A method, apparatus, and terminal device for controlling random access.

Abstract

This application provides a method and apparatus for controlling random access, and a terminal device. The method includes: the terminal device receiving a first command, the first command being used to activate an SCG; the terminal device determining whether to initiate a random access procedure to the SCG based on a first timer and / or determining whether the random access procedure initiated to the SCG is successful based on a second timer.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of mobile communication technology, specifically to a method and apparatus for controlling random access, and a terminal device. Background Technology

[0002] To support energy saving in terminal devices and the rapid establishment of secondary cell groups (SCGs), the standard agrees to support the concept of SCG deactivation, that is, the state of an SCG can be switched from active to deactivated.

[0003] When an SCG is in a deactivated state, it is unclear how the random access procedure for the SCG will be executed when the terminal device receives the SCG activation command. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a method and apparatus for controlling random access, a terminal device, a chip, a computer-readable storage medium, a computer program product, and a computer program.

[0005] The method for controlling random access provided in this application includes:

[0006] The terminal device receives a first command, which is used to activate the SCG.

[0007] The terminal device determines whether to initiate a random access procedure to the SCG based on a first timer and / or determines whether the random access procedure initiated to the SCG is successful based on a second timer.

[0008] The apparatus for controlling random access provided in this application embodiment is applied to a terminal device, and the apparatus includes:

[0009] A receiving unit is configured to receive a first command, which is used to activate the SCG.

[0010] The determining unit is configured to determine, based on a first timer, whether to initiate a random access procedure to the SCG and / or based on a second timer, whether the random access procedure initiated to the SCG was successful.

[0011] The terminal device provided in this application includes a processor and a memory. The memory stores computer programs, and the processor calls and runs the computer programs stored in the memory to execute the aforementioned method for controlling random access.

[0012] The chip provided in this application embodiment is used to implement the above-described method for controlling random access.

[0013] Specifically, the chip includes a processor for retrieving and running a computer program from memory, causing a device equipped with the chip to perform the aforementioned method of random access control.

[0014] The computer-readable storage medium provided in this application embodiment is used to store a computer program that causes a computer to perform the above-described method for controlling random access.

[0015] The computer program product provided in this application includes computer program instructions that cause a computer to execute the above-described method for controlling random access.

[0016] The computer program provided in this application embodiment, when run on a computer, causes the computer to execute the above-described method for controlling random access.

[0017] Through the above technical solution, after receiving the first command for activating the SCG, the terminal determines whether to initiate a random access procedure to the SCG based on a first timer and / or determines whether the random access procedure initiated to the SCG is successful based on a second timer. Thus, during the SCG recovery process, the method by which the terminal device executes the random access procedure is clearly defined, thereby achieving the goal of quickly restoring the SCG. Attached Figure Description

[0018] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of this application and form part of this application, illustrate exemplary embodiments of this application and are used to explain this application, but do not constitute an undue limitation of this application. In the drawings:

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an application scenario of an embodiment of this application;

[0020] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the bearer type provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0021] Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating the method for controlling random access provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0022] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the device for controlling random access provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0023] Figure 5 This is a schematic structural diagram of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0024] Figure 6 This is a schematic structural diagram of the chip according to an embodiment of this application;

[0025] Figure 7 This is a schematic block diagram of a communication system provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0026] 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.

[0027] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an application scenario according to an embodiment of this application.

[0028] like Figure 1 As shown, the communication system 100 may include a terminal device 110 and a network device 120. The network device 120 can communicate with the terminal device 110 via an air interface. Multi-service transmission is supported between the terminal device 110 and the network device 120.

[0029] It should be understood that the embodiments of this application are only illustrated by way of example with communication system 100, but the embodiments of this application are not limited thereto. That is to say, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application can be applied to various communication systems, such as: Long Term Evolution (LTE) system, LTE Time Division Duplex (TDD), Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS), Internet of Things (IoT) system, Narrow Band Internet of Things (NB-IoT) system, enhanced Machine-Type Communications (eMTC) system, 5G communication system (also known as New Radio (NR) communication system), or future communication systems, etc.

[0030] exist Figure 1 In the communication system 100 shown, network device 120 may be an access network device that communicates with terminal device 110. The access network device can provide communication coverage for a specific geographical area and can communicate with terminal device 110 (e.g., UE) located within that coverage area.

[0031] Network device 120 may be an evolved Node B (eNB or eNodeB) in a Long Term Evolution (LTE) system, a Next Generation Radio Access Network (NG RAN) device, a base station (gNB) in an NR system, a radio controller in a Cloud Radio Access Network (CRAN), or a relay station, access point, vehicle-mounted device, wearable device, hub, switch, bridge, router, or network device in a future evolved Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN), etc.

[0032] Terminal device 110 can be any terminal device, including but not limited to terminal devices that are connected to network device 120 or other terminal devices via wired or wireless connections.

[0033] For example, the terminal device 110 may refer to an access terminal, user equipment (UE), user unit, user station, mobile station, mobile station, remote station, remote terminal, mobile device, user terminal, terminal, wireless communication device, user agent, or user device. The access terminal may be a cellular phone, cordless phone, Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) phone, IoT device, satellite handheld terminal, Wireless Local Loop (WLL) station, Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), handheld device with wireless communication capabilities, computing device or other processing device connected to a wireless modem, in-vehicle device, wearable device, terminal device in a 5G network, or terminal device in a future evolved network, etc.

[0034] Terminal device 110 can be used for device-to-device (D2D) communication.

[0035] The wireless communication system 100 may further include a core network device 130 that communicates with the base station. This core network device 130 may be a 5G core network (5G Core, 5GC) device, such as an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), an Authentication Server Function (AUSF), a User Plane Function (UPF), or a Session Management Function (SMF). Optionally, the core network device 130 may also be an Evolved Packet Core (EPC) device for an LTE network, such as a Session Management Function + Core Packet Gateway (SMF+PGW-C) device. It should be understood that SMF+PGW-C can simultaneously implement the functions of both SMF and PGW-C. During network evolution, the aforementioned core network device may also be called by other names, or new network entities may be formed by dividing the core network functions; this embodiment does not limit this.

[0036] The various functional units in the communication system 100 can also establish connections and communicate with each other through the next generation (NG) interface.

[0037] For example, terminal devices establish air interface connections with access network devices through the NR interface for transmitting user plane data and control plane signaling; terminal devices can establish control plane signaling connections with the AMF through NG interface 1 (N1); access network devices, such as next-generation radio access base stations (gNB), can establish user plane data connections with the UPF through NG interface 3 (N3); access network devices can establish control plane signaling connections with the AMF through NG interface 2 (N2); the UPF can establish control plane signaling connections with the SMF through NG interface 4 (N4); the UPF can interact with the data network for user plane data through NG interface 6 (N6); the AMF can establish control plane signaling connections with the SMF through NG interface 11 (N11); and the SMF can establish control plane signaling connections with the PCF through NG interface 7 (N7).

[0038] Figure 1An exemplary embodiment shows a base station, a core network device, and two terminal devices. Optionally, the wireless communication system 100 may include multiple base station devices, and each base station may include other numbers of terminal devices within its coverage area. This application embodiment does not limit this.

[0039] It should be noted that, Figure 1 This application merely illustrates the system to which this application applies; of course, the methods shown in the embodiments of this application can also be applied to other systems. Furthermore, the terms "system" and "network" are often used interchangeably herein. The term "and / or" in this application merely describes 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. Additionally, the character " / " in this application generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship. It should also be understood that "instruction" mentioned in the embodiments of this application can be a direct instruction, an indirect instruction, or an indication of a related relationship. For example, A instructing B can mean that A directly instructs B, for example, B can be obtained through A; it can also mean that A indirectly instructs B, for example, A instructs C, B can be obtained through C; or it can mean that there is a related relationship between A and B. It should also be understood that "correspondence" mentioned in the embodiments of this application can indicate a direct or indirect correspondence between two things, or an related relationship between two things, or a relationship of instruction and being instructed, configuration and being configured, etc. It should also be understood that the "predefined" or "predefined rules" mentioned in the embodiments of this application can be implemented by pre-storing corresponding codes, tables, or other means that can be used to indicate relevant information in the device (e.g., including terminal devices and network devices), and this application does not limit the specific implementation method. For example, predefined can refer to those defined in a protocol. It should also be understood that in the embodiments of this application, the "protocol" can refer to standard protocols in the field of communication, such as the LTE protocol, the NR protocol, and related protocols applied to future communication systems, and this application does not limit this.

[0040] To facilitate understanding of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the relevant technologies of the embodiments of this application are described below. The following relevant technologies are optional solutions and can be combined with the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application in any way, and they all fall within the protection scope of the embodiments of this application.

[0041] With people's pursuit of speed, latency, high-speed mobility, and energy efficiency, and the increasing diversity and complexity of business in future life, the third-generation partnership program (3GPP) is therefore being developed. rdThe Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) international standards organization has begun developing 5G. The main application scenarios for 5G are: enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), ultra-reliable low-latency communications (URLLC), and massive machine-type communications (mMTC).

[0042] On the one hand, eMBB still aims to provide users with multimedia content, services, and data, and its demand is growing rapidly. On the other hand, because eMBB may be deployed in different scenarios, such as indoors, urban areas, and rural areas, its capabilities and needs vary considerably. Therefore, generalizations cannot be made; a detailed analysis based on the specific deployment scenario is necessary. Typical applications of URLLC include industrial automation, power automation, remote medical operations (surgery), and traffic safety assurance. Typical characteristics of mMTC include high connection density, small data volume, latency-insensitive services, low module cost, and long service life.

[0043] In the early stages of NR deployment, complete NR coverage was difficult to achieve, so typical network coverage consisted of wide-area LTE coverage and isolated NR coverage. Furthermore, a large portion of LTE deployment was below 6 GHz, leaving very little spectrum available for 5G below 6 GHz. Therefore, NR had to explore spectrum applications above 6 GHz, but high-frequency band coverage was limited and signal fading was rapid. Simultaneously, to protect mobile operators' initial investments in LTE, a tight interworking working mode between LTE and NR was proposed.

[0044] To expedite 5G network deployment and commercial applications, 3GPP completed its first 5G release, E-UTRA-NR Dual Connectivity (EN-DC), by the end of December 2017. In EN-DC, the LTE base station (eNB) acts as the Master Node (MN), and the NR base station (gNB or en-gNB) acts as the Secondary Node (SN). The MN primarily handles RRC control functions and the control plane for communication with the core network; the SN can be configured with auxiliary signaling, such as SRB3, mainly providing data transmission functions.

[0045] Later in Release 15, other dual connectivity (DC) modes will be supported, namely NR-E-UTRA dual connectivity (NE-DC), 5GC-EN-DC, and NR DC. For EN-DC, the core network for access network connection is the Evolved Packet Core network (EPC), while the core network for other DC modes is the 5G Core Network (5GC).

[0046] In Multi-RAT Dual Connectivity (MR-DC), refer to Figure 2 The bearer types are categorized as follows: MN-terminated MCG Bearer, MN-terminated SCG Bearer, MN-terminated split Bearer, SN-terminated MCG Bearer, SN-terminated SCG Bearer, and SN-terminated split Bearer. "MN-terminated" means the Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) resources (i.e., PDCP entities) used by the bearer are located on the MN side; "SN-terminated" means the PDCP resources used by the bearer are located on the SN side. "MCG bearer" means the RLC / MAC / PHY resources used by the bearer are located on the MN side; "SCG bearer" means the RLC / MAC / PHY resources used by the bearer are located on the SN side; and "split bearer" means the RLC / MAC / PHY resources used by the bearer are located on both the MN and SN sides.

[0047] To support energy saving and rapid SCG establishment in terminal devices, a deactivation state is introduced for the SCG. When the SCG is deactivated, it enters the deactivation state; when the SCG is activated, it enters the activation state. When the SCG is deactivated, the terminal device does not listen to the Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) on the SCG and does not transmit or receive data.

[0048] When the SCG is in a deactivated state, the execution of the random access procedure for the SCG when the terminal device receives the SCG activation command is unclear. One possibility is that when the terminal device receives the SCG activation command, its Timing Advance (TA) and Transmission Configuration Indication (TCI) states on the SCG side are still valid. In this case, the terminal device may skip the random access procedure for the SCG, and can receive scheduling information from the primary and secondary cells (PSCells) (i.e., the PDCCH scrambled with C-RNTI on the PSCell side). Another possibility is that there is a problem between the terminal device and the network side, and the TA and TCI states on the SCG side are invalid, causing the terminal device to fail to receive scheduling information from the PSCell. How to avoid these anomalies and enable the terminal device to recover from the anomaly as quickly as possible is a problem that needs to be clarified.

[0049] Therefore, the following technical solutions are proposed according to the embodiments of this application.

[0050] It should be noted that in the embodiments of this application, the description of "MCG side" can also be referred to as "MN side", and the description of "SCG side" can also be referred to as "SN side".

[0051] The technical solution of this application embodiment is applied to a DC architecture, where the primary node in the DC is MN, and the secondary node in the DC is SN; that is, MN and SN are two nodes of the DC. The cell group on the MN side is called MCG, and the cell group on the SN side is called SCG. This application embodiment does not limit the type of DC, for example, it can be MR-DC, EN-DC, NE-DC, NR-DC, etc.

[0052] To facilitate understanding of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the technical solutions of this application are described in detail below through specific embodiments. The above-mentioned related technologies are optional solutions and can be arbitrarily combined with the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, all of which fall within the protection scope of the embodiments of this application. The embodiments of this application include at least some of the following contents.

[0053] Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating the method for controlling random access provided in an embodiment of this application, as shown below. Figure 3 As shown, the method for controlling random access includes the following steps:

[0054] Step 301: The terminal device receives a first command, which is used to activate the SCG.

[0055] In some alternative implementations, the first command is carried in the Media Access Control (MAC) control element (CE).

[0056] In some alternative implementations, the first command is also used to deactivate other SCGs. As an example, the first command is used to activate SCG1 and to deactivate SCG2.

[0057] In this application embodiment, the first command may also be referred to as an SCG activation command, an SCG deactivation command, or an SCG activation / deactivation command. This application does not limit the name of the first command.

[0058] It should be noted that when the SCG is in a deactivated state, the terminal device receives the first command to activate the SCG.

[0059] Step 302: The terminal device determines whether to initiate a random access procedure to the SCG based on a first timer and / or determines whether the random access procedure initiated to the SCG is successful based on a second timer.

[0060] In this embodiment of the application, after receiving the first command, the terminal device determines whether to initiate a random access procedure to the SCG based on a first timer and / or determines whether the random access procedure initiated to the SCG is successful based on a second timer. This is described below.

[0061] Option 1

[0062] In this embodiment of the application, after receiving the first command, the terminal device determines whether to initiate a random access procedure to the SCG based on the first timer.

[0063] In some alternative implementations, after receiving the first command, the terminal device directly starts the first timer.

[0064] In some optional implementations, after receiving the first command, the terminal device starts the first timer if a first condition is met. Further, optionally, the first condition is: the terminal device determines, based on an instruction from the network device, not to initiate a random access procedure to the SCG; or, the terminal device determines, based on its own evaluation, not to initiate a random access procedure to the SCG.

[0065] As an example: After receiving the first command, if the terminal device determines, according to the network device's instructions, not to perform the random access procedure to the SCG, then the first timer T1 is started.

[0066] As an example: After receiving the first command, if the terminal device determines that it will not perform the random access procedure to the SCG, then the first timer T1 is started.

[0067] As an example: After receiving the first command, the terminal device directly starts the first timer T1.

[0068] In this embodiment of the application, if the terminal device receives a PDCCH for scheduling PSCell during the operation of the first timer, the terminal device determines not to initiate a random access procedure to the SCG and stops the first timer; if the first timer times out, the terminal device determines to initiate a random access procedure to the SCG and / or send an SCG failure information (SCGFailureInformation) message to the MN.

[0069] Here, the PDCCH used for scheduling PSCell carries the scheduling information of PSCell. The PDCCH used for scheduling PSCell is also the PDCCH scrambled by C-RNTI on the SCG side by the terminal device.

[0070] As an example: If the terminal device receives a PDCCH for scheduling the PSCell during the execution of the first timer T1, the terminal device stops the first timer T1. If the first timer T1 times out, the terminal device initiates a random access procedure to the SCG and / or sends an SCG failure information message to the MN.

[0071] It should be noted that in the embodiments of this application, the description of "initiating a random access procedure to the SCG" can also be replaced with "initiating a random access procedure to the PSCell".

[0072] In some alternative implementations, the PDCCH is received by the terminal device using a first TCI state; wherein the terminal device determines the first TCI state based on the configuration information of the network device; or, the terminal device determines the first TCI state as the TCI state used by the terminal device when the SCG was previously in an active state.

[0073] As an example: The terminal device can receive the PDCCH for scheduling the PSCell using the first TCI state configured by the network device. Here, the network device can determine the first TCI state based on the measurement results reported by the terminal device. The first TCI state is used to determine the receive beam and / or transmit beam of the PDCCH on the PSCell side.

[0074] As an example: The terminal device can receive the PDCCH for scheduling the PSCell using the first TCI state (i.e., the previous TCI state on the SCG side) that is still considered valid. Here, the relevant information (such as TA, TCI state, etc.) that the terminal device interacted with the SCG when the SCG was in the active state is stored on the terminal device side, and the terminal device can consider this information to still be valid when the SCG re-enters the active state.

[0075] In the above scheme, optionally, the first timer is configured via Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling, MAC CE, or system broadcast messages. As an example, the configuration information of the first timer is carried in the first command or RRC Reconfiguration signaling.

[0076] Option 2

[0077] In this embodiment of the application, after receiving the first command, the terminal device initiates a random access procedure to the SCG and starts the second timer; or, the terminal device initiates a random access procedure to the SCG and starts the second timer when the second condition is met.

[0078] In some alternative implementations, the second condition is: the terminal device determines to initiate a random access procedure to the SCG based on the instruction of the network device; or, the terminal device determines to initiate a random access procedure to the SCG based on its own evaluation.

[0079] As an example: After receiving the first command, if the terminal device determines to execute the random access procedure to the SCG according to the instructions of the network device, it initiates the random access procedure to the SCG and starts the second timer T2.

[0080] As an example: After receiving the first command, if the terminal device determines to perform a random access procedure to the SCG, it initiates a random access procedure to the SCG and starts the second timer T2.

[0081] As an example: After receiving the first command, the terminal device directly initiates a random access procedure to the SCG and starts the second timer T2.

[0082] In this embodiment of the application, if the random access procedure initiated by the terminal device to the SCG is successful before the second timer expires, the terminal device stops the second timer; if the second timer expires, the terminal device determines that the random access procedure initiated to the SCG has failed, and the terminal device sends an SCG failure information message to the MN.

[0083] In some alternative implementations, a successful random access procedure initiated by the terminal device to the SCG is characterized by at least one of the following:

[0084] The terminal device received the C-RNTI scrambled PDCCH from the SCG side;

[0085] The terminal device received a Conflict Resolution MAC CE.

[0086] As an example: If the random access procedure initiated by the terminal device to the SCG is successful before the second timer T2 expires, such as receiving a C-RNTI scrambled PDCCH from the SCG side or receiving a collision resolution MAC CE, then the terminal device stops the second timer T2. If the second timer T2 expires, the terminal device sends an SCG failure message to the MN.

[0087] It should be noted that in the embodiments of this application, the description of "initiating a random access procedure to the SCG" can also be replaced with "initiating a random access procedure to the PSCell".

[0088] In the above scheme, optionally, the second timer is configured via RRC signaling, MAC CE, or system broadcast message. As an example, the configuration information of the second timer is carried in the first command or RRC reconfiguration signaling.

[0089] Furthermore, this application may also include the following third option. It should be noted that the following third option can be implemented alone or in combination with the above-mentioned first option or second option.

[0090] Option 3

[0091] In this embodiment of the application, the terminal device performs beam failure detection (BFD) during the SCG deactivation period; if the terminal device detects a BFD event, the terminal device performs beam failure recovery (BFR) detection according to the first cycle.

[0092] In some alternative implementations, the first period is greater than or equal to the target period; the first period may also be referred to as the long period. For example, the first period is greater than the detection period of the BFD.

[0093] In this embodiment of the application, during the SCG deactivation period, the terminal device performs beam failure detection using the first BFD configuration parameters; wherein, if the terminal device detects a BFD event, the terminal device records the BFD event. Simultaneously, the terminal device periodically checks for the existence of a beam that meets a third condition (i.e., performs BFR detection) according to a first cycle.

[0094] In some optional implementations, if the terminal device detects a beam that meets the third condition, the terminal device records the beam that meets the third condition and continues to perform beam failure detection using the first BFD configuration parameters; if the terminal device does not detect a beam that meets the third condition, the terminal device continues to periodically detect whether there is a beam that meets the third condition according to the first cycle.

[0095] In some alternative implementations, the third condition is: the signal quality of the beam is greater than or equal to a specified threshold.

[0096] In this embodiment, if the terminal device detects a BFD event during SCG deactivation, the terminal device records the BFD event (which can be understood as recording a failed beam). Simultaneously, the terminal device periodically checks whether a beam satisfying the third condition (which can be understood as a good beam) exists using a first cycle (e.g., T3); 1) If it exists, the terminal device records a BFR event (which can be understood as recording a beam satisfying the third condition) and performs beam failure detection using the previous BFD configuration parameters (i.e., the first BFD configuration parameters) (i.e., performs beam failure detection according to the previous beam detection behavior); 2) If it does not exist, the terminal device continues to periodically check whether a beam satisfying the third condition (which can be understood as a good beam) exists using the first cycle (e.g., T3).

[0097] The technical solution of this application embodiment enables the SCG to recover quickly from the anomaly during the SCG recovery process, thereby achieving the goal of rapid SCG recovery.

[0098] The preferred embodiments of this application have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, this application is not limited to the specific details of the above embodiments. Within the scope of the technical concept of this application, various simple modifications can be made to the technical solutions of this application, and these simple modifications all fall within the protection scope of this application. For example, the various specific technical features described in the above specific embodiments can be combined in any suitable manner without contradiction. To avoid unnecessary repetition, this application will not describe the various possible combinations separately. Furthermore, various different embodiments of this application can also be arbitrarily combined, as long as they do not violate the spirit of this application, they should also be considered as the content disclosed in this application. Moreover, without conflict, the various embodiments and / or the technical features in the various embodiments described in this application can be arbitrarily combined with the prior art, and the resulting technical solutions should also fall within the protection scope of this application.

[0099] It should also be understood that in the various method embodiments of this application, the sequence number of each process 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. Furthermore, in the embodiments of this application, the terms "downlink," "uplink," and "sidelink" are used to indicate the transmission direction of signals or data. "Downlink" indicates that the transmission direction of signals or data is a first direction from the site to the user equipment in the cell; "uplink" indicates that the transmission direction of signals or data is a second direction from the user equipment in the cell to the site; and "sidelink" indicates that the transmission direction of signals or data is a third direction from user equipment 1 to user equipment 2. For example, "downlink signal" indicates that the transmission direction of the signal is the first direction. Additionally, in the embodiments of this application, the term "and / or" is merely a description of the association relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. Specifically, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, and B existing alone. Furthermore, the character " / " in this document generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0100] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the device for controlling random access provided in the embodiments of this application, which is applied to terminal equipment, such as... Figure 4 As shown, the device for controlling random access includes:

[0101] The receiving unit 401 is used to receive a first command, which is used to activate the SCG;

[0102] The determining unit 402 is used to determine whether to initiate a random access procedure to the SCG based on a first timer and / or to determine whether the random access procedure initiated to the SCG is successful based on a second timer.

[0103] In some alternative embodiments, the device further includes: a start unit 403; after the receiving unit 401 receives the first command,

[0104] The starting unit 403 starts the first timer; or...

[0105] The starting unit 403 starts the first timer when the first condition is met.

[0106] In some alternative implementations, the first condition is:

[0107] The terminal device determines, based on the instruction from the network device, not to initiate a random access procedure to the SCG; or...

[0108] The terminal device determines, based on its own assessment, not to initiate a random access procedure to the SCG.

[0109] In some alternative embodiments, the device further includes: a stop unit 404;

[0110] If the receiving unit 401 receives a PDCCH for scheduling PSCell during the operation of the first timer, the determining unit 402 determines not to initiate a random access procedure to the SCG, and the stopping unit 404 stops the first timer.

[0111] If the first timer times out, the determining unit 403 determines to initiate a random access procedure to the SCG and / or send an SCG failure information message to the MN.

[0112] In some alternative implementations, the PDCCH is received by the receiving unit 401 in a first TCI state;

[0113] The determining unit 402 is further configured to determine the first TCI state based on the configuration information of the network device; or, determine the first TCI state as the TCI state adopted by the terminal device when the SCG was previously in an active state.

[0114] In some alternative implementations, the first timer is configured via RRC signaling, MAC CE, or system broadcast messages.

[0115] In some alternative implementations, the configuration information of the first timer is carried in the first command or RRC reconfiguration signaling.

[0116] In some alternative embodiments, the device further includes: an initiation unit 405 and a startup unit 403;

[0117] The initiating unit 405 initiates a random access procedure to the SCG, and the starting unit 403 starts the second timer; or...

[0118] When the second condition is met, the initiating unit 405 initiates a random access procedure to the SCG, and the starting unit 403 starts the second timer.

[0119] In some alternative implementations, the second condition is:

[0120] The terminal device determines to initiate a random access procedure to the SCG based on the instructions from the network device; or...

[0121] The terminal device determines, based on its own assessment, to initiate a random access procedure to the SCG.

[0122] In some alternative embodiments, the apparatus further includes: a stop unit 404 and a transmission unit 406;

[0123] If the random access procedure initiated by the terminal device to the SCG is successful before the second timer expires, the stopping unit 404 stops the second timer.

[0124] If the second timer times out, the determining unit 402 determines that the random access procedure initiated to the SCG has failed, and the sending unit 406 sends an SCG failure information message to the MN.

[0125] In some alternative implementations, a successful random access procedure initiated by the terminal device to the SCG is characterized by at least one of the following:

[0126] The terminal device received the C-RNTI scrambled PDCCH from the SCG side;

[0127] The terminal device received a Conflict Resolution MAC CE.

[0128] In some alternative implementations, the second timer is configured via RRC signaling, MAC CE, or system broadcast messages.

[0129] In some alternative implementations, the configuration information of the second timer is carried in the first command or RRC reconfiguration signaling.

[0130] In some alternative embodiments, the apparatus further includes:

[0131] The detection unit 407 is used to perform BFD during the SCG deactivation period; if a BFD event is detected, BFR detection is performed according to the first cycle.

[0132] In some alternative embodiments, the apparatus further includes a recording unit 408;

[0133] The detection unit 407 is used to perform beam failure detection using the first BFD configuration parameters during the SCG deactivation period; wherein, if the terminal device detects a BFD event, the recording unit 408 records the BFD event.

[0134] In some alternative implementations, the detection unit 407 is used to periodically detect whether a beam that satisfies the third condition according to a first cycle.

[0135] In some alternative embodiments, the apparatus further includes a recording unit 408;

[0136] If the detection unit 407 detects a beam that meets the third condition, the recording unit 408 records the beam that meets the third condition, and the detection unit 407 continues to perform beam failure detection using the first BFD configuration parameters.

[0137] If the detection unit 407 does not detect a beam that meets the third condition, it continues to periodically detect whether a beam that meets the third condition exists according to the first cycle.

[0138] In some alternative implementations, the third condition is: the signal quality of the beam is greater than or equal to a specified threshold.

[0139] Those skilled in the art should understand that the description of the apparatus for controlling random access in the embodiments of this application can be understood with reference to the description of the method for controlling random access in the embodiments of this application.

[0140] Figure 5 This is a schematic structural diagram of a communication device 500 provided in an embodiment of this application. This communication device can be a terminal device. Figure 5 The communication device 500 shown includes a processor 510, which can call and run computer programs from memory to implement the methods in the embodiments of this application.

[0141] Optionally, such as Figure 5 As shown, the communication device 500 may further include a memory 520. The processor 510 can retrieve and run computer programs from the memory 520 to implement the methods described in this embodiment.

[0142] The memory 520 can be a separate device independent of the processor 510, or it can be integrated into the processor 510.

[0143] Optionally, such as Figure 5 As shown, the communication device 500 may also include a transceiver 530, and the processor 510 may control the transceiver 530 to communicate with other devices. Specifically, it may send information or data to other devices or receive information or data sent by other devices.

[0144] The transceiver 530 may include a transmitter and a receiver. The transceiver 530 may further include antennas, and the number of antennas may be one or more.

[0145] Optionally, the communication device 500 may specifically be a mobile terminal / terminal device in the embodiments of this application, and the communication device 500 may implement the corresponding processes implemented by the mobile terminal / terminal device in the various methods of the embodiments of this application. For the sake of brevity, it will not be described in detail here.

[0146] Figure 6 This is a schematic structural diagram of the chip according to an embodiment of this application. Figure 6The chip 600 shown includes a processor 610, which can call and run computer programs from memory to implement the methods in the embodiments of this application.

[0147] Optionally, such as Figure 6 As shown, chip 600 may further include memory 620. Processor 610 can retrieve and run computer programs from memory 620 to implement the methods described in this embodiment.

[0148] The memory 620 can be a separate device independent of the processor 610, or it can be integrated into the processor 610.

[0149] Optionally, the chip 600 may also include an input interface 630. The processor 610 can control the input interface 630 to communicate with other devices or chips; specifically, it can acquire information or data sent by other devices or chips.

[0150] Optionally, the chip 600 may also include an output interface 640. The processor 610 can control the output interface 640 to communicate with other devices or chips, specifically, to output information or data to other devices or chips.

[0151] Optionally, the chip can be applied to the mobile terminal / terminal device in the embodiments of this application, and the chip can implement the corresponding processes implemented by the mobile terminal / terminal device in the various methods of the embodiments of this application. For the sake of brevity, it will not be described in detail here.

[0152] It should be understood that the chip mentioned in the embodiments of this application may also be referred to as a system-on-a-chip, system chip, chip system, or system-on-a-chip, etc.

[0153] Figure 7 This is a schematic block diagram of a communication system 700 provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 7 As shown, the communication system 700 includes a terminal device 710 and a network device 720.

[0154] The terminal device 710 can be used to implement the corresponding functions implemented by the terminal device in the above method, and the network device 720 can be used to implement the corresponding functions implemented by the network device in the above method. For the sake of brevity, these will not be elaborated here.

[0155] It should be understood that the processor in the embodiments of this application may be an integrated circuit chip with signal processing capabilities. In implementation, the steps 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 this application. The general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor or any conventional processor. The steps of the methods disclosed in the embodiments of this application 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. The 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 method.

[0156] It is understood that the memory in the embodiments of this application can be volatile memory or non-volatile memory, or may include both volatile and non-volatile memory. The non-volatile memory can be read-only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), or flash memory. The volatile memory can be random access memory (RAM), which is used as an external cache. By way of example, but not limitation, many forms of RAM are available, such as Static Random Access Memory (SRAM), Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM), Synchronous 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.

[0157] It should be understood that the above-described memory is exemplary and not a limiting description. For example, the memory in the embodiments of this application 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 this application is intended to include, but is not limited to, these and any other suitable types of memory.

[0158] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium for storing computer programs.

[0159] Optionally, the computer-readable storage medium can be applied to the network device in the embodiments of this application, 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 this application. For the sake of brevity, it will not be described in detail here.

[0160] Optionally, the computer-readable storage medium can be applied to the mobile terminal / terminal device in the embodiments of this application, and the computer program causes the computer to execute the corresponding processes implemented by the mobile terminal / terminal device in the various methods of the embodiments of this application. For the sake of brevity, it will not be described in detail here.

[0161] This application also provides a computer program product, including computer program instructions.

[0162] Optionally, the computer program product can be applied to the network device in the embodiments of this application, 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 this application. For the sake of brevity, they will not be described in detail here.

[0163] Optionally, the computer program product can be applied to the mobile terminal / terminal device in the embodiments of this application, and the computer program instructions cause the computer to execute the corresponding processes implemented by the mobile terminal / terminal device in the various methods of the embodiments of this application. For the sake of brevity, they will not be described in detail here.

[0164] This application also provides a computer program.

[0165] Optionally, the computer program can be applied to the network device in the embodiments of this application. 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 this application. For the sake of brevity, it will not be described in detail here.

[0166] Optionally, the computer program can be applied to the mobile terminal / terminal device in the embodiments of this application. When the computer program is run on a computer, it causes the computer to execute the corresponding processes implemented by the mobile terminal / terminal device in the various methods of the embodiments of this application. For the sake of brevity, it will not be described in detail here.

[0167] 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.

[0168] 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.

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

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

[0171] 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.

[0172] 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 application, in essence, 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 application. 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.

[0173] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions 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 method for controlling random access, the method comprising: The terminal device receives a first command, which is used to activate the secondary cell group (SCG). The terminal device determines whether to initiate a random access procedure to the SCG based on a first timer. The terminal device determines whether to initiate a random access procedure to the SCG based on a first timer, including: If the terminal device receives a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) for scheduling primary and secondary cells (PSCell) during the operation of the first timer, the terminal device determines not to initiate a random access procedure to the SCG and stops the first timer. The PDCCH is received by the terminal device using a first transmission configuration indication (TCI) state; the method further includes: The terminal device determines the first TCI state based on the network device's configuration information; or... The terminal device determines that the first TCI state is the TCI state used by the terminal device when the SCG was previously in an active state.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, After the terminal device receives the first command, the method further includes: The terminal device starts the first timer; or... The terminal device starts the first timer when the first condition is met.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein, The first condition is: The terminal device determines, based on the instruction from the network device, not to initiate a random access procedure to the SCG; or... The terminal device determines, based on its own assessment, not to initiate a random access procedure to the SCG.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, The terminal device determines whether to initiate a random access procedure to the SCG based on a first timer, and further includes: If the first timer times out, the terminal device determines to initiate a random access procedure to the SCG.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, The first timer is configured via Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling, Media Access Control (MAC) control unit (CE), or system broadcast message.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, The configuration information of the first timer is carried in the first command or RRC reconfiguration signaling.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The method further includes: The terminal device determines whether the random access procedure initiated to the SCG is successful based on a second timer.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein, After the terminal device receives the first command, the method further includes: The terminal device initiates a random access procedure to the SCG and starts the second timer; or, If the second condition is met, the terminal device initiates a random access procedure to the SCG and starts the second timer.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein, The second condition is: The terminal device determines to initiate a random access procedure to the SCG based on the instructions from the network device; or... The terminal device determines, based on its own assessment, to initiate a random access procedure to the SCG.

10. The method according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein, The terminal device determines whether the random access procedure initiated to the SCG is successful based on a second timer, including: If the random access procedure initiated by the terminal device to the SCG is successful before the second timer expires, the terminal device stops the second timer. If the second timer times out, the terminal device determines that the random access procedure initiated to the SCG has failed, and the terminal device sends an SCG failure information SCGFailureInformation message to the MN.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein, The successful random access procedure initiated by the terminal device to the SCG is characterized by at least one of the following: The terminal device received the PDCCH scrambled with the Cell-Radio Network Temporary Identifier (C-RNTI) from the SCG side; The terminal device received a Conflict Resolution MAC CE.

12. The method according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein, The second timer is configured via RRC signaling, MACCE, or system broadcast messages.

13. The method according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein, The configuration information of the second timer is carried in the first command or RRC reconfiguration signaling.

14. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, 7 to 9, wherein, The method further includes: The terminal device performs beam failure detection (BFD) during the SCG deactivation period. If the terminal device detects a BFD event, the terminal device performs beam failure recovery (BFR) detection according to the first cycle.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein, The first cycle is longer than the detection cycle of the BFD.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein, The terminal device performs beam failure detection (BFD) during the SCG deactivation period, including: During the SCG deactivation period, the terminal device performs beam failure detection using the first BFD configuration parameters; wherein, if the terminal device detects a BFD event, the terminal device records the BFD event.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein, The terminal device performs beam failure recovery (BFR) detection according to the first cycle, including: The terminal device periodically checks whether a beam that meets the third condition exists according to the first cycle.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein, The method further includes: If the terminal device detects a beam that meets the third condition, the terminal device records the beam that meets the third condition and continues to perform beam failure detection using the first BFD configuration parameters. If the terminal device does not detect a beam that meets the third condition, the terminal device continues to periodically detect whether a beam that meets the third condition exists according to the first cycle.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein, The third condition is: the signal quality of the beam is greater than or equal to a specified threshold.

20. An apparatus for controlling random access, applied to a terminal device, the apparatus comprising: The receiving unit is configured to receive a first command, which is used to activate the secondary cell group (SCG). The determining unit is configured to determine, based on a first timer, whether to initiate a random access procedure to the SCG. The device further includes: a stop unit; If the receiving unit receives a PDCCH for scheduling PSCell during the operation of the first timer, the determining unit determines not to initiate a random access procedure to the SCG, and the stopping unit stops the first timer. The PDCCH is received by the receiving unit in the first TCI state; The determining unit is further configured to determine the first TCI state based on the configuration information of the network device; or, to determine the first TCI state as the TCI state adopted by the terminal device when the SCG was previously in an active state.

21. The apparatus according to claim 20, wherein, The device further includes: a start unit; after the receiving unit receives the first command... The starting unit starts the first timer; or... The startup unit starts the first timer when the first condition is met.

22. The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein, The first condition is: The terminal device determines, based on the instruction from the network device, not to initiate a random access procedure to the SCG; or... The terminal device determines, based on its own assessment, not to initiate a random access procedure to the SCG.

23. The apparatus according to any one of claims 20 to 22, wherein, If the first timer times out, the determining unit determines to initiate a random access procedure to the SCG.

24. The apparatus according to any one of claims 20 to 22, wherein, The first timer is configured via RRC signaling, MAC CE, or system broadcast message.

25. The apparatus according to any one of claims 20 to 22, wherein, The configuration information of the first timer is carried in the first command or RRC reconfiguration signaling.

26. The apparatus according to claim 20, wherein, The determining unit is also used to determine, based on a second timer, whether the random access procedure initiated to the SCG was successful.

27. The apparatus according to claim 26, wherein, The device further includes: an initiation unit and a startup unit; The initiating unit initiates a random access procedure to the SCG, and the starting unit starts the second timer; or... When the second condition is met, the initiating unit initiates a random access procedure to the SCG, and the initiating unit starts the second timer.

28. The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein, The second condition is: The terminal device determines to initiate a random access procedure to the SCG based on the instructions from the network device; or... The terminal device determines, based on its own assessment, to initiate a random access procedure to the SCG.

29. The apparatus according to any one of claims 26 to 28, wherein, The device further includes: a stop unit and a transmission unit; If the random access procedure initiated by the terminal device to the SCG is successful before the second timer expires, the stopping unit stops the second timer; If the second timer times out, the determining unit determines that the random access procedure initiated to the SCG has failed, and the sending unit sends an SCG failure message to the MN.

30. The apparatus according to claim 29, wherein, The successful random access procedure initiated by the terminal device to the SCG is characterized by at least one of the following: The terminal device received the C-RNTI scrambled PDCCH from the SCG side; The terminal device received a Conflict Resolution MAC CE.

31. The apparatus according to any one of claims 26 to 28, wherein, The second timer is configured via RRC signaling, MAC CE, or system broadcast messages.

32. The apparatus according to any one of claims 26 to 28, wherein, The configuration information of the second timer is carried in the first command or RRC reconfiguration signaling.

33. The apparatus according to any one of claims 20 to 22, 26 to 28, wherein, The device further includes: The detection unit is used to perform BFD during the SCG deactivation period; if a BFD event is detected, BFR detection is performed according to the first cycle.

34. The apparatus according to claim 33, wherein, The first period is longer than the detection period of the BFD.

35. The apparatus according to claim 33, wherein, The device further includes: a recording unit; The detection unit is used to perform beam failure detection using the first BFD configuration parameters during the SCG deactivation period; wherein, if the terminal device detects a BFD event, the recording unit records the BFD event.

36. The apparatus according to claim 35, wherein, The detection unit is used to periodically detect whether a beam that meets the third condition exists according to the first cycle.

37. The apparatus according to claim 36, wherein, The device further includes: a recording unit; If the detection unit detects a beam that meets the third condition, the recording unit records the beam that meets the third condition, and the detection unit continues to perform beam failure detection using the first BFD configuration parameters. If the detection unit does not detect a beam that meets the third condition, it continues to periodically detect whether a beam that meets the third condition exists according to the first cycle.

38. The apparatus according to claim 36, wherein, The third condition is: the signal quality of the beam is greater than or equal to a specified threshold.

39. A terminal device, comprising: A processor and a memory for storing a computer program, the processor for calling and running the computer program stored in the memory to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 19.

40. A chip, comprising: A processor for retrieving and running a computer program from memory, causing a device on which the chip is mounted to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 19.

41. A computer-readable storage medium for storing a computer program that causes a computer to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1 to 19.

42. A computer program product comprising computer program instructions that cause a computer to perform the method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 19.

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