Transmission methods, terminal equipment and network equipment

Abstract

This application relates to a transmission method, a terminal device, and a network device. The transmission method includes: the terminal device acquiring the number of PUCCH retransmissions before configuring dedicated PUCCH resources. Embodiments of this application can acquire the number of PUCCH retransmissions before configuring dedicated PUCCH resources, thereby improving the coverage performance of the communication system.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of patent application filed on April 26, 2022, with application number 202280092521.7 and title "Transmission Method, Terminal Equipment and Network Equipment". Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to the field of communications, and more specifically, to a transmission method, terminal equipment, and network equipment. Background Technology

[0003] Before a Radio Resource Control (RRC) connection is established, the terminal cannot obtain the dedicated Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) resource configuration through higher-layer signaling. Therefore, a predefined set of common PUCCH resources can be used to determine the cell's common PUCCH resources. After the RRC connection is established, PUCCH retransmission can be supported. However, currently, some scenarios requiring PUCCH retransmission, such as before the RRC connection is established, do not support PUCCH retransmission. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a transmission method, a terminal device, and a network device that can obtain the number of PUCCH repeated transmissions before configuring dedicated PUCCH resources.

[0005] This application provides a transmission method, including: the terminal device obtaining the number of PUCCH repeated transmissions before the dedicated PUCCH resource configuration.

[0006] This application provides a transmission method, including: a network device sending first indication information, the first indication information being used to indicate the number of times PUCCH is repeatedly transmitted before the dedicated PUCCH resource is configured.

[0007] This application provides a terminal device, including: a processing unit, used to obtain the number of PUCCH repeated transmissions before the dedicated PUCCH resource configuration.

[0008] This application provides a network device, including: a first sending unit, configured to send first indication information, wherein the first indication information is used to indicate the number of PUCCH repeated transmissions before the dedicated PUCCH resource is configured.

[0009] This application provides a terminal device including a processor and a memory. The memory stores a computer program, and the processor calls and runs the computer program stored in the memory to enable the terminal device to perform the aforementioned transmission method.

[0010] This application provides a network device including a processor and a memory. The memory stores a computer program, and the processor calls and runs the computer program stored in the memory to cause the network device to perform the aforementioned transmission method.

[0011] This application provides a chip for implementing the above-described transmission method.

[0012] Specifically, the chip includes a processor for retrieving and running a computer program from memory, causing a device equipped with the chip to perform the aforementioned transmission method.

[0013] This application provides a computer-readable storage medium for storing a computer program, which, when run by a device, causes the device to perform the aforementioned transmission method.

[0014] This application provides a computer program product, including computer program instructions that cause a computer to execute the above-described transmission method.

[0015] This application provides a computer program that, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform the above-described transmission method.

[0016] In this embodiment, the number of PUCCH retransmissions before dedicated PUCCH resource configuration can be obtained, and then the PUCCH can be retransmitted before dedicated PUCCH resource configuration, thereby improving the coverage performance of the communication system. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an application scenario according to an embodiment of this application.

[0018] Figure 2 This is a schematic flowchart of a transmission method according to an embodiment of this application.

[0019] Figure 3 This is a schematic flowchart of a transmission method according to another embodiment of this application.

[0020] Figure 4 This is a schematic block diagram of a terminal device according to an embodiment of this application.

[0021] Figure 5 This is a schematic block diagram of a terminal device according to another embodiment of this application.

[0022] Figure 6 This is a schematic block diagram of a network device according to an embodiment of this application.

[0023] Figure 7 This is a schematic block diagram of a network device according to another embodiment of this application.

[0024] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of frequency hopping within a time slot according to an embodiment of this application.

[0025] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of inter-slot frequency hopping according to an embodiment of this application.

[0026] Figure 10 This is a schematic block diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of this application.

[0027] Figure 11 This is a schematic block diagram of a chip according to an embodiment of this application.

[0028] Figure 12 This is a schematic block diagram of a communication system according to an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0029] The technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0030] The technical solutions of this application embodiment can be applied to various communication systems, such as: Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) system, Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) system, Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) system, General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Long Term Evolution (LTE) system, Advanced Long Term Evolution (LTE-A) system, New Radio (NR) system, evolution of NR system, LTE-based access to unlicensed spectrum (LTE-U) system, NR-based access to unlicensed spectrum (NR-U) system, Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) system, Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS), Wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN), and Wireless Fidelity (WF). Fidelity (WiFi), 5th-Generation (5G) communication systems, or other communication systems.

[0031] Traditional communication systems typically support a limited number of connections and are easy to implement. However, with the development of communication technology, mobile communication systems will not only support traditional communication but also, for example, device-to-device (D2D) communication, machine-to-machine (M2M) communication, machine-type communication (MTC), vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication, or vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication. The embodiments of this application can also be applied to these communication systems.

[0032] In one implementation, the communication system in this application embodiment can be applied to a carrier aggregation (CA) scenario, a dual connectivity (DC) scenario, or a standalone (SA) network deployment scenario.

[0033] In one embodiment, the communication system in this application can be applied to unlicensed spectrum, wherein the unlicensed spectrum can also be considered as shared spectrum; or, the communication system in this application can also be applied to licensed spectrum, wherein the licensed spectrum can also be considered as non-shared spectrum.

[0034] This application describes various embodiments in conjunction with network devices and terminal devices. The terminal device may also be referred to as user equipment (UE), access terminal, user unit, user station, mobile station, mobile station, remote station, remote terminal, mobile device, user terminal, terminal, wireless communication device, user agent, or user device, etc.

[0035] Terminal devices can be stations (STAION, ST) in WLANs, cellular phones, cordless phones, Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) phones, Wireless Local Loop (WLL) stations, Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) devices, handheld devices with wireless communication capabilities, computing devices or other processing devices connected to a wireless modem, in-vehicle devices, wearable devices, terminal devices in next-generation communication systems such as NR networks, or terminal devices in future evolved Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) networks, etc.

[0036] In the embodiments of this application, the terminal device can be deployed on land, including indoor or outdoor, handheld, wearable or vehicle-mounted; it can also be deployed on water (such as ships); and it can also be deployed in the air (such as airplanes, balloons and satellites).

[0037] In the embodiments of this application, the terminal device may be a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a computer with wireless transceiver capabilities, a virtual reality (VR) terminal device, an augmented reality (AR) terminal device, a wireless terminal device in industrial control, a wireless terminal device in self-driving, a wireless terminal device in remote medical care, a wireless terminal device in a smart grid, a wireless terminal device in transportation safety, a wireless terminal device in a smart city, or a wireless terminal device in a smart home, etc.

[0038] By way of example and not limitation, in this embodiment, the terminal device can also be a wearable device. Wearable devices, also known as wearable smart devices, are a general term for devices that utilize wearable technology to intelligently design and develop everyday wearables, such as glasses, gloves, watches, clothing, and shoes. Wearable devices are portable devices that are worn directly on the body or integrated into the user's clothing or accessories. Wearable devices are not merely hardware devices, but also achieve powerful functions through software support, data interaction, and cloud interaction. Broadly speaking, wearable smart devices include those that are feature-rich, large in size, and can achieve complete or partial functions without relying on a smartphone, such as smartwatches or smart glasses, as well as those that focus on a specific type of application function and require the use of other devices such as smartphones, such as various smart bracelets and smart jewelry for vital sign monitoring.

[0039] In the embodiments of this application, the network device can be a device for communicating with mobile devices. The network device can be an access point (AP) in WLAN, a base station (BTS) in GSM or CDMA, a base station (NodeB, NB) in WCDMA, an evolved Node B (eNB or eNodeB) in LTE, a relay station or access point, or a vehicle-mounted device, wearable device, or a network device (gNB) in an NR network, or a network device in a future evolved PLMN network or an NTN network, etc.

[0040] By way of example and not limitation, in this embodiment, the network device may have mobility characteristics; for example, the network device may be a mobile device. Optionally, the network device may be a satellite or a balloon station. For example, the satellite may be a low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite, a medium Earth orbit (MEO) satellite, a geostationary earth orbit (GEO) satellite, a high elliptical orbit (HEO) satellite, etc. Optionally, the network device may also be a base station located on land, water, or other similar locations.

[0041] In this embodiment, the network device can provide services to a cell. The terminal device communicates with the network device through the transmission resources (e.g., frequency domain resources, or spectrum resources) used by the cell. The cell can be the cell corresponding to the network device (e.g., a base station). The cell can belong to a macro base station or to a base station corresponding to a small cell. The small cell can include: metro cell, micro cell, pico cell, femto cell, etc. These small cells have the characteristics of small coverage area and low transmission power, and are suitable for providing high-speed data transmission services.

[0042] Figure 1 An exemplary communication system 100 is shown. The communication system includes a network device 110 and two terminal devices 120. In one embodiment, the communication system 100 may include multiple network devices 110, and the coverage area of ​​each network device 110 may include other numbers of terminal devices 120, which is not limited in this application embodiment.

[0043] In one embodiment, the communication system 100 may also include other network entities such as a Mobility Management Entity (MME) and an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), which are not limited in this application.

[0044] Network equipment can be further divided into access network equipment and core network equipment. That is, the wireless communication system also includes multiple core networks used to communicate with the access network equipment. Access network equipment can be evolved Node Bs (eNBs or e-NodeBs) in Long-Term Evolution (LTE), Next-Generation Radio (NR) (mobile communication system), or Authorized Auxiliary Access Long-Term Evolution (LAA-LTE) systems, such as macro base stations, micro base stations (also called "small base stations"), pico base stations, access points (APs), transmission points (TPs), or new generation Node Bs (gNodeBs).

[0045] It should be understood that devices with communication functions in the network / system of this application embodiment can be referred to as communication devices. Figure 1 Taking the communication system shown as an example, the communication equipment may include network devices and terminal devices with communication functions. The network devices and terminal devices may be specific devices in the embodiments of this application, which will not be described in detail here. The communication equipment may also include other devices in the communication system, such as network controllers, mobility management entities and other network entities, which are not limited in the embodiments of this application.

[0046] It should be understood that the terms "system" and "network" are often used interchangeably in this document. The term "and / or" in this document merely describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A alone, A and B simultaneously, or B alone. Furthermore, the character " / " in this document generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0047] It should be understood that the term "instruction" mentioned in the embodiments of this application can be a direct instruction, an indirect instruction, or an indication of a relationship. For example, A instructing B can mean that A directly instructs B, such as B being able to obtain information through A; it can also mean that A indirectly instructs B, such as A instructing C, so B can obtain information through C; or it can mean that there is a relationship between A and B.

[0048] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the term "correspondence" may indicate that there is a direct or indirect correspondence between two things, or that there is an association between two things, or that there is a relationship of instruction and being instructed, configuration and being configured, etc.

[0049] To facilitate understanding of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the relevant technologies of the embodiments of this application are described below. The following relevant technologies are optional solutions and can be combined with the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application in any way, and they all fall within the protection scope of the embodiments of this application.

[0050] 1. Determination of public PUCCH resources in the community:

[0051] Before the Radio Resource Control (RRC) connection is established, the UE cannot obtain the dedicated PUCCH resource configuration through higher-layer RRC signaling. Therefore, 16 sets of common PUCCH resources are predefined in the initial uplink bandwidth part (BWP) in the manner of the index values ​​in Table 1 for sending Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest-Acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) information.

[0052] Table 1. PUCCH resource set before dedicated PUCCH resource configuration

[0053]

[0054]

[0055] Each set of public PUCCH resources corresponds to a row in Table 1, which corresponds to a set of PUCCH format, start symbol, number of symbols, physical resource block (PRB) offset, and cyclic shift (CS) index.

[0056] The base station can configure the selection of row 1 in Table 1 in the cell-level PUCCH parameters. The UE can determine the cell public PUCCH resource based on the configured index value and Table 1. Before the UE is configured with dedicated PUCCH resources (also known as private PUCCH resources), such as during the initial access phase, the configured cell public PUCCH resource is used to send HARQ-ACK information.

[0057] 2. PUCCH Repeat Transmission Process:

[0058] After the RRC connection is established, the UE can be instructed to use a PUCCH resource in PUCCH is transmitted on each time slot, wherein: if the PUCCH resource is indicated by Downlink Control Information (DCI) format and contains the higher-layer parameter PUCCH-nrofSlots, then Provided by PUCCH-nrofSlots. Otherwise, Provided by the high-level parameter nrofSlots.

[0059] for UE in Uplink Control Information (UCI) is repeatedly transmitted via PUCCH in each time slot. The PUCCH transmissions on each time slot have the same number of consecutive symbols, which can be provided by the higher-layer parameter nrofSymbols. PUCCH transmissions in different time slots share the same start symbol, which can be provided by the higher-layer parameter startingSymbolIndex. The UE can configure whether to perform frequency hopping for PUCCH transmissions between different time slots by the higher-layer parameter interslotFrequencyHopping.

[0060] If the UE is configured to perform frequency hopping for PUCCH transmissions across different time slots. For example, the UE can perform frequency hopping in every time slot. Or, the UE can start transmitting PUCCH in even-numbered time slots from the first PRB provided by the higher-layer parameter startingPRB, and in odd-numbered time slots from the second PRB provided by the higher-layer parameter secondHopPRB. The time slot indicated to the UE for the first PUCCH transmission is designated as 0, and this... Each time slot in the time slot is counted, regardless of whether the UE transmits PUCCH in that time slot. For example, the UE may not expect PUCCH transmissions configured within a time slot to perform frequency hopping.

[0061] If the UE is not configured to perform frequency hopping for PUCCH transmissions between different time slots, and if the UE is configured to perform frequency hopping for PUCCH transmissions within a time slot, then the frequency hopping pattern between the first PRB and the second PRB within each time slot is the same.

[0062] For a PUCCH transmission in a time slot, if the UE finds that the number of symbols available for PUCCH transmission is less than the number of symbols configured by the higher-layer parameter nrofSymbols, the UE will not transmit PUCCH in that time slot.

[0063] The relevant technologies do not support repeated PUCCH transmissions before RRC connection establishment. However, in communication scenarios with limited coverage, such as NTN systems, a single PUCCH transmission may not meet coverage requirements. Especially during the initial access phase, if the PUCCH carrying HARQ-ACK information cannot be successfully received, the UE will be unable to access the network, significantly impacting system performance. Therefore, it is necessary to enhance the PUCCH transmission before RRC connection establishment, for example, by introducing a PUCCH repeated transmission mechanism before RRC connection establishment to improve its coverage performance.

[0064] Figure 2 This is a schematic flowchart of a transmission method 200 according to an embodiment of this application. The method can optionally be applied to... Figure 1 The system shown is not limited to this. The method includes at least a portion of the following.

[0065] S210, the number of times the terminal device repeatedly transmits PUCCH before obtaining the dedicated PUCCH resource configuration.

[0066] In this embodiment, the period before dedicated PUCCH resource configuration may include, for example, before RRC connection establishment, the initial access process / stage, etc. In certain scenarios, such as NTN systems or other systems requiring repeated PUCCH transmissions before dedicated PUCCH resource configuration, the terminal device can obtain the number of repeated PUCCH transmissions before dedicated PUCCH resource configuration. In this embodiment, the number of repeated PUCCH transmissions before dedicated PUCCH resource configuration can also be referred to as the number of repeated PUCCH transmissions before RRC connection establishment, the number of repeated PUCCH transmissions before RRC connection, the number of repeated PUCCH transmissions during the initial access process / stage, etc.

[0067] For example, a terminal device can receive indication information from a network device and obtain the number of PUCCH retransmissions before the dedicated PUCCH resource configuration based on the indication information. Alternatively, the terminal device can obtain information related to the number of PUCCH retransmissions before the dedicated PUCCH resource configuration and calculate the number of PUCCH retransmissions before the dedicated PUCCH resource configuration based on the obtained information.

[0068] In this embodiment, after the terminal device obtains the number of PUCCH retransmissions before the dedicated PUCCH resource configuration, it can retransmit the PUCCH before the dedicated PUCCH resource configuration based on the number of PUCCH retransmissions.

[0069] In one embodiment, the method further includes: the terminal device receiving first indication information, the first indication information being used to indicate the number of times the PUCCH is repeatedly transmitted.

[0070] In one implementation, the first indication information includes a first public PUCCH resource set index value, and the number of PUCCH retransmissions before the terminal device obtains the dedicated PUCCH resource configuration includes:

[0071] The terminal device determines the corresponding number of PUCCH repeated transmissions based on the index value of the first public PUCCH resource set.

[0072] In one implementation, the first public PUCCH resource set index value has a corresponding number of PUCCH repeated transmissions.

[0073] In one implementation, the index value of the first public PUCCH resource set is in a first range, and the index value of the second public PUCCH resource set is in a second range.

[0074] In one implementation, the second public PUCCH resource set index value does not have a corresponding PUCCH repeat transmission count or the corresponding PUCCH repeat transmission count is equal to 1.

[0075] For example, referring to Table 1, the second range of the index value of the second public PUCCH resource set can be 0 to 15. Other settings for the second range are also possible, and are not specifically limited in this embodiment.

[0076] In one implementation, if the first range is the same as the second range, then the number of PUCCH repeated transmissions corresponding to the index value of the first public PUCCH resource set is greater than or equal to 1.

[0077] In this embodiment, a pre-configured table of public PUCCH resource set index values ​​and the number of PUCCH retransmissions before dedicated PUCCH resource configuration can be created. For example, the table may include multiple columns, one representing the public PUCCH resource set index and another representing the number of PUCCH retransmissions before dedicated PUCCH resource configuration. After receiving first indication information from a network device, such as a base station, the terminal device can look up the number of PUCCH retransmissions before dedicated PUCCH resource configuration in the table based on the first public PUCCH resource set index value in the first indication information.

[0078] In one implementation, the first range of the index value of the first public PUCCH resource set can be the same as the second range described above. For example, the first range is 0 to 15. The second public PUCCH resource set can be a conventional public PUCCH resource set. Since the index values ​​of the first and second public PUCCH resource sets are in the same range, configuring the index value of the first public PUCCH resource set can have the same signaling overhead as configuring a conventional public PUCCH resource set index value. For example, the number of bits required for the first indication information may not need to be increased.

[0079] For example, in the table of public PUCCH resource sets, a new column can be added to indicate the number of PUCCH retransmissions before the configuration of dedicated PUCCH resources. This number of retransmissions can be greater than or equal to 1. Thus, if the terminal device receives the index value of the first public PUCCH resource set, it can look up the number of PUCCH retransmissions in the newly added column corresponding to that index value. For example, if the terminal device receives the index value of the first public PUCCH resource set as 8, it can look up the number of PUCCH retransmissions in the newly added column corresponding to index value 8, for example, 4, indicating that the PUCCH can be retransmitted 4 times before the configuration of dedicated PUCCH resources.

[0080] In one implementation, if the first range is different from the second range, then the index value of the first public PUCCH resource set is greater than the index value of the second public PUCCH resource set.

[0081] In one implementation, the number of PUCCH retransmissions corresponding to the index values ​​of the first and second public PUCCH resource sets is different. The second public PUCCH resource set can be a traditional public PUCCH resource set, for example, the index value range of the second public PUCCH resource set is 0-15. The ranges of the index values ​​of the first and second public PUCCH resource sets are different, for example, the index value range of the first public PUCCH resource set is 16-18. This facilitates compatibility with traditional public PUCCH resource configuration methods. The terminal device can determine whether to perform retransmission based on the range of index values ​​configured in the system message of the network device. For example, if the index value range of the system message is 0-15, retransmission is not required; if the index value range of the system message is 16-18, retransmission is required.

[0082] In one implementation, the number of PUCCH repeated transmissions corresponding to the index value of the first public PUCCH resource set is greater than 1.

[0083] In one implementation, the first range of the index value of the first public PUCCH resource set can be greater than 15, which differs from the second range of 0 to 15 described above. For example, in the table of public PUCCH resource sets, rows and columns can be added outside of the second public PUCCH resource set, where the added rows represent the first public PUCCH resource set. The parameters of the first public PUCCH resource set can be similar to those of the second public PUCCH resource set. The added columns are used to represent the number of PUCCH retransmissions. The index value of the second public PUCCH resource set is in the second range, and the value of the added column corresponding to this index value can be empty or 1, indicating that the number of PUCCH retransmissions is 1, that is, no PUCCH retransmission is performed. The index value of the first public PUCCH resource set is in the first range, and the value of the added column corresponding to this index value can be greater than 1, thereby representing the number of PUCCH retransmissions before the dedicated PUCCH resource configuration. For example, if the first public PUCCH resource set index value received by the terminal device is 16, then the number of PUCCH repeated transmissions, such as 2, can be found in the new column corresponding to the row with index value 16. This means that the PUCCH can be repeatedly transmitted 2 times before the dedicated PUCCH resource is configured.

[0084] In one implementation, the first indication information is carried via a system message. For example, the terminal device can receive a system message, such as SIB1 in the system message, from a network device, such as a base station. The SIB1 may carry the first indication information to indicate the number of times the terminal device can repeatedly transmit the PUCCH before the dedicated PUCCH resource is configured.

[0085] In one implementation, the public PUCCH configuration parameters of SIB1 in the system message carry the first indication information. For example, a new system parameter can be introduced into the public PUCCH configuration parameters of SIB1 in the system message, specifically used to indicate the number of PUCCH retransmissions before dedicated PUCCH resource configuration. For example, the public PUCCH configuration parameters carried in the SIB1 sent by the base station may include NTN-nrofSlots = {2, 4, 8}. The value of NTN-nrofSlots can represent the number of PUCCH retransmissions. For example, a value of 2 for the public PUCCH configuration parameter indicates that the number of PUCCH retransmissions is 2. In this way, the base station can flexibly configure the number of PUCCH retransmissions and public PUCCH resources.

[0086] In one implementation, the first indication information is carried via a DCI. For example, the DCI may directly carry the number of PUCCH retransmissions, or it may carry information related to the number of PUCCH retransmissions, based on which the number of PUCCH retransmissions can be obtained. In this way, network devices, such as base stations, can configure the number of PUCCH retransmissions individually for each UE.

[0087] In one implementation, the first indication information carried by the DCI is a PUCCH resource indication field. For example, Table 1 predefines 16 sets of common PUCCH resources using index values, and each set of PUCCH resources further contains 16 PUCCH resources. The 3-bit PUCCH resource indication field in the DCI can indicate not only PUCCH resources but also the number of times a PUCCH is repeatedly transmitted. The indication of the number of times a PUCCH is repeatedly transmitted can be explicit or implicit.

[0088] In one implementation, the value of the PUCCH resource indicator field corresponds to a PUCCH retransmission count. In this embodiment, a mapping relationship between the PUCCH resource indicator field value and the PUCCH retransmission count can be pre-set. For example, a PUCCH resource indicator field value of "010" corresponds to a PUCCH retransmission count of 3; a PUCCH resource indicator field value of "011" corresponds to a PUCCH retransmission count of 4. After receiving the DCI carrying the PUCCH resource indicator field, the terminal device can look up the corresponding PUCCH retransmission count based on the value of the PUCCH resource indicator field.

[0089] In one implementation, the value of the PUCCH resource indication field is used to determine a common PUCCH resource index value, which has a corresponding number of PUCCH retransmissions. In this embodiment, after receiving a DCI carrying the PUCCH resource indication field, the terminal device can calculate the common PUCCH resource index value based on the value of the PUCCH resource indication field. After calculating the common PUCCH resource index value, the corresponding number of PUCCH retransmissions can be found based on the common PUCCH resource index value.

[0090] In one implementation, the public PUCCH resource index value is calculated based on the value of the PUCCH resource indicator field, the number of Control Channel Elements (CCEs) in the control resource set where the DCI resides, and the index value of the first CCE occupied by the DCI. For example, a calculation formula for the PUCCH resource index can be constructed using the value of the PUCCH resource indicator field, the number of CCEs in the control resource set where the DCI resides, and the index value of the first CCE occupied by the DCI, and the public PUCCH resource index value can be calculated according to this formula. For example, the calculation formula could be:

[0091]

[0092] Where rPUCCH is the PUCCH resource index value, NCCE is the number of CCEs in the control resource set where the DCI is located, nCCE,0 is the index value of the first CCE occupied by the DCI, and ΔPRI is the value of the PUCCH resource indicator field in the DCI, for example, indicated by 3 bits.

[0093] In one implementation, the first indication information is carried via the uplink grant and / or the DCI of the random access response (RAR) and / or temporary cell-radio network temporary identifier (TC-RNTI) scrambled with cyclic redundancy check (CRC) in the message Msg3 of the scheduled random access procedure. In this way, the UE can obtain the indication of the number of PUCCH retransmissions before dedicated PUCCH resource configuration based on the Msg3 retransmission mechanism.

[0094] In one implementation, the first indication information carried in the RAR uplink grant and / or TC-RNTI scrambled CRC DCI of the scheduling Msg3 PUSCH is the Msg3 retransmission count.

[0095] In one implementation, the number of PUCCH retransmissions is calculated based on the number of Msg3 retransmissions.

[0096] In one implementation, the number of times the PUCCH is repeatedly transmitted is equal to the number of times the Msg3 is repeatedly transmitted divided by a set value and rounded up.

[0097] In this embodiment, the terminal device receives the Msg3 retransmission count from the base station. Specifically, the terminal device can obtain the Msg3 retransmission count by scheduling the RAR uplink grant of the Msg3 PUSCH and / or the DCI of the TC-RNTI scrambled CRC. The terminal device can calculate the PUCCH retransmission count before dedicated PUCCH resource configuration based on the Msg3 retransmission count. For example, the terminal device can divide the Msg3 retransmission count by a set value and then round up to obtain the PUCCH retransmission count before dedicated PUCCH resource configuration.

[0098] In one embodiment, the method further includes: if the terminal device needs to retransmit, retransmitting the PUCCH according to the number of PUCCH retransmissions. For example, before the dedicated PUCCH resource is configured, the terminal device may need to retransmit the PUCCH due to reasons such as cell coverage performance. In this case, the terminal device can retransmit the PUCCH before the dedicated PUCCH resource is configured, based on the number of PUCCH retransmissions before the dedicated PUCCH resource is configured, as determined by any of the methods described above.

[0099] In one implementation, if the terminal device obtains that the number of PUCCH retransmissions before the dedicated PUCCH resource configuration is N, then the terminal device is instructed to perform PUCCH retransmissions on N time slots before the dedicated PUCCH resource configuration.

[0100] In one implementation, if the terminal device is instructed to perform repeated PUCCH transmission on N time slots before the dedicated PUCCH resource is configured, the manner in which the terminal device performs repeated transmission may include: the terminal device repeatedly transmits PUCCH on the N time slots.

[0101] In one implementation, the PUCCH transmissions on the N time slots have the same number of consecutive symbols, which is determined by the number of symbols corresponding to the public PUCCH resource set index value indicated by the network device, such as the base station.

[0102] In one implementation, the PUCCH transmissions on the N time slots have the same start symbol, which is determined by the start symbol index corresponding to the public PUCCH resource set index value indicated by the network device, such as the base station.

[0103] In one implementation, if the terminal device performs inter-slot frequency hopping during PUCCH retransmission, the terminal device performs frequency hopping in each of the N time slots.

[0104] For example, the terminal device transmits PUCCH starting from the first PRB in even-numbered time slots out of the N time slots, and starts transmitting PUCCH starting from the second PRB in odd-numbered time slots out of the N time slots. The time slot designated by the network device for the terminal device to transmit the first PUCCH can be recorded as 0, and each of the N time slots is counted, regardless of whether the terminal device transmits PUCCH in that time slot. The indices of the first and second PRBs can be determined according to the formula for determining the PRB index of public PUCCH resources in related technologies.

[0105] In one implementation, if the terminal device performs intra-slot frequency hopping during PUCCH retransmission, the frequency hopping pattern between the first PRB and the second PRB in each of the N time slots is the same. The indices of the first PRB and the second PRB can be determined according to the formula for determining the PRB index of public PUCCH resources in related technologies.

[0106] In one implementation, for a PUCCH transmission in a time slot, if the terminal device finds that the number of symbols available for PUCCH transmission is less than the number of symbols corresponding to the public PUCCH resource set index value indicated by the network device, such as the base station, the terminal device will not send a PUCCH in that time slot.

[0107] In one implementation, if a terminal device wants to send a PUCCH in N time slots, but fails to send the PUCCH in one of the time slots due to a conflict with the transmission of another PUCCH, the terminal device counts this time slot into the N time slots.

[0108] In one embodiment, the method further includes: the terminal device receiving second indication information, the second indication information being used to indicate a frequency hopping mode for repeated transmission of PUCCH by the terminal device.

[0109] In this embodiment, the terminal device can use frequency hopping to repeatedly transmit the PUCCH. The specific frequency hopping method can be indicated to the terminal device by the network device, such as a base station. For example, the terminal device receives system information from the network device, which includes candidate frequency hopping methods for PUCCH repeated transmission. For instance, candidate frequency hopping methods for PUCCH repeated transmission can be carried in SIB1. Then, the network device can flexibly select a frequency hopping method and configure it for the terminal device to obtain optimal frequency hopping performance.

[0110] In one embodiment, the frequency hopping method includes at least one of the following:

[0111] Frequency hopping within a time slot;

[0112] Frequency hopping between time slots.

[0113] In one embodiment, the intra-slot frequency hopping includes: a time slot includes multiple frequency hopping units, different frequency hopping units in the same time slot correspond to different frequency domain resources, a PUCCH is divided into multiple parts, and each part is transmitted using one frequency hopping unit in the time slot.

[0114] In this embodiment, one PUCCH can correspond to PUCCH transmission in one time slot. If the terminal device uses intra-slot frequency hopping to repeatedly transmit the PUCCH, one PUCCH can be divided into multiple parts, and different parts can be transmitted using different frequency hopping units within one time slot. For example, if each time slot includes a first frequency hopping unit and a second frequency hopping unit, and the PUCCH is divided into part A and part B, then part A can be transmitted in the first frequency hopping unit of time slot 0, and part B can be transmitted in the second frequency hopping unit. Further, if the number of repeated transmissions is 3, then part A can continue to be transmitted in the first frequency hopping unit of time slot 1, and part B can continue to be transmitted in the second frequency hopping unit; and part A can be transmitted in the first frequency hopping unit of time slot 2, and part B can continue to be transmitted in the second frequency hopping unit.

[0115] In one embodiment, the inter-slot frequency hopping includes: one time slot includes one frequency hopping unit, the frequency hopping units of adjacent time slots correspond to different frequency domain resources, and one PUCCH uses one frequency hopping unit of one time slot for transmission.

[0116] In this embodiment, if the terminal device uses inter-slot frequency hopping to repeatedly transmit the PUCCH, the frequency hopping units of adjacent time slots correspond to different frequency domain resources. For example, the first frequency hopping unit of time slot 0 corresponds to frequency domain resource F1, the second frequency hopping unit of time slot 1 corresponds to frequency domain resource F2, the first frequency hopping unit of time slot 2 corresponds to frequency domain resource F1, and the second frequency hopping unit of time slot 3 corresponds to frequency domain resource F2. If a certain PUCCH needs to be repeatedly transmitted 4 times, the PUCCH can be transmitted in the first frequency hopping unit of time slot 0, the second frequency hopping unit of time slot 1, the first frequency hopping unit of time slot 2, and the second frequency hopping unit of time slot 3.

[0117] In this embodiment of the application, the terminal device can obtain the number of PUCCH retransmissions before the dedicated PUCCH resource configuration, such as before RRC connection establishment, initial access process / stage, etc., so that the terminal device can retransmit the PUCCH before the dedicated PUCCH resource configuration, thereby improving the coverage performance of the communication system.

[0118] Figure 3 This is a schematic flowchart of a transmission method 300 according to an embodiment of this application. This method can optionally be applied to... Figure 1The system shown is not limited to this. The method includes at least a portion of the following.

[0119] S310, The network device sends a first indication message, which is used to indicate the number of times the PUCCH is repeatedly transmitted before the dedicated PUCCH resource is configured.

[0120] In one implementation, the first indication information includes a first public PUCCH resource set index value, which has a corresponding number of PUCCH repeated transmissions.

[0121] In one implementation, the index value of the first public PUCCH resource set is in a first range, and the index value of the second public PUCCH resource set is in a second range.

[0122] In one implementation, if the first range is different from the second range, then the index value of the first public PUCCH resource set is greater than the index value of the second public PUCCH resource set.

[0123] In one implementation, the number of PUCCH repeated transmissions corresponding to the index value of the first public PUCCH resource set is greater than 1.

[0124] In one implementation, if the first range is the same as the second range, then the number of PUCCH repeated transmissions corresponding to the index value of the first public PUCCH resource set is greater than or equal to 1.

[0125] In one implementation, the second public PUCCH resource set index value does not have a corresponding PUCCH repeat transmission count or the corresponding PUCCH repeat transmission count is equal to 1.

[0126] In one implementation, the first indication information is carried via a system message.

[0127] In one implementation, the public PUCCH configuration parameters in the system message carry the first indication information.

[0128] In one implementation, the first indication information is carried via downlink control information (DCI).

[0129] In one implementation, the first indication information carried by the DCI is the PUCCH resource indication field.

[0130] In one implementation, the value of the PUCCH resource indication field has a corresponding number of PUCCH retransmissions.

[0131] In one implementation, the value of the PUCCH resource indication field is used to determine a public PUCCH resource index value, which has a corresponding number of PUCCH repeated transmissions.

[0132] In one implementation, the public PUCCH resource index value is calculated based on the value of the PUCCH resource indication field, the number of CCEs in the control resource set where the DCI is located, and the index value of the first CCE occupied by the DCI.

[0133] In one implementation, the first indication information is carried via the RAR uplink grant and / or the DCI of the TC-RNTI scrambled CRC in the message Msg3 PUSCH that schedules the random access procedure.

[0134] In one implementation, the first indication information carried in the RAR uplink grant and / or TC-RNTI scrambled CRC DCI of the scheduling Msg3 PUSCH is the Msg3 retransmission count.

[0135] In one implementation, the number of PUCCH retransmissions is calculated based on the number of Msg3 retransmissions.

[0136] In one implementation, the number of times the PUCCH is repeatedly transmitted is equal to the number of times the Msg3 is repeatedly transmitted divided by a set value and rounded up.

[0137] In one embodiment, the method further includes:

[0138] The network device sends a second indication message, which is used to instruct the terminal device to perform a frequency hopping method for repeated transmission of PUCCH.

[0139] In one embodiment, the frequency hopping method includes at least one of the following:

[0140] Frequency hopping within a time slot;

[0141] Frequency hopping between time slots.

[0142] In one implementation, the intra-slot frequency hopping includes:

[0143] A time slot includes multiple frequency hopping units. Different frequency hopping units within the same time slot correspond to different frequency domain resources. A PUCCH is divided into multiple parts, and each part is transmitted using one frequency hopping unit within the time slot.

[0144] In one embodiment, the inter-slot frequency hopping includes:

[0145] A time slot includes a frequency hopping unit. The frequency hopping units of adjacent time slots correspond to different frequency domain resources. A PUCCH uses one frequency hopping unit of one time slot for transmission.

[0146] For a specific example of the network device executing method 300 in this embodiment, please refer to the relevant description of the network device, such as a base station, in the above method 200. For the sake of brevity, it will not be repeated here.

[0147] Figure 4 This is a schematic block diagram of a terminal device 400 according to an embodiment of the present application. The terminal device 400 may include:

[0148] Processing unit 410 is used to obtain the number of PUCCH repeated transmissions before the dedicated PUCCH resource configuration.

[0149] In one implementation, such as Figure 5 As shown, the terminal device 500 further includes:

[0150] The first receiving unit 510 is used to receive first indication information, which is used to indicate the number of times the PUCCH is repeatedly transmitted.

[0151] In one implementation, the first indication information includes a first public PUCCH resource set index value;

[0152] The processing unit is also configured to determine the corresponding number of PUCCH repeated transmissions based on the index value of the first public PUCCH resource set.

[0153] In one implementation, the index value of the first public PUCCH resource set is in a first range, and the index value of the second public PUCCH resource set is in a second range.

[0154] In one implementation, if the first range is different from the second range, then the index value of the first public PUCCH resource set is greater than the index value of the second public PUCCH resource set.

[0155] In one implementation, the number of PUCCH repeated transmissions corresponding to the index value of the first public PUCCH resource set is greater than 1.

[0156] In one implementation, if the first range is the same as the second range, then the number of PUCCH repeated transmissions corresponding to the index value of the first public PUCCH resource set is greater than or equal to 1.

[0157] In one implementation, the second public PUCCH resource set index value does not have a corresponding PUCCH repeat transmission count or the corresponding PUCCH repeat transmission count is equal to 1.

[0158] In one implementation, the first indication information is carried via downlink control information (DCI).

[0159] In one implementation, the first indication information carried by the DCI is the PUCCH resource indication field.

[0160] In one implementation, the value of the PUCCH resource indication field has a corresponding number of PUCCH retransmissions.

[0161] In one implementation, the value of the PUCCH resource indication field is used to determine a public PUCCH resource index value, which has a corresponding number of PUCCH repeated transmissions.

[0162] In one implementation, the public PUCCH resource index value is calculated based on the value of the PUCCH resource indication field, the number of control channel elements (CCEs) in the control resource set where the DCI is located, and the index value of the first CCE occupied by the DCI.

[0163] In one implementation, the first indication information is carried via the RAR uplink grant and / or the DCI of the TC-RNTI scrambled CRC in the message Msg3 PUSCH that schedules the random access procedure.

[0164] In one implementation, the first indication information carried in the RAR uplink grant and / or TC-RNTI scrambled CRC DCI of the scheduling Msg3 PUSCH is the Msg3 retransmission count.

[0165] In one implementation, the number of PUCCH retransmissions is calculated based on the number of Msg3 retransmissions.

[0166] In one implementation, the number of times the PUCCH is repeatedly transmitted is equal to the number of times the Msg3 is repeatedly transmitted divided by a set value and rounded up.

[0167] In one embodiment, the device further includes:

[0168] The transmission unit 520 is used to repeatedly transmit the PUCCH according to the number of times the PUCCH is repeatedly transmitted when repeated transmission is required.

[0169] In one embodiment, the device further includes:

[0170] The second receiving unit 530 is used to receive second indication information, which is used to indicate the frequency hopping mode for repeated transmission of PUCCH by the terminal device.

[0171] In one embodiment, the frequency hopping method includes at least one of the following:

[0172] Frequency hopping within a time slot;

[0173] Frequency hopping between time slots.

[0174] In one implementation, the intra-slot frequency hopping includes:

[0175] A time slot includes multiple frequency hopping units. Different frequency hopping units within the same time slot correspond to different frequency domain resources. A PUCCH is divided into multiple parts, and each part is transmitted using one frequency hopping unit within the time slot.

[0176] In one embodiment, the inter-slot frequency hopping includes:

[0177] A time slot includes a frequency hopping unit. The frequency hopping units of adjacent time slots correspond to different frequency domain resources. A PUCCH uses one frequency hopping unit of one time slot for transmission.

[0178] The terminal devices 400 and 500 in this application embodiment can implement the corresponding functions of the terminal devices in the aforementioned method 200 embodiment. The processes, functions, implementation methods, and beneficial effects of each module (sub-module, unit, or component, etc.) in the terminal devices 400 and 500 can be found in the corresponding descriptions in the above method embodiments, and will not be repeated here. It should be noted that the functions described for each module (sub-module, unit, or component, etc.) in the terminal devices 400 and 500 in this application embodiment can be implemented by different modules (sub-modules, units, or components, etc.) or by the same module (sub-module, unit, or component, etc.).

[0179] Figure 6 This is a schematic block diagram of a network device 600 according to an embodiment of this application. The network device 600 may include:

[0180] The first sending unit 610 is used to send first indication information, which is used to indicate the number of times PUCCH is repeatedly transmitted before the dedicated PUCCH resource is configured.

[0181] In one implementation, the first indication information includes a first public PUCCH resource set index value, which has a corresponding number of PUCCH repeated transmissions.

[0182] In one implementation, the index value of the first public PUCCH resource set is in a first range, and the index value of the second public PUCCH resource set is in a second range.

[0183] In one implementation, if the first range is different from the second range, then the index value of the first public PUCCH resource set is greater than the index value of the second public PUCCH resource set.

[0184] In one implementation, the number of PUCCH repeated transmissions corresponding to the index value of the first public PUCCH resource set is greater than 1.

[0185] In one implementation, if the first range is the same as the second range, then the number of PUCCH repeated transmissions corresponding to the index value of the first public PUCCH resource set is greater than or equal to 1.

[0186] In one implementation, the second public PUCCH resource set index value does not have a corresponding PUCCH repeat transmission count or the corresponding PUCCH repeat transmission count is equal to 1.

[0187] In one implementation, the first indication information is carried via a system message.

[0188] In one implementation, the public PUCCH configuration parameters in the system message carry the first indication information.

[0189] In one implementation, the first indication information is carried via downlink control information (DCI).

[0190] In one implementation, the first indication information carried by the DCI is the PUCCH resource indication field.

[0191] In one implementation, the value of the PUCCH resource indication field has a corresponding number of PUCCH retransmissions.

[0192] In one implementation, the value of the PUCCH resource indication field is used to determine a public PUCCH resource index value, which has a corresponding number of PUCCH repeated transmissions.

[0193] In one implementation, the public PUCCH resource index value is calculated based on the value of the PUCCH resource indication field, the number of CCEs in the control resource set where the DCI is located, and the index value of the first CCE occupied by the DCI.

[0194] In one implementation, the first indication information is carried via the RAR uplink grant and / or the DCI of the TC-RNTI scrambled CRC in the message Msg3 PUSCH that schedules the random access procedure.

[0195] In one implementation, the first indication information carried in the RAR uplink grant and / or TC-RNTI scrambled CRC DCI of the scheduling Msg3 PUSCH is the Msg3 retransmission count.

[0196] In one implementation, the number of PUCCH retransmissions is calculated based on the number of Msg3 retransmissions.

[0197] In one implementation, the number of times the PUCCH is repeatedly transmitted is equal to the number of times the Msg3 is repeatedly transmitted divided by a set value and rounded up.

[0198] In one implementation, such as Figure 7 As shown, the network device 700 further includes:

[0199] The second transmitting unit 710 is used to transmit second indication information, which is used to instruct the terminal device to perform frequency hopping mode for repeated transmission of PUCCH.

[0200] In one embodiment, the frequency hopping method includes at least one of the following: intra-slot frequency hopping; inter-slot frequency hopping.

[0201] In one implementation, the intra-slot frequency hopping includes:

[0202] A time slot includes multiple frequency hopping units. Different frequency hopping units within the same time slot correspond to different frequency domain resources. A PUCCH is divided into multiple parts, and each part is transmitted using one frequency hopping unit within the time slot.

[0203] In one embodiment, the inter-slot frequency hopping includes:

[0204] A time slot includes a frequency hopping unit. The frequency hopping units of adjacent time slots correspond to different frequency domain resources. A PUCCH uses one frequency hopping unit of one time slot for transmission.

[0205] The network devices 600 and 700 in this application embodiment can implement the corresponding functions of the network devices in the aforementioned method 300 embodiment. The processes, functions, implementation methods, and beneficial effects of each module (sub-module, unit, or component, etc.) in the network devices 600 and 700 can be found in the corresponding descriptions in the above method embodiments, and will not be repeated here. It should be noted that the functions described for each module (sub-module, unit, or component, etc.) in the network devices 600 and 700 in this application embodiment can be implemented by different modules (sub-modules, units, or components, etc.) or by the same module (sub-module, unit, or component, etc.).

[0206] The transmission method provided in this application is a method for repeated PUCCH transmission before dedicated PUCCH resource configuration. For example, additional index values ​​and their corresponding repeated transmission counts can be added to the table of the public PUCCH resource set, or only the repeated transmission counts corresponding to existing index values ​​can be added to indicate the number of repeated PUCCH transmissions before dedicated PUCCH resource configuration. Alternatively, new system parameters can be introduced into the system messages specifically to indicate the number of repeated PUCCH transmissions before dedicated PUCCH resource configuration; furthermore, the number of repeated PUCCH transmissions can be associated with PUCCH resource indications or the number of repeated transmissions on other channels, such as Msg3 repeated transmissions.

[0207] For frequency hopping processing of repeated PUCCH transmissions before dedicated PUCCH resource configuration, only inter-slot frequency hopping or only intra-slot frequency hopping can be performed, or the base station can indicate whether to perform inter-slot or intra-slot frequency hopping through system parameters.

[0208] The following are some examples of PUCCH retransmission mechanisms and repetition count indication schemes:

[0209] Example 1: Add a repetition count indicator to the public PUCCH resource collection table.

[0210] The table of public PUCCH resource sets in related technologies is shown in Table 1. Each set of public PUCCH resources corresponds to one row in Table 1, which corresponds to one set of PUCCH format, start symbol, number of symbols, PRB offset and cyclic shift index, and only supports a single PUCCH transmission.

[0211] To enable PUCCH retransmission before configuring dedicated PUCCH resources in communication scenarios with limited coverage, such as NTN systems, it is advisable to introduce additional index values ​​into the table of the public PUCCH resource set to configure PUCCH retransmission. For example, see Table 2:

[0212] Table 2. Set of Public PUCCH Resources in NTN Scenarios

[0213]

[0214]

[0215] Taking Table 2 as an example, additional index values ​​16-18 are introduced based on the public PUCCH resource indication information, and a column is added to indicate the number of PUCCH retransmissions. At this time, index values ​​0-15 can still be used for traditional public PUCCH resource determination, without introducing PUCCH retransmission count indication information (e.g., "-" indicates an empty retransmission count) or recording the retransmission count as 1. Using Table 2 is beneficial for compatibility with traditional public PUCCH resource configuration methods. Based on the range of index values ​​configured in the system message, it can be determined whether retransmission is required. For example, if the index value range of the system message configuration is 0-15, retransmission is not required; if the index value range of the system message configuration is 16-18, retransmission is required. Where X... 16 X 17 X 18 This indicates the corresponding number of times the PUCCH is repeatedly transmitted. For example, X 16 X 17 X 18 It can be greater than 1. For example, X 16 X 17 X 18 This can be a value from the supported PUCCH repetition counts, such as one of the currently supported PUCCH repetition transmission counts, which is {2, 4, 8}, or other values. The specific values ​​for PUCCH format, start symbol, number of symbols, PRB offset, and initial CS index set corresponding to different index values ​​in Table 2, such as 16-18, are only examples and not limitations, and can be changed to other values.

[0216] For example, for traditional cells where coverage performance does not need to be improved, the base station still configures index values ​​0-15. The UE determines the public PUCCH resources based on the indicated index value and does not perform PUCCH retransmission. Newly added index values, such as 16-18, are used to support PUCCH retransmission.

[0217] The base station can configure different index values ​​to indicate the number of PUCCH retransmissions before configuring dedicated PUCCH resources to the UE, based on the current cell's coverage performance. For example, if the base station finds that the current cell's coverage performance is poor, it can configure index value 18 in Table 2 in the cell-level PUCCH parameters. After receiving the configuration information, the UE can find the number of PUCCH retransmissions as X based on index value 18. 18 =8, then each PUCCH before the dedicated PUCCH resource configuration will be transmitted 8 times repeatedly, thereby improving coverage performance.

[0218] The above scheme, based on the reuse of public PUCCH resource configuration, introduces additional resource configuration for PUCCH retransmission. At this time, the number of candidate index values ​​in the public PUCCH resource table increases. For example, in the cell-level PUCCH parameters of NTN, the candidate index value is {0,1,…,18}, that is, the number of candidate index values ​​is greater than 16.

[0219] In addition, a column can be introduced into the public PUCCH resource set table specifically to indicate the number of PUCCH retransmissions before configuring the dedicated PUCCH resource, for example:

[0220] Table 3. Set of Public PUCCH Resources in NTN Scenarios

[0221]

[0222] At this point, the number of candidate index values ​​in the public PUCCH resource set table is still 16, meaning the candidate index values ​​in the NTN's cell-level PUCCH parameters are {0, 1, ..., 15}, and each row corresponds to its respective PUCCH retransmission count. For example, index values ​​3, 7, and 11 correspond to PUCCH retransmission counts of X3, X7, or X, respectively. 11 The index value is 1, while other index values ​​correspond to a PUCCH retransmission count greater than 1. The base station can configure different index values ​​to indicate the number of PUCCH retransmissions before configuring dedicated PUCCH resources for the UE. For example, if the base station finds that the current cell coverage meets performance requirements, it can configure an index value with a PUCCH retransmission count of 1, such as index values ​​3, 7, or 11, meaning no PUCCH retransmission is needed. If the base station finds that the current cell coverage performance is poor, it can configure an index value with a PUCCH retransmission count greater than 1, such as 10 or 14, performing multiple PUCCH retransmissions, for example, 8 times. Using Table 3, the signaling overhead is the same as the traditional configuration of public PUCCH resource set index values.

[0223] Example 2: System message indicating the number of times PUCCH is repeatedly transmitted.

[0224] Example 1 modifies the public PUCCH resource set table, indicating different index values ​​to configure different PUCCH retransmission counts for the UE, without introducing additional system parameters. The PUCCH retransmission count will be bound to a specific PUCCH resource; for example, the PUCCH resource corresponding to index value 3 in Table 3 can only perform 8 PUCCH retransmissions. Example 2 can further improve configuration flexibility.

[0225] In system messages, such as the common PUCCH parameters in SIB1, a new system parameter is introduced specifically to indicate the number of PUCCH retransmissions before configuring dedicated PUCCH resources. For example, NTN-nrofSlots = {2, 4, 8} indicates that the number of PUCCH retransmissions can be selected from 2, 4, or 8. The base station can flexibly configure the number of PUCCH retransmissions and common PUCCH resources.

[0226] For example, if the index value in base station indication table 1 is 11, and the system parameters in the system message notification indicate that the number of PUCCH retransmissions is 8, then the UE can perform 8 PUCCH retransmissions on the public PUCCH resource determined based on the index value 11. By decoupling the public PUCCH resource and the number of PUCCH retransmissions, more flexible resource indication can be achieved.

[0227] Example 3: Configure the number of PUCCH retransmissions individually for each UE

[0228] Examples 1 and 2 can use cell-level system messages to indicate the number of PUCCH retransmissions, in which case all UEs within the cell have the same number of PUCCH retransmissions before dedicated PUCCH resource configuration. Although the coverage performance difference within a single cell is not significant in NTN scenarios, indicating an independent number of PUCCH retransmissions for each UE can still further improve system efficiency.

[0229] Table 1 predefines 16 sets of public PUCCH resources using index values, and each set further contains 16 PUCCH resources. For example, if the PUCCH resource index value is rPUCCH, there exists a range of values: 0 ≤ rPUCCH ≤ 15, and the formula for determining rPUCCH is as follows:

[0230]

[0231] Where NCCE is the number of CCEs in the control resource set where the DCI is located, nCCE,0 is the index value of the first CCE occupied by the DCI, and ΔPRI is the value of the PUCCH resource indicator field in the DCI, indicated by 3 bits.

[0232] In communication scenarios with limited coverage, such as NTN systems, the PUCCH resource index value rPUCCH in the PUCCH resource set can be associated with the number of times PUCCH is repeatedly transmitted.

[0233] For example, as shown in Table 4, the 3-bit PUCCH resource indication field in the DCI can simultaneously indicate the number of PUCCH retransmissions. For instance, '000' corresponds to a single PUCCH transmission, '001' corresponds to 2 retransmissions, ..., '111' corresponds to 8 PUCCH retransmissions, and so on. If the UE receives a PUCCH resource indication field value of '001', it indicates that the number of PUCCH retransmissions before dedicated PUCCH resource configuration was 2. The mapping relationship in Table 4 is only an example; other mapping relationships can also be used, such as '001' corresponding to 4 retransmissions, '011' corresponding to 6 retransmissions, etc.

[0234] Table 4. PUCCH Resource Indicator Field to PUCCH Retransmission Count Mapping

[0235] PUCCH resource indication PUCCH repeated transmission count ‘000’ 1 ‘001’ 2 ‘010’ 3 ‘011’ 4 ‘100’ 5 ‘101’ 6 ‘110’ 7 ‘111’ 8

[0236] Alternatively, different PUCCH resource index values ​​rPUCCH correspond to different numbers of PUCCH retransmissions. For example, rPUCCH=0 corresponds to a single PUCCH transmission, rPUCCH=1 corresponds to two PUCCH retransmissions, ..., rPUCCH=15 corresponds to sixteen PUCCH retransmissions.

[0237] Based on the above method, the base station can indirectly indicate the number of PUCCH retransmissions before dedicated PUCCH resource configuration to the UE by indicating different PUCCH resource index values. In this case, the base station can indicate different PUCCH retransmission counts to different UEs within the cell based on UE coverage performance, thereby improving system efficiency without introducing an additional control information field.

[0238] Example 4: Binding to the number of repetitions of Msg3

[0239] During the random access process, Msg3 is repeatedly transmitted, and the candidate number of repeated transmissions includes {1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 12, 16}. For scenarios with limited coverage, the base station selects four values ​​from the candidate number of repeated transmissions for Msg3 and indicates them to the UE through system parameters such as those in SIB1. Subsequently, the base station indicates the actual number of repeated transmissions of Msg3 to the UE through the highest two bits of the MCS information field in the RAR uplink grant (or the DCI 0_0 of the TC-RNTI scrambled CRC) of the scheduling Msg3 PUSCH.

[0240] Since PUCCH is transmitted after Msg3, it's possible to correlate the number of PUCCH retransmissions with the number of Msg3 retransmissions. For example, the number of PUCCH retransmissions before the dedicated PUCCH resource configuration can be implicitly derived from the number of Msg3 retransmissions.

[0241] If the number of retransmissions for Msg3 is M and the number of retransmissions for PUCCH is N, then these two retransmission counts can satisfy a certain multiple conversion relationship, such as... Since PUCCH generally has better coverage than Msg3, the number of times PUCCH is repeatedly transmitted can be less than the number of times Msg3 is repeatedly transmitted.

[0242] For example, when K=2, if the base station indicates that the number of repeated transmissions of Msg3 is M=8, then the UE can further deduce the number of repeated transmissions of PUCCH. Considering the possibility that M and K may not be divisible, a rounding up is introduced into the formula. For example, if the base station indicates that the number of repeated transmissions of Msg3 is M=3, the UE can deduce the number of repeated transmissions of PUCCH.

[0243] Example 5: UE performs repeated PUCCH transmission

[0244] If the UE is instructed to perform repeated PUCCH transmissions on N time slots before the dedicated PUCCH resource is configured, then the UE will repeat the PUCCH transmissions on these N time slots.

[0245] Among them, the PUCCH transmissions on these N time slots can have the same number of consecutive symbols, which is determined by the number of symbols corresponding to the public PUCCH resource set index value indicated by the base station.

[0246] Furthermore, the PUCCH transmissions on these N time slots can have the same start symbol, which is determined by the start symbol index corresponding to the public PUCCH resource set index value indicated by the base station.

[0247] In one scenario, if the UE performs inter-slot frequency hopping during repeated PUCCH transmissions, then the UE performs frequency hopping in each of the N time slots. For example, the UE transmits PUCCH starting from the first PRB in even-numbered time slots of the N time slots, and starts transmitting PUCCH starting from the second PRB in odd-numbered time slots of the N time slots. The time slot indicated by the base station for the UE for the first PUCCH transmission can be recorded as 0, and each of the N time slots is counted, regardless of whether the UE transmits PUCCH in that time slot. The indices of the first PRB and the second PRB can be determined according to the formula for determining the PRB index of common PUCCH resources in related technologies.

[0248] In another scenario, if the UE performs intra-slot frequency hopping during PUCCH retransmission, the frequency hopping pattern between the first PRB and the second PRB within each slot is identical. The indices of the first and second PRBs can be determined using the formula for determining the PRB index of public PUCCH resources in related technologies.

[0249] For a PUCCH transmission in a time slot, if the UE finds that the number of symbols available for PUCCH transmission is less than the number of symbols corresponding to the index value of the public PUCCH resource set indicated by the base station, the UE will not transmit PUCCH in that time slot.

[0250] If a UE wants to send a PUCCH in N time slots, but fails to send the PUCCH in one of the time slots due to a conflict with another PUCCH transmission, the UE will count this time slot into the N time slots.

[0251] Example 6: Frequency hopping corresponding to the introduction of PUCCH repeated transmission

[0252] In related technologies, before dedicated PUCCH resource configuration, only single PUCCH transmission is supported, and frequency hopping within time slots is performed. That is, for a PUCCH with L symbols, the number of symbols in the first frequency hopping unit is L. The symbol number of the second frequency hopping unit is Furthermore, the starting PRB indexes of the first and second frequency hopping units can be determined according to the formula for determining the PRB index of the public PUCCH resource in the relevant technology, wherein the starting PRB index of the first frequency hopping unit is RB1 and the starting PRB index of the second frequency hopping unit is RB2.

[0253] After introducing dedicated PUCCH resource configuration and handling repeated PUCCH transmissions, it is necessary to consider how to further perform frequency hopping between repeated PUCCH transmissions. An example solution is as follows:

[0254] For repeated PUCCH transmissions before dedicated PUCCH resource configuration, inter-slot frequency hopping is not performed; intra-slot frequency hopping is always performed. For example, assuming the number of PUCCH repetitions before dedicated PUCCH resource configuration is N, corresponding to N time slots, and the first PUCCH transmission time slot is defined as time slot 0, then the PUCCH transmission on each time slot will perform intra-slot frequency hopping, and the frequency hopping patterns between time slots will be the same.

[0255] Figure 8 For PUCCH repetitive transmissions, only in-slot frequency hopping is performed. Figure 8For example, if the PUCCH transmission occupies 14 symbols in each time slot, then the first frequency hopping unit corresponds to the first 7 symbols, with the starting PRB index RB1; the second frequency hopping unit corresponds to the last 7 symbols, with the starting PRB index RB2. In this case, for repeated PUCCH transmissions, the frequency hopping pattern is the same for each time slot. The UE transmits the first 7 symbols of the PUCCH in the first frequency hopping unit of time slot 0, and the last 7 symbols in the second frequency hopping unit of time slot 0. The UE transmits the first 7 symbols of the PUCCH in the first frequency hopping unit of time slot 1, and the last 7 symbols in the second frequency hopping unit of time slot 1. This continues until the number of times the UE performs PUCCH transmissions in time slot 7 equals the number of repeated PUCCH transmissions (8).

[0256] For repeated PUCCH transmissions before dedicated PUCCH resource configuration, intra-slot frequency hopping is not performed; inter-slot frequency hopping is always performed. That is, assuming the number of PUCCH repetitions before dedicated PUCCH resource configuration is N, corresponding to N time slots, and the first PUCCH transmission time slot is defined as time slot 0, then the first frequency hopping unit corresponds to an even-numbered time slot, with the starting PRB index RB1; then the second frequency hopping unit corresponds to an odd-numbered time slot, with the starting PRB index RB2.

[0257] Figure 9 For repeated PUCCH transmissions, only inter-slot frequency hopping is performed. Figure 9 For example, the PUCCH repetition count is N=8, corresponding to 8 time slots, and the first PUCCH transmission time slot is defined as time slot 0. The first frequency hopping unit corresponds to even-numbered time slots, i.e., time slots 0, 2, 4, and 6, with the starting PRB index RB1; the second frequency hopping unit corresponds to odd-numbered time slots, i.e., time slots 1, 3, 5, and 7, with the starting PRB index RB2. The UE transmits PUCCH in the first frequency hopping unit of time slot 0 and in the second frequency hopping unit of time slot 1. The UE transmits PUCCH in the first frequency hopping unit of time slot 2 and in the second frequency hopping unit of time slot 3. This continues until the number of times the UE performs PUCCH transmission in time slot 7 equals the PUCCH repetition count of 8.

[0258] Alternatively, the frequency hopping method for PUCCH repetitive transmissions before dedicated PUCCH resource configuration can be configured via system messages, such as SIB1 in system messages. For example, the candidate frequency hopping methods include {inter-slot frequency hopping, intra-slot frequency hopping}. The base station can flexibly select a frequency hopping method to configure for the UE, thereby obtaining optimal frequency hopping performance.

[0259] It should be noted that regardless of which frequency hopping method is used, the traditional intra-slot frequency hopping method can still be used when PUCCH repetition is not performed.

[0260] The PUCCH retransmission method before configuring dedicated PUCCH resources in this application includes at least one of the following features:

[0261] Add additional index values ​​and repeat transmission counts to the table of the public PUCCH resource set, or simply add the PUCCH repeat transmission counts before configuring the dedicated PUCCH resource corresponding to the index value, without introducing new system parameters.

[0262] A new system parameter is introduced into the system message, specifically to indicate the number of PUCCH retransmissions before configuring dedicated PUCCH resources, enabling more flexible PUCCH resource and retransmission count indication.

[0263] By associating the number of PUCCH retransmissions with the PUCCH resource indication or the number of retransmissions on other channels, the number of PUCCH retransmissions can be indicated individually for each UE.

[0264] For frequency hopping processing of PUCCH repetitive transmissions before dedicated PUCCH resource configuration, if only inter-slot frequency hopping or only intra-slot frequency hopping is performed, the base station and UE can have a common understanding of the frequency hopping method for PUCCH repetitive transmissions. If the base station instructs whether to perform inter-slot or intra-slot frequency hopping through system parameters, a flexible frequency hopping method can be adopted to achieve optimal performance.

[0265] The solution in this application can be applied not only to NTN systems, but also to any system that repeatedly transmits PUCCH before configuring dedicated PUCCH resources.

[0266] Figure 10 This is a schematic structural diagram of a communication device 1000 according to an embodiment of this application. The communication device 1000 includes a processor 1010, which can call and run computer programs from memory to enable the communication device 1000 to implement the methods in the embodiments of this application.

[0267] In one embodiment, the communication device 1000 may further include a memory 1020. The processor 1010 can retrieve and run computer programs from the memory 1020 to enable the communication device 1000 to implement the methods described in the embodiments of this application.

[0268] The memory 1020 can be a separate device independent of the processor 1010, or it can be integrated into the processor 1010.

[0269] In one embodiment, the communication device 1000 may further include a transceiver 1030, and the processor 1010 may control the transceiver 1030 to communicate with other devices. Specifically, it may send information or data to other devices or receive information or data sent by other devices.

[0270] The transceiver 1030 may include a transmitter and a receiver. The transceiver 1030 may further include an antenna, and the number of antennas may be one or more.

[0271] In one embodiment, the communication device 1000 may be a network device in the embodiments of this application, and the communication device 1000 may implement the corresponding processes implemented by the network device in the various methods of the embodiments of this application. For the sake of brevity, it will not be described in detail here.

[0272] In one embodiment, the communication device 1000 may be a terminal device in the embodiments of this application, and the communication device 1000 may implement the corresponding processes implemented by the terminal device in the various methods of the embodiments of this application. For the sake of brevity, it will not be described in detail here.

[0273] Figure 11 This is a schematic structural diagram of a chip 1100 according to an embodiment of this application. The chip 1100 includes a processor 1110, which can call and run computer programs from memory to implement the methods in the embodiments of this application.

[0274] In one embodiment, chip 1100 may further include memory 1120. Processor 1110 can retrieve and run computer programs from memory 1120 to implement the methods executed by a terminal device or network device in this embodiment.

[0275] The memory 1120 can be a separate device independent of the processor 1110, or it can be integrated into the processor 1110.

[0276] In one embodiment, the chip 1100 may further include an input interface 1130. The processor 1110 can control the input interface 1130 to communicate with other devices or chips; specifically, it can acquire information or data sent by other devices or chips.

[0277] In one embodiment, the chip 1100 may further include an output interface 1140. The processor 1110 can control the output interface 1140 to communicate with other devices or chips; specifically, it can output information or data to other devices or chips.

[0278] In one implementation, the chip can be applied to the network device in the embodiments of this application, and the chip can implement the corresponding processes implemented by the network device in the various methods of the embodiments of this application. For the sake of brevity, it will not be described in detail here.

[0279] In one implementation, the chip can be applied to the terminal device in the embodiments of this application, and the chip can implement the corresponding processes implemented by the terminal device in the various methods of the embodiments of this application. For the sake of brevity, it will not be described in detail here.

[0280] The chips used in network equipment and terminal equipment can be the same chip or different chips.

[0281] It should be understood that the chip mentioned in the embodiments of this application may also be referred to as a system-on-a-chip, system chip, chip system, or system-on-a-chip, etc.

[0282] The processors mentioned above can be general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), or other programmable logic devices, transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, etc. Among them, the general-purpose processors mentioned above can be microprocessors or any conventional processor.

[0283] The aforementioned memory can be volatile memory or non-volatile memory, or a combination of both. Non-volatile memory can be read-only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), or flash memory. Volatile memory can be random access memory (RAM).

[0284] It should be understood that the above-described memory is exemplary and not a limiting description. For example, the memory in the embodiments of this application may also be static random access memory (SRAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), double data rate synchronous dynamic random access memory (DDR SDRAM), enhanced synchronous dynamic random access memory (ESDRAM), synchronous link dynamic random access memory (SLDRAM), and direct memory bus RAM (DR RAM), etc. That is to say, the memory in the embodiments of this application is intended to include, but is not limited to, these and any other suitable types of memory.

[0285] Figure 12 This is a schematic block diagram of a communication system 1200 according to an embodiment of this application. The communication system 1200 includes a terminal device 1210 and a network device 1220.

[0286] Terminal device 1210 is used to obtain the number of PUCCH repeated transmissions before the dedicated PUCCH resource configuration.

[0287] In one embodiment, network device 1220 is configured to send first indication information, the first indication information being used to indicate the number of PUCCH retransmissions before dedicated PUCCH resource configuration.

[0288] The terminal device 1210 can be used to implement the corresponding functions implemented by the terminal device in the above method, and the network device 1220 can be used to implement the corresponding functions implemented by the network device in the above method. For the sake of brevity, further details are omitted here.

[0289] In the above embodiments, implementation can be achieved, in whole or in part, through software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented in software, it can be implemented, in whole or in part, as a computer program product. This computer program product includes one or more computer instructions. When these computer program instructions are loaded and 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 via wired (e.g., coaxial cable, fiber optic, Digital Subscriber Line (DSL)) or wireless (e.g., infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.) means. The computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium accessible to a computer or a data storage device such as a server or data center that integrates one or more available media. The available media can be magnetic media (e.g., floppy disks, hard disks, magnetic tapes), optical media (e.g., DVDs), or semiconductor media (e.g., solid-state drives (SSDs)).

[0290] 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.

[0291] Those skilled in the art will understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working processes of the systems, devices, and units described above can be referred to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0292] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A transmission method, comprising: a terminal device obtaining a number of PUCCH repetition transmissions before a dedicated PUCCH resource configuration; in a case where the terminal device needs to perform PUCCH repetition transmissions before the dedicated PUCCH resource configuration, performing the PUCCH repetition transmissions before the dedicated PUCCH resource configuration according to the number of PUCCH repetition transmissions; wherein a frequency hopping manner of the PUCCH repetition transmissions by the terminal device comprises at least one of intra-slot frequency hopping and inter-slot frequency hopping; if the terminal device performs the intra-slot frequency hopping during the PUCCH repetition transmissions, the terminal device has a same frequency hopping pattern between a first PRB and a second PRB in each of N slots, wherein indexes of the first PRB and the second PRB are determined according to PRB indexes corresponding to a common PUCCH resource. wherein the method further comprises: the terminal device receiving first indication information, the first indication information being used to indicate the number of PUCCH repetition transmissions; wherein the first indication information comprises a first common PUCCH resource set index value, and the terminal device obtaining the number of PUCCH repetition transmissions before the dedicated PUCCH resource configuration comprises: the terminal device determining the corresponding number of PUCCH repetition transmissions based on the first common PUCCH resource set index value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, the first indication information is carried by a system message.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein, the first indication information is carried by a DCI.

4. The method of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, the method further comprises: the terminal device receiving second indication information, the second indication information being used to indicate the frequency hopping manner of the PUCCH repetition transmissions by the terminal device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein, the intra-slot frequency hopping comprises: one slot comprises a plurality of frequency hopping units, different frequency hopping units in a same slot correspond to different frequency domain resources, and one PUCCH is divided into a plurality of parts, each part being transmitted using one frequency hopping unit in the slot. 6.A transmission method, comprising: a network device sending first indication information, the first indication information being used to indicate a number of PUCCH repetition transmissions before a dedicated PUCCH resource configuration, so that a terminal device performs the PUCCH repetition transmissions before the dedicated PUCCH resource configuration according to the number of PUCCH repetition transmissions; wherein a frequency hopping manner of the PUCCH repetition transmissions by the terminal device comprises at least one of intra-slot frequency hopping and inter-slot frequency hopping; if the terminal device performs the intra-slot frequency hopping during the PUCCH repetition transmissions, the terminal device has a same frequency hopping pattern between a first PRB and a second PRB in each of N slots, wherein indexes of the first PRB and the second PRB are determined according to PRB indexes corresponding to a common PUCCH resource. wherein the first indication information comprises a first common PUCCH resource set index value, and the first common PUCCH resource set index value has a corresponding number of PUCCH repetition transmissions.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein, the first indication information is carried by a system message.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein, The first indication information is carried by downlink control information (DCI).

9. The method of any one of claims 6-8, wherein, The method further includes: The network device sends second indication information, and the second indication information is used to indicate a frequency hopping mode of repeated transmission of the terminal device to the PUCCH.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein, The intra-slot frequency hopping includes: One time slot includes multiple frequency hopping units, different frequency hopping units in the same time slot correspond to different frequency domain resources, and one PUCCH is divided into multiple parts, and each part uses one frequency hopping unit in the time slot for transmission.

11. A terminal device comprising: A processor and a memory, the memory is used to store a computer program, and the processor is used to call and run the computer program stored in the memory, so that the terminal device executes the method in any one of claims 1 to 5.

12. A network device comprising: A processor and a memory, the memory is used to store a computer program, and the processor is used to call and run the computer program stored in the memory, so that the network device executes the method in any one of claims 6 to 10.

Images