Communication method and device

Abstract

The invention relates to a communication method and device. The far-end device receives first configuration information from the first network device through the first non-direct connection path, the first non-direct connection path is a path through which the far-end device is connected with the first network device through the first relay device, and the first configuration information is used for configuring a sidelink corresponding to a to-be-added second non-direct connection path of the far-end device. The remote device establishes a second SRAP entity corresponding to a second non-direct connection path according to the first configuration information so as to communicate in the second non-direct connection path through the second SRAP entity, the first non-direct connection path corresponds to a first SRAP entity of the remote device, and the first SRAP entity is used for the remote device to communicate in the first non-direct connection path. According to the embodiment of the invention, the far-end equipment can respectively establish corresponding SRAP entities for different non-direct connection paths, so that the implementation mode of the SRAP is clear, and the far-end equipment can normally communicate in a multi-path scene.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to a Chinese patent application filed with the State Intellectual Property Office of China on July 4, 2023, with application number 202310816464.9 and application name “A method and device for configuring multiple non-directly connected links”, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference in this application. Technical Field

[0003] The present application relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to a communication method and device. Background Art

[0004] For sidelink (SL) relay technology, one evolution direction is to support multipath, that is, remote user equipment (UE) can be connected to network devices through multiple paths. For example, a remote UE can be connected to multiple relay UEs, and thus connect to network devices through these multiple relay UEs. Then, there is an indirect path between the remote UE, each relay UE, and the connected network device. Figure 1 , which is a schematic diagram of the protocol stack corresponding to a non-direct path. The packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) entity corresponding to a radio bearer (RB) can be transmitted through the PC5 radio link control (RLC) bearer or PC5 RLC channel under the non-direct path. Among them, the RLC channel can also be called RLC bearer, and the two can be understood as the same feature and can be replaced with each other. In addition, PC5 RLC can also be called SL RLC; PC5 sidelink relay adaptation protocol (SRAP) can also be called SL SRAP. For non-direct paths, the PDCP entity connects with the PC5 RLC entity through the SRAP entity to ensure that the RLC bearer on the SL matches the RLC bearer on the Uu port (mapping). In addition Figure 1 It also involves protocol layers such as the media access control (MAC) layer and the physical (PHY) layer, which will not be elaborated in detail.

[0005] Figure 1There is only one indirect path. When it is extended to a multi-path scenario, there may be multiple indirect paths. At this time, it is unclear how the SRAP entity in the remote UE should be implemented. Summary of the invention

[0006] The embodiments of the present application provide a communication method and apparatus, and provide an implementation mechanism of a SRAP entity of a remote device in a multipath scenario.

[0007] In a first aspect, a first communication method is provided, which can be executed by a remote device, or by other devices including remote device functions, or by a chip system (or, chip) or other functional modules, the chip system or functional module can realize the functions of the remote device, the chip system or functional module is, for example, set in the remote device. The remote device is implemented, for example, by a terminal device or a network device. The method includes: receiving first configuration information from a first network device through a first non-direct path, the first non-direct path is a path for the remote device to connect to the first network device through a first relay device, the first configuration information is used to configure the side link corresponding to the second non-direct path to be added by the remote device, the second non-direct path is a path for the remote device to connect to the second network device through a second relay device; establishing a second SRAP entity corresponding to the second non-direct path according to the first configuration information, so as to communicate on the second non-direct path through the second SRAP entity, wherein the first non-direct path corresponds to the first SRAP entity of the remote device, and the first SRAP entity is used for the remote device to communicate on the first non-direct path.

[0008] The remote device in the embodiment of the present application has maintained a first indirect path, and a second indirect path is to be established. After receiving the first configuration information, the remote device can establish a second SRAP entity corresponding to the second indirect path according to the first configuration information. In addition, the remote device also maintains a first SRAP entity corresponding to the first indirect path, which is equivalent to the remote device being able to establish respective corresponding SRAP entities for different indirect paths. Different SRAP entities can process data of different indirect paths, making the implementation method of SRAP clearer, and the remote device can also communicate normally in a multi-path scenario.

[0009] In an optional implementation, the local identifier corresponding to the first SRAP entity is a first local identifier, which is the local identifier of the remote device under the first relay device; the local identifier corresponding to the second SRAP entity is a second local identifier, which is the local identifier of the remote device under the second relay device; wherein the first local identifier is the same as or different from the second local identifier. Different SRAP entities can maintain their own local identifiers respectively, and the local identifiers maintained by different SRAP entities can be the same or different, which is more flexible.

[0010] In an optional embodiment, the method further includes: associating the first PDCP entity of the remote device with at least one SL RLC channel according to the first configuration information, the first PDCP entity being a PDCP entity corresponding to the second non-direct path, wherein the first configuration information includes association relationship information between the first radio bearer of the remote device and at least one SL LCID, or association relationship information between the first radio bearer of the remote device and at least one SL RLC channel identifier, the first radio bearer corresponds to the first PDCP entity, and the at least one SL LCID or the at least one SL RLC channel identifier indicates the at least one SL RLC channel. An association is established between the first PDCP entity and at least one SL RLC channel so that communication on the second non-direct path can be carried out. The SL RLC channel identifier in this article is, for example, a SL RLC channel identity number (ID).

[0011] In an optional implementation, the method further includes: the first PDCP entity obtains uplink data; and delivers the uplink data to the second SRAP entity, wherein the uplink data corresponds to the first radio bearer, and the first configuration information includes association information between the first radio bearer and the second SRAP entity. After the first PDCP entity obtains the uplink data, it can deliver the uplink data to the second SRAP entity according to the first radio bearer corresponding to the uplink data. It can be seen that communication on the second non-direct path can proceed normally.

[0012] In an optional implementation, the method further includes: the second SRAP entity receives downlink data; determines the first PDCP entity according to the first radio bearer corresponding to the downlink data; and delivers the downlink data to the first PDCP entity. After the second SRAP entity obtains the downlink data, it can deliver the downlink data to the first PDCP entity according to the first radio bearer corresponding to the downlink data. It can be seen that both uplink and downlink communications on the second non-direct path can proceed normally.

[0013] In an optional implementation, the first configuration information includes one or more of the following: SRAP configuration information of the remote device, SL RLC channel configuration information of the remote device, SL physical layer configuration information of the remote device, or SL MAC layer configuration information of the remote device. In addition, the first configuration information may also include configuration information of other protocol layers of the remote device, which is not limited.

[0014] In an optional embodiment, the SRAP configuration information includes one or more of the following: a local identifier of the remote device under the second relay device, an identifier of the second relay device, association relationship information between a first wireless bearer of the remote device and at least one SL LCID of the remote device, or association relationship information between a first wireless bearer of the remote device and at least one SL RLC channel identifier of the remote device, wherein the first wireless bearer is a wireless bearer configured for the second non-direct path.

[0015] In an optional implementation, the SRAP configuration information includes first sub-configuration information and second sub-configuration information, wherein the first sub-configuration information includes information for configuring the first indirect path, and the first sub-configuration information is associated with the first local identifier of the remote device and the identifier of the first relay device, and the second sub-configuration information includes information for configuring the second indirect path, and the second sub-configuration information is associated with the second local identifier of the remote device and the identifier of the second relay device; wherein the first local identifier is the local identifier of the remote device under the first relay device, and the second local identifier is the local identifier of the remote device under the second relay device. The SRAP configuration information can include the first sub-configuration information and the second sub-configuration information respectively, so that the remote device can clearly know which configuration information corresponds to which indirect path, reducing the probability of configuration errors.

[0016] In an optional implementation manner, the at least one SL LCID belongs to the SLLCID available to the remote device, or does not belong to the SL LCID occupied by the remote device. In this way, conflicts between SL RLC configurations of different paths can be avoided.

[0017] In an optional implementation, the at least one SL RLC channel identifier belongs to an SL RLC channel identifier available to the remote device, or does not belong to an SL RLC channel identifier occupied by the remote device. In this way, conflicts between SL RLC configurations of different paths can be avoided.

[0018] In an optional implementation, the SL RLC channel configuration information includes one or more of the following: configuration information of the SL RLC entity of the remote device, SL MAC logical channel configuration information of the remote device, or delay margin information corresponding to the side link.

[0019] In an optional implementation, the SL MAC layer configuration information includes SL DRX configuration information of the remote device.

[0020] In an optional embodiment, the method further includes: receiving release indication information from the first network device via the first non-direct path, the release indication information being used to indicate the release of the first SL RLC channel of the remote device corresponding to the second non-direct path; and releasing the first SL RLC channel according to the release indication information. In addition to establishing a non-direct path, the remote device can also release the non-direct path, or release part or all of the SL RLC channels corresponding to the non-direct path, so that the remote device is more flexible in maintaining the non-direct path.

[0021] In an optional embodiment, the release indication information is used to indicate the release of the first SL RLC channel of the remote device corresponding to the second non-directly connected path, including: the release indication information includes the SL LCID or SL RLC channel identifier of the first SL RLC channel; or, the release indication information is used to indicate one or more of the following: the identifier of the wireless bearer corresponding to the first SL RLC channel, the second network device, the identifier of the second relay device, or the second local identifier of the remote device, wherein the second local identifier is the local identifier of the remote device under the second relay device. The release indication information can indicate the SL RLC channel to be released in a variety of ways, which is more flexible.

[0022] In a second aspect, a second communication method is provided, which can be executed by a remote device, or by other devices including remote device functions, or by a chip system (or, chip) or other functional modules, the chip system or functional module can realize the functions of the remote device, the chip system or functional module is, for example, set in the remote device. The remote device is implemented, for example, by a terminal device or a network device. The method includes: receiving first configuration information from a first network device through a first non-direct path, the first non-direct path is a path for the remote device to connect to the first network device through a first relay device, the first configuration information is used to configure the side link corresponding to the second non-direct path to be added by the remote device, the second non-direct path is a path for the remote device to connect to the second network device through a second relay device; reconfiguring the SRAP entity corresponding to the first non-direct path according to the first configuration information, so as to communicate on the first non-direct path and the second non-direct path through the SRAP entity.

[0023] After receiving the first configuration information, the remote device in the embodiment of the present application can reconfigure the SRAP entity corresponding to the first indirect path according to the first configuration information, so that the SRAP entity can support the communication of multiple indirect paths. This is equivalent to the remote device maintaining the same SRAP entity for different indirect paths, without having to establish multiple SRAP entities, which is conducive to simplifying the structure and implementation of the remote device.

[0024] In an optional embodiment, the method further includes: associating a first PDCP entity of the remote device with at least one SL RLC channel according to the first configuration information, the first PDCP entity being a PDCP entity corresponding to the second non-directly connected path, wherein the first configuration information includes association relationship information between the first wireless bearer of the remote device and at least one SL LCID, or association relationship information between the first wireless bearer of the remote device and at least one SL RLC channel identifier, the first wireless bearer corresponds to the first PDCP entity, and the at least one SL LCID or the at least one SL RLC channel identifier indicates the at least one SL RLC channel.

[0025] In an optional embodiment, the SRAP entity corresponding to the first non-direct path is reconfigured according to the first configuration information, including: adding a second local identifier included in the first configuration information to the SRAP entity, the second local identifier being the local identifier of the remote device under the second relay device, and the second local identifier is different from the first local identifier maintained by the SRAP entity, and the first local identifier is the local identifier of the remote device under the first relay device.

[0026] In an optional implementation, the SRAP entity corresponds to a first local identifier, the first local identifier is the local identifier of the remote device under the first relay device, the first local identifier is the same as the second local identifier included in the first configuration information, and the second local identifier is the local identifier of the remote device under the second relay device.

[0027] The SRAP entity in the embodiment of the present application may correspond to multiple indirect paths, for example, corresponding to a first indirect path and a second indirect path, then the SRAP entity may correspond to the local identifiers corresponding to the multiple indirect paths. Because the remote device has established the first indirect path, the SRAP entity has maintained the first local identifier. Optionally, if the first local identifier is different from the second local identifier, the remote device may add a second local identifier to the SRAP entity (for example, the first configuration information includes the second local identifier), so that the SRAP entity can maintain the local identifiers corresponding to different indirect paths. Alternatively, if the first local identifier is the same as the second local identifier, the remote device may no longer need to add a second local identifier to the SRAP entity, and the SRAP entity can continue to maintain the first local identifier. It can be seen that when the local identifiers corresponding to different indirect paths are the same, the number of local identifiers maintained by the SRAP entity can be reduced.

[0028] In an optional embodiment, the method also includes: the SRAP entity obtains uplink data; determines the second local identifier based on the first wireless bearer corresponding to the uplink data, wherein the first configuration information includes the association relationship information between the second local identifier, the first wireless bearer and at least one SL LCID, or the first configuration information includes the association relationship information between the second local identifier, the first wireless bearer and at least one SL RLC channel identifier; adds the second local identifier to the uplink data; and delivers the uplink data to the first SL RLC channel corresponding to the first wireless bearer based on the second local identifier and the first wireless bearer corresponding to the uplink data.

[0029] In an optional embodiment, when the at least one SL LCID includes multiple SL LCIDs, the multiple SL LCIDs correspond to multiple SL RLC channels, and delivering the uplink data to the first SL RLC channel corresponding to the first radio bearer includes: delivering the uplink data to the first SL RLC channel corresponding to the identifier of the second relay device among the multiple SL RLC channels, wherein the uplink data corresponds to the identifier of the second relay device. These multiple SL LCIDs may correspond to one relay device (e.g., a second relay device), or to one indirect path; or may correspond to multiple relay devices, or to multiple indirect paths. Then the remote device can determine the first SL RLC channel in combination with the identifier of the second relay device.

[0030] In an optional embodiment, when the at least one SL RLC channel identifier includes multiple SL RLC channel identifiers, the multiple SL RLC channel identifiers correspond to multiple SL RLC channels, and delivering the uplink data to the first SL RLC channel corresponding to the first radio bearer includes: delivering the uplink data to the first SL RLC channel corresponding to the identifier of the second relay device among the multiple SL RLC channels, wherein the uplink data corresponds to the identifier of the second relay device. These multiple SL RLC channel identifiers may correspond to one relay device (e.g., a second relay device), or to one non-direct path; or may correspond to multiple relay devices, or to multiple non-direct paths. Then the remote device can determine the first SL RLC channel in combination with the identifier of the second relay device.

[0031] In an optional embodiment, the first SL RLC channel includes K SL RLC channels, and when K is an integer greater than 1, the uplink data is delivered to the first SL RLC channel corresponding to the first radio bearer, including: allocating the uplink data to one or more of the K SL RLC channels according to a comparison between the data volume of the uplink data and a data volume threshold; or, evenly allocating the uplink data to the K SL RLC channels; or, allocating the uplink data to the SL RLC channels indicated by the diversion indication information in the K SL RLC channels, and the diversion indication information is included in the uplink data; or, according to the default configuration, delivering the uplink data to some or all of the K SL RLC channels. If the first SL RLC channel includes K SL RLC channels, the remote device can deliver the uplink data to some or all of the SL RLC channels therein according to the corresponding rules. The specific rules can be predefined by the protocol, configured by the network device, determined by the remote device itself, or preconfigured in the remote device.

[0032] In an optional implementation, the method further includes: the SRAP entity obtains downlink data; determines the corresponding first PDCP entity based on the second local identifier corresponding to the downlink data and the first wireless bearer corresponding to the downlink data; and delivers the downlink data to the PDCP entity.

[0033] In an optional embodiment, the first configuration information includes one or more of the following: SRAP configuration information of the remote device, SL RLC channel configuration information of the remote device, SL physical layer configuration information of the remote device, or SL MAC layer configuration information of the remote device.

[0034] In an optional embodiment, the SRAP configuration information includes first sub-configuration information and second sub-configuration information, wherein the first sub-configuration information includes information for configuring the first non-direct path, and the first sub-configuration information is associated with the first local identifier of the remote device and the identifier of the first relay device, and the second sub-configuration information includes information for configuring the second non-direct path, and the second sub-configuration information is associated with the second local identifier of the remote device and the identifier of the second relay device; or, the SRAP configuration information includes information for configuring the first non-direct path and information for configuring the second non-direct path, and the SRAP configuration information is associated with the first local identifier of the remote device, and the first local identifier is the same as the second local identifier of the remote device; wherein the first local identifier is the local identifier of the remote device under the first relay device, and the second local identifier is the local identifier of the remote device under the second relay device.

[0035] In an optional implementation, the SL RLC channel configuration information includes one or more of the following: configuration information of the SL RLC entity of the remote device, SL MAC logical channel configuration information of the remote device, or delay margin information corresponding to the side link.

[0036] In an optional implementation, the SL MAC layer configuration information includes SL DRX configuration information of the remote device.

[0037] In an optional embodiment, the method further includes: receiving release indication information from the first network device via the first non-directly connected path, the release indication information being used to indicate the release of a second SL RLC channel of the remote device corresponding to the second non-directly connected path; and releasing the second SL RLC channel according to the release indication information.

[0038] In an optional embodiment, the release indication information is used to indicate the release of the first SL RLC channel of the remote device corresponding to the second non-directly connected path, including: the release indication information includes the SL LCID or SL RLC channel identifier of the first SL RLC channel; or, the release indication information is used to indicate the identifier of the wireless bearer corresponding to the first SL RLC channel, and indicates one or more of the identifier of the first network device, the identifier of the second relay device, or the second local identifier of the remote device, and the second local identifier is the local identifier of the remote device under the second relay device.

[0039] Regarding the technical effects brought about by the second aspect or some optional implementation methods, reference may be made to the introduction to the technical effects of the first aspect or corresponding implementation methods.

[0040] In a third aspect, a third communication method is provided, which can be performed by a network device, or by other devices including network device functions, or by a chip system (or, chip) or other functional modules, which can implement the functions of the network device, and the chip system or functional module is, for example, arranged in the network device. The network device is, for example, a first network device. The first network device is, for example, an access network device, such as a base station. The method includes: sending a first message to a second network device, the first message including information of a remote device and / or information of a candidate relay device, wherein a first non-direct path connected through a first relay device is provided between the remote device and the first network device, and the number of the candidate relay devices is one or more; receiving a second message from the second network device, the second message including second configuration information, the second configuration information being used to configure a side link corresponding to a second non-direct path to be added to the remote device, the second non-direct path being a path connecting the remote device to the second network device through a second relay device among the candidate relay devices; sending first configuration information to the remote device through the first non-direct path, the first configuration information being used to configure the side link, and the first configuration information being determined based on the second configuration information.

[0041] In an embodiment of the present application, a first network device indirectly connected to a remote device and a second network device indirectly connected thereto can interact, so that the second network device can obtain information about the remote device from the first network device, and the first network device can obtain information about a second non-direct path to be added for configuring the remote device from the second network device, thereby configuring a new non-direct path for the remote device based on the interaction results of the network devices, for example, configuring a side link or PC5 interface corresponding to the new non-direct path, so that the remote device can operate in a multi-path scenario between base stations.

[0042] In an optional implementation, the information of the remote device includes one or more of the following: an identifier of a PLMN supported by the remote device; information about the wireless bearer of the remote device; DRX information of the first non-direct path; a value of an available SL LCID of the remote device, or a value of an available SL RLC channel identifier of the remote device, or a value of an occupied SL LCID of the remote device, or a value of an occupied SL RLC channel identifier of the remote device; SL RLC channel configuration requirement information of the remote device; or, delay margin information corresponding to the sidelink. For example, the first message includes a value of an available SL LCID of the remote device, or a value of an available SL RLC channel identifier of the remote device, or a value of an occupied SL LCID of the remote device, or a value of an occupied SL RLC channel identifier of the remote device, so that when the second network device configures the SL RLC channel for the non-direct path, it may not use the occupied SL LCID or SL RLC channel identifier of the remote device, thereby reducing conflicts between non-direct paths. For another example, if the first message includes the DRX information of the first non-direct path of the remote device, the second network device can align the PC5 DRX of the first non-direct path of the remote device with the PC5 DRX of the second non-direct path, so that the remote UE can wake up only in the same time period to perform air interface transmission and SL transmission, which can reduce the time for the remote device to wake up, save power consumption, and reduce the complexity of the remote device. For another example, if the first message includes the SL RLC channel configuration requirement information of the remote device, and / or the delay margin information corresponding to the sidelink, the second network device can add the SL RLC channel configuration requirement information and / or the delay margin information to the configuration information of the remote device without additional configuration, which can reduce the workload of the second network device.

[0043] In an optional embodiment, the information of the wireless bearer of the remote device includes one or more of the following: a first local identifier of the remote device, the first local identifier being the local identifier of the remote device under the first relay device; an identifier of the first wireless bearer configured for the second non-direct path, the first wireless bearer including a data wireless bearer and / or a signaling wireless bearer; Xn transport layer address information of the data wireless bearer where the PDCP entity of the remote device is located on the first network device; information used to indicate that the first wireless bearer of the remote device belongs to the second non-direct path; information used to indicate that the first wireless bearer of the remote device belongs to a relay device group; type information of the SL RLC entity used by the remote device on the second non-direct path; information used to indicate whether the first wireless bearer of the remote device supports multi-path communication; information used to indicate whether the first wireless bearer of the remote device supports repeated transmission; or, QoS information of the first wireless bearer of the remote device. For example, if the first radio bearer of the remote device supports multi-path communication, the first radio bearer can be configured for the second non-direct path, otherwise the first radio bearer cannot be configured for the second non-direct path (because the remote device has maintained the first non-direct path, and adding the second non-direct path is multi-path communication). For another example, the QoS information of the first radio bearer of the remote device can be used for the second network device to configure one or more of the following according to the QoS information: the SL DRX of the second non-direct path, the PC5 interface corresponding to the second non-direct path or the delay margin corresponding to the SL, or the SL RLC channel of the remote device. That is, the second network device can make corresponding configurations for the remote device according to the information of the radio bearer of the remote device.

[0044] In an optional embodiment, the SL RLC channel configuration requirement information of the remote device includes: association relationship information between a first wireless bearer of the remote device and at least one SL LCID of the remote device, or association relationship information between a first wireless bearer of the remote device and at least one SL RLC channel identifier of the remote device, wherein the first wireless bearer is a wireless bearer configured for the second non-direct path; or association relationship information between a first quantity and a second quantity, wherein the first quantity is the number of wireless bearers configured for the second non-direct path, and the second quantity is the number of SL RLC channels in the remote device associated with the first number of wireless bearers. The SL RLC channel configuration requirement information may directly indicate a specific first wireless bearer and at least one SL LCID, or indicate a first wireless bearer and at least one SL RLC channel identifier, so that the second network device may no longer need to select a SL LCID or a SL RLC channel identifier; or, the SL RLC channel configuration requirement information may indicate an association between the number of wireless bearers and the number of SL-RLC channels (or the number of SL LCIDs or the number of SL RLC channel identifiers), and the second network device may select a SL LCID or a SL RLC channel identifier based on the number, which provides a certain degree of implementation flexibility for the second network device.

[0045] In an optional implementation, the information of the candidate relay device includes an identifier of the candidate relay device and / or an identifier of a serving PLMN of the candidate relay device.

[0046] In an optional implementation, when the PLMN supported by the remote device is different from the service PLMN of the candidate relay device, the information of the candidate relay device includes the identifier of the service PLMN of the candidate relay device; or, when the PLMN supported by the remote device is the same as the service PLMN of the candidate relay device, the information of the candidate relay device does not include the identifier of the service PLMN of the candidate relay device. For example, when the PLMN supported by the remote device is the same as the service PLMN of the candidate relay device, the information of the candidate relay device may not include the identifier of the service PLMN of the candidate relay device, thereby reducing the overhead of the first message.

[0047] In an optional embodiment, the second configuration information includes one or more of the following: SRAP configuration information of the remote device; SL RLC channel configuration information of the remote device; SL physical layer configuration information of the remote device; or SL MAC layer configuration information of the remote device. The second configuration information can configure each protocol layer of the second non-direct path for the remote device, so that the remote device can communicate through the second non-direct path. In addition, the second configuration information can also include information of other protocol layers of the remote device, which is not limited.

[0048] In an optional embodiment, the SRAP configuration information includes one or more of the following: a local identifier of the remote device under the second relay device; an identifier of the second relay device; or association relationship information between a first wireless bearer of the remote device and at least one SL LCID of the remote device, the first wireless bearer being a wireless bearer configured for the second non-direct path; or association relationship information between a first wireless bearer of the remote device and at least one SL RLC channel identifier of the remote device, the first wireless bearer being a wireless bearer configured for the second non-direct path.

[0049] In an optional implementation manner, the value of the at least one SL LCID belongs to the value of the SL LCID available to the remote device, or does not belong to the value of the SL LCID occupied by the remote device.

[0050] In an optional implementation, the value of the at least one SL RLC channel identifier belongs to the value of the SL RLC channel identifier available to the remote device, or does not belong to the value of the SL RLC channel identifier occupied by the remote device.

[0051] In an optional embodiment, the information of the remote device includes SL RLC channel configuration requirement information of the remote device, and the association relationship information between the first radio bearer of the remote device and at least one SL LCID of the remote device is determined based on the SL RLC channel configuration requirement information. Alternatively, the association relationship information between the first radio bearer of the remote device and at least one SL RLC channel identifier of the remote device is determined based on the SL RLC channel configuration requirement information.

[0052] In an optional embodiment, the SL RLC channel configuration information includes one or more of the following: configuration information of the SL RLC entity of the remote device; SL MAC logical channel configuration information of the remote device; or delay margin information corresponding to the side link.

[0053] In an optional implementation, the delay margin information corresponding to the side link is information included in the information of the remote device.

[0054] In an optional implementation, the SL MAC layer configuration information includes SL DRX configuration information of the remote device.

[0055] In an optional implementation, the second message includes a first information element, the second configuration information is included in the first information element, the first configuration information is included in a third message, the third message includes the first information element, and the first configuration information is the second configuration information; or, the first configuration information is generated based on the analysis of the second configuration information. The first network device can directly add the information element in the second message to the first message and send it to the remote device without parsing the information element in the second message, thereby simplifying the implementation of the first network device. Alternatively, the first network device can also parse the second configuration information and generate the first configuration information accordingly, which is more flexible for the second network device to implement.

[0056] In an optional implementation, the first configuration information includes information for configuring the SRAP entity of the remote device, wherein the information for configuring the SRAP entity of the remote device includes first sub-configuration information and second sub-configuration information, wherein the first sub-configuration information includes information for configuring the first indirect path, and the first sub-configuration information is associated with a first local identifier of the remote device and an identifier of the first relay device, and the second sub-configuration information includes information for configuring the second indirect path, and the second sub-configuration information is associated with a second local identifier of the remote device and an identifier of the second relay device; or, the information for configuring the SRAP entity of the remote device includes information for configuring the first indirect path and information for configuring the second indirect path, and the first configuration information is associated with a first local identifier of the remote device, and the first local identifier is the same as a second local identifier of the remote device; wherein the first local identifier is a local identifier of the remote device under the first relay device, and the second local identifier is a local identifier of the remote device under the second relay device.

[0057] In an optional implementation, the method further includes: sending release indication information to the remote device via the first indirect path, wherein the release indication information is used to indicate the release of a first SL RLC channel of the remote device corresponding to the second indirect path.

[0058] In an optional embodiment, the release indication information is used to indicate the release of the first SL RLC channel of the remote device corresponding to the second non-directly connected path, including: the release indication information includes the SL LCID or SL RLC channel identifier of the first SL RLC channel; or, the release indication information is used to indicate the identifier of the wireless bearer corresponding to the first SL RLC channel, and indicates one or more of the identifier of the first network device, the identifier of the second relay device, or the second local identifier of the remote device, and the second local identifier is the local identifier of the remote device under the second relay device.

[0059] Regarding the technical effects brought about by some optional implementations of the third aspect, reference may be made to the introduction to the technical effects of the first aspect or the corresponding implementations, and / or reference may be made to the introduction to the technical effects of the second aspect or the corresponding implementations.

[0060] In a fourth aspect, a fourth communication method is provided, which can be executed by a network device, or by other devices including network device functions, or by a chip system (or, chip) or other functional modules, the chip system or functional module can realize the function of the network device, the chip system or functional module is, for example, set in the network device. The network device is, for example, a second network device. The second network device is, for example, an access network device, such as a base station. The method includes: receiving a first message from a first network device, the first message including information of a remote device and / or information of a candidate relay device, wherein there is a first non-direct path connected to the remote device and the first network device through a first relay device, and the number of the candidate relay devices is one or more; sending a second message to the first network device, the second message including second configuration information, the second configuration information being used to configure a side link corresponding to a second non-direct path to be added by the remote device, the second non-direct path being a path for the remote device to connect to the second network device through a second relay device in the candidate relay device.

[0061] In an optional embodiment, the information of the remote device includes one or more of the following: an identifier of a PLMN supported by the remote device; information about the wireless bearer of the remote device; DRX information of the first non-direct path; the value of the SL LCID available to the remote device, the value of the SL RLC channel identifier available to the remote device, the value of the SL LCID occupied by the remote device, or the value of the SL RLC channel identifier occupied by the remote device; SL RLC channel configuration requirement information of the remote device; or, delay margin information corresponding to the side link.

[0062] In an optional embodiment, the information of the wireless bearer of the remote device includes one or more of the following: a first local identifier of the remote device, the first local identifier being the local identifier of the remote device under the first relay device; an identifier of the first wireless bearer configured for the second non-direct path, the first wireless bearer including a data wireless bearer and / or a signaling wireless bearer; Xn transport layer address information of the data wireless bearer where the PDCP entity of the remote device is located on the first network device; information used to indicate that the first wireless bearer of the remote device belongs to the second non-direct path; information used to indicate that the first wireless bearer of the remote device belongs to a relay device group; type information of the SL RLC entity used by the remote device on the second non-direct path; information used to indicate whether the first wireless bearer of the remote device supports multi-path communication; information used to indicate whether the first wireless bearer of the remote device supports repeated transmission; or, QoS information of the first wireless bearer of the remote device.

[0063] In an optional embodiment, the SL RLC channel configuration requirement information of the remote device includes: association relationship information between a first wireless bearer of the remote device and at least one SL LCID of the remote device, or association relationship information between a first wireless bearer of the remote device and at least one SL RLC channel identifier of the remote device, wherein the first wireless bearer is a wireless bearer configured for the second non-direct path; or association relationship information between a first quantity and a second quantity, wherein the first quantity is the number of wireless bearers configured for the second non-direct path, and the second quantity is the number of SL RLC channels in the remote device associated with the first number of wireless bearers.

[0064] In an optional implementation, the information of the candidate relay device includes an identifier of the candidate relay device and / or an identifier of a serving PLMN of the candidate relay device.

[0065] In an optional implementation, when the PLMN supported by the remote device is different from the serving PLMN of the candidate relay device, the information of the candidate relay device includes an identifier of the serving PLMN of the candidate relay device.

[0066] In an optional embodiment, the second configuration information includes one or more of the following: SRAP configuration information of the remote device; SL RLC channel configuration information of the remote device; SL physical layer configuration information of the remote device; or SL MAC layer configuration information of the remote device.

[0067] In an optional embodiment, the SRAP configuration information includes one or more of the following: a local identifier of the remote device under the second relay device; an identifier of the second relay device; or association relationship information between a first wireless bearer of the remote device and at least one SL LCID of the remote device, the first wireless bearer being a wireless bearer configured for the second non-direct path; or association relationship information between a first wireless bearer of the remote device and at least one SL RLC channel identifier of the remote device, the first wireless bearer being a wireless bearer configured for the second non-direct path.

[0068] In an optional implementation manner, the value of the at least one SL LCID belongs to the value of the SL LCID available to the remote device, or does not belong to the value of the SL LCID occupied by the remote device.

[0069] In an optional implementation, the value of the at least one SL RLC channel identifier belongs to the value of the SL RLC channel identifier available to the remote device, or does not belong to the value of the SL RLC channel identifier occupied by the remote device.

[0070] In an optional embodiment, the information of the remote device includes SL RLC channel configuration requirement information of the remote device, association relationship information between the first wireless bearer of the remote device and at least one SL LCID of the remote device, or association relationship information between the first wireless bearer of the remote device and at least one SL RLC channel identifier of the remote device, which is determined based on the SL RLC channel configuration requirement information.

[0071] In an optional embodiment, the SL RLC channel configuration information includes one or more of the following: configuration information of the SL RLC entity of the remote device; SL MAC logical channel configuration information of the remote device; or delay margin information corresponding to the side link.

[0072] In an optional implementation, the delay margin information corresponding to the side link is information included in the information of the remote device.

[0073] In an optional implementation, the SL MAC layer configuration information includes SL DRX configuration information of the remote device.

[0074] In an optional embodiment, the method also includes: sending a fourth message to the second relay device, the fourth message including third configuration information, the third configuration information is used to configure the side link corresponding to the second non-direct path of the second relay device, and the third configuration information is determined based on the second configuration information.

[0075] Regarding the technical effects brought about by the fourth aspect or various optional implementations of the fourth aspect, reference may be made to the introduction to the technical effects of the third aspect or corresponding implementations.

[0076] In a fifth aspect, a communication device is provided. The communication device may be any remote device described in any one of the first to fourth aspects. The communication device has the functions of the remote device. The communication device is, for example, a remote device, or a larger device including a remote device, or a functional module in a remote device, such as a baseband device or a chip system. In an optional implementation, the communication device includes a baseband device and a radio frequency device. In another optional implementation, the communication device includes a processing unit (sometimes also referred to as a processing module) and a transceiver unit (sometimes also referred to as a transceiver module). The transceiver unit can implement a sending function and a receiving function. When the transceiver unit implements the sending function, it can be called a sending unit (sometimes also referred to as a sending module), and when the transceiver unit implements the receiving function, it can be called a receiving unit (sometimes also referred to as a receiving module). The sending unit and the receiving unit can be the same functional module, which is called a transceiver unit, and the functional module can implement a sending function and a receiving function; or, the sending unit and the receiving unit can be different functional modules, and the transceiver unit is a general term for these functional modules.

[0077] In an optional embodiment, the transceiver unit (or, the receiving unit) is used to receive first configuration information from a first network device via a first non-direct path, where the first non-direct path is a path for the remote device to connect to the first network device via a first relay device, and the first configuration information is used to configure a side link corresponding to a second non-direct path to be added by the remote device, where the second non-direct path is a path for the remote device to connect to a second network device via a second relay device; the processing unit is used to establish a second SRAP entity corresponding to the second non-direct path according to the first configuration information, so as to communicate on the second non-direct path through the second SRAP entity, wherein the first non-direct path corresponds to a first SRAP entity of the remote device, and the first SRAP entity is used for the remote device to communicate on the first non-direct path.

[0078] In an optional embodiment, the transceiver unit (or, the receiving unit) is used to receive first configuration information from a first network device via a first non-direct path, where the first non-direct path is a path for the remote device to connect to the first network device via a first relay device, and the first configuration information is used to configure a side link corresponding to a second non-direct path to be added by the remote device, where the second non-direct path is a path for the remote device to connect to the second network device via a second relay device; the processing unit is used to reconfigure the SRAP entity corresponding to the first non-direct path according to the first configuration information, so as to communicate on the first non-direct path and the second non-direct path through the SRAP entity.

[0079] In an optional embodiment, the communication device also includes a storage unit (sometimes also referred to as a storage module), and the processing unit is used to couple with the storage unit and execute the program or instructions in the storage unit, so that the communication device can perform the functions of the remote device described in any one of the first to fourth aspects above.

[0080] In a sixth aspect, a communication device is provided. The communication device may be the first network device described in any one of the first to fourth aspects. The communication device has the functions of the first network device. The communication device is, for example, a first network device, or a larger device including the first network device, or a functional module in the first network device, such as a baseband device or a chip system. In an optional implementation, the communication device includes a baseband device and a radio frequency device. In another optional implementation, the communication device includes a processing unit (sometimes also referred to as a processing module) and a transceiver unit (sometimes also referred to as a transceiver module). For the implementation of the transceiver unit, reference may be made to the introduction of the fifth aspect.

[0081] In an optional embodiment, the transceiver unit (or, the sending unit) is used to send a first message to a second network device, the first message including information of a remote device and / or information of a candidate relay device, wherein a first non-direct path connected through a first relay device is provided between the remote device and the first network device, and the number of the candidate relay devices is one or more; the transceiver unit (or, the receiving unit) is used to receive a second message from the second network device, the second message including second configuration information, the second configuration information being used to configure a side link corresponding to a second non-direct path to be added by the remote device, the second non-direct path being a path through which the remote device is connected to the second network device through a second relay device in the candidate relay device; the transceiver unit (or, the sending unit) is also used to send first configuration information to the remote device through the first non-direct path, the first configuration information being used to configure the side link, and the first configuration information being determined based on the second configuration information.

[0082] In an optional embodiment, the communication device also includes a storage unit (sometimes also referred to as a storage module), and the processing unit is used to couple with the storage unit and execute the program or instructions in the storage unit, so that the communication device can perform the function of the first network device described in any one of the first to fourth aspects above.

[0083] In the seventh aspect, a communication device is provided. The communication device may be the second network device described in any one of the first to fourth aspects. The communication device has the functions of the second network device. The communication device is, for example, a second network device, or a larger device including the second network device, or a functional module in the second network device, such as a baseband device or a chip system. In an optional implementation, the communication device includes a baseband device and a radio frequency device. In another optional implementation, the communication device includes a processing unit (sometimes also referred to as a processing module) and a transceiver unit (sometimes also referred to as a transceiver module). For the implementation of the transceiver unit, reference may be made to the introduction of the fifth aspect.

[0084] In an optional embodiment, the transceiver unit (or, the receiving unit) is used to receive a first message from a first network device, the first message including information of a remote device and / or information of a candidate relay device, wherein a first non-direct path connected through a first relay device is present between the remote device and the first network device, and the number of the candidate relay devices is one or more; the transceiver unit (or, the sending unit) is used to send a second message to the first network device, the second message including second configuration information, the second configuration information being used to configure a side link corresponding to a second non-direct path to be added to the remote device, the second non-direct path being a path through which the remote device is connected to the second network device through a second relay device among the candidate relay devices.

[0085] In an optional embodiment, the communication device also includes a storage unit (sometimes also referred to as a storage module), and the processing unit is used to couple with the storage unit and execute the program or instructions in the storage unit, so that the communication device can perform the function of the second network device described in any one of the first to fourth aspects above.

[0086] In an eighth aspect, a communication device is provided, which may be a remote device, or a chip or chip system used in a remote device. The communication device includes a communication interface and a processor, and optionally, a memory. The memory is used to store a computer program, and the processor is coupled to the memory and the communication interface. When the processor reads the computer program or instruction, the communication device executes the method executed by the remote device in the above aspects.

[0087] In a ninth aspect, a communication device is provided, which may be a first network device, or a chip or chip system used in the first network device. The communication device includes a communication interface and a processor, and optionally, a memory. The memory is used to store a computer program, and the processor is coupled to the memory and the communication interface. When the processor reads the computer program or instruction, the communication device executes the method executed by the first network device in the above aspects.

[0088] In a tenth aspect, a communication device is provided, which may be a second network device, or a chip or chip system used in the second network device. The communication device includes a communication interface and a processor, and optionally, a memory. The memory is used to store a computer program, and the processor is coupled to the memory and the communication interface. When the processor reads the computer program or instruction, the communication device executes the method executed by the second network device in the above aspects.

[0089] In an eleventh aspect, a communication system is provided, comprising a first network device and a second network device, wherein the first network device is used to execute the method executed by the first network device as described in the above aspects, and the second network device is used to execute the method executed by the second network device as described in the above aspects. For example, the first network device can be implemented by the communication device described in the sixth aspect or the ninth aspect; the second network device can be implemented by the communication device described in the seventh aspect or the tenth aspect.

[0090] Optionally, the communication system further includes a remote device, which is used to execute the methods performed by the remote device described in the above aspects. For example, the remote device can be implemented by the communication device described in the fifth aspect or the eighth aspect.

[0091] In a twelfth aspect, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, wherein the computer-readable storage medium is used to store a computer program or instruction, and when the computer-readable storage medium is executed, the method executed by the remote device or the first network device or the second network device in the above aspects is implemented.

[0092] In a thirteenth aspect, a computer program product comprising instructions is provided, which, when executed on a computer, enables the methods described in the above aspects to be implemented.

[0093] In a fourteenth aspect, a chip system is provided, comprising a processor and an interface, wherein the processor is used to call and execute instructions from the interface so that the chip system implements the above-mentioned methods. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0094] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the protocol stack corresponding to a non-direct path;

[0095] Figure 2 and Figure 3 Schematic diagrams of two communication network architectures applicable to embodiments of the present application;

[0096] Figure 4 A flow chart of a communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0097] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the structure of the third message in an embodiment of the present application;

[0098] Figure 6 A flowchart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0099] Figure 7 This is another structural diagram of the third message in an embodiment of the present application;

[0100] Figure 8 A flowchart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0101] Fig. 9 A schematic diagram of a device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0102] Fig.10 A schematic diagram of another device provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0103] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of the present application clearer, the embodiments of the present application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0104] In the embodiments of the present application, the number of nouns, unless otherwise specified, means "singular noun or plural noun", that is, "one or more". "At least one" means one or more, and "plural" means two or more. "And / or" describes the association relationship of associated objects, indicating that three relationships may exist. For example, A and / or B can mean: A exists alone, A and B exist at the same time, and B exists alone, where A and B can be singular or plural. The character " / " generally indicates that the previous and next associated objects are in an "or" relationship. For example, A / B means: A or B. "At least one of the following" or similar expressions refers to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or plural items. For example, at least one of a, b, or c means: a, b, c, a and b, a and c, b and c, or a and b and c, where a, b, c can be single or multiple.

[0105] The ordinal numbers such as "first" and "second" mentioned in the embodiments of the present application are used to distinguish multiple objects, and are not used to limit the size, content, order, timing, priority or importance of multiple objects. For example, the first configuration information and the second configuration information can be the same information or different information, and this name does not indicate the difference in the sending end / receiving end, format, content, size, application scenario, priority or importance of the two information. In addition, the numbering of the steps in the various embodiments introduced in this application is only to distinguish different steps, and is not used to limit the order between the steps. For example, S401 may occur before S402, or may occur after S402, or may occur at the same time as S402.

[0106] Below, some terms or concepts in the embodiments of the present application are explained to facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art.

[0107] In the embodiment of the present application, the terminal device is a device with wireless transceiver function, which can be a fixed device, a mobile device, a handheld device (such as a mobile phone), a wearable device, a vehicle-mounted device, or a wireless device built into the above device (for example, a communication module, a modem, or a chip system, etc.). The terminal device is used to connect people, objects, machines, etc., and can be widely used in various scenarios, such as but not limited to the following scenarios: perception scenarios, cellular communications, device-to-device communications (device-to-device, D2D), vehicle to everything (vehicle to everything, V2X), machine-to-machine / machine-type communications (machine-to-machine / machine-type communications, M2M / MTC), Internet of Things (Internet of Things, IoT), virtual reality (virtual reality, VR), augmented reality (augmented reality, AR), industrial control (industrial control), self-driving, remote medical, smart grid (smart grid), smart furniture, smart office, smart wear, smart transportation, smart city (smart city), drones, robots and other scenarios of terminal devices. The terminal device may sometimes be referred to as UE, terminal, access station, UE station, remote station, wireless communication device, or user equipment, etc.

[0108] In the embodiment of the present application, the communication device for implementing the function of the terminal device may be a terminal device, or may be a device capable of supporting the terminal device to implement the function, such as a chip system, which may be installed in the terminal device. In the technical solution provided in the embodiment of the present application, the technical solution provided in the embodiment of the present application is described by taking the device for implementing the function of the terminal device as an example, and the terminal device is used as an example. In addition, for the convenience of description, the terminal device is described in the embodiment of the present application by taking the UE as an example.

[0109] The network equipment in the embodiment of the present application, for example, includes access network equipment, and / or core network equipment. The access network equipment is a device with wireless transceiver function, which is used to communicate with the terminal device. The access network equipment includes but is not limited to base stations (base transceiver station (BTS), Node B, evolved node B (eNodeB) / eNB, or next generation node B (gNodeB) / gNB), transceiver points (transmission reception point, TRP), base stations of subsequent evolution of the third generation partnership project (3rd generation partnership project, 3GPP), access nodes in wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) systems, wireless relay nodes, wireless backhaul nodes, etc. The base station can be: a macro base station, a micro base station, a micro-micro base station, a small station, a relay station, etc. Multiple base stations can support networks with the same access technology, or networks with different access technologies. The base station can include one or more co-station or non-co-station transmission and receiving points. The access network device may also be a wireless controller, a centralized unit (CU), and / or a distributed unit (DU) in a cloud radio access network (CRAN) scenario. The access network device may also be a server, etc. For example, the network device in the V2X technology may be a road side unit (RSU). The following describes the access network device using a base station as an example. The base station can communicate with a terminal device, or it can communicate with the terminal device through a relay station. The terminal device can communicate with multiple base stations in different access technologies. The core network device is used to implement functions such as mobility management, data processing, session management, policy and billing. The names of the devices that implement core network functions in systems with different access technologies may be different, and the embodiments of the present application do not limit this. Taking the fifth generation mobile communication technology (5G) system as an example, the core network equipment includes: access and mobility management function (AMF), session management function (SMF), policy control function (PCF) or user plane function (UPF), etc.

[0110] In the CU-DU architecture, the access network device may include one or more logical network elements such as a centralized unit (CU), a distributed unit (DU), a CU-control plane (CP), a CU-user plane (UP), or a radio unit (RU). The CU and DU may be set separately, or may be included in the same network element, such as a baseband unit (BBU). The RU may be included in a radio frequency device or a radio frequency unit, such as a remote radio unit (RRU), an active antenna unit (AAU), or a remote radio head (RRH).

[0111] In different systems, CU (or CU-CP and CU-UP), DU or RU may also have different names, but those skilled in the art can understand their meanings. For example, in the ORAN system, CU may also be called an open CU (O-CU), DU may also be called O-DU, CU-CP may also be called O-CU-CP, CU-UP may also be called O-CU-UP, and RU may also be called O-RU. For the convenience of description, the embodiments of the present application are described by taking CU, CU-CP, CU-UP, DU and RU as examples. Any unit of CU (or CU-CP, CU-UP), DU and RU in the embodiments of the present application may be implemented by a software module, a hardware module, or a combination of a software module and a hardware module.

[0112] In the embodiment of the present application, the communication device for realizing the function of the network device may be a network device, or may be a device capable of supporting the network device to realize the function, such as a chip system, which may be installed in the network device. In the technical solution provided in the embodiment of the present application, the technical solution provided in the embodiment of the present application is described by taking the device for realizing the function of the network device as an example that the network device is used as the device.

[0113] The technical features involved in the embodiments of the present application are introduced below.

[0114] For SL relay technology, one evolution direction is to support multi-path, that is, the remote UE can be connected to the network device through multiple paths. For example, the remote UE can be connected to multiple relay UEs, and thus the network device is connected through these multiple relay UEs. Then, there is a non-direct path between the remote UE, each relay UE and the connected network device, that is, the remote UE does not communicate directly with the network device, but the remote UE communicates with the network device through the relay UE as a relay. Therefore, the communication link formed by the remote UE, the relay UE and the network device is called a non-direct path or non-direct link. For example Figure 1 The figure is a schematic diagram of the protocol stack corresponding to a non-direct path.

[0115] Figure 1 There is only one indirect path. When it is extended to a multi-path scenario, there may be multiple indirect paths. At this time, it is unclear how the SRAP entity in the remote UE should be implemented.

[0116] In view of this, after receiving the first configuration information, the remote UE in the embodiment of the present application can establish a second SRAP entity corresponding to the second non-direct path according to the first configuration information. In addition, the remote UE also maintains the first SRAP entity corresponding to the first non-direct path, which is equivalent to that the remote UE can establish respective corresponding SRAP entities for different non-direct paths. Different SRAP entities can process data of different non-direct paths, so that the implementation method of SRAP is clearer, and the remote UE can also communicate normally in a multi-path scenario.

[0117] Please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 , which are two communication network architectures applicable to the embodiments of the present application.

[0118] Figure 2 in,remote UE( Figure 2 There is a relay UE1 ( Figure 2 The indirect path connected to relay UE 1) in the example also has a non-direct path connected to relay UE2 ( Figure 2 In this scenario, relay UE1 and relay UE2 are in the coverage of the same base station. Figure 2An example is that a user is at home, and the user's mobile phone, as a remote UE, can be connected to a base station through a relay UE; in addition, the mobile phone can be connected to the base station through devices such as customer premise equipment (CPE) at home.

[0119] Figure 3 in,remote UE( Figure 3 There is a relay UE1 ( Figure 3 The non-direct path connected to the relay UE 1 in the example is that the remote UE and the base station 2 have a non-direct path connected to the relay UE 1 through the relay UE2 ( Figure 3 Optionally, base station 1 and base station 2 do not share a common site. It can be seen that relay UE1 and relay UE2 are in the coverage area of ​​different base stations. For example Figure 3 An example is that a user is at home, and the user's mobile phone, as a remote UE, can be connected to base station 1 through a relay UE; in addition, the mobile phone can be connected to base station 2 through devices such as CPE at home.

[0120] Figure 2 or Figure 3 The base station shown is, for example, an overall architecture, or may be a distributed architecture, such as including gNB-CU and gNB-DU, etc., without limitation.

[0121] In order to better introduce the embodiments of the present application, the method provided by the embodiments of the present application is introduced below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Unless otherwise specified in the following text, the steps represented by dotted lines in the accompanying drawings corresponding to the various embodiments of the present application are all optional steps. In the various embodiments of the present application, a non-direct connection path refers to a path for a remote UE to connect to a network device through a relay UE. For example, a non-direct connection path can also be called an indirect connection path.

[0122] The methods provided in each embodiment of the present application can be applied to Figure 2 or Figure 3 The network architecture shown in FIG. 1 is a network architecture shown in FIG. 1 . For example, the remote UE involved in each embodiment of the present application may be Figure 2 or Figure 3 The remote UE in the present application; the first network device involved in each embodiment of the present application may be Figure 2 The base station in Figure 3 The second network device involved in each embodiment of the present application may be Figure 2 The base station in Figure 3The first relay UE involved in each embodiment of the present application may be Figure 2 or Figure 3 The relay UE 1 in the embodiment of the present application may be a second relay UE Figure 2 or Figure 3 In the relay UE 2. If the method of a certain embodiment of the present application is applied to Figure 2 If the network architecture is shown, the information interaction process between the first network device and the second network device that may be involved in this embodiment may not need to be performed.

[0123] This application embodiment provides a communication method, see Figure 4 , which is a flow chart of this method. Figure 4 In the embodiment shown, the first network device and the second network device may be the same network device, for example, both Figure 2 or the first network device and the second network device may also be different network devices, for example, the first network device is Figure 3 The base station 1 in the second network device is Figure 3 Base station 2 in.

[0124] S401, the first network device sends a first indirect path to the remote UE ( Figure 4 Correspondingly, the remote UE receives the first configuration information from the first network device through the first non-direct connection path.

[0125] Optionally, the first configuration information is included in a third message, and the third message may be an existing message, such as an RRC reconfiguration message, or other existing messages. Alternatively, the third message may be a newly defined message in an embodiment of the present application, which is not specifically limited.

[0126] The remote UE has maintained an indirect path, called the first indirect path. The first indirect path is a path for the remote UE to connect to the first network device through the first relay UE. It can also be understood that the first indirect path corresponds to the first relay UE and the first network device. The remote UE can connect to the first network device through the first indirect path (or through the first relay UE ( Figure 4The first relay UE in the communication network) communicates with the first network device. The first network device may send the first configuration information to the first relay UE through the first indirect path, and then the first relay UE sends the first configuration information to the remote UE through the first indirect path. For example, the first relay UE sends the first configuration information to the remote UE through the SL between the first relay UE and the remote UE, and the SL is the SL corresponding to the first indirect path. Figure 4 The circle in represents the forwarding of the relay UE, and the drawings of other subsequent embodiments of the present application are similar and will not be described in detail. Optionally, if the first network device is a distributed architecture, for example, the first network device includes a CU and a DU, or includes a CU-CP, a CU-UP and a DU, then the first network device sends the first configuration information to the first relay UE, specifically, the DU included in the first network device sends the first configuration information to the first relay UE.

[0127] The first network device may send first configuration information to the remote UE. The first configuration information may be used to configure a new indirect path for the remote UE, which is called the second indirect path. This is equivalent to adding a second indirect path for the remote UE through the configuration of the first configuration information. For example, the first configuration information may configure the SL corresponding to the second indirect path, or configure the PC5 interface corresponding to the second indirect path. The second indirect path is a path for the remote UE to connect to the second relay UE ( Figure 4 The path connecting the second relay UE in the first configuration information to the second network device can also be understood as the second indirect path corresponding to the second relay UE and the second network device. Optionally, the first configuration information can indicate the second relay UE, and the remoteUE can determine that the relay UE corresponding to the second indirect path is the second relay UE.

[0128] Optionally, the first configuration information includes one or more of the following: SRAP configuration information of the remote UE, SL RLC channel configuration information of the remote UE, SL physical layer configuration information of the remote UE, or SL MAC layer configuration information of the remote UE.

[0129] The SRAP configuration information of the remote UE may include one or more of the following: the local ID of the remote UE under the second relay UE, the association relationship information between the first radio bearer (RB) of the remote UE and at least one SL logical channel identification (LCID) of the remote UE, or the association relationship information between the first radio bearer of the remote UE and at least one RLC channel (RLC Channel) of the remote UE. Among them, the SRAP entity needs to maintain the local ID of the remote UE under the second relay UE, so the first configuration information may include the local ID. The local ID of the remote UE under the second relay UE is, for example, called the second local ID. Since the second local ID is the unique identifier of the remote UE under the second relay UE, the second local ID can be optionally allocated by the second network device (for example, the first configuration information is determined by the first network device based on information from the second network device) to effectively avoid confusion in the allocation of local IDs.

[0130] The first radio bearer is a radio bearer configured for the second non-direct path, and the first radio bearer may include one or more data radio bearers (DRB) and / or one or more signaling radio bearers (SRB). For a radio bearer corresponding to a non-direct path of a remote UE, the data of the radio bearer may be transmitted through one or more SL RLC channels of the remote UE, wherein the SL LCID is the ID of the SLRLC entity and the MAC layer interface, and under each destination address of the SL communication, the two are in a one-to-one correspondence, so the remote UE needs to determine the association relationship between the radio bearer corresponding to the non-direct path and the SL LCID. For example, if the first configuration information includes the association relationship information, the remote UE can determine which SL LCID or SL LCIDs are associated with the first radio bearer configured for the second non-direct path according to the first configuration information. Optionally, the at least one SL LCID is a SL LCID available to the remote UE, or a SL LCID that has not been used by the remote UE, or a SLLCID that is not occupied by the remote UE. That is, in this way, conflicts between SL LCIDs of different paths can be avoided.

[0131] The first radio bearer is a radio bearer configured for the second non-direct path, and the first radio bearer may include one or more DRBs and / or one or more SRBs. For a radio bearer corresponding to a non-direct path of a remote UE, the data of the radio bearer may be transmitted through one or more SL RLC channels of the remote UE, wherein the RLC channel identifier is the ID of the SL RLC channel, which may be an index used by the remote UE to determine the SL RLC configuration corresponding to the radio bearer, and the RLC channel identifier and the SL RLC configuration may be a one-to-one correspondence. Therefore, the remote UE needs to determine the association relationship between the radio bearer corresponding to the non-direct path and the SL RLC channel identifier. For example, if the first configuration information includes the association relationship information, the remote UE can determine which or which SL RLC channel identifiers are associated with the first radio bearer configured for the second non-direct path according to the first configuration information. Optionally, the at least one SL RLC channel identifier is an SL RLC channel identifier available to the remote UE, or an SL RLC channel identifier that has not been used by the remote UE, or an SL RLC channel identifier that does not belong to the SL RLC channel identifier occupied by the remote UE. That is, in this way, conflicts between SL RLC configurations of different paths can be avoided.

[0132] In addition to the first configuration information, the third message may also include information for configuring the first non-direct path (for example, configuring the SL or PC5 interface corresponding to the first non-direct path). Then optionally, the SRAP configuration information of the remote UE may include first sub-configuration information and second sub-configuration information, the first sub-configuration information may include information for configuring the first non-direct path, and the second sub-configuration information includes information for configuring the second non-direct path. For example, one or more of the aforementioned local ID of the remote UE under the second relay UE, the association relationship information between the first radio bearer of the remote UE and at least one SLLCID of the remote UE, or the association relationship information between the first radio bearer of the remote UE and at least one SL RLCChannel of the remote UE may be included in the second sub-configuration information. The first sub-configuration information and the second sub-configuration information can be distinguished by configuring the associated SL RLC channel identifier to determine whether it is an association relationship corresponding to the first non-direct path or the second non-direct path. Alternatively, the first sub-configuration information may be associated with the first local ID of the remote UE and / or the identifier of the first relay UE, where the first local ID is the local ID of the remote UE under the first relay UE. Then, the first local ID and / or the identifier of the first relay UE can clearly indicate that the first sub-configuration information corresponds to the first non-direct path; the second sub-configuration information may be associated with the second local ID of the remote UE and the identifier of the second relay UE. Then, the second local ID and / or the identifier of the second relay UE can clearly indicate that the second sub-configuration information corresponds to the second non-direct path. Optionally, the identifier of the relay UE is, for example, the ID of the relay UE, such as the Layer 2 destination ID (L2 destination ID) of the relay UE. By distinguishing different sub-configuration information, the remote UE can more clearly indicate which information in the first configuration information corresponds to which non-direct path.

[0133] For reference Figure 5 , is a structural example of the third message, Figure 5 Take the third message as an example, that is, an RRC reconfiguration message, and Figure 5The information elements shown in are all or part of the information elements included in the third message. It can be seen that the third message may include SL-Layer 2 Remote UE (L2RemoteUE)-Configuration (Config) information element and SL-Configuration Dedicated NR (ConfigDedicatedNR) information element. Among them, the SL-L2RemoteUE-Config information element may include SL-SRAP-Configuration Remote (ConfigRemote) Path (path) 1 information element, SL-SRAP-ConfigRemote path2 information element, and SL-UE Identity Remote (UEIdentityRemote) information element. The SL-SRAP-ConfigRemote path1 information element may include L2 destination information element, SL Local Identity (LocalIdentity) information element, SL-Mapping to Add Mode List (MappingToAddModList) information element, and SL-Mapping to Release List (MappingToReleaseList) information element. The SL-SRAP-ConfigRemote path2 information element may include an L2destination information element, a SL local identity (LocalIdentity) information element, a SL-Mapping to add mode list (MappingToAddModList) information element, and a SL-Mapping to release list (MappingToReleaseList) information element. The SL-MappingToAddModList information element in the SL-SRAP-ConfigRemotepath1 information element may include an SL-remote UE (RemoteUE)-RB-identity (Identity) information element and an SL-egress RLC (EgressRLC)-channel PC5 (ChannelPC5) information element, and the SL-MappingToReleaseList information element in the SL-SRAP-ConfigRemote path1 information element may include an SL-RemoteUE-RB-Identity information element. The SL-MappingToAddModList information element in the SL-SRAP-ConfigRemote path2 information element may include the SL-RemoteUE-RB-Identity information element and the SL-EgressRLC-ChannelPC5 information element, and the SL-MappingToReleaseList information element in the SL-SRAP-ConfigRemote path2 information element may include the SL-RemoteUE-RB-Identity information element.

[0134] For example, the first configuration information includes SRAP configuration information of the remote UE, and the SRAP configuration information includes first sub-configuration information and second sub-configuration information. The SRAP configuration information includes, for example, Figure 5 In the SL-L2RemoteUE-Config information element shown, or, the first sub-configuration information is included in the SL-SRAP-ConfigRemote path1 information element, and the second sub-configuration information is included in the SL-SRAP-ConfigRemote path2 information element. For example, the ID of the second relay UE included in the first sub-configuration information may be included in the L2 destination information element in the SL-SRAP-ConfigRemote path2 information element, the association relationship information between the first radio bearer of the remote UE included in the first sub-configuration information and at least one SL LCID of the remote UE, or the association relationship information between the first radio bearer of the remote UE included in the first sub-configuration information and at least one SL RLC channel identifier of the remote UE may be included in the SL-MappingToAddModList information element in the SL-SRAP-ConfigRemote path2 information element.

[0135] The SL RLC channel configuration information of the remote UE may include one or more of the following: the configuration information of the SL RLC entity of the remote UE, the SL MAC logical channel configuration information of the remote UE, or the delay margin information corresponding to the PC5 interface corresponding to the indirect path (or the SL corresponding to the indirect path). The SL MAC logical channel configuration information of the remote UE may be included in the SL RLC channel configuration information, or may also be included in the SL MAC layer configuration information of the remote UE. Figure 5 For example, the SL RLC channel configuration information included in the first configuration information may be included in the SL-ConfigDedicatedNR information element. The first configuration information may include the SL RLC channel configuration information indexed in the first sub-configuration information and the second sub-configuration information.

[0136] The SL MAC layer configuration information of the remote UE includes, for example, the SL discontinuous reception (DRX) configuration information of the remote UE, and the SL DRX configuration information is, for example, the SL DRX configuration information corresponding to the second non-direct path, which can be used to configure the SL DRX of the second non-direct path. For example, the first non-direct path is also configured with SL DRX, and the SL DRX of the first non-direct path can be aligned with the SL DRX of the second non-direct path, so that the on duration of the SL DRX of the two non-direct paths of the remote UE is aligned, so that the remote UE only needs to wake up in the same time period for SL transmission, which can reduce the time for the remote UE to wake up, save the power consumption of the remote UE, reduce the complexity of the remote UE, and reduce service delay.

[0137] S402: The remote UE establishes a SRAP entity corresponding to a second indirect path according to the first configuration information, for example, a second SRAP entity. The remote UE can communicate over the second indirect path through the second SRAP entity.

[0138] In the embodiment of the present application, the remote UE has maintained a first non-direct path, for example, the remote UE has established a SRAP entity corresponding to the first non-direct path, referred to as a first SRAP entity, and the remote UE can communicate on the first non-direct path through the first SRAP entity. It can be seen that the remote UE in the embodiment of the present application can establish respective SRAP entities for different non-direct paths, for example, the SRAP entity and the non-direct path can correspond one-to-one, so that each SRAP entity is used for the communication of its own non-direct path, then the communication behavior of the SRAP entity is clearer, and the communication of different non-direct paths is dispersed in different SRAP entities, which also realizes load sharing in a certain sense.

[0139] The SRAP entity may maintain (or correspond to) the local ID of the remote UE. The local ID maintained by an SRAP entity may be the local ID of the remote UE under the relay UE on the non-direct path corresponding to the SRAP entity. For example, the local ID corresponding to the first SRAP entity is the first local ID, which is the local ID of the remote UE under the first relay UE; the local ID corresponding to the second SRAP entity is the second local ID, which is the local ID of the remote UE under the second relay UE. The first local ID and the second local ID may be the same or different, and the embodiments of the present application do not limit this.

[0140] In S401, it is introduced that the first configuration information may include the association relationship information between the first radio bearer of the remote UE and at least one SLLCID, then optionally, the remote UE can associate the first PDCP entity of the remote UE with at least one SL RLC channel according to the first configuration information (for example, according to the association relationship information), and / or, associate multiple first PDCP entities of the remote UE with one SL RLC channel, so that communication on the second non-direct path can be carried out. Among them, at least one SL RLC channel is an SL RLC channel indicated by at least one SL LCID, and the first PDCP entity is a PDCP entity corresponding to the second non-direct path, for example, the first PDCP entity corresponds to the first radio bearer.

[0141] Alternatively, the first configuration information may include association relationship information between the first radio bearer of the remote UE and at least one SL RLC Channel, then optionally, the remote UE may associate the first PDCP entity of the remote UE with at least one SL RLC channel according to the first configuration information (for example, according to the association relationship information), and / or associate multiple first PDCP entities of the remote UE with one SL RLC channel, so that communication on the second non-direct path can be carried out. Among them, at least one SL RLC channel is an SL RLC channel indicated by at least one SL RLC channel identifier, and the first PDCP entity is a PDCP entity corresponding to the second non-direct path, for example, the first PDCP entity corresponds to the first radio bearer. In various embodiments of the present application, the SL RLC channel identifier is, for example, a SL RLC channel ID.

[0142] In addition, the remote UE may also perform other configuration processes on the SL corresponding to the second indirect path according to the first configuration information, which is not specifically limited.

[0143] If the remote UE has not established a PC5 connection with the second relay UE, then optionally, the method may further include S403, the remote UE establishing a connection with the second relay UE. The remote UE and the second relay UE may establish a connection through one or more messages, for example, the connection is a PC5-signaling (S) connection. If the remote UE and the second relay UE have already established a connection, S403 may not be performed.

[0144] If the second relay UE is still in the RRC non-connected state, the method may optionally further include S404 and S405. In S404, the remote UE triggers the second relay UE to enter the RRC connected state; in S405, the second relay UE enters the RRC connected state. For example, in S405, the second relay UE may establish (or re-establish) an RRC connection with the second network device to enter the RRC connected state. The second relay UE may establish or re-establish an RRC connection with the second network device through one or more messages. The RRC non-connected state may include, for example, an RRC idle state or an RRC inactive state. Optionally, in S404, the remote UE may send a trigger message to the second relay UE after successfully establishing a connection with the second relay UE to trigger the second relay UE to enter the RRC connected state.

[0145] Alternatively, in S404, the remote UE may send trigger information to the second relay UE during the process of establishing a connection with the second relay UE, so as to trigger the second relay UE to enter the RRC connected state. For example, the remote UE may have information interaction during the process of establishing a connection with the second relay UE, and the remote UE may carry the trigger information in any of the messages, so as to trigger the second relay UE to enter the RRC connected state.

[0146] Alternatively, in S404, the remote UE may also send trigger information to the second relay UE when requesting to establish a connection with the second relay UE, so as to trigger the second relay UE to enter the RRC connected state. For example, the remote UE may send a connection establishment request to the second relay UE to request to establish a connection with the second relay UE, and the connection establishment request may include the trigger information.

[0147] Alternatively, the second relay UE may also enter the RRC connected state in other triggering modes, in which case it is not necessary to execute S404, and there is no restriction on this.

[0148] If the second relay UE has entered the RRC connected state, it is not necessary to execute S404 and S405.

[0149] Optionally, the method may further include S406, the remote UE sends a fifth message to the first network device, and accordingly, the first network device receives the fifth message from the remote UE. The fifth message may indicate that the second non-direct path is added successfully or completed. For example, if the third message is an RRC reconfiguration message, the fifth message may be an RRC reconfiguration complete message. If S405 is executed, S406 may occur after S405, or before S405, or simultaneously with S405. If S404 is executed, S406 may occur after S404.

[0150] The remote UE may send the fifth message to the first relay UE, and then the first relay UE sends the fifth message to the first network device. Optionally, if the first network device is a distributed architecture, for example, the first network device includes a CU and a DU, or includes a CU-CP, a CU-UP, and a DU, the first relay UE sends the fifth message to the first network device, specifically, the first relay UE sends the fifth message to the DU included in the first network device.

[0151] Optionally, the method may also include S407, the second network device sends a fourth message to the second relay UE, and accordingly, the second relay UE may receive the fourth message from the second network device. The fourth message may include third configuration information, and the third configuration information may be used to configure the SL or PC5 interface corresponding to the second non-direct path of the second relay UE. That is, the first configuration information and the third configuration information are both used to configure the second non-direct path to be added, the first configuration information is used to configure the SL of the remote UE corresponding to the second non-direct path, and the third configuration information is used to configure the SL of the first relay UE corresponding to the second non-direct path. Optionally, if the second network device is a distributed architecture, for example, the second network device includes a CU and a DU, or includes a CU-CP, a CU-UP and a DU, the second network device sends a fourth message to the second relay UE, and specifically, the DU included in the second network device sends the fourth message to the second relay UE.

[0152] Among them, if the method of the embodiment of the present application is applied to Figure 2 In the network architecture shown in FIG. 1 , the first network device and the second network device are the same network device; or, if the method of the embodiment of the present application is applied to Figure 3 In the network architecture shown, the first network device and the second network device are different network devices. Figure 4 Take the example that the first network device and the second network device are different network devices.

[0153] Through the method described above, the remote UE adds a second indirect path, and the remote UE can communicate with the second network device through the second indirect path. In addition, the remote UE can also communicate with the first network device through the first indirect path, so that the remote UE can obtain more services, which is conducive to improving the throughput of the remote UE.

[0154] For example, for uplink data transmission on the second non-direct path, the first PDCP entity of the remote UE can obtain uplink data, and the first PDCP entity corresponds to the second non-direct path. The uplink data corresponds to the first radio bearer, for example, and the first PDCP entity can deliver the uplink data to the second SRAP entity associated with the first radio bearer based on the association relationship information between the radio bearer and the SRAP entity. For example, according to the introduction above, the first configuration information includes the SRAP configuration information of the remote UE, and the SRAP configuration information includes the second sub-configuration information. The second sub-configuration information is the SRAP configuration information corresponding to the second non-direct path, so the second sub-configuration information is associated with the second SRAP entity. In the second sub-configuration information, the first radio bearer is configured for the second non-direct path, so the first PDCP entity can determine that the first radio bearer is associated with the second SRAP entity.

[0155] After receiving the uplink data, the second SRAP entity can add a second localID to the uplink data packet header and the ID of the first radio bearer. The second SRAP entity can deliver the uplink data to part or all of the at least one SL RLC channel based on the association between the first radio bearer and the at least one SL RLC channel.

[0156] For example, for downlink data transmission on the second non-direct path, the second SRAP entity may receive the downlink data. The second SRAP entity may determine the PDCP entity corresponding to the downlink data, such as the first PDCP entity, based on the radio bearer corresponding to the downlink data (such as the first radio bearer) and / or the local ID carried by the downlink data (such as the second local ID), so that the second SRAP entity may deliver the downlink data to the first PDCP entity, and the first PDCP entity may further process the downlink data.

[0157] Optionally, the remote UE may also release the SL RLC channel corresponding to at least one first wireless bearer under the second non-direct path, or release the SL RLC channel corresponding to the second non-direct path. For example, the first network device may send a release indication message to the remote UE via the first non-direct path, and the release indication message may indicate the release of the second non-direct path, or indicate the release of the first SL RLC channel of the remote UE corresponding to the second non-direct path, or indicate the release of the SL RLC channel of the first wireless bearer of the remote UE on the second non-direct path. Alternatively, after the second non-direct path is added successfully, the release indication message may also be sent by the second network device to the remote UE via the second non-direct path, without specific limitation. Optionally, the release indication message may be an RRC reconfiguration message, or included in the RRC reconfiguration message, or there may be other implementation methods, without specific limitation.

[0158] For example, if the release indication information indicates to release the second indirect path, the release indication information may include the second local ID and / or the ID of the second relay UE, or may also include other information indicating the second indirect path. The remote UE can release the second indirect path according to the release indication information, and the remote UE can no longer communicate through the second indirect path.

[0159] For another example, if the release indication information indicates the release of the first SL RLC channel, the release indication information may include the SL LCID of the first SL RLC channel. Since the SL LCID corresponds one-to-one to the SL RLC channel under one destination address, the remote UE can determine the first SL RLC channel based on the SL LCID.

[0160] For another example, if the release indication information indicates to release the first SL RLC channel, the release indication information may include the SL RLC channel identifier of the first SL RLC channel. Since the SL RLC channel identifier corresponds to the SL RLC channel one by one, the remote UE can determine the first SL RLC channel according to the SL RLC channel identifier.

[0161] Alternatively, the release indication information may indicate one or more of the following: an identifier of the radio bearer corresponding to the first SL RLC channel, an identifier of the second network device, a second relay UE, or a second local ID. The radio bearer corresponding to the first SL RLC channel is, for example, part or all of the radio bearers in the first radio bearer. If the radio bearer corresponding to the first SL RLC channel is only associated with the second non-direct path but not with other paths, or the data of the radio bearer corresponding to the first SL RLC channel is only transmitted through the second non-direct path but not through other paths, then the release indication information may indicate the identifier of the radio bearer corresponding to the first SL RLC channel, and it is not necessary to indicate other content. The remote UE can release the first SL RLC channel corresponding to the second non-direct path. Alternatively, if the wireless bearer corresponding to the first SL RLC channel is associated with both the second non-direct path and other paths, or the data of the wireless bearer corresponding to the first SL RLC channel is transmitted through the second non-direct path and other paths, for example, the wireless bearer corresponds to multiple SL RLC channels, and the multiple SL RLC channels include the first SL RLC channel corresponding to the second non-direct path and also include SL RLC channels corresponding to other paths, then the release indication information can indicate the identifier of the wireless bearer, and can also indicate one or more of the identifier of the second network device, the second relay UE, or the second local ID, so that the remote UE can determine through more information that the release indication information indicates the release of the SL RLC channel corresponding to the second non-direct path, without releasing the SL RLC channels corresponding to other paths.

[0162] In summary, after receiving the first configuration information, the remote UE in the embodiment of the present application can establish a second SRAP entity corresponding to the second non-direct path according to the first configuration information. In addition, the remote UE also maintains the first SRAP entity corresponding to the first non-direct path, which is equivalent to that the remote UE can establish respective corresponding SRAP entities for different non-direct paths. Different SRAP entities can process data of different non-direct paths, so that the implementation method of SRAP is clearer, and the remote UE can also communicate normally in a multi-path scenario.

[0163] exist Figure 4In the illustrated embodiment, the remote UE may establish SRAP entities for different indirect paths respectively. In addition, the embodiment of the present application also provides another communication method, in which different indirect paths may correspond to the same SRAP entity. Figure 6 , which is a flow chart of the method.

[0164] S601: The first network device sends a first indirect path to a remote UE ( Figure 6 Correspondingly, the remote UE receives the first configuration information from the first network device through the first non-direct connection path.

[0165] Optionally, the first configuration information is included in a third message, and the third message may be an existing message, such as an RRC reconfiguration message, or other existing messages. Alternatively, the third message may be a newly defined message in an embodiment of the present application, which is not specifically limited.

[0166] The remote UE has maintained an indirect connection path, referred to as a first indirect connection path. The first indirect connection path is a path for the remote UE to connect to the first network device through the first relay UE. It can also be understood that the first indirect connection path corresponds to the first relay UE ( Figure 6 The remote UE may communicate with the first network device through the first non-direct path (or through the first relay UE). For the manner in which the first network device sends the first configuration information to the remote UE, please refer to Figure 4 S401 in the illustrated embodiment.

[0167] The first network device may send first configuration information to the remote UE. The first configuration information may be used to configure a new indirect path for the remote UE, which is called the second indirect path. This is equivalent to adding a second indirect path for the remote UE through the configuration of the first configuration information. For example, the first configuration information may configure the SL corresponding to the second indirect path, or configure the PC5 interface corresponding to the second indirect path. The second indirect path is a path for the remote UE to connect to the second relay UE ( Figure 6 The path of connecting the second relay UE in the first configuration information to the second network device can also be understood as that the second indirect path corresponds to the second relay UE and the second network device. Optionally, the first configuration information can indicate the second relay UE, and the remote UE can determine that the relay UE corresponding to the second indirect path is the second relay UE. For the content included in the first configuration information, please refer to Figure 4 Description of the illustrated embodiment.

[0168] In addition to the first configuration information, the third message may also include information for configuring the first indirect path (for example, configuring the SL or PC5 interface corresponding to the first indirect path). Then optionally, the SRAP configuration information of the remote UE may include first sub-configuration information and second sub-configuration information, the first sub-configuration information may include information for configuring the first indirect path, and the second sub-configuration information may include information for configuring the second indirect path. For more information on this, please refer to Figure 4 The embodiment shown.

[0169] Alternatively, the SRAP configuration information of the remote UE may include information for configuring the first non-direct path and information for configuring the second non-direct path. For example, the information for configuring the second non-direct path may include one or more of the following: the local ID of the remote UE under the second relay UE, the association relationship information between the first radio bearer of the remote UE and at least one SL LCID of the remote UE, or the association relationship information between the first radio bearer of the remote UE and at least one SL RLC channel identifier of the remote UE. In the first configuration information, the SRAP configuration information may be associated with the first local ID of the remote UE. This approach can be understood as that, in the first configuration information, the information for configuring the first non-direct path and the information for configuring the second non-direct path are not placed separately. Among them, the first local ID and the second local ID may be the same, the first local ID is the local ID of the remote UE under the first relay UE, and the second local ID is the local ID of the remote UE under the second relay UE.

[0170] For reference Figure 7 , is a structural example of the third message, Figure 7 Take the third message as an example, that is, an RRC reconfiguration message, and Figure 7The information elements shown in are all or part of the information elements included in the third message. It can be seen that the third message may include the SL-L2RemoteUE-Config information element and the SL-ConfigDedicatedNR information element. Among them, the SL-L2RemoteUE-Config information element may include the SL-SRAP-ConfigRemote information element and the SL-UEIdentityRemote information element. The SL-SRAP-ConfigRemote information element may include the SL LocalIdentity information element, the SL-MappingToAddModList information element, and the SL-MappingToReleaseList information element. The SL-MappingToAddModList information element may include the SL-RemoteUE-RB-Identity information element and the SL-EgressRLC-ChannelPC5 information element, and the SL-MappingToReleaseList information element may include the SL-RemoteUE-RB-Identity information element.

[0171] For example, the first configuration information includes SRAP configuration information of the remote UE, the SRAP configuration information includes information for configuring the first indirect path and information for configuring the second indirect path, the SRAP configuration information includes, for example, Figure 7 In the SL-L2RemoteUE-Config information element shown in the figure, or included in Figure 7 For another example, the first configuration information includes SL RLC channel configuration information of the remote UE, and the SL RLC channel configuration information includes, for example, Figure 7 In the SL-ConfigDedicatedNR information element shown.

[0172] For example, if the first local ID is the same as the second local ID, the SRAP configuration information may include information for configuring the first indirect path and information for configuring the second indirect path, or the SRAP configuration information may include first sub-configuration information and second sub-configuration information. Alternatively, if the first local ID is different from the second local ID, the SRAP configuration information may include first sub-configuration information and second sub-configuration information.

[0173] S602: The remote UE reconfigures the SRAP entity corresponding to the first indirect path according to the first configuration information. The remote UE can communicate on the second indirect path through the SRAP entity, and can also communicate on the first indirect path through the SRAP entity.

[0174] In the embodiment of the present application, the remote UE has maintained a first non-direct path, for example, the remote UE has established a SRAP entity corresponding to the first non-direct path, and the remote UE can communicate on the first non-direct path through the SRAP entity. When adding a second non-direct path, the SRAP entity also needs to support the communication of the remote UE on the second non-direct path, so the remote UE can reconfigure the SRAP entity so that the SRAP entity can support the first non-direct path and the second non-direct path. It can be seen that the remote UE in the embodiment of the present application does not need to establish separate SRAP entities for different non-direct paths, but different non-direct paths can use one SRAP entity, so that the remote UE does not need to maintain too many SRAP entities, which can simplify the implementation of the remote UE.

[0175] Among them, the SRAP entity can maintain (or correspond to) the local ID of the remote UE. The local ID maintained by an SRAP entity can be the local ID of the remote UE under the relay UE on the non-direct path corresponding to the SRAP entity. The SRAP entity in the embodiment of the present application can correspond to multiple non-direct paths, for example, corresponding to the first non-direct path and the second non-direct path, then the SRAP entity can correspond to the local IDs corresponding to these multiple non-direct paths. Because the remote UE has established the first non-direct path, the SRAP entity has maintained the first local ID. Then optionally, if the first local ID is different from the second local ID, the remote UE can add a second local ID for the SRAP entity (for example, the first configuration information includes the second local ID), so that the SRAP entity can maintain the local IDs corresponding to different non-direct paths. Alternatively, if the first local ID is the same as the second local ID, the remote UE does not need to add the second local ID for the SRAP entity, and the SRAP entity continues to maintain the first local ID. It can be seen that when the local IDs corresponding to different indirect paths are the same, the number of local IDs maintained by the SRAP entity can be reduced.

[0176] according to Figure 4It can be seen from the illustrated embodiment that the first configuration information may include association relationship information between the first wireless bearer of the remote UE and at least one SL LCID, then optionally, the remote UE can associate the first PDCP entity of the remote UE with at least one SL RLC channel according to the first configuration information (for example, according to the association relationship information), so that communication on the second non-direct path can be carried out. Among them, at least one SL RLC channel is an SL RLC channel indicated by at least one SL LCID, and the first PDCP entity is a PDCP entity corresponding to the second non-direct path, for example, the first PDCP entity corresponds to the first wireless bearer.

[0177] For another example, the first configuration information may include association relationship information between the first radio bearer of the remote UE and at least one SL RLCChanne, then optionally, the remote UE can associate the first PDCP entity of the remote UE with at least one SL RLC channel according to the first configuration information (for example, according to the association relationship information), so that communication on the second non-direct path can be carried out. Among them, at least one SL RLC channel is an SL RLC channel configuration indicated by at least one SL RLC channel identifier, and the first PDCP entity is a PDCP entity corresponding to the second non-direct path, for example, the first PDCP entity corresponds to the first radio bearer.

[0178] In addition, the remote UE may also perform other configuration processes on the SL corresponding to the second indirect path according to the first configuration information, which is not specifically limited.

[0179] If the remote UE has not established a PC5 connection with the second relay UE, then optionally, the method may further include S603, the remote UE establishing a connection with the second relay UE. For example, the connection is a PC5-S connection. If the remote UE has established a connection with the second relay UE, S603 may not be performed.

[0180] If the second relay UE is still in the RRC non-connected state, the method may optionally further include S604 and S605. In S604, the remote UE triggers the second relay UE to enter the RRC connected state; in S605, the second relay UE enters the RRC connected state. For example, in S605, the second relay UE may establish (or re-establish) an RRC connection with the second network device to enter the RRC connected state. The RRC non-connected state includes, for example, an RRC idle state or an RRC inactive state. Optionally, in S604, the remote UE may send a trigger message to the second relay UE after successfully establishing a connection with the second relay UE to trigger the second relay UE to enter the RRC connected state. For how the remote UE triggers the second relay UE to enter the RRC connected state in S404, please refer to Figure 4 S404 in the illustrated embodiment.

[0181] If the second relay UE enters the RRC connected state in other triggering modes, it is not necessary to execute S604 and there is no restriction on this.

[0182] If the second relay UE has entered the RRC connected state, it is not necessary to execute S604 and S605.

[0183] Optionally, the method may further include S606, the remote UE sends a fifth message to the first network device, and accordingly, the first network device receives the fifth message from the remote UE. The fifth message may indicate that the second indirect path is added successfully or completed. For more information about S606, please refer to Figure 4 S406 of the embodiment shown.

[0184] Optionally, the method may further include S607, the second network device sends a fourth message to the second relay UE, and accordingly, the second relay UE may receive the fourth message from the second network device. The fourth message may include third configuration information, and the third configuration information may be used to configure the SL or PC5 interface corresponding to the second non-direct path of the second relay UE. For more information about S607, please refer to Figure 4 S407 of the embodiment shown.

[0185] Among them, if the method of the embodiment of the present application is applied to Figure 2 In the network architecture shown in FIG. 1 , the first network device and the second network device are the same network device; or, if the method of the embodiment of the present application is applied to Figure 3 In the network architecture shown, the first network device and the second network device are different network devices. Figure 6Take the example that the first network device and the second network device are different network devices.

[0186] Through the method described above, the remote UE adds a second indirect path, and the remote UE can communicate with the second network device through the second indirect path. In addition, the remote UE can also communicate with the first network device through the first indirect path, so that the remote UE can obtain more services, which is conducive to improving the throughput of the remote UE.

[0187] For example, for uplink data transmission on the second non-direct path, the first PDCP entity of the remote UE can obtain uplink data, and the first PDCP entity corresponds to the second non-direct path. The uplink data corresponds to the first wireless bearer, for example, and the first PDCP entity can deliver the uplink data to the SRAP entity associated with the first wireless bearer (that is, the SRAP entity associated with the first non-direct path and the second non-direct path introduced in the aforementioned steps of the embodiment of the present application) based on the association relationship information between the wireless bearer and the SRAP entity. For example, according to the introduction above, the first configuration information includes the SRAP configuration information of the remote UE, and the SRAP configuration information includes information for configuring the second non-direct path, so the SRAP configuration information is associated with the SRAP entity. In the SRAP configuration information, the first wireless bearer is configured for the second non-direct path, so the first PDCP entity can determine that the first wireless bearer is associated with the SRAP entity.

[0188] After the SRAP entity receives the uplink data, it can be determined that the local ID corresponding to the uplink data is the second local ID based on the fact that the radio bearer corresponding to the uplink data is the first radio bearer, and the SRAP entity can add the second localID to the uplink data. Optionally, the first configuration information may include one or more of the following: the second local ID, the association relationship information between the first radio bearer and at least one SL LCID, the association relationship information between the first radio bearer and at least one SL RLC channel identifier, or the association relationship information between the first radio bearer and at least one SL RLC Channel. For example, the first configuration information includes SRAP configuration information of the remote UE, the SRAP configuration information includes the second sub-configuration information, the second sub-configuration information includes the association relationship information between the first radio bearer and at least one SL LCID, or includes the association relationship information between the first radio bearer and at least one SL RLC channel identifier, and the second sub-configuration information is associated with the second local ID; or, the first configuration information includes SRAP configuration information of the remote UE, the SRAP configuration information includes information for configuring the second non-direct path, the information for configuring the second non-direct path includes the association relationship information between the first radio bearer and at least one SL LCID, or includes the association relationship information between the first radio bearer and at least one SL RLC channel identifier, and the SRAP is associated with the first local ID (the first local ID is the same as the second localID). Therefore, it can be considered that the first configuration information may include the second local ID, the association relationship information between the first radio bearer and at least one SLLCID, or include the association relationship information between the second local ID, the first radio bearer and at least one SL RLC channel identifier. Alternatively, when only the first local ID is maintained, or the first local ID is the same as the second localID, the first configuration information includes the SRAP configuration information of the remote UE, the SRAP configuration information includes the second sub-configuration information, the second sub-configuration information includes the association relationship information between the first radio bearer and at least one SL RLC Channel, so it can be considered that the first configuration information may include the association relationship information between the first radio bearer and at least one SL RLC Channel. The SRAP entity can deliver the uplink data to the first SL RLC channel of at least one SL RLC channel corresponding to the first radio bearer according to the first radio bearer corresponding to the uplink data. The first SL RLC channel may include one or more SL RLC channels, and the first SL RLC channel may be all or part of the at least one SL RLC channel.Among them, if at least one SL RLC channel corresponding to the first radio bearer is an SL RLC channel of the second non-direct path, the SRAP entity can determine the first SL RLC channel according to the first radio bearer, so as to deliver the uplink data to the first SL RLC channel; or, if the first radio bearer corresponds to SL RLC channels of other paths in addition to the SL RLC channel corresponding to the second non-direct path, that is, at least one SL RLC channel corresponding to the first radio bearer includes both the SL RLC channel of the second non-direct path and the SL RLC channels of other paths, then the SRAP entity may not be able to determine the first SL RLC channel according to the first radio bearer. Then, the SRAP entity can determine the second non-direct path in combination with the second local ID, so as to deliver the uplink data to the first SL RLC channel corresponding to the second non-direct path (or, corresponding to the second local ID) among the at least one SL RLC channel. Alternatively, if the first local ID is the same as the second local ID, and the first radio bearer corresponds to SL RLC channels of other paths in addition to the at least one SL RLC channel corresponding to the second non-direct path, the SRAP entity may also determine that the uplink data corresponds to the second non-direct path in combination with the identifier of the relay UE corresponding to the uplink data, such as the identifier of the second relay UE, so as to deliver the uplink data to the first SL RLC channel corresponding to the second non-direct path (or, corresponding to the identifier of the second relay UE) in the at least one SL RLC channel. Alternatively, if the first local ID is the same as the second local ID, and the first radio bearer corresponds to SL RLC channels of other paths in addition to the at least one SL RLC channel corresponding to the second non-direct path, the SRAP entity may determine the first SL RLC channel corresponding to the uplink data based on the SL RLC channel identifier or SL LCID.

[0189] The first SL RLC channel includes K SL RLC channels, where K is a positive integer. If K=1, the SRAP entity can deliver the uplink data to the SL RLC channel; if K>1, the SRAP entity can determine which SL RLC channel or channels among the K SL RLC channels to deliver the uplink data to in a corresponding manner.

[0190] For example, the SRAP entity may divide the uplink data into K parts, and deliver the K parts of data to the K SL RLC channels respectively. For example, if the SRAP entity adopts an average distribution method, each of the K SL RLC channels may receive 1 / K of the uplink data.

[0191] For another example, the SRAP entity may allocate the uplink data to one or more SL RLC channels among the K SL RLC channels based on a comparison between the data volume of the uplink data and a data volume threshold.

[0192] For another example, if the uplink data carries diversion indication information, and the diversion indication information indicates some or all of the K SL RLC channels, the SRAP entity may deliver the uplink data to the SL RLC channel indicated by the diversion indication information. Optionally, if there are multiple SL RLC channels indicated by the diversion indication information, the SRAP entity may divide the uplink data into multiple parts to deliver them to the multiple SL RLC channels respectively. Optionally, if the uplink data carries diversion indication information, the SRAP entity may determine the SL RLC channel indicated by the diversion indication information directly from at least one SL RLC channel, without having to go through the process of determining the first SL RLC channel.

[0193] For another example, the SRAP entity may deliver the uplink data to some or all of the K SL RLC channels according to the default configuration. That is, which SL RLC channel or channels among the K SL RLC channels the uplink data is delivered to may be the result of the default configuration.

[0194] For another example, taking K=2 as an example, the SRAP entity may determine the size relationship between the data volume of the uplink data and the first threshold value. If the data volume of the uplink data is greater than or equal to the first threshold value, the SRAP entity may deliver the uplink data to SL RLC channel A among the two SL RLC channels, but not to SL RLC channel B among the two SL RLC channels; or, if the data volume of the uplink data is less than the first threshold value, the SRAP entity may deliver the uplink data to SL RLC channel B among the two SL RLC channels, but not to SL RLC channel A among the two SL RLC channels. For example, if the transmission quality of SL RLC channel A is better than the transmission quality of SL RLC channel B, then when there is more data, it may be transmitted through SL RLC channel A to improve the data transmission quality; and when there is less data, it may be transmitted through SL RLC channel B to reduce the burden of SL RLC channel A; or, for example, SL RLC channel A is the primary path.

[0195] For another example, taking K=2 as an example, the SRAP entity may determine the size relationship between the data volume of the uplink data and the first threshold value. If the data volume of the uplink data is greater than or equal to the first threshold value, the SRAP entity may deliver the uplink data to SL RLC channel A of the two SL RLC channels or to SL RLC channel B of the two SL RLC channels, wherein if the first PDCP entity supports repeated transmission, the SRAP entity may also deliver the same data packet to SL RLC channel A and SL RLC channel B; or, if the data volume of the uplink data is less than the first threshold value, the SRAP entity may deliver the uplink data to SL RLC channel A of the two SL RLC channels, but not to SL RLC channel B of the two SL RLC channels. For example, SL RLC channel A is the primary path.

[0196] For another example, the SRAP entity may determine, according to the associated first PDCP entity, to which SL RLC channel or channels among the K SL RLC channels the uplink data is to be delivered. For example, the first PDCP entity is associated with two SL RLC entities, and the first PDCP entity determines the size relationship between the data volume of the uplink data and the first threshold value. If the data volume of the uplink data is greater than or equal to the first threshold value, the PDCP entity may instruct the SRAP entity to deliver the uplink data to SL RLC channel A of the two SL RLC channels or to SL RLC channel B of the two SL RLC channels, or the first PDCP entity may also inform the SRAP entity that the data may be delivered to SL RLC channel A or channel B, and the specific selection of which SL RLC channel depends on the SRAP entity. If the first PDCP entity supports repeated transmission, the first PDCP entity may also instruct the SRAP entity to deliver the same data packet to SL RLC channel A and SL RLC channel B; or, if the data volume of the uplink data is less than the first threshold value, the first PDCP entity may deliver the uplink data to SL RLC channel A of the two SL RLC channels, but not to SL RLC channel B of the two SL RLC channels. For example, SL RLC channel A is the primary path.

[0197] Optionally, the first threshold mentioned above may be determined by the remote UE, or configured by the first network device, or predefined through a protocol, or preconfigured in the remote UE.

[0198] In addition, the SRAP entity may also determine which SL RLC channel or channels among the K SL RLC channels to deliver the uplink data to in other ways, and there is no limitation on this.

[0199] For example, for downlink data transmission on the second non-direct path, the SRAP entity may receive the downlink data. The SRAP entity may determine the PDCP entity corresponding to the downlink data, such as the first PDCP entity, based on the radio bearer corresponding to the downlink data (such as the first radio bearer) and / or the local ID carried by the downlink data (such as the second local ID), so that the SRAP entity may deliver the downlink data to the first PDCP entity, and the first PDCP entity may further process the downlink data.

[0200] Optionally, the remote UE may also release the SL RLC channel corresponding to at least one radio bearer under the second non-direct path (for example, all or part of the radio bearers included in the first radio bearer), or release the SL RLC channel corresponding to the second non-direct path. For example, the first network device may send a release indication message to the remote UE via the first non-direct path, and the release indication message may indicate the release of the second non-direct path, or indicate the release of the first SL RLC channel of the remote UE corresponding to the second non-direct path, or indicate the release of the SL RLC channel of the first radio bearer of the remote UE on the second non-direct path. Alternatively, after the second non-direct path is successfully added, the release indication message may also be sent by the second network device to the remote UE via the second non-direct path, without specific limitation. Optionally, the release indication message may be an RRC reconfiguration message, or included in the RRC reconfiguration message, or there may be other implementation methods, without specific limitation. For relevant content about the release, please refer to Figure 4 The embodiments shown are not described in detail.

[0201] In summary, after receiving the first configuration information, the remote UE in the embodiment of the present application can reconfigure the SRAP entity corresponding to the first indirect path according to the first configuration information, so that the SRAP entity can support communication of multiple indirect paths. This is equivalent to the remote UE maintaining the same SRAP entity for different indirect paths, without having to establish multiple SRAP entities, which is conducive to simplifying the structure and implementation of the remote UE.

[0202] For the multipath of SL relay technology, one evolution direction is to support multipath between base stations, such as inter-gNB multipath. Figure 3This is a schematic diagram of multi-path between base stations. This scenario allows remote UE to connect to different base stations through multiple paths to obtain more services. In this scenario, the remote UE needs to complete the communication of the indirect path according to the configuration of the indirect path between the remote UE and the corresponding relay UE. However, due to the different base stations where the relay UEs are located (for example, Figure 3 In the example, relay UE1 is located within the coverage of base station 1, and relay UE2 is located within the coverage of base station 2) and does not know the information of the remote UE, and may not be able to configure the SL included in the indirect path of the remote UE. This results in the SL corresponding to the indirect path of the remote UE not being configured, which may make the remote UE unable to communicate on the indirect path. In view of this, an embodiment of the present application provides another communication method, through which the SL corresponding to the indirect path of the remote UE can be configured. Please refer to Figure 8 , is the flow chart of this method. That is, Figure 8 The embodiment shown can be applied to Figure 3 The network architecture shown, Figure 8 In the illustrated embodiment, the first network device and the second network device are different network devices.

[0203] Optionally, the technical solution provided in the embodiment of the present application can be used with Figure 4 The embodiment shown or Figure 6 The embodiments shown are combined, for example Figure 4 The embodiment shown or Figure 6 In the embodiment shown, the first configuration information sent by the first network device to the remote UE may be the same configuration information as the first configuration information to be introduced later in the embodiment of the present application, that is, the first network device may obtain the first configuration information by the method described in the embodiment of the present application, and then transmit the first configuration information to the remote UE through Figure 4 The embodiment shown or Figure 6 The method provided in the embodiment shown sends first configuration information to the remote UE; or, the technical solution provided in the embodiment of the present application is Figure 4 The embodiments shown and Figure 6 The illustrated embodiments do not need to be combined, but the three embodiments can be applied separately.

[0204] S801: A first network device sends a first message to a second network device. Correspondingly, the second network device receives the first message from the first network device.

[0205] Optionally, before S801, the method may further include S802 to S804. In S802, the first network device sends a remote UE ( Figure 8The first network device sends measurement configuration information to the remote UE) and correspondingly, the remote UE receives the measurement configuration information from the first network device. The measurement configuration information is included in the RRC reconfiguration message, for example, and the measurement configuration information can be used to configure the remote UE to measure the relay UE. Optionally, if the first network device is a distributed architecture, for example, the first network device includes a CU and a DU, or includes a CU-CP, a CU-UP and a DU, the first network device sends measurement configuration information to the remote UE, specifically, the DU included in the first network device sends the measurement configuration information to the remote UE.

[0206] In S803, the remote UE measures one or more relay UEs. Figure 2 Take the second relayUE as an example. For example, the remote UE and one or more relay UEs perform a discovery process, during which one or more relay UEs may send a discovery message to the remote UE. The remote UE may then perform measurements based on the received discovery message, and the obtained measurement results may reflect the channel quality between the remote UE and the relay UE, for example, the measurement results may include one or more of SL-reference signal receiving power (RSRP), SL-reference signal receiving quality (RSRQ), or signal to interference plus noise ratio (SINR). Optionally, the discovery message from a relay UE may include information about the public land mobile network (PLMN) of the relay UE, and / or information about the PLMN supported by the cell where the relay UE is located.

[0207] In S804, the remote UE sends a measurement report to the first network device, and correspondingly, the first network device receives the measurement report from the remote UE. For example, when the remote UE meets the reporting conditions configured by the measurement configuration information, it can send a measurement report to the first network device. The measurement report may include the identifiers of one or more relay UEs measured by the remote UE, and the measurement results corresponding to the one or more relay UEs. Optionally, the measurement report may also include information about the PLMNs of the one or more relay UEs, such as information about the service PLMNs of the one or more relay UEs, such as the ID of the service PLMN. If the first network device sends the content in the measurement report to the second network device, since the information about the PLMN of the relay UE is provided to the second network device, the second network device can determine the context of the relay UE as soon as possible, thereby shortening the search process of the second network device. Optionally, if the first network device is a distributed architecture, for example, the first network device includes a CU and a DU, or includes a CU-CP, a CU-UP and a DU, the first network device receives the measurement report from the remote UE, specifically, the DU included in the first network device receives the measurement report from the remote UE.

[0208] If the first network device determines to add a non-direct path for the remote UE, the first network device may send a first message to the second network device. For example, the first network device determines to add a non-direct path for the remote UE based on the received measurement report, and the first network device may send a first message to the second network device. The first message may include information of the remote UE and / or information of candidate relay UEs. The number of candidate relay UEs may be one or more, and the one or more relay UEs may be within the coverage of the second network device. Among them, all of the relay UEs measured by the remote UE may be within the coverage of the second network device; or some of the relay UEs may be within the coverage of the second network device, while another part of the relay UEs are outside the coverage of the second network device. In this case, for example, the first network device selects one or more relay UEs covered by the second network device and sends the first message to the second network device.

[0209] Optionally, the information of the remote UE included in the first message may include one or more of the following: information of the selected PLMN, a SL-logical channel identification (LCID) available to the remote UE or the value of the SL-LCID available to the remote UE, a SL LCID occupied by the remote UE or the value of the SL LCID occupied by the remote UE, a SL RLC channel identification available to the remote UE or the value of the SL RLC channel identification available to the remote UE, a SL RLC channel identification occupied by the remote UE or the value of the SLRLC channel identification occupied by the remote UE, discontinuous reception (DRX) information of the remote UE, information on the wireless bearer of the remote UE, SL RLC channel configuration requirement information of the remote UE, delay margin information corresponding to the SL or PC5 interface between the remote UE and the second relay UE (i.e., the SL or PC5 interface corresponding to the second non-direct path to be configured), or a local ID corresponding to the SRAP entity established by the remote UE.

[0210] The information of the PLMN may include, for example, an identifier of the PLMN, such as a PLMN ID, or may also include other information of the PLMN, which is not limited. The selected PLMN may be, for example, a PLMN that the remote UE can support.

[0211] The SL LCID of the remote UE is the ID of the interface between the SL RLC entity and the MAC layer. Under each destination address of the SL communication, the two are in a one-to-one correspondence, so the remote UE needs to determine the association relationship between the wireless bearer corresponding to the non-direct path and the SL LCID. For example, if the first configuration information includes the association relationship information, the remote UE can determine which SL LCID or SL LCIDs are associated with the first wireless bearer configured for the second non-direct path according to the first configuration information. Optionally, the at least one SL LCID is a SL LCID available to the remote UE, or a SL LCID that has not been used by the remote UE, or a SL LCID that is not occupied by the remote UE. That is, conflicts between SLLCIDs of different paths can be avoided in this way.

[0212] The SL RLC channel identifier of the remote UE refers to the identifier of the SL RLC channel of the remote UE. In addition to the non-direct communication related to the second relay UE to be executed, the first network device may also configure other direct communication paths or non-direct communication paths (such as the first non-direct communication path) for the remote UE, which will occupy part of the SL RLC channel identifier of the remote UE. For a UE, the SL RLC channel identifiers configured for different non-direct paths should be different, otherwise they will conflict with each other. Therefore, the first message may include the SL RLC channel identifier available to the remote UE and / or the SL RLC channel identifier occupied by the remote UE, so that when the second network device configures the SL RLC channel of the second non-direct path for the remote UE according to the first message, it can use the SL RLC channel identifier available to the remote UE or the SL RLC channel identifier not occupied by the remote UE, or not use the SL RLC channel identifier occupied by the remote UE, so as to reduce the conflict between non-direct paths.

[0213] The DRX information of the remote UE, for example, including the DRX information of the first non-direct path of the remote UE, can be used by the second network device to configure the DRX of the SL or PC5 interface of the second non-direct path of the remote UE. For example, the second network device can align the SL DRX (or also SL DRX is called PC5 DRX) of the first non-direct path of the remote UE with the SL DRX of the second non-direct path of the remote UE, so that the duration (on duration) of the SL DRX of the first non-direct path of the remote UE is aligned with the on duration of the SL DRX of the second non-direct path, so that the remote UE only needs to wake up in the same time period to perform SL transmission of different non-direct paths, which can reduce the time for the remote UE to wake up, save the power consumption of the remote UE, and reduce the complexity of the remote UE. Optionally, if the first message includes DRX information of the remote UE, the DRX information may be included in the radio bearer information of the remote UE in the first message. For example, the radio bearer information includes quality of service (QoS) information of the first radio bearer, and the DRX information may be included in the QoS information; or, the DRX information and the radio bearer information of the remote UE may be different information independent of each other.

[0214] The SL RLC channel configuration requirement information of the remote UE may include one or more of the following: association relationship information between the first radio bearer of the remote UE and at least one SL LCID of the remote UE, association relationship information between the first radio bearer of the remote UE and at least one SL RLC Channel of the remote UE, or association relationship information between the first quantity and the second quantity. The first quantity is the number of radio bearers configured for the second non-direct path (for example, the first radio bearer includes a first number of radio bearers), and the second quantity is the number of SL RLC channels associated with the remote UE and the first number of radio bearers. For example, if the SL RLC channel configuration requirement information includes the association relationship information between the first radio bearer of the remote UE and at least one SL LCID of the remote UE, it can be understood that the SL RLC channel configuration requirement information can directly indicate the specific first radio bearer and at least one SL LCID, so that the second network device does not need to select the SL LCID.

[0215] For another example, the SL RLC channel configuration requirement information includes the association relationship information between the first wireless bearer of the remote UE and at least one SL RLC channel identifier of the remote UE. It can be understood that the SL RLC channel configuration requirement information can directly indicate the specific first wireless bearer and at least one SL RLC channel identifier, so that the second network device no longer needs to select the SL RLC channel identifier.

[0216] For another example, the SL RLC channel configuration requirement information includes the association relationship information between the first quantity and the second quantity, which is equivalent to the SL RLC channel configuration requirement information indicating the association relationship between the number of wireless bearers and the number of SL-RLC channels (or the number of SL LCIDs), and the second network device can select the SL LCID or SLLRLC channel identifier based on the number. For example, the first message also includes the SL LCID available to the remote UE and / or the SLLCID occupied by the remote UE, and the second network device can select the second number of SL LCIDs for the first number of wireless bearers based on the SL LCID available to the remote UE and / or the SL LCID occupied by the remote UE. For another example, the first message also includes the SL RLC channel identifier available to the remote UE and / or the SL RLC channel identifier occupied by the remote UE. The second network device can select the second number of SL RLC channel identifiers for the first number of wireless bearers based on the SL RLC channel identifier available to the remote UE and / or the SL RLC channel identifier occupied by the remote UE. The first radio bearer may include one or more DRBs and / or one or more SRBs, and the first radio bearer is a radio bearer configured for the second non-direct path to be configured.

[0217] For example, the first message may include the SL LCID of the remote UE and / or the SLLCID already occupied by the remote UE, but does not include the SL RLC channel configuration requirement information. Then, the second network device may configure the association relationship information between the first radio bearer and the SL LCID of the remote UE for the second non-direct path based on the SLLCID of the remote UE and / or the SL LCID already occupied by the remote UE. Since the SL LCID of the remote UE and / or the SL LCID already occupied by the remote UE is known, the second network device may use the SLLCID available to the remote UE when configuring the SL LCID for the second non-direct path.

[0218] Alternatively, the first message may include the SL RLC channel configuration requirement information, and the second network device may configure the association relationship information between the first wireless bearer and the SL LCID of the remote UE for the second non-direct path according to the SL RLC channel configuration requirement information. Optionally, in this case, the first message may not need to include the SL LCID of the remote UE and / or the SL LCID already occupied by the remote UE. For example, the SL RLC channel configuration requirement information includes the association relationship information between the first wireless bearer of the remote UE and at least one SL LCID of the remote UE, which is equivalent to the SL RLC channel configuration requirement information indicating a specific wireless bearer and a specific SL LCID. The second network device only needs to configure the association relationship between the first wireless bearer and at least one SL LCID, without having to determine the wireless bearer and select the SL LCID, which is relatively simple for the second network device to implement.

[0219] Alternatively, the first message may include the SL RLC channel configuration requirement information, and the SLLCID of the remote UE and / or the SL LCID already occupied by the remote UE. Then, the second network device may configure the association relationship information between the first wireless bearer and the SL LCID of the remote UE for the second non-direct path based on the SL RLC channel configuration requirement information, and the SL LCID of the remote UE and / or the SL LCID already occupied by the remote UE. For this, please refer to the previous introduction. In a similar example, the SL LCID can be replaced with the SL RLC channel identifier, which will not be repeated here.

[0220] The first message may include the delay margin information corresponding to the SL or PC5 interface between the remote UE and the second relay UE, such as the delay budget. The delay margin indicated by the delay margin information is the delay margin between the remote UE and the second relay UE on the second non-direct path. The second network device may configure the delay margin for the SL or the PC5 interface according to the delay margin information. For example, the second network device may directly configure the delay margin corresponding to the delay margin information as the delay margin of the SL or the PC5 interface. The delay margin corresponding to the SL or the PC5 interface indicated by the first network device can reduce the determination process of the second network device.

[0221] Alternatively, the first message may not include the delay margin information corresponding to the SL or PC5 interface between the remote UE and the second relay UE, but the first message includes the information of the wireless bearer of the remote UE, for example, the information of the wireless bearer includes the QoS information of the first wireless bearer of the remote UE, and the first wireless bearer is a wireless bearer configured for the second non-direct path, then the second network device can determine the delay margin information corresponding to the second non-direct path according to the QoS information of the first wireless bearer, and the delay margin indicated by the delay margin information is, for example, the delay margin between the remote UE and the second network device on the second non-direct path. It can be seen that the delay margin includes the delay margin between the remote UE and the second relay UE on the second non-direct path, and includes the delay margin between the second relay UE and the second network device on the second non-direct path. The second network device can determine the delay margin between the second relay UE and the second network device on the second non-direct path by itself, so the second network device can configure the delay margin corresponding to the SL or PC5 interface between the remote UE and the second relay UE for the remote UE based on the QoS information of the first wireless bearer and the delay margin between the second relay UE and the second network device on the second non-direct path. Among them, the second network device can determine the delay margin information corresponding to the SL of the second non-direct path of the remote UE and / or determine the SL RLC channel configuration information of the remote UE based on the QoS information of the first wireless bearer of the remote UE.

[0222] The first message may include a local ID corresponding to the SRAP entity established by the remote UE. For example, if the remote UE has established a first SRAP entity corresponding to a first non-direct path, and the first SRAP entity maintains a first local ID, the first message may include the first local ID. For example, if the first network device sends the first local ID to the second network device, when the second network device allocates the local ID of the remote UE under the second relay UE to the remote UE, the allocated local ID may be different from the first local ID, so that the remote UE can identify and distinguish different SRAP configurations according to the local ID. For example, whether the remote UE establishes SRAP entities for different non-direct paths or establishes a SRAP entity for all non-direct paths, the second network device may allocate a second local ID different from the first local ID to the remote UE, and the second local ID is the local ID of the remote UE under the second relay UE. By allocating different local IDs, the SRAP entity of the remote UE can distinguish different non-direct paths according to different local IDs, and the method of distinguishing paths is relatively simple. When the first network device provides the local ID corresponding to the SRAP entity in the first indirect path to the second network device through the first message, the second network device can allocate a second local ID different from the first local ID according to the first message, thereby effectively avoiding conflicts.

[0223] Alternatively, the second local ID assigned by the second network device to the remote UE may be the same as the first local ID. By maintaining a local ID, the operation of the SRAP entity will be relatively simple. For example, the second network device may assign a local ID under the second relay UE, that is, a second local ID, which is the same as the first local ID, based on the first local ID in the first message. However, since the SRAP entity of the second relay UE under the second network device has already assigned the first local ID to other remote UEs, the local ID of the remote UE may be reconfigured through negotiation between the second network device and the first network device.

[0224] For example, no matter whether the remote UE establishes SRAP entities for different non-direct paths respectively or establishes one SRAP entity for all non-direct paths, the allocation behavior of the second network device may not be restricted. For example, the second network device may allocate a second local ID different from the first local ID to the remote UE, or the allocation result may be that the second local ID allocated to the remote UE is the same as the first local ID.

[0225] The information of the wireless bearer of the remote UE may include one or more of the following: an identifier of the first wireless bearer configured for the second non-direct path, Xn transport layer address information of the DRB where the PDCP entity of the remote UE is located on the first network device, information used to indicate that the first wireless bearer of the remote UE belongs to a non-direct path (or, belongs to the second non-direct path), information used to indicate that the first wireless bearer of the remote UE belongs to a relay device group, type information of the SL RLC entity used by the remote UE in the second non-direct path, information used to indicate whether the first wireless bearer of the remote UE supports multi-path communication, information used to indicate whether the first wireless bearer of the remote UE supports duplication transmission, or QoS information of the first wireless bearer of the remote UE.

[0226] The first radio bearer has been introduced in the previous text. It is a radio bearer configured for the second non-direct path to be configured, and may include one or more DRBs and / or one or more SRBs. The information of the radio bearer of the remote UE may include the identifiers of all the radio bearers included in the first radio bearer, so that the second network device can clearly know which radio bearers of the remote UE are configured for the second non-direct path.

[0227] The SL RLC channel to which the data on a wireless bearer of the remote UE is transmitted is indicated by the Xn transport layer address information of the DRB of the PDCP entity corresponding to the wireless bearer located on the first network device. Therefore, the information of the wireless bearer of the remote UE may include the transport layer address information.

[0228] The information of the wireless bearer of the remote UE, for example, indicates that the first wireless bearer belongs to a non-direct path (or belongs to a second non-direct path), and / or indicates that the first wireless bearer belongs to a relay device group, so that the second network device can determine that the first wireless bearer is a wireless bearer configured for the second non-direct path.

[0229] The type information of the SL RLC entity used by the remote UE in the second non-direct path may indicate the type of the SL RLC entity. The type of the SL RLC entity may also be referred to as the mode of the SL RLC entity, for example, the mode of the SL RLC entity is acknowledged mode (AM), unidirectional unacknowledged mode (AM) or bidirectional UM, etc. According to the type information of the SL RLC entity, the second network device may configure a matching SL RLC mode in the SL or PC5 part of the remote UE and the second relay UE included in the second non-direct path, and in the Uu part between the second relay UE and the second network device, to ensure that the transmission mode of the first wireless bearer on the second network device and the first network device is unified. Among them, the remote UE may use one or more SL RLC entities in the second non-direct path, and the modes of different SL RLC entities in the one or more SL RLC entities may be the same or different.

[0230] The information of the radio bearer of the remote UE may indicate whether the first radio bearer supports multi-path communication. If the first radio bearer supports multi-path communication, the second network device may add a second non-direct path for the remote UE, for example, configuring an SL or PC5 interface corresponding to the second non-direct path for the remote UE; and if the first radio bearer does not support multi-path communication, the second network device may not add a second non-direct path for the remote UE, for example, not executing S805 to be introduced later.

[0231] The information of the radio bearer of the remote UE may indicate whether the first radio bearer of the remote UE supports repeated transmission, such as the repeated transmission mechanism of PDCP. If the first radio bearer supports repeated transmission, the first non-direct path and the second non-direct path of the remote UE may transmit the same data (provided that the first radio bearer supports multi-path communication), for example, the data transmitted by one path is a copy of the data transmitted on another path; or, if the first radio bearer does not support repeated transmission, the first non-direct path and the second non-direct path of the remote UE may transmit different data (provided that the first radio bearer supports multi-path communication).

[0232] The QoS information of the first radio bearer of the remote UE can be used by the second network device to configure the delay margin corresponding to the SL or PC5 interface corresponding to the second non-direct path according to the QoS information, and / or configure the SL RLC channel of the remote UE. The SL RLC channel may include the SL RLC channel used by the second non-direct path.

[0233] As described above, the first message may include information of the remote UE and / or information of the candidate relay UE. As the information of the remote UE has been introduced above, the information of the candidate relay UE will be introduced below. The number of candidate relay UEs may be one or more, and the information of the candidate relay UE may include information of the one or more relay UEs. For example, the first network device determines one or more relay UEs based on the measurement report from the remote UE, and the first message may include information of the one or more relay UEs. Among them, the information of any relay UE included in the first message may include the identifier of the relay UE and / or the identifier of the service PLMN of the relay UE. Since the information of the service PLMN of the relay UE is provided to the second network device, the second network device can determine the context of the relay UE as soon as possible, thereby shortening the search process of the second network device. Optionally, if the PLMN supported by the remote UE (e.g., selected PLMN) is different from the serving PLMN of the candidate relay UE, the first message may include the identifier of the serving PLMN of the candidate relay UE; and if the PLMN supported by the remote UE is the same as the serving PLMN of the candidate relay UE, the first message may not include the identifier of the serving PLMN of the candidate relay UE, and the second network device can determine that the identifier of the selected PLMN is the identifier of the serving PLMN of the candidate relay UE, thereby reducing the overhead of the first message. Optionally, if there are multiple candidate relay UEs, the serving PLMNs of these multiple relay UEs may be the same or different. If the serving PLMNs of different relay UEs are different, even if the serving PLMN of some of the relay UEs is the same as the selected PLMN, the first message may still include the identifier of the serving PLMN of each relay UE, so that the second network device can determine the serving PLMN of each relay UE.

[0234] Optionally, the first message may be an existing message, such as an S-node addition request message or an S-node modification request message, or other existing messages. Alternatively, the first message may also be a newly defined message in an embodiment of the present application, which is not specifically limited.

[0235] Optionally, if the first network device is a distributed architecture, for example, the first network device includes a CU and a DU, the first network device sends a first message to the second network device, specifically, the CU included in the first network device sends the first message to the second network device. For another example, if the first network device includes a CU-CP, a CU-UP, and a DU, the first network device sends a first message to the second network device, specifically, the CU-CP included in the first network device sends the first message to the second network device.

[0236] Similarly, if the second network device is a distributed architecture, for example, the second network device includes a CU and a DU, then the second network device receives the first message from the first network device, specifically, the CU included in the second network device receives the first message from the first network device. For another example, if the second network device includes a CU-CP, a CU-UP, and a DU, then the second network device receives the first message from the first network device, specifically, the CU-CP included in the second network device receives the first message from the first network device.

[0237] S805. The second network device sends a second message to the first network device. Correspondingly, the first network device receives the first message from the second network device. If the second network device and / or the first network device is a distributed architecture, the sending or receiving method of the second message is similar to the sending or receiving method of the first message described above, and will not be described in detail.

[0238] The second message may include second configuration information, and the second configuration information may configure the SL or PC5 interface corresponding to the second non-direct path to be added by the remote UE. For example, after receiving the first message, the second network device may determine the second configuration information according to the content included in the first message, and the second configuration information may be used to configure the SL or PC5 interface corresponding to the second non-direct path for the remote UE, and the second network device may send the second configuration information to the first network device. Among them, if the information of the candidate relay UE included in the first message indicates a relay UE, the non-direct path refers to the path through which the remote UE is connected to the second network device through the relay UE, and the second configuration information can be used to configure the PC5 interface between the remote UE and the relayUE, and the relay UE is, for example, the second relay UE; or, if the information of the candidate relay UE included in the first message indicates multiple relay UEs, the second network device can select a relay UE from them, for example, the second relay UE is selected, then the second non-direct path refers to the path through which the remote UE is connected to the second network device through the second relay UE, and the second configuration information can be used to configure the SL or PC5 interface between the remote UE and the second relay UE. Optionally, the second configuration information may indicate the second relay UE.

[0239] Optionally, the second configuration information includes one or more of the following: SRAP configuration information of the remote UE, SL RLC channel configuration information of the remote UE, SL physical layer configuration information of the remote UE, or SL MAC layer configuration information of the remote UE.

[0240] The SRAP configuration information of the remote UE may include one or more of the following: the local ID of the remote UE under the second relay UE, the identifier of the second relay UE, the association relationship information between the first radio bearer of the remote UE and at least one SL LCID of the remote UE, the association relationship information between the first radio bearer of the remote UE and at least one SLRLC channel identifier of the remote UE, or the association relationship information between the first radio bearer of the remote UE and at least one SL RLC Channel of the remote UE. Among them, the SRAP entity needs to maintain the local ID of the remote UE under the second relay UE, so the first configuration information may include the second local ID. For example, the local ID of the remote UE under the first relayUE 1 is allocated by the first network device corresponding to the first relay UE, and the local ID of the remote UE under the second relay UE is allocated by the second network device corresponding to the second relay UE, which can effectively avoid confusion in the allocation of local IDs. The identifier of the second relay UE is, for example, the layer 2 destination ID of the second relay UE. The identifier of the second relay UE may indicate that the SRAP configuration information corresponds to the second relay UE.

[0241] For example, the first message includes the SL LCID available to the remote UE and / or the SL LCID that has been occupied by the remote UE. The second network device can determine the association relationship information between the first wireless bearer and the at least one SL LCID based on the available SL LCID and / or the occupied SL LCID, and the SRAP configuration information may include the association relationship information. For example, the second network device can determine that the first wireless bearer is configured for the second non-direct path based on the information of the wireless bearer of the remote UE included in the first message, and the second network device can associate at least one SL LCID with the first wireless bearer. Among them, the SL LCID associated with the first wireless bearer can be the SL LCID available to the remote UE. Optionally, if the first message includes the SL LCID available to the remote UE and / or the SL LCID that has been occupied by the remote UE, and the first message does not include the SL RLC channel configuration requirement information of the remote UE, the second network device can determine the association relationship information in the above manner.

[0242] For another example, if the first message includes the SL RLC channel identifier available to the remote UE and / or the SL RLC channel identifier that has been occupied by the remote UE, the second network device can determine the association relationship information between the first wireless bearer and the at least one SL RLC Channel based on the available SL RLC channel identifier and / or the occupied SL RLC channel identifier, and the SRAP configuration information may include the association relationship information. For example, the second network device can determine that the first wireless bearer is configured for the second non-direct path based on the information of the wireless bearer of the remote UE included in the first message, and the second network device can associate at least one SL RLC channel identifier for the first wireless bearer. Among them, the SL RLC channel identifier associated with the first wireless bearer can be the SL RLC channel identifier available to the remote UE. Optionally, if the first message includes the SL RLC channel identifier available to the remote UE and / or the SL RLC channel identifier that has been occupied by the remote UE, and the first message does not include the SL RLC channel configuration requirement information of the remote UE, the second network device can determine the association relationship information in the above manner.

[0243] In another example, the first message includes the SL RLC channel configuration requirement information of the remote UE, and the second network device can determine the association relationship information based on the SL RLC channel configuration requirement information. For example, the SL RLC channel configuration requirement information includes the association relationship information between the first wireless bearer and the at least one SL LCID, or includes the association relationship information between the first wireless bearer and the at least one SL RLC channel identifier, which is equivalent to the SL RLC channel configuration requirement information indicating the specific wireless bearer and the specific SL LCID or SL RLC channel identifier. The second network device only needs to configure the association relationship between the first wireless bearer and the at least one SL LCID or the association relationship between the first wireless bearer and the at least one SL RLC channel identifier, without having to determine the wireless bearer and select the SL LCID or SL RLC channel identifier, which is relatively simple for the second network device to implement.

[0244] In another example, the first message includes the SL RLC channel configuration requirement information of the remote UE, and one or more of the available SL LCID of the remote UE, the available SL RLC channel identifier, the SL LCID occupied by the remote UE, or the SL RLC channel identifier occupied by the remote UE, then the second network device can determine the association relationship information according to the SL RLC channel configuration requirement information, and one or more of the available SL LCID of the remote UE, the available SL RLC channel identifier, the SL LCID occupied by the remote UE, or the SL RLC channel identifier occupied by the remote UE. For example, if the SL RLC channel configuration requirement information includes the association relationship information between the first quantity and the second quantity, then the second network device can determine to configure a first number of radio bearers for the second non-direct path, for example, the second network device determines that the second non-direct path is configured with a first radio bearer according to the information of the radio bearer of the remote UE in the first message, for example, the first radio bearer includes a first number of radio bearers. The second network device may select a second number of SL LCIDs or SL RLC channel identifiers for a second non-direct path. For example, the second network device may select a second number of SL LCIDs or SL RLC channel identifiers available to the remote UE for the second non-direct path based on one or more of the available SL LCIDs of the remote UE, the available SL RLC channel identifiers, the SL LCIDs occupied by the remote UE, or the SL RLC channel identifiers occupied by the remote UE. The second network device may configure an association relationship between the first wireless bearer and the second number of SLLCIDs or SL RLC channel identifiers.

[0245] The SL RLC channel configuration information of the remote UE may include one or more of the following: configuration information of the SL RLC entity of the remote UE, SL MAC logical channel configuration information of the remote UE, or delay margin information corresponding to the SL or PC5 interface corresponding to the second non-direct path. The SL MAC logical channel configuration information of the remote UE may be included in the SL RLC channel configuration information, or may also be included in the SL MAC layer configuration information of the remote UE.

[0246] For example, the first message includes the delay margin information corresponding to the SL or the PC5 interface between the remote UE and the second relay UE, such as the delay budget. The second network device can configure the delay margin for the SL or the PC5 interface based on the delay margin information. For example, the second network device can directly configure the delay margin corresponding to the delay margin information included in the first message as the delay margin of the SL or the PC5 interface.

[0247] For another example, the first message may not include the delay margin information corresponding to the SL or PC5 interface between the remote UE and the second relay UE, but the first message may include the information of the wireless bearer of the remote UE, for example, the information of the wireless bearer includes the QoS information of the first wireless bearer of the remote UE. Then the second network device can determine the delay margin information corresponding to the SL or PC5 interface of the second non-direct path according to the QoS information of the first wireless bearer. For the determination method, please refer to the introduction in the previous text.

[0248] The SL MAC layer configuration information of the remote UE includes, for example, the SL DRX configuration information of the remote UE. For example, the second network device may determine the SL DRX configuration information of the second non-direct path according to the QoS information of the first wireless bearer of the remote UE and / or the SL DRX information of the first non-direct path of the remote UE included in the first message. For example, if the first message includes the SL DRX information of the first non-direct path of the remote UE, the second network device may align the SL DRX of the first non-direct path with the SL DRX of the second non-direct path, so that the on duration of the SL DRX of the first non-direct path of the remote UE is aligned with the on duration of the SL DRX of the second non-direct path, so that the remote UE only needs to wake up in the same time period to perform SL transmission of different non-direct paths, which can reduce the time for the remote UE to wake up, save the power consumption of the remote UE, reduce the complexity of the remote UE, and reduce service delay.

[0249] Optionally, the second message may be an existing message, such as an S-node addition request acknowledgement message or an S-node modification request acknowledgement message, or other existing messages. Alternatively, the second message may also be a newly defined message in the embodiment of the present application, which is not specifically limited.

[0250] After receiving the first message, if the second network device determines that it is possible to add a second non-direct path for the remote UE, the aforementioned S805 may be executed. Alternatively, after receiving the first message, the second network device may not be able to add a second non-direct path for the remote UE. In this case, the second message in S805 may not include the second configuration information, but may indicate a refusal to add a second non-direct path for the remote UE. Optionally, the second message at this time may also include a rejection reason value to indicate the rejection reason, and the rejection reason may be, for example, the reason that the candidate relay UE is unavailable. Optionally, if all the candidate relay UEs indicated by the first message are unavailable, the second network device may determine that it is impossible to add a second non-direct path for the remote UE. For example, if a relay UE is overloaded, or a relay UE has a fault, or the second network device cannot communicate with a relay UE, etc., the relay UE may be considered unavailable. If the second message includes the second configuration information, the subsequent steps S806 and the like may continue to be executed; and if the second message indicates that the second indirect path is refused to be added for the remote UE, the subsequent steps S806 and the like may not be executed.

[0251] Optionally, if the second message indicates a refusal to add a second non-direct path for the remote UE, the second message may be an existing message, such as an S-node addition request reject message or an S-node modification request reject message, or other existing messages. Alternatively, the second message may also be a newly defined message in an embodiment of the present application, which is not specifically limited.

[0252] S806. The first network device sends a third message to the remote UE via the first indirect path. Correspondingly, the remote UE receives the third message from the first network device via the first indirect path. Optionally, the third message is, for example, an RRC message, such as an RRC reconfiguration message, or may be other RRC messages.

[0253] The third message may include the first configuration information, and the first configuration information may be used to configure the second non-direct path to be added, for example, to configure the SL or PC5 interface corresponding to the second non-direct path. The first network device receives the second configuration information and may send the first configuration information to the remote UE; the remote UE receives the first configuration information and may add the second non-direct path according to the first configuration information, or configure the SL or PC5 interface corresponding to the second non-direct path according to the first configuration information.

[0254] Optionally, the first configuration information may be generated based on the second configuration information. For example, the first network device may parse the second message, or parse the second configuration information, to generate the first configuration information based on the parsing result. The content indicated (or, included) by the first configuration information may be the same as the content indicated (or, included) by the second configuration information.

[0255] Alternatively, the first configuration information is the second configuration information, that is, the two are the same information. For example, the second message includes a first information element, and the second configuration information is included in the first information element. After receiving the second message, the second network device can directly add the first information element in the second message to a third message and send it to the remote UE. In this way, the second network device does not need to parse the first information element, which can simplify the processing process of the second network device. The first information element, for example, includes one or more containers, etc., and the specific form is not limited.

[0256] Figure 4 In the embodiment shown Figure 5 is an example of the structure of the third message. Figure 6 In the embodiment shown Figure 7 is another structure example of the third message.

[0257] by Figure 5 For example, the first configuration information includes SRAP configuration information of the remote UE, the SRAP configuration information includes first sub-configuration information and second sub-configuration information, and the SRAP configuration information includes Figure 5In the SL-L2RemoteUE-Config information element shown, or, the first sub-configuration information is included in the SL-SRAP-ConfigRemote path1 information element, and the second sub-configuration information is included in the SL-SRAP-ConfigRemote path2 information element. Among them, the SL-L2RemoteUE-Config information element, or the SL-SRAP-ConfigRemote path1 information element and the SL-SRAP-ConfigRemote path2 information element can be information elements directly obtained from the second message, or the SRAP configuration information can be information obtained by the second network device according to the second configuration information. For another example, the ID of the second relayUE included in the first sub-configuration information can be included in the L2 destination information element in the SL-SRAP-ConfigRemote path2 information element, the SL-SRAP-ConfigRemote path2 information element and the L2 destination information element, or the L2 destination information element, can be information elements directly obtained from the second message, or the ID of the second relay UE can be information obtained by the second network device according to the second configuration information. For another example, the association relationship information between the first radio bearer of the remote UE included in the first sub-configuration information and at least one SL LCID of the remote UE, or the association relationship information between the first radio bearer of the remote UE and at least one SL RLC channel identifier of the remote UE included in the first sub-configuration information, may be included in the SL-MappingToAddModList information element in the SL-SRAP-ConfigRemote path2 information element, and the SL-SRAP-ConfigRemote path2 information element and the SL-MappingToAddModList information element, or the SL-MappingToAddModList information element, may be information elements directly obtained from the second message, or the association relationship information may be information obtained by the second network device according to the second configuration information. For another example, the first configuration information includes the SL RLC channel configuration information of the remote UE, and the SL RLC channel configuration information is included, for example, in Figure 5 In the SL-ConfigDedicatedNR information element shown, the SL-ConfigDedicatedNR information element may be an information element directly obtained from the second message, or the SL RLC channel configuration information may be information obtained by the second network device based on the second configuration information.

[0258] Then Figure 7For example, the first configuration information includes SRAP configuration information of the remote UE, the SRAP configuration information includes information for configuring the first indirect path and information for configuring the second indirect path, the SRAP configuration information includes, for example, Figure 7 In the SL-L2RemoteUE-Config information element shown in the figure, or included in Figure 7 In the SL-SRAP-ConfigRemote information element shown in FIG. 1 , the SL-L2RemoteUE-Config information element or the SL-SRAP-ConfigRemote information element may be an information element directly obtained from the second message, or the SRAP configuration information may be information obtained by the second network device according to the second configuration information. For another example, the first configuration information includes the SL RLC channel configuration information of the remote UE, and the SL RLC channel configuration information includes, for example, Figure 7 In the SL-ConfigDedicatedNR information element shown, the SL-ConfigDedicatedNR information element may be an information element directly obtained from the second message, or the SL RLC channel configuration information may be information obtained by the second network device based on the second configuration information.

[0259] The first network device sends a third message to the remote UE via the first non-direct path, for example, the first network device sends the third message to the first relay UE via the first non-direct path, and the first relay UE sends the third message to the remote UE via the first non-direct path. Optionally, if the first network device is a distributed architecture, for example, the first network device includes a CU and a DU, or includes a CU-CP, a CU-UP, and a DU, the first network device sends the third message to the first relay UE, specifically, the DU included in the first network device sends the third message to the first relay UE.

[0260] If the remote UE has not established a PC5 connection with the second relay UE, the method may optionally further include S807, wherein the remote UE establishes a connection with the second relay UE. For example, the connection is a PC5-signaling (S) connection. If the remote UE has established a connection with the second relay UE, S807 may not be performed.

[0261] If the second relay UE is still in the RRC non-connected state, the method may optionally further include S808 and S809. In S808, the remote UE triggers the second relay UE to enter the RRC connected state; in S809, the second relay UE enters the RRC connected state. For example, in S809, the second relay UE may establish (or re-establish) an RRC connection with the second network device to enter the RRC connected state. The RRC non-connected state may, for example, include an RRC idle state or an RRC inactive state. Optionally, in S808, the remote UE may send a trigger message to the second relay UE after successfully establishing a PC5 connection with the second relay UE to trigger the second relay UE to enter the RRC connected state. For more information about S808, please refer to Figure 4 S404 of the embodiment shown, and / or reference Figure 6 S604 of the embodiment shown.

[0262] If the second relay UE enters the RRC connected state in other triggering modes, it is not necessary to execute S808 and there is no restriction on this.

[0263] If the second relay UE has entered the RRC connected state, it is not necessary to execute S808 and S809.

[0264] Optionally, the method may further include S810, the remote UE sends a fifth message to the first network device, and accordingly, the first network device receives the fifth message from the remote UE. The fifth message may indicate that the second indirect path is added successfully or completed. For more information about S810, please refer to Figure 4 S406 of the embodiment shown.

[0265] Optionally, the method may further include S811, the second network device sends a fourth message to the second relay UE, and accordingly, the second relay UE may receive the fourth message from the second network device. The fourth message may include third configuration information, and the third configuration information may be used to configure the SL or PC5 interface corresponding to the second non-direct path of the second relay UE. For more information about S811, please refer to Figure 4 S407 of the embodiment shown.

[0266] Through the method described above, the remote UE adds a second indirect path, and the remote UE can communicate with the second network device through the second indirect path. In addition, the remote UE can also communicate with the first network device through the first indirect path, so that the remote UE can obtain more services, which is conducive to improving the throughput of the remote UE.

[0267] In an embodiment of the present application, the first network device indirectly connected to the remote UE and the second network device indirectly connected thereto can interact, so that the second network device can obtain information about the remote UE from the first network device, and the first network device can obtain information about the second non-direct path to be added for configuring the remote UE from the second network device, so that a new non-direct path can be configured for the remote UE according to the interaction result of the network device, for example, the SL or PC5 interface corresponding to the new non-direct path is configured, so that the remote UE can work in a multi-path scenario between base stations. Moreover, the first network device can also provide more content to the second network device, for example, the first network device can provide the second network device with the delay margin information of the SL or PC5 interface corresponding to the second non-direct path of the remote UE and / or the SL RLC channel configuration requirement information of the remote UE, etc., which is beneficial for the first network device to better control the transmission of the remote UE on the SL.

[0268] Fig. 9 A schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device provided in an embodiment of the present application is given. The communication device 900 may be Figure 4 , Figure 6 or Figure 8 The remote UE or the circuit system of the remote UE described in any of the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings is used to implement the method corresponding to the remote UE in the above method embodiment. Alternatively, the communication device 900 may be Figure 4 , Figure 6 or Figure 8 The first network device or the circuit system of the first network device described in any of the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings is used to implement the method corresponding to the first network device in the above method embodiment. Alternatively, the communication device 900 may be Figure 4 , Figure 6 or Figure 8 The second network device or the circuit system of the second network device described in any of the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings is used to implement the method corresponding to the second network device in the above method embodiment. For example, one circuit system is a chip system.

[0269] The communication device 900 includes at least one processor 901. The processor 901 can be used for internal processing of the device to implement certain control processing functions. Optionally, the processor 901 includes instructions. Optionally, the processor 901 can store data. Optionally, different processors can be independent devices, can be located in different physical locations, and can be located on different integrated circuits. Optionally, different processors can be integrated into one or more processors, for example, integrated on one or more integrated circuits.

[0270] Optionally, the communication device 900 includes one or more memories 903 for storing instructions. Optionally, data may also be stored in the memory 903. The processor and the memory may be provided separately or integrated together.

[0271] Optionally, the communication device 900 includes a communication line 902 and at least one communication interface 904. Since the memory 903, the communication line 902 and the communication interface 904 are all optional, Fig. 9 Indicated by dotted lines.

[0272] Optionally, the communication device 900 may further include a transceiver and / or an antenna. The transceiver may be used to send information to other devices or receive information from other devices. The transceiver may be referred to as a transceiver, a transceiver circuit, an input / output interface, etc., and is used to implement the transceiver function of the communication device 900 through an antenna. Optionally, the transceiver includes a transmitter and a receiver. Exemplarily, the transmitter may be used to generate a radio frequency signal from a baseband signal, and the receiver may be used to convert the radio frequency signal into a baseband signal.

[0273] The processor 901 may include a general-purpose central processing unit (CPU), a microprocessor, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or one or more integrated circuits for controlling the execution of the program of the present application.

[0274] The communication link 902 may include a pathway for transmitting information between the above-mentioned components.

[0275] The communication interface 904 uses any transceiver-like device for communicating with other devices or communication networks, such as Ethernet, radio access network (RAN), wireless local area networks (WLAN), wired access networks, etc.

[0276] The memory 903 may be a read-only memory (ROM) or other types of static storage devices that can store static information and instructions, a random access memory (RAM) or other types of dynamic storage devices that can store information and instructions, or an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) or other optical disc storage, optical disc storage (including compressed optical disc, laser disc, optical disc, digital versatile disc, Blu-ray disc, etc.), a magnetic disk storage medium or other magnetic storage device, or any other medium that can be used to carry or store the desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and can be accessed by a computer, but is not limited thereto. The memory 903 may exist independently and be connected to the processor 901 via the communication line 902. Alternatively, the memory 903 may also be integrated with the processor 901.

[0277] The memory 903 is used to store computer-executable instructions for executing the solution of the present application, and the execution is controlled by the processor 901. The processor 901 is used to execute the computer-executable instructions stored in the memory 903, thereby realizing Figure 4 , Figure 6 or Figure 8 The steps performed by the remote UE or the first network device or the second network device in the embodiments shown in any one of the accompanying drawings.

[0278] Optionally, the computer-executable instructions in the embodiments of the present application may also be referred to as application code, which is not specifically limited in the embodiments of the present application.

[0279] In a specific implementation, as an embodiment, the processor 901 may include one or more CPUs, such as Fig. 9 CPU0 and CPU1 in.

[0280] In a specific implementation, as an embodiment, the communication device 900 may include multiple processors, such as Fig. 9 901 and processor 905 in the embodiment of the present invention. Each of these processors may be a single-CPU processor or a multi-CPU processor. The processor herein may refer to one or more devices, circuits, and / or processing cores for processing data (e.g., computer program instructions).

[0281] when Fig. 9When the device shown is a chip, for example, a chip of a remote UE or a chip of a first network device or a chip of a second network device, the chip includes a processor 901 (may also include a processor 905), a communication line 902 and a communication interface 904, and optionally, the chip may include a memory 903. Specifically, the communication interface 904 may be an input interface, a pin or a circuit, etc. The memory 903 may be a register, a cache, etc. The processor 901 and the processor 905 may be a general-purpose CPU, a microprocessor, an ASIC, or one or more integrated circuits for controlling the execution of a program of the resource exclusion method of any of the above embodiments.

[0282] The embodiment of the present application can divide the functional modules of the device according to the above method example. For example, each functional module can be divided according to each function, or two or more functions can be integrated into one processing module. The above integrated modules can be implemented in the form of hardware or in the form of software functional modules. It should be noted that the division of modules in the embodiment of the present application is schematic and is only a logical functional division. There may be other division methods in actual implementation. For example, in the case of dividing each functional module according to each function, Fig.10 A schematic diagram of an apparatus is shown, and the apparatus 1000 may be the remote UE, the first network device, or the second network device involved in the above-mentioned various method embodiments, or a chip in the remote UE, the chip in the first network device, or the chip in the second network device. The apparatus 1000 includes a sending unit 1001, a processing unit 1002, and a receiving unit 1003.

[0283] It should be understood that the device 1000 can be used to implement the steps performed by the remote UE or the first network device or the second network device in the resource exclusion method of the embodiment of the present application, and the relevant features can refer to the above Figure 4 , Figure 6 or Figure 8 The embodiments shown in any of the accompanying drawings will not be described in detail here.

[0284] Optional, Fig.10 The functions / implementation processes of the sending unit 1001, the receiving unit 1003 and the processing unit 1002 can be Fig. 9 The processor 901 in the embodiment calls the computer execution instruction stored in the memory 903 to implement. Or, Fig.10 The function / implementation process of the processing unit 1002 in Fig. 9 The processor 901 in the embodiment calls the computer execution instruction stored in the memory 903 to implement, Fig.10 The functions / implementation processes of the sending unit 1001 and the receiving unit 1003 can be Fig. 9 It is implemented by the communication interface 904 in.

[0285] Optionally, when the device 1000 is a chip or a circuit, the functions / implementation processes of the sending unit 1001 and the receiving unit 1003 can also be implemented through pins or circuits.

[0286] The present application also provides a computer-readable storage medium, which stores a computer program or instruction. When the computer program or instruction is executed, the method performed by the remote UE or the first network device or the second network device in the aforementioned method embodiment is implemented. In this way, the functions described in the above embodiments can be implemented in the form of software functional units and sold or used as independent products. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of the present application can be essentially or in other words, the part that contributes or the part of the technical solution can be embodied in the form of a software product, which is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions for a computer device (which can be a personal computer, a server, or a network device, etc.) to perform all or part of the steps of the method described in each embodiment of the present application. Storage media include: various media that can store program codes, such as USB flash drives, mobile hard drives, ROM, RAM, magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0287] The present application also provides a computer program product, which includes: a computer program code, when the computer program code is executed on a computer, the computer executes the method executed by the remoteUE or the first network device or the second network device in any of the aforementioned method embodiments.

[0288] An embodiment of the present application further provides a processing device, including a processor and an interface; the processor is used to execute the method executed by the remote UE or the first network device or the second network device involved in any of the above method embodiments.

[0289] In the above embodiments, it can be implemented in whole or in part by software, hardware, firmware or any combination thereof. When implemented using software, it can be implemented in whole or in part in the form of a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer instructions. When the computer program instructions are loaded and executed on a computer, the process or function described in the embodiment of the present application is generated in whole or in part. The computer may be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, or other programmable device. The computer instructions may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, or transmitted from one computer-readable storage medium to another computer-readable storage medium, for example, the computer instructions may be transmitted from a website site, computer, server or data center by wired (e.g., coaxial cable, optical fiber, digital subscriber line (DSL)) or wireless (e.g., infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.) mode to another website site, computer, server or data center. The computer-readable storage medium may be any available medium that a computer can access or a data storage device such as a server or data center that includes one or more available media integrated. The available medium may be a magnetic medium, (e.g., a floppy disk, a hard disk, a tape), an optical medium (e.g., a DVD), or a semiconductor medium (e.g., a solid state disk (SSD)), etc.

[0290] The various illustrative logic units and circuits described in the embodiments of the present application can be implemented or operated by a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an ASIC, a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gates or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination of the above. The general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor, and optionally, the general-purpose processor can also be any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller or state machine. The processor can also be implemented by a combination of computing devices, such as a digital signal processor and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors combined with a digital signal processor core, or any other similar configuration.

[0291] The steps of the method or algorithm described in the embodiments of the present application can be directly embedded in the hardware, the software unit executed by the processor, or the combination of the two. The software unit can be stored in RAM, flash memory, ROM, erasable programmable read-only memory (erasable programmable read-only memory, EPROM), EEPROM, register, hard disk, removable disk, CD-ROM or other storage media of any form in the art. Exemplarily, the storage medium can be connected to the processor so that the processor can read information from the storage medium and can write information to the storage medium. Optionally, the storage medium can also be integrated into the processor. The processor and the storage medium can be arranged in an ASIC, and the ASIC can be arranged in a terminal device. Optionally, the processor and the storage medium can also be arranged in different components in the terminal device.

[0292] These computer program instructions can also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing device so that a series of operating steps are executed on the computer or other programmable device to produce a computer-implemented process, thereby providing instructions for implementing the process. Figure 1 A process or multiple processes and / or boxes Figure 1 The steps for the functions specified in one or more boxes.

[0293] The contents of the various embodiments of the present application may refer to each other. If there is no special explanation and logical conflict, the terms and / or descriptions between different embodiments are consistent and can be referenced to each other. The technical features in different embodiments can be combined to form new embodiments according to their internal logical relationships.

[0294] It can be understood that in the embodiment of the present application, the remote UE and / or the first network device and / or the second network device can perform some or all of the steps in the embodiment of the present application, and these steps or operations are only examples. In the embodiment of the present application, other operations or variations of various operations can also be performed. In addition, the various steps can be performed in different orders presented in the embodiment of the present application, and it is possible that not all operations in the embodiment of the present application need to be performed.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that: Applied to a remote device, the method comprises: receiving first configuration information from a first network device via a first indirect connection path, wherein the first indirect connection path is a path through which the remote device is connected to the first network device via a first relay device, and the first configuration information is used to configure a side link corresponding to a second indirect connection path to be added by the remote device, wherein the second indirect connection path is a path through which the remote device is connected to a second network device via a second relay device; A second sidelink relay adaptation protocol SRAP entity corresponding to the second non-direct path is established according to the first configuration information to communicate on the second non-direct path through the second SRAP entity, wherein the first non-direct path corresponds to a first SRAP entity of the remote device, and the first SRAP entity is used for the remote device to communicate on the first non-direct path.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The local identifier corresponding to the first SRAP entity is a first local identifier, and the first local identifier is a local identifier of the remote device under the first relay device; The local identifier corresponding to the second SRAP entity is a second local identifier, and the second local identifier is a local identifier of the remote device under the second relay device; The first local identifier is the same as or different from the second local identifier.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The method further comprises: According to the first configuration information, the first packet data convergence protocol PDCP entity of the remote device is associated with at least one side link SL radio link control RLC channel, the first PDCP entity is a PDCP entity corresponding to the second non-direct path, wherein the first configuration information includes the association relationship information between the first radio bearer of the remote device and at least one SL logical channel identifier LCID, or includes the association relationship information between the first radio bearer of the remote device and at least one SLRLC channel identifier, the first radio bearer corresponds to the first PDCP entity, and the at least one SL LCID or the at least one SL RLC channel identifier indicates the at least one SL RLC channel.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that The method further comprises: The first PDCP entity obtains uplink data; The uplink data is delivered to the second SRAP entity, wherein the uplink data corresponds to the first radio bearer, and the first configuration information includes association relationship information between the first radio bearer and the second SRAP entity.

5. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that: The method further comprises: The second SRAP entity receives downlink data; Determine the first PDCP entity according to the first radio bearer corresponding to the downlink data; Deliver the downlink data to the first PDCP entity.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The first configuration information includes one or more of the following: SRAP configuration information of the remote device; SL RLC channel configuration information of the remote device; SL physical layer configuration information of the remote device; or, SL media access control MAC layer configuration information of the remote device.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that The SRAP configuration information includes one or more of the following: The local identifier of the remote device under the second relay device; The identifier of the second relay device; association relationship information between a first radio bearer of the remote device and at least one SL LCID of the remote device, wherein the first radio bearer is a radio bearer configured for the second indirect path; or, The association relationship information between a first radio bearer of the remote device and at least one SL RLC channel identifier of the remote device, wherein the first radio bearer is a radio bearer configured for the second indirect path.

8. The method according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that: The SRAP configuration information includes first sub-configuration information and second sub-configuration information, wherein the first sub-configuration information includes information for configuring the first indirect path, and the first sub-configuration information is associated with a first local identifier of the remote device and an identifier of the first relay device, and the second sub-configuration information includes information for configuring the second indirect path, and the second sub-configuration information is associated with a second local identifier of the remote device and an identifier of the second relay device; The first local identifier is a local identifier of the remote device under the first relay device, and the second local identifier is a local identifier of the remote device under the second relay device.

9. The method according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that: The at least one SL LCID belongs to the SL LCID available to the remote device, or does not belong to the SL LCID occupied by the remote device; or, The at least one SL RLC channel identifier belongs to an SL RLC channel identifier available to the remote device, or does not belong to an SL RLC channel identifier occupied by the remote device.

10. The method according to any one of claims 6 to 9, characterized in that: The SL RLC channel configuration information includes one or more of the following: Configuration information of the SL RLC entity of the remote device; SL MAC logical channel configuration information of the remote device; or, The delay margin information corresponding to the side link.

11. The method according to any one of claims 6 to 10, characterized in that: The SL MAC layer configuration information includes SL discontinuous reception (DRX) configuration information of the remote device.

12. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that: The method further comprises: receiving release indication information from the first network device through the first indirect connection path, wherein the release indication information is used to indicate the release of a first SL RLC channel of the remote device corresponding to the second indirect connection path; Release the first SL RLC channel according to the release indication information.

13. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that The release indication information is used to indicate the release of the first SL RLC channel of the remote device corresponding to the second indirect connection path, and includes: The release indication information includes the SL LCID of the first SL RLC channel; or, The release indication information includes the SL RLC channel identifier of the first SL RLC channel; or, The release indication information is used to indicate one or more of the following: an identifier of the wireless bearer corresponding to the first SL RLC channel, an identifier of the second network device, an identifier of the second relay device, or a second local identifier of the remote device, wherein the second local identifier is a local identifier of the remote device under the second relay device.

14. A communication method, characterized in that: Applied to a remote device, the method comprises: receiving first configuration information from a first network device via a first indirect connection path, wherein the first indirect connection path is a path through which the remote device is connected to the first network device via a first relay device, and the first configuration information is used to configure a side link corresponding to a second indirect connection path to be added by the remote device, wherein the second indirect connection path is a path through which the remote device is connected to a second network device via a second relay device; The SRAP entity corresponding to the first indirect path is reconfigured according to the first configuration information, so as to communicate on the first indirect path and the second indirect path through the SRAP entity.

15. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that The method further comprises: According to the first configuration information, the first PDCP entity of the remote device is associated with at least one SL RLC channel, and the first PDCP entity is a PDCP entity corresponding to the second non-directly connected path, wherein the first configuration information includes the association relationship information between the first wireless bearer of the remote device and at least one SL LCID, or the first configuration information includes the association relationship information between the first wireless bearer of the remote device and at least one SL RLC channel identifier, the first wireless bearer corresponds to the first PDCP entity, and the at least one SL LCID or the at least one SLRLC channel identifier indicates the at least one SL RLC channel.

16. The method according to claim 14 or 15, characterized in that Reconfiguring the SRAP entity corresponding to the first indirect path according to the first configuration information includes: A second local identifier included in the first configuration information is added to the SRAP entity, where the second local identifier is the local identifier of the remote device under the second relay device, and the second local identifier is different from the first local identifier maintained by the SRAP entity, and the first local identifier is the local identifier of the remote device under the first relay device.

17. The method according to claim 14 or 15, characterized in that The SRAP entity corresponds to a first local identifier, the first local identifier is the local identifier of the remote device under the first relay device, the first local identifier is the same as the second local identifier included in the first configuration information, and the second local identifier is the local identifier of the remote device under the second relay device.

18. The method according to claim 16 or 17, characterized in that The method further comprises: The SRAP entity obtains uplink data; Determine the second local identifier according to the first radio bearer corresponding to the uplink data, wherein the first configuration information includes association relationship information between the second local identifier, the first radio bearer, and at least one SL LCID, or the first configuration information includes association relationship information between the second local identifier, the first radio bearer, and at least one SLRLC channel identifier; adding the second local identifier to the uplink data; According to the second local identifier and the first radio bearer corresponding to the uplink data, the uplink data is delivered to a first SL RLC channel corresponding to the first radio bearer.

19. The method according to claim 18, characterized in that When the at least one SL LCID includes multiple SLLCIDs, the multiple SL LCIDs correspond to multiple SL RLC channels, or when the at least one SL RLC channel identifier includes multiple SL RLC channel identifiers, the multiple SL RLC channel identifiers correspond to multiple SL RLC channels, delivering the uplink data to a first SL RLC channel corresponding to the first radio bearer, comprising: The uplink data is delivered to the first SL RLC channel corresponding to the identifier of the second relay device among the multiple SL RLC channels, wherein the uplink data corresponds to the identifier of the second relay device.

20. The method according to claim 18 or 19, characterized in that The first SL RLC channel includes K SLRLC channels, and when K is an integer greater than 1, delivering the uplink data to the first SLRLC channel corresponding to the first radio bearer includes: Evenly distribute the uplink data to the K SL RLC channels; or, Allocating the uplink data to the SL RLC channel indicated by the offload indication information among the K SL RLC channels, where the offload indication information is included in the uplink data; or, According to the default configuration, the uplink data is delivered to some or all of the K SL RLC channels.

21. The method according to any one of claims 16 to 20, characterized in that: The method further comprises: The SRAP entity obtains downlink data; Determine a corresponding first PDCP entity according to the second local identifier corresponding to the downlink data and according to the first radio bearer corresponding to the downlink data; The downlink data is delivered to the PDCP entity.

22. The method according to any one of claims 14 to 21, characterized in that: The first configuration information includes one or more of the following: SRAP configuration information of the remote device; SL RLC channel configuration information of the remote device; SL physical layer configuration information of the remote device; or, SL MAC layer configuration information of the remote device.

23. The method according to claim 22, characterized in that The SRAP configuration information includes first sub-configuration information and second sub-configuration information, wherein the first sub-configuration information includes information for configuring the first indirect path, and the first sub-configuration information is associated with a first local identifier of the remote device and an identifier of the first relay device, and the second sub-configuration information includes information for configuring the second indirect path, and the second sub-configuration information is associated with a second local identifier of the remote device and an identifier of the second relay device; or, The SRAP configuration information includes information for configuring the first indirect path and information for configuring the second indirect path, and the SRAP configuration information is associated with a first local identifier of the remote device, and the first local identifier is the same as a second local identifier of the remote device; The first local identifier is a local identifier of the remote device under the first relay device, and the second local identifier is a local identifier of the remote device under the second relay device.

24. The method according to claim 22 or 23, characterized in that The SL RLC channel configuration information includes one or more of the following: Configuration information of the SL RLC entity of the remote device; SL MAC logical channel configuration information of the remote device; or, The delay margin information corresponding to the side link.

25. The method according to any one of claims 22 to 24, characterized in that: The SL MAC layer configuration information includes SL DRX configuration information of the remote device.

26. The method according to any one of claims 14 to 25, characterized in that: The method further comprises: receiving release indication information from the first network device through the first indirect connection path, wherein the release indication information is used to indicate the release of a second SL RLC channel of the remote device corresponding to the second indirect connection path; Release the second SL RLC channel according to the release indication information.

27. The method according to claim 26, characterized in that The release indication information is used to indicate the release of the first SL RLC channel of the remote device corresponding to the second indirect connection path, and includes: The release indication information includes the SL LCID or SL RLC channel identifier of the first SL RLC channel; or, The release indication information is used to indicate the identifier of the wireless bearer corresponding to the first SL RLC channel, and to indicate one or more of the identifiers of the first network device, the second relay device, or the second local identifier of the remote device, where the second local identifier is the local identifier of the remote device under the second relay device.

28. A communication device, characterized in that: The communication device comprises a processing unit and a transceiver unit, wherein the processing unit is coupled to the transceiver unit to execute the method according to any one of claims 1 to 13, or execute the method according to any one of claims 14 to 27.

29. A communication device, characterized in that: The communication device includes a processor, the processor is coupled to a memory, the memory is used to store a computer program, and the processor is used to execute the computer program stored in the memory, so that the communication device performs the method according to any one of claims 1 to 13, or the communication device performs the method according to any one of claims 14 to 27.

30. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that: The computer-readable storage medium is used to store a computer program, and when the computer program is executed on a computer, the computer is caused to execute the method according to any one of claims 1 to 13, or the computer is caused to execute the method according to any one of claims 14 to 27.

31. A computer program product, characterized in that The computer program product comprises a computer program, and when the computer program is run on a computer, the computer is caused to execute the method according to any one of claims 1 to 13, or the computer is caused to execute the method according to any one of claims 14 to 27.

32. A chip system, characterized in that: The chip system comprises: A processor and an interface, wherein the processor is used to call and run instructions from the interface, and when the processor executes the instructions, the method according to any one of claims 1 to 13 is implemented, or the method according to any one of claims 14 to 27 is implemented.

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