum, characterized in that, Chips used in or within network devices, including: Send measurement configuration to at least two terminal devices; the measurement configuration configures each terminal device to measure the unlicensed frequency band under test and report the measurement results of the unlicensed frequency band under test; Receive at least two measurement reports from at least two terminal devices; each measurement report includes the measurement results of each unlicensed frequency band under test in one or more unlicensed frequency bands under test, and the measurement results of each unlicensed frequency band under test include a combination of one or more of the following information: reference signal received power RSRP, reference signal received quality RSRQ, and signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio SINR; Based on multiple measurement results from the at least two measurement reports, information on a target unlicensed frequency band that meets the first condition is obtained from the one or more unlicensed frequency bands to be measured; the target unlicensed frequency band meets any one or more of the following first conditions: RSRP is less than or equal to a first threshold, RSRQ is less than or equal to a second threshold, and SINR is less than or equal to a third threshold. Based on the information of the target unlicensed frequency band, signals are transmitted on the supplementary uplink SUL, wherein the spectrum of the SUL includes the target unlicensed frequency band.

2. The method of using unlicensed spectrum according to claim 1, characterized in that, The number of measurement results that satisfy the first condition is greater than or equal to the fourth threshold.

3. The method of using unlicensed spectrum according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The method further includes: Receive the first measurement result from the second terminal device; Based on the first measurement result, the location information of the second terminal device is determined.

4. The method of using unlicensed spectrum according to claim 3, characterized in that, The step of determining the location information of the second terminal device based on the first measurement result includes: If the first measurement result meets the second condition, it is determined that the second terminal device is located outdoors; the second condition is any one or a combination of the following conditions: RSRP is less than or equal to the fifth threshold, RSRQ is less than or equal to the sixth threshold, and SINR is less than or equal to the seventh threshold. If the first measurement result meets the third condition, then the second terminal device is determined to be located indoors; the third condition is any one or a combination of the following conditions: RSRP is greater than the fifth threshold, RSRQ is greater than the sixth threshold, and SINR is greater than the seventh threshold.

5. A communication device, characterized in that, include: A transceiver is configured to send measurement configurations to at least two terminal devices; the measurement configurations configure each terminal device to measure the unlicensed frequency band under test and report the measurement results of the unlicensed frequency band under test. The processor is configured to control the transceiver to receive at least two measurement reports from at least two terminal devices; each measurement report includes measurement results for each unlicensed frequency band under test in one or more unlicensed frequency bands under test, and the measurement results for each unlicensed frequency band under test include a combination of one or more of the following information: reference signal received power RSRP, reference signal received quality RSRQ, and signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR). The processor is further configured to obtain information on a target unlicensed frequency band that meets a first condition from among the one or more unlicensed frequency bands to be measured, based on multiple measurement results from the at least two measurement reports; the target unlicensed frequency band meets any one or more of the following first conditions: RSRP is less than or equal to a first threshold, RSRQ is less than or equal to a second threshold, and SINR is less than or equal to a third threshold. The transceiver is also configured to transmit signals on the supplementary uplink SUL based on information about the target unlicensed frequency band, wherein the spectrum of the SUL includes the target unlicensed frequency band.

6. The communication device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The number of measurement results that satisfy the first condition is greater than or equal to the fourth threshold.

7. The communication device according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that, The transceiver is also used to receive the first measurement result from the second terminal device; The processor is further configured to determine the location information of the second terminal device based on the first measurement result.

8. The communication device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The processor is configured to determine the location information of the second terminal device based on the first measurement result, including: If the first measurement result satisfies the second condition, then the second terminal device is determined to be located outdoors; the second condition is any one or a combination of the following conditions: RSRP is less than or equal to the fifth threshold, RSRQ is less than or equal to the sixth threshold, and SINR is less than or equal to the seventh threshold. If the first measurement result meets the third condition, then the second terminal device is determined to be located indoors; the third condition is any one or a combination of the following conditions: RSRP is greater than the fifth threshold, RSRQ is greater than the sixth threshold, and SINR is greater than the seventh threshold.

9. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium stores computer program code, which, when executed by a processing circuit, implements the method as described in any one of claims 1-4.

10. A chip system, characterized in that, The chip system includes a processing circuit and a storage medium, wherein the storage medium stores computer program code; when the computer program code is executed by the processing circuit, it implements the method as described in any one of claims 1-4.

11. A computer program product, characterized in that, When the computer program product is run on a computer, it causes the computer to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 4.

12. A communication device, characterized in that, The apparatus is used to perform the method according to any one of claims 1-4.

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