Communication method and electronic device

Abstract

Provided are a communication method and an electronic device, which can solve the problem of low communication efficiency or reliability of the electronic device and can be applied to an electronic device in a communication system. The electronic device comprises a first communication module and a second communication module, the working channel of the first communication module is a first channel, the first channel is in a first frequency band, and the working channel of the second communication module is a second channel, the second channel is in a second frequency band. The communication method comprises: when the working channel of the second communication module is unavailable or the channel quality is lower than a channel quality threshold, setting the working channel of the first channel of the second communication module as the first channel. The first channel of the first communication module and the second communication module jointly communicate on the first channel.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of communications, and more particularly to a communication method and an electronic device. Background Technology

[0002] In a wireless local area network (WLAN), electronic devices, such as terminal devices or network devices, can communicate based on different frequency bands (such as the 2.4 GHz band, the 5 GHz band, or the 6 GHz band). Specifically, an electronic device may include multiple communication modules, each of which may include one or more channels, and each communication module operates on a different frequency band. When an electronic device needs to transmit data, each communication module can compete for a channel on its corresponding operating frequency band and transmit data on the channel it wins.

[0003] However, in the above scheme, each communication module can only transmit data on the same operating frequency band based on a fixed number of pre-set channels. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a communication method and electronic device that can increase the number of channels operating on the working channel of the communication module, thereby improving the communication effect.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, this application adopts the following technical solution:

[0006] Firstly, a communication method is provided. This communication method is applied to an electronic device. The electronic device includes a first communication module and a second communication module. The first communication module operates via a first channel in a first frequency band, and the second communication module operates via a second channel in a second frequency band. The communication method includes: when the operating channel of the second communication module is unavailable or its channel quality is below a channel quality threshold, setting the operating channel of the first channel of the second communication module to the first channel. The first communication module and the first channel of the second communication module then perform joint communication on the first channel.

[0007] Based on the communication method provided in the first aspect, the electronic device can set the working channel of the first channel of the second communication module to the first channel when the working channel of the second communication module is unavailable or the channel quality is lower than the channel quality threshold, and enable the first communication module and the first channel of the second communication module to communicate jointly on the first channel. In this way, more channels can work on the working channel of the first communication module, thereby improving the communication effect.

[0008] In one possible design, the joint communication can be either MIMO or beamforming. When the joint communication is MIMO, the number of space-time streams used for data transmission on the first channel can be increased, improving the transmission rate and thus communication efficiency. Furthermore, receive diversity gain can be achieved, increasing the signal-to-noise ratio of the first channel and thus improving communication reliability. When the joint communication is beamforming, the energy concentration of the beam used for data transmission on the first channel can be increased, improving coverage performance and thus communication efficiency.

[0009] In one possible design, the first electronic device may further include a third communication module, the third communication module operating on a third channel in a third frequency band. In this case, the communication method provided by the first aspect may further include: when the operating channel of the second communication module is unavailable or its channel quality is below a channel quality threshold, setting the operating channel of the second channel of the second communication module to the third channel. The third communication module and the second channel of the second communication module then perform joint communication on the third channel. Thus, when the operating channel of the second communication module is unavailable or its channel quality is below a channel quality threshold, the second channel of the second communication module can be reallocated to both the first and third communication modules to increase the number of space-time streams on the first channel or improve the energy concentration on the first channel, and to increase the number of space-time streams on the third channel or improve the beam energy concentration on the third channel, thereby balancing the communication efficiency of multiple communication modules, such as the first and third communication modules.

[0010] Secondly, an electronic device is provided, comprising a control circuit, a first communication module, and a second communication module. The first communication module operates on a first channel in a first frequency band, and the second communication module operates on a second channel in a second frequency band. The control circuit is configured to set the operating channel of the first channel of the second communication module to the first channel when the operating channel of the second communication module is unavailable or the channel quality is below a channel quality threshold. A transceiver module is configured to perform joint communication on the first channel through the first channel of the first and second communication modules.

[0011] In one possible design, the joint communication is either MIMO or beamforming.

[0012] In one possible design, the electronic device further includes a third communication module, whose operating channel is a third channel located in a third frequency band. A control circuit is also configured to set the operating channel of the second channel of the second communication module to the third channel when the operating channel of the second communication module is unavailable or its channel quality is below a channel quality threshold. A transceiver module is further configured to perform joint communication on the third channel via the third communication module and the second channel of the second communication module.

[0013] Furthermore, the technical effects of the communication method described in the second aspect can be referred to the technical effects of the communication method described in the first aspect, and will not be repeated here.

[0014] Optionally, the transceiver module may include a receiving module and a transmitting module. The transceiver module is used to implement the transmitting and receiving functions of the electronic device described in the second aspect.

[0015] Thirdly, a communication device is provided. The communication device includes a processor coupled to a memory, the processor executing a computer program stored in the memory, such that the communication device performs the communication method described in any possible implementation of the first aspect.

[0016] In one possible design, the communication device described in the third aspect may further include a transceiver. This transceiver may be a transceiver circuit or an interface circuit. The transceiver can be used for communication between the communication device described in the third aspect and other communication devices.

[0017] In this application, the communication device described in the third aspect may be the electronic device in the first aspect, or a chip (system) or other component or assembly disposed in the electronic device, or a device containing the electronic device.

[0018] Fourthly, a communication device is provided, comprising: a processor and a memory; the memory is used to store a computer program, which, when executed by the processor, causes the communication device to perform the communication method described in any implementation of the first aspect.

[0019] In one possible design, the communication device described in the fourth aspect may further include a transceiver. This transceiver may be a transceiver circuit or an interface circuit. The transceiver can be used for communication between the communication device described in the fourth aspect and other communication devices.

[0020] In this application, the communication device described in the fourth aspect may be the electronic device in the first aspect, or a chip (system) or other component or assembly disposed in the electronic device, or a device containing the electronic device.

[0021] Fifthly, a communication device is provided, comprising: a processor; the processor being configured to be coupled to a memory, and after reading a computer program from the memory, to execute a communication method as described in any implementation of the first aspect according to the computer program.

[0022] In one possible design, the communication device described in the fifth aspect may further include a transceiver, which may be a first communication module or a second communication module. This transceiver can be used for communication between the communication device described in the fifth aspect and other communication devices.

[0023] In this application, the communication device described in the fifth aspect may be the electronic device in the first aspect, or a chip (system) or other component or assembly disposed in the electronic device, or a device containing the electronic device.

[0024] Furthermore, the technical effects of the communication devices described in the third to fifth aspects above can be referred to the technical effects of the communication methods described in the first aspect above, and will not be repeated here.

[0025] Sixthly, a communication system is provided. The communication system includes one or more electronic devices.

[0026] A seventh aspect provides a computer-readable storage medium comprising: a computer program or instructions; which, when executed on an electronic device, causes the electronic device to perform the communication method described in any possible implementation of the first aspect.

[0027] Eighthly, a computer program product is provided, comprising a computer program or instructions that, when executed on an electronic device, cause the electronic device to perform the communication method described in any possible implementation of the first aspect. Attached Figure Description

[0028] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of the transmission and reception channel provided in the embodiments of this application Figure 1 ;

[0029] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the structure of the transmission and reception channel provided in the embodiments of this application Figure 2 ;

[0030] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the architecture of the communication system provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0031] Figure 4 Examples of this application Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the provided communication system architecture Figure 1 ;

[0032] Figure 5Examples of this application Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the provided communication system architecture Figure 2 ;

[0033] Figure 6 Examples of this application Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the provided communication system architecture Figure 3 ;

[0034] Figure 7 Flowchart of the communication method provided in the embodiments of this application Figure 1 ;

[0035] Figure 8 Flowchart of the communication method provided in the embodiments of this application Figure 2 ;

[0036] Figure 9 Flowchart of the communication method provided in the embodiments of this application Figure 3 ;

[0037] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the communication device provided in the embodiments of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0038] The following section first introduces the technical terms related to the embodiments of this application.

[0039] A frequency band refers to the range of frequencies used for communication by electronic devices, such as the 2.4GHz band, the 5GHz band, and the 6GHz band. The 5GHz band is sometimes divided into the 5GHz high-frequency band and the 5GHz low-frequency band. The 5GHz high-frequency band and the 5GHz low-frequency band can also be considered as different frequency bands.

[0040] A transmit and receive channel (TRX), or simply a channel, can be used to send and receive signals. Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the channel structure Figure 1 .like Figure 1 As shown, the transmit / receive channel includes: an antenna (Ant), a front-end circuit connected to the antenna, a radio frequency circuit connected to the front-end circuit and a local oscillator (hereinafter referred to as the RF circuit), a first analog front-end (AFE) connected to the RF circuit, a first digital front-end (DFE) connected to the first analog front-end, a second radio frequency front-end connected to the RF circuit, and a second digital front-end connected to the second radio frequency front-end.

[0041] The antenna can be used to receive or transmit signals in different frequency bands, such as the 2.4 GHz band, 5 GHz band, or 6 GHz band. The front-end circuitry can include front-end modules (FEMs) corresponding to each frequency band supported by the channel. For example, if the channel supports the 2.4 GHz band, 5 GHz band, or 6 GHz band, the front-end circuitry can include a front-end module corresponding to the 2.4 GHz band, a front-end module corresponding to the 5 GHz band, and a front-end module corresponding to the 6 GHz band. Each front-end module can be used to amplify the received RF signal or the transmitted RF channel on the corresponding frequency band. Furthermore, the front-end modules can also be used to detect the power of the RF signal, control the RF signal, etc.

[0042] The radio frequency (RF) circuit includes a first RF unit and a second RF unit. The first RF unit is used to up-convert an intermediate frequency (IF) analog signal from a first analog front-end to obtain an RF signal. The second RF unit is used to down-convert an RF signal from a front-end module to obtain an IF analog signal. Either the first or second RF unit may include a front-end module corresponding to a frequency band supported by the channel. For example, if the channel supports a 2.4 GHz band, a 5 GHz band, or a 6 GHz band, the first RF unit may include a sub-RF unit corresponding to the 2.4 GHz band and a sub-RF unit corresponding to the 5 GHz / 6 GHz band, and the second RF unit may include a sub-RF unit corresponding to the 2.4 GHz band and a sub-RF unit corresponding to the 5 GHz / 6 GHz band.

[0043] It is understandable that in the first radio frequency unit, the 5GHz band and the 6GHz band can each correspond to a sub-radio frequency unit. Similarly, in the second radio frequency unit, the 5GHz band and the 6GHz band can each correspond to a sub-radio frequency unit.

[0044] The first analog front end is used to convert the intermediate frequency digital signal from the first digital front end into an intermediate frequency analog signal.

[0045] The first digital front end is used to up-convert the baseband signal from the baseband to obtain an intermediate frequency digital signal.

[0046] The second analog front end is used to process the intermediate frequency analog signal from the radio frequency circuit to obtain the intermediate frequency digital signal.

[0047] The second digital front end is used to process the intermediate frequency digital signal from the second analog front end to obtain the baseband signal.

[0048] The front-end circuit can be connected in sequence via couplers ( Figure 1(not shown in the image), duplexer (...) Figure 1 (Not shown in the image) is connected to the antenna. The first RF unit and the first analog front-end can be connected via a multiplexer, and the second RF unit and the second analog front-end can be connected via a multiplexer. For example, both the first RF unit and the second RF unit are connected to the first multiplexer, the first multiplexer is connected to the second multiplexer, and the second multiplexer is connected to both the first analog front-end and the second analog front-end, respectively.

[0049] For each transmit / receive channel, the working channel of the transmit / receive channel can be set by switching the working state of the front-end modules corresponding to different frequency bands in the first RF unit, the second RF unit, and the front-end circuit.

[0050] For example, in the initial state, the operating channel of the RF circuit is located in the 2.4GHz band. At this time, the sub-RF units corresponding to the 2.4GHz band in the first RF unit and the second RF unit are both operational, while the sub-RF units corresponding to the 5GHz / 6GHz bands in both the first and second RF units are inactive. In the front-end circuit, the front-end module corresponding to the 2.4GHz band is operational, while the front-end modules corresponding to the 5GHz and 6GHz bands are inactive. If the operating channel of this channel is set to 5GHz, then the sub-RF units corresponding to the 2.4GHz band in the first and second RF units can be controlled to be inactive, while the sub-RF units corresponding to the 5GHz / 6GHz bands in both the first and second RF units are operational. In the front-end circuit, the front-end module corresponding to the 2.4GHz band is operational, the front-end module corresponding to the 5GHz band is operational, and the front-end module corresponding to the 6GHz band is inactive. When a channel is in operation, the local oscillator (LO) can be controlled to provide a signal corresponding to the frequency of the operating channel's frequency band. For example, if each frequency band supported by the channel corresponds to one LO, the LO corresponding to the channel's operating frequency band can be controlled to operate, while other LOs remain inactive. For instance, if the channel supports 2.4GHz, 5GHz, or 6GHz bands, and the channel's operating channel is 5GHz, then the LO corresponding to the 5GHz band can operate, while the LOs corresponding to the 2.4GHz and 6GHz bands remain inactive. Alternatively, if each frequency band can correspond to different frequency division methods, then the signal generated by the LO is divided using the frequency division method corresponding to the operating channel's frequency band. For example, if the 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz bands all correspond to the same LO, when the channel's operating channel is 5GHz, then the frequency division method corresponding to the 5GHz band is used.

[0051] It is understandable that multiple channels described above can exist in an electronic device. The following is a combination of... Figure 2 illustrate.

[0052] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the channel structure provided in the embodiments of this application Figure 2 . Figure 2The structure shown includes a system-on-a-chip (SoC), an RF chip, and hardware circuitry. The SoC includes a controller, a baseband, first digital front-ends D11 to D13, and second digital front-ends D21 to D23. The SoC includes RF circuits R1 to R3, and the hardware circuitry includes front-end circuits F1 to F3, duplexers Du1 to Du, and antennas Ant1 to Ant3. Figure 2 The structure shown includes three channels: a first channel, a second digital front-end, a second digital front-end, a first analog front-end, a second analog front-end, a first multiplexer, a second multiplexer, a radio frequency circuit, a front-end circuit, a duplexer, a duplexer, and an antenna, Ant1. The second channel includes: a first digital front-end, a second digital front-end, a first analog front-end, a second analog front-end, a first multiplexer, a second multiplexer, a radio frequency circuit, a front-end circuit, a duplexer, Du2, and an antenna, Ant2. The third channel includes: a first digital front-end, a second digital front-end, a first analog front-end, a second analog front-end, a first multiplexer, a second multiplexer, a radio frequency circuit, a front-end circuit, F3, a duplexer, Du3, and an antenna, Ant3.

[0053] The system-on-chip (SoC) is also known as a system-on-chip (SoC). The controller on the SoC controls the setting process of the operating channels. The controller uses signals to set the operating channels and other control signals, which can be transmitted to the second interface circuit through the first interface circuit.

[0054] The aforementioned controller can be a digital signal processor (DSP). A radio frequency (RF) chip, also known as a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC), can also be integrated with a system-on-a-chip (SoC).

[0055] In the following embodiments, unless otherwise specified, "channel" refers to the transmit / receive channel.

[0056] A communication module, comprising one or more transmit / receive channels, can be used to receive or transmit signals. A network allocation vector (NAV) is an indicator maintained by each electronic device, such as a station, to indicate time periods on the wireless medium where transmission was not initiated by the electronic device. This indicator is unaffected by the busy status of the wireless medium as perceived by the electronic device's channel assessment function. In a wireless local area network (WLAN), using an NAV prevents electronic devices from using a channel to transmit data when the channel is occupied by other electronic devices, thereby reducing collisions between electronic devices.

[0057] The technical solutions in this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0058] The technical solutions of this application can be applied to various communication systems, such as WLAN systems, Bluetooth communication systems, 4th generation (4G) mobile communication systems (e.g., Long Term Evolution, LTE), 5th generation (5G) mobile communication systems (e.g., New Radio, NR), and future communication systems (e.g., 6th generation, 6G). It is understood that the technical solutions of this application can also be applied to other communication systems that can communicate on multiple frequency bands.

[0059] This application will present various aspects, embodiments, or features relating to systems that may include multiple devices, components, modules, etc. It should be understood and appreciated that individual systems may include additional devices, components, modules, etc., and / or may not include all the devices, components, modules, etc. discussed in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, combinations of these approaches are also possible.

[0060] The network architecture and business scenarios described in the embodiments of this application are for the purpose of more clearly illustrating the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and do not constitute a limitation on the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this application. With the evolution of network architecture and the emergence of new business scenarios, the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this application are also applicable to similar technical problems.

[0061] To facilitate understanding of the embodiments of this application, let's first take... Figure 3 The communication system illustrated herein is used as an example to illustrate a communication system applicable to embodiments of this application. For example, Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the architecture of a communication system to which the communication method provided in the embodiments of this application is applicable.

[0062] like Figure 3 As shown, the communication system includes multiple electronic devices, among which are a network device 310 and a terminal device 320. The network device 310 can be wirelessly connected to the terminal device 320.

[0063] The aforementioned network devices are devices located on the network side of the aforementioned communication system and possessing wireless transceiver capabilities, or chips or chip systems that can be installed in such devices. These network devices include, but are not limited to, access points (APs) in WLAN systems, such as home gateways, routers, and switches with WLAN functionality.

[0064] The aforementioned terminal device is a terminal that accesses the aforementioned communication system and has wireless transceiver capabilities, or a chip or chip system that can be installed in the terminal. This terminal device can also be referred to as an access terminal, user unit, user station, mobile station, far station, remote terminal, mobile devices, user terminal, terminal, wireless communication equipment, user agent, or user device. In the embodiments of this application, the terminal device can be a mobile phone, tablet computer, computer with wireless transceiver capabilities, virtual reality (VR) terminal device, augmented reality (AR) terminal device, wireless terminal in industrial control, wireless terminal in remote medical care, wireless terminal in smart grid, wireless terminal in transportation safety, wireless terminal in smart city, wireless terminal in smart home, etc. Vehicle-mounted terminals, RSUs with terminal functions, etc. The terminal equipment of this application can also be a vehicle-mounted module, vehicle-mounted component, vehicle-mounted chip, or vehicle-mounted unit built into a vehicle as one or more components or units. The vehicle can implement the communication method provided in this application through the built-in vehicle-mounted module, vehicle-mounted component, vehicle-mounted chip, or vehicle-mounted unit.

[0065] in, Figure 3 The network device or terminal device shown may include one or more communication modules. Each communication module may correspond to one or more channels. The operating channel of each channel may be configured as one of multiple channels, and each channel corresponds to an operating frequency band. The network device can communicate with the terminal device through their respective channels. For example, in one embodiment, the network device may include multiple communication modules, and the terminal device may include one communication module. The network device can communicate with multiple terminal devices through the channels corresponding to the multiple communication modules. Specifically, this example can be found in [reference needed]. Figure 4 As shown. In another example, the terminal device may include multiple communication modules, and the terminal device communicates with multiple network devices through channels corresponding to its multiple communication modules. For a specific example, please refer to... Figure 5 As shown. In another example, the network device may include multiple communication modules, the terminal device may include multiple communication modules, and the network device and the terminal device communicate through multiple channels. For a specific example, please refer to... Figure 6 As shown.

[0066] Figure 4 For the above Figure 3 The diagram shows the architecture of the communication system. Figure 1 .like Figure 4 As shown, Figure 4 The communication system shown includes network device 410, terminal device 420, and terminal device 430. Network device 410 includes a first communication module 411 and a second communication module 412. The first communication module 411 operates on a first channel in a first frequency band. The second communication module 412 operates on a second channel in a second frequency band. The terminal device 420 operates on the same channel as the first communication module 411, and the terminal device 430 operates on the same channel as the second communication module 412. A wireless link can be established between the first communication module 411 and terminal device 420; a wireless link can also be established between the second communication module 412 and terminal device 430.

[0067] Optionally, the network device 410 may further include a third communication module 413, wherein the third communication module 413 operates on a third channel in a third frequency band. In this case, Figure 4 The communication system shown may also include a terminal device 440, whose operating channel is the same as that of the third communication module 413. A wireless link can be established between the third communication module 413 and the terminal device 440.

[0068] For example, the above Figure 4In the network device 410 shown, the first communication module 411 can operate in the 2.4 GHz band, and the second communication module 412 can operate in the 6 GHz band. The terminal device 420 can operate in the 2.4 GHz band, and the terminal device 430 can operate in the 6 GHz band. The third communication module 413 can operate in the 5 GHz band, and the terminal device 440 can operate in the 5 GHz band.

[0069] The first communication module 411, the second communication module 412, the third communication module 413, and the terminal devices 420 to 440 all include one or more channels.

[0070] Figure 5 For the above Figure 3 The diagram shows the architecture of the communication system. Figure 2 .like Figure 5 As shown, Figure 5 The communication system shown includes network device 510, network device 520, and terminal device 540. Terminal device 540 includes a first communication module 541 and a second communication module 542. The first communication module 541 operates on a first channel in a first frequency band, and the second communication module 542 operates on a second channel in a second frequency band. The operating channel of network device 510 is the same as that of the first communication module 541, and the operating channel of network device 520 is the same as that of the second communication module 542. A wireless link can be established between the first communication module 541 and network device 510; a wireless link can also be established between the second communication module 542 and network device 520.

[0071] Optionally, the terminal device 540 may further include a third communication module 543, wherein the third communication module 543 operates on a third channel in a third frequency band. In this case, Figure 5 The communication system shown may also include a network device 530, whose working channel is the same as that of the third communication module 543, and a wireless link can be established between the third communication module 543 and the network device 530.

[0072] For example, the above Figure 5 The first communication module 541 of the terminal device 540 can operate in the 2.4 GHz band, and the second communication module 542 can operate in the 6 GHz band. The network device 510 can operate in the 2.4 GHz band, and the network device 520 can operate in the 6 GHz band. The third communication module 543 can operate in the 5 GHz band, and the network device 530 can operate in the 5 GHz band.

[0073] The first communication module 541, the second communication module 542, the third communication module 543, and network devices 510 to 530 all include one or more channels.

[0074] Figure 6 For the above Figure 3 The diagram shows the architecture of the communication system. Figure 4 .like Figure 6 As shown, Figure 6 The communication system shown includes a network device 610 and a terminal device 620. The network device 610 includes a first communication module 611 and a second communication module 612. The first communication module 611 operates on a first channel in a first frequency band, and the second communication module 612 operates on a second channel in a second frequency band. The terminal device 620 includes a first communication module 621 and a second communication module 622. The first communication module 621 operates on a first channel in a first frequency band, and the second communication module 622 operates on a second channel in a second frequency band.

[0075] A wireless link can be established between the first communication module 611 and the first communication module 621. A wireless link can be established between the second communication module 612 and the second communication module 622.

[0076] Optionally, network device 610 may further include a third communication module 613. The third communication module 613 operates via a third channel in a third frequency band. Terminal device 620 may further include a third communication module 623, which also operates via a third channel in a third frequency band. A wireless link can be established between the third communication module 613 and the third communication module 623.

[0077] For example, the above Figure 6 The first communication module 611 of the network device 610 can operate on a 2.4 GHz frequency band, and the second communication module 612 of the network device 610 can operate on a 6 GHz frequency band. The first communication module 621 of the terminal device 620 can operate on a 2.4 GHz frequency band, and the second communication module 622 of the terminal device 620 can operate on a 6 GHz frequency band. The third communication module 613 and the third communication module 623 can operate on a 5 GHz frequency band.

[0078] The first communication module 611, the second communication module 612, the third communication module 613, the first communication module 621, the second communication module 622 and the third communication module 623 mentioned above each include one or more channels.

[0079] Furthermore, the frequency bands in this application embodiment may also include a 5GHz high-frequency band and / or a 5GHz low-frequency band. That is, the working channel of the terminal device, the working channel of the network device, the working channel of the communication module on the terminal device, or the working channel of the communication module on the network device may also be in the 5GHz high-frequency band and / or in the 5GHz low-frequency band.

[0080] For ease of understanding, the following embodiments use the 2.4GHz, 5GHz, or 6GHz frequency bands as examples. When the frequency band is the 5GHz high-frequency band or the 5GHz low-frequency band, the process is similar to that when the frequency band is the 2.4GHz, 5GHz, or 6GHz band, and will not be described in detail in the embodiments of this application.

[0081] The communication method provided in this application embodiment can be applied to Figure 3 The electronic devices shown, such as network devices or terminal devices, can be specifically implemented using the method embodiments described below, and will not be repeated here. It should be noted that the solutions in the embodiments of this application can also be applied to other communication systems, and the corresponding names can be replaced with the names of the corresponding functions in other communication systems. It should be understood that... Figure 3 This is a simplified diagram for ease of understanding only. The communication system may also include other electronic devices, such as network devices, and / or other terminal devices. Figure 3 It was not drawn in the middle.

[0082] The following is a brief introduction to the communication method of the embodiments of this application. The communication method provided in the embodiments of this application can be applied to electronic devices having multiple communication modules, as described above. Figures 4 to 6 Any network device or terminal device having a first communication module and a second communication module. Figure 7 Flowchart of the communication method provided in the embodiments of this application Figure 1 .like Figure 7 As shown, the communication method includes: S701, when the working channel of the second communication module is unavailable or has poor channel quality, setting the working channel of the first channel of the second communication module as the working channel of the first communication module. S702, the first communication module and the second channel of the second communication module jointly communicate on the first channel. This increases the number of channels used for data transmission on the first channel, thereby improving the communication effect.

[0083] The following is combined with Figures 8 to 9 Taking different implementations of a communication system as examples, the communication method provided in the embodiments of this application will be specifically described.

[0084] For example, Figure 8Flowchart of the communication method provided in the embodiments of this application Figure 2 This communication method can be applied to Figure 4 or Figure 6 The network devices in the communication system shown, or Figure 5 or Figure 6 The terminal equipment in the communication system shown.

[0085] For ease of understanding, the following uses communication methods applied to Figure 4 Taking a network device as an example, the communication method provided in the embodiments of this application is described in detail.

[0086] Figure 8 The communication methods shown include:

[0087] S801, when the working channel of the second communication module is unavailable, the working channel of the first channel of the second communication module is set to the first channel.

[0088] For example, the operating channel of the second communication module can refer to the current operating channel of the second communication module, or the channel used by the second communication module to receive or send data. The first channel can be all channels of the second communication module, or the first channel can be a subset of all channels of the second communication module.

[0089] In this embodiment of the application, the unavailability of the working channel of the second communication module may be due to the second communication module failing to compete for the working channel, or it may be due to the second communication module not having a data transmission or data reception requirement.

[0090] In one possible design, the availability of the working channel for the second communication module can be determined based on one or more of the following: NAV, scheduling information, or channel contention information.

[0091] The network allocation vector (NAV) indicates the status of the working channel corresponding to the communication module, and the duration during which the working channel is busy, i.e., the waiting time of the communication module. For example, if the NAV of the second communication module is greater than 0, then the working channel of the second communication module is unavailable. For example, the NAV can be updated according to a request-to-send (RST) / clear-to-send (CTS) mechanism. For instance, the second communication module can receive an RTS frame, which carries the duration for which the working channel of the second communication module is occupied by another device. In this case, the second communication module can update its NAV based on the duration of channel occupation in the RST.

[0092] For example, after detecting a PPDU sent by another electronic device, the electronic device can parse the signal (SIG) field in the PPDU to obtain the duration of the channel occupied by the other electronic device, and then update the NAV on the electronic device.

[0093] The scheduling information is used to indicate whether the second communication module has data to send, or information related to the channel contention result, such as whether the second communication module has won the channel, or whether other electronic devices have won the channel. If the scheduling information indicates that the second communication module has not won the channel, then the working channel of the second communication module is unavailable. Alternatively, if the scheduling information indicates that other electronic devices have won the channel for the second communication module, then the working channel of the second communication module is unavailable. For example, the scheduling information can be determined according to a request-to-send (RST) / clear-to-send (CTS) mechanism. For instance, the second communication module may receive an RTS frame, which carries the duration for which the working channel of the second communication module has been occupied by other devices. In this case, the scheduling information may indicate that the second communication module has not won the channel, or that other electronic devices have won the channel.

[0094] For example, after detecting a PPDU sent by another electronic device, the electronic device can parse the signal (SIG) field in the PPDU to obtain the duration of the channel occupied by the other electronic device. In this case, the scheduling information can indicate that the second communication module has not competed for the channel, or that the other electronic device has competed for the channel.

[0095] For example, if the NAV corresponding to the second communication module is non-zero, the scheduling information can indicate that the second communication module has not competed for the channel, or that other electronic devices have competed for the channel.

[0096] The aforementioned scheduling information can also be referred to as channel contention information.

[0097] Channel contention information is used to indicate information related to the channel contention result, such as the identifier of the device that successfully acquired the channel. In addition to the identifier, channel contention information can also indicate the TXOP of the device that successfully acquired the channel. If the channel contention information indicates that the operating channel of the second communication module is occupied by other network devices or terminal devices, then the operating channel of the second communication module is unavailable.

[0098] In S801 above, the working channel of the first channel of the second communication module is set to the first channel, that is, the working channel of the first channel of the second communication module is kept consistent with the working channel of the first communication module.

[0099] In some possible design schemes, the working channel of the first channel of the second communication module can be set by combining the available occupancy time of the working channel of the first communication module, the waiting time of the second communication module, and the time for resetting the working channel (switching time Ts). For example, at time t1, the time the first communication module occupies the first channel is Ta, the waiting time of the second communication module is Tb, and the switching time threshold of the working channel of the first channel is Tc. If Ta > Tc and Tb ≥ Tc, then the working channel of the first channel of the second communication module can be set to the first channel. The switching time threshold Tc can be determined based on the switching time Ts. For example, after setting the working channel of the first channel of the first communication module to the first channel, the working channel of the first channel can be switched back to the second channel. In this case, the switching time threshold Tc can be set to more than twice the switching time Ts to avoid the working channel of the first channel of the second communication module affecting the communication of the second communication module.

[0100] S802, the first communication module and the first channel of the second communication module communicate jointly on the first channel.

[0101] For example, the joint communication can be multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communication, or it can be beamforming communication. That is, in S802, the first channels of the first communication module and the second communication module perform joint communication on the first channel, which can include: the channels of the first communication module and the first channels of the second communication module transmitting data on the first channel in a multiple-input multiple-output manner. Alternatively, the channels of the first communication module and the first channels of the second communication module can transmit data on the first channel in a beamforming manner.

[0102] Thus, in MIMO-based joint communication, the number of space-time streams used for data transmission on the first channel can be increased, improving the transmission rate and thus communication efficiency. Furthermore, receive diversity gain can be achieved, increasing the signal-to-noise ratio of the first channel and thus improving communication reliability. In beamforming-based joint communication, the energy concentration of the beam used for data transmission on the first channel can be increased, improving coverage performance and thus communication efficiency.

[0103] It should be understood that, in the embodiments of this application, when executing the above S801 or S802, the working channel of the first communication module, i.e. the first channel, is available, that is, the first communication module can transmit data on the first channel.

[0104] In a possible design solution, based on the above embodiments, the second communication module may further include a second channel, and the network device may further include a third communication module. The working channel of the third communication module is the third channel, and the third channel is in the third frequency band. In this case, Figure 8 The shown communication method may further include Step 1 and Step 2.

[0105] Step 1, when the working channel of the second communication module is unavailable, set the working channel of the first channel of the second communication module to the first channel, and set the working channel of the second channel of the second communication module to the third channel.

[0106] Among them, the second channel is one or more channels among the channels of the second communication module except the first channel. It can be understood that the channels of the second communication module may further include other channels other than the first channel and the second channel, such as the third channel or the fourth channel, etc., which will not be elaborated here.

[0107] For the specific implementation of Step 1, reference can be made to the specific implementation manner of Step S801, which will not be elaborated here.

[0108] To facilitate understanding of the embodiments of the present application, the principle of setting channels will be further described below in combination with the above network device including a first communication module, a second communication module, and a third communication module.

[0109] [[ID=!7]]Exemplarily, both the first communication module and the third communication module have competed for channels and are sending data. If the working channel of the second communication module in the network device is unavailable, the working channel of the first channel of the second communication module can be set to the working channel of the first communication module, that is, the first channel. Optionally, the working channel of the second channel of the second communication module can also be set to the working channel of the third communication module, that is, the third channel.

[0110] For example, if the number of channels of the second communication module is C, the available occupation duration of the working channel of the first communication module is Ta, the available occupation duration of the working channel of the third communication module is T d, the waiting duration of the second communication module is Tb, and the switching time threshold is Tc. If Tb - Ta > Tc and Tb - Td < Tc, the working channels of all channels of the second communication module can be set to the first channel. If Tb - Ta < Tc and Tb - Td > Tc, the working channels of all channels of the second communication module can be set to the third channel. If Tb - Ta > Tc and Tb - Td > Tc, the working channel of the first channel (C1) of the second communication module can be set to the first channel, and the working channel of the second channel (C2) can be set to the third channel. Among them, C1, C2, and C are all positive integers, and C1 + C2 ≤ C.

[0111] It is understandable that if Tb-Ta>Tc and Tb-Td>Tc, then the working channel of the second communication module can be left unchanged.

[0112] Step 2: The second channel of the third communication module and the second communication module perform joint communication on the third channel.

[0113] For example, some or all of the channels of the third communication module and the second channel of the second communication module communicate together on the third channel.

[0114] For the specific implementation of step 2, please refer to the specific implementation of S802 above, which will not be repeated here.

[0115] It should be understood that, in the embodiments of this application, when performing step 1 or step 2 above, the working channel of the third communication module, such as the third channel, is available, that is, the third communication module can transmit data on the third channel.

[0116] In this way, when the working channel of the second communication module is unavailable or the channel quality is lower than the channel quality threshold, the second channel of the second communication module can be reallocated to the first and third communication modules to increase the number of space-time streams in the first channel or improve the energy concentration on the first channel, and increase the number of space-time streams in the third channel or improve the beam energy concentration on the third channel, thereby taking into account the communication efficiency of multiple communication modules, such as the first and third communication modules.

[0117] It is understood that the communication method provided in this embodiment can also be applied to... Figure 5 The terminal equipment in the communication system shown, or Figure 6 The network devices in the communication system shown, or Figure 6 The terminal equipment in the communication system shown.

[0118] like Figure 8 The communication method shown is applied to Figure 5 The terminal devices in the middle, Figure 8 The implementation of the communication method shown is Figure 4 Network devices in Figure 8 The communication methods shown are based on similar principles and will not be elaborated upon here.

[0119] like Figure 8 The communication method shown is applied to Figure 6 The network devices in the middle, Figure 6 Terminal devices and Figure 6Multiple links are established between network devices, and the transmission and reception states of the multiple links are consistent. When a network device receives data, in S702 above, the first channels of the first communication module and the second communication module perform joint communication on the first channel, which may include: the first channels of the first communication module and the second communication module can receive data on the first channel in a multiple-input multiple-output manner, or the first channels of the first communication module and the second communication module can receive data on the first channel in a beamforming manner.

[0120] like Figure 8 The communication method shown is applied to Figure 6 Network equipment in the middle, Figure 6 Terminal devices and Figure 6 If multiple links are established between network devices, and the transmit and receive states of these links are consistent, then when a network device sends data, Figure 8 The implementation of the communication method shown is Figure 4 Network devices in Figure 8 The communication methods shown are based on similar principles and will not be elaborated upon here.

[0121] like Figure 8 The communication method shown is applied to Figure 6 When using terminal devices in the middle, Figure 8 The principle and implementation of the communication method shown Figure 4 Network devices in Figure 8 The communication methods shown are based on similar principles and will not be elaborated upon here.

[0122] In some scenarios, the first communication module, the second communication module, or the third communication module can be interchanged in this application embodiment.

[0123] based on Figure 8 The communication method shown allows the electronic device to set the working channel of the first channel of the second communication module to the first channel when the working channel of the second communication module is unavailable or the channel quality is below the channel quality threshold, based on the status of the working channel of the second communication module. This enables the first communication module and the first channel of the second communication module to communicate jointly on the first channel, thereby allowing more channels to work on the working channel of the first communication module and improving the communication effect.

[0124] In addition, such as Figure 6 In the communication system shown, if the network device establishes multiple links with the terminal device for communication, and the transmit and receive states of these multiple links are consistent, transmitting data from the same user (i.e., simultaneous transmit and receive scenario), then setting the working channel of one communication module of the electronic device to the working channel of another communication module will not change the user being served, and will not affect the data transmission of other users. Therefore, the above... Figure 6The communication system architecture shown above, in addition to adopting the above Figure 8 In addition to the communication method shown, when the channel quality is below the channel quality threshold, the working channel of the second communication module can be set as the working channel of the first communication module to perform joint communication, i.e., by using the following... Figure 9 The communication method shown.

[0125] The following combination Figure 6 Here's an example illustrating a simultaneous transmission and reception scenario. For instance, a link is established between the first communication module of the network device and the first communication module of the terminal device; a link is also established between the second communication module of the network device and the second communication module of the terminal device. The first communication module of the network device sends data to the first communication module of the terminal device, the second communication module of the network device also sends data to the second communication module of the terminal device, and the third communication module of the network device also sends data to the third communication module of the terminal device. Alternatively, the first communication module of the terminal device sends data to the first communication module of the network device, the second communication module of the terminal device also sends data to the second communication module of the network device, and the third communication module of the terminal device also sends data to the third communication module of the network device.

[0126] For example, Figure 9 Flowchart of the communication method provided in the embodiments of this application Figure 3 .

[0127] The following is Figure 6 Taking network devices as an example, this application provides a detailed description of its embodiments. Figure 9 The communication methods provided.

[0128] S901, when the channel quality of the working channel of the second communication module is lower than the channel quality threshold, the working channel of the first channel of the second communication module is set as the first channel.

[0129] The following examples illustrate the channel quality of the working channel of the second communication module.

[0130] For example, the channel quality of the working channel of the second communication module of the terminal device is related to the distance between the center point of the cell coverage area of ​​the terminal device and the network device. For instance, if the initial position of the terminal device is located in the cell coverage area of ​​the network device, and the terminal device moves away from the center of the cell coverage area of ​​the network device, the channel quality will gradually deteriorate. Specifically, at the initial position, the channel quality of the working channel is higher than the channel quality threshold. Subsequently, as the terminal device moves, the channel quality of the working channel decreases, gradually equals the channel quality threshold, and finally the channel quality of the working channel falls below the channel quality threshold.

[0131] Specifically, the higher the frequency band of the terminal device's operating channel, the faster the channel quality degrades as the terminal device moves away from the center of the network device's cell coverage area. Conversely, the lower the frequency band of the terminal device's operating channel, the slower the channel quality degrades as the terminal device moves away from the center of the network device's cell coverage area. For example, for channels in the 2.4GHz band, 5GHz band, or 6GHz band, as the terminal device moves away from the center of the cell, under the same transmission conditions (e.g., the same number of transmit antennas and transmit power P for each band), the order in which the channel quality degrades below the channel quality threshold is: channel quality in the 6GHz band, channel quality in the 5GHz band, and channel quality in the 2.4GHz band.

[0132] In some possible implementations, channel quality can be determined based on: the signal-to-interference plus noise ratio (SINR), and / or the bit error rate, such as the bit error rate of a media protocol data unit (MPDU). Channel quality is explained below in conjunction with different metrics.

[0133] Method 1: Determine the channel quality of the second communication module by combining SINR.

[0134] In case 1, if the SINR of the first channel is greater than or equal to the signal-to-noise ratio threshold, and the SINR of the second channel is less than or equal to the signal-to-noise ratio threshold, then the channel quality of the working channel of the second communication module is lower than the channel quality threshold.

[0135] Scenario 2: If the SINR of the first channel is less than the signal-to-noise ratio threshold, the SINR of the second channel is less than the signal-to-noise ratio threshold, and the SINR of the second channel is less than or equal to the SINR of the first channel, then the channel quality of the working channel of the second communication module is lower than the channel quality threshold.

[0136] Method 2: Determine the channel quality of the second communication module by combining the bit error rate.

[0137] Scenario 3: If the bit error rate on the first channel is less than or equal to the bit error rate threshold, and the bit error rate on the second channel is greater than or equal to the bit error rate threshold, then the channel quality of the working channel of the second communication module is lower than the channel quality threshold.

[0138] Case 4: If the bit error rate on the first channel is greater than the bit error rate threshold, and the bit error rate on the second channel is greater than or equal to the bit error rate of the MPDU on the first channel, then the channel quality of the working channel of the second communication module is lower than the channel quality threshold.

[0139] For example, the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) threshold value can be determined based on the actual situation. For instance, the SNR threshold could be 3dB or 10dB. The bit error rate (BER) threshold value range can be determined based on the actual scenario. For instance, the BER could be any value between 50% and 0%.

[0140] In the second method described above, it can be used when the modulation order is lower than the modulation order threshold, such as the second order. In other words, the bit error rate mentioned above is the proportion of bit errors when the modulation order is lower than the modulation order threshold.

[0141] In other possible implementations, channel quality can also be determined based on signal strength. The implementation of determining channel quality based on signal strength is similar to that of Method 1 or Method 2, and will not be described in detail here.

[0142] In S901, the principle of setting the working channel of the first channel of the second communication module as the first channel is the same as described above. Figure 8 In S801 of the communication method shown, the principle of setting the working channel of the first channel of the second communication module as the first channel is similar, and will not be repeated here.

[0143] S902, the first communication module and the first channel of the second communication module communicate jointly on the first channel.

[0144] For example, the channel of the first communication module and the first channel of the second communication module communicate together on the first channel.

[0145] For details on the implementation of step S902, please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 5 The implementation method of S802 in network devices will not be elaborated here.

[0146] It should be understood that, in the embodiments of this application, when executing S901 or S902 above, the working channel of the first communication module, such as the first channel, is available, that is, the first communication module can transmit data on the first channel.

[0147] In some possible design schemes, the network device may also include a third communication module, which operates on a third channel in a third frequency band. In this case, Figure 9 The provided communication method may also include steps 3 and 4.

[0148] Step 3: When the working channel of the second communication module is unavailable or the channel quality is lower than the channel quality threshold, the working channel of the second channel of the second communication module is set to the third channel.

[0149] The second channel is one or more channels in the second communication module other than those in the first communication module.

[0150] The implementation of step 3 can be referenced from the implementation method of S901. In this case, in the above-mentioned case one, the third communication module also needs to satisfy: the SINR of the third channel is greater than or equal to the signal-to-noise ratio threshold.

[0151] In scenario two above, the third communication module also needs to satisfy the following: the SINR of the third channel is less than the signal-to-noise ratio threshold, and the SINR of the second channel is less than or equal to the SINR of the third channel.

[0152] In the above scenario three, the third communication module also satisfies the following condition: the bit error rate of the third channel is less than or equal to the bit error rate threshold.

[0153] In scenario four above, the third communication module also satisfies the following: the bit error rate of the third channel is greater than the bit error rate threshold, and the bit error rate of the second channel is greater than or equal to the bit error rate of the third channel.

[0154] In some scenarios, the first communication module, the second communication module, or the third communication module can be interchanged in this application embodiment.

[0155] To facilitate understanding of the scheme in this embodiment, the following example, using bit error rate as an example, explains the principle of setting up a channel when the network device includes a third communication module.

[0156] The bit error rate is explained below using MPDU as an example. Figure 6In the communication system shown, the network device sends Physical Protocol Data Units (PPDUs) to the terminal device. A PPDU can carry one or more MPDUs, and each MPDU can carry data. Upon receiving a PPDU from the network device, the terminal device sends a feedback message, such as an acknowledgment (ACK) or block acknowledgment (BA). If the network device cannot receive the feedback message from the terminal device, all MPDUs in that PPDU are considered to have been received incorrectly. Alternatively, if the feedback message received by the network device contains a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) error, the MPDU corresponding to that CRC error in that PPDU is considered to have been received incorrectly. Thus, the bit error rate (BER) = the number of incorrectly received MPDUs out of M PPDUs / the total number of MPDUs in M ​​PPDUs, where M is the number of PPDUs. For example, M can be 10. In this embodiment, M can also be other values, and the value of M can be determined according to the specific scenario.

[0157] If the channel quality threshold is Y, the bit error rate (BER) of the first communication module is R1, the BER of the second communication module is R2, and the BER of the third communication module is R3. If R1 is less than or equal to Y, R3 is less than or equal to Y, and R2 is greater than Y, then the working channel of the first channel of the second communication module is set to the first channel, or the working channel of the second channel of the second communication module is set to the third channel. Alternatively, the first channel of the second communication module can be set to the first channel, and the second channel can be set to the third channel.

[0158] If R1, R2, and R3 are all greater than Y, and R2 is the smallest among R1 to R3, then the working channel of the first channel of the second communication module is set as the working channel of the first communication module. Alternatively, the working channel of the second channel of the second communication module can be set as the working channel of the third communication module. Or, the working channel of the first channel of the second communication module can be set as the first channel, and the working channel of the second channel can be set as the third channel.

[0159] It is understandable that after resetting the working channels of the first and second channels, the channels can be reset again according to method one or method two. For example, if the working channel of the first channel is set to the first channel and the working channel of the second channel is set to the third channel, and the bit error rate on the first channel is less than or equal to the bit error rate threshold, while the bit error rate on the third channel is still higher than the bit error rate threshold, then the working channel of the channel whose working channel is the third channel (such as the channel of the second channel and the channel of the third communication module) can be set back to the first channel.

[0160] If R2 and R3 are both greater than Y, and R1 is less than Y, then the working channel of the second communication module can be set as the first channel, and the working channel of the third communication module can be set as the first channel.

[0161] Step 4: The second channel of the third communication module and the second communication module communicate together on the third channel.

[0162] The implementation method for step 4 can be referred to the implementation method for step 2 above, and will not be repeated here.

[0163] It should be understood that, in the embodiments of this application, when performing step 3 or step 4 above, the working channel of the third communication module, i.e. the third channel, is available, meaning that the third communication module can transmit data on the third channel.

[0164] In this way, when the working channel of the second communication module is unavailable or the channel quality is lower than the channel quality threshold, the second channel of the second communication module can be reallocated to the first and third communication modules to increase the space-time flow of the first channel or improve the energy concentration on the first channel, and increase the space-time flow of the third channel or improve the beam power on the third channel, thereby taking into account the communication efficiency of multiple communication modules, such as the first and third communication modules.

[0165] Understandable Figure 9 The method shown can also be applied to terminal devices. Regarding terminal device implementation... Figure 9 The communication method shown can be referenced in network device implementation. Figure 9 The specific implementation of the communication method shown will not be elaborated here. Figure 9 The technical effects of the communication method shown can be referenced. Figure 8 The technical effects of the communication method shown will not be elaborated here.

[0166] The above Figure 9 The communication method shown can also be applied to Bluetooth communication systems, 4G mobile communication systems, 5G mobile communication systems, and future communication systems. Figure 9 The communication method shown is applied to Bluetooth communication systems, 4G mobile communication systems, 5G mobile communication systems, and the specific implementation of future communication systems can be found in the above description. Figure 9 The specific implementation method will not be elaborated here.

[0167] The above combination Figures 7-9 The communication method provided in the embodiments of this application is described in detail below. Figure 10 This application provides a detailed description of a communication apparatus for performing the communication method provided in the embodiments of this application. This communication apparatus may be as described above. Figures 7 to 9 Electronic devices, such as terminal devices or network devices, in any of the method embodiments.

[0168] It is understood that, in order to achieve the aforementioned functions, the communication device includes hardware structures and / or software modules corresponding to the execution of each function. Those skilled in the art should readily recognize that, based on the units and algorithm steps of the examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein, this application can be implemented in hardware or a combination of hardware and computer software. Whether a function is executed in hardware or by computer software driving hardware depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0169] This application embodiment can divide the communication device into functional modules according to the above method embodiment. For example, each function can be divided into a separate functional module, or two or more functions can be integrated into one processing module. The integrated module can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional module. The module division in this application embodiment is illustrative and only represents one logical functional division. In actual implementation, there may be other division methods.

[0170] For example, Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the communication device provided in the embodiments of this application. Figure 1 .like Figure 10 As shown, the communication device 1000 includes: a control circuit 1001, a first communication module 1002, and a second communication module 1003. The first communication module 1002 operates on a first channel in a first frequency band, and the second communication module 1003 operates on a second channel in a second frequency band. For ease of explanation, Figure 10 Only the main components of the communication device are shown.

[0171] In some embodiments, the communication device 1000 may be adapted to Figure 3 In the communication system shown, the execution Figures 7 to 9 The function of the electronic device in the communication method shown in any of the embodiments.

[0172] The control circuit 1001 is used to set the working channel of the first channel of the second communication module 1003 as the first channel when the working channel of the second communication module 1003 is unavailable or the channel quality is lower than the channel quality threshold.

[0173] The control circuit 1001 is used to perform joint communication on the first channel through the first channel of the first communication module 1002 and the second communication module 1003.

[0174] The first communication module 1002 can also be called the first transceiver module, and the second communication module 1003 can also be called the second transceiver module.

[0175] The first and second communication modules can also be referred to as transceivers.

[0176] It should be understood that the control circuit 1001 involved in the communication device 1000 can be implemented by a processor or processor-related circuit components, and can be a processor or processing unit, or a digital signal processor (DSP); the first communication module 1002 can be implemented by a transceiver or transceiver-related circuit components, and can be a transceiver or transceiver unit. The second communication module 1003 can be implemented by a transceiver or transceiver-related circuit components, and can be a transceiver or transceiver unit.

[0177] Furthermore, the technical effects of the communication device 1000 can be referenced in section [number missing]. Figures 7-9 The technical effects of any of the communication methods shown in the examples are not elaborated here.

[0178] The above embodiments can be implemented, in whole or in part, by software, hardware (such as circuits), firmware, or any other combination thereof. When implemented using software, the above embodiments can be implemented, in whole or in part, as a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer instructions or computer programs. When the computer instructions or computer programs are loaded or 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., infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.) means. The computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium that a computer can access or a data storage device such as a server or data center that includes one or more sets of 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. A semiconductor medium can be a solid-state drive.

[0179] It should be understood that the term "and / or" in this article is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, or B existing alone. A and B can be singular or plural. Additionally, the character " / " in this article generally indicates an "or" relationship between the preceding and following related objects, but it can also represent an "and / or" relationship. Please refer to the context for a more accurate understanding.

[0180] In this application, "at least one" means one or more, and "more than one" means two or more. "At least one of the following" or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of a single item or a plurality of 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 a single item or multiple items.

[0181] 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.

[0182] 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.

[0183] 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.

[0184] 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.

[0185] 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.

[0186] 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.

[0187] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that, The invention is applied to an electronic device, which includes a first communication module and a second communication module. The first communication module operates on a first channel in a first frequency band, and the second communication module operates on a second channel in a second frequency band. When the working channel of the second communication module is unavailable or the channel quality is lower than the channel quality threshold, the working channel of the first channel of the second communication module is set to the first channel; The first communication module and the second communication module communicate jointly on the first channel. The joint communication is either a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communication or a beamforming communication.

2. The communication method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The electronic device further includes a third communication module, the third communication module operates via a third channel, and the third channel is in a third frequency band; The communication method further includes: When the working channel of the second communication module is unavailable or the channel quality is lower than the channel quality threshold, the working channel of the second channel of the second communication module is set to the third channel; The third communication module and the second channel of the second communication module communicate together on the third channel.

3. An electronic device, characterized in that, The electronic device includes a control circuit, a first communication module, and a second communication module. The first communication module operates on a first channel in a first frequency band, and the second communication module operates on a second channel in a second frequency band. The control circuit is used to set the working channel of the first channel of the second communication module to the first channel when the working channel of the second communication module is unavailable or the channel quality is lower than the channel quality threshold. The control circuit is further configured to perform joint communication on the first channel through the first channel of the first communication module and the second communication module, wherein the joint communication is a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communication or a beamforming communication.

4. The electronic device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The electronic device further includes a third communication module, the third communication module operates via a third channel, and the third channel is in a third frequency band; The control circuit is further configured to set the working channel of the second channel of the second communication module to the third channel when the working channel of the second communication module is unavailable or the channel quality is lower than the channel quality threshold. The transceiver module is also used to perform joint communication on the third channel through the second channel of the third communication module and the second communication module.

5. A communication device, characterized in that, include: Processor, the processor being coupled to memory; The processor is configured to execute a computer program stored in the memory, so that the communication device performs the communication method as described in claim 1 or 2.

6. A communication device, characterized in that, The communication device includes a processor and a transceiver. The transceiver is used for information exchange between the communication device and other communication devices. The processor executes program instructions to perform the communication method as described in claim 1 or 2.

7. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium includes a computer program or instructions that, when executed on an electronic device, cause the electronic device to perform the communication method as described in claim 1 or 2.

8. A computer program product, characterized in that, The computer program product includes: a computer program or instructions that, when executed on an electronic device, cause the electronic device to perform the communication method as described in claim 1 or 2.

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