Communication method and communication device

Abstract

The invention relates to the field of communication, and provides a communication method and a communication device. The method comprises the following steps: sending a first UAI, wherein the first UAI comprises a first preference value of a maximum value of a first parameter; a first message is received, the first message comprises a first configuration, a first parameter corresponding to the first configuration has a first numerical value, and the first numerical value is larger than the first preference value; and transmitting a second UAI, the second UAI including a second preference value of the maximum value of the first parameter, the second preference value being equal to the first preference value. The method can reduce the power consumption of the user equipment and / or avoid overheating of the user equipment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of communications, and in particular to a communication method and a communication device. Background Art

[0002] User equipment assistance information (UAI) is information indicating the preference or status of a user equipment. The user equipment may transmit the UAI to a network device via a radio resource control (RRC) message so that the network device can configure the user equipment based on the UAI.

[0003] The communication protocol places restrictions on the reporting of UAI. For example, when the UAI to be reported is different from the reported UAI, the user equipment can report the UAI to be reported. In some cases, this restriction may cause the user equipment to increase power consumption and / or overheat. How to reduce the power consumption of the user equipment and / or avoid overheating of the user equipment is a problem that needs to be solved. Summary of the invention

[0004] Embodiments of the present application provide a communication method and a communication device, which can reduce the power consumption of a user device and / or prevent the user device from overheating.

[0005] In the first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication method, the execution subject of the method may be a user device or a chip applied to a user device, and the following description is made by taking the execution subject being a user device as an example. The method includes: sending a first UAI, the first UAI including a first preference value of the maximum value of a first parameter; receiving a first message, the first message including a first configuration, the first parameter corresponding to the first configuration having a first value, the first value being greater than the first preference value; sending a second UAI, the second UAI including a second preference value of the maximum value of the first parameter, the second preference value being equal to the first preference value.

[0006] The first preference value indicates the user equipment's preference for configuration, which may be a preference value for the maximum value of the first parameter when the user equipment is in an overheated state and / or has energy-saving requirements. However, the network device may configure or reconfigure according to its own judgment. For example, when there is a downlink high-traffic service, the network device may configure wireless resources for the user equipment through the first configuration, and the first value of the first parameter corresponding to the first configuration is greater than the first preference value, which can meet the needs of the downlink high-traffic service, but will cause the user equipment to increase power consumption and / or overheat. If the user equipment needs to report UAI again for the purpose of reducing power consumption or cooling, it may not be possible to report UAI again, because the user equipment cannot repeatedly report UAI including the same content, resulting in a certain probability of failure of power consumption reduction or cooling of the user equipment. In this embodiment, after the user equipment reports the preference value for the maximum value of the first parameter, if the network device adjusts the configuration related to the first parameter, but the value of the first parameter corresponding to the adjusted configuration is still not what the user equipment wants (e.g., the first value is greater than the first preference value), then the user equipment is allowed to report its preference value for the maximum value of the first parameter again. Doing so has two advantages. On the one hand, it allows the user device to have the opportunity to again indicate its preference value for the maximum value of the first parameter (i.e., the second preference value), so that the network device can provide a configuration that satisfies the second preference value according to the second UAI, thereby reducing the power consumption of the user device and / or avoiding overheating of the user device. On the other hand, this embodiment stipulates that the user device needs to adjust the configuration related to the first parameter before reporting the preference value of the maximum value of the first parameter again. Compared with unconditionally repeating the reporting of the preference value of the maximum value of the first parameter, this embodiment can reduce the reporting frequency of the preference value of the maximum value of the first parameter, thereby avoiding excessive signaling overhead.

[0007] Optionally, before sending the first UAI, the method also includes: receiving a second message, the second message including a second configuration, and the first parameter corresponding to the second configuration has a second value; sending the second UAI, including: if the second value is different from the first value, or if the second value is less than the first value, sending the second UAI.

[0008] The network device usually configures or reconfigures the wireless resources to adapt to the wireless channel conditions or communication requirements. If the second value is different from the first value, or if the second value is less than the first value, it means that the value of the currently configured first parameter (the first value) may not meet the power consumption reduction requirement or temperature reduction requirement of the user equipment. In this case, the user equipment can report the second UAI.

[0009] Optionally, sending the second UAI includes: if the first timer is not running, sending the second UAI, where the first timer is used to prohibit the user equipment from reporting the preference value.

[0010] The user equipment can determine whether the first timer is in a running state before sending the second UAI. If the first timer is not running, it means that the user equipment has not sent UAI for a period of time, and the user equipment can send the second UAI. Therefore, this embodiment can reduce the frequency of sending UAI, thereby reducing signaling overhead.

[0011] Optionally, the method further includes: starting a first timer.

[0012] When the first timer is in the running state, the user equipment cannot report the UAI. Therefore, this embodiment can reduce the sending frequency of the UAI, thereby reducing the signaling overhead.

[0013] Optionally, the method further includes: receiving a third message, the third message including a third configuration, the first parameter corresponding to the third configuration having a third numerical value, and the third numerical value is less than or equal to the second preference value.

[0014] The second preference value in the second UAI is different from the first value corresponding to the first configuration. The network device can determine the preference value of the user device for the maximum value of the first parameter (i.e., the second preference value). The network device can provide a configuration that meets the second preference value through a third configuration, thereby reducing the power consumption of the user device and / or avoiding overheating of the user device.

[0015] Optionally, the first parameter includes: at least one of: aggregation bandwidth, the number of secondary component carriers (CCs), and the number of multiple-input multiple-output layers.

[0016] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication method, the execution subject of the method may be a user device or a chip applied to a user device, and the following description is taken as an example of the execution subject being a user device. The method includes: receiving a first message; if the first message includes a first secondary cell configuration of a first cell group, sending a first UAI, the first UAI including a preference value for the maximum number of secondary cells of the first cell group.

[0017] In the prior art, the user equipment can report UAI when the network equipment is not configured with a secondary cell. The preference value of the maximum number of secondary cells in the UAI can be 0. In this case, the network equipment will ignore the UAI or not respond. After the network equipment configures the secondary cell for the user equipment, if the user equipment needs to report UAI again for the purpose of reducing power consumption or cooling, it may not be possible to report UAI again. The reason is that the user equipment has sent UAI before configuring the secondary cell. The user equipment that has sent UAI cannot repeatedly send UAI including the same content, which leads to a certain probability of failure of power consumption or cooling of the user equipment. In fact, before the network equipment configures the secondary cell, it is not necessary for the user equipment to report the UAI including the preference value of the maximum number of secondary cells. In this embodiment, the user equipment needs to send the first UAI only when it is determined that the secondary cell has been configured. If the user equipment has a need to reduce power consumption or cooling, it can report the need through the first UAI, thereby avoiding the failure of power consumption or cooling caused by the inability to report UAI.

[0018] Optionally, sending the first UAI includes: if a preference value exists, sending the first UAI.

[0019] In some cases, the user equipment does not need to reduce power consumption or temperature, so there is no need to send UAI. Leaving the opportunity to send UAI to the case where there is a preference value can avoid power consumption or temperature reduction failure caused by failure to report UAI.

[0020] Optionally, sending the first UAI includes: if a preference value providing the maximum number of secondary cells of the first cell group is configured, and / or the UAI including the preference value of the maximum number of secondary cells of the first cell group has not been transmitted, sending the first UAI.

[0021] In this embodiment, if the first message includes the first secondary cell configuration of the first cell group, the user equipment needs to meet at least one of the above two conditions before sending the first UAI. Therefore, this embodiment can reduce the frequency of sending UAI, thereby reducing signaling overhead.

[0022] Optionally, the method further includes: receiving a second message, the second message including a second secondary cell configuration of the first cell group, the number of secondary cells configured in the second secondary cell configuration being less than or equal to the preference value.

[0023] The network device may reconfigure the secondary cell that meets the preference value through the second secondary cell configuration, thereby reducing the power consumption of the user equipment and / or preventing the user equipment from overheating.

[0024] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication method, the execution subject of the method may be a user device or a chip applied to a user device, and the following description is made by taking the execution subject being a user device as an example. The method comprises: receiving a first message, the first message comprising a first configuration, a first parameter corresponding to the first configuration having a first value; if the preference value of the maximum value of the first parameter is less than the first value, sending a first UAI, the first UAI comprising the preference value of the maximum value of the first parameter.

[0025] The network device can be configured or reconfigured according to its own judgment. For example, when there is a downlink high-traffic service, the network device will configure wireless resources for the user device through the first configuration. The first value of the first parameter corresponding to the first configuration may be greater than the preference value, which can meet the needs of the downlink high-traffic service, but it will cause the user device to increase power consumption and / or overheat. If the user device needs to report UAI for the purpose of reducing power consumption or cooling, it may not be able to report UAI. The reason is that the user device in the prior art cannot repeatedly report UAI including the same content, which causes the user device to have a certain probability of failing to reduce power consumption or cooling. In this embodiment, after the user device determines that the preference value is less than the first value, it can send the first UAI (without considering other constraints), and report its own preference value for the maximum value of the first parameter through the first UAI, so that the network device can reconfigure the wireless resources that meet the preference value according to the first UAI, thereby reducing the power consumption of the user device and / or avoiding overheating of the user device. In addition, this embodiment stipulates that the user equipment needs to report the preference value of the maximum value of the first parameter only after receiving the configuration related to the first parameter. Compared with unconditionally reporting the preference value of the maximum value of the first parameter, this embodiment can reduce the reporting frequency of the preference value of the maximum value of the first parameter and avoid excessive signaling overhead.

[0026] Optionally, sending the first UAI includes: if a preference value providing the maximum value of the first parameter of the first cell group is configured, and / or the UAI including the maximum number of preference values ​​of the first parameter of the first cell group has not been transmitted, sending the first UAI.

[0027] In this embodiment, if the preference value of the maximum value of the first parameter is less than the first value, the user equipment needs to meet at least one of the above two conditions before sending the first UAI. Therefore, this embodiment can reduce the frequency of sending UAI, thereby reducing signaling overhead.

[0028] Optionally, the method further includes: receiving a second message, the second message including a second configuration, the first parameter corresponding to the second configuration having a second value, and the second value being less than or equal to the preference value.

[0029] The network device can reconfigure the first parameter to meet the preference value through the second configuration, thereby reducing the power consumption of the user equipment and / or preventing the user equipment from overheating.

[0030] Optionally, the first parameter includes: the aggregate bandwidth or the number of multiple-input multiple-output layers of the first cell group.

[0031] In a fourth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication method, the execution subject of the method may be a network device or a chip applied to a network device, and the following description is made by taking the execution subject being a network device as an example. The method includes: receiving a first UAI, the first UAI including a first preference value of the maximum value of a first parameter; sending a first message, the first message including a first configuration, the first parameter corresponding to the first configuration having a first value, the first value being greater than the first preference value; receiving a second UAI, the second UAI including a second preference value of the maximum value of the first parameter, the second preference value being equal to the first preference value.

[0032] The first preference value indicates the user equipment's preference for configuration, which may be a preference value for the maximum value of the first parameter when the user equipment is in an overheated state and / or has energy-saving requirements. However, the network device may configure or reconfigure according to its own judgment. For example, when there is a downlink high-traffic service, the network device may configure wireless resources for the user equipment through the first configuration, and the first value of the first parameter corresponding to the first configuration is greater than the first preference value, which can meet the needs of the downlink high-traffic service, but will cause the user equipment to increase power consumption and / or overheat. If the user equipment needs to report UAI again for the purpose of reducing power consumption or cooling, it may not be possible to report UAI again, because the user equipment cannot repeatedly report UAI including the same content, resulting in a certain probability of failure of power consumption reduction or cooling of the user equipment. In this embodiment, after the user equipment reports the preference value for the maximum value of the first parameter, if the network device adjusts the configuration related to the first parameter, but the value of the first parameter corresponding to the adjusted configuration is still not what the user equipment wants (e.g., the first value is greater than the first preference value), then the user equipment is allowed to report its preference value for the maximum value of the first parameter again. Doing so has two advantages. On the one hand, it allows the user device to have the opportunity to again indicate its preference value for the maximum value of the first parameter (i.e., the second preference value), so that the network device can provide a configuration that satisfies the second preference value according to the second UAI, thereby reducing the power consumption of the user device and / or avoiding overheating of the user device. On the other hand, this embodiment stipulates that the user device needs to adjust the configuration related to the first parameter before reporting the preference value of the maximum value of the first parameter again. Compared with unconditionally repeating the reporting of the preference value of the maximum value of the first parameter, this embodiment can reduce the reporting frequency of the preference value of the maximum value of the first parameter, thereby avoiding excessive signaling overhead.

[0033] Optionally, before receiving the first UAI, the method further includes: sending a second message, the second message including a second configuration, the first parameter corresponding to the second configuration having a second value, wherein the second value is different from the first value, or the second value is smaller than the first value.

[0034] The network device usually configures or reconfigures the wireless resources to adapt to the wireless channel conditions or communication requirements. If the second value is different from the first value, or if the second value is less than the first value, it means that the value of the currently configured first parameter (the first value) may not meet the power consumption reduction requirement or temperature reduction requirement of the user equipment. In this case, the user equipment can report the second UAI.

[0035] Optionally, the difference between the time of receiving the second UAI and the time of receiving the first UAI is greater than the running time of the first timer, and the first timer is used to prohibit the user equipment from reporting the preference value.

[0036] The user equipment can determine whether the first timer is in a running state before sending the second UAI. If the first timer is not running, it means that the user equipment has not sent UAI for a period of time, and the user equipment can send the second UAI. Therefore, this embodiment can reduce the frequency of sending UAI, thereby reducing signaling overhead.

[0037] Optionally, the method further includes: sending a third message, the third message including a third configuration, the first parameter corresponding to the third configuration having a third numerical value, and the third numerical value is less than or equal to the second preference value.

[0038] The second preference value in the second UAI is different from the first value corresponding to the first configuration. The network device can determine the preference value of the user device for the maximum value of the first parameter (i.e., the second preference value). The network device can provide a configuration that meets the second preference value through a third configuration, thereby reducing the power consumption of the user device and / or avoiding overheating of the user device.

[0039] Optionally, the first parameter includes: at least one of: aggregated bandwidth, the number of secondary CCs, and the number of multiple-input multiple-output layers.

[0040] In a fifth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication device. The communication device may include a processing unit and a transceiver unit, configured to execute: any method in the first aspect and its optional implementations, or any method in the second aspect and its optional implementations, or any method in the third aspect and its optional implementations. The transceiver unit is a sending unit when executing the sending step, and is a receiving unit when executing the receiving step.

[0041] In a sixth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication device, which may be a user device or a chip applied to a user device. The communication device may include a processor for executing: any method in the above-mentioned first aspect and its optional implementation, or any method in the above-mentioned second aspect and its optional implementation, or any method in the above-mentioned third aspect and its optional implementation.

[0042] Optionally, the communication device may further include a transceiver. When the communication device is a user equipment, the transceiver may be a transceiver circuit, an antenna, etc.; when the device is a chip applied to the user equipment, the transceiver may be an input / output interface, a pin, a circuit, etc.

[0043] Optionally, the communication device may further include a memory, the memory being used to store instructions, and the processor executing the instructions stored in the memory so that the communication device performs any of the methods in the first aspect and its optional implementations, or so that the communication device performs any of the methods in the third aspect and its optional implementations, or so that the communication device performs any of the methods in the fifth aspect and its optional implementations. When the communication device is a user device, the memory may be a read-only memory, a random access memory, etc.; when the device is a chip applied to a user device, the memory may be a register, a cache, etc.

[0044] In a seventh aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication device. The communication device may include a processing unit and a transceiver unit, configured to execute: any method in the fourth aspect and its optional implementations. The transceiver unit is a sending unit when executing the sending step, and is a receiving unit when executing the receiving step.

[0045] In an eighth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a communication device, which may be a network device or a chip applied to a network device. The device may include a processor for executing: any method in the fourth aspect and its optional implementation manners.

[0046] Optionally, the communication device may further include a transceiver. When the communication device is a network device, the transceiver may be a transceiver circuit, an antenna, etc.; when the device is a chip applied to a network device, the transceiver may be an input / output interface, a pin, a circuit, etc.

[0047] Optionally, the communication device may further include a memory, the memory being used to store instructions, and the processor executing the instructions stored in the memory so that the communication device performs any one of the methods in the fourth aspect and its optional implementations. When the communication device is a network device, the memory may be a read-only memory, a random access memory, etc.; when the device is a chip applied to a network device, the memory may be a register, a cache, etc.

[0048] In the ninth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a computer-readable storage medium, which stores a computer program. When the computer program is executed on a computer, the computer executes any method in the first aspect and its optional embodiments, or the computer executes any method in the second aspect and its optional embodiments, or the computer executes any method in the third aspect and its optional embodiments.

[0049] In the tenth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a computer-readable storage medium, which stores a computer program. When the computer program is executed on a computer, the computer executes any method in the fourth aspect and its optional embodiments.

[0050] In the eleventh aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a computer program product, which includes: a computer program code or a computer program instruction. When the computer program code or the computer program instruction is executed by a communication device, the communication device executes any one of the methods in the first aspect and its optional embodiments, or the communication device executes any one of the methods in the third aspect and its optional embodiments.

[0051] In the twelfth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a computer program product, which includes: a computer program code or a computer program instruction. When the computer program code or the computer program instruction is executed by a communication device, the communication device executes any one of the methods in the fourth aspect and its optional embodiments. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0052] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a communication system suitable for the present application;

[0053] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a protocol stack suitable for the present application;

[0054] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a process for reporting auxiliary information applicable to this application;

[0055] Figure 4It is a schematic diagram of a process for reducing the number of CCs in an energy-saving scenario applicable to the present application;

[0056] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of a communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0057] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0058] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0059] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0060] Fig. 9 is a schematic diagram of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0061] Fig.10 is a schematic diagram of another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0062] Fig.11 is a schematic diagram of a communication device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0063] Fig.12 is a schematic diagram of another communication device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0064] Fig.13 is a schematic diagram of another communication device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0065] Fig.14 is a schematic diagram of another communication device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0066] Fig.15 is a schematic diagram of a user equipment provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0067] Fig.16 It is a schematic diagram of a network device provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0068] The technical solution in this application will be described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0069] Figure 1 The present invention is a schematic diagram of a communication system applicable to the present application. The communication system includes a user equipment 110, an access network 120, a core network 130 and a data network 140. The following describes each part of the communication system.

[0070] 1. User equipment 110.

[0071] In the embodiment of the present application, the user equipment 110 may be a device that provides voice and / or data to the user, for example, a handheld device with a wireless connection function, a vehicle-mounted device, etc. The user equipment 110 may be referred to as a terminal device, sometimes also referred to as a terminal, an access station, a UE station, a remote station, a wireless communication device, or a user device.

[0072] For example, the user device 110 may be a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a computer with wireless transceiver function, a virtual reality (VR) terminal, an augmented reality (AR) terminal, a wireless terminal in industrial control, a whole vehicle, a wireless communication module in the whole vehicle, a telematics box (T-box), a road side unit (RSU), a wireless terminal in unmanned driving, a smart speaker in the Internet of Things (IoT), a wireless user device in remote medical, a wireless user device in a smart grid, a wireless user device in transportation safety, a wireless user device in a smart city, or a wireless user device in a smart home, and the embodiments of the present application are not limited to this.

[0073] As an example but not limitation, in the embodiment of the present application, the user device 110 may also be a wearable device. Wearable devices may also be referred to as wearable smart devices, which are a general term for wearable devices that are intelligently designed and developed using wearable technology for daily wear, such as glasses, gloves, watches, clothing, and shoes. A wearable device is a portable device that is worn directly on the body or integrated into the user's clothes or accessories. Wearable devices are not only hardware devices, but also powerful functions achieved through software support, data interaction, and cloud interaction. Broadly speaking, wearable smart devices include electronic devices that are fully functional, large in size, and can achieve full or partial functions without relying on smartphones, such as smart watches or smart glasses, or electronic devices that only focus on a certain type of application function and need to be used in conjunction with other devices such as smartphones, such as various types of smart bracelets and smart jewelry for measuring vital signs.

[0074] The user equipment 110 may also be a vehicle-to-everything (V2X) device, such as a smart car (or intelligent car), a digital car, an unmanned car (or driverless car, or pilotless car or automobile), a self-driving car or autonomous car, a pure electric vehicle (or battery EV), a hybrid electric vehicle (or HEV), a range extended EV (or REEV), a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (or PHEV), or a new energy vehicle. The various user equipments introduced above, if located on a vehicle (e.g., placed in or installed in a vehicle), may be considered as vehicle-mounted user equipment, which may also be referred to as an on-board unit (or OBU).

[0075] The user device 110 of the present application may also be a vehicle-mounted module, a vehicle-mounted module, a vehicle-mounted component, a vehicle-mounted chip or a vehicle-mounted unit built into the vehicle as one or more components or units. The vehicle may implement the method of the present application through the built-in vehicle-mounted module, vehicle-mounted module, vehicle-mounted component, vehicle-mounted chip or vehicle-mounted unit.

[0076] In addition, in the embodiment of the present application, the user equipment 110 may also be a device in a future-evolved public land mobile communication network (PLMN). For example, the user equipment 110 may be a sixth generation mobile communication (6 th The embodiment of the present application does not limit the specific type of the user equipment 110.

[0077] 2. Access network 120.

[0078] The access network 120 is a network device that provides wireless communication functions for user equipment and is responsible for functions related to the air interface (abbreviated as "air interface"). For example, the access network 120 can provide wireless link maintenance functions, protocol conversion functions between wireless link data and Internet Protocol (IP) data, wireless resource management functions, mobility management functions, etc., wherein the wireless resource management functions include the establishment and release of wireless links, and the scheduling and allocation of wireless resources, and the mobility management functions include configuring user equipment for measurement, evaluating wireless link quality, and deciding on the switching of user equipment between cells, etc.

[0079] As an optional example, the access network 120 can be one of the following devices: a macro base station in a universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) or a long term evolution (LTE) network, a micro base station in a heterogeneous network (HetNet), a base band unit (BBU) and a remote radio unit (RRU) in a distributed base station scenario, a BBU pool (BBUpool) and RRU in a cloud radio access network (CRAN) scenario, and a next generation node B (gNB). The access network 120 can also be a relay station, an access point, a vehicle-mounted device, a wearable device, or a network device in a future PLMN that assumes the function of a base station.

[0080] As an optional example, the access network 120 may be a centralized unit (CU), a distributed unit (DU), a radio access network (RAN) device including a CU and a DU, or a RAN device including a CU, a DU, and an active antenna unit (AAU).

[0081] The access network 120 may also be a base station corresponding to a small cell, where the small cell may include: a metro cell, a micro cell, a pico cell or a femtocell. The embodiment of the present application does not limit the specific type of the access network 120.

[0082] 3. Core network 130.

[0083] The core network 130 is a network device that provides functions such as user connection, user management, and service bearing, and can connect call requests or data requests on the air interface to different external networks.

[0084] For example, user connection includes functions such as mobility management (MM), connection management (CM), switching / routing, and recorded notification. User management includes user description, quality of service (QoS), authentication, authorization, and accounting. Service bearer includes connecting the wireless access network to external networks such as the public switched telephone network (PSTN), packet switching networks, and the Internet. The core network 130 can also provide services such as paging, location-based services, and telemetry.

[0085] As an optional example, the core network 130 may include functional units such as access and mobility management function (AMF), session management function (SMF), policy control function (PCF), and user plane function (UPF). These functional units can work independently or be combined to implement certain control functions. For example, AMF, SMF, and PCF can be combined as a management device to implement access control and mobility management functions such as access authentication, security encryption, and location registration of user equipment, session management functions such as establishment, release, and change of user plane transmission paths, and policy control functions such as network slice status analysis and traffic management. UPF mainly completes functions such as routing and forwarding of user plane data, such as filtering data packets of user equipment, data transmission or forwarding, rate control, and generation of billing information.

[0086] It should be noted that the core network 130 is a service-based architecture and supports the separation of the control plane and the user plane. The service-based architecture is to build the core network in a software-based, modular and service-based manner. The separation of the control plane and the user plane frees the user plane function from the constraints of centralization, so that it can be flexibly deployed in the core network or in the access network.

[0087] 4. Data network 140.

[0088] The data network 140 can provide business services for users. For example, the data network 140 can be a PSTN, a packet switching network, or the Internet.

[0089] It should be understood that the above-mentioned communication system and network architecture are exemplary illustrations and do not constitute a limitation on the embodiments of the present application. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that with the evolution of the network architecture and the emergence of new business scenarios, the embodiments of the present application are also applicable to similar problems.

[0090] The following describes a protocol stack applicable to this application.

[0091] The control plane protocol stack of the communication system is as follows: Figure 2 The control plane protocol stack can be divided into two categories, one is the non-access stratum (NAS), and the other is the access layer, wherein the access layer can be divided into the RRC layer, the packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) layer, the radio link control (RLC) layer, the medium access control (MAC) layer and the physical (PHY) layer.

[0092] The protocol stack of the user equipment 110 includes an access layer and a non-access layer, the protocol stack of the access network 120 includes an access layer, and the protocol stack of the core network 130 (eg, AMF) includes a non-access layer.

[0093] The following describes the workflow of the control plane protocol stack using uplink transmission as an example.

[0094] (1) The main functions of NAS include session management, user management, security management and billing. The control plane data related to these functions is generated in NAS. The control plane data generated in NAS is packaged into NAS protocol data units (PDUs) and transmitted to the RRC layer.

[0095] (2) The main functions of the RRC layer include system messages, admission control, security management, measurement and reporting, as well as switching and mobility. The control plane data related to these functions is generated in NAS. The RRC layer is also responsible for the radio resource management of NAS message transmission. After the NAS PDU reaches the RRC layer, it is processed as an RRC service data unit (SDU) to generate an RRC PDU. The control plane data generated by the RRC layer (such as RRC reconfiguration messages) will also be packaged into RRC PDUs.

[0096] (3) The main functions of the PDCP layer include transmitting user plane and control plane data, maintaining PDCP sequence numbers, routing and repetition, encryption / decryption and integrity protection, reordering, supporting out-of-order delivery, and duplicate discard. After the RRC PDU reaches the PDCP layer, it is processed as a PDCP SDU to generate a PDCP PDU.

[0097] (4) The main functions of the RLC layer include error detection and correction, segmentation and reassembly, re-segmentation, and duplicate packet detection. After the PDCP PDU reaches the RLC layer, it is processed as an RLC SDU to generate an RLC PDU.

[0098] (5) The main functions of the MAC layer include mapping between logical channels and transport channels, multiplexing / demultiplexing, scheduling, hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ), and logical channel priority setting. After the RLC PDU reaches the MAC layer, it is processed as a MAC SDU to generate a MAC sub-PDU. Multiple MAC sub-PDUs are cascaded to generate a MAC PDU.

[0099] (6) The main functions of the PHY layer include coding, modulation, and multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO). After the MAC PDU reaches the PHY layer, it is sent out on the corresponding time-frequency resources.

[0100] As can be seen from the above, data transmitted between the same protocol layers can be called SDU, and data transmitted between adjacent protocol layers can be called PDU. For a certain protocol layer, the data it processes can be called SDU, and the data it outputs can be called PDU.

[0101] For example, the data processed by the RRC layer of the user equipment 110 is RRC SDU. The RRC layer adds protocol control information (PCI) to the RRC SDU and encapsulates it into an RRC PDU. The RRC PDU is processed by the PDCP layer, the RLC layer, the MAC layer, and the PHY layer and then transmitted to the access network 120 via a wireless signal. The information carried by the wireless signal reaching the access network 120 is processed by the PHY layer, the MAC layer, the RLC layer, and the PDCP layer in sequence and reaches the RRC layer in the form of an RRC PDU. The RRC layer decapsulates the RRC PDU, removes the PCI, and restores the RRC SDU.

[0102] If the data volume of an SDU is large, the user equipment 110 can divide the SDU into multiple segments, encapsulate them into multiple PDUs and send them out, and the access network 120 decapsulates the multiple PDUs and reassembles them into SDUs. If the data volume of multiple SDUs is small, the user equipment 110 can splice the multiple SDUs together, encapsulate them into one PDU and send them out, and the access network 120 decapsulates the PDU and separates the multiple SDUs.

[0103] The embodiment of the present application mainly relates to the RRC layer, which is mainly used to manage air interface resources. If the air interface resources change and the user equipment 110 is in the RRC connected state, the access network 120 can manage the air interface resources through a reconfiguration process. In the reconfiguration process, the access network 120 can configure the user equipment 110 to report auxiliary information through an RRC reconfiguration message.

[0104] The process of the access network 120 configuring the user equipment 110 to report auxiliary information is as follows: Figure 3 shown.

[0105] S310 , the user equipment 110 sends capability information to the access network 120 .

[0106] The capability information may be information sent by the user equipment 110 in response to a request from the access network 120, and is used to report the capability of the user equipment 110, and is usually sent before the RRC reconfiguration message to help the access network 120 provide the user equipment 110 with a configuration that does not exceed the capability of the user equipment 110. Optionally, the user equipment 110 may indicate the type of UAI that it supports reporting in the capability information.

[0107] S320 , the access network 120 sends an RRC reconfiguration message to the user equipment 110 .

[0108] RRC reconfiguration is an important step in establishing a wireless connection between a user equipment and a network device. Through the RRC reconfiguration message, the network device can: modify the RRC connection, perform synchronization reconfiguration, set, modify or release measurements, add, modify or release conditional handover configuration, add, modify or release secondary cells and cell groups, etc.

[0109] The RRC reconfiguration message may include an other configuration (otherConfig) field, which may be used by the network device to configure the user equipment to report UAI.

[0110] The following example illustrates the configuration of UAI in otherConfig.

[0111] 1. If the otherConfig received by the user equipment 110 includes the maxBW-PreferenceConfig, and if the maxBW-PreferenceConfig is set to setup, the user equipment 110 may consider itself to be configured to provide its preference on the maximum aggregated bandwidth for powersaving for the cell group.

[0112] If otherConfig received by the user equipment 110 includes maxBW-PreferenceConfig, and if maxBW-PreferenceConfig is set to setup, and if otherConfig includes maxBW-PreferenceConfigFR2-2, the user equipment 110 may consider itself to be configured to provide its preference on the maximum aggregated bandwidth for FR2-2 for power saving for the cell group.

[0113] 2. If the otherConfig received by the user equipment 110 includes maxCC-PreferenceConfig, and if maxCC-PreferenceConfig is set to setup, the user equipment 110 may consider itself to be configured to provide its preference on the maximum number of secondary component carriers for power saving for the cell group.

[0114] 3. If the otherConfig received by the user equipment 110 includes maxMIMO-LayerPreferenceConfig, and if maxMIMO-LayerPreferenceConfig is set to setup, the user equipment 110 may consider itself to be configured to provide its preference on the maximum number of MIMO layers for power saving for the cell group.

[0115] If otherConfig received by the user equipment 110 includes maxMIMO-LayerPreferenceConfig, and if maxMIMO-LayerPreferenceConfig is set to setup, and if otherConfig includes maxMIMO-LayerPreferenceConfigFR2-2, the user equipment 110 may consider itself to be configured to provide its preference on the maximum number of MIMO layers for FR2-2 for power saving for the cell group.

[0116] S330 , the user equipment 110 sends the UAI to the access network 120 .

[0117] The user equipment can send UAI in the following scenarios:

[0118] The user equipment is experiencing overheating; or, for the purpose of energy saving, the user equipment selects: a determined discontinuous reception (DRX) parameter value, and / or, a reduced maximum number of CCs, and / or, a reduced maximum aggregate bandwidth, and / or, a reduced maximum number of MIMO layers, and / or, minimum scheduling offsets K0 and K2.

[0119] Exemplarily, for energy-saving scenarios, the parameters of preference values ​​supported by the user equipment in the UAI may include but are not limited to: DRX parameters, maximum aggregate bandwidth, maximum number of CCs, maximum number of multi-MIMO layers, and minimum scheduling offset.

[0120] Exemplarily, DRX parameters may include DRX cycle, on duration, etc. The maximum aggregate bandwidth may refer to the maximum aggregate bandwidth on all uplink carriers and all downlink carriers. The maximum number of CCs may also be referred to as the maximum number of carriers, which may refer to the maximum number of secondary cells (SCells) for downlink or uplink. The maximum number of MIMO layers may also be referred to as the maximum number of MIMO streams or the maximum number of MIMO transmission layers. The minimum scheduling offset may refer to the minimum scheduling offset for cross-slot scheduling.

[0121] In addition, the UAI may also indicate a preference value of at least one of the following parameters, or carry information on relevant characteristics corresponding to at least one of the following parameters: uplink (UL) frequency range 2 (FR2) gap, multi-universal subscriber identity module (MUSIM) gap, radio link monitoring (RLM) relaxation state, beam failure detection (BFD) relaxation state, secondary cell group (SCG) deactivation request, radio resource control (RRC) connection release request, radio resource management (RRM) measurement relaxation (MeasurementRelaxation) criterion satisfaction, propagation delay difference information (PropDelayDiffReport) of the service link (service link) between the serving cell and the neighboring cell, and in-device coexistence (IDC) information.

[0122] The embodiments of the present application mainly focus on the preference for the maximum number of CCs, the maximum aggregate bandwidth, and the maximum number of MIMO layers.

[0123] 1. Maximum aggregate bandwidth preference: indicates the maximum aggregate bandwidth preferred by the user equipment. In energy-saving scenarios, the maximum value reported by the user equipment is equal to the activated bandwidth. Examples of maximum bandwidth preferences are reducedBW-FR1, reducedBW-FR2, and reducedBW-FR2-2, where reducedBW-FR1 is used for frequency range (FR) 1, and reducedBW-FR2 and reducedBW-FR2-2 are used for FR2.

[0124] Taking reducedBW-FR1 as an example, the main functions of this parameter are as follows:

[0125] Indicates the UE's preference for a reduced aggregate bandwidth configuration corresponding to the maximum aggregate bandwidth on all downlink carriers and all uplink carriers in FR1 to address overheating or power saving issues. Reporting of this field is allowed only if the UE is configured with a serving cell operating in FR1. The aggregate bandwidth on all downlink carriers of FR1 is the sum of the bandwidths of the activated downlink part bandwidths (BWP) on all activated downlink carriers of FR1. The aggregate bandwidth across all uplink carriers in FR1 is the sum of the bandwidths of the activated uplink BWPs across all activated uplink carriers in FR1. If this field (reducedBW-FR1) is not present in the MaxBW-Preference information element (IE) or the OverheatingAssistance IE, it is interpreted as the UE has no preference on the maximum aggregate bandwidth for FR1.

[0126] When used to solve the overheating problem, the maximum aggregate bandwidth includes the carriers of FR1 of both the new radio (NR) master cell group (MCG) and the secondary cell group (SCG). The maximum aggregate bandwidth only includes the carriers of FR1 of the SCG in (NG) E-UTRAN and NR dual connectivity (E-UTRAN new radio dual connectivity, EN-DC). Among them, E-UTRAN is the abbreviation of evolved UMTSterrestrial radio access network, and UMTS is the abbreviation of universal mobile telecommunications system. When used to solve the overheating problem, the parameter (reducedBW-FR1) does not use the value mhz0.

[0127] When used to solve the energy saving problem, the parameter (reducedBW-FR1) includes the carrier of FR1 of the cell group associated with the UE auxiliary information. When used to solve the energy saving problem, the maximum value of the parameter (reducedBW-FR1) can only range up to the current activation configuration. The current activation configuration can be, for example, the bandwidth sum of the uplink BWP or downlink BWP activated on the carrier of the current uplink or downlink.

[0128] 2. Maximum CC number preference: indicates the number of cells preferred by the user equipment other than the primary cell. In the energy-saving scenario, the maximum value of this parameter that the user equipment can report is equal to the number of activated cells other than the primary cell. The maximum CC number preference is, for example, reducedCCsDL and reducedCCsUL, where reducedCCsDL is the number of downlink secondary cells and reducedCCsUL is the number of uplink secondary cells.

[0129] The main features of reducedCCsDL are as follows:

[0130] Indicates the user equipment's preference for a configuration that reduces the maximum number of downlink secondary cells (SCells) to address overheating or power saving issues.

[0131] When used to solve the overheating problem, the maximum number includes the SCell of the NR MCG and the primary secondary cell (PSCell) or SCell of the SCG. The maximum number only includes the PSCell or SCell of the SCG in the (NG) EN-DC.

[0132] When used to solve energy saving problems, the maximum number includes the PSCell or SCell of the cell group associated with the UAI. When used to solve energy saving problems, the maximum value of the parameter (reducedCCsDL) can only range up to the current activation configuration. The current activation configuration can be, for example, the number of secondary cells activated on the current downlink.

[0133] The main functions of reducedCCsUL are as follows:

[0134] Indicates the user equipment's preference for reducing the maximum number of uplink SCells to resolve overheating or power saving issues.

[0135] When used to solve the overheating problem, the maximum number includes the SCell of the NR MCG and the PSCell or SCell of the SCG. The maximum number only includes the PSCell or SCell of the SCG in the (NG) EN-DC.

[0136] When used to solve energy saving problems, the maximum number includes the PSCell or SCell of the cell group associated with the UAI. When used to solve energy saving problems, the maximum value of the parameter (reducedCCsUL) can only range up to the current activation configuration. The current activation configuration can be, for example, the number of secondary cells activated on the current uplink.

[0137] 3. Maximum MIMO layer preference: indicates the MIMO layer number preferred by the user equipment. In energy-saving scenarios, the maximum value of this parameter that the user equipment can report is equal to the currently activated MIMO layer number. The preference for the maximum number of MIMO layers is, for example, reducedMIMO-LayersFR1-DL, reducedMIMO-LayersFR1-UL, reducedMIMO-LayersFR2-DL, reducedMIMO-LayersFR2-UL, reducedMIMO-LayersFR2-2-DL and reducedMIMO-LayersFR2-2-UL, where reducedMIMO-LayersFR1-DL is used for the downlink of FR1, reducedMIMO-LayersFR1-UL is used for the uplink of FR1, reducedMIMO-LayersFR2-DL and reducedMIMO-LayersFR2-2-DL are used for the downlink of FR2, and reducedMIMO-LayersFR2-UL and reducedMIMO-LayersFR2-2-UL are used for the uplink of FR2.

[0138] The main functions of reducedMIMO-LayersFR1-DL are as follows:

[0139] Indicates the user equipment's preference for reducing the number of downlink MIMO layers configured, which corresponds to the maximum number of downlink MIMO layers for the serving cell on FR1 to solve overheating or energy saving problems. This field is only allowed to be reported when the user equipment is configured with a serving cell on FR1. When used to solve energy saving problems, the maximum number of downlink MIMO layers can only range up to the maximum number of MIMO layers configured on all activated downlink carriers in FR1 in the cell group.

[0140] The main functions of reducedMIMO-LayersFR1-UL are as follows:

[0141] Indicates the user equipment's preference for reducing the number of uplink MIMO layers configured, which corresponds to the maximum number of uplink MIMO layers for the serving cell on FR1 to solve overheating or energy saving problems. This field is only allowed to be reported when the user equipment is configured with a serving cell on FR1. When used to solve energy saving problems, the maximum number of uplink MIMO layers can only range up to the maximum number of MIMO layers configured on all activated uplink carriers of FR1 in the cell group.

[0142] S340, the access network 120 updates the current configuration.

[0143] The access network 120 may update the network configuration according to the UAI, but whether to accept the request in the UAI depends on the access network 120 .

[0144] S350 , the access network 120 sends an RRC reconfiguration message to the user equipment 110 .

[0145] The RRC reconfiguration message is used to reconfigure the user equipment 110. If the RRC reconfiguration is successful, the user equipment 110 may perform the following steps.

[0146] S360 , the user equipment 110 sends an RRC reconfiguration completion message to the access network 120 .

[0147] The RRC reconfiguration complete message indicates that the RRC reconfiguration is successful.

[0148] Subject to the constraints of the protocol, the user equipment 110 needs to meet one of the following two conditions when reporting UAI:

[0149] Condition 1: UAI has not been transmitted yet;

[0150] Condition 2: The UAI transmitted this time is different from the UAI transmitted last time, and / or the timer associated with the UAI is not running.

[0151] If the user equipment 110 is configured to provide its preference for the maximum aggregate bandwidth of a cell group for energy saving, the user equipment 110 may send the UAI including the preference for the maximum aggregate bandwidth when one of the following two conditions is met:

[0152] Condition 1.1: If the user equipment 110 has a preference for the maximum aggregate bandwidth of the cell group, and since the user equipment 110 is configured to provide its preference for the maximum aggregate bandwidth of the cell group to facilitate energy saving, the user equipment 110 has not yet transmitted the UAI of the cell group including maxBW-Preference and / or maxBW-PreferenceFR2-2.

[0153] Condition 2.1: If the current maxBW-Preference information of the cell group is different from the content indicated by the last transmitted UAI of the cell group including maxBW-Preference and / or maxBW-PreferenceFR2-2, and the timer T346b associated with the cell group is not running.

[0154] Then the user equipment 110 may execute:

[0155] Start timer T346b and set the time value to maxBW-PreferenceProhibitTimer of the cell group; to provide the current maxBW-Preference and / or maxBW-PreferenceFR2-2.

[0156] If the user equipment 110 is configured to provide its preference for the maximum number of secondary CCs of a cell group for energy saving, the user equipment 110 may send a UAI including a maxCC-Preference when one of the following two conditions is met:

[0157] Condition 1.2: If the user equipment 110 has a preference for the maximum number of secondary CCs for the cell group, and since the user equipment 110 is configured to provide its preference for the maximum number of secondary CCs for the cell group for energy saving, the user equipment 110 has not transmitted the UAI including the maxCC-Preference for the cell group.

[0158] Condition 2.2: If the current maxCC-Preference information of the cell group is different from the content of the UAI indication including maxCC-Preference of the cell group transmitted last time, and the timer T346c associated with the cell group is not running.

[0159] Then the user equipment 110 may execute:

[0160] Start timer T346c and set the time value to the maxCC-PreferenceProhibitTimer of the cell group to provide the current maxCC-Preference.

[0161] If the user equipment 110 is configured to provide its preference for the maximum number of MIMO layers of a cell group for energy saving, the user equipment 110 may send a UAI including the preference for the maximum aggregate bandwidth when one of the following two conditions is met:

[0162] Condition 1.3: If the user equipment 110 has a preference for the maximum number of MIMO layers for the cell group, and since the user equipment 110 is configured to provide its preference for the maximum number of MIMO layers for the cell group to facilitate energy saving, the user equipment 110 has not yet transmitted the UAI for the cell group including maxMIMO-LayerPreference and / or maxMIMO-LayerPreferenceFR2-2.

[0163] Condition 2.3: If the current maxMIMO-LayerPreference information of the cell group is different from the content of the UAI indication including maxMIMO-LayerPreference and / or maxMIMO-LayerPreferenceFR2-2 of the cell group transmitted last time, and the timer T346d associated with the cell group is not running.

[0164] Then the user equipment 110 may execute:

[0165] Start timer T346d and set the time value to maxMIMO-LayerPreferenceProhibitTimer of the cell group; to provide the current maxMIMO-LayerPreference and / or maxMIMO-LayerPreferenceFR2-2.

[0166] As can be seen from the above, the protocol constrains the reporting frequency of UAI and also constrains that UAIs with the same content cannot be reported. However, the protocol constraints will cause energy saving or cooling failure. The following uses CC reduction in energy saving scenarios as an example to illustrate this problem.

[0167] like Figure 4 As shown, the process of reducing the number of CCs in energy-saving scenarios includes the following steps.

[0168] S410 , the access network 120 sends an RRC reconfiguration message to the user equipment 110 .

[0169] The RRC reconfiguration message includes configuration parameters of a single CC, and is used to configure the single CC for the user equipment 110. The single CC configured by the RRC reconfiguration message is a currently activated configuration.

[0170] In various embodiments of the present application, a single CC may be a primary CC (PCC), and multiple CCs mentioned below may be a primary CC and one or more secondary CCs (SCCs).

[0171] S420: The user equipment 110 determines that there is a single CC requirement.

[0172] The user equipment 110 may determine that there is a need for a single CC based on the need to reduce the number of CCs in an energy-saving scenario and the constraints of the protocol. The constraints of the protocol refer to: the maximum number of SCells can only range up to the currently activated configuration.

[0173] Since the user equipment 110 is configured to provide its preference for the maximum number of secondary CCs for the cell group, the user equipment 110 has not transmitted UAI including maxCC-Preference for the cell group. According to the protocol, the user equipment 110 may send UAI including maxCC-Preference.

[0174] S430 , the user equipment 110 sends the UAI to the access network 120 .

[0175] The UAI includes a maxCC-Preference, which is used to indicate a single CC requirement of the user equipment 110 .

[0176] S440: The access network 120 determines that there is no need to respond to the single CC requirement.

[0177] Since the access network 120 has previously configured a single CC through an RRC reconfiguration message, which is the same as the single CC requirement indicated by the UAI, the access network 120 may ignore the single CC requirement.

[0178] S450 , the access network 120 sends an RRC reconfiguration message to the user equipment 110 .

[0179] If the access network 120 processes a downlink high-volume service, the access network 120 may configure multiple CCs for the user equipment 110. The access network 120 may send configuration parameters of multiple CCs to the user equipment 110 via an RRC reconfiguration message for configuring one or more secondary CCs.

[0180] S460: The user equipment 110 determines that there is a single CC requirement.

[0181] If the user starts the energy-saving mode, the user equipment 110 determines that there is a single CC requirement. At this time, the access network 120 is configured with multiple CCs, which does not meet the requirements of the energy-saving mode, and the user equipment 110 needs to transmit the single CC requirement to the access network 120 through the UAI. However, the user equipment 110 has already sent the UAI indicating the single CC requirement. According to the protocol, the user equipment 110 cannot send the UAI indicating the single CC requirement again, which increases the power consumption of the user equipment 110.

[0182] One approach to solving the problem is that after receiving the UAI, the access network 120 must record the energy-saving requirements in the UAI and always meet the requirements, regardless of whether it responds immediately or not.

[0183] However, the access network 120 can process the UAI according to its own implementation, and it is impossible to forcibly limit the access network 120 to meet the requirements of the UAI.

[0184] Another approach to solving the problem is: if the resources configured by the access network 120 do not meet the energy-saving requirements, then report the UAI.

[0185] However, this idea may still lead to increased power consumption. For example, if the user equipment 110 immediately reports the UAI indicating the single CC demand after generating the single CC demand, the access network 120 may no longer configure multiple CCs; if the user equipment 110 delays reporting the UAI indicating the single CC demand after generating the single CC demand, the access network 120 will think that the user equipment 110 has no preference on the number of secondary CCs, and may configure multiple CCs for the user equipment 110. The user equipment 110 will experience the process of single CC→multiple CC→single CC, which will lead to increased power consumption.

[0186] The following takes the user equipment 110 and the access network 120 as an example to introduce the communication method for solving the above-mentioned problems provided by the embodiment of the present application.

[0187] like Figure 5 As shown, method 500 includes the following contents.

[0188] S510: The user equipment 110 sends a first UAI, where the first UAI includes a first preference value of a maximum value of a first parameter.

[0189] Accordingly, the access network 120 receives the first UAI.

[0190] The user equipment 110 may send the first UAI after receiving the RRC reconfiguration message including the other configuration (otherConfig) field, wherein the other configuration (otherConfig) field may be used to configure the user equipment 110 to report the UAI. The user equipment 110 may also send the first UAI when there is a first preference value. The embodiment of the present application does not limit the prerequisite for the user equipment 110 to send the first UAI.

[0191] The first parameter may be a parameter related to energy saving or overheating. For example, the first parameter includes at least one of an aggregated bandwidth, a number of secondary CCs, and a number of MIMO layers.

[0192] In various embodiments of the present application, the secondary CC may also be referred to as a secondary cell, and the two may be interchangeable, and for the sake of brevity, they will not be described in detail later.

[0193] When the first parameter includes the aggregate bandwidth, the first preference value may include: maxBW-Preference and / or maxBW-PreferenceFR2-2; when the first parameter includes the number of secondary CCs, the first preference value may include: maxCC-Preference; when the first parameter includes the number of MIMO layers, the first preference value may include: maxMIMO-LayerPreference and / or maxMIMO-LayerPreferenceFR2-2.

[0194] The embodiment of the present application does not limit the specific content of the first parameter and the first preference value.

[0195] The first preference value indicates the preference of the user equipment 110 for the configuration, and may be a desire for a maximum value of the first parameter when the user equipment 110 is in an overheated state and / or has a need for energy saving.

[0196] After receiving the first preference value, the access network 120 may configure the user equipment 110 according to the first preference value, or may not configure the user equipment 110 according to the first preference value. For example, when there is a downlink high-traffic service, the access network 120 may configure wireless resources for the terminal device through the first configuration, and the first value of the first parameter corresponding to the first configuration is greater than the first preference value.

[0197] S520, the user equipment 110 receives a first message, the first message includes a first configuration, a first parameter corresponding to the first configuration has a first value, and the first value is greater than a first preference value.

[0198] Accordingly, the access network 120 sends a first message.

[0199] The first message may be an RRC reconfiguration message (RRC reconfiguration), and the embodiment of the present application does not limit the specific form of the first message.

[0200] The first configuration may be an aggregate bandwidth, a secondary CC, or a MIMO related configuration.

[0201] S530: The user equipment 110 sends a second UAI, where the second UAI includes a second preference value of the maximum value of the first parameter, and the second preference value is equal to the first preference value.

[0202] Accordingly, the access network 120 receives the second UAI.

[0203] The user equipment 110 reports the same preference value so that the access network 120 knows that the user equipment 110 needs to configure the second preference value (or the first preference value). The access network 120 can subsequently configure the aggregated bandwidth, the number of secondary CCs or the number of MIMO layers that meet the second preference value for the user equipment 110.

[0204] In the prior art, if the user equipment needs to report UAI again for the purpose of reducing power consumption or cooling, it may not be possible to report UAI again because the user equipment cannot repeatedly report UAI including the same content, which causes the user equipment to fail to reduce power consumption or cooling with a certain probability. In this embodiment, after the user equipment 110 reports the preference value for the maximum value of the first parameter, if the access network 120 adjusts the configuration related to the first parameter, but the value of the first parameter corresponding to the adjusted configuration is still not what the user equipment 110 wants (e.g., the first value is greater than the first preference value), then the user equipment 110 is allowed to report its preference value for the maximum value of the first parameter again. Doing so has two advantages. On the one hand, the user equipment 110 has the opportunity to again indicate its preference value for the maximum value of the first parameter (i.e., the second preference value), so that the access network 120 can provide a configuration that satisfies the second preference value, reduce the power consumption of the user equipment 110 and / or avoid overheating of the user equipment 110. On the other hand, this embodiment stipulates that the user equipment 110 needs to adjust the configuration related to the first parameter before reporting the preference value of the maximum value of the first parameter again. Compared with unconditionally repeating the reporting of the preference value of the maximum value of the first parameter, this embodiment can reduce the reporting frequency of the preference value of the maximum value of the first parameter and avoid excessive signaling overhead.

[0205] Alternatively, if Figure 6 As shown, the method 500 may further include:

[0206] S501, the user equipment 110 receives a second message, where the second message includes a second configuration, and a first parameter corresponding to the second configuration has a second value.

[0207] Accordingly, the access network 120 sends a second message.

[0208] The second message may be an RRC reconfiguration message (RRC reconfiguration), an RRC establishment message (RRCsetup) or an RRC resumption message (RRC resume). The embodiment of the present application does not limit the specific form of the second message.

[0209] Since the first parameter corresponding to the second configuration has a second value, according to the constraints of the protocol, the maximum value of the first parameter can only range up to the currently activated configuration, that is, the first preference value reported by the user equipment 110 in the first UAI needs to be less than or equal to the second value.

[0210] Taking the first parameter maxCC-Preference as an example, if the user equipment 110 has a power consumption reduction requirement or a temperature reduction requirement, the values ​​of reducedCCsDL and reducedCCsUL in maxCC-Preference in the first UAI can be 0. At this time, maxCC-Preference indicates that the user equipment 110 has a single CC requirement.

[0211] If the access network 120 does not enable the multi-CC function, or if the access network 120 does not configure multiple CCs for the user equipment 110, the single CC requirement indicated by maxCC-Preference is the same as the number of CCs configured by the first configuration, and the access network 120 does not need to pay attention to the maxCC-Preference in the first UAI, and can perform the following steps.

[0212] S511: The access network 120 ignores the first preference value.

[0213] Subsequently, if there is a downlink high-traffic service, the access network 120 may configure multiple CCs for the user equipment through the first configuration. If the configuration of multiple CCs cannot meet the power consumption reduction or temperature reduction requirements of the user equipment 110, the user equipment 110 may perform the following steps.

[0214] S521: If the second value is different from the first value, or if the second value is smaller than the first value, the user equipment 110 determines to send a second UAI.

[0215] The second value is different from the first value, or the second value is less than the first value, indicating that the access network 120 has reconfigured multiple CCs for the user equipment 110, and the configuration of multiple CCs cannot meet the power consumption reduction or cooling requirements of the user equipment 110. The user equipment 110 needs to report its preference for the maximum value of the CC again. Therefore, the user equipment 110 determines to send the second UAI. Similar to the first UAI, the values ​​of reducedCCsDL and reducedCCsUL in maxCC-Preference in the second UAI can be 0, indicating that the user equipment 110 has a single CC requirement.

[0216] Optionally, the user equipment 110 may send a second UAI when the first timer is not running, wherein the first timer is used to prohibit the user equipment from reporting a preference value (e.g., a second preference value). Optionally, the function of the first timer may also be described as: the first timer is used to prohibit the user equipment from reporting the second UAI, or the first timer is used to prohibit the user equipment from reporting a UAI including a preference value.

[0217] The user equipment 110 may determine whether the first timer is in a running state before sending the second UAI. If the first timer is not running, it means that the user equipment has not sent the UAI for a long time, and the user equipment may send the second UAI. Therefore, this embodiment can reduce the frequency of sending UAI, thereby reducing signaling overhead.

[0218] The first timer is not running, which may be that the first timer is not started or that the first timer has timed out. For maxCC-Preference, the first timer may be T346c.

[0219] Optionally, the user equipment 110 starts the first timer after sending the second UAI. Alternatively, the user equipment 110 starts the first timer before sending the second UAI. Alternatively, the user equipment 110 starts the first timer while sending the second UAI. This embodiment does not limit the order of "the user equipment 110 starts the first timer" and "the user equipment 110 sends the second UAI".

[0220] When the first timer is in the running state, the user equipment 110 cannot report the UAI at will. Therefore, this embodiment can reduce the sending frequency of the UAI, thereby reducing the signaling overhead.

[0221] After receiving the second UAI, since the number of secondary CCs indicated by the maxCC-Preference in the second UAI is different from the number corresponding to the CCs configured in the first configuration, the access network 120 may pay attention to the maxCC-Preference in the second UAI and perform the following steps.

[0222] S531: The access network 120 determines a third configuration according to the second preference value.

[0223] The first parameter corresponding to the third configuration has a third value, and the third value is equal to the second preference value. For example, the third configuration can configure a single CC for the user equipment 110 to meet the power consumption reduction or temperature reduction requirements of the user equipment, thereby reducing the power consumption of the user equipment and / or avoiding overheating of the user equipment.

[0224] It should be noted that the above first parameter is a parameter corresponding to a cell group. In various embodiments of the present application, the cell group may be an MCG or an SCG.

[0225] Below, the content of method 500 is summarized and explained by taking the first parameter in the energy-saving scenario as the aggregated bandwidth, the number of secondary CCs, or the number of MIMO layers as an example.

[0226] 1. The first parameter is the aggregate bandwidth.

[0227] 1.1. The user equipment determines to report UAI based on the change of network configuration.

[0228] If the UE is configured to provide its preference on the maximum aggregated bandwidth of a cell group for power saving; and if the bandwidth in the current configuration has changed since the UE reported its preference on the maximum aggregated bandwidth of a cell group;

[0229] The transmission of the UAI message is then initiated to provide the current maxBW-Preference and / or maxBW-PreferenceFR2-2.

[0230] Optionally, if the UE is configured to provide its preference value for the maximum aggregate bandwidth of the cell group for energy saving; and if the bandwidth in the current configuration changes after the UE has reported its preference value for the maximum aggregate bandwidth of the cell group; and if the timer T346b associated with the cell group is not running;

[0231] Then initiate the transmission of the UAI message to provide the current maxBW-Preference and / or maxBW-PreferenceFR2-2; and start the timer T346b and set the time value to the maxBW-PreferenceProhibitTimer of the cell group.

[0232] 1.2. The user equipment reports UAI without considering changes in network configuration.

[0233] If the UE is configured to provide its preference value for the maximum aggregate bandwidth of the cell group to facilitate energy saving; and if the UE has a preference value for the maximum aggregate bandwidth of the cell group;

[0234] The transmission of the UAI message is then initiated to provide the current maxBW-Preference and / or maxBW-PreferenceFR2-2.

[0235] Optionally, if the UE is configured to provide its preference value for the maximum aggregate bandwidth of the cell group for energy saving; and if the UE has a preference value for the maximum aggregate bandwidth of the cell group; and if the timer T346b associated with the cell group is not running;

[0236] Then initiate the transmission of the UAI message to provide the current maxBW-Preference and / or maxBW-PreferenceFR2-2; and start the timer T346b and set the time value to the maxBW-PreferenceProhibitTimer of the cell group.

[0237] 2. The first parameter is the number of secondary CCs.

[0238] 2.1. The user equipment determines to report UAI based on the change of network configuration.

[0239] If the UE is configured to provide its preference value for the maximum number of secondary CCs of the cell group for energy saving; and if the maximum number of downlink secondary cells and / or uplink secondary cells in the current configuration changes after the UE has reported its preference value for the maximum number of secondary CCs of the cell group;

[0240] The transmission of the UAI message is then initiated to provide the current maxCC-Preference.

[0241] Optionally, if the UE is configured to provide its preference value for the maximum number of secondary CCs of the cell group for energy saving; and if the maximum number of downlink secondary cells and / or uplink secondary cells in the current configuration changes after the UE has reported its preference value for the maximum number of secondary CCs of the cell group; and if the timer T346c associated with the cell group is not running;

[0242] The transmission of the UAI message is initiated to provide the current maxCC-Preference; and the timer T346c is started, and the time value is set to the maxCC-PreferenceProhibitTimer of the cell group.

[0243] 2.2. The user equipment reports UAI without considering changes in network configuration.

[0244] If the UE is configured to provide its preference value for the maximum number of secondary CCs for a cell group in order to facilitate energy saving; and if the UE has a preference value for the maximum number of secondary CCs for a cell group;

[0245] The transmission of the UAI message is then initiated to provide the current maxCC-Preference.

[0246] Optionally, if the UE is configured to provide its preference value for the maximum number of secondary CCs of the cell group for energy saving; and if the UE has a preference value for the maximum number of secondary CCs of the cell group; and the timer T346c associated with the cell group is not running;

[0247] The transmission of the UAI message is initiated to provide the current maxCC-Preference; and the timer T346c is started, and the time value is set to the maxCC-PreferenceProhibitTimer of the cell group.

[0248] 3. The first parameter is the number of MIMO layers.

[0249] 3.1. The user equipment determines to report UAI based on the change of network configuration.

[0250] If the UE is configured to provide its preference value for the maximum number of MIMO layers for the cell group for energy saving; and if the number of MIMO layers in the current configuration has changed since the UE reported its preference value for the maximum number of MIMO layers for the cell group;

[0251] The transmission of the UAI message is then initiated to provide the current maxMIMO-LayerPreference and / or maxMIMO-LayerPreferenceFR2-2.

[0252] Optionally, if the UE is configured to provide its preference value for the maximum number of MIMO layers of the cell group for energy saving; and if the number of MIMO layers in the current configuration changes after the UE has reported its preference value for the maximum number of MIMO layers of the cell group; and if the timer T346d associated with the cell group is not running;

[0253] Then initiate the transmission of the UAI message to provide the current maxMIMO-LayerPreference and / or maxMIMO-LayerPreferenceFR2-2; and start the timer T346d and set the time value to the maxMIMO-LayerPreferenceProhibitTimer of the cell group.

[0254] 3.2. The user equipment reports UAI without considering changes in network configuration.

[0255] If the UE is configured to provide its preference value for the maximum number of MIMO layers for the cell group in order to save energy; and if the UE has a preference value for the maximum number of MIMO layers for the cell group;

[0256] The transmission of the UAI message is then initiated to provide the current maxMIMO-LayerPreference and / or maxMIMO-LayerPreferenceFR2-2.

[0257] Optionally, if the UE is configured to provide its preference value for the maximum number of MIMO layers of the cell group for energy saving; and if the UE has a preference value for the maximum number of MIMO layers of the cell group; and if the timer T346d associated with the cell group is not running;

[0258] The transmission of the UAI message is initiated to provide the current maxBW-Preference and / or maxBW-PreferenceFR2-2; and the timer T346d is started, and the time value is set to the maxMIMO-LayerPreferenceProhibitTimer of the cell group.

[0259] Taking the user equipment 110 and the access network 120 as an example, another communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application is introduced below.

[0260] like Figure 7 As shown, method 700 includes the following contents.

[0261] S710: The user equipment 110 receives a first message.

[0262] The first message may be an RRC reconfiguration message (RRC reconfiguration), an RRC establishment message (RRCsetup) or an RRC resumption message (RRC resume). The embodiment of the present application does not limit the specific form of the first message.

[0263] S720: If the first message includes the first secondary cell configuration of the first cell group, the user equipment 110 sends a first UAI, where the first UAI includes a preference value for the maximum number of secondary cells of the first cell group.

[0264] In the prior art, the user equipment may report UAI when the network equipment is not configured with a secondary cell, and the preference value of the maximum number of secondary cells in the UAI may be 0. In this case, the network equipment may ignore the UAI or not respond. After the network equipment configures the secondary cell for the user equipment, if the user equipment needs to report UAI again for the purpose of reducing power consumption or cooling, it may not be possible to report UAI again. The reason is that the user equipment has sent UAI before configuring the secondary cell. The user equipment that has sent UAI cannot repeatedly send UAI including the same content, which leads to a certain probability of failure of power consumption or cooling of the user equipment. In fact, before the network equipment configures the secondary cell, it is not necessary for the user equipment to report the UAI including the preference value of the maximum number of secondary cells. In this embodiment, the user equipment 110 needs to send the first UAI only when it is determined that the secondary cell has been configured. If the user equipment 110 has a need to reduce power consumption or cooling, it can report the need through the first UAI, thereby avoiding the failure of power consumption or cooling caused by the failure to report UAI.

[0265] Optionally, when executing S720, the user equipment 110 may perform the following steps: if a preference value exists, send a first UAI.

[0266] In some cases, the user equipment 110 does not need to reduce power consumption or temperature, and therefore does not need to send UAI. Leaving the opportunity to send UAI to the case where there is a preference value can avoid power consumption or temperature reduction failure due to failure to report UAI.

[0267] Optionally, when executing S720, the user equipment 110 may perform the following steps: if a preference value providing the maximum number of secondary cells of the first cell group is configured, and / or a UAI including a preference value of the maximum number of secondary cells of the first cell group has not been transmitted, a first UAI is sent.

[0268] In this embodiment, if the first message includes the first secondary cell configuration of the first cell group, the user equipment needs to meet at least one of the above two conditions before sending the first UAI. Therefore, this embodiment can reduce the frequency of sending UAI, thereby reducing signaling overhead.

[0269] When executing S720, the user equipment 110 may also implement the above two embodiments in combination, that is, the user equipment 110 may send the first UAI when there is a preference value and, when the preference value providing the maximum number of secondary cells of the first cell group is configured, and / or when the UAI with the preference value of the maximum number of secondary cells of the first cell group has not been transmitted.

[0270] Alternatively, if Figure 8 As shown, the method 700 may further include:

[0271] S730: The user equipment 110 receives a second message, where the second message includes a second secondary cell configuration of the first cell group, and the number of secondary cells configured in the second secondary cell configuration is less than or equal to the preference value.

[0272] The second message may be an RRC reconfiguration message. The access network 120 may reconfigure the secondary cell that meets the preference value through the second secondary cell configuration, thereby reducing the power consumption of the user equipment 110 and / or preventing the user equipment 110 from overheating.

[0273] Optionally, before S710, the method 700 further includes:

[0274] S701: User equipment 110 receives a third message.

[0275] The third message may be an RRC reconfiguration message (RRC reconfiguration), an RRC setup message (RRC setup) or an RRC resume message (RRC resume), and the embodiment of the present application does not limit the specific form of the third message. The third message does not include the secondary cell configuration of the first cell group.

[0276] S702: If the third message does not include the secondary cell configuration of the first cell group, the user equipment 110 determines not to send a UAI including a preference value for the maximum number of secondary cells of the first cell group.

[0277] In this embodiment, the access network 120 has not configured a secondary cell for the user equipment 110, and the user equipment 110 does not need to report the UAI including the preference value of the maximum number of secondary cells. The opportunity to send the UAI is reserved for the case where a secondary cell is configured, which can avoid power consumption reduction or temperature reduction failure due to the inability to report the UAI.

[0278] It should be noted that the secondary cell configuration in the method 700 is a secondary cell configuration corresponding to a cell group. The following is a summary of the method 700 by taking an energy-saving scenario as an example.

[0279] If the UE is configured to provide its preference value on the maximum number of secondary component carriers of the cell group for energy saving; if the UE has a preference value on the maximum number of secondary component carriers of the cell group, the UE is configured with SCells of the cell group and the UE did not transmit a UEAssistanceInformation message with maxCC-Preference for the cell groups ince it was configured to provide its preference on the maximum number of secondary component carriers of the cell group for power saving).

[0280] The transmission of the UAI message is initiated to provide the current maxCC-Preference. Optionally, the UE may also start a timer T346c and set the time value to the maxCC-PreferenceProhibitTimer of the cell group.

[0281] Next, another communication method provided by an embodiment of the present application is introduced by taking the user equipment 110 and the access network 120 as an example.

[0282] like Fig. 9 As shown, method 900 includes the following contents.

[0283] S910, the user equipment 110 receives a first message, where the first message includes a first configuration, and a first parameter corresponding to the first configuration has a first value.

[0284] The first parameter may be a parameter related to energy saving or overheating. For example, the first parameter includes: aggregation bandwidth and / or number of MIMO layers.

[0285] The first message may be an RRC reconfiguration message (RRC reconfiguration), an RRC establishment message (RRCsetup) or an RRC resumption message (RRC resume). The embodiment of the present application does not limit the specific form of the first message.

[0286] S920: If the preference value of the maximum value of the first parameter is less than the first value, the user equipment 110 sends a first UAI, where the first UAI includes the preference value of the maximum value of the first parameter.

[0287] The network device can be configured or reconfigured according to its own judgment. For example, when there is a downlink high-traffic service, the network device can configure wireless resources for the user equipment through the first configuration. The first value of the first parameter corresponding to the first configuration may be greater than the preference value, which can meet the needs of the downlink high-traffic service, but it will cause the user equipment to increase power consumption and / or overheat. If the user equipment needs to report UAI for the purpose of reducing power consumption or cooling, it may not be able to report UAI. The reason is that the user equipment in the prior art cannot repeatedly report UAI including the same content, which causes the user equipment to fail to reduce power consumption or temperature with a certain probability. In this embodiment, after the user equipment 110 determines that the preference value is less than the first value, it can send the first UAI (without considering other constraints), and report its own preference value for the maximum value of the first parameter through the first UAI, so that the access network 120 provides a configuration that meets the preference value according to the first UAI, thereby reducing the power consumption of the user equipment 110 and / or avoiding overheating of the user equipment 110. In addition, this embodiment stipulates that the user equipment 110 needs to report the preference value of the maximum value of the first parameter only after receiving the configuration related to the first parameter. Compared with unconditionally reporting the preference value of the maximum value of the first parameter, this embodiment can reduce the reporting frequency of the preference value of the maximum value of the first parameter and avoid excessive signaling overhead.

[0288] Optionally, when executing S920, the user equipment 110 may perform the following steps: if a preference value providing the maximum value of the first parameter of the first cell group is configured, and / or a UAI including the maximum number of preference values ​​of the first parameter of the first cell group has not been transmitted, a first UAI is sent.

[0289] In this embodiment, if the preference value of the maximum value of the first parameter is less than the first value, the user equipment needs to meet at least one of the above two conditions before sending the first UAI. Therefore, this embodiment can reduce the frequency of sending UAI, thereby reducing signaling overhead.

[0290] Alternatively, if Fig.10 As shown, the method 900 may further include:

[0291] S930, the user equipment 110 receives a second message, the second message includes a second configuration, the first parameter corresponding to the second configuration has a second value, and the second value is less than or equal to the preference value.

[0292] The second message may be an RRC reconfiguration message (RRC reconfiguration). The embodiment of the present application does not limit the specific form of the second message.

[0293] The access network 120 may reconfigure the first parameter to satisfy the preference value through the second configuration, thereby reducing the power consumption of the user equipment 110 and / or preventing the user equipment 110 from overheating.

[0294] S940, the user equipment 110 receives a third message, where the third message includes a third configuration, and the first parameter corresponding to the third configuration has a third value.

[0295] The third message may be an RRC reconfiguration message (RRC reconfiguration). The embodiment of the present application does not limit the specific form of the third message.

[0296] S950: If the third value is less than or equal to the preference value of the user equipment 110 for the maximum value of the first parameter, the user equipment 110 determines not to send the UAI including the preference value for the maximum value of the first parameter.

[0297] If the third value is less than or equal to the preference value, it means that the first parameter configured by the access network 120 can meet the energy saving and / or cooling requirements of the user equipment 110. The user equipment 110 does not need to send the UAI including the preference value, and reserves the opportunity to send the UAI for the case where the value of the configured first parameter is greater than the preference value. This can avoid power consumption reduction or cooling failure due to the inability to report UAI.

[0298] It should be noted that the first parameter in method 900 is a parameter corresponding to a cell group.

[0299] Below, the content of method 900 is summarized and explained by taking the case where the first parameter in the energy-saving scenario is the aggregated bandwidth or the number of MIMO layers as an example.

[0300] 1. The first parameter is the aggregate bandwidth.

[0301] if the UE has a preference on the maximum aggregated bandwidth of the cell group, the preference is smaller than the bandwidth in the current UE configuration and the UE did not transmit a UEAssistanceInformation message with maxBW-Preference and / or maxBW-PreferenceFR2-2 for the cell group since it was configured to provide its preference on the maximum aggregated bandwidth of the cell group for power saving;

[0302] The transmission of the UAI message is then initiated to provide the current maxBW-Preference and / or maxBW-PreferenceFR2-2. Optionally, the UE may start a timer T346b and set the time value to the maxBW-PreferenceProhibitTimer of the cell group.

[0303] 2. The first parameter is the number of MIMO layers.

[0304] if the UE has a preference on the maximum number of MIMO layers of the cell group, the preference is smaller than the MIMO layers in the current UE configuration, and the UE has not transmitted a UAI including maxMIMO-LayerPreference and / or maxMIMO-LayerPreferenceFR2-2 for the cell group since it was configured to provide its preference on the maximum number of MIMO layers of the cell group for power saving;

[0305] The transmission of the UAI message is then initiated to provide the current maxMIMO-LayerPreference and / or maxMIMO-LayerPreferenceFR2-2. Optionally, the UE may start the timer T346d and set the time value to the maxMIMO-LayerPreferenceProhibitTimer of the cell group;

[0306] The above describes in detail the method examples provided by the embodiments of the present application. It is understandable that the corresponding device includes hardware structures and / or software modules corresponding to the execution of each function in order to realize the above functions. Those skilled in the art should easily realize that, in combination with the units and algorithm steps of each example described in the embodiments disclosed herein, the present application can be implemented in the form of hardware or a combination of hardware and computer software. Whether a function is executed in the form of hardware or computer software driving hardware depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Professional and technical personnel can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered to be beyond the scope of the present application.

[0307] Fig.11 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device provided in an embodiment of the present application, wherein the device 1100 includes a processing unit 1110 and a transceiver unit 1120. The transceiver unit 1120 performs a receiving step or a sending step under the control of the processing unit 1110, wherein the transceiver unit 1120 is a sending unit when performing the sending step, and the transceiver unit 1120 is a receiving unit when performing the receiving step.

[0308] The transceiver unit 1120 is used to: send a first UAI, the first UAI includes a first preference value of the maximum value of the first parameter; receive a first message, the first message includes a first configuration, the first parameter corresponding to the first configuration has a first value, and the first value is greater than the first preference value; send a second UAI, the second UAI includes a second preference value of the maximum value of the first parameter, and the second preference value is equal to the first preference value.

[0309] Optionally, before sending the first UAI, the transceiver unit 1120 is also used to: receive a second message, the second message includes a second configuration, and the first parameter corresponding to the second configuration has a second value; the transceiver unit 1120 is specifically used to: if the second value is different from the first value, or if the second value is less than the first value, send the second UAI.

[0310] Optionally, the transceiver unit 1120 is specifically used to: send a second UAI if the first timer is not running, and the first timer is used to prohibit the user equipment from reporting a preference value.

[0311] Optionally, the processing unit 1110 is used to: start a first timer.

[0312] Optionally, the transceiver unit 1120 is further used to: receive a third message, the third message includes a third configuration, the first parameter corresponding to the third configuration has a third value, and the third value is less than or equal to the second preference value.

[0313] Those skilled in the art can clearly understand that the specific working process of the device 1100 and the technical effects produced by the execution steps can be referred to the description in the corresponding method embodiment above, and for the sake of brevity, they will not be repeated here.

[0314] The device 1100 may be a user device or a chip. The processing unit 1110 may be implemented by hardware or software. When implemented by hardware, the processing unit 1110 may be a logic circuit, an integrated circuit, etc.; when implemented by software, the processing unit 1110 may be a general-purpose processor, which is implemented by reading software codes stored in a storage unit. The storage unit may be integrated in the processing unit 1110 or located outside the processing unit 1110 and exists independently.

[0315] Fig.12 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of another communication device provided in an embodiment of the present application, wherein the device 1200 includes a processing unit 1210 and a transceiver unit 1220. The transceiver unit 1220 performs a receiving step or a sending step under the control of the processing unit 1210, wherein the transceiver unit 1220 is a sending unit when performing the sending step, and the transceiver unit 1220 is a receiving unit when performing the receiving step.

[0316] The transceiver unit 1220 is used to: receive a first message; if the first message includes a first secondary cell configuration of the first cell group, send a first UAI, where the first UAI includes a preference value for the maximum number of secondary cells of the first cell group.

[0317] Optionally, the transceiver unit 1220 is specifically configured to: send a first UAI if a preference value exists.

[0318] Optionally, the transceiver unit 1220 is specifically used to: send the first UAI if it is configured to provide a preference value for the maximum number of secondary cells of the first cell group and / or the UAI including the preference value for the maximum number of secondary cells of the first cell group has not been transmitted.

[0319] Optionally, the transceiver unit 1220 is further used to: receive a second message, where the second message includes a second secondary cell configuration of the first cell group, and the number of secondary cells configured in the second secondary cell configuration is less than or equal to the preference value.

[0320] Those skilled in the art can clearly understand that the specific working process of the device 1200 and the technical effects produced by the execution steps can be referred to the description in the corresponding method embodiment above, and for the sake of brevity, they will not be repeated here.

[0321] The device 1200 may be a user device or a chip. The processing unit 1210 may be implemented by hardware or software. When implemented by hardware, the processing unit 1210 may be a logic circuit, an integrated circuit, etc.; when implemented by software, the processing unit 1210 may be a general-purpose processor, which is implemented by reading software codes stored in a storage unit. The storage unit may be integrated in the processing unit 1210 or located outside the processing unit 1210 and exists independently.

[0322] Fig.13 13 is a schematic diagram of the structure of another communication device provided in an embodiment of the present application, wherein the device 1300 includes a processing unit 1310 and a transceiver unit 1320. The transceiver unit 1320 performs a receiving step or a sending step under the control of the processing unit 1310, wherein the transceiver unit 1320 is a sending unit when performing the sending step, and the transceiver unit 1320 is a receiving unit when performing the receiving step.

[0323] The transceiver unit 1320 is used to: receive a first message, the first message includes a first configuration, and the first parameter corresponding to the first configuration has a first value; if the preference value of the maximum value of the first parameter is less than the first value, send a first UAI, and the first UAI includes the preference value of the maximum value of the first parameter.

[0324] Optionally, the transceiver unit 1320 is specifically used to: send the first UAI if it is configured with a preference value providing a maximum value of the first parameter of the first cell group, and / or the UAI including the maximum number of preference values ​​of the first parameter of the first cell group has not been transmitted.

[0325] Optionally, the transceiver unit 1320 is further used to: receive a second message, the second message includes a second configuration, the first parameter corresponding to the second configuration has a second value, and the second value is less than or equal to the preference value.

[0326] Those skilled in the art can clearly understand that the specific working process of the device 1300 and the technical effects produced by the execution steps can be referred to the description in the aforementioned corresponding method embodiment, and for the sake of brevity, they will not be repeated here.

[0327] The device 1300 may be a user device or a chip. The processing unit 1310 may be implemented by hardware or software. When implemented by hardware, the processing unit 1310 may be a logic circuit, an integrated circuit, etc.; when implemented by software, the processing unit 1310 may be a general-purpose processor, which is implemented by reading software codes stored in a storage unit. The storage unit may be integrated in the processing unit 1310 or located outside the processing unit 1310 and exists independently.

[0328] Fig.14 14 is a schematic diagram of the structure of another communication device provided in an embodiment of the present application, wherein the device 1400 includes a processing unit 1410 and a transceiver unit 1420. The transceiver unit 1420 performs a receiving step or a sending step under the control of the processing unit 1410, wherein the transceiver unit 1420 is a sending unit when performing the sending step, and the transceiver unit 1420 is a receiving unit when performing the receiving step.

[0329] The transceiver unit 1420 is used to: receive a first UAI, the first UAI includes a first preference value of the maximum value of the first parameter; send a first message, the first message includes a first configuration, the first parameter corresponding to the first configuration has a first value, and the first value is greater than the first preference value; receive a second UAI, the second UAI includes a second preference value of the maximum value of the first parameter, and the second preference value is equal to the first preference value.

[0330] Optionally, before receiving the first UAI, the transceiver unit 1420 is further used to: send a second message, the second message includes a second configuration, and the first parameter corresponding to the second configuration has a second value, wherein the second value is different from the first value, or the second value is smaller than the first value.

[0331] Optionally, the difference between the time of receiving the second UAI and the time of receiving the first UAI is greater than the running time of the first timer, and the first timer is used to prohibit the user equipment from reporting the preference value.

[0332] Optionally, the transceiver unit 1420 is further used to: send a third message, the third message includes a third configuration, the first parameter corresponding to the third configuration has a third value, and the third value is less than or equal to the second preference value.

[0333] Those skilled in the art can clearly understand that the specific working process of the device 1400 and the technical effects produced by the execution steps can be referred to the description in the corresponding method embodiment above, and for the sake of brevity, they will not be repeated here.

[0334] The device 1400 may be an access network device or a chip. The processing unit 1410 may be implemented by hardware or software. When implemented by hardware, the processing unit 1410 may be a logic circuit, an integrated circuit, etc.; when implemented by software, the processing unit 1410 may be a general-purpose processor, which is implemented by reading software codes stored in a storage unit. The storage unit may be integrated in the processing unit 1410 or located outside the processing unit 1410 and exists independently.

[0335] Fig.15 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a user equipment provided in an embodiment of the present application. For ease of explanation, Fig.15Only the main components of the user device are shown. As shown in the device, the user device 150 includes a processor, a memory, a control circuit, an antenna, and an input-output device. The processor is mainly used to process the communication protocol and communication data, and to control the entire user device, execute the software program, and process the data of the software program, for example, to support the user device to perform the actions described in the above method embodiment. The memory is mainly used to store software programs and data. The control circuit is mainly used for conversion between digital signals and radio frequency signals and processing of radio frequency signals. The control circuit and the antenna together can also be called a transceiver, which is mainly used to send and receive radio frequency signals in the form of electromagnetic waves. Input-output devices, such as touch screens, display screens, keyboards, etc., are mainly used to receive data input by users and output data to users.

[0336] When the user device is turned on, the processor can read the software program in the memory, interpret and execute the instructions of the software program, and process the data of the software program. When data needs to be sent wirelessly, the processor processes the data to be sent and outputs a digital signal to the RF circuit. The RF circuit processes the digital signal and then sends the RF signal outward in the form of electromagnetic waves through the antenna. When data is sent to the user device, the RF circuit receives the RF signal through the antenna, converts the RF signal into a digital signal, and outputs the digital signal to the processor. The processor converts the digital signal into data and processes the data.

[0337] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that for ease of description, Fig.15 Only one memory and one processor are shown. In an actual user device, there may be multiple processors and multiple memories. The memory may also be referred to as a storage medium or a storage device, etc., which is not limited in this application.

[0338] As an optional implementation, the processor may include a baseband processor and / or a central processing unit. The baseband processor is mainly used to process the communication protocol and communication data, and the central processing unit is mainly used to control the entire user equipment, execute software programs, and process software program data. Fig.15The processor in the can integrate the functions of the baseband processor and the central processing unit. Those skilled in the art can understand that the baseband processor and the central processing unit can also be independent processors, which are interconnected through technologies such as buses. Those skilled in the art can understand that the user equipment can include multiple baseband processors to adapt to different network standards, and the user equipment can include multiple central processing units to enhance its processing capabilities. The various components of the user equipment can be connected through various buses. The baseband processor can also be described as a baseband processing circuit or a baseband processing chip. The central processing unit can also be described as a central processing circuit or a central processing chip. The function of processing the communication protocol and communication data can be built into the processor, or it can be stored in the memory in the form of a software program, and the processor executes the software program to realize the baseband processing function.

[0339] In the embodiment of the present application, the antenna and control circuit with transceiver function can be regarded as the transceiver unit 1501 of the user equipment 150, for example, used to support the user equipment to implement the receiving function and the sending function described in the method embodiment. The processor with processing function is regarded as the processor 1502 of the user equipment 150. The user equipment 150 includes a transceiver unit 1501 and a processor 1502. The transceiver unit 1501 can also be called a transceiver, a transceiver, a transceiver device, etc. Exemplarily, the device used to implement the receiving function in the transceiver unit 1501 can be regarded as a receiving unit, and the device used to implement the sending function in the transceiver unit 1501 can be regarded as a sending unit, that is, the transceiver unit 1501 includes a receiving unit and a sending unit, and the receiving unit can also be called a receiver, an input port, a receiving circuit, etc., and the sending unit can be called a transmitter, a transmitter, or a transmitting circuit, etc. Exemplarily, the transceiver unit 1501 may not include an antenna, but only include a circuit part, so that the antenna is external to the transceiver unit.

[0340] The processor 1502 may be used to execute the instructions stored in the memory to control the transceiver unit 1501 to receive signals and / or send signals, and complete the functions of the user equipment in the above method embodiment. As an implementation method, the functions of the transceiver unit 1501 may be implemented by a transceiver circuit or a dedicated chip for transceiver. When performing the transceiver of various types of signals, the processor 1502 controls the transceiver unit 1501 to implement the reception. Therefore, the processor 1502 is the signal transceiver decider and initiates the data transceiver operation, and the transceiver unit 1501 is the executor of the signal transceiver.

[0341] Fig.16It is a structural diagram of a network device provided in an embodiment of the present application. The network device may be, for example, a base station, which performs the steps of accessing the network in the above method embodiment. The base station 160 may include one or more radio frequency units, such as a remote radio unit (RRU) 1601 and one or more baseband units (BBU) (also referred to as distributed units (DU)) 1602. The RRU 1601 may be referred to as a transceiver unit, a transceiver, a transceiver circuit, or a transceiver, etc., which may include at least one antenna 16011 and a radio frequency unit 16012. The RRU 1601 part is mainly used for the transmission and reception of radio frequency signals and the conversion of radio frequency signals and baseband signals. The BBU 1602 part is mainly used for baseband processing, controlling the base station, etc. The RRU 1601 and the BBU 1602 may be physically arranged together or physically separated, that is, a distributed base station.

[0342] BBU 1602 is the control center of the base station, which can also be called a processing unit, and is mainly used to complete baseband processing functions, such as channel coding, multiplexing, modulation, spread spectrum, etc. For example, BBU 1602 can be used to control the base station to execute the operation process of the network device in the above method embodiment.

[0343] In one embodiment, the BBU 1602 may be composed of one or more single boards, and multiple single boards may jointly support a wireless access network with a single access indication (such as an NR network), or may respectively support wireless access networks with different access standards (such as an LTE network and an NR network). The BBU 1602 also includes a memory 16021 and a processor 16022, and the memory 16021 is used to store necessary instructions and data. The processor 16022 is used to control the base station to perform necessary actions, for example, to control the base station to execute the operation process of the network device in the above method embodiment. The memory 16021 and the processor 16022 can serve one or more single boards. In other words, a memory and a processor may be separately set on each single board. It is also possible that multiple single boards share the same memory and processor. In addition, necessary circuits may be set on each single board.

[0344] It can be understood that the processor in each embodiment of the present application can be an integrated circuit chip with signal processing capabilities. In the implementation process, each step of the above method embodiment can be completed by the hardware integrated logic circuit or software instructions in the processor. The above processor can be a general processor, a digital signal processor (digitalsignal processor, DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (application specific integrated circuit, ASIC), a field programmable gate array (field programmable gate array, FPGA) or other programmable logic devices, discrete gates or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components. The methods, steps and logic block diagrams disclosed in the embodiments of the present application can be implemented or executed. The general processor can be a microprocessor or the processor can also be any conventional processor, etc. The steps of the method disclosed in the embodiments of the present application can be directly embodied as a hardware decoding processor to perform, or the hardware and software modules in the decoding processor can be combined to perform. The software module can be located in a mature storage medium in the field such as a random access memory, a flash memory, a read-only memory, a programmable read-only memory or an electrically erasable programmable memory, a register, etc. The storage medium is located in the memory, and the processor reads the information in the memory and completes the steps of the above method in combination with its hardware.

[0345] It can be understood that the memory in each embodiment of the present application can be a volatile memory or a non-volatile memory, or can include both volatile and non-volatile memories. Among them, the non-volatile memory can be a read-only memory (ROM), a programmable read-only memory (PROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), or a flash memory. The volatile memory can be a random access memory (RAM), which is used as an external cache. By way of example and not limitation, many forms of RAM are available, such as static RAM (SRAM), dynamic RAM (DRAM), synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), double data rate SDRAM (DDR SDRAM), enhanced SDRAM (ESDRAM), synchronous link DRAM (SLDRAM), and direct RAM (DR RAM). It should be noted that the memory of the systems and methods described herein is intended to include, but is not limited to, these and any other suitable types of memory.

[0346] It can be understood that the chip in each embodiment of the present application can be a field programmable gate array (FPGA), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a system on chip (SoC), a central processor unit (CPU), a network processor (NP), a digital signal processor (DSP), a microcontroller unit (MCU), a programmable logic device (PLD) or other integrated chips.

[0347] In the implementation process, each step of the above method can be completed by an integrated logic circuit of hardware in a processor or an instruction in the form of software. The steps of the method disclosed in conjunction with the embodiment of the present application can be directly embodied as a hardware processor for execution, or a combination of hardware and software modules in a processor for execution. The software module can be located in a storage medium mature in the art such as a random access register, a flash memory, a read-only memory, a programmable read-only memory or an electrically erasable programmable memory, a register, etc. The storage medium is located in a memory, and the processor reads the information in the memory and completes the steps of the above method in conjunction with its hardware. To avoid repetition, it is not described in detail here.

[0348] The present application also provides a computer-readable medium on which a computer program is stored. When the computer program is executed by a computer, the functions of any of the above method embodiments are implemented.

[0349] The present application also provides a computer program product, which implements the functions of any of the above method embodiments when executed by a computer.

[0350] In the above embodiments, it can be implemented in whole or in part by software, hardware, firmware or any combination thereof. When implemented using software, it can be implemented in whole or in part in the form of a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer instructions. When the computer instructions are loaded and executed on a computer, the process or function described in the embodiment of the present application is generated in whole or in part. The computer 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 computer-readable storage medium. For example, the computer instructions can be transmitted from a website site, computer, server or data center by wired (e.g., coaxial cable, optical fiber, digital subscriber line (digital subscriber line, DSL)) or wireless (e.g., infrared, wireless or microwave, etc.) mode to another website site, computer, server or data center. The computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium that a computer can access or a data storage device such as a server or data center that includes one or more available media integrated. The available medium may be a magnetic medium (eg, a floppy disk, a hard disk, a magnetic tape), an optical medium (eg, a high-density digital video disc (DVD)), or a semiconductor medium (eg, a solid state disk (SSD)).

[0351] It should be understood that the "embodiment" mentioned throughout the specification means that the specific features, structures or characteristics related to the embodiment are included in at least one embodiment of the present application. Therefore, the various embodiments in the entire specification may not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. In addition, these specific features, structures or characteristics can be combined in one or more embodiments in any suitable manner. It should be understood that in various embodiments of the present application, the terminal device and / or the network device can perform some or all of the steps in the various embodiments. These steps or operations are only examples, and the embodiments of the present application can also perform other operations or variations of various operations. In addition, the various steps can be performed in different orders presented in the various embodiments, and it is possible that not all operations in the embodiments of the present application are to be performed. Moreover, the size of the sequence number of the above-mentioned processes does not mean the order of execution, and 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 the present application.

[0352] It should also be understood that in the present application, "when", "if" and "if" all mean that the UE or base station will take corresponding actions under certain objective circumstances. It is not a time limit, and it does not require the UE or base station to make judgments when implementing it, nor does it mean that there are other limitations.

[0353] In addition, the terms "system" and "network" are often used interchangeably in this article. The term "and / or" in this article is only a description of the association relationship of associated objects, indicating that there can be three relationships. For example, A and / or B can mean: A exists alone, A and B exist at the same time, and B exists alone.

[0354] It should be understood that in each embodiment of the present application, "B corresponding to A" means that B is associated with A, and B can be determined according to A. However, it should also be understood that determining B according to A does not mean determining B only according to A, and B can also be determined according to A and / or other information.

[0355] The above contents are optional embodiments of the technical solution of this application, and are not intended to limit the protection scope of this application. Any modification, equivalent replacement, improvement, etc. made within the principles of this application shall be included in the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that: include: Sending first user equipment assistance information UAI, where the first UAI includes a first preference value of a maximum value of a first parameter; receiving a first message, wherein the first message includes a first configuration, the first parameter corresponding to the first configuration has a first value, and the first value is greater than the first preference value; A second UAI is sent, where the second UAI includes a second preference value of the maximum value of the first parameter, and the second preference value is equal to the first preference value.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that Before sending the first UAI, the method further includes: receiving a second message, where the second message includes a second configuration, and the first parameter corresponding to the second configuration has a second value; The sending the second UAI includes: If the second value is different from the first value, or if the second value is less than the first value, the second UAI is sent.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The sending the second UAI includes: If the first timer is not running, the second UAI is sent, where the first timer is used to prohibit the user equipment from reporting a preference value.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that The method further comprises: The first timer is started.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that The method further comprises: A third message is received, where the third message includes a third configuration, where the first parameter corresponding to the third configuration has a third value, and where the third value is less than or equal to the second preference value.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that The first parameter includes: At least one of an aggregated bandwidth, a number of secondary component carriers, and a number of multiple-input multiple-output layers.

7. A communication method, characterized in that: include: receiving a first message; If the first message includes the first secondary cell configuration of the first cell group, first user equipment assistance information UAI is sent, and the first UAI includes a preference value for the maximum number of secondary cells of the first cell group.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that The sending of the first UAI includes: If the preference value exists, the first UAI is sent.

9. The method according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that: The sending of the first UAI includes: If a preference value providing the maximum number of secondary cells of the first cell group is configured, and / or a UAI including the preference value of the maximum number of secondary cells of the first cell group has not been transmitted, the first UAI is sent.

10. The method according to any one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that The method further comprises: A second message is received, where the second message includes a second secondary cell configuration of the first cell group, where the number of secondary cells configured in the second secondary cell configuration is less than or equal to the preference value.

11. A communication method, characterized in that: include: Receiving first user equipment assistance information UAI, where the first UAI includes a first preference value for a maximum value of a first parameter; Sending a first message, where the first message includes a first configuration, the first parameter corresponding to the first configuration has a first value, and the first value is greater than the first preference value; A second UAI is received, the second UAI comprising a second preference value for the maximum value of the first parameter, the second preference value being equal to the first preference value.

12. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that Before receiving the first UAI, the method further includes: A second message is sent, where the second message includes a second configuration, and the first parameter corresponding to the second configuration has a second value, wherein the second value is different from the first value, or the second value is smaller than the first value.

13. The method according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that: The difference between the time of receiving the second UAI and the time of receiving the first UAI is greater than the running time of a first timer, and the first timer is used to prohibit the user equipment from reporting a preference value.

14. The method according to any one of claims 11 to 13, characterized in that The method further comprises: A third message is sent, where the third message includes a third configuration, where the first parameter corresponding to the third configuration has a third value, and where the third value is less than or equal to the second preference value.

15. The method according to any one of claims 11 to 14, characterized in that The first parameter includes: At least one of an aggregated bandwidth, a number of secondary component carriers, and a number of multiple-input multiple-output layers.

16. A communication device, characterized in that: include: A module for executing the method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, or comprising a module for executing the method as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 10, or comprising a module for executing the method as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 15.

17. A communication device, characterized in that: include: A processor, configured to execute a computer program stored in a memory, so that the apparatus performs the method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, or the method according to any one of claims 7 to 10, or the method according to any one of claims 11 to 15; A communication interface is coupled to the processor and is used to input or output information.

18. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that: The computer-readable storage medium stores a computer program, which, when executed by a processor, enables the processor to execute the method described in any one of claims 1 to 6, or enables the processor to execute the method described in any one of claims 7 to 10, or enables the processor to execute the method described in any one of claims 11 to 15.

19. A computer program product, characterized in that When the computer program product is executed by a processor, the method according to any one of claims 1 to 6 is executed, or the method according to any one of claims 7 to 10 is executed, or the method according to any one of claims 11 to 15 is executed.

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