Communication method and apparatus, computer readable storage medium

Abstract

The application provides a communication method and device and a computer readable storage medium. The communication method comprises: in response to a measurement result of a first measurement frequency satisfying a first reporting condition, reporting a measurement report, wherein the measurement report comprises the measurement result of the first measurement frequency and a measurement state of a second measurement frequency. The application provides a method for assisting a network device to make a reasonable cell switching decision, so as to avoid switching a terminal device to an unsuitable cell and causing frequent cell switching.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to a communication method and apparatus, and a computer-readable storage medium. Background Technology

[0002] In a New Radio (NR) system, the terminal device is in a connected state, and the network device is configured to measure multiple frequency points for the terminal device, such as same-frequency measurement and different-frequency measurement. Different-frequency measurement can have multiple frequency points.

[0003] For inter-frequency measurements, terminal equipment typically utilizes gaps (GAPs) for measurement. These GAPs are configured with a period of 40 milliseconds (ms) or 80 milliseconds, with measurements taken within a 3-ms duration starting from the 6th time slot within the period. GAP configuration parameters can vary, such as the starting position and duration within the period. Within a GAP, the terminal equipment tunes its RF transceiver to the inter-frequency and then measures neighboring cells on that frequency. This process requires processing time, and the terminal equipment may not be able to measure all inter-frequency frequencies within a single measurement period; it may only measure a subset of frequencies. The terminal equipment measures all frequencies over a relatively long period. When the terminal equipment detects that the reporting conditions for a certain measurement frequency are met, it triggers a measurement report. This report contains the measurement results for that frequency, typically the results of the strongest cells. Event-triggered measurement reports (reports triggered because a measurement event is met) usually lead to a network handover procedure.

[0004] However, since a measurement report is usually for a neighboring cell on a single frequency, the network may not be able to make a good handover decision. For example, a terminal device reports a measurement report for a neighboring cell on frequency F1 at time T1, but the cells in the neighboring cells on frequency F1 have high loads. If the terminal device hands over to a neighboring cell at this time, the new cell may need to initiate another handover for the terminal device very quickly, resulting in frequent cell handovers for the terminal device. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a communication method and apparatus, which assists network devices in making reasonable cell handover decisions, avoiding the handover of terminal devices to unsuitable cells and thus preventing frequent cell handovers.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, this application provides the following technical solution:

[0007] In a first aspect, a communication method is provided, comprising: in response to a measurement result at a first measurement frequency satisfying a first reporting condition, reporting a measurement report, wherein the measurement report includes the measurement result at the first measurement frequency and the measurement status at a second measurement frequency.

[0008] Optionally, the measurement status includes first indication information, which indicates whether the measurement of the second measurement frequency has started.

[0009] Optionally, if the measurement of the second measurement frequency has not yet begun, the measurement state includes a first expected time for measuring the second measurement frequency, and / or the measurement period of the second measurement frequency.

[0010] Optionally, the measurement status includes signal quality information for the second measurement frequency.

[0011] Optionally, the signal quality information of the second measurement frequency includes one or more of the following: the signal value of the neighboring cell on the second measurement frequency, the duration of the neighboring cell on the second measurement frequency satisfying the measurement event, and the expected time of satisfying the second reporting condition, wherein the expected time represents the difference between the duration and the first trigger duration included in the second reporting condition.

[0012] Optionally, in the case of dual connectivity condition handover, the measurement state includes a second expected time when a candidate cell on the second measurement frequency satisfies the other handover condition when one of the primary cell handover condition and the primary-secondary cell handover condition is satisfied. The second expected time represents the difference between the duration for which the signal value of the candidate cell reaches the event entry condition included in the handover condition and the second trigger duration included in the handover condition.

[0013] Optionally, the measurement status may further include second indication information, which indicates whether a candidate cell on the second measurement frequency meets another handover condition measurement event.

[0014] Optionally, the second measurement frequency is a frequency configured with candidate primary cells or candidate primary and secondary cells, and the measurement status includes a third expected time for the candidate primary cell or the candidate primary and secondary cell to meet the handover conditions. The third expected time represents the difference between the duration for which the signal value of the candidate primary cell or the candidate primary and secondary cell reaches the event entry condition included in the handover conditions and the third trigger duration included in the handover conditions.

[0015] Optionally, the reporting configuration of the measurement identifier to which the second measurement frequency belongs includes timer T312.

[0016] Optionally, the reporting configuration of the measurement identifier to which the first measurement frequency belongs includes a timer T312.

[0017] Optionally, before reporting the measurement report, the method further includes receiving frequency configuration information, which includes at least one measurement frequency that needs to be reported simultaneously, wherein the second measurement frequency is selected from the at least one measurement frequency.

[0018] Optionally, the measurement report is submitted in response to the measurement result of the first measurement frequency satisfying the duration of the measurement event reaching the trigger duration, and the first measurement frequency not belonging to the at least one measurement frequency.

[0019] Optionally, the frequency configuration information includes the priority of the at least one measurement frequency; the priority of the second measurement frequency is higher than or equal to the priority of the first measurement frequency.

[0020] Optionally, the measurement status of the second measurement frequency includes whether the timer T310 corresponding to the primary cell and / or the primary and secondary cells has been running.

[0021] Secondly, this application also discloses a communication method, which includes: receiving a measurement report, the measurement report including a measurement result at a first measurement frequency and a measurement status at a second measurement frequency, wherein the measurement result at the first measurement frequency meets a first reporting condition.

[0022] Optionally, if the measurement of the second measurement frequency has not yet begun, the measurement state includes a first expected time for measuring the second measurement frequency, and / or the measurement period of the second measurement frequency.

[0023] Optionally, the measurement status includes signal quality information for the second measurement frequency.

[0024] Optionally, the reporting configuration of the measurement identifier to which the second measurement frequency belongs includes timer T312.

[0025] Optionally, the reporting configuration of the measurement identifier to which the first measurement frequency belongs includes a timer T312.

[0026] Thirdly, this application also discloses a communication device, which includes: a communication module, configured to report a measurement report in response to a measurement result at a first measurement frequency satisfying a first reporting condition, the measurement report including the measurement result at the first measurement frequency and the measurement status at a second measurement frequency.

[0027] Fourthly, this application also discloses a communication device, which includes: a communication module for receiving a measurement report, the measurement report including a measurement result at a first measurement frequency and a measurement status at a second measurement frequency, wherein the measurement result at the first measurement frequency meets a first reporting condition.

[0028] Fifthly, a computer-readable storage medium is provided having a computer program stored thereon, the computer program being executed by a processor to perform any one of the methods provided in the first or second aspect.

[0029] In a sixth aspect, a communication device is provided, including a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a computer program executable on the processor, and the processor executes the computer program to perform any of the methods provided in the first aspect.

[0030] A seventh aspect provides a communication device including a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a computer program executable on the processor, characterized in that the processor executes the computer program to perform any of the methods provided in the second aspect.

[0031] Eighthly, a computer program product is provided, on which a computer program is stored, the computer program being executed by a processor to perform any one of the methods provided in the first or second aspect.

[0032] Ninthly, a communication system is provided, including the aforementioned terminal equipment and the aforementioned network equipment.

[0033] In a tenth aspect, embodiments of this application also provide a chip (or data transmission device) on which a computer program is stored, and when the computer program is executed by the chip, the steps of the above method are implemented.

[0034] Eleventhly, embodiments of this application also provide a system chip for use in a terminal. The chip system includes at least one processor and an interface circuit. The interface circuit and the at least one processor are interconnected via a line. The at least one processor is used to execute instructions to perform any one of the methods provided in the first or second aspect.

[0035] Compared with the prior art, the technical solution of this application has the following beneficial effects:

[0036] In this application's technical solution, the terminal device, in response to the measurement result of the first measurement frequency meeting the first reporting condition, reports a measurement report. The measurement report includes the measurement result of the first measurement frequency and the measurement status of the second measurement frequency. By including the measurement status of the second measurement frequency in the measurement report of the first measurement frequency, this application's technical solution enables network devices to promptly obtain the measurement status of the second measurement frequency, thereby making comprehensive handover decisions. This allows the terminal device to hand over to a cell on a more favorable measurement frequency, avoiding frequent cell handovers and improving communication performance.

[0037] Furthermore, in the technical solution of this application, the measurement status includes a first expected time for measuring the second measurement frequency, and / or, the measurement period of the second measurement frequency. By notifying the network device of the first expected time and / or measurement period of the second measurement frequency, the technical solution of this application enables the network device to promptly know when the terminal device is measuring the second measurement frequency and make decisions based on this, such as waiting for the measurement report of the second measurement frequency, to make more reasonable handover decisions and avoid frequent cell handovers by the terminal device.

[0038] Furthermore, in the technical solution of this application, the reporting configuration of the measurement identifier to which the second measurement frequency belongs includes a timer T312; or, the second measurement frequency is selected from at least one measurement frequency in the frequency configuration information. By setting a second measurement frequency, the technical solution of this application enables the terminal device to report only the measurement status of important frequencies, avoiding the transmission of unnecessary information and reducing signaling overhead while improving handover performance. Attached Figure Description

[0039] Figure 1 This is an interactive flowchart of a communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0040] Figure 2 This is an interactive flowchart of another communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0041] Figure 3 This is an interactive flowchart of another communication method provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0042] Figure 4 This is an interactive flowchart of another communication method provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0043] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0044] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the hardware structure of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0045] The communication systems applicable to the embodiments of this application include, but are not limited to, Long Term Evolution (LTE) systems, 5th-generation (5G) systems, New Radio (NR) systems, and future evolution systems or multiple converged communication systems. The 5G system can be a non-standalone (NSA) 5G system or a standalone (SA) 5G system. The technical solutions of this application are also applicable to different network architectures, including but not limited to relay network architectures, dual-connectivity architectures, and vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication architectures.

[0046] This application primarily relates to communication between terminal devices and network devices. Specifically:

[0047] The network device in this application embodiment can also be called an access network device, for example, it can be a base station (BS) (also called a base station device). A network device is a device deployed in a radio access network (RAN) to provide wireless communication functions. For example, in second-generation (2G) networks, the equipment providing base station functionality includes base transceiver stations (BTS); in third-generation (3G) networks, the equipment providing base station functionality includes nodes (NodeB); in fourth-generation (4G) networks, the equipment providing base station functionality includes evolved nodes (eNB); in wireless local area networks (WLANs), the equipment providing base station functionality is the access point (AP); in NR, the equipment providing base station functionality includes next-generation node base stations (gNBs) and further evolved nodes (ng-eNBs). gNBs and terminal devices communicate using NR technology, while ng-eNBs and terminal devices communicate using evolved universal terrestrial radio access (E-UTRA) technology. Both gNBs and ng-eNBs can connect to the 5G core network. The network devices in this application embodiment also include devices that provide base station functions in future new communication systems.

[0048] In this application, "terminal equipment" can refer to various forms of access terminals, user units, user stations, mobile stations, mobile stations (MS), remote stations, remote terminals, mobile devices, user terminals, wireless communication equipment, user agents, or user devices. Terminal equipment can also be cellular phones, cordless phones, Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) phones, Wireless Local Loop (WLL) stations, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), handheld devices with wireless communication capabilities, computing devices, or other processing devices connected to a wireless modem, in-vehicle devices, wearable devices, terminal equipment in future 5G networks, or terminal equipment in future evolved Public Land Mobile Networks (PLMNs), etc. This application does not limit the scope of these terms. Terminal equipment can also be referred to as User Equipment (UE), terminal, etc.

[0049] As described in the background section, since a measurement report is typically a measurement report for a neighboring cell on a single frequency, the network may not be able to make a good handover decision.

[0050] The technical solution of this application carries the measurement status of the second measurement frequency in the measurement report of the first measurement frequency, so that the network device can know the measurement status of the second measurement frequency in a timely manner, thereby making a comprehensive handover decision. This allows the terminal device to switch to the cell on the better measurement frequency, avoiding frequent cell handovers by the terminal device and improving communication performance.

[0051] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features and advantages of this application more apparent and understandable, specific embodiments of this application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0052] See Figure 1 The method provided in this application specifically includes the following steps:

[0053] Step 101: The terminal device, in response to the measurement result of the first measurement frequency meeting the first reporting condition, reports a measurement report. The measurement report includes the measurement result of the first measurement frequency and the measurement status of the second measurement frequency.

[0054] It should be noted that the sequence number of each step in this embodiment does not represent a limitation on the execution order of each step.

[0055] It is understood that, in specific implementations, the communication method can be implemented using a software program, which runs in a processor integrated within the chip or chip module. The method can also be implemented using a combination of software and hardware; this application does not impose any restrictions.

[0056] Specifically, the terminal device establishes a Radio Resource Control (RRC) connection with the network device, and the terminal device is in a connected state. The network device configures measurements for the terminal device according to the Measurement Identity (MeasId). One Measurement Identity is associated with a Measured Object Identity (MeasObjectId) and a Report Configuration Identity (ReportConfigId).

[0057] The measurement object can specifically be a measurement frequency point or a measurement frequency. Reporting configuration refers to the reporting conditions, which can be periodic or event-based. Measurement events can be A3 (the neighboring cell's signal quality is higher than the serving cell's by a preset offset), A4 (the neighboring cell's signal quality is higher than a preset threshold), or A5 (the serving cell's signal quality is lower than preset threshold 1, and the neighboring cell's signal quality is higher than preset threshold 2). Event-based reporting conditions are typically configured to meet a trigger duration (TimeToTrigger), meaning the terminal device will only trigger a measurement report if the event duration is continuously greater than or equal to the trigger duration. The trigger duration can be 0, 40ms, 80ms, etc.

[0058] After obtaining multiple measurement identifiers (i.e. measurement tasks), the terminal device begins measuring neighboring cells.

[0059] In this embodiment, the network device configures a corresponding measurement event and a first reporting condition for a first measurement frequency; and configures a corresponding measurement event and a second reporting condition for a second measurement frequency, wherein the second reporting condition includes a first trigger duration. The first measurement frequency and the second measurement frequency are different.

[0060] If the measurement results at the first measurement frequency meet the first reporting conditions, the terminal device reports a measurement report for neighboring cells at the first measurement frequency. For example, the measurement report includes the measurement results of at least one cell with the strongest signal at the first measurement frequency.

[0061] Specifically, the first reporting condition can be either the aforementioned periodic reporting condition or the event-based reporting condition.

[0062] Unlike measurement reports in existing technologies, the measurement report for neighboring cells on the first measurement frequency also includes the measurement status of the second measurement frequency. This allows network devices to promptly obtain the measurement status of the second measurement frequency, enabling them to make comprehensive handover decisions. This allows terminal devices to switch to cells on the better measurement frequency, avoiding frequent cell handovers and improving communication performance.

[0063] For example, a terminal device reports a measurement report of a neighboring cell on frequency F1 (i.e., the first measurement frequency) at time T1. However, the cell loads of neighboring cells on frequency F1 are relatively high. If a handover occurs at this time, the new cell may need to initiate another handover for the terminal device very quickly. Since the measurement report also includes the measurement status of frequency F2 (i.e., the second measurement frequency), such as whether any neighboring cells on frequency F2 meet the triggering conditions of the measurement event, or whether any neighboring cells meet the measurement event but not the trigger duration, and the load of neighboring cells on frequency F2 is relatively low, the network device can clearly know from the measurement status of frequency F2 that the terminal device will soon trigger a measurement report on frequency F2. The network device may wait for a period of time to make a more reasonable handover decision after obtaining the measurement report on frequency F2.

[0064] The following section provides a detailed explanation of the specific measurement conditions and the second measurement frequency.

[0065] Example 1: The measurement status includes first indication information, which indicates whether the measurement of the second measurement frequency has started.

[0066] In this embodiment, the situation is divided into two cases based on whether the terminal device starts measuring the second measurement frequency.

[0067] Scenario 1: The terminal device has not started measuring the second measurement frequency.

[0068] Please refer to Figure 2 In step 201, the measurement result of the first measurement frequency measured by the terminal device meets the first reporting condition, and the terminal device has not started measuring the second measurement frequency.

[0069] In step 202, the terminal device reports a measurement report.

[0070] In one embodiment, the measurement status of the second measurement frequency in the measurement report includes first indication information, which indicates that the measurement of the second measurement frequency has not started.

[0071] For example, the measurement status includes a bit that is 0, indicating that the second measurement frequency has not been started.

[0072] Furthermore, the measurement status may also include a first expected time for measuring the second measurement frequency, and / or the measurement cycle of the second measurement frequency. The first expected time can represent how much longer the terminal device will remain before starting to measure the second measurement frequency. Specifically, the first expected time can be calculated using the difference between the current time and the next measurement time of the second measurement frequency.

[0073] For example, if frequency F2 is an inter-frequency frequency with a measurement period of 40ms, and the inter-frequency measurement is performed within a 3ms duration starting from the 6th time slot within the period, then the terminal device can calculate the first expected time and include the first expected time of frequency F2 in the measurement report for frequency F1. The current time used to calculate the first expected time can be the time when the first measurement frequency meets the reporting conditions, or it can be the time when the measurement result of the first measurement frequency is reported. For example, if the measurement result of the first measurement frequency is sent to the network device at a certain time, that time is used to calculate the first expected time.

[0074] For example, the terminal device may include the first expected time for frequency F2 and the measurement period (40ms) in the measurement report for frequency F1.

[0075] Case 2: The measurement status includes one or more of the following: measurement of the second measurement frequency has started, and signal quality information of the cell on the second measurement frequency.

[0076] Please refer to Figure 3 In step 301, the measurement result of the first measurement frequency measured by the terminal device meets the first reporting condition, and the terminal device has started measuring the second measurement frequency.

[0077] In step 302, the terminal device reports a measurement report.

[0078] In this embodiment, the measurement status of the second measurement frequency in the measurement report includes first indication information, which is used to indicate that the measurement of the second measurement frequency has started.

[0079] For example, the measurement status includes a bit that is 1, indicating that the second measurement frequency has been started.

[0080] Furthermore, the measurement status includes signal quality information of the cell on frequency F2. Specifically, the signal quality information may include one or more of the following: the signal value of the neighboring cell on the second measurement frequency, the duration for which the neighboring cell on the second measurement frequency satisfies the measurement event, and the expected time for satisfying the second reporting condition, wherein the expected time represents the difference between the aforementioned duration and the first trigger duration included in the second reporting condition.

[0081] For example, if the reporting configuration for frequency F2 is to continuously satisfy event A3 for 80ms, and when a measurement report for frequency F1 is triggered, the signal value of the adjacent cell of frequency F2 continuously satisfies event A3 for 20ms, then the measurement status includes the signal value of the adjacent cell 1 of frequency F2, a duration of 20ms, and an expected time of 60ms. Considering that there might be a certain deviation between the time the terminal device reports the measurement report for the first measurement frequency and the time the terminal device discovers that the measurement result of the first measurement frequency meets the reporting conditions (e.g., the time the reporting conditions are met is in time slot n, but the time the measurement report is reported is in time slot n+2), when the terminal device reports the measurement status of the adjacent cell of the second measurement frequency, the expected time for meeting the second reporting conditions is based on the measurement report reporting time, indicating how much longer it is expected to remain to meet the second reporting conditions. In practice, considering that the expected time is usually much larger than the above deviation value, a simple approach is to ignore the above deviation value.

[0082] Furthermore, multiple neighboring cells may be measured at the second measurement frequency, and the measurement event may be satisfied successively. The duration of the neighboring cell satisfying the measurement event at the second measurement frequency during the measurement state is based on the first neighboring cell that satisfies the entry condition of the measurement event. The expected time of satisfying the second reporting condition during the measurement state is also calculated based on the first neighboring cell that satisfies the entry condition of the measurement event.

[0083] Specifically, when the measurement result of the first measurement frequency meets the first reporting condition, and the terminal device needs to include the measurement status of the second measurement frequency in the reported measurement report, if the terminal device finds that the measurement status of the second measurement frequency has already been reported within a certain period of time (e.g., within 40ms), the terminal device may not include the measurement status of the second measurement frequency in this measurement report; or if a measurement report has already been triggered on the second measurement frequency, such as when a neighboring cell on the second measurement frequency meets the reporting condition and triggers a measurement report, the terminal device may not include the measurement status of the second measurement frequency in this measurement report. This can further reduce signaling overhead.

[0084] Example 3: In the scenario of dual connectivity condition handover, the measurement state of the second measurement frequency includes a second expected time when the candidate cell on the second measurement frequency satisfies the other handover condition when one of the primary cell handover condition (handover execution condition) and the primary-secondary cell handover condition (primary-secondary cell update execution condition) is satisfied. The second expected time represents the difference between the duration of the signal value of the candidate cell reaching the event entry condition included in the handover condition and the second trigger duration included in the handover condition.

[0085] In this embodiment, to improve mobility performance, conditional handover for dual connectivity is introduced: Conditional Handover (CHO) and Conditional PSCell Addition (CPA) / Conditional PSCell Change (CPC). CHO is a conditional handover for the primary cell (Pcell), while CPA / CPC are conditional updates for the primary secondary cell (PScell). Strictly speaking, PSCell condition updates differ from regular handover; however, this document refers to primary secondary cell condition updates as conditional handover for simplicity. A recent conclusion is that when the execution conditions for CPA / CPC are met but the execution conditions for CHO are not, the terminal device continues to evaluate the execution conditions for both CHO and CPA / CPC. For CHO+CPC (simultaneous configuration of candidate primary cell and candidate primary / secondary cell), execution is only considered when two conditions are met. When the CHO execution condition is met but the CPC execution condition is not met, if there is a conditional handover configuration that meets the CHO condition but only has a candidate primary cell configuration or a CHO with a secondary cell group (SCG) configuration (the SCG contained in the conditional handover configuration does not have a corresponding handover condition (i.e. update condition)), the terminal device executes the CHO or executes the CHO with the SCG, and the network side can handle this situation by providing appropriate configuration.

[0086] For example, a network device configures either a candidate primary cell PCell1 or a candidate primary / secondary cell PSCell1 on a second measurement frequency. Typically, PCell1 and PSCell1 reside on different frequencies. The primary / secondary cell handover condition for PSCell1 configured by the network is that the signal quality of candidate PSCell1 is 2 dB higher than the serving PSCell, and this difference needs to last for 80 milliseconds (ms). At time T1, PCell1 meets the corresponding primary cell handover condition: PSCell1 is 2 dB higher than the serving PSCell, and this difference lasts for 20 ms. Therefore, the terminal device can record the following measurement status: the signal value of PSCell1, the difference of 2 dB, the duration of 20 ms, and the expected time of 60 ms.

[0087] Furthermore, the network equipment also configures candidate primary cell PCell2 and candidate primary-secondary cell PSCell2 on two second measurement frequencies, respectively. The terminal equipment can also record the measurement status for the second group of cells (PCell2 and PSCell2). That is, when PCell2 meets the corresponding primary cell handover conditions, the terminal equipment records one or more of the following: signal value, difference, duration, expected time, etc. of PSCell2 at time T1.

[0088] Furthermore, the measurement status also includes second indication information, which is used to indicate whether a candidate cell on the second measurement frequency meets another handover condition measurement event.

[0089] In a specific example, at time T1, PCell1 meets the corresponding primary cell handover conditions, while PSCell1 does not meet the corresponding primary / secondary cell handover conditions. In this case, the measurement report can also include the identifier of PCell1, that is, the identifier of the cell that meets the primary cell handover conditions.

[0090] Example 4: In a cell handover scenario, specifically in the case of non-dual connectivity handover, the second measurement frequency is the frequency configured with candidate primary cells or candidate primary and secondary cells. The measurement status includes the third expected time for the candidate primary cell or candidate primary and secondary cells to meet the handover conditions. The third expected time represents the difference between the duration of the signal value of the candidate primary cell or candidate primary and secondary cells reaching the event entry condition included in the handover conditions and the third trigger duration included in the handover conditions.

[0091] In this embodiment, when the terminal device reports the measurement report of the first measurement frequency, it also reports the measurement status of the second measurement frequency configured with candidate cells. This is because the terminal device obtains the settings of the network device in advance. The measurement report carries the measurement status of the frequency configured with candidate cells. The measurement status includes any one of the following: the measurement value of the candidate cell, whether the measurement event entry condition corresponding to the handover condition is met, the duration when the measurement event entry condition corresponding to the handover condition is met, and the expected time when the handover condition is met.

[0092] Example 5: The reporting configuration of the measurement identifier belonging to the second measurement frequency includes timer T312.

[0093] For some measurement identifiers, their associated reporting configuration includes timer T312 (useT312 set to True). When a terminal device triggers a measurement report for a measurement identifier, and this measurement identifier's reporting configuration includes timer T312, and timer T310 is running, the terminal device needs to start timer T312. If the terminal device still hasn't received a handover command by the timer T312 expires, the terminal device must trigger RRC reconstruction or Master Cell Group (MCG) failure handling (in dual-connectivity configuration). Timer T310 is a parameter for radio link detection; when timer T310 expires, the terminal device also needs to trigger RRC reconstruction.

[0094] In this embodiment, the measurement status of the second measurement frequency needs to be reported simultaneously with the measurement results of the first measurement frequency. To avoid unnecessary information, the terminal device can only report the measurement status of the important frequencies at the same time. Therefore, the second measurement frequency can be a frequency with timer T312 in the reporting configuration included by the measurement identifier. A measurement identifier is associated with a measurement object and a reporting configuration. When timer T312 is configured in the reporting configuration, the measurement object associated with the measurement identifier is considered to have a frequency with timer T312.

[0095] In this embodiment, when the terminal device reports a measurement report at the first measurement frequency, it simultaneously reports the measurement status at the second measurement frequency configured with timer T312. This is because the terminal device has prior knowledge of the network device's settings, and the reported measurement report includes the measurement status at the frequency configured with timer T312. If the network device has not prior-configured the aforementioned timer T312, the terminal device does not need to include the measurement status at the second measurement frequency in its report of the first measurement frequency.

[0096] Example 6: The reporting configuration of the measurement identifier to which the first measurement frequency belongs includes a timer T312.

[0097] Unlike Embodiment 5, this embodiment of the invention can simultaneously report the measurement status of the second measurement frequency when reporting the measurement result of the first measurement frequency with timer T312 in the reporting configuration of the corresponding measurement identifier.

[0098] Specifically, the second measurement frequency is different from the first measurement frequency. The reporting configuration of the measurement identifier to which the second measurement frequency belongs may or may not have timer T312. This application does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0099] Example 7: The second measurement frequency is selected from at least one measurement frequency in the frequency configuration information.

[0100] Please refer to Figure 4In step 401, the network device sends frequency configuration information to the terminal device. The frequency configuration information includes at least one measurement frequency that needs to be reported simultaneously, and the second measurement frequency is selected from the at least one measurement frequency.

[0101] Specifically, the frequency configuration information may include a single frequency or a list of frequencies, with the list containing multiple frequencies.

[0102] In step 402, the terminal device reports a measurement report.

[0103] Furthermore, in response to the measurement result of the first measurement frequency satisfying the duration of the measurement event reaching the trigger duration, and the first measurement frequency not belonging to at least one measurement frequency, the terminal device simultaneously carries the measurement status of the second measurement frequency when reporting the measurement report.

[0104] For example, network devices are configured to report frequencies F3 and F4 simultaneously. If the measurement object associated with the measurement identifier corresponding to the measurement report (such as frequency F1) is not a measurement frequency that needs to be reported simultaneously or does not belong to the list of frequencies that need to be reported simultaneously, the terminal device needs to include the measurement status of F3 and F4 when reporting the measurement result of frequency F1.

[0105] For example, if the measurement object associated with the measurement identifier of the currently triggered measurement report is frequency F3 or frequency F4, then the terminal device does not need to report the measurement status of other frequencies.

[0106] Furthermore, the frequency configuration information may also include the priority of at least one measurement frequency.

[0107] Specifically, multiple measurement frequencies can have multiple priorities.

[0108] Alternatively, multiple measurement frequencies can be divided into frequencies with priority and frequencies without priority according to their priority.

[0109] Alternatively, multiple measurement frequencies can be divided into frequencies with higher priority and frequencies with lower priority according to their priority.

[0110] In this embodiment, the priority of the second measurement frequency is higher than or equal to the priority of the first measurement frequency.

[0111] Example 8: The second measurement frequency is selected from the frequency of the serving cell configured with timer T310.

[0112] Typically, a terminal device in a connected state needs to detect the radio link status of the primary cell and the secondary cell. The network device configures a timer T310 for the terminal device to detect the radio link status. Whether the terminal device is running timer T310 is unknown to the network device. Therefore, the network device may not be able to know the actual situation of the radio link where the terminal device is located in a timely manner. Therefore, in this embodiment, if the terminal device has already run timer T310 (timer T310 associated with the primary cell and / or the secondary cell), the terminal device indicates whether timer T310 is running when reporting the measurement report of the first measurement frequency. As a specific implementation, the terminal device may only include the indication information that timer T310 is running when reporting the measurement report of the first measurement frequency when timer T310 is running. At this time, the measurement status of the second measurement frequency is that timer T310 corresponding to the primary cell and / or the secondary cell is running.

[0113] For more specific implementations of the embodiments of this application, please refer to the foregoing embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0114] Please refer to Figure 5 , Figure 5 A communication device 50 is shown, which may include:

[0115] The receiving module 501 is used to report a measurement report in response to the measurement result of the first measurement frequency meeting the first reporting condition. The measurement report includes the measurement result of the first measurement frequency and the measurement status of the second measurement frequency.

[0116] In specific implementations, the aforementioned communication device 50 may correspond to a chip with communication function in a terminal device, such as a system-on-a-chip (SOC), a baseband chip, etc.; or to a chip module in a terminal device that includes a chip with communication function; or to a chip module with a chip with data processing function; or to a terminal device.

[0117] In another embodiment, the communication module 501 is used to receive measurement reports.

[0118] In specific implementations, the aforementioned communication device 50 may correspond to a chip with communication function in a network device, such as a SOC or baseband chip; or to a chip module in a network device that includes a chip with communication function; or to a chip module with a chip that has data processing function; or to a network device.

[0119] Other relevant descriptions of the communication device 50 can be found in the descriptions in the foregoing embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0120] Regarding the modules / units included in the various devices and products described in the above embodiments, they can be software modules / units, hardware modules / units, or a combination of both. For example, for devices and products applied to or integrated into a chip, all modules / units can be implemented using hardware methods such as circuits, or at least some modules / units can be implemented using software programs running on a processor integrated within the chip, while the remaining (if any) modules / units can be implemented using hardware methods such as circuits. For devices and products applied to or integrated into a chip module, all modules / units can be implemented using hardware methods such as circuits. Different modules / units can be located in the same component (e.g., chip, circuit module, etc.) or different components of the chip module, or at least some modules / units can be implemented using hardware methods such as circuits. The implementation is achieved through a software program that runs on a processor integrated within the chip module. The remaining modules / units (if any) can be implemented using hardware methods such as circuits. For various devices and products applied to or integrated into terminal equipment, each of their modules / units can be implemented using hardware methods such as circuits. Different modules / units can be located in the same component (e.g., chip, circuit module, etc.) or different components within the terminal equipment. Alternatively, at least some modules / units can be implemented using a software program that runs on a processor integrated within the terminal equipment, while the remaining modules / units (if any) can be implemented using hardware methods such as circuits.

[0121] This application also discloses a storage medium, which is a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program thereon. When the computer program is executed, it can perform the steps of the method shown in the foregoing embodiments. The storage medium may include read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), a magnetic disk, or an optical disk, etc. The storage medium may also include non-volatile memory or non-transitory memory, etc.

[0122] Please refer to Figure 6 This application also provides a schematic diagram of the hardware structure of a communication device. The device includes a processor 601, a memory 602, and a transceiver 603.

[0123] Processor 601 can be a general-purpose central processing unit (CPU), a microprocessor, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or one or more integrated circuits used to control the execution of the program according to the present application. Processor 601 may also include multiple CPUs, and processor 601 can be a single-core processor or a multi-core processor. Here, processor can refer to one or more devices, circuits, or processing cores used to process data (e.g., computer program instructions).

[0124] The memory 602 can be a ROM or other type of static storage device capable of storing static information and instructions, RAM or other type of dynamic storage device capable of storing information and instructions, or it can be 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 discs, laser discs, optical discs, digital universal optical discs, Blu-ray discs, etc.), a magnetic disk storage medium or other magnetic storage device, or any other medium capable of carrying or storing desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and accessible by a computer. This application embodiment does not impose any limitations on this. The memory 602 can exist independently (in this case, the memory 602 can be located outside or inside the device) or it can be integrated with the processor 601. The memory 602 may contain computer program code. The processor 601 is used to execute the computer program code stored in the memory 602, thereby implementing the method provided in this application embodiment.

[0125] The processor 601, memory 602, and transceiver 603 are connected via a bus. The transceiver 603 is used to communicate with other devices or communication networks. Optionally, the transceiver 603 may include a transmitter and a receiver. The device in the transceiver 603 that implements the receiving function can be considered as a receiver, which is used to perform the receiving steps in the embodiments of this application. The device in the transceiver 603 that implements the transmitting function can be considered as a transmitter, which is used to perform the transmitting steps in the embodiments of this application.

[0126] when Figure 6 The schematic diagram shown illustrates the structure of the terminal device involved in the above embodiments. The processor 601 is used to control and manage the actions of the terminal device; for example, the processor 601 is used to support the terminal device in performing... Figure 1 Step 101 in the middle, or Figure 2 Steps 201 and 202 in the text, or Figure 3 Steps 301 and 302 in the text, or Figure 4 The actions performed by the terminal device in steps 401 and 402, and / or other processes described in the embodiments of this application. The processor 601 can communicate with other network entities via the transceiver 603, for example, with the aforementioned network device. The memory 602 is used to store the program code and data of the terminal device.

[0127] when Figure 6 The schematic diagram shown illustrates the structure of the network device involved in the above embodiments. The processor 601 is used to control and manage the actions of the network device; for example, the processor 601 is used to support the network device in performing... Figure 1 Step 101 in the middle, or Figure 2 Step 202, or Figure 3 Step 302 in the middle, or Figure 4 The processor 601 performs actions in steps 401 and 402, and / or other processes described in the embodiments of this application. The processor 601 can communicate with other network entities via the transceiver 603, for example, with the aforementioned terminal device. The memory 602 is used to store the program code and data of the network device.

[0128] In this application embodiment, a one-way communication link from the access network to the terminal device is defined as a downlink, and the data transmitted on the downlink is called downlink data. The transmission direction of the downlink data is called the downlink direction. On the other hand, a one-way communication link from the terminal device to the access network is defined as an uplink, and the data transmitted on the uplink is called uplink data. The transmission direction of the uplink data is called the uplink direction.

[0129] It should be understood that the term "and / or" in this article is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, and B existing alone. Additionally, the character " / " in this article indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0130] In the embodiments of this application, "multiple" refers to two or more.

[0131] The descriptions of "first," "second," etc., appearing in the embodiments of this application are for illustrative purposes and to distinguish the objects being described. They have no order and do not indicate any special limitation on the number of devices in the embodiments of this application, nor do they constitute any limitation on the embodiments of this application.

[0132] In this application, the term "connection" refers to various connection methods, such as direct connection or indirect connection, to achieve communication between devices. This application does not impose any limitations on this.

[0133] The above embodiments can be implemented, in whole or in part, by software, hardware, firmware, or any other combination thereof. When implemented using software, the above embodiments can be implemented, in whole or in part, as a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer instructions or computer programs. When the computer instructions or computer program are loaded or executed on a computer, all or part of the processes or functions described in the embodiments of this application are generated. The computer can be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, or other programmable device. The computer instructions can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transmitted from one computer-readable storage medium to another. For example, the computer instructions can be transmitted from one website, computer, server, or data center to another website, computer, server, or data center via wired or wireless means.

[0134] It should be understood that in the various embodiments of this application, the order of the above-mentioned processes does not imply the order of execution. The execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of this application.

[0135] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed methods, apparatuses, and systems can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for example, the division of units is merely a logical functional division, and other division methods may exist in actual implementation; for example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces, and the indirect coupling or communication connection between devices or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0136] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0137] Furthermore, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can be physically included separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit. The integrated unit can be implemented in hardware or in the form of hardware plus software functional units.

[0138] The integrated unit implemented as a software functional unit described above can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. This software functional unit, stored in a storage medium, includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, a server, or a network device, etc.) to execute some steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of this application.

[0139] While this application discloses the above information, it is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can make various modifications and alterations without departing from the spirit and scope of this application; therefore, the scope of protection of this application shall be determined by the scope defined in the claims.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that, include: In response to the measurement result of the first measurement frequency meeting the first reporting condition, a measurement report is reported, the measurement report including the measurement result of the first measurement frequency and the measurement status of the second measurement frequency; The measurement status includes signal quality information for the second measurement frequency; The signal quality information of the second measurement frequency includes: the signal value of the neighboring cell on the second measurement frequency, and the expected time for satisfying the second reporting condition. The expected time represents the difference between the duration for which the neighboring cell on the second measurement frequency satisfies the measurement event and the first trigger duration included in the second reporting condition.

2. The communication method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The measurement status includes a first indication information, which indicates whether the measurement of the second measurement frequency has started.

3. The communication method according to claim 1, characterized in that, If the measurement of the second measurement frequency has not yet begun, the measurement state includes a first expected time for measuring the second measurement frequency, and / or the measurement period of the second measurement frequency.

4. The communication method according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the case of dual connectivity handover, the measurement state includes a second expected time when a candidate cell on the second measurement frequency meets the other handover condition when one of the primary cell handover condition and the primary-secondary cell handover condition is met. The second expected time represents the difference between the duration for which the signal value of the candidate cell reaches the event entry condition included in the handover condition and the second trigger duration included in the handover condition.

5. The communication method according to claim 4, characterized in that, The measurement status also includes second indication information, which indicates whether a candidate cell on the second measurement frequency meets another handover condition measurement event.

6. The communication method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second measurement frequency is a frequency configured with candidate primary cells or candidate primary and secondary cells. The measurement status includes a third expected time for the candidate primary cell or the candidate primary and secondary cell to meet the handover conditions. The third expected time represents the difference between the duration for which the signal value of the candidate primary cell or the candidate primary and secondary cell reaches the event entry condition included in the handover conditions and the third trigger duration included in the handover conditions.

7. The communication method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second measurement frequency belongs to the measurement identifier, which includes a timer T312 in the reporting configuration.

8. The communication method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The reporting configuration of the measurement identifier to which the first measurement frequency belongs includes timer T312.

9. The communication method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The process of submitting the measurement report also includes: Receive frequency configuration information, which includes at least one measurement frequency that needs to be reported simultaneously, wherein the second measurement frequency is selected from the at least one measurement frequency.

10. The communication method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The reported measurement report includes: In response to the measurement result of the first measurement frequency satisfying the requirement that the duration of the measurement event reaches the trigger duration, and the first measurement frequency not belonging to the at least one measurement frequency, the measurement report is reported.

11. The communication method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The frequency configuration information includes the priority of the at least one measurement frequency; the priority of the second measurement frequency is higher than or equal to the priority of the first measurement frequency.

12. The communication method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The measurement status of the second measurement frequency includes whether the timer T310 corresponding to the primary cell and / or the primary and secondary cells has been running.

13. A communication method, characterized in that, include: Receive a measurement report, the measurement report including the measurement result of a first measurement frequency and the measurement status of a second measurement frequency, wherein the measurement result of the first measurement frequency meets a first reporting condition; the measurement status includes signal quality information of the second measurement frequency; The signal quality information of the second measurement frequency includes: the signal value of the neighboring cell on the second measurement frequency, and the expected time for satisfying the second reporting condition. The expected time represents the difference between the duration for which the neighboring cell on the second measurement frequency satisfies the measurement event and the first trigger duration included in the second reporting condition.

14. The communication method according to claim 13, characterized in that, If the measurement of the second measurement frequency has not yet begun, the measurement state includes a first expected time for measuring the second measurement frequency, and / or the measurement period of the second measurement frequency.

15. The communication method according to claim 13, characterized in that, The second measurement frequency belongs to the measurement identifier, which includes a timer T312 in the reporting configuration.

16. The communication method according to claim 13, characterized in that, The reporting configuration of the measurement identifier to which the first measurement frequency belongs has a timer T312.

17. A communication device, characterized in that, include: A communication module is configured to report a measurement report in response to a measurement result at a first measurement frequency meeting a first reporting condition. The measurement report includes the measurement result at the first measurement frequency and the measurement status at a second measurement frequency. The measurement status includes signal quality information for the second measurement frequency; The signal quality information of the second measurement frequency includes: the signal value of the neighboring cell on the second measurement frequency, and the expected time for satisfying the second reporting condition. The expected time represents the difference between the duration for which the neighboring cell on the second measurement frequency satisfies the measurement event and the first trigger duration included in the second reporting condition.

18. A communication device, characterized in that, include: A communication module is used to receive a measurement report, the measurement report including the measurement result of a first measurement frequency and the measurement status of a second measurement frequency, wherein the measurement result of the first measurement frequency meets a first reporting condition; and the measurement status includes signal quality information of the second measurement frequency. The signal quality information of the second measurement frequency includes: the signal value of the neighboring cell on the second measurement frequency, and the expected time for satisfying the second reporting condition. The expected time represents the difference between the duration for which the neighboring cell on the second measurement frequency satisfies the measurement event and the first trigger duration included in the second reporting condition.

19. A computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, characterized in that, The computer program, when executed by a processor, performs the steps of the communication method according to any one of claims 1 to 16.

20. A communication device comprising a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a computer program executable on the processor, characterized in that, When the processor runs the computer program, it performs the steps of the communication method according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

21. A communication device comprising a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a computer program executable on the processor, characterized in that, When the processor runs the computer program, it performs the steps of the communication method according to any one of claims 13 to 16.

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