Reference signal configuration method, network device and terminal device

Abstract

The application discloses a reference signal configuration method, network equipment, terminal equipment, a chip, a computer readable storage medium, a computer program product and a computer program, and the method comprises the following steps: the network equipment sends the configuration information of one or more reference signals through system information and / or a paging message.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to a reference signal configuration method, network device, terminal device, chip, computer-readable storage medium, computer program product, and computer program. Background Technology

[0002] In related technologies, for New Radio (NR) terminals in the Radio Resource Control (RRC) idle or inactive state, synchronization can only be achieved using a synchronization information block (SSB, SS / PBCH block) before receiving broadcast or paging messages. However, since the SS / PBCH period is relatively long, at least 5ms, with typical values ​​of 10ms or 20ms, the terminal needs to receive the SS / PBCH tens or even hundreds of milliseconds in advance for synchronization before receiving system information or paging messages. Therefore, this approach is detrimental to the energy efficiency of terminal devices. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To address the aforementioned technical problems, embodiments of the present invention provide a reference signal configuration method, a network device, a terminal device, a chip, a computer-readable storage medium, a computer program product, and a computer program.

[0004] Firstly, a reference signal configuration method is provided, including:

[0005] Network devices send configuration information for one or more reference signals through system information and / or paging messages.

[0006] Secondly, a reference signal configuration method is provided, including:

[0007] The terminal device receives configuration information for one or more reference signals through system information and / or paging messages.

[0008] Thirdly, a network device is provided, comprising:

[0009] The first communication unit transmits configuration information for one or more reference signals through system information and / or paging messages.

[0010] Fourthly, a terminal device is provided, comprising:

[0011] The second communication unit receives configuration information for one or more reference signals through system information and / or paging messages.

[0012] Fifthly, a network device is provided, comprising: a processor and a memory for storing a computer program capable of running on the processor.

[0013] The memory is used to store computer programs, and the processor is used to call and run the computer programs stored in the memory to perform the steps of the method described above.

[0014] In a sixth aspect, a terminal device is provided, comprising: a processor and a memory for storing a computer program capable of running on the processor.

[0015] The memory is used to store computer programs, and the processor is used to call and run the computer programs stored in the memory to perform the steps of the method described above.

[0016] In a seventh aspect, a chip is provided, comprising: a processor for retrieving and running a computer program from a memory, causing a device having the chip mounted to perform the methods described above.

[0017] Eighthly, a computer-readable storage medium is provided for storing a computer program that causes a computer to perform the steps of the methods described above.

[0018] Ninthly, a computer program product is provided, including computer program instructions that cause a computer to perform the methods described above.

[0019] In a tenth aspect, a computer program is provided that causes a computer to perform the steps of the aforementioned method.

[0020] By adopting the above scheme, the network device can configure reference signal configuration information for the terminal device, and this configuration information is sent through paging messages and / or system information. In this way, by utilizing the reference signal originally only sent to connected terminals, the terminal can add a signal for time-frequency synchronization, thereby accelerating the time-frequency synchronization speed of the terminal device and thus contributing to energy saving. Furthermore, since this embodiment can combine paging messages and system information to send configuration information, it not only contributes to energy saving of the terminal device but also has the advantages of low indication overhead and flexible and convenient indication transmission methods. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1-1 This is a schematic diagram of a communication system architecture provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 1-2 This is a schematic diagram of synchronization based on SSB.

[0023] Figure 2 A schematic flowchart of a reference signal configuration method provided in an embodiment of the present invention is shown below;

[0024] Figure 3 A schematic flowchart of a reference signal configuration method provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 ;

[0025] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a processing scenario based on SSB and CSI-RS for synchronization, provided as an embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the network device composition structure provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the terminal device composition structure provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the composition structure of a communication device provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 8 This is a schematic block diagram of a chip provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0030] Figure 9 This is an illustrative example of a communication system architecture provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 2 . Detailed Implementation

[0031] To gain a more detailed understanding of the features and technical content of the embodiments of the present invention, the implementation of the embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings are for reference and illustration only and are not intended to limit the embodiments of the present invention.

[0032] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of them. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0033] The technical solutions of this application embodiment can be applied to various communication systems, such as: Global System of Mobile communication (GSM) system, Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) system, Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) system, General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Long Term Evolution (LTE) system, LTE Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) system, LTE Time Division Duplex (TDD) system, Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS), Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) communication system, or 5G system, etc.

[0034] For example, the communication system 100 used in the embodiments of this application can be as follows: Figure 1-1 As shown. The communication system 100 may include a network device 110, which may be a device that communicates with a UE 120 (or a communication terminal device, terminal device). The network device 110 can provide communication coverage for a specific geographical area and can communicate with UEs located within that coverage area. Optionally, the network device 110 may be a network device (Base Transceiver Station, BTS) in a GSM or CDMA system, a network device (NodeB, NB) in a WCDMA system, an evolved network device (Evolutionary Node B, eNB or eNodeB) in an LTE system, or a radio controller in a Cloud Radio Access Network (CRAN). Alternatively, the network device may be a mobile switching center, relay station, access point, vehicle-mounted equipment, wearable device, hub, switch, bridge, router, network-side equipment in a 5G network, or a network device in a future evolved Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN), etc.

[0035] The communication system 100 also includes at least one UE 120 located within the coverage area of ​​network device 110. As used herein, "UE" includes, but is not limited to, a device configured to receive / transmit communication signals via a wired connection, such as via a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), digital cable, direct cable connection; and / or another data connection / network; and / or via a wireless interface, such as for a cellular network, Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), digital television network such as DVB-H, satellite network, AM-FM broadcast transmitter; and / or another UE's device configured to receive / transmit communication signals; and / or an Internet of Things (IoT) device. A UE configured to communicate via a wireless interface may be referred to as a "wireless communication terminal device," "wireless terminal device," or "mobile terminal device."

[0036] Optionally, UE120 can perform device-to-device (D2D) communication with each other.

[0037] Compared to LTE, the key features of 5G NR technology are support for larger transmission bandwidth, higher transmission rates, shorter transmission latency, and more flexible deployment, which promises to better support various mobile internet services and deliver a better user experience. However, achieving these technological advantages also presents significant challenges to the development and implementation of 5G products. Specifically, 5G terminals support transmission bandwidths of hundreds of MHz, peak rates of tens of Gbps, and millisecond-level latency, requiring strong hardware and software capabilities, such as high-bandwidth RF devices like power amplifiers (PAs) and filters, and high-speed baseband processors. This poses a significant challenge to terminal power consumption. Currently, mature LTE terminals have a standby and usage time of about one day, meeting the needs of most users. If the standby power consumption of 5G terminals increases significantly compared to LTE, resulting in a substantial reduction in standby time, it will be difficult to meet basic user needs. Furthermore, the increased power consumption also brings other potential problems, such as overheating due to high power consumption, requiring high-end cooling devices. This increases the cost of the terminal and also encroaches on the limited internal design space. All of the above factors are detrimental to the industrialization of 5G.

[0038] On the other hand, mobile communication terminals are developing towards lower power consumption in other components such as touch screens, fingerprint recognition modules, and imaging modules. Therefore, as the power consumption of these modules decreases, the power consumption of the communication module will account for a relatively higher proportion of the total power consumption of the terminal.

[0039] Therefore, 3GPP conducted research and standardization work on energy saving for NR terminals. During 3GPP Release 16, 3GPP designed energy-saving mechanisms such as wake-up mechanisms, cross-timeslot scheduling, and scell sleep operations for terminal energy saving. Since these technologies were optimized for energy saving when the terminal was operating in the RRC connected state, in 3GPP Release 17, companies recommended energy-saving technologies for terminals in the RRCidle and RRC inactive states.

[0040] It should be understood that the terms "system" and "network" are often used interchangeably in this document. The term "and / or" in this document merely describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A alone, A and B simultaneously, or B alone. Furthermore, the character " / " in this document generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0041] To gain a more detailed understanding of the features and technical content of the embodiments of the present invention, the implementation of the embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings are for reference and illustration only and are not intended to limit the embodiments of the present invention.

[0042] In NR systems, during RRC idle and RRC inactive states, there are no continuously transmitted reference signals similar to CRS in LTE. Before receiving system information, paging messages, and other signals, the terminal needs to rely on the periodically transmitted PSS / SSS (and PBCH DMRS) in the SS / PBCH to obtain coarse and fine time-frequency synchronization. This results in the terminal typically needing to receive several SS / PBCH blocks to meet the requirements for fine time-frequency synchronization. For example, see... Figure 1-2 Because the SS / PBCH period is relatively long, at least 5ms, with a typical value of 10ms or 20ms, the terminal needs to receive the SS / PBCH tens or even hundreds of milliseconds in advance to perform synchronization operations before receiving system information or paging messages. Therefore, the terminal needs to wake up tens or even hundreds of milliseconds in advance to perform synchronization operations before receiving broadcast or paging messages, which is obviously not conducive to the terminal's energy saving.

[0043] Based on this, embodiments of the present invention provide a reference signal configuration method, such as... Figure 2 As shown, it includes:

[0044] Step 21: The network device sends configuration information for one or more reference signals through system information and / or paging messages.

[0045] This invention also provides a reference signal configuration method, such as... Figure 3 As shown, it includes:

[0046] Step 31: The terminal device receives configuration information for one or more reference signals through system information and / or paging messages.

[0047] In this embodiment of the invention, the reference signal is: Channel-state information (CSI) - Reference signal (RS).

[0048] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the one or more reference signals are used for time-frequency synchronization. Specifically, they are used for time-frequency synchronization of the terminal device.

[0049] It should also be noted that, in this embodiment, the terminal device can be a terminal device in an RRC idle state or an RRC inactive state.

[0050] In other words, in related technologies, network devices can send CSI-RS to terminals in the RRC connected state, and can send different CSI-RS signals to different terminals. If these CSI-RS signals could also be used for terminal devices in the RRC idle or RRC inactive state, the available reference signals for NR UEs in these states could be increased, potentially reducing the time required for terminal time-frequency synchronization and thus achieving energy savings. Therefore, this embodiment mainly provides a corresponding processing scheme for increasing the signals used by terminal devices to achieve time-frequency synchronization.

[0051] To analyze further, such as Figure 4 As shown, if the terminal can use additional reference signals, such as CSI-RS, in addition to SSB for time and frequency synchronization, it can use sufficient reference signals CSI-RS and SSB to achieve synchronization in a short time, thus enabling the terminal to save energy.

[0052] In summary, the solutions provided in this embodiment may include several examples, such as configuration information for sending reference signals through system information, configuration information for sending reference signals through paging messages, and configuration information for jointly indicating the corresponding reference signals through system information and paging messages. These will be described in detail below.

[0053] Example 1: Configuration information for sending reference signals using system information.

[0054] That is, the configuration information of the one or more reference signals is carried by the System Information Block (SIB) in the system information.

[0055] The scheme in this example can be understood as follows: the network device carries configuration information of one or more reference signals through the SIB in the system information and sends it to the terminal device;

[0056] Accordingly, the terminal device receives system information and obtains the configuration information of one or more reference signals carried by it from the SIB of the system information;

[0057] The terminal device determines one or more reference signals based on the configuration information of the one or more reference signals;

[0058] The terminal device performs time-frequency synchronization based on the synchronization signal block SSB and / or one or more reference signals.

[0059] In the scheme provided in this example, the method by which the network device determines the configuration information of the one or more reference signals may include:

[0060] The network device uses the configuration information of all reference signals (i.e., CSI-RS) corresponding to all terminal devices currently in the connected state as the configuration information of one or more reference signals. In other words, if there are 10 terminal devices currently connected to the network device in the connected state, the configuration information of the CSI-RS corresponding to these 10 terminal devices will be sent to the terminal devices in the idle or inactive state through system information.

[0061] Or perhaps,

[0062] The network device selects a portion of the configuration information of reference signals (i.e., CSI-RS) from all the reference signals corresponding to all terminal devices currently in the connected state as the configuration information of the one or more reference signals. In other words, the network device can select a portion of the CSI-RS configuration information corresponding to all terminal devices currently in the connected state and send it via system information to terminal devices in the idle or inactive state. Here, the method for selecting a portion of the CSI-RS configuration information can be: random selection or selection according to certain rules. The certain rules can be understood as relatively fixed. For example, if there are 10 CSI-RS configuration information entries, and 7 of them appear only once and for a short time, then these 7 CSI-RS configuration information entries can be excluded, and the remaining 3 CSI-RS configuration information entries can be sent to terminal devices in the idle or inactive state.

[0063] In other words, in this example, the network device can notify the UE of the configuration information of the reference signal in the system information. Since the system configures and sends CSI-RS for multiple terminals that may be in the connected state at the same time, the network device can send the configuration information of multiple CSI-RS signals corresponding to multiple connected state terminals to the UE in the system information. Alternatively, the system can send the configuration information of one or more CSI-RS signals corresponding to one or some connected state terminals to the UE in the system information.

[0064] In this way, terminals in the RRC idle or RRC inactive state can use the CSI-RS to achieve synchronization.

[0065] Furthermore, in this example, the SIB in the system information can be an existing system information such as SIB1, SIB2, etc. Alternatively, it can be a single SIB message, where a single SIB can be a new SIB dedicated to transmitting configuration information for reference signals.

[0066] Furthermore, since the number of terminals in the connected state may change at different times, the corresponding transmitted CSI-RS reference signals may also change. Therefore, the CSI-RS configuration information sent to terminals in the RRC idle or RRC inactive state may also change at different times. Thus, the solution provided in this example can also include:

[0067] When the configuration information of one or more reference signals changes, the network device sends updated system information to the terminal device; wherein the updated system information includes the changed configuration information of one or more reference signals.

[0068] Accordingly, the terminal device receives updated system information sent by the network device; wherein the updated system information includes configuration information of one or more reference signals after changes.

[0069] Furthermore, the terminal device can redetermine one or more reference signals based on the configuration information of one or more reference signals that have changed in the updated system information; then, it performs time-frequency synchronization processing based on the one or more reference signals and / or SSB.

[0070] In this example, the terminal device can use only SSB for time-frequency synchronization, which will not be elaborated further; or it can use only CSI-RS for time-frequency synchronization; or it can use both SSB and CSI-RS for time-frequency synchronization, which can increase the number of signals used for time-frequency synchronization, thereby speeding up the time-frequency synchronization process and reducing the power consumption of the terminal device.

[0071] In other words, since the CSI-RS configuration information is carried in the system information, the system information will change as the aforementioned configuration information changes. This can be achieved through the system information update mechanism. Details regarding the system information update mechanism will not be elaborated upon here.

[0072] Example 2: Configuration information for sending reference signals using paging messages.

[0073] The configuration information of the one or more reference signals is carried by the first channel that carries the paging message.

[0074] The first channel is either a Physical Downlink Share Channel (PDSCH) or a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH).

[0075] The scheme in this example can be understood as follows: the network device carries configuration information of one or more reference signals through a first channel carrying paging messages and sends it to the terminal device;

[0076] Accordingly, the terminal device receives configuration information of one or more reference signals carried in the first channel carrying the paging message;

[0077] The terminal device determines one or more reference signals based on the configuration information of the one or more reference signals;

[0078] The terminal device performs time-frequency synchronization based on the synchronization signal block SSB and / or one or more reference signals.

[0079] In this example, the first channel carrying the paging message can be either PDSCH or PDCCH.

[0080] Specifically, network devices can initiate paging to terminal devices in idle, inactive, or connected states. The paging message can be carried on the PDSCH. The terminal device first needs to receive the PDCCH, then receive the PDSCH based on the demodulated PDSCH information obtained from the PDCCH, thereby receiving the paging message and the configuration information of the reference signal from the PDSCH.

[0081] Alternatively, the PDCCH can carry both the configuration information of the reference signal and the scheduling information of the paging message. In this way, the terminal device only needs to receive the PDCCH to receive the paging message and the configuration information of the reference signal, thereby saving the power consumption of the terminal device.

[0082] In other words, network devices can use paging messages to send configuration information for reference signals. A network device can page up to 16 terminal devices. The configuration information for one or more CSI-RS reference signals can be carried in the PDSCH that carries the paging message.

[0083] Furthermore, the method further includes: the network device sending second indication information to the terminal device; wherein the second indication information is used to indicate the status information corresponding to the configuration information of the one or more reference signals.

[0084] Accordingly, the terminal device receives the second instruction information sent by the network device.

[0085] The status information includes:

[0086] Whether the first channel carries configuration information for the one or more reference signals;

[0087] And / or,

[0088] Whether the configuration information of one or more reference signals carried in the first channel has changed.

[0089] The second indication information is carried by the downlink control information (DCI) carried by the PDCCH of the first channel used for scheduling paging messages.

[0090] That is, in the PDCCH DCI of the PDSCH for scheduling paging messages, some states of the configuration information of the CSI-RS reference signal can be indicated, such as whether the configuration information of the CSI-RS reference signal is carried in the PDSCH; and / or whether the configuration information of the CSI-RS reference signal carried in the PDSCH has changed.

[0091] Whether the configuration information of the one or more reference signals has changed can be understood as whether, relative to the configuration information carried in the previous paging message, at least part of the configuration information of the one or more reference signals has changed.

[0092] Furthermore, the concept of "change" can be understood as: compared to the previous paging message, new configuration information for the reference signal has appeared, and / or, compared to the previous paging message, the configuration information of an existing reference signal has changed. Of course, there can be many other concepts of "change," which will not be exhaustively listed here.

[0093] For example, if paging message 1 carries configuration information for reference signal 1, reference signal 2, and reference signal 3, then before sending paging message 2, if it is determined that paging message 2 carries configuration information for one or more reference signals, a second indication message can be sent via PDCCH DCI to indicate this.

[0094] And / or, before sending paging message 2, if it is determined that the configuration information of reference signal 1 has changed, or if it is determined that new configuration information of reference signal 4 has appeared, then the content of paging message 1 has also changed; then a second indication message can be sent through PDCCH DCI to indicate that the configuration information has changed.

[0095] Compared to Example 1, a significant advantage of this example using paging messages to send the reference signal configuration is that the terminal device in the RRC idle or RRC inactive state needs to listen for paging messages at the paging time. Therefore, the method of obtaining the configuration of the reference signal while listening for paging messages ensures that obtaining the configuration information will not increase the terminal device's power consumption.

[0096] Example 3: Configuration information for sending reference signals using system information and paging messages.

[0097] The network device sends configuration information for one or more reference signals to the terminal device through system information and / or paging messages, including:

[0098] The network device sends configuration information of the candidate reference signal to the terminal device through system information;

[0099] The network device sends a first instruction message to the terminal device via a paging message;

[0100] The first indication information is used to indicate the available or unavailable reference signals among the candidate reference signals, wherein the available reference signals are one or more reference signals sent by the network device to the terminal device.

[0101] Accordingly, the terminal device receives configuration information of the candidate reference signal sent by the network device through system information;

[0102] The terminal device receives first indication information sent by the network device via a paging message; wherein the first indication information is used to indicate whether the candidate reference signals are available or unavailable.

[0103] Further, the terminal device determines one or more reference signals based on the configuration information of the available reference signals. The terminal device determines one or more reference signals based on the configuration information of the one or more reference signals; the terminal device performs time-frequency synchronization based on the synchronization signal block (SSB) and / or the one or more reference signals.

[0104] Network devices send configuration information for one or more CSI-RS in the system information. This configuration information for CSI-RS can be understood as the configuration information for candidate reference signals.

[0105] The one or more CSI-RS (i.e., candidate reference signals) can be CSI-RS sent to terminals currently in the RRC connected state in the system, or they can be CSI-RS pre-selected by the network. These CSI-RS can potentially be sent to terminals in the RRC connected state in the future. That is, when a terminal accesses the system and is in the RRC connected state, the network can select one of these pre-selected CSI-RS to send to that terminal.

[0106] The configuration information of the aforementioned candidate reference signals can be a set, which contains the configuration information of one or more candidate reference signals.

[0107] In addition, the description of system information in this example is the same as in Example 1, so it will not be repeated here.

[0108] The aforementioned first instruction information may include at least one of the following:

[0109] Available reference signals among candidate reference signals;

[0110] Unavailable reference signals among candidate reference signals;

[0111] Duration of use of the available reference signal.

[0112] Specifically, if the first indication information only includes available reference signals, then the remaining candidate reference signals can be assumed to be unavailable reference signals; if the first indication information only includes unavailable reference signals, then the remaining candidate reference signals can be assumed to be available reference signals. If the first indication information only includes usage duration, then all candidate reference signals can be considered available reference signals.

[0113] Furthermore, if the first indication information only includes available reference signals, then the usage duration of the available reference signals can be preset, or the network device can indicate it through other information; or the usage duration of the reference signals can be from the time the first indication information is received until the next paging message carrying configuration information of the reference signals is received.

[0114] In other words, network devices can send the status information of CSI-RS configured in the system information configuration to the terminal in the paging message. This includes specifying which CSI-RS are currently available (i.e., the network is transmitting) and which are unavailable (the network is not transmitting). Alternatively, it can specify the transmission duration of the available CSI-RS for a future period.

[0115] Specifically, the first indication information includes: a bitmap consisting of at least one bit;

[0116] In the bitmap, different bits are used to indicate whether different candidate reference signals are usable or unusable reference signals.

[0117] This can be understood as the first indication information containing a bitmap, in which which bit corresponds to which candidate reference signal, which can be determined according to preset rules.

[0118] The preset rule can be: if the candidate reference signal can be numbered, then the bits in the bitmap can correspond to the candidate reference signal numbers in ascending (or descending) order from top to bottom and from left to right.

[0119] Alternatively, if the candidate reference signal does not have a number, then the bits in the bitmap can be matched one-to-one according to the order in which they are received, from top to bottom and from left to right.

[0120] Alternatively, one bit can correspond to multiple candidate reference signals, but similarly, different bits correspond to different candidate reference signals.

[0121] The first value of the aforementioned bit can be set to 1, and the second value of the bit can be set to 0; of course, the reverse is also possible, as long as the network device and the terminal device can reach a consensus, which will not be elaborated here.

[0122] The first indication information,

[0123] The downlink control information (DCI) is carried by the physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) of the first channel used for scheduling paging messages;

[0124] Alternatively, it may be carried by the first channel that carries the paging message.

[0125] The first channel is either the Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) or the Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH). For a description of the first channel, please refer to Example 2; it will not be repeated here.

[0126] For example, the network carries a bitmap in the PDCCH DCI that schedules paging messages or in the PDSCH that carries paging messages. The bitmap includes one or more bits, where each bit corresponds to one or more CSI-RS configured in the aforementioned system information. When a bit in the bitmap is "1", it indicates that the candidate CSI-RS corresponding to that bit is available; otherwise, when the bit is "0", it indicates that the candidate CSI-RS corresponding to that bit is unavailable.

[0127] The PDCCH, DCI, or PDSCH may further carry information about the transmission duration (or usage duration) of available CSI-RS in the future.

[0128] Among them, the future period can be a future duration set according to the actual situation.

[0129] The transmission duration or usage duration can be: how many paging cycles or multiple SFNs (system frames), etc.

[0130] Further analysis using this example: For terminal devices in RRC idle or RRC inactive states, they essentially "borrow" CSI-RS data sent by the network to terminals in RRC connected states. This avoids the network sending additional CSI-RS data to terminals in RRC idle or RRC inactive states, thus conserving network load. The solution provided in this example carries the configuration information of one or more CSI-RS reference signals within the system information. Since these CSI-RS reference signals can be used by currently RRC connected UEs or by future RRC connected UEs, the CSI-RS data in the system information does not need to change over a considerable period through proper network configuration, preventing frequent updates to the system information. Furthermore, based on the CSI-RS data sent by the system for currently RRC connected UEs, the network indicates available CSI-RS data in real-time in the paging message, matching the currently sent CSI-RS data. Moreover, the paging message can use a simplified bitmap indication method, which has the advantages of low overhead and convenient indication.

[0131] Regarding Examples 1-3 above, some signaling related to CSI-RS configuration can be as follows, including at least one of them:

[0132] CSI-Resource Configuration Information: This element defines one or more resource sets containing NZP-CSI-RS, CSI-IM-Resource Sets, and / or CSI-SSB-Resource Sets, such as,

[0133]

[0134] It may also include CSI-RS resource mapping, which is used to configure information such as CSI-RS time-frequency resources, number of antenna ports, and resource density:

[0135]

[0136]

[0137] The "frequencyDomainAllocation" field indicates the frequency domain allocation; "firstOFDMSymbolInTimeDomain" indicates the time domain (i.e., time-domain OFDM symbols) allocation; and the "density" field indicates the resource density. This element may also include information such as the "freqBand" frequency band, which will not be elaborated upon here.

[0138] As can be seen, by adopting the solution provided in this embodiment, the network device can configure reference signal configuration information for the terminal device, and this configuration information is sent through paging messages and / or system information. In this way, by utilizing the reference signal originally only sent to connected terminals, the terminal can add a signal for time-frequency synchronization, thereby accelerating the time-frequency synchronization speed of the terminal device and thus contributing to energy saving. Furthermore, since this embodiment can send configuration information by combining paging messages and system information, it not only contributes to energy saving of the terminal device but also has the advantages of low indication overhead and flexible and convenient indication transmission methods.

[0139] This invention provides a network device, such as... Figure 5 As shown, it includes:

[0140] The first communication unit 51 transmits configuration information for one or more reference signals through system information and / or paging messages.

[0141] This invention also provides a terminal device, such as... Figure 6 As shown, it includes:

[0142] The second communication unit 52 receives configuration information for one or more reference signals through system information and / or paging messages.

[0143] In this embodiment of the invention, the reference signal is: Channel-state information (CSI) - Reference signal (RS).

[0144] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the one or more reference signals are used for time-frequency synchronization. Specifically, they are used for time-frequency synchronization of the terminal device.

[0145] It should also be noted that, in this embodiment, the terminal device can be a terminal device in an RRC idle state or an RRC inactive state.

[0146] In summary, the solutions provided in this embodiment may include several examples, such as configuration information for sending reference signals through system information, configuration information for sending reference signals through paging messages, and configuration information for jointly indicating the corresponding reference signals through system information and paging messages. These will be described in detail below.

[0147] Example 1: Configuration information for sending reference signals using system information.

[0148] That is, the configuration information of the one or more reference signals is carried by the System Information Block (SIB) in the system information.

[0149] The scheme in this example can be understood as follows: the first communication unit of the network device carries configuration information of one or more reference signals through the SIB in the system information and sends it to the terminal device;

[0150] Correspondingly, the second communication unit of the terminal device receives system information and obtains configuration information of one or more reference signals carried by the system information from the SIB.

[0151] The terminal device further includes: a second processing unit 62, which determines one or more reference signals based on the configuration information of the one or more reference signals; and performs time-frequency synchronization based on the synchronization signal block SSB and / or the one or more reference signals.

[0152] Furthermore, in this example, the SIB in the system information can be an existing system information such as SIB1, SIB2, etc. Alternatively, it can be a single SIB message, where a single SIB can be a new SIB dedicated to transmitting configuration information for reference signals.

[0153] Furthermore, since the number of terminals in the connected state may change at different times, the corresponding transmitted CSI-RS reference signals may also change. Therefore, the CSI-RS configuration information sent to terminals in the RRC idle or RRC inactive state may also change at different times. Thus, the solution provided in this example can also include:

[0154] When the configuration information of one or more reference signals changes, the first communication unit 51 of the network device sends updated system information; wherein the updated system information includes the changed configuration information of one or more reference signals.

[0155] Correspondingly, the second communication unit 61 of the terminal device receives the updated system information; wherein the updated system information includes configuration information of one or more reference signals after changes.

[0156] Furthermore, the second processing unit 62 of the terminal device can redetermine one or more reference signals based on the configuration information of one or more changed reference signals contained in the updated system information; then, it performs time-frequency synchronization processing based on the changed one or more reference signals and SSB.

[0157] In other words, since the CSI-RS configuration information is carried in the system information, the system information will change as the aforementioned configuration information changes. This can be achieved through the system information update mechanism. Details regarding the system information update mechanism will not be elaborated upon here.

[0158] Example 2: Configuration information for sending reference signals using paging messages.

[0159] The configuration information of the one or more reference signals is carried by the first channel that carries the paging message.

[0160] The first channel is either a Physical Downlink Share Channel (PDSCH) or a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH).

[0161] The scheme in this example can be understood as follows: the first communication unit 51 of the network device carries configuration information of one or more reference signals through the first channel carrying the paging message and sends it to the terminal device;

[0162] Correspondingly, the second communication unit 61 of the terminal device receives configuration information of one or more reference signals carried in the first channel carrying the paging message;

[0163] The second processing unit 62 of the terminal device determines one or more reference signals based on the configuration information of the one or more reference signals; and performs time-frequency synchronization based on the synchronization signal block SSB and / or the one or more reference signals.

[0164] In this example, the first channel carrying the paging message can be either PDSCH or PDCCH.

[0165] Furthermore, the first communication unit 51 of the network device sends second indication information; wherein the second indication information is used to indicate the status information corresponding to the configuration information of the one or more reference signals.

[0166] Correspondingly, the second communication unit 61 of the terminal device receives the second instruction information.

[0167] The status information includes:

[0168] Whether the first channel carries configuration information for the one or more reference signals;

[0169] And / or,

[0170] Whether the configuration information of one or more reference signals carried in the first channel has changed.

[0171] The second indication information is carried by the downlink control information (DCI) carried by the PDCCH of the first channel used for scheduling paging messages.

[0172] Example 3: Configuration information for sending reference signals using system information and paging messages.

[0173] The first communication unit 51 of the network device sends configuration information of candidate reference signals through system information; and sends first indication information through paging messages.

[0174] The first indication information is used to indicate the available or unavailable reference signals among the candidate reference signals, wherein the available reference signals are one or more reference signals sent by the network device.

[0175] Correspondingly, the second communication unit 61 of the terminal device receives first indication information sent by the network device through a paging message; wherein, the first indication information is used to indicate the available or unavailable reference signal among the candidate reference signals.

[0176] Further, the terminal device determines one or more reference signals based on the configuration information of the available reference signals. The terminal device determines one or more reference signals based on the configuration information of the one or more reference signals; the terminal device performs time-frequency synchronization based on the synchronization signal block (SSB) and / or the one or more reference signals.

[0177] Network devices send configuration information for one or more CSI-RS in the system information. This configuration information for CSI-RS can be understood as the configuration information for candidate reference signals.

[0178] The aforementioned first instruction information may include at least one of the following:

[0179] Available reference signals among candidate reference signals;

[0180] Unavailable reference signals among candidate reference signals;

[0181] Duration of use of the available reference signal.

[0182] Specifically, the first indication information includes: a bitmap consisting of at least one bit;

[0183] In the bitmap, different bits are used to indicate whether different candidate reference signals are usable or unusable reference signals.

[0184] The first value of the aforementioned bit can be set to 1, and the second value of the bit can be set to 0; of course, the reverse is also possible, as long as the network device and the terminal device can reach a consensus, which will not be elaborated here.

[0185] The first indication information,

[0186] The downlink control information (DCI) is carried by the physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) of the first channel used for scheduling paging messages;

[0187] Alternatively, it may be carried by the first channel that carries the paging message.

[0188] As can be seen, by adopting the solution provided in this embodiment, the network device can configure reference signal configuration information for the terminal device, and this configuration information is sent through paging messages and / or system information. In this way, by utilizing the reference signal originally only sent to connected terminals, the terminal can add a signal for time-frequency synchronization, thereby accelerating the time-frequency synchronization speed of the terminal device and thus contributing to energy saving. Furthermore, since this embodiment can send configuration information by combining paging messages and system information, it not only contributes to energy saving of the terminal device but also has the advantages of low indication overhead and flexible and convenient indication transmission methods.

[0189] Figure 7 This is a schematic structural diagram of a communication device 700 provided in an embodiment of the present invention. The communication device in this embodiment may specifically be one of the terminal device or network device in the foregoing embodiments. Figure 7 The communication device 700 shown includes a processor 710, which can call and run computer programs from memory to implement the methods in the embodiments of the present invention.

[0190] Optionally, Figure 7 As shown, the communication device 700 may further include a memory 720. The processor 710 can retrieve and run computer programs from the memory 720 to implement the methods described in this embodiment of the invention.

[0191] The memory 720 can be a separate device independent of the processor 710, or it can be integrated into the processor 710.

[0192] Optionally, such as Figure 7 As shown, the communication device 700 may also include a transceiver 730, and the processor 710 may control the transceiver 730 to communicate with other devices. Specifically, it may send information or data to other devices or receive information or data sent by other devices.

[0193] The transceiver 730 may include a transmitter and a receiver. The transceiver 730 may further include antennas, and the number of antennas may be one or more.

[0194] Optionally, the communication device 700 may specifically be a network device in the embodiments of the present invention, and the communication device 700 may implement the corresponding processes implemented by the network device in the various methods of the embodiments of the present invention. For the sake of brevity, it will not be described in detail here.

[0195] Optionally, the communication device 700 may specifically be a terminal device or a network device in the embodiments of the present invention, and the communication device 700 may implement the corresponding processes implemented by the mobile terminal / terminal device in the various methods of the embodiments of the present invention. For the sake of brevity, it will not be described in detail here.

[0196] Figure 8 This is a schematic structural diagram of the chip according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 8 The chip 800 shown includes a processor 810, which can call and run computer programs from memory to implement the methods in the embodiments of the present invention.

[0197] Optionally, such as Figure 8 As shown, chip 800 may further include memory 820. Processor 810 can retrieve and run computer programs from memory 820 to implement the methods described in this embodiment of the invention.

[0198] The memory 820 can be a separate device independent of the processor 810, or it can be integrated into the processor 810.

[0199] Optionally, the chip 800 may also include an input interface 830. The processor 810 can control the input interface 830 to communicate with other devices or chips; specifically, it can acquire information or data sent by other devices or chips.

[0200] Optionally, the chip 800 may also include an output interface 840. The processor 810 can control the output interface 840 to communicate with other devices or chips, specifically, to output information or data to other devices or chips.

[0201] Optionally, the chip can be applied to one of the terminal device, access network node, or core network device in the embodiments of the present invention, and the chip can implement the corresponding processes implemented by the terminal device in the various methods of the embodiments of the present invention. For the sake of brevity, it will not be described in detail here.

[0202] It should be understood that the chip mentioned in the embodiments of the present invention may also be referred to as a system-on-a-chip, system chip, chip system, or system-on-a-chip, etc.

[0203] It should be understood that the processor in the embodiments of the present invention may be an integrated circuit chip with signal processing capabilities. In implementation, each step of the above method embodiments can be completed by integrated logic circuits in the processor's hardware or by instructions in software form. The processor described above can be a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, or discrete hardware components. It can implement or execute the methods, steps, and logic block diagrams disclosed in the embodiments of the present invention. The general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor or any conventional processor. The steps of the methods disclosed in the embodiments of the present invention can be directly embodied in the execution of a hardware decoding processor, or executed by a combination of hardware and software modules in the decoding processor. The software modules can be located in random access memory, flash memory, read-only memory, programmable read-only memory, electrically erasable programmable memory, registers, or other mature storage media in the art. This storage medium is located in memory, and the processor reads information from the memory and, in conjunction with its hardware, completes the steps of the above methods.

[0204] It is understood that the memory in the embodiments of the present invention 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 DRAM (SDRAM), Double Data Rate SDRAM (DDR SDRAM), Enhanced Synchronous DRAM (ESDRAM), Synchlink DRAM (SLDRAM), and Direct Rambus RAM (DR RAM). It should be noted that the memory used in the systems and methods described herein is intended to include, but is not limited to, these and any other suitable types of memory.

[0205] It should be understood that the above-described memory is exemplary but not limiting. For example, the memory in the embodiments of the present invention may also be 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 link dynamic random access memory (SLDRAM), and direct memory bus RAM (DR RAM), etc. That is to say, the memory in the embodiments of the present invention is intended to include, but is not limited to, these and any other suitable types of memory.

[0206] Figure 9This is a schematic block diagram of a communication system 900 provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 9 As shown, the communication system 900 includes a terminal device 910 and a network device 920.

[0207] The terminal device 910 can be used to implement the corresponding functions implemented by the UE in the above method, and the network device 920 can be used to implement the corresponding functions implemented by the network device in the above method. For simplicity, these will not be elaborated further here. The network device can be one of an access network node or a core network device.

[0208] This invention also provides a computer-readable storage medium for storing computer programs.

[0209] Optionally, the computer-readable storage medium can be applied to the network device or terminal device in the embodiments of the present invention, and the computer program causes the computer to execute the corresponding processes implemented by the network device in the various methods of the embodiments of the present invention. For the sake of brevity, it will not be described in detail here.

[0210] This invention also provides a computer program product, including computer program instructions.

[0211] Optionally, the computer program product can be applied to the network device or terminal device in the embodiments of the present invention, and the computer program instructions cause the computer to execute the corresponding processes implemented by the network device in the various methods of the embodiments of the present invention. For the sake of brevity, they will not be described in detail here.

[0212] This invention also provides a computer program.

[0213] Optionally, the computer program can be applied to the network device or terminal device in the embodiments of the present invention. When the computer program is run on the computer, it causes the computer to execute the corresponding processes implemented by the network device in the various methods of the embodiments of the present invention. For the sake of brevity, it will not be described in detail here.

[0214] 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 implementations should not be considered beyond the scope of this invention.

[0215] 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.

[0216] In the embodiments provided by this invention, 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 devices or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0217] 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.

[0218] In addition, the functional units in the various embodiments of the present invention 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.

[0219] If the aforementioned functions are implemented as software functional units and sold or used as independent products, they can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this invention, essentially, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or a portion of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of this invention. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0220] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention 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 present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A reference signal configuration method, comprising: Network devices transmit configuration information for one or more reference signals via system information and / or paging messages, including: The network device sends configuration information for one or more reference signals through system information and paging messages, wherein the one or more reference signals are used for time-frequency synchronization. The configuration information for the network device to send one or more reference signals via system information and paging messages includes: The network device sends configuration information for candidate reference signals through system information; The network device sends a first indication message via a paging message, wherein the first indication message is used to indicate an available or unavailable reference signal among the candidate reference signals, and the available reference signal is one or more reference signals sent by the network device. The first indication information includes a bitmap consisting of at least one bit, wherein different bits in the bitmap are used to indicate whether different candidate reference signals are available or unavailable reference signals.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The reference signal is: Channel State Information (CSI) Reference Signal RS.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The configuration information of the candidate reference signal is carried by the System Information Block (SIB) in the system information.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The first indication information, The downlink control information (DCI) is carried by the physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) of the first channel used for scheduling paging messages; Alternatively, it may be carried by a first channel, which is used to carry the paging message.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein, The first channel is the Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH).

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein, The first channel used to carry the paging message includes: The PDCCH is used to carry the scheduling information of the paging message.

7. A reference signal configuration method, comprising: The terminal device receives configuration information for one or more reference signals through system information and / or paging messages, including: The terminal device receives configuration information for one or more reference signals through system information and paging messages, wherein the one or more reference signals are used for time-frequency synchronization. The configuration information for the terminal device to receive one or more reference signals through system information and paging messages includes: The terminal device receives configuration information of candidate reference signals sent through system information; The terminal device receives first indication information sent via a paging message, wherein the first indication information is used to indicate whether the candidate reference signals are available or unavailable. The method further includes: the terminal device determining one or more reference signals based on the configuration information of the available reference signals. The first indication information includes a bitmap consisting of at least one bit, wherein different bits in the bitmap are used to indicate whether different candidate reference signals are available or unavailable reference signals.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein, The reference signal is: Channel State Information (CSI) Reference Signal RS.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein, The method further includes: The terminal device performs time-frequency synchronization based on the synchronization signal block SSB and / or one or more reference signals.

10. The method according to any one of claims 7-9, wherein, The configuration information of the candidate reference signal is carried by the System Information Block (SIB) in the system information.

11. The method according to any one of claims 7-9, wherein, The first indication information, The downlink control information (DCI) is carried by the physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) of the first channel used for scheduling paging messages; Alternatively, it may be carried by a first channel, which is used to carry the paging message.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein, The first channel is the Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH); The first channel used to carry the paging message includes: the PDCCH used to carry scheduling information for the paging message.

13. A network device, comprising: The first communication unit transmits configuration information for one or more reference signals via system information and / or paging messages, including: The first communication unit transmits configuration information for one or more reference signals via system information and paging messages, wherein the one or more reference signals are used for time-frequency synchronization. The configuration information for the first communication unit to send one or more reference signals via system information and paging messages includes: The first communication unit sends configuration information for candidate reference signals via system information and sends first indication information via paging messages. The first indication information indicates whether a candidate reference signal is available or unavailable. The available reference signal is one or more reference signals sent by the network device. The first indication information includes a bitmap consisting of at least one bit, wherein different bits in the bitmap are used to indicate whether different candidate reference signals are available or unavailable reference signals.

14. The network device according to claim 13, wherein, The reference signal is: Channel State Information (CSI) Reference Signal RS.

15. The network device according to claim 14, wherein, The configuration information of the candidate reference signal is carried by the System Information Block (SIB) in the system information; or The first indication information is carried by downlink control information (DCI) carried by the physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) of the first channel used for scheduling paging messages; or, it is carried by the first channel, which is used to carry the paging message. The first channel is the Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH); The first channel used to carry the paging message includes: the PDCCH used to carry scheduling information for the paging message.

16. A terminal device, comprising: The second communication unit receives configuration information for one or more reference signals via system information and / or paging messages, including: The second communication unit receives configuration information for one or more reference signals via system information and paging messages, wherein the one or more reference signals are used for time-frequency synchronization. The configuration information for the second communication unit to receive one or more reference signals via system information and paging messages includes: The second communication unit receives configuration information of candidate reference signals transmitted via system information, and receives first indication information transmitted via paging messages, wherein the first indication information is used to indicate whether the candidate reference signals are available or unavailable. The terminal device further includes: a second processing unit, which determines one or more reference signals based on the configuration information of the available reference signals. The first indication information includes a bitmap consisting of at least one bit, wherein different bits in the bitmap are used to indicate whether different candidate reference signals are available or unavailable reference signals.

17. The terminal device according to claim 16, wherein, The reference signal is: Channel State Information (CSI) Reference Signal RS.

18. The terminal device according to claim 16, wherein, The second processing unit performs time-frequency synchronization based on the synchronization signal block SSB and / or one or more reference signals.

19. The terminal device according to any one of claims 16-18, wherein, The configuration information of the candidate reference signal is carried by the System Information Block (SIB) in the system information; or The first indication information is carried by downlink control information (DCI) carried by the physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) of the first channel used for scheduling paging messages; or, it is carried by the first channel, which is used to carry the paging message. The first channel is the Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH); The first channel used to carry the paging message includes: the PDCCH used to carry scheduling information for the paging message.

20. A network device, comprising: The processor and the memory used to store computer programs that can run on the processor. The memory is used to store computer programs, and the processor is used to call and run the computer programs stored in the memory to perform the steps of the method as described in any one of claims 1-6.

21. A terminal device, comprising: The processor and the memory used to store computer programs that can run on the processor. The memory is used to store computer programs, and the processor is used to call and run the computer programs stored in the memory to perform the steps of the method as described in any one of claims 7-12.

22. A computer-readable storage medium for storing a computer program that causes a computer to perform the steps of the method as claimed in any one of claims 1-12.

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