Communication methods, apparatuses, and systems

Abstract

The application discloses a communication method, device and system, so that the load balancing function between network elements is improved and strengthened, and the interactive process is more simple, direct and effective. In the method, a first network device sends a first message to a second network device to request a resource state report of the second network device, and the first network device receives a second message from the second network device in response to the first message. The first message comprises measurement object information, and further comprises at least one of information of a measurement period, event information for triggering the resource state report, and information of an overload threshold. The event information for triggering the resource state report comprises at least one of used resource threshold information, available resource threshold information, resource occupancy change threshold information within a preset time, and information of a resource grading baseline.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of mobile communication technology, and in particular to a communication method, apparatus and system. Background Technology

[0002] In communication systems, network devices (such as base stations) can exchange information to obtain each other's status information. For example, a base station can exchange information with neighboring base stations to obtain information on the resource usage of neighboring cells, thereby optimizing network mobility parameter configuration and achieving performance such as mobility load balancing (MLB). However, the content or process of existing load information exchange between network devices still needs improvement. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This application provides a communication method, apparatus, and system that can improve and enhance the load balancing function between network elements, and make the interaction process simpler, more direct, and more effective.

[0004] In a first aspect, a communication method is provided. It is understood that the method of the first aspect can be executed by a first device, which may be a first network device or a communication device capable of supporting the functions required for the first network device to implement the method, such as a chip, circuit, or chip system.

[0005] For example, the communication method may include:

[0006] A first network device sends a first message to a second network device, requesting to obtain a resource status report from the second network device, and the first network device receives a second message from the second network device in response to the first message. The first message includes measurement object information, and further includes at least one of the following: measurement period information, event information triggering the resource status report, and overload threshold information. The event information triggering the resource status report includes at least one of the following: used resource threshold information, available resource threshold information, resource occupancy change threshold information within a preset time, and resource classification baseline information. The resource classification baseline is the baseline for initiating resource classification. The measurement period information indicates the period during which the second network device measures resource usage, and the overload threshold information indicates the threshold for determining whether the second network device is overloaded. In some possible implementations of the first aspect, when the second network device can obtain the resource status report based on the first message, the communication method may further include: the first network device receiving the resource status report from the second network device.

[0007] In some possible implementations of the first aspect, the resource status report received by the first network device may include information indicating that the second network device is overloaded. Optionally, the first network device may also receive overload threshold information from the second network device.

[0008] Optionally, to enable the first network device to control the measurement behavior of the second network device more flexibly, the first network device can instruct the second network device to stop periodic measurements, for example, by indicating that the measurement period is 0. Optionally, the first network device can also instruct the second network device to stop periodic measurements via a dedicated message.

[0009] Secondly, a communication method is provided. This method can be executed by a second device, which may be a second network device or a communication device capable of supporting the functions required for the second network device to implement the method, such as a chip, circuit, or chip system. The communication method may include: the second network device receiving a first message from a first network device, and the second network device sending a second message to the first network device in response to the first message. The first message is used to request a resource status report from the second network device. The first message includes measurement object information, and further includes at least one of measurement period information, event information triggering the resource status report, and overload threshold information. The event information triggering the resource status report includes at least one of used resource threshold information, available resource threshold information, resource occupancy change threshold information within a preset time, and resource classification baseline information. The resource classification baseline is the baseline for initiating resource classification. The measurement period information indicates the period during which the second network device measures resource usage, and the overload threshold information indicates the threshold for determining whether the second network device is overloaded.

[0010] In some possible implementations of the second aspect, if the second network device determines that it cannot complete the measurement corresponding to the first message based on the first message, the second network device indicates to the first network device via a second message that the resource acquisition status has failed.

[0011] In some possible implementations of the second aspect, if the second network device determines, based on the first message, that it can complete the measurement corresponding to the first message, the second network device instructs the first network device via a second message that it can initiate a measurement for the measurement object. Further, the second network device performs the measurement based on the first message, obtains a resource status report, and sends the resource status report to the first network device.

[0012] In some possible implementations of the second aspect, the second network device can indicate overload information through a resource status report. Optionally, the second network device can also send overload threshold information to the first network device. This overload threshold can be configured by the first network device, preset, or determined by the second network device itself.

[0013] Optionally, in order to make the first network device more flexible in controlling the measurement behavior of the second network device, it can also receive information from the first network device indicating to stop periodic measurement, such as information indicating that the measurement period is 0.

[0014] Through the first or second communication method, network devices can more accurately understand each other's load, which can then be used to adjust mobility parameters, improving and strengthening the load balancing function between network elements, and making the interaction process simpler, more direct, and more effective. In particular, the load interaction process between systems is more efficient. Furthermore, the mobility information exchanged between network devices can be richer. Furthermore, by having the second network device report resource status reports based on the event information configured by the first network device to trigger resource status reports, the reporting of resource status reports by the second network device can be made more reasonable and improve the effectiveness of the reporting.

[0015] In some possible implementations of the first or second aspect, the first network device and the second network device may be of the same standard (RAT) or different standards, or the first network device and the second network device may belong to the same system or different systems.

[0016] In some possible implementations of the first or second aspect, the measurement period information includes at least one measurement period. Optionally, this at least one measurement period may correspond to resource usage. By configuring the measurement period, the effectiveness of the second network device in measuring load (resource usage) can be improved. Furthermore, corresponding the measurement period to resource usage allows for more flexible and reasonable application of the measurement period. Optionally, the validity period of the measurement period can be controlled by the effective time or the effective number of times.

[0017] It is understandable that the resource classification baseline of the first or second aspect can be a preset value or a value determined by the second network device itself (for example, it can be determined according to the network status or load). In that case, it is not necessary for the first network device to send the data to the second network device.

[0018] Optionally, in some possible implementations of the first or second aspect, the first message may also include information about the reporting cycle.

[0019] Optionally, in some possible implementations of the first or second aspect, the first message may also include information about the object being measured.

[0020] Optionally, in some possible implementations of the first or second aspect, the first message may also include a measurement identifier.

[0021] Optionally, in some possible implementations of the first or second aspect, the information on the measurement period, the event information that triggers the resource status report, the overload threshold information, the reporting period information, and the measurement object information can be at the base station (node) granularity, cell granularity, beam granularity, slice granularity, or BWP granularity, thereby making the load measurement more accurate.

[0022] Thirdly, a communication method is provided. It is understood that this method can be executed by a third device, which may be a first network device or a communication device capable of supporting the functions required for the first network device to implement the method, such as a chip, circuit, or chip system. For example, the method may include:

[0023] A first network device sends a third message to a second network device requesting a change in mobility parameters, and the first network device receives a fourth message from the second network device in response to the third message. The third message includes: the identifier of a first cell of the first network device, the identifier of a second cell of the second network device, and event information indicating a change in mobility parameters. The mobility parameters include the mobility parameters of the first network device and / or the second network device.

[0024] Fourthly, a communication method is provided. It is understood that this method can be executed by a fourth device, which may be a second network device or a communication device capable of supporting the functions required for the second network device to implement the method, such as a chip, circuit, or chip system. For example, the method may include:

[0025] The second network device receives a third message from the first network device and sends a fourth message to the first network device in response to the third message. The third message is used to request a change in mobility parameters. The third message includes: the identifier of a first cell of the first network device, the identifier of a second cell of the second network device, and event information of a change in mobility parameters. The mobility parameters include the mobility parameters of the first network device and / or the second network device.

[0026] By employing methods from the third or fourth aspect, and introducing event-based changes to mobility parameters, the changes in mobility parameters are correlated with the resource usage and mobility parameters of the first and / or second network devices, making the changes to mobility parameters between network devices more intelligent. Furthermore, compared to a one-time adjustment of mobility parameters, the solution in this application also reduces signaling.

[0027] In some possible implementations of the third or fourth aspect, if the second network device does not accept (rejects) the mobility parameter change request from the first network device, then the fourth message instructs the second network device to reject the mobility parameter change. Furthermore, the fourth message may also include mobility parameter change event information that the second network device can accept, thereby enabling better negotiation between the first and second network devices and improving efficiency.

[0028] In some possible implementations of the third or fourth aspect, if the second network device accepts a mobility parameter change request from the first network device, the fourth message indicates that the second network device accepts the event information of the mobility parameter change.

[0029] In some possible implementations of the third or fourth aspect, the event information regarding the change in mobility parameters is associated with the resource usage of the first network device and / or the second network device.

[0030] In some possible implementations of the third or fourth aspect, the mobility parameter includes a switching threshold.

[0031] In some possible implementations of the third or fourth aspect, the mobility parameter change requested by the first network device can have different granularities, such as at least one of the following: cell granularity, beam granularity, slice granularity, or bandwidth part (BWP) granularity, thereby making the mobility parameter change more flexible and precise. The communication methods of the first and third aspects can also be combined, or the communication methods of the second and fourth aspects can also be combined.

[0032] Fifthly, a communication device is provided, which has the function of implementing the behavior in the method of the first aspect described above. The 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-described function. In one possible design, the communication device includes a receiving unit and a transmitting unit. Optionally, it may also include a processing unit and / or a storage unit. The receiving unit and transmitting unit can be implemented by a transceiver, the processing unit can be implemented by at least one processor, and the storage unit can be implemented by at least one memory.

[0033] Sixthly, a communication device is provided, which has the function of implementing the behavior in the method of the second aspect described above. The function can be implemented in hardware or by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software includes one or more modules corresponding to the above-described function. In one possible design, the communication device includes a receiving unit and a transmitting unit. Optionally, it may also include a processing unit and / or a storage unit. The receiving unit and transmitting unit can be implemented using a transceiver, the processing unit can be implemented using at least one processor, and the storage unit can be implemented using at least one memory.

[0034] In a seventh aspect, a communication device is provided, which has the function of implementing the behavior in the method of the third aspect described above. The function can be implemented in hardware or by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software includes one or more modules corresponding to the above-described function. In one possible design, the communication device includes a receiving unit and a transmitting unit. Optionally, it may also include a processing unit and / or a storage unit. The receiving unit and transmitting unit can be implemented using a transceiver, the processing unit can be implemented using at least one processor, and the storage unit can be implemented using at least one memory.

[0035] Eighthly, a communication device is provided, which has the function of implementing the behavior in the method of the fourth aspect above. The 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-described function. In one possible design, the communication device includes a receiving unit and a transmitting unit. Optionally, it may also include a processing unit and / or a storage unit. The receiving unit and transmitting unit can be implemented by a transceiver, the processing unit can be implemented by at least one processor, and the storage unit can be implemented by at least one memory.

[0036] A ninth aspect provides a communication device that can implement any of the communication methods described in the first to fourth aspects. The communication device includes a processor and a memory. The memory stores computer programs, instructions, or data. The processor is coupled to the memory and a communication interface. When the processor reads the computer program, instructions, or data, it causes the communication device to execute any of the methods described in the first aspect.

[0037] It should be understood that the communication interface can be a transceiver in a communication device, such as through an antenna, feeder, and codec in the communication device. Alternatively, if the communication device is a chip located in an access network device, the communication interface can be the chip's input / output interface, such as input / output pins. This transceiver is used for communication between the communication device and other devices.

[0038] In a tenth aspect, embodiments of this application provide a chip system including a processor for implementing any of the methods of the first to fourth aspects. In one possible design, the chip system further includes a memory for storing program instructions and / or data. The chip system may be composed of chips or may include chips and other discrete devices.

[0039] Eleventhly, embodiments of this application provide a communication system, which includes the aforementioned first network device and second network device.

[0040] In a twelfth aspect, a computer program product is provided, comprising: computer program code that, when the computer program code is run, causes any of the methods in the foregoing aspects to be executed.

[0041] In a thirteenth aspect, this application provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program that, when executed, causes any of the methods described above to be implemented. Attached Figure Description

[0042] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a communication system used in an embodiment of this application;

[0043] Figure 2 A flowchart illustrating an example of a communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0044] Figure 3 A flowchart illustrating an example of a communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0045] Figure 4 A flowchart illustrating an example of a communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0046] Figure 5A flowchart illustrating another example of the communication method provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0047] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0048] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0049] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0050] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application described below can be applied to, for example... Figure 1 The network architecture shown is as follows, in which, Figure 1 This is just one example of a communication system, which may include at least two network devices. Figure 1 Taking a network device as an example, Figure 1 Network device A and network device B can exchange information directly or indirectly (e.g., through the core network CN device in the diagram). It is understandable that... Figure 1 The number of network devices mentioned is just an example; a communication system can have many more network devices, and any one of them can provide services to terminal devices within its coverage area.

[0051] A terminal device is a device with wireless transceiver capabilities, which can be a fixed device, mobile device, handheld device, wearable device, vehicle-mounted device, or a device built into the aforementioned devices (e.g., a communication module or chip system). The terminal device is used to connect people, objects, machines, etc., and can be widely used in various scenarios. It may also be referred to as user equipment (UE), access terminal, user unit, user station, mobile station, mobile station, remote station, remote terminal, mobile device, user terminal, terminal, wireless communication equipment, user agent, or user device. The terminal devices in the embodiments of this application may be mobile phones, tablets, computers with wireless transceiver capabilities, virtual reality (VR) terminal devices, augmented reality (AR) terminal devices, wireless terminals in industrial control, wireless terminals in Internet of Things (IoT) systems, wireless terminals in self-driving vehicles, wireless terminals in remote medical care, wireless terminals in smart grids, wireless terminals in transportation safety, wireless terminals in smart cities, wireless terminals in smart homes, cellular phones, cordless phones, session initiation protocol (SIP) phones, wireless local loop (WLL) stations, and personal digital assistants. The application includes devices such as personal digital assistants (PDAs), handheld devices with wireless communication capabilities, computing devices or other processing devices connected to a wireless modem, in-vehicle devices, in-vehicle communication devices, in-vehicle communication processing chips, wearable devices, terminal devices in 5G networks, or terminal devices in future evolved public land mobile networks (PLMNs). It should be understood that this application does not limit the specific form of the terminal device.

[0052] Network equipment can be access network equipment, also known as radio access network (RAN) equipment. It refers to equipment in the access network that communicates with wireless terminals through one or more sectors on the air interface. It can also be considered a device that provides wireless communication functions for terminal devices. Access network equipment includes, but is not limited to: next-generation node B (gNB), evolved node B (eNB), baseband unit (BBU), transmitting and receiving point (TRP), transmitting point (TP) in 5G, base stations in future mobile communication systems, or access points in WiFi systems. Access network equipment can also be radio controllers, centralized units (CU), and / or distributed units (DU) in cloud radio access network (CRAN) scenarios, or network equipment can be relay stations, vehicle-mounted equipment, and network equipment in future evolved PLMN networks.

[0053] CUs and DUs can be physically separate or deployed together. Multiple DUs can share a single CU. A single DU can also connect to multiple CUs. CUs and DUs can be connected via interfaces, such as F1 interfaces. CUs and DUs can be partitioned according to the protocol layers of the wireless network. For example, one possible partition is: the CU performs functions of the Radio Resource Control (RRC), Service Data Adaptation Protocol (SDAP), and Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layers, while the DU performs functions of the Radio Link Control (RLC), Media Access Control (MAC), and physical layers. This partitioning of CU and DU processing functions according to protocol layers is just one example; other partitioning methods are also possible. For example, CUs or DUs can be partitioned to handle functions across more protocol layers. Alternatively, CUs or DUs can be partitioned to handle partial protocol layer processing functions. In one design, some functions of the RLC layer and the protocol layer functions above the RLC layer are located in the CU, while the remaining functions of the RLC layer and the protocol layer functions below the RLC layer are located in the DU. In another design, the functions of the CU or DU can be divided according to service type or other system requirements. For example, based on latency, functions that need to meet latency requirements are located in the DU, while functions that do not need to meet this latency requirement are located in the CU. The network architecture shown in the diagram can be applied to 5G communication systems, and it can also share one or more components or resources with LTE systems. In another design, the CU can also have one or more core network functions. One or more CUs can be centrally located or separately located. For example, the CU can be located on the network side for convenient centralized management. The DU can have multiple radio frequency functions, or the radio frequency functions can be located remotely.

[0054] The functionality of a CU can be implemented by a single entity or by different entities. For example, the CU's functionality can be further divided, such as separating the control plane (CP) and user plane (UP), i.e., the CU's control plane (CU-CP) and user plane (CU-UP). For instance, the CU-CP and CU-UP can be implemented by different functional entities, and these entities can be coupled with a DU to jointly complete the access network device's functions. The interface between the CU-CP and CU-UP can be called an E1 interface.

[0055] The terminal device can communicate with access network devices using different technologies. For example, the terminal device can communicate with access network devices supporting long-term evolution (LTE), or with access network devices supporting 5G, or simultaneously with both LTE-enabled and 5G-enabled access network devices. This application's embodiments are not limited to these specific examples.

[0056] The apparatus used to implement the above-described method in the embodiments of this application is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Therefore, the content described above can be used in subsequent embodiments, and repeated content will not be repeated. In order to implement the functions in the methods provided in the embodiments of this application, each network element or apparatus may include hardware structures and / or software modules, and implement the above-described functions in the form of hardware structures, software modules, or hardware structures plus software modules. Whether a certain function is implemented in the form of hardware structures, software modules, or hardware structures plus software modules depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution.

[0057] like Figure 2 As shown, one embodiment of this application provides a communication method for implementing mobility load balancing; therefore, it can also be called a mobility load balancing method. This method may include:

[0058] S201, the first network device sends a first message to the second network device, requesting to obtain the resource status report of the second network device.

[0059] For example, if a first network device wants to understand the resource usage status of a second network device (i.e., request a resource status report from the second network device) in order to achieve load balancing or for other reasons, it can generate and send a first message to the second network device. For ease of explanation, in this embodiment, obtaining the resource status report can be referred to as load measurement.

[0060] The first message could be, for example, a resource status request message.

[0061] It is understandable that when a network device requests a resource status report, it may want to know the granularity of the resource status report at different times. That is, the requested measurement object may have different granularities, allowing for more precise load measurement. The requested measurement object may include at least one of the following granularities: base station (node) granularity, cell granularity, beam granularity, slice granularity, or bandwidth part (BWP) granularity. Here, a beam can be understood as a spatial resource, referring to a transmit or receive precoding vector with energy transmission directionality. Furthermore, this transmit or receive precoding vector can be identified by index information, which can correspond to the resource identifier (ID) of the configured terminal. For example, the index information can correspond to the identifier or resource of the configured CSI-RS; it can also correspond to the identifier or resource of the configured SSB; or it can correspond to the identifier or resource of the configured Sounding Reference Signal (SRS). Optionally, the index information can also be explicitly or implicitly carried by the signal or channel carried by the beam. The energy transmission directivity can refer to the precoding of the signal to be transmitted through the precoding vector, which gives the precoded signal a certain spatial directionality. Receiving the precoded signal through the precoding vector results in better reception power, such as meeting the signal-to-noise ratio of demodulation. Alternatively, the energy transmission directivity can refer to the different reception power of the same signal transmitted from different spatial locations through the precoding vector.

[0062] In some possible implementations, the first message may include measurement object information. The content of this measurement object information may vary depending on the granularity of the requested measurement object. For example, for a measurement object at the base station granularity, the corresponding measurement object information can be empty, and the measurement object defaults to all cells under that base station. For a measurement object at the cell granularity, the corresponding measurement object information can be at least one cell identifier (cell list). For a measurement object at the beam granularity, the corresponding measurement object information is at least one cell identifier and at least one beam identifier under the cell corresponding to that cell identifier. For a measurement object at the slice granularity, the corresponding measurement object information is at least one cell identifier and at least one slice identifier under the cell corresponding to that cell identifier. For instance, if the first network device wants to know the resource usage status of beam 2 in cells 1, 2, and 3 of the second network device, the measurement object information may include the identifier of cell 1 (cell ID1), the identifier of cell 2 (cell ID2), and the identifier of cell 3 plus the identifier of beam 2 of cell 3 (e.g., cell ID3 + SSB index 2). It should be noted that the above granularities are illustrative examples, and other different granularities may exist. This application does not limit these granularities. The corresponding granularity can be indicated by appropriate identifiers. For example, the identifier for cell granularity is the cell identifier; the identifier for beam granularity is the cell identifier and the beam index; the identifier for slice granularity is the cell identifier and the slice identifier; and the identifier for BWP granularity is the cell identifier and the BWP identifier. It is understood that the second network device can perform corresponding measurements based on the measurement object information configured in the first network device. Configuring measurement objects of different granularities in the first network device makes load measurement more accurate and flexible.

[0063] Optionally, the first message may also include category information of the requested resource status report. That is, the first message may indicate which types of resource usage status information the first network device wants to obtain. These resource types may include, but are not limited to, at least one of the following: air interface resources, transport network layer (TNL) resources, hardware resources, RRC connection count information, number of active terminal devices, total available resources, and slice available capacity. Further, the aforementioned resources can be distinguished between uplink and downlink directions, so the first network device can request resource status reports for the uplink and / or downlink directions. In another possible implementation, when requesting resource status reports, the first network device may not distinguish between uplink and downlink directions, and the second network device may choose to send resource status reports for the uplink and / or downlink directions to the first network device. Optionally, the uplink direction in this embodiment may include supplementary uplink (SUL).

[0064] Understandably, the second network device can perform corresponding measurements based on the category information configured in the first network device. By configuring the category of the requested resource status report in the first network device, the network device can obtain richer resource status report information. Optionally, it can also report the usage status information of at least one category of resources by default, without configuring the category information in the first network device, or the second network device can decide to report the usage status information of at least one category of resources.

[0065] Specifically, air interface resources can take the form of physical resource blocks (PRBs) or radio resource status, and can be represented by the percentage of guaranteed bit rate (GBR) PRBs and non-GBR PRBs used for uplink and downlink. TNL resources can be represented by the percentage of provided TNLs or the percentage of available TNLs. Hardware resources can be represented by available hardware capacity. The number of RRC connections can be represented by the number of RRC connections or the percentage of available RRC connections. The number of active UEs can refer to the number of currently active UEs. Total available resources can be represented by composite available capacity (CAC), which can be represented by capacity class or percentage of available capacity. The percentage of available capacity can include the percentage of total cell capacity available and / or the percentage of available capacity per beam. Slice available capacity represents the available capacity of each slice. The number of active terminal devices can be the number of active terminal devices per cell. RRC connection information can be the number of RRC connections and / or the percentage of available RRC connections. In one possible implementation, the requested resource usage status information can be indicated using a dot matrix or bitmap. For example, the dot matrix or bitmap may include at least one bit, where each bit represents a resource. A bit of "1" indicates a request for the usage status information of the resource corresponding to that bit, and a bit of "0" indicates that the usage status information of the resource corresponding to that bit has not been requested. This application does not limit the way the bits are valued. The above granularity applies to all or some types of resources. It is understood that the first network device can request resource status reports corresponding to different types of resources for different measurement objects.

[0066] Optionally, the first message may also include reporting period information, which indicates the reporting period for resource status reports. This reporting period can be set to, for example, 500 milliseconds or other values; this embodiment does not limit this. If the first message does not indicate a reporting period, the second network device may report a resource status report only once or determine when to send at least one resource status report based on other information (such as event information described below). It is understood that the reporting period information may indicate one or more reporting periods. When only one reporting period is configured, the reporting period for resource status reports by the second network device will not change dynamically; when multiple reporting periods are configured, the reporting period for resource status reports by the second network device may change dynamically. For example, these multiple reporting periods may correspond to different resource usage (load) of the second network device, thus applying different reporting periods under different loads, making the application of reporting periods more reasonable and flexible. For example, suppose the first message includes information for two reporting periods: period 1 (used when available resources are less than 50%) and period 2 (used when available resources are greater than or equal to 50%), where the length of period 1 is shorter than the length of period 2. Then, the second network device can report a resource status report according to period 1 when available resources are less than 50%, and according to period 2 when available resources are greater than or equal to 50%. It should be noted that period 1 can also be applied to the case where available resources are equal to 50%, meaning there is no limitation on the threshold case. This reporting period can be applied to all the above-mentioned types and / or granularities of resources. For example, all types and / or granularities of resources can share a single reporting period, or different reporting periods can be configured, with each reporting period corresponding to one or more types and / or granularities of resources.

[0067] In some possible implementations, the first message may also include a measurement identifier to identify the measurement being performed.

[0068] It is understood that the aforementioned measurement object information, reporting cycle information, category information, and measurement identifier are optional information. Furthermore, the first message may also include at least one of the following: measurement cycle information, event information triggering the resource status report, and overload threshold information.

[0069] The measurement cycle information indicates the period at which the second network device measures resource usage, or how often the second network device obtains a resource status report or performs a load measurement. Similar to the reporting cycle information, this measurement cycle information can also indicate one or more measurement cycles. It is understood that this application embodiment does not limit the relationship between the length of the measurement cycle and the reporting cycle; in one possible implementation, the length of the measurement cycle can be shorter than the length of the reporting cycle. Furthermore, when no measurement cycle is configured or the measurement cycle is 0, the second network device may perform only one measurement, or perform measurements according to the default cycle or other methods; this application embodiment does not limit this.

[0070] Optionally, similar to the reporting period, the measurement period can also correspond to different resource usage (load) of the second network device, thus different measurement periods may be applied under different loads. For example, suppose the first message includes information for two measurement periods, period 3 (used when available resources are less than 50%) and period 4 (used when available resources are greater than or equal to 50%), where the length of period 3 is shorter than the length of period 4. Then, the second network device can perform measurements according to period 3 when available resources are less than 50%, and according to period 4 when available resources are greater than or equal to 50%.

[0071] Optionally, the validity period of the measurement cycle can be controlled by the validity time or the number of valid measurements. For example, the measurement cycle may expire after the validity time expires, or the measurement cycle may expire after the second network device has performed a valid number of periodic measurements. After the measurement cycle expires, the second network device stops periodic measurements. It is understood that the second network device can start a timer or counter to control the validity period of the measurement cycle after receiving the first message or after starting the first periodic measurement. The validity time or the number of valid measurements can be configured by the first network device, for example, by carrying the information of the validity time or the number of valid measurements in the first message or other messages and sending it from the first network device to the second network device; or, the validity time or the number of valid measurements can be preset or default values. This application embodiment does not limit the method of setting the validity time or the number of valid measurements.

[0072] It is understood that the second network device can perform periodic measurements based on the measurement cycle. By configuring the measurement cycle, the effectiveness of the second network device in measuring load (resource usage) can be improved. It is also understood that this measurement cycle can be applied to the various types and / or granularities of resources mentioned above. For example, all types and / or granularities of resources can share a single measurement cycle, or different measurement cycles can be configured, with each measurement cycle corresponding to one or more types and / or granularities of resources.

[0073] After configuring the measurement period via the first message, the second network device performs periodic measurements. Optionally, when it is necessary to stop the periodic measurements later, the first network device can be configured to stop the periodic measurements, thus allowing flexible control over the measurement behavior of the second network device. That is, the first network device can send information instructing the second network device to stop the periodic measurements. For example, the first network device can notify the second network device to stop the periodic measurements via a dedicated message (i.e., a message specifically for stopping periodic measurements), such as a stop message. Alternatively, the first network device can send information indicating a measurement period of 0 to the second network device, thereby instructing the periodic measurements to stop. Unlike the instruction of a measurement period of 0 in the first message mentioned earlier, where a measurement is initiated by indicating a measurement period of 0, the instruction of a measurement period of 0 here is a subsequent control measure following the periodic measurements performed according to the first message. It is understood that this instruction of a measurement period of 0 can be carried by a message different from the first message (different content or different timing of transmission). Optionally, to avoid the second network device being unclear about which measurement to stop periodic measurement for, the first network device can also indicate the measurement ID when instructing the first network device to stop periodic measurement, thereby enabling the second network device to accurately stop the corresponding mobility load balancing measurement. It is understood that the method for stopping periodic measurement here can be coupled with other steps in the embodiments of this application (e.g., after S202, S203, or S204, the first network device instructs the second network device to stop periodic measurement), or it can be implemented independently of the embodiments of this application (that is, how to stop periodic measurement does not depend on the specific process by which the first network device obtains the resource status report of the second network device).

[0074] The event information that triggers the resource status report is used to configure the second network device to report a resource status report when one or more events are met. The event information that triggers the resource status report includes, but is not limited to, at least one of the following: used resource threshold information, available resource threshold information, resource occupancy change threshold information within a preset time period, and resource classification baseline information.

[0075] The used resource threshold information can be an absolute threshold value or a relative threshold value. For example, the absolute threshold value can be a percentage. When the percentage of used resources of the second network device is greater than or equal to the configured threshold value, the second network device will be triggered to report a resource status report. The relative threshold information can be the threshold value of the used resources of the second network device relative to the used resources of the first network device, such as 10%. In addition, the relative threshold information can also be the relative relationship between the used resources of the second network device and the first network device, such as the used resources of the second network device exceeding the used resources of the first network device.

[0076] Similar to the used resource threshold information, the available resource threshold information can also be absolute or relative. For example, the absolute threshold information can be a percentage. When the percentage of available resources of the second network device is less than or equal to the configured threshold value, the second network device will be triggered to report a resource status report.

[0077] The preset threshold for resource usage changes within a given time period can be a preset threshold for the magnitude of resource usage changes over a given time period. This threshold is used to determine whether the resource usage changes of the second network device within a given time period exceed the preset threshold. The preset time period can be a specific time interval (e.g., 10:00-11:00), a periodic information (which can be called the change period), or a duration of information after receiving the first message. The second network device will then check the changes in resource usage every preset period, within the configured time period, or within a given time period to determine whether to trigger a resource status report. For example, assuming the preset threshold for resource usage changes within a given time period is a change in resource utilization rate greater than 30% within 5 minutes, the second network device can check whether the change in resource utilization rate within 5 minutes is greater than 30% after receiving the first message. If the change in resource utilization rate within 5 minutes is greater than or equal to 30%, the second network device will trigger a resource status report.

[0078] The first network device can configure resource classification information for the second network device, that is, the number of measurement reporting levels. This number of levels can be configured to any one of 2, 3, 4, 5, or 10. This application embodiment does not limit the number of levels. It is understood that the number of levels may not be configured by the first network device, for example, it may be the default number of levels. This resource classification information is used to determine how many levels to divide the resource usage below the overload threshold (optionally, the overload threshold may be included). Assuming the number of levels is 4, and the overload threshold is 80% of the resources used, then the resource usage will be divided into 4 levels: Level 1 is 20% of the resources used (resource utilization rate), Level 2 is 40% of the resources used, Level 3 is 60% of the resources used, and Level 4 is 80% of the resources used. Then, the second network device will trigger the reporting of a resource status report if the change in the used resources crosses at least one level (for example, from Level 2 to Level 3, or from Level 4 to Level 2). However, under low load conditions, reporting resource status is not very necessary. For example, resource utilization of 20% or 30% can be considered relatively idle, and adjacent network devices (or neighboring stations) may not care. Therefore, to reduce unnecessary reporting, i.e., to reduce the number of signaling interactions and overhead, the first network device can configure resource grading baseline information for the second network device. This baseline information serves as the baseline for initiating resource grading. That is, when the resources used by the second network device are greater than or equal to this baseline, the second network device initiates grading based on resource utilization. For example, assuming the resource grading baseline is 60%, and the overload threshold is 80% of the used resources, with a grading level of 4, then the second network device can activate resource grading when resource utilization reaches 60%. This grading is based on this baseline: 65% resource utilization is level 1, 70% is level 2, 75% is level 3, and 80% is level 4. In other words, with a resource tier baseline configured, if the resource utilization rate of the second network device exceeds the resource tier baseline, and the change in resource utilization crosses at least one tier, a resource status report will be triggered. It is understood that the aforementioned number of tiers and the resource tier baseline can be used in combination to trigger the reporting of resource status reports. It is also understood that the aforementioned resource tier baseline can be a preset value or a value determined by the second network device itself (e.g., based on network status or load conditions), in which case it is not necessary for the first network device to send the data to the second network device.

[0079] The event information that triggers the resource status report can be applied to all types of resources. For example, all types of resources can share the same event information, or each event information can correspond to one or more types of resources.

[0080] It is understandable that the second network device can report resource status information when the event is met, based on the event information configured by the first network device to trigger resource status reporting. This can make the resource status reporting of the second network device more reasonable and improve the effectiveness of the reporting.

[0081] Optionally, the first network device can also send overload threshold information to the second network device. This overload threshold information indicates a threshold used to determine whether the second network device is overloaded, thereby enabling the second network device to determine when it is overloaded and report overload information, making the reporting operation of the second network device more efficient and the reported information more comprehensive. As mentioned above, the overload threshold can be a preset threshold of the percentage of used resources. When the resources used by the second network device are greater than or equal to the overload threshold, the second network device is determined to be overloaded (considered to have entered an overloaded state). Alternatively, the overload threshold can also be a preset threshold of the percentage of available resources. In this case, when the available resources of the second network device are less than or equal to the overload threshold, the second network device is determined to be overloaded. The second network device can trigger the reporting of a resource status report when it enters an overloaded state (e.g., changing from a previous non-overloaded state to an overloaded state), or it can trigger the reporting of a resource status report when it exits an overloaded state (i.e., changing from a previous overloaded state to a non-overloaded state).

[0082] The overload threshold information can be applied to resources of all the above types and / or granularities. A single overload threshold can be shared across all types and / or granularities of resources, or different overload thresholds can be configured, with each overload threshold corresponding to one or more types and / or granularities of resources.

[0083] It is understandable that various pieces of information in the first message, such as measurement cycle information, event information triggering resource status reporting, overload threshold information, and multiple information in the reporting cycle configured for the second network device, can collectively affect the measurement and reporting of resource status by the second network device. For example, the second network device performs measurements according to the measurement cycle and reports when the event information is satisfied; these are not all listed here. Furthermore, the above embodiments use the carrying of various pieces of information in the first message as an example. In some possible implementations, the above information can be transmitted through different messages, and this application embodiment does not limit this.

[0084] S202, the second network device sends a second message to the first network device in response to the first message.

[0085] Upon receiving the first message, the second network device determines whether the corresponding measurement can be performed based on the configuration of the first message. If the second network device finds that one or more resources cannot be measured, it indicates a failure to obtain the resource status via the second message, meaning that measurement is not possible. This second message could be, for example, a resource status failure message. If the second network device can complete the corresponding measurement according to the configuration of the first message, it can indicate the ability to initiate or perform the corresponding measurement (e.g., measurement of the measurement object indicated in the first message) via the second message. This second message could be, for example, a resource status response message, indicating that each measurement has started successfully. If the second network device can complete the corresponding measurement according to the configuration of the first message, steps S203 and subsequent steps are executed.

[0086] S203, the second network device performs measurements based on the first message to obtain resource status information.

[0087] After determining that it can perform the corresponding measurements, the second network device performs the corresponding measurements on the measurement objects in the first message according to the configuration in the first message (see the relevant description in S201 for details), obtains the resource usage and resource status information of the second network device, and further, can generate (obtain) a resource status report for reporting. It is understood that if the first message includes measurement period information, the second network device performs periodic measurements. If the first message includes an overload threshold, the second network device will indicate overload in the resource status report when generating it; that is, the resource status report includes overload indication information (overload flag). It should be noted that even if the first message does not include an overload threshold, the second network device can still indicate overload in the resource status report when generating it; the overload threshold can be defined or determined by the second network device itself.

[0088] S204, the second network device sends a resource status report.

[0089] After the second network device obtains the resource status report, it can immediately send (report) the resource status report to the first network device, or it can decide when to send the resource status report to the first network device based on the reporting cycle and / or events.

[0090] For example, the second network device can send a resource status report to the first network device each time a reporting cycle arrives. Alternatively, the second network device can determine the timing of sending the resource status report based on the event information that triggers the resource status report in the first message. It is understood that the reporting cycle and the event information can be configured simultaneously to determine the timing of sending the resource status report, or one of the reporting cycle and the event information can be configured, in which case the timing of the second network device sending the resource status report depends on either the reporting cycle or the event information. For details on how the event information triggers the second network device to send the resource status report, please refer to the relevant description in S201, which will not be repeated here.

[0091] For example, suppose the first message includes a measurement period of 50ms, a reporting period of 200ms, an event that triggers the resource status report (resource usage threshold of 70%), measurement objects (identifiers of cell 1, cell 2, and beam identifier 3), and a resource status report category (overall available resources). This means the first network device requests the overall available resources of cell 1 and the overall available resources of beam 3 in cell 2 from the second network device. The measurement period is 50ms, the reporting period is 200ms, and the configured event is that the overall available resources are less than or equal to 20%. The second network device measures the overall available resources of beam 3 in cells 1 and 2 at 50ms intervals, generates a resource status report, and reports the most recently generated resource status report every 200ms. Additionally, the second network device will send a resource status report to the first network device when the overall available resources of cell 1 are less than or equal to 20% and / or the overall available resources of beam 3 in cell 2 are less than or equal to 70%. It is understandable that the resource status report indicates the overall available resources of cell 1 and the overall available resources of beam 3 in cell 2. The above uses the overall available resources as an example. The implementation is similar for other types of resources, and will not be listed one by one. It should be noted that if there is more than one type of resource status report configured in the first message, then the resource status report will indicate the resource information of each type. For example, different types of resources are indicated by different information cells.

[0092] Optionally, if the second network device determines that resources are overloaded, it can send an overload indication message to the first network device, thereby indicating that an overload has occurred. It is understood that the second network device can determine its resource overload based on the overload threshold information indicated by the first network device; however, if the first network device does not indicate an overload threshold, the second network device can determine the overload threshold itself. Furthermore, when the second network device indicates an overload to the first network device, it can also send an overload threshold indication message to the first network device, so that the first network device can clearly understand the load status of the second network device.

[0093] In some possible implementations, overload information and overload thresholds can also be included in the resource status report.

[0094] Resource status reports can be included in resource status update messages, for example.

[0095] It is understandable that if there is an interface between the first network device and the second network device (e.g., an Xn / X2 / F1 / E1 interface), then the aforementioned first message, second message, and resource status report can be transmitted through this interface. If there is no interface between the first network device and the second network device, then the following methods may be used to transmit the aforementioned first message, second message, and resource status report between the first network device and the second network device: (1) such as Figure 3 As shown, the first network device sends the first message to the core network device through the interface with the core network device (e.g., NG interface or S1 interface), and the core network device sends it to the second network device, so that the second network device knows that the first network device requests to obtain the resource status report of the second network device. Correspondingly, the second message and the resource status report can also be transmitted from the second network device to the first network device through the interface between the second network device and the core network device. (2) Figure 4 As shown, the first network device sends a first message to core network device 1, core network device 1 sends the first message to core network device 2, core network device 2 sends the first message to the second network device, and correspondingly, the second network device sends a second message and a resource status report to core network device 2, core network device 2 sends the received second message and resource status report to core network device 1, and core network device 1 sends them to the first network device.

[0096] The first message, the second message, and the carrier resource status report can be RRC messages, NAS messages, or containers. The message type varies depending on the interface.

[0097] The method in this application, through the statistics, measurement, and interaction of resource usage, allows network elements to more accurately understand each other's load, which can then be used to adjust mobility parameters. This improves and strengthens the load balancing function between network elements, and the interaction process is simpler, more direct, and more effective. In particular, it is more effective for load interaction between systems. Furthermore, the mobility information exchanged between network devices can be enriched.

[0098] like Figure 5 As shown in the illustration, this application also provides a communication method, which can also be referred to as a mobility load balancing method. The method includes:

[0099] S501, the first network device sends a third message to the second network device, requesting a change in mobility parameters.

[0100] In the mobility parameter change procedure, the first network device may send a third message to the second network device, requesting a change to the mobility parameters. This third message could be, for example, a mobility change request message. The process of the first network device sending the third message to the second network device can also be understood as the second network device receiving the mobility parameter change request from the first network device.

[0101] The third message includes: the identifier of the first cell, the identifier of the second cell, and event information of a change in the first mobility parameter. The mobility parameter includes the mobility parameters of the first network device and / or the second network device, wherein the first cell belongs to the first network device and the second cell belongs to the second network device.

[0102] Optionally, the third message may also include a reason value, indicating the reason why the first network device initiated the mobility change request. The reason value here could be, for example, a reduction in load; this embodiment of the application does not limit this.

[0103] It is understandable that the mobility parameter change requested by the first network device can have different granularities, such as at least one of the following: cell granularity, beam granularity, slice granularity, or bandwidth part (BWP) granularity.

[0104] By carrying a first identifier in the third message, the first identifier corresponds to the object of the requested mobility parameter change at different granularities. For example, when the mobility parameter change requested by the first network device is at the cell granularity, the first identifier may include the identifier of at least one cell belonging to the first network device (the identifier of the first cell) and the identifier of at least one cell belonging to the second network device (the identifier of the second cell); when the mobility parameter change requested by the first network device is at the beam granularity, the first identifier may include the identifier of the first cell and the index (or identifier) ​​of at least one beam of the first cell, as well as the identifier of the second cell and the index of at least one beam of the second cell.

[0105] The aforementioned event information regarding changes to the first mobility parameter can also be understood as the rules governing changes to mobility parameters. Taking a mobility parameter as a handover threshold as an example, this event information regarding changes to the first mobility parameter is associated with the resource usage and handover thresholds of the first network device and / or the second network device. The resource usage and handover thresholds of the first network device and / or the second network device correspond to the granularity of the mobility parameter change; in other words, the resource usage and handover thresholds of the first network device and / or the second network device refer to the resource usage and handover thresholds corresponding to the aforementioned identifier. For example, if the requested mobility parameter change is at the cell level, the resource usage of the first network device could be the resource usage of the first cell, and the resource usage of the second network device could be the resource usage of the second cell. Therefore, the handover threshold could be the handover threshold corresponding to the first cell and / or the second cell.

[0106] Taking the case where the requested mobility parameter change is at the cell level as an example, the event information for this mobility parameter change includes, but is not limited to, at least one of the following:

[0107] For every increase of the used resources of the second cell by a first preset value, the handover threshold of the second cell decreases by a second preset value and / or the handover threshold of the first cell increases by a third preset value.

[0108] When the available resources of the first cell increase by a fourth preset value, the corresponding handover threshold of the second cell decreases by a fifth preset value and / or the corresponding handover threshold of the first cell increases by a sixth preset value.

[0109] When the available resources of the first cell are greater than or equal to the seventh preset value, the handover threshold of the second cell is not higher than the eighth preset value and / or the handover threshold of the first cell is not lower than the ninth preset value.

[0110] It should be noted that the handover threshold corresponding to a cell refers to the threshold that triggers the network device to decide whether a terminal should hand over to another neighboring cell. The above explanation uses cell granularity as an example; the same principle applies to other granularity scenarios, and this application embodiment will not provide specific examples. Furthermore, this application embodiment does not limit the specific rules for changing mobility parameters. Based on the examples in this application embodiment, arbitrary modifications can be made. For example, for every tenth preset value increase in available resources of the second cell, the handover threshold corresponding to the second cell increases by an eleventh preset value and / or the handover threshold corresponding to the first cell decreases by a twelfth preset value. Alternatively, when the available resources of the second cell are greater than those of the first cell, the handover threshold corresponding to the second cell is not lower than a thirteenth preset value and / or the handover threshold corresponding to the first cell is not higher than a fourteenth preset value. This application embodiment does not limit the values ​​of the first to fourteenth preset values.

[0111] Furthermore, the example above using mobility parameters as a handover threshold can also be applied to other mobility parameters. It is understood that the rules for changing other mobility parameters are similar to those for the handover threshold.

[0112] S502, the second network device sends a fourth message in response to the third message to the first network device.

[0113] If the second network device does not accept (rejects) the mobility parameter change request from the first network device, for example, if the second network device disagrees with the event information of the first mobility parameter change, then the second network device instructs the first network device to reject the mobility parameter change in a fourth message. This fourth message can be, for example, a mobility change rejection message. Optionally, if the second network device disagrees with the event information of the first mobility parameter change, the fourth message may further include event information of the mobility parameter change that the second network device can accept or propose (the event information of the second mobility parameter change), thereby enabling better negotiation between the first and second network devices and improving efficiency. The event information of the second mobility parameter change can be wholly or partially different from the event information of the first mobility parameter change. For example, it can be a new mobility parameter change event information adjusted based on the event information of the first mobility parameter change, or it can be a new mobility parameter change event information of a different type than the event information of the first mobility parameter change. This application embodiment does not limit the event information of the second mobility parameter change. In addition, the fourth message may also include a second identifier, which corresponds to the object corresponding to the event information of the change of the second mobility parameter. For example, if the event information of the change of the second mobility parameter corresponds to the first cell and the second cell, then the fourth message may include the identifier of the first cell and the identifier of the second cell.

[0114] If the second network device accepts the mobility parameter change request from the first network device, it can instruct the first network device to accept the mobility parameter change request via a fourth message, such as accepting event information about the first mobility parameter change. This fourth message could be a mobility change response message. Optionally, the fourth message may include a third identifier, which can be the same as the first identifier.

[0115] It is understandable that if there is an interface between the first and second network devices (e.g., an Xn / X2 / F1 / E1 interface), then the third and fourth messages mentioned above can be transmitted through that interface. If there is no interface between the first and second network devices, then refer to... Figure 3 or Figure 4 The above-mentioned third and fourth messages are transmitted between the first network device and the second network device in a certain way.

[0116] The third and fourth messages can be RRC messages, NAS messages, or Container messages; the message types vary depending on the interface.

[0117] As can be seen, this application embodiment, by introducing event-based mobility parameter changes, associates the changes in mobility parameters with the resource usage and mobility parameters of the first network device and / or the second network device, making the changes in mobility parameters between network devices more intelligent. Furthermore, compared to a one-time adjustment of mobility parameters, the solution of this application embodiment also reduces signaling. In addition, the solution of this application embodiment can handle not only cell-level mobility parameter changes, but also changes at other granularities, making mobility parameter changes more flexible and precise.

[0118] The above Figure 2 The communication method and embodiment shown Figure 5 The communication method shown in the embodiment can be implemented independently or in combination. For example, it can be implemented according to... Figure 5 The illustrated embodiment adjusts mobility parameters and follows Figure 2 The illustrated embodiment obtains a resource status report; alternatively, the first network device may obtain the report according to... Figure 2 The illustrated embodiment triggers after obtaining the resource status report. Figure 5 The process shown in the embodiment is not limited in this application. Figure 5 The first network device in the illustrated embodiment can be with Figure 2 The first network device in the illustrated embodiments can be the same network device, or it can be a different network device. Furthermore, Figure 5 The second network device in the illustrated embodiment can be with Figure 2The second network device in the illustrated embodiment can be the same network device or a different network device.

[0119] It should be noted that the first network device and the second network device in the above embodiments of this application may be of the same standard (RAT) or different standards, or the first network device and the second network device may belong to the same system or different systems.

[0120] Figure 6 This is a schematic block diagram of a communication device 600 provided in an embodiment of this application. The communication device 600 can correspondingly implement the functions or steps implemented by the network device (first network device or second network device) in the various method embodiments described above. The communication device 600 can be a network device or a component (e.g., a chip or circuit) applicable to that network device; or, the communication device 600 can be a chip system. In this embodiment, the chip system can be composed of chips or can include chips and other discrete devices.

[0121] In some possible implementations, the communication device may include a receiving unit 610 and a transmitting unit 620. Optionally, the communication device may also include a processing unit 630, which may be coupled to the receiving unit 610 and / or the transmitting unit 620, for example, controlling the receiving unit 610 and / or the transmitting unit 620 to perform corresponding processing, or performing corresponding processing based on information obtained from the receiving unit 610 and / or the transmitting unit 620.

[0122] For example, when the communication device implements the functions or steps of the first network device:

[0123] The sending unit 620 can be used to send a first message to the second network device, requesting to obtain the resource status report of the second network device; the receiving unit 610 can be used to receive a second message from the second network device in response to the first message. Optionally, the processing unit 630 can be used to generate the first message. Optionally, the receiving unit 610 can also be used to receive one or more of the resource status report and overload threshold information from the second network device. Optionally, the sending unit 620 can also instruct the second network device to stop periodic measurements. For details regarding the coupling between the various units, specific implementations, and message content, please refer to [reference needed]. Figure 2 The descriptions in the illustrated embodiments will not be repeated here.

[0124] or,

[0125] The sending unit 620 can be used to send a third message to the second network device; the receiving unit 610 can be used to receive a fourth message in response to the third message from the second network device. Optionally, the processing unit can be used to generate the third message. For details regarding the coupling between the various units, their specific implementation, and the content of the messages, please refer to [reference needed]. Figure 5 The descriptions in the illustrated embodiments will not be repeated here.

[0126] When the communication device implements the functions or steps of the second network device:

[0127] The receiving unit 610 can be used to receive a first message from the first network device; the sending unit 620 can be used to send a second message in response to the first message to the first network device. Optionally, the processing unit 630 is used to generate the second message. Optionally, the processing unit 630 can also be used to determine whether the measurement corresponding to the first message can be completed based on the first message. Optionally, the processing unit 630 can also be used to perform measurements and obtain a resource status report based on the first message. Optionally, the sending unit 620 can also be used to send a resource status report to the first network device. Optionally, the receiving unit 610 can also be used to receive information indicating the cessation of periodic measurements from the first network device, and the processing unit 630 can be used to stop periodic measurements based on the indication information. Optionally, the sending unit 620 can also be used to send overload threshold information to the first network device. For details regarding the coupling between the various units, specific implementations, and message content, please refer to [reference needed]. Figure 2 The descriptions in the illustrated embodiments will not be repeated here.

[0128] or,

[0129] The receiving unit 610 can be used to receive a third message from the first network device; the sending unit 620 can be used to send a fourth message in response to the third message to the first network device. Optionally, the processing unit can be used to generate the fourth message. For details regarding the coupling between the various units, their specific implementation, and the content of the messages, please refer to [reference needed]. Figure 5 The descriptions in the illustrated embodiments will not be repeated here.

[0130] It should be understood that the processing unit 630 in the embodiments of this application can be implemented by at least one processor or processor-related circuit components, and the receiving unit 610 and the transmitting unit 630 can be implemented by a transceiver or transceiver-related circuit components. Furthermore, the aforementioned units can be separate or integrated, and the embodiments of this application do not limit this.

[0131] Optionally, the communication device 600 may further include a storage unit 640, which can be used to store instructions or data. The processing unit 630 can execute or read the instructions or data stored in the storage unit to enable the communication device to perform corresponding operations. Optionally, the storage unit 640 can be implemented using at least one memory.

[0132] This application also provides a communication device 700, which can be used to implement or support the communication device 700 in implementing the functions or steps of the network device (first network device or second network device) in the method provided in this application. The communication device 700 includes at least one processor 710 and at least one memory 720 for storing program instructions and / or data. The memory 720 and the processor 710 are coupled. The coupling in this application embodiment is an indirect coupling or communication connection between devices, units, or modules, which can be electrical, mechanical, or other forms, used for information interaction between devices, units, or modules. The processor 710 may operate in conjunction with the memory 720. The processor 710 may execute the program instructions and / or data stored in the memory 720 to cause the communication device 700 to implement the corresponding method. Optionally, at least one of the at least one memory may be included in the processor.

[0133] Optionally, the communication device 700 may also include a communication interface 730 for communicating with other devices via a transmission medium, thereby enabling the devices in the communication device 700 to communicate with other devices.

[0134] This application embodiment does not limit the specific connection medium between the communication interface 730, processor 710, and memory 720. For example, this application embodiment... Figure 7 The memory 720, processor 710, and communication interface 730 are connected via a bus 740. Figure 7 The connections between other components are shown in bold and are for illustrative purposes only, not as limiting information. The bus can be divided into address bus, data bus, control bus, etc. For ease of illustration, Figure 7 The bus is represented by a single thick line, but this does not mean that there is only one bus or one type of bus.

[0135] In this application embodiment, the processor can be a general-purpose processor, digital signal processor, application-specific integrated circuit, field-programmable gate array or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic device, or discrete hardware component, capable of implementing or executing the methods, steps, and logic block diagrams disclosed in this application embodiment. The general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor or any conventional processor, etc. The steps of the methods disclosed in the embodiments of this application can be directly manifested as being executed by a hardware processor, or executed by a combination of hardware and software modules within the processor.

[0136] In this embodiment, the memory can be non-volatile memory, such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or a solid-state drive (SSD), or it can be volatile memory, such as random-access memory (RAM). Memory is any other medium capable of carrying or storing desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures, and accessible by a computer, but is not limited thereto. The memory in this embodiment can also be a circuit or any other device capable of implementing storage functions, used to store program instructions and / or data.

[0137] This application also provides a communication system for implementing all or part of the steps of the above method embodiments. For example, the communication system may include at least one first access network device and at least one second access network device, and optionally, may also include the terminal device and / or a third access network device.

[0138] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium, including instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause... Figures 2-5 The method executed by the first network device is executed.

[0139] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium, including instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause... Figures 2-5 The method executed by the second network device is executed.

[0140] This application also provides a computer program product, including instructions that, when run on a computer, cause... Figures 2-5 The method executed by the first network device or the second network device is executed.

[0141] It should be understood that the terms "system" and "network" in the embodiments of this application can be used interchangeably. "At least one" means one or more, and "more than one" means two or more. "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, where A and B can be singular or plural. The character " / " generally indicates that the related objects before and after are in an "or" relationship. "At least one of the following" or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or plural items. For example, at least one of a, b, or c can mean: a, b, c, ab, ac, bc, or abc, where a, b, and c can be single or multiple.

[0142] Furthermore, unless otherwise stated, the ordinal numbers such as "first" and "second" mentioned in the embodiments of this application are not used to define the order, sequence, priority, or importance of multiple objects. For example, "first message" and "second message" are only used to distinguish different messages, and do not indicate a difference in priority, sending order, or importance between the two messages.

[0143] It should be understood that the processor mentioned in the embodiments of this application can be a CPU, or 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. A general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor or any conventional processor.

[0144] It should also be understood that the memory mentioned in the embodiments of this application can be volatile memory or non-volatile memory, or may include both volatile and non-volatile memory. The non-volatile memory can be read-only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), or flash memory. The volatile memory can be random access memory (RAM), which is used as an external cache. By way of example, but not limitation, many forms of RAM are available, such as static random access memory (SRAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), double data rate synchronous dynamic random access memory (DDR SDRAM), enhanced synchronous dynamic random access memory (ESDRAM), synchronous linked dynamic random access memory (SLDRAM), and direct rambus RAM (DR RAM).

[0145] It should be noted that when the processor is a general-purpose processor, DSP, ASIC, FPGA, or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic device, or discrete hardware component, the memory (storage module) is integrated into the processor.

[0146] It should be noted that the memories described herein are intended to include, but are not limited to, these and any other suitable types of memories.

[0147] It should 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.

[0148] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the units and algorithm steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software 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.

[0149] Those skilled in the art will understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working processes of the systems, devices, and units described above can be referred to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0150] 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; the indirect coupling or communication connection between apparatuses or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0151] 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 units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0152] In addition, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit.

[0153] In the above embodiments, implementation can be achieved, in whole or in part, through software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented in software, it can be implemented, in whole or in part, as a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer instructions. When the computer program instructions are loaded and executed on a computer, all or part of the processes or functions described in the embodiments of this application are generated. The computer can be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, or other programmable device. The computer instructions can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transmitted from one computer-readable storage medium to another. For example, the computer instructions can be transmitted from one website, 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 accessible to a computer or a data storage device such as a server or data center that integrates one or more available media. The available medium can be a magnetic medium (e.g., floppy disk, hard disk, magnetic tape), an optical medium (e.g., DVD), or a semiconductor medium (e.g., a solid-state drive (SSD)).

[0154] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the protection scope of the embodiments of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the embodiments of this application should be included within the protection scope of the embodiments of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of the embodiments of this application should be determined by the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that, The method includes: The first network device sends a first message to the second network device, requesting to obtain the resource status report of the second network device. The first message includes event information that triggers the resource status report. The event information that triggers the resource status report includes at least one of the following: used resource threshold information, available resource threshold information, resource occupancy change threshold information within a preset time, and resource classification baseline information. The resource classification baseline is the baseline for initiating resource classification. The first network device receives the resource status report from the second network device, the resource status report including the resource usage of the second network device; The first network device generates a third message requesting a change in mobility parameters, wherein the requested change in mobility parameters is beam-granular. The first network device sends the third message, which includes event information about a change in a first mobility parameter. The event information about the change in the first mobility parameter is associated with the resource usage of the second network device. The mobility parameter includes the mobility parameters of the first network device and / or the second network device. The first network device receives a fourth message in response to the third message from the second network device; If the second network device does not agree to the event information of the first mobility parameter change, the fourth message includes the event information of the second mobility parameter change that the second network device can accept.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The third message also includes at least one of the following: the identifier of the first cell of the first network device, and the identifier of the second cell of the second network device.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The third message also includes the identifier of at least one beam of the first cell and the identifier of at least one beam of the second cell.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The third message also includes a reason value, wherein the reason value indicates the reason why the first network device initiated the mobility change request.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, If the second network device accepts a mobility parameter change request from the first network device, the fourth message instructs the second network device to accept the mobility parameter change.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The mobility parameters include: a switching threshold.

7. A communication method, characterized in that, The method includes: The second network device receives a first message from the first network device. The first message requests to obtain the resource status report of the second network device. The first message includes event information that triggers the resource status report. The event information that triggers the resource status report includes at least one of the following: used resource threshold information, available resource threshold information, resource occupancy change threshold information within a preset time, and resource classification baseline information. The resource classification baseline is the baseline for initiating resource classification. The second network device sends a resource status report to the first network device, the resource status report including the resource usage of the second network device; The second network device receives a third message from the first network device, wherein the third message requests a change in mobility parameters, the requested change in mobility parameters is beam-granular, the third message includes event information of a change in first mobility parameters, the event information of the change in first mobility parameters is associated with the resource usage of the second network device, and the mobility parameters include the mobility parameters of the first network device and / or the second network device. The second network device sends a fourth message in response to the third message; If the second network device does not agree to the event information of the first mobility parameter change, the fourth message includes the event information of the second mobility parameter change that the second network device can accept.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The third message also includes at least one of the following: the identifier of the first cell of the first network device, and the identifier of the second cell of the second network device.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The third message also includes the identifier of at least one beam of the first cell and the identifier of at least one beam of the second cell.

10. The method according to any one of claims 7-9, characterized in that, The third message also includes a reason value, wherein the reason value indicates the reason why the first network device initiated the mobility change request.

11. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, If the second network device accepts a mobility parameter change request from the first network device, the fourth message instructs the second network device to accept the mobility parameter change.

12. The method according to any one of claims 7-9, characterized in that, The mobility parameters include: a switching threshold.

13. A communication device, characterized in that, The device includes a memory and a processor, the memory being used to store computer programs or instructions or data, the processor being coupled to the memory, and when the processor reads the computer programs or instructions or data, causing the communication device to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 6.

14. A communication device, characterized in that, The device includes a memory and a processor, the memory being used to store computer programs or instructions or data, the processor being coupled to the memory, and when the processor reads the computer programs or instructions or data, causing the communication device to perform the method as described in any one of claims 7 to 12.

15. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium stores a computer program that, when executed, causes the method as described in any one of claims 1-12 to be performed.

16. A computer program product, characterized in that, The computer program product includes instructions that, when executed, cause the method as described in any one of claims 1-12 to be implemented.

17. A communication system, characterized in that, It includes the communication device as described in claim 13 and the communication device as described in claim 14.

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