Multiple access method, device and system

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to communication between a network device and two or more apparatuses, wherein respective channels between the two or more apparatuses and the network device are related. In some aspects of the present disclosure, the same demodulation reference signal may be allocated to two or more apparatuses, where the two or more apparatuses are expected to be related to respective channels between network devices. In some aspects, a network apparatus may use a first multiple access scheme for two or more first devices expected to have associated channels, and a second multiple access scheme for a second device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to a communication network, and more particularly to communication between a network device and two or more devices in the communication network. Background Art

[0002] As current and next-generation networks support more and more electronic devices, non-orthogonal multiple access (NoMA) technology is proposed as an alternative to existing orthogonal multiple access technology to improve network throughput. In NoMA, multiple devices can transmit on the same network resources (e.g., at the same time, at the same frequency and / or using the same spreading code), and different devices are distinguished by their power levels. Continuous interference cancellation can be implemented at the receiver to separate transmissions from different devices.

[0003] An important use case for NoMA is applications that rely on multiple devices (e.g., multiple sensors) to communicate with the network. In these cases, the devices can be referred to as intra-UE.

[0004] In an exemplary use case, a robot may include multiple devices connected to a communication network. The multiple devices may include one or more sensors and / or one or more control units. The one or more sensors may perform measurements (e.g., sensing) to collect information to be reported to the network. The one or more control units may receive instructions from the network and execute the instructions to cause the robot and / or sensors to perform one or more operations.

[0005] In another exemplary use case, multiple devices can be used to monitor and / or manage a patient's health. The devices can include one or more sensors for monitoring the patient (e.g., monitoring one or more vital signs of the patient and / or monitoring the delivery of one or more medications to the patient). Additionally or alternatively, the devices can include one or more management devices for providing healthcare to the patient (e.g., for delivering medications to the patient).

[0006] In both examples, multiple devices may be in close proximity, which means that the corresponding channels between these devices and the network equipment (e.g., base station) may be the same or highly correlated. These are just two examples of where multiple devices may have correlated channels due to close proximity. There are many other use cases where this may occur. In some examples, devices can move together and maintain the same relative channel characteristics. Devices can share the same transmitter and / or receiver radio frequency (RF) chains, or devices can be equipped with independent transmitter and / or receiver RF chains.

[0007] While the close proximity of devices means they may be served by a single beam from a network device, the correlation between their channels may make it difficult for the network device to distinguish transmissions from different devices. For example, it may be difficult to use spatial multiplexing because successive interference cancellation techniques may not be sufficient to separate data received from different devices.

[0008] An alternative to NoMA is to schedule transmissions from multiple devices to ensure that they do not occur simultaneously or overlap in time. However, sending grants to devices may increase signaling overhead. In addition, the scheduled transmissions may not be suitable for low-latency use cases. For example, sensors in a robot may need to report sensed data and receive responses from the network with minimal latency to ensure the accuracy of the robot's operation. Therefore, many use cases implement unlicensed transmissions, where transmission resources are pre-configured using high-layer signaling (e.g., similar to the configuration of configured grants in 5G new radio (NR) networks).

[0009] The situation may be further complicated by devices with different data arrival patterns (which may include sensing devices). This means that the number of devices seeking to communicate with the network at any one time may vary. Some devices may not have data available at predictable times, so they may appear to be seeking to transmit to the network at random times. Since many use cases require devices to report to the network with low latency, it may not be feasible to aggregate data so that it is transmitted at more predictable or regular intervals. Summary of the invention

[0010] The present disclosure relates to communication between a network device and two or more apparatuses, wherein respective channels between the two or more apparatuses and the network device are related.

[0011] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the same demodulation reference signal (DMRS) may be assigned to two or more devices, wherein the corresponding channels between the two or more devices and the network equipment are expected to be related. The two or more devices may be referred to as within a user equipment, or within a UE. In one example, the two or more devices may send the same DMRS to the network equipment. For example, the two or more devices may use the same network resources to send the same DMRS. Therefore, the network equipment may receive a superimposed DMRS consisting of the same DMRS sent by each of the two or more devices. The network equipment may use the superimposed DMRS to demodulate the signal received from the two or more devices instead of trying to separate the DMRS.

[0012] This may be particularly advantageous in examples where there are a large number of related devices, since existing techniques for generating and allocating DMRS may not produce sufficiently orthogonal DMRS sequences to enable multiple devices to transmit different DMRS. Using the same DMRS may further reduce the processing performed by the network equipment. Instead of calculating multiple channel estimates based on different DMRS received from different devices, the network equipment may calculate a shared channel estimate based on the combined DMRS received from the multiple devices, and use the shared channel estimate to demodulate the transmissions received from the multiple devices.

[0013] In another example, some but not all of the two or more devices can send DMRS to the network device on behalf of the two or more devices. Since the devices are expected to have similar channels, the network device can use the DMRS sent by some of the two or more devices to demodulate the signals received from other devices of the two or more devices that do not send DMRS. Although only some of the two or more devices send DMRS, the network device can still estimate the channels of the two or more devices while minimizing resource usage. This can improve resource usage efficiency.

[0014] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the network device may use a first multiple access scheme for two or more first devices that are expected to have related channels, and use a second multiple access scheme for a second device. The second device may not have a related channel. The two or more first devices may be referred to as intra-UE. The second device may be referred to as inter-UE. Some multiple access technologies may not be suitable for highly related devices. For example, spatial domain separation may not be suitable for the two or more first devices because they have related channels, and technologies such as orthogonal code domain multiple access, time division multiple access, and frequency division multiple access may be too resource-intensive in embodiments where the number of devices with related channels is large. However, these technologies may be suitable for other devices connected to the network device, such as the second device. By using the first multiple access technology for devices with related channels and the second multiple access technology for other devices, network resources can be used more efficiently.

[0015] In a first aspect, the present disclosure provides a method performed by a network device. The method includes receiving a DMRS sent by one or more first devices in a plurality of devices, the plurality of devices having related channels. Each of the related channels is between a corresponding device in two or more devices and the network device. The method also includes receiving a signal sent by a second device in the plurality of devices, and demodulating the signal according to the DMRS. The one or more first devices include at least one device different from the second device.

[0016] In an example of the first aspect, the multiple devices are determined to have related channels based on one or more of the following: corresponding positions of the multiple devices; channel correlation estimation values ​​of a first channel in the related channels and a second channel in the related channels; a measurement value of a channel between one device among the multiple devices and another device among the multiple devices; a difference between the measurement value of the first channel and the measurement value of the second channel.

[0017] In another example of the aforementioned example, the plurality of devices are determined to have correlated channels based on a comparison of a channel correlation estimate value with a threshold value.

[0018] In another example of the aforementioned example or the first aspect, receiving a demodulation reference signal sent by one or more first devices among the multiple devices includes: receiving the same demodulation reference signal from each of the multiple devices.

[0019] In another example of the aforementioned example or the first aspect, receiving a demodulation reference signal sent by one or more first devices among the multiple devices includes: receiving a demodulation reference signal sent by a subset of devices among the multiple devices on behalf of the multiple devices.

[0020] In another example of the aforementioned example or the first aspect, each of the plurality of apparatuses is assigned a same group identifier, and the demodulation reference signal is associated with the same group identifier.

[0021] In another example of the foregoing example or the first aspect, the method may further include, for each of the plurality of devices, obtaining a corresponding identifier specific to the corresponding device. Obtaining the corresponding identifier specific to the corresponding device may include receiving a transmission from the corresponding device and determining the corresponding identifier. The corresponding identifier may be determined based on one or more of the following: a codeword of the corresponding transmission, a modulation scheme used for the corresponding transmission, and a power of the corresponding transmission.

[0022] A network device for performing the aforementioned method is also provided. In another aspect, a memory (e.g., a non-transitory processor-readable medium) is provided. The memory contains instructions (e.g., processor-readable instructions) that, when executed by a processor of the network device, cause the network device to perform the aforementioned method.

[0023] In a second aspect, a method is provided. The method includes obtaining an indication of a plurality of first devices, each of the plurality of first devices having a corresponding first channel between the corresponding first device and a network device; the method also includes, based on determining that the first channels are related, indicating that the plurality of first devices will send a same demodulation reference signal to the network device.

[0024] In an example of the second aspect, the method may further include determining that the first channel is correlated according to one or more of the following: the respective positions of the plurality of first devices, a channel correlation estimate of the first channel, a measurement value of a channel between one of the plurality of first devices and another of the plurality of first devices, and a difference in the measurement value of the first channel.

[0025] In the foregoing example or another example of the second aspect, the method may be performed by a network device. Alternatively, the method may be performed by a second device. The method may also include sending the same DMRS to the network device based on determining that a second channel between the second device and the network device is related to at least one of the first channels.

[0026] A device (e.g., an entity) for performing the aforementioned method is also provided. In another aspect, a memory (e.g., a non-transitory processor-readable medium) is provided. The memory contains instructions (e.g., processor-readable instructions) that, when executed by a processor of the device, cause the device to perform the aforementioned method.

[0027] In a third aspect, a method is provided. The method includes indicating a first parameter of a first multiple access scheme to a first device. The first multiple access scheme is used for transmission from the first device and the second device to a network device, wherein a first channel between the first device and the network device is related to a second channel between the second device and the network device. The method also includes indicating a second parameter of a second multiple access scheme used for transmission from the third device to the network device to a third device.

[0028] In an example of the third aspect, the first channel and the second channel may be determined to be correlated based on one or more of the following: respective locations of the first device and the second device, a channel correlation estimate of the first channel and the second channel, a measurement of a third channel between the first device and the second device, a difference between the measurement of the first channel and the measurement of the second channel, and a difference between the measurement of the first channel and the measurement of the second channel. The method may also include determining that the first channel is expected to be correlated with the second channel based on a comparison of the channel correlation estimate with a threshold.

[0029] In another example of the foregoing example or the third aspect, the first parameter indicating the first multiple access scheme to the first device may include indicating the first codebook to the first device, and the second parameter indicating the second multiple access scheme to the third device may include indicating the second codebook to the third device. The second device may be assigned the first codebook. The first codebook may include multiple nonlinear orthogonal codes. Alternatively, the first codebook may include multiple linear orthogonal codes.

[0030] In another example of the foregoing example or the third aspect, indicating the first parameter of the first multiple access scheme to the first device may include indicating the first transmission power to the first device. The method may also include indicating the second transmission power to the second device. The second transmission power may be a second parameter of the first multiple access scheme.

[0031] The method may be performed by a network device. Alternatively, the method may be performed by a second device. The method may also include sending a signal to the network device at a second transmission power. The second transmission power may be a second parameter of the first multiple access scheme.

[0032] In another example of the aforementioned example or the third aspect, the method may further include obtaining a first identifier of the first device and a second identifier of the second device. Indicating the first transmission power to the first device may include sending the first identifier to the first device. Sending a signal to the network device may include sending a signal to the network device at a second transmission power determined according to the second identifier.

[0033] A device (e.g., an entity) for performing the aforementioned method is also provided. In another aspect, a memory (e.g., a non-transitory processor-readable medium) is provided. The memory contains instructions (e.g., processor-readable instructions) that, when executed by a processor of the device, cause the device to perform the aforementioned method.

[0034] In a fourth aspect, a network device is provided. The network device includes a processor and a memory. The memory stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the network device to receive a DMRS sent by one or more first devices of two or more devices expected to have related channels. Each of these related channels is between a corresponding device of the two or more devices and the network device. The network device is also used to receive a signal sent by a second device of the two or more devices, and demodulate the signal according to the DMRS. The one or more first devices include at least one device different from the second device.

[0035] The two or more devices may be expected to have a related channel based on one or more of the following: respective positions of the two or more devices, channel correlation estimates of a first channel in the related channels and a second channel in the related channels, a measurement value of a channel between one of the two or more devices and another of the two or more devices, and a difference between a measurement value of the first channel and a measurement value of the second channel. The two or more devices may be expected to have a related channel based on a comparison of the channel correlation estimate with a threshold.

[0036] When the instructions are executed by the processor, the network device may also be caused to receive the DMRS transmitted by one or more first devices among the two or more devices by receiving the same DMRS from each of the two or more devices.

[0037] When the instructions are executed by the processor, the network device may also receive the DMRS sent by one or more first devices among the two or more devices by receiving the DMRS sent by a subset of devices among the two or more devices on behalf of the two or more devices.

[0038] Each of the two or more devices may be assigned the same group identifier. The DMRS may be associated with the same group identifier.

[0039] When the instructions are executed by the processor, the network device may also obtain a corresponding identification specific to each of the two or more devices.

[0040] When the instructions are executed by the processor, the network device may also receive a transmission from the corresponding device for each of the two or more devices and determine a corresponding identifier specific to the corresponding device. The corresponding identifier may be determined based on one or more of the following: a codeword for the corresponding transmission, a modulation scheme for the corresponding transmission, and a power for the corresponding transmission.

[0041] In a fifth aspect, a first device is provided. The first device includes a processor and a memory. The memory stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the first device to obtain an indication of two or more second devices, wherein each of the two or more second devices has a corresponding first channel between the corresponding second device and a network device. The first device is also caused to indicate that the two or more second devices will send the same DMRS to the network device based on determining that the first channel is expected to be related.

[0042] When the instructions are executed by the processor, the first device may also determine that the first channel is expected to be correlated based on one or more of the following: the corresponding positions of the two or more second devices, a channel correlation estimate of the first channel, a measured value of a channel between one of the two or more second devices and another of the two or more second devices, and a difference between the measured value of the first channel and the measured value of the second channel.

[0043] The first device may include a network device.

[0044] When the instructions are executed by the processor, the first device may also be caused to send the same DMRS to the network device based on determining that a second channel between the first device and the network device is expected to be related to at least one of the first channels.

[0045] In a sixth aspect, a first device is provided. The first device includes a processor and a memory. The memory stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the first device to indicate a first parameter of a first multiple access scheme to a second device, and to indicate a second parameter of a second multiple access scheme used for transmission from the fourth device to a network device to a fourth device. The first multiple access scheme is used for transmission from the second device and the third device to the network device, wherein a first channel between the second device and the network device is expected to be associated with a second channel between the third device and the network device.

[0046] The first channel and the second channel may be expected to be correlated based on one or more of: respective positions of the second device and the third device, a channel correlation estimate of the first channel and the second channel, a measurement of the third channel between the second device and the third device, and a difference between the measurement of the first channel and the measurement of the second channel.

[0047] When the instructions are executed by the processor, the instructions may further cause the first device to determine that the first channel is expected to be correlated with the second channel based on a comparison between the channel correlation estimate and a threshold.

[0048] When the instructions are executed by the processor, the first device may indicate the first parameter of the first multiple access scheme to the second device by indicating the first codebook to the second device. The first device may also indicate the second parameter of the second multiple access scheme to the fourth device by indicating the second codebook to the fourth device.

[0049] The third device may be allocated a first codebook. The first codebook may include a plurality of nonlinear orthogonal codes. The first codebook may include a plurality of linear orthogonal codes.

[0050] When the instructions are executed by the processor, the first device may also be caused to indicate a first parameter of the first multiple access scheme to the second device by indicating a first transmission power to the second device.

[0051] When the instructions are executed by the processor, the first device may also indicate the second transmission power to the third device. The second transmission power may be a second parameter of the first multiple access scheme.

[0052] The first device may include a third device. When the instructions are executed by the processor, the first device may also send a signal to the network device at a second transmission power. The second transmission power may be a second parameter of the first multiple access scheme.

[0053] When the instructions are executed by the processor, the first device may also acquire the first identifier of the second device and the second identifier of the first device. The first device may also indicate the first transmission power to the second device by sending the first identifier to the second device, and send a signal to the network device by sending a signal to the network device at the second transmission power determined according to the second identifier.

[0054] In a seventh aspect, a method performed by a first device is provided. The method includes sending a demodulation reference signal to a network device. The demodulation reference signal is used to demodulate a signal sent by a second device to the network device. The first device and the second device have related channels, wherein each of the related channels is between the corresponding first device or the second device and the network device.

[0055] In an eighth aspect, a method performed by a first device is provided. The method includes sending information indicating a channel between the first device and a network device. The method also includes receiving an instruction to send a demodulation reference signal to the network device, the demodulation reference signal being the same as the demodulation reference signal sent by the second device to the network device.

[0056] In a ninth aspect, a method performed by a first device is provided. The method includes receiving an indication of a first parameter of a first multiple access scheme. The first multiple access scheme is used for transmission from the first device and the second device to a network device. A first channel between the first device and the network device is associated with a second channel between the second device and the network device. The first parameter of the first multiple access scheme is different from a second parameter of a second multiple access scheme indicated to a third device for transmission from the third device to the network device.

[0057] Also provided is an apparatus (e.g., an entity) for performing the aforementioned method. Also provided is a computer-readable storage medium (e.g., a memory, a non-transitory processor-readable medium) having instructions for causing a computer to perform the aforementioned method. Also provided is a computer program product having instructions for causing a computer to perform the aforementioned method. Also provided is a processor for an apparatus for performing the aforementioned method.

[0058] In a tenth aspect, a system is provided. The system includes a network device, a first device, and a second device. The network device is used to indicate to multiple devices that a channel is corrected, each of the multiple devices having a corresponding channel between the corresponding device and the network device. The first device belongs to one of the multiple devices. The first device communicates with the network device, and the first device is used to send a demodulation reference signal to the network device. The second device belongs to one of the multiple devices. The second device communicates with the network device, and the second device is used to send the same demodulation reference signal to the network device. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0059] In order to more fully understand the embodiments of the present disclosure and their advantages, the following description is given below with reference to the accompanying drawings by way of example.

[0060] In the figure:

[0061] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a communication system in which an embodiment of the present disclosure may occur.

[0062] Figure 2 is another schematic diagram of a communication system that may occur in an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0063] Figure 3 is a block diagram illustrating units or modules in a device in which embodiments of the present disclosure may occur.

[0064] Figure 4 is a block diagram illustrating units or modules in a device in which embodiments of the present disclosure may occur.

[0065] Figures 5 and 6 The signaling of the method according to the embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0066] Figure 7 A network device, a first electronic device, and a second electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure are shown.

[0067] Figure 8 An example of decoding an inner code according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0068] Fig. 9 An example of a system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0069] Fig.10 A flow chart of a method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0070] Fig.11 and Fig.12 A constellation diagram according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0071] Figures 13 to 15 A flow chart of a method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0072] The operation and structure of the current exemplary embodiment are discussed in detail below. However, it should be understood that many applicable inventive concepts provided by the present disclosure can be embodied in a variety of specific contexts. The specific embodiments discussed only illustrate the specific structure of the present disclosure and the specific way to use the present disclosure, but do not limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0073] refer to Figure 1, a simplified schematic diagram of a communication system is provided as an illustrative example but not limiting. The communication system 100 includes a radio access network 120. The radio access network 120 may be a next generation (e.g., sixth generation (6G) or higher) radio access network or a traditional (e.g., 5G, 4G, 3G or 2G) radio access network. In the radio access network 120, one or more communication electronic devices (ED) 110a to 110j (generally referred to as 110) may be interconnected with each other or connected to one or more network nodes (170a, 170b, generally referred to as 170). The core network 130 may be part of the communication system and may be dependent on or independent of the radio access technology used in the communication system 100. In addition, the communication system 100 includes a public switched telephone network (PSTN) 140, the Internet 150, and other networks 160.

[0074] Figure 2 An exemplary communication system 100 is shown. Generally, the communication system 100 enables multiple wireless or wired elements to transmit data and other content. The purpose of the communication system 100 may be to provide content such as voice, data, video and / or text through broadcast, multicast and unicast, etc. The communication system 100 may operate by sharing resources (e.g., carrier spectrum bandwidth) between its constituent elements. The communication system 100 may include a terrestrial communication system and / or a non-terrestrial communication system. The communication system 100 may provide a wide range of communication services and applications (e.g., earth monitoring, remote sensing, passive sensing and positioning, navigation and tracking, autonomous delivery and mobility, etc.). The communication system 100 may provide high availability and robustness through the joint operation of a terrestrial communication system and a non-terrestrial communication system. For example, integrating a non-terrestrial communication system (or its components) into a terrestrial communication system may produce a heterogeneous network including multiple layers. Compared with traditional communication networks, heterogeneous networks may achieve better overall performance through efficient multi-link joint operation, more flexible function sharing, and faster physical layer link switching between terrestrial networks and non-terrestrial networks.

[0075] The terrestrial communication system and the non-terrestrial communication system can be considered as subsystems of the communication system. In the example shown, the communication system 100 includes electronic devices (ED) 110a to 110d (generally referred to as ED 110), radio access networks (RAN) 120a and 120b, non-terrestrial communication networks 120c, core networks 130, public switched telephone networks (PSTN) 140, Internet 150 and other networks 160. RAN 120a and 120b include corresponding base stations (BS) 170a and 170b, which can be generally referred to as terrestrial transmit and receive points (T-TRP) 170a and 170b. Non-terrestrial communication network 120c includes access node 120c, which can be generally referred to as non-terrestrial transmit and receive point (NT-TRP) 172.

[0076] Any ED 110 may alternatively or additionally be used to connect, access, or communicate with any other T-TRP 170a and 170b, NT-TRP 172, the Internet 150, the core network 130, the PSTN 140, other networks 160, or any combination of the above. In some examples, ED 110a may perform uplink and / or downlink transmissions with T-TRP 170a via interface 190a. In some examples, ED 110a, 110b, and 110d may also communicate directly with each other via one or more sidelink air interfaces 190b. In some examples, ED 110d may perform uplink and / or downlink transmissions with NT-TRP 172 via interface 190c.

[0077] The air interfaces 190a and 190b may use similar communication technologies, such as any suitable wireless access technology. For example, the communication system 100 may implement one or more channel access methods in the air interfaces 190a and 190b, such as code division multiple access (CDMA), time division multiple access (TDMA), frequency division multiple access (FDMA), orthogonal FDMA (OFDMA), or single-carrier FDMA (SC-FDMA). The air interfaces 190a and 190b may utilize other high-dimensional signal spaces, which may include a combination of orthogonal dimensions and / or non-orthogonal dimensions.

[0078] Air interface 190c may enable communication between ED 110d and one or more NT-TRPs 172 via a wireless link or a simple link. For some examples, the link is a dedicated connection for unicast transmission, a connection for broadcast transmission, or a connection between a group of EDs and one or more NT-TRPs for multicast transmission.

[0079] The RANs 120a and 120b communicate with the core network 130 to provide various services, such as voice, data, and other services, to the EDs 110a, 110b, and 110c. The RANs 120a and 120b and / or the core network 130 may communicate directly or indirectly with one or more other RANs (not shown), which may (or may not) be directly served by the core network 130 and may (or may not) employ the same radio access technology as the RANs 120a and / or RANs 120b. The core network 130 may also serve as a gateway access between (i) the RANs 120a and 120b, or the EDs 110a, 110b, and 110c, or both, and (ii) other networks, such as the PSTN 140, the Internet 150, and other networks 160. In addition, some or all of the EDs 110a, 110b, and 110c may include functionality for communicating with different wireless networks over different radio links using different radio technologies and / or protocols. Instead of (or in addition to) wireless communications, EDs 110a, 110b, and 110c may communicate with a service provider or switch (not shown) and with the Internet 150 via a wired communication channel. PSTN 140 may include a circuit-switched telephone network for providing plain old telephone service (POTS). Internet 150 may include computer networks and / or subnets (intranets) and include protocols such as Internet Protocol (IP), Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), and User Datagram Protocol (UDP). EDs 110a, 110b, and 110c may be multi-mode devices capable of operating according to a variety of wireless access technologies and may include a plurality of transceivers required to support these technologies.

[0080] Figure 3Another example of ED 110 and base stations 170a, 170b and / or 170c is shown. ED 110 is used to connect people, objects, machines, etc. ED 110 can be widely used in various scenarios, for example, cellular communication, device-to-device (D2D), vehicle to everything (V2X), peer-to-peer (P2P), machine-to-machine (M2M), machine-type communication (MTC), Internet of Things (IOT), virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), industrial control, autonomous driving, telemedicine, smart grid, smart furniture, smart office, smart wearable devices, smart transportation, smart city, drones, robots, remote sensing, passive sensing, positioning, navigation and tracking, autonomous delivery and mobility, etc.

[0081] Each ED 110 represents any end-user device suitable for wireless operation, and may include (or may be referred to as): user equipment / device (UE), wireless transmit / receive unit (WTRU), mobile station, fixed or mobile user unit, cellular phone, station (STA), machine type communication (MTC) device, personal digital assistant (PDA), smartphone, laptop, computer, tablet, wireless sensor, consumer electronic device, smartbook, vehicle, car, truck, bus, train or IoT device, industrial equipment or devices in the aforementioned devices (e.g., communication module, modem or chip), etc. The next generation ED 110 may be referred to using other terms. Base stations 170a and 170b are T-TRPs and are referred to as T-TRP 170 hereinafter. Also as Figure 3 As shown, the NT-TRP is hereinafter referred to as NT-TRP 172. Each ED 110 connected to T-TRP 170 and / or NT-TRP 172 may be dynamically or semi-statically started (i.e., established, activated, or enabled), shut down (i.e., released, deactivated, or disabled), and / or configured in response to one or more of connection availability and connection necessity.

[0082] ED 110 includes a transmitter 201 and a receiver 203 coupled to one or more antennas 204. Only one antenna 204 is shown in the figure. Alternatively, one, part or all of the antennas can be panels. Transmitter 201 and receiver 203 can be integrated into, for example, a transceiver. The transceiver is used to modulate data or other content so that it can be sent through at least one antenna 204 or a network interface controller (NIC). The transceiver is also used to demodulate data or other content received by at least one antenna 204. Each transceiver includes any suitable structure for generating signals for wireless or wired transmission and / or for processing signals received by wireless or wired means. Each antenna 204 includes any suitable structure for sending and / or receiving wireless signals or wired signals.

[0083] ED 110 includes at least one memory 208. The memory 208 stores instructions and data used, generated, or collected by ED 110. For example, the memory 208 may store software instructions or modules for implementing some or all of the functions and / or embodiments described herein and executed by the processing unit 210. Each memory 208 includes any suitable volatile and / or non-volatile storage and retrieval device. Any suitable type of memory may be used, such as random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), hard disk, optical disk, subscriber identity module (SIM) card, memory stick, secure digital (SD) memory card, on-processor cache, etc.

[0084] ED 110 may also include one or more input / output devices (not shown) or interfaces (e.g., Figure 1 The input / output devices support interaction with users or other devices in the network. Each input / output device includes any suitable structure for providing information to or receiving information from a user, such as a speaker, microphone, keypad, keyboard, display or touch screen, including network interface communications.

[0085] ED 110 also includes a processor 210 for performing operations, including operations related to preparing uplink transmissions sent to NT-TRP 172 and / or T-TRP 170, processing downlink transmissions received from NT-TRP 172 and / or T-TRP 170, and processing sidelink transmissions with another ED 110. Processing operations related to preparing to send uplink transmissions may include operations such as encoding, modulation, transmit beamforming, and generating symbols for transmission. Processing operations related to processing downlink transmissions may include operations such as receive beamforming, demodulation, and decoding received symbols. According to an embodiment, the downlink transmission may be received by receiver 203, possibly using receive beamforming, and processor 210 may extract signaling from the downlink transmission (e.g., by detecting and / or decoding the signaling). An example of signaling may be a reference signal sent by NT-TRP 172 and / or T-TRP 170. In some embodiments, the processor 276 implements transmit beamforming and / or receive beamforming based on an indication of a beam direction (e.g., beam angle information (BAI)) received from the T-TRP 170. In some embodiments, the processor 210 may perform operations related to network access (e.g., initial access) and / or downlink synchronization, such as operations related to detecting a synchronization sequence, decoding, and obtaining system information. In some embodiments, the processor 210 may perform channel estimation, for example, using a reference signal received from the NT-TRP 172 and / or the T-TRP 170.

[0086] Although not shown, the processor 210 may form part of the transmitter 201 and / or the receiver 203. Although not shown, the memory 208 may constitute part of the processor 210.

[0087] The processor 210 and the processing components of the transmitter 201 and the receiver 203 may each be implemented by the same or different one or more processors, which are used to execute instructions stored in a memory (e.g., the memory 208). Alternatively, the processor 210 and some or all of the processing components of the transmitter 201 and the receiver 203 may be implemented using a programmed field-programmable gate array (FPGA), a graphical processing unit (GPU) or an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or other dedicated circuit.

[0088] T-TRP 170 may use other names in some implementations, such as base station, base transceiver station (BTS), wireless base station, network node, network device, network side device, sending / receiving node, node B, evolved NodeB (eNodeB or eNB), home eNodeB, next generation NodeB (gNB), transmission point (TP), site controller, access point (AP), wireless router, relay station, remote radio head, ground node, ground network device, ground base station, base band unit (BBU), remote radio unit (RRU), active antenna unit (AAU), remote radio head (RRH), centralized unit (CU), distributed unit (DU), positioning node, etc. T-TRP 170 may be a macro BS, a micro BS, a relay node, a host node, etc. or a combination thereof. T-TRP 170 may refer to the above-mentioned device, or refer to a device in the above-mentioned device (eg, a communication module, a modem, or a chip).

[0089] In some embodiments, various parts of T-TRP 170 may be distributed. For example, some modules of T-TRP 170 may be located away from the device that houses the antenna of T-TRP 170, and may be coupled to the device that houses the antenna through a communication link (not shown) sometimes referred to as a fronthaul (e.g., a common public radio interface (CPRI)). Therefore, in some embodiments, the term T-TRP 170 may also refer to modules on the network side that perform processing operations such as determining the location of ED 110, resource allocation (scheduling), message generation, and encoding / decoding, and are not necessarily part of the device that houses the antenna of T-TRP 170. These modules may also be coupled to other T-TRPs. In some embodiments, T-TRP 170 may actually be multiple T-TRPs that operate together to serve ED 110 through coordinated multi-point transmission, etc.

[0090] The T-TRP 170 includes at least one transmitter 252 and at least one receiver 254 coupled to one or more antennas 256. Only one antenna 256 is shown in the figure. Alternatively, one, some or all of the antennas may be panels. The transmitter 252 and the receiver 254 may be integrated into a transceiver. The T-TRP 170 also includes a processor 260 for performing operations related to preparing downlink transmissions sent to the ED 110, processing uplink transmissions received from the ED 110, preparing backhaul transmissions sent to the NT-TRP 172, and processing transmissions received from the NT-TRP 172 via backhaul. Processing operations related to preparing to send downlink transmissions or backhaul transmissions may include operations such as encoding, modulation, precoding (e.g., MIMO precoding), transmit beamforming, and generating symbols for transmission. Processing operations related to processing received transmissions in the uplink or on the backhaul may include operations such as receive beamforming, demodulation, and decoding received symbols. The processor 260 may also perform operations related to network access (e.g., initial access) and / or downlink synchronization, such as generating the content of a synchronization signal block (SSB), generating system information, etc. In some embodiments, the processor 260 also generates a beam direction indication, such as a BAI, that the scheduler 253 may schedule for transmission. The processor 260 may perform other network-side processing operations described herein, such as determining the location of the ED 110, determining the location at which the NT-TRP 172 is deployed, etc. In some embodiments, the processor 260 may generate signaling to configure one or more parameters of the ED 110 and / or one or more parameters of the NT-TRP 172, etc. Any signaling generated by the processor 260 is sent by the transmitter 252. Note that, alternatively, the "signaling" used herein may be referred to as control signaling. Dynamic signaling may be sent in a control channel such as a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH), while static or semi-static higher-layer signaling may be included in a data packet sent in a data channel such as a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH).

[0091] The scheduler 253 may be coupled to the processor 260. The scheduler 253 may be included in the T-TRP 170 or run separately from the T-TRP, and the scheduler 253 may schedule uplink, downlink, and / or backhaul transmissions, including issuing scheduling grants and / or configuring scheduling-free (“configuration grants”) resources. The T-TRP 170 also includes a memory 258 for storing information and data. The memory 258 stores instructions and data used, generated, or collected by the T-TRP 170. For example, the memory 258 may store software instructions or modules for implementing some or all of the functionality and / or embodiments described herein and executed by the processor 260.

[0092] Although not shown, the processor 260 may form a part of the transmitter 252 and / or the receiver 254. In addition, although not shown, the processor 260 may implement the scheduler 253. Although not shown, the memory 258 may constitute a part of the processor 260.

[0093] The processor 260, the scheduler 253, and the processing components of the transmitter 252 and the receiver 254 may be implemented by the same or different one or more processors, respectively, which are used to execute instructions stored in a memory (e.g., the memory 258). Alternatively, some or all of the processing components of the processor 260, the scheduler 253, and the transmitter 252 and the receiver 254 may be implemented using a dedicated circuit such as an FPGA, a GPU, or an ASIC.

[0094] Although the NT-TRP 172 is shown as a drone by way of example only, the NT-TRP 172 may be implemented in any suitable non-ground form. In addition, in some implementations, the NT-TRP 172 may use other names, such as a non-ground node, a non-ground network device, or a non-ground base station. The NT-TRP 172 includes a transmitter 272 and a receiver 274 coupled to one or more antennas 280. Only one antenna 280 is shown in the figure. Alternatively, one, part, or all of the antennas may be panels. The transmitter 272 and the receiver 274 may be integrated into a transceiver. The NT-TRP 172 also includes a processor 276 for performing operations related to: preparing downlink transmissions sent to the ED 110, processing uplink transmissions received from the ED 110, preparing backhaul transmissions sent to the T-TRP 170, and processing transmissions received from the T-TRP 170 via backhaul. Processing operations related to preparing to send a downlink transmission or a backhaul transmission may include operations such as encoding, modulation, precoding (e.g., MIMO precoding), transmit beamforming, and generating symbols for transmission. Processing operations related to processing received transmissions in the uplink or on the backhaul may include operations such as receive beamforming, demodulation, and decoding received symbols. In some embodiments, the processor 276 implements transmit beamforming and / or receive beamforming based on beam direction information (e.g., BAI) received from the T-TRP 170. In some embodiments, the processor 276 may generate signaling to configure one or more parameters of the ED 110, etc. In some embodiments, the NT-TRP 172 implements physical layer processing but does not implement higher-level functions, such as functions of the medium access control (MAC) layer or the radio link control (RLC) layer. Since this is just an example, more generally, the NT-TRP 172 may implement higher-level functions in addition to physical layer processing.

[0095] The NT-TRP 172 also includes a memory 278 for storing information and data. Although not shown, the processor 276 may form part of the transmitter 272 and / or the receiver 274. Although not shown, the memory 278 may constitute part of the processor 276.

[0096] Processor 276 and the processing components of transmitter 272 and receiver 274 may be implemented by the same or different one or more processors, respectively, which are used to execute instructions stored in a memory (e.g., memory 278). Alternatively, processor 276 and some or all of the processing components of transmitter 272 and receiver 274 may be implemented using a programmed FPGA, GPU or ASIC or other dedicated circuit. In some embodiments, NT-TRP 172 may actually be multiple NT-TRPs that operate together to serve ED 110 through coordinated multi-point transmission or the like.

[0097] The T-TRP 170, NT-TRP 172, and / or ED 110 may include other components, but these components have been omitted for clarity.

[0098] One or more steps of the exemplary methods provided herein may be performed according to Figure 4 The corresponding unit or module is executed. Figure 4 Units or modules in a device, such as in ED 110, in T-TRP 170, or in NT-TRP 172 are shown. For example, a signal can be sent by a sending unit or a sending module. For example, a signal can be sent by a sending unit or a sending module. A signal can be received by a receiving unit or a receiving module. A signal can be processed by a processing unit or a processing module. Other steps can be performed by an artificial intelligence (AI) module or a machine learning (ML) module. The corresponding units or modules can be implemented using hardware, one or more components or devices that execute software, or a combination thereof. For example, one or more units or modules can be programmed integrated circuits such as FPGAs, GPUs, or ASICs. It should be understood that if these modules are implemented, for example, using software executed by a processor, these modules can be retrieved by the processor in whole or in part as needed, retrieved individually or collectively for processing, retrieved in one or more instances, and these modules themselves may include instructions for further deployment and instantiation.

[0099] Additional details regarding ED 110, T-TRP 170, and NT-TRP 172 are known to those skilled in the art. Therefore, these details are omitted here.

[0100] When devices that are close to each other are connected to the same network equipment (e.g., the same base station), the channels between the network equipment and the devices may be correlated (e.g., may be highly correlated). This may make it difficult for the network equipment to distinguish transmissions from each device because, for example, when the channels are highly correlated, a continuous interference cancellation receiver may not be able to separate data from different devices. In addition, when the number of devices is large, this may cause difficulties in the transmission of reference signals from the devices to the network equipment. Generally, multiple devices connected to a network device will send demodulation reference signals (DMRS) that are orthogonal or nearly orthogonal to each other to reduce the risk of conflicts (e.g., interference). However, the method for generating DMRS only provides a limited number of orthogonal DMRS, which means that in some cases, the number of devices connected to the network device may exceed the number of orthogonal DMRS that can be used.

[0101] According to various aspects of the present disclosure, the same DMRS can be used for two or more devices communicating with a network device. The channels between the network device and the two or more devices are expected to be related (e.g., the channels are related, determined to be related, and / or the two or more devices are co-located, so the channels are expected to be related). In some embodiments, the two or more devices may send the same DMRS to the network device. In other embodiments, a subset of the two or more devices may send a DMRS on behalf of the two or more devices. Therefore, the network device can use the DMRS received from one of the two or more devices to demodulate a signal received from another of the two or more devices.

[0102] Figure 5 The signaling of the method 500 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. The signaling is between a network device 502, a first apparatus 504, a second apparatus 506, and a third apparatus 508.

[0103] The network device 502 may be a base station or a TRP, such as the one described above. Figures 1 to 4 The network device 502 may be located in a wireless access network (e.g., Figures 1 to 4 The network device 502 is operable to connect the apparatuses 504 to 508 to a core network of a communication network (eg, the core network 130 of the system 100).

[0104] Each of the first device 504, the second device 506, and the third device 508 can be any suitable device. The first device 504, the second device 506, and the third device 508 can be devices of the same type, or can be devices of one or more different types. In some embodiments, each of the first device 504, the second device 506, and the third device 508 can be an electronic device, such as the one described above. Figures 1 to 4 Any of the electronic devices 110 described. One or more of the first device 504, the second device 506, and the third device 508 may be sensing devices (eg, may include one or more sensors).

[0105] Each of the first device 504, the second device 506, and the third device 508 may include corresponding components for sending and receiving signals. Therefore, each device 504, 506, 508 may be provided with a corresponding RF chain (e.g., an independent RF chain). In one example, each of the first device 504, the second device 506, and the third device 508 may include a corresponding transmitter and a corresponding receiver coupled to one or more corresponding antennas. In another example, each of the first device 504, the second device 506, and the third device 508 may include a corresponding transceiver coupled to one or more corresponding antennas.

[0106] The method 500 may begin with each of the first device 504, the second device 506, and the third device 508 sending a respective configuration request 510a, 510b, 510c (collectively referred to as 510) to the network device 502. One or more of the configuration requests 510 (e.g., each configuration request 510) may include data and / or network information. Thus, for example, each device 502 to 508 may report network information to the network device 502 in the respective configuration request 510. The network information received from a particular device may include any suitable network information available to the respective device, such as one or more of: traffic information of the respective device (e.g., the type, amount, and / or rate of traffic sent by the respective device), the location of the respective device (e.g., obtained by a sensor of a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) at the respective device), one or more channel measurements (e.g., channel profile measurements), and sensing data. The sensing data may include data obtained from RF sensing, wherein the RF sensing may include sending one or more sensing signals (e.g., wireless signals) and receiving a reflection signal including at least one reflection of the one or more sensing signals. The reflected signals may be used to infer information about the surroundings of the respective device (eg, the presence and / or location of one or more other devices).

[0107] There exists a corresponding channel between each device 504-508 and the network device 502. The network device 502 determines that a first channel between the network device 502 and the first device 504 and a second channel between the network device 502 and the second device 506 are expected to be related.

[0108] In some embodiments, the network device 502 may obtain a channel correlation estimate for the first channel and the second channel, and determine that the first channel and the second channel are expected to be correlated (e.g., are correlated) based on the channel correlation estimate. For example, the network device may determine that the channel correlation estimate is within a defined range or satisfies a threshold. For example, the network device 502 may determine that the channel correlation estimate is greater than a threshold.

[0109] The network device 502 may determine a channel correlation estimate based on a measurement value of the first channel and a measurement value of the second channel. The measurement value of the first channel may include an estimate of the first channel at a first time. The measurement value of the second channel may include an estimate of the second channel at a second time (e.g., the same as or different from the first time).

[0110] The measurements are performed by the first device 504 and the second device 506, respectively. Thus, for example, the network device 502 may receive a measurement value of a first channel from the first device 504 and a measurement value of a second channel from the second device 506. The first device 504 and the second device 506 may perform respective measurements on one or more reference signals (e.g., downlink reference signals, such as a channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) or a DMRS) and / or data sent by the network device 502. Alternatively, the measurements may be performed by the network device 502. The network device 502 may perform measurements on one or more reference signals (e.g., uplink reference signals, such as a sounding reference signal (SRS)) and / or data sent by the first device 504 and the second device 506. Generally, one or more measurements may be performed on any suitable transmission received from the first device 504 and / or the second device 506, such as a configuration request, a scheduling request, a physical random access channel (PRACH) message, and / or a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) message.

[0111] The channel correlation estimate may include a correlation coefficient. The network device 502 may determine the correlation coefficient using the measured values ​​of the first channel and the second channel. Any suitable correlation coefficient may be used, such as the Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient or the Spearman correlation coefficient. In some examples, the correlation coefficient of the first channel and the second channel may take a value between -1 and 1. A large absolute value of the correlation coefficient (e.g., an absolute value close to 1) may indicate that the first channel and the second channel are highly correlated. For example, a correlation coefficient equal to 1 may indicate that the first channel and the second channel are maximally correlated, while a correlation coefficient equal to 0 may indicate that the first channel and the second channel are completely uncorrelated. The network device 502 may determine that the first channel and the second channel are expected to be correlated in response to the correlation coefficient exceeding a threshold. For example, the network device 502 may determine that the first channel and the second channel are expected to be correlated in response to the correlation coefficient exceeding (e.g., greater than or equal to) a threshold of 0.9.

[0112] In some examples, the network device 502 may use one or more measurements to determine complex channel coefficients h1 and h2 for the first channel and the second channel, respectively. The network device may determine the channel correlation estimate by determining a correlation coefficient of the complex channel coefficients h1 and h2 (eg, according to the above steps).

[0113] The complex channel coefficients h1 and h2 may include one or more samples of the corresponding channel. The one or more samples may be at different times and / or frequencies (e.g., different subcarriers). The network device 502 may determine the channel correlation estimate based on multiple samples of the complex channel coefficients of the first channel and the second channel (e.g., based on multiple samples of the first channel and the second channel). In some examples, the network device 502 and the corresponding devices 504, 506 may include multiple transmit antennas and / or multiple receive antennas. The channel correlation estimate may be based on the complex channel coefficients of each transmit-receive antenna pair. The channel estimate may be based on any correlation measure (e.g., correlation matrix) of the channel matrix of the first channel and the second channel. Alternatively, the channel correlation estimate may be based on the complex channel coefficients of the equivalent channel after precoding.

[0114] The channel correlation estimate may take into account large-scale channel gain and / or small-scale fading. In some examples, the channel correlation estimate may take into account the absolute value of the large-scale channel gain (e.g., power gain including path loss) without taking into account the phase or small-scale fading of the channel. For example, the network device may determine the channel correlation estimate by determining the corresponding average power (e.g., average power) of the channel gain of the first channel and the second channel and estimating the ratio between the two average powers. The network device may determine that the first channel and the second channel are expected to be correlated in response to determining that the ratio of the average powers meets a threshold. For example, the ratio may include the smaller of the two average powers divided by the larger of the two average powers, and the network device 502 may determine that the first channel and the second channel are expected to be correlated in response to determining that the ratio is above a threshold (e.g., a threshold of 0.95 or 95%).

[0115] In some examples, the network device 502 may determine that the first channel and the second channel are expected to be related based on the difference between the measured value of the first channel and the measured value of the second channel. The difference may be used as a supplement to the channel correlation estimate or may replace the channel correlation estimate. Therefore, in addition to determining the channel correlation estimate based on the measured value, or instead of determining the channel correlation estimate based on the measured value, the network device 502 may, for example, subtract another measured value from one measured value. The network device may determine that the first channel and the second channel are expected to be related based on determining that the difference meets a threshold (e.g., less than a maximum value). For example, the network device 502 may determine that the first channel and the second channel are expected to be related based on determining that the measured value of the first channel differs from the measured value of the second channel by less than 10% (e.g., 0.1). For example, the network device 502 may determine that the first channel and the second channel are expected to be related based on determining that the smaller of the measured value of the first channel and the measured value of the second channel is at least 0.9 (or 90%) of the larger of the measured value of the first channel and the measured value of the second channel.

[0116] In other examples, the network device 502 may determine that the first channel and the second channel are expected to be correlated based on other measurements or parameters that may indicate that the first channel and the second channel are correlated. Thus, the network device 502 may determine that the first channel and the second channel are expected to be correlated based on a channel correlation estimate, a difference between the measurements of the first channel and the second channel, and / or one or more other factors. For example, the one or more other factors may include one or more of the following: the respective locations of the first device 504 and the second device 506, and the measurements of the channel between the first device 504 and the second device 506, or any other suitable factor.

[0117] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that there are many ways in which the respective locations of the first device 504 and the second device 506 can be used to determine that the first channel and the second channel are expected to be related. In some examples, the network device 502 can determine that the first channel and the second channel are expected to be related by determining that the first device 504 and the second device 506 have the same or similar locations (e.g., co-located).

[0118] For example, the network device 502 may determine that the first device 504 and the second device 506 are within a threshold interval (e.g., distance or signal propagation time) of each other. The network device 502 may receive the locations of the first device 504 and the second device 506 from the first device 504 and the second device 506, respectively. Alternatively, the network device 502 may determine the respective locations of the first device 504 and the second device 506 (e.g., based on measurements performed by the network device 502). For example, the network device 502 may determine the respective locations of the first device 504 and the second device 506 based on respective angles of arrival (AoA) and / or signal strengths of signals received from the first device 504 and the second device 506. In another example, the network device may receive a measurement of the interval between the first device 504 and the second device 506 from at least one of the first device 504 and the second device 506, and make the determination based on the received measurement. For example, the first device 504 can determine the interval (e.g., distance or signal propagation time) between the first device 504 and the second device 506 by sending one or more sensing signals (e.g., wireless signals) and receiving a reflection of at least one of the one or more sensing signals reflected by the second device 506.

[0119] The network device 502 may determine that the first device 504 and the second device 506 have the same or similar location by determining that the first device 504 and the second device 506 constitute part of a common entity (e.g., a system or a subject) (e.g., are installed on a common entity). The network device 502 may, for example, receive a respective indicator indicating the subject of which the respective device constitutes a part from each of the first device 504 and the second device 506. The network device 502 may determine that the first device 504 and the second device 506 constitute part of a common entity (e.g., are installed on a common entity) based on a comparison of the indicators from the first device 504 and the second device 506. For example, the first device 504 and the second device 506 may be sensors on a robotic system, and the network device 502 may determine that the sensors constitute part of the same robotic system based on the indicators received from the first device 504 and the second device 506. In another example, the network device 502 may determine that the first device 504 and the second device 506 are applied to the same patient (e.g., a human or animal body).

[0120] In some embodiments, the network device 502 can determine that the first channel and the second channel are expected to be related in response to using the same beam for the first device 504 and the second device 506 (e.g., for transmitting to and / or receiving signals from the first device 504 and the second device 506). Therefore, in a specific example, the first device and the second device can be covered by the same beam.

[0121] Network device 502 therefore determines that the first channel and the second channel are expected to be correlated. Network device 502 can make this determination based on any combination of the above factors.

[0122] In some examples, network device 502 may determine that a third channel between network device 502 and third device 508 is expected to be uncorrelated with one or more of the first channel and the second channel. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that, in practice, it is likely that many channels will exhibit at least a small degree of correlation. Thus, in general, the third channel may be less correlated with the first channel and / or the second channel than the first channel and the second channel are correlated with each other. This may mean that the third channel may be sufficiently different from the first channel and / or the second channel that a channel estimate for the first channel or the second channel cannot be used for the third channel (e.g., for demodulation of a signal received on the third channel) without risking or impacting performance.

[0123] Determining that the third channel is expected to be uncorrelated with one or more of the first channel and the second channel (e.g., both) can be based on one or more of the above factors. For example, the third device 508 can be sufficiently distant from the first device 504 and / or the second device 506 (e.g., can be separated from the first device 504 and / or the second device 506 by a minimum distance). In another example, the estimated value of the channel correlation between the third channel and one or more of the first channel and the second channel can be below a threshold. In another example, the first device 504 and the second device 506 can constitute part of or be installed on a common entity, while the third device 508 may not constitute part of or be installed on a common entity.

[0124] Since the first channel and the second channel are expected to be related, the first device 504 and the second device 506 can be referred to as related devices. The third device can be referred to as a non-related device. In some examples, the first device 504 and the second device 506 can be referred to as intra-user equipment (intra-UE). The third device 508 can be referred to as inter-user equipment (inter-UE).

[0125] The network device 502 may therefore determine that the first device 504 and the second device 506 are related devices (or within a UE).

[0126] Based on determining that the first channel and the second channel are expected to be related, the network device 502 sends corresponding messages 512a, 512b to the first device 504 and the second device 506, indicating that the first device 504 and the second device 506 will send the same DMRS to the network device 502. The skilled person will be familiar with DMRS, so it will not be discussed in detail here. In short, DMRS can be a reference signal (e.g., a signal known to both the transmitter and the receiver), which can be used by the receiver to generate a channel estimate for demodulating a signal received from the transmitter (e.g., extracting a signal carrying information from the received signal). The same DMRS can be the same sequence that both the first device 504 and the second device 506 are to send (e.g., the same Zadoff-Chu sequence or the same Gold sequence). For example, the same DMRS can be the same sequence to be sent by the first device 504 and the second device 506 on the same time-frequency resources. The same DMRS can be equivalently referred to as a common DMRS.

[0127] The network device 502 may include any suitable indicator in the messages 512a, 512b to indicate that the first device 504 and the second device 506 will send the same DMRS. For example, the messages 512a, 512b may include the same DMRS. In another example, the network device 502 may indicate that the first device 504 and the second device 506 will send the same DMRS by sending the public identification (e.g., group identification, public identity or ID) of the first device 504 and the second device 506 in the messages 512a, 512b (collectively referred to as 512). The public identification of the first device 504 and the second device 506 may be the same. For example, the public identification may be referred to as an intra-UE ID. The intra-UE ID may identify a group of UEs (e.g., the first device 504 and the second device 506). The same DMRS may be derived from the public identification (e.g., by the first device 504 and the second device 506) so that the public identification may be used to indicate the same DMRS.

[0128] The network device 502 sends a message 514 to the third device 508, indicating that the third device 508 will send another DMRS to the network device. The other DMRS is different from the same DMRS (e.g., different from the DMRS to be sent by the first device 504 and the second device 506). In some examples, the other DMRS can be orthogonal to the same DMRS.

[0129] The first device 504, the second device 506, and the third device 508 send DMRS 516a, 516b, 516c to the network device 502. The first device 504 and the second device 506 send the same DMRS 516a, 516b (e.g., as indicated in messages 512a, 512b). The third device 508 sends another DMRS 516c (e.g., as indicated in message 512c).

[0130] The first device 504 and the second device 506 can send the same DMRS to the network device 502 synchronously (for example, send the same DMRS at the same time and / or make the same DMRS arrive at the network device 502 at the same time). The first device 504 and the second device 506 can use the same network resources (for example, use the same one or more time-frequency resources) to send the same DMRS 516a, 516b. The first device 504 and the second device 506 can use one or more time-frequency resources at one or more symbols at the beginning of a subframe or a time slot to send the same DMRS 516a, 516b. In some examples, instead of sending the same DMRS, the first device 504 and the second device 506 can use one or more time-frequency resources at one or more symbols at the beginning of a subframe or a time slot to send the same preamble 516a, 516b. In some examples, the first device 504 and the second device 506 can use one or more time-frequency resources at one or more symbols in the middle of a subframe or a time slot to send the same DMRS 516a, 516b.

[0131] The first device 504 and the second device 506 may be preconfigured to use the same network resources to send the same DMRS. Alternatively, the network device 502 may indicate to the first device 504 and the second device 506 the same one or more network resources to be used to send the same DMRS. For example, the network device 502 may indicate the same one or more network resources in the messages 512a, 512b. Thus, the messages 512a, 512b may indicate a specific time (e.g., one or more symbols) and / or frequency (e.g., one or more subcarriers) at which the same DMRS will be sent.

[0132] The network device 502 thus receives the same DMRS 516a, 516b (e.g., as a combined or superimposed signal) from the first device 504 and the second device 506. The network device 502 may also determine the same channel estimate for the first channel and the second channel based on one or more measurements performed on the same DMRS 516a, 516b. Rather than attempting to distinguish between the same DMRS 516a received from the first device 504 and the same DMRS 516b received from the second device 506, the network device 502 may estimate the first channel and the second channel using the combined signal received from both the first device 504 and the second device 506. Since the first channel and the second channel are expected to be correlated, a single channel estimate based on the combined same DMRS received from both the first device 504 and the second device 506 may be used to capture the conditions of both channels.

[0133] The network device 502 may also receive data from the first device 504 and / or the second device 506. The first device 504 and / or the second device 506 may send the data together with the corresponding DMRS 516a, 516b (e.g., in the same message). Alternatively, the first device 504 and / or the second device 506 may send the data separately from the corresponding DMRS 516a, 516b (e.g., in different messages). The network device 502 may demodulate the data received from the first device 504 and / or the second device 506 based on the same channel estimation value. Therefore, the data sent by the first device 504 and / or the second device 506 may be demodulated using the combined DMRS 516a, 516b.

[0134] The network device 502 may also determine a channel estimation value of a third channel (e.g., between the network device 502 and the third device 508) based on another DMRS 516c. The network device 502 may also receive data from the third device 508. The third device 508 may send the data together with another DMRS 516c (e.g., in the same message). Alternatively, the third device 508 may send the data separately from another DMRS 516c (e.g., in different messages). The network device 502 may demodulate the data received from the third device 508 based on the channel estimation value of the third channel.

[0135] Public Logo

[0136] As described above, the network device 502 may indicate that the first device 504 and the second device 506 will use the same DMRS by sending a public identifier to the first device 504 and the second device 506. In other embodiments, the network device 502 may assign and / or indicate a public identifier to the first device 504 and the second device 506 without indicating that the first device and the second device will send the same DMRS. By assigning a public identifier to the first device 504 and the second device 506, the network device 502 may regard the first device 504 and the second device 506 as belonging to a single logical node identified by the public identifier. Therefore, from the perspective of the network device 502, the logical node may be shared by the first device 504 and the second device 506. Therefore, although the public identifier may be used to derive a public DMRS in some embodiments, its use is not limited thereto. In some embodiments, the public identifier may be used to generate or select a channel for initial access (e.g., in addition to indicating the same DMRS, or instead of indicating the same DMRS). For example, the public identifier may be used by the first device 504 and the second device 506 to select a public (e.g., shared) access channel, such as a random access channel (RACH). In another example, the public identity may be used to select a preamble sequence to be sent in a physical random access channel (PRACH) at initial access.

[0137] Public Configuration

[0138] Generally, the network device 502 may indicate (e.g., in messages 512a, 512b) a common configuration to the first device 504 and the second device 506. The common configuration may include a common DMRS, one or more network resources to be used to send the common DMRS, and / or the above-mentioned common identification (e.g., intra-UE ID).

[0139] Additionally or alternatively, the common configuration may include one or more of: a time-frequency resource configuration, a modulation and coding scheme (MCS), one or more power control parameters, a timing advance (e.g., for synchronization), a beam configuration (e.g., a multiple input multiple output (MIMO) configuration), and an unlicensed configuration to be used by the first device 504 and the second device 506 to communicate with (e.g., transmit to) the network device 502. One or more of these parameters may be common to the first device 504 and the second device 506, and thus may be signaled to the first device 504 and the second device 506 as part of the common configuration.

[0140] The time-frequency resource configuration may indicate one or more time-frequency resources for use by the first device 504 and the second device 506. The one or more time-frequency resources may include a time-frequency resource pool (e.g., multiple time-frequency resources) for the first device 504 and the second device 506 to select one or more time-frequency resources from.

[0141] The time-frequency resources indicated by the time-frequency resource configuration may include time-frequency resources that are used periodically. Therefore, the time-frequency resources may be indicated by a periodicity and a time offset for each period defined by the periodicity. The periodicity may indicate the time interval between subsequent time-frequency resources indicated by the time-frequency resource configuration. The time-frequency offset may define one or more time-frequency resources in the corresponding period (e.g., one or more symbols and / or one or more resource blocks for transmission). Therefore, the time offset may indicate the time position of the transmission in a period defined by the periodicity. For example, the time offset may indicate a time slot number relative to frame 0 of the system (e.g., system frame number SNF=0).

[0142] The one or more power control parameters may include one or more parameters that the first device 504 and the second device 506 may use to derive an uplink transmission power (e.g., a power used to transmit to the network device 502). Thus, the first device 504 and the second device 506 may be used to determine the uplink transmission power based on the one or more power control parameters in addition to, for example, the path loss and / or one or more other measurements of the respective devices 504, 506.

[0143] The time-frequency resource configuration and / or one or more power control parameters may be part of the unlicensed configuration. This is described in further detail below. Alternatively, the time-frequency resource configuration and / or one or more power control parameters may be a separate configuration that is not part of the unlicensed configuration.

[0144] A timing advance (TA) is a time offset (e.g., duration advance) that a corresponding device applies to its uplink transmission relative to a downlink frame to synchronize it with other devices. Thus, the timing advance may include a negative time offset between the start of a downlink subframe received at the corresponding device and an uplink subframe sent by the corresponding device. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the same timing advance may be assigned to the first device 504 and the second device 506. Thus, the timing advances of the first device 504 and the second device 506 may form part of a common configuration.

[0145] The beam configuration may include one or more of: a beam direction (e.g., a specific beam direction), a precoder, or any other MIMO-related transmission parameter. The beam configuration may be used by the first device 504 and / or the second device 506 to send a signal using a specific beam. Thus, the first device and the second device may be used to use the same beam for uplink and / or downlink transmission.

[0146] Those skilled in the art will be familiar with unlicensed transmissions and are therefore not discussed in detail herein. Briefly, unlicensed transmissions may refer to transmissions performed (e.g., by the first device 504 and / or the second device 506) without receiving a dynamic authorization (e.g., without receiving an authorization to explicitly allocate network resources for a particular transmission). Unlicensed transmissions may be equivalently referred to as unlicensed transmissions, autonomous transmissions, or configured authorized transmissions. In some examples, the method 500 may be implemented in an NR network, and the unlicensed configuration may include a configuration of configured authorized transmissions defined for the NR network.

[0147] Thus, the common configuration may include a grant-free configuration for configuring the first device 504 and / or the second device 506 to transmit to the network device 502 without waiting to receive a dynamic grant from the network device 502. By enabling the first device 504 and the second device 506 to perform grant-free transmissions without receiving a dynamic grant for the transmission, latency and signaling overhead may be reduced.

[0148] The unlicensed configuration may include one or more of the following: a time-frequency resource configuration, a modulation and coding scheme, and one or more power control parameters mentioned above. Alternatively, one or more of the following may form part of a separate configuration that is not part of the unlicensed configuration: a time-frequency resource configuration, a modulation and coding scheme, and one or more power control parameters.

[0149] The common configuration signal may be sent to the first device 504 and the second device 506 using high-layer signaling. For example, the common configuration signal may be sent to the first device 504 and the second device 506 using RRC signaling (e.g., UE-specific RRC signaling). Alternatively, the common configuration signal may be sent to the first device 504 and the second device 506 using physical layer signaling such as downlink control information (DCI) signaling. In some examples, the network device 502 may send (e.g., transmit) the common configuration signal to the first device 504 and the second device 506 using a combination of high-layer and physical layer signaling.

[0150] In some examples, the network device 502 may use group signaling to send a common configuration to the first device 504 and the second device 506, where the target of the group signaling is all devices that share a common identity (e.g., all devices belonging to the same UE internal ID). For example, the group signaling may include group common RRC signaling or group common DCI.

[0151] Therefore, the network device 502 can indicate a common configuration to the first device 504 and the second device 506 (for example, in messages 512a, 512b), wherein the common configuration may include one or more of the following: a common DMRS, one or more network resources for sending the common DMRS, a public identifier, a time-frequency resource configuration, an MCS, one or more power control parameters, a timing advance, a beam configuration, and an unauthorized configuration for the first device 504 and the second device 506 to communicate with the network device 502.

[0152] By using a common configuration for multiple devices, method 500 can reduce processing at network device 502 and reduce signaling for configuring devices. This can reduce configuration overhead.

[0153] Device specific configuration

[0154] In some embodiments, the network device 502 may also indicate a corresponding device-specific configuration to each of the first device 504, the second device 506, and the third device 508. The device-specific configuration may be different from the common configuration.

[0155] The device-specific configuration for the respective device may include a device-specific identification (e.g., a device identity or ID). The device-specific identification may be different from the public identification discussed above. The public identification may be used to identify the group of the first device 504 and the second device 506, while the respective device-specific identifications of the first device 504 and the second device 506 may be used to identify (e.g., uniquely identify) the first device 504 and the second device 506, respectively. In the example where the devices 504 to 508 are sensors, the device-specific identification may be referred to as a sensor-specific identification (e.g., a sensor-specific identity or ID).

[0156] The device-specific identifier may be used for scrambling of data. The device-specific identifier may be used to perform cyclic redundancy check (CRC) scrambling. The device-specific identifier may be used to address a control channel. For example, the device-specific identifier may be a device-specific (e.g., UE-specific) radio network temporary identifier (RNTI). The device-specific identifier may have a similar function to a cell RNTI (C-RNTI) defined in the long term evolution (LTE) or NR standards.

[0157] The device-specific identifier can be used to address a control channel sent to the corresponding device 504 to 508. For example, the device-specific identifier can define a search space for the DCI. The device-specific identifier can be used to scramble the CRC of the DCI. Additionally or alternatively, the device-specific identifier can be used to scramble one or more uplink data transmissions on a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH), one or more downlink data transmissions on a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH), and / or scramble the data payload of the DCI sent (e.g., from the network device 502) to the corresponding device 504 to 508.

[0158] The device-specific identifier can be related to the transmission parameters of the device. For example, the device-specific identifier can be related to the parameters of the multiple access scheme to be used by the corresponding device (for example, as described below with respect to the multiple access method). The transmission parameters may include one or more of the following: codeword, signature, power (for example, transmission power), and modulation scheme (for example, modulation and coding scheme). In this way, a recipient of a transmission from the corresponding device is able to identify the device sending the transmission based on the transmission parameters (for example, when the device-specific identifier is not explicitly included in the transmission). For example, the network device 502 is able to identify a transmission from the first device 504 based on the codeword used by the first device 504.

[0159] In some examples, the device-specific identifier can be a parameter to be included in the transmission. For example, the device can include the device-specific identifier in its transmission (e.g., in a header) to identify the device. For example, network device 502 can receive the transmission, decode the transmission (e.g., without knowing the identity of the sender), and determine from the decoded data that the transmission was sent by first device 504.

[0160] In addition to or in lieu of a device-specific identifier, a device-specific configuration may include one or more of the following: a public identifier (e.g., an entity ID within a UE), a time-frequency resource configuration, a modulation and coding scheme (MCS), one or more power control parameters, a timing advance (e.g., for synchronization), a beam configuration (e.g., a multiple-input multiple-output configuration), and an unlicensed configuration. These parameters are described above for a public configuration.

[0161] The network device 502 may indicate the device-specific configuration to the first device 504, the second device 506, and the third device 508 in respective messages 512a, 512b, and 512c. Alternatively, the network device 502 may indicate the common configuration for the first device 504, the second device 506 separately from the respective device-specific configuration. For example, the network device 502 may broadcast an indication of the common configuration (e.g., to be received by the first device 504 and the second device 506). The network device 502 may indicate the common configuration to the first device 504 and the second device 506 using one-to-many transmissions, and indicate the device-specific configuration for the devices 504 to 508 using one-to-one transmissions.

[0162] In some embodiments, the network device 502 may not indicate some or all of the device-specific configurations to the devices 504-508. For example, the network device 502 may not indicate the device-specific configurations to the first device 504 and the second device 506 (e.g., it may only indicate the common configuration to the first device 504 and the second device 506). In these examples, some or all of the devices 504 to 508 may be pre-configured with corresponding device-specific configurations. Alternatively, some or all of the devices 504 to 508 may determine the corresponding device-specific configurations. For example, one or more of the devices 504 to 508 may determine one or more device-specific configuration parameters based on a predefined relationship and one or more parameters (e.g., measured or known parameters). In another example, one or more of the devices 504 to 508 may randomly select one or more device-specific configuration parameters.

[0163] The common configuration and / or the device-specific configuration may be indicated using radio resource configuration (RRC) signaling (e.g., during configuration of a connected state or an inactive state by RRC signaling) or initial access signaling. For example, a common configuration may be indicated (e.g., broadcast) using RRC or initial access signaling. Device-specific configuration may be indicated using RRC signaling. In one example, part or all of the first message 512a, the second message 512b, and the third message 514 may include an RRC connection establishment message or an RRC connection reconfiguration message. In another example, part or all of the first message 512a, the second message 512b, and the third message 514 may include a random access message, such as a random access response message (e.g., a message sometimes referred to as "msg2").

[0164] In the above description of method 500, there are three devices 506 to 508. Generally, method 500 can be applied to other numbers of devices. In some embodiments, the third device 508 can be omitted. In some embodiments, there can be more than two devices expected to have related channels. Generally, method 500 can be performed for two or more devices expected to have related channels.

[0165] Thus, aspects of the present disclosure provide a method in which devices (e.g., related devices) that are expected to have related channels can send the same DMRS to the network device 502. This may be particularly advantageous in examples where there are a large number of related devices, because existing techniques for generating and allocating DMRS may not produce sufficiently orthogonal DMRS sequences to enable multiple devices to send different DMRS. Using the same DMRS can further reduce the processing performed by the network device. Instead of calculating multiple channel estimates based on different DMRS received from different devices, the network device can calculate a shared channel estimate based on the combined DMRS received from the multiple devices, and use the shared channel estimate to demodulate the transmissions received from the multiple devices.

[0166] Send DMRS on behalf of another device

[0167] In the above description of the method 500, the first device 504 and the second device 506 send the same DMRS to the network device 502. In other embodiments, one of the first device 504 and the second device 506 may send the DMRS on behalf of both the first device 504 and the second device 506. Therefore, the same DMRS may be allocated to the first device 504 and the second device 506 (e.g., by the network device 502), but the DMRS may be sent by only one of the first device 504 and the second device 506. The network device 502 may demodulate a signal from the other of the first device 504 and the second device 506 using the DMRS sent by one of the first device 504 and the second device 506 (e.g., in addition to using the DMRS to demodulate a signal received from one of the first device 504 and the second device 506). For example, the signal may include data and / or control information (e.g., one or more reference signals or network information). Since the first channel and the second channel are expected to be correlated, the channel estimation value based on the DMRS sent by one of the first device 504 and the second device 506 should fully characterize both the first channel and the second channel. By transmitting the DMRS only in one of the first device 504 and the second device 506 , the first channel and the second channel can still be estimated while minimizing resource usage.

[0168] This method can be extended to more devices expected to have related channels. Generally, a subset of two or more devices can send DMRS on behalf of the two or more devices. In an example where the subset includes at least two devices (e.g., DMRS is sent by multiple devices), the subset of devices can send the same DMRS (e.g., according to the transmission of the same DMRS described above with respect to method 500). In some scenarios, all devices expected to have related channels can send the same DMRS.

[0169] Determine that channels are expected to be correlated

[0170] In the above description of method 500, network device 502 determines that first device 504 and second device 506 are expected to have related channels. In other embodiments, the determination may be made elsewhere (e.g., network device 502 may not know that devices 504 and 506 are expected to have related channels). In some embodiments, network device 502 may determine that first device 504 and second device 506 are expected to have related channels based on receiving the same DMRS from first device 504 and second device 506. Network device 502 may determine that first device 504 and second device 506 have the same or similar location (e.g., co-location) based on receiving the same DMRS from first device 504 and second device 506. Network device 502 may determine the public identity of first device 504 and second device 506 based on the same DMRS received from first device 504 and second device 506 (e.g., because DMRS can be derived from the public identity). Therefore, network device 502 may determine that first device 504 and second device 506 belong to a logical node (single logical node) in response to receiving the same DMRS from first device 504 and second device 506.

[0171] In some examples, the determination that the first device 504 and the second device 506 are expected to have related channels can be based on receiving the same DMRS on one or more specific time-frequency resources. For example, the same DMRS sequence can be assigned to multiple groups of devices. Each device in the corresponding group can be expected to have a related channel. Each group can be assigned a corresponding time-frequency resource for DMRS transmission, so that the network device 502 can identify the received DMRS as being sent by a specific device group based on the time-frequency resource used for transmission.

[0172] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the determination that the first device 504 and the second device 506 are expected to have related channels can be made at any suitable entity. In one example, the first device 504 and the second device 506 can be connected to two network devices (e.g., in dual connectivity), including the network device 502, and the other network device can configure the first device 504 and the second device 506 to send the same DMRS. In some examples, a group of devices (e.g., a group of electronic devices) expected to have related channels can be configured by one of the devices in the group to send the same DMRS. For example, one of the first device 504 and the second device 506 can configure both the first device 504 and the second device 506 to send the same DMRS. This will be described below with respect to Figure 6 An exemplary embodiment in which one of the related devices configures one or more other related devices using a common configuration (eg, the same DMRS) is described in more detail.

[0173] Figure 6The signaling of the method 600 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. The signaling is performed between a network device 602, a discovery device 604 (or a boot device), a first response device 606, and a second response device 608 (collectively referred to as devices 604 to 608).

[0174] Although device 604 is referred to as discovery device 604, it will be apparent from the following description that discovery of one or more of devices 604 to 608 may or may not be performed by discovery device 604. Thus, for example, first response device 606 and second response device 608 may discover discovery device 604. Thus, in some embodiments, discovery device 604 may alternatively be referred to as a lead or leader device (e.g., in some embodiments, to indicate that device 604 may be responsible for configuration of devices 604 to 608). In some embodiments, discovery device 604 may be referred to as primary device 604, and first response device 606 and second response device 608 may be referred to as secondary devices 606, 608.

[0175] For example, the network device 602 may be Figure 5 Generally, the network device 602 may be a base station or a TRP, such as the one described above. Figures 1 to 4 The network device 602 may be located in a wireless access network (e.g., Figures 1 to 4 The network device 602 may be used to connect the devices 604 to 608 to a core network of a communication network (eg, the core network 130 of the system 100).

[0176] Each of the devices 604 to 608 may be any suitable device. In some embodiments, each of the devices 604 to 608 may be an electronic device, such as the one described above. Figures 1 to 4 Any electronic device 110 described herein. Each of the devices 604 to 608 may include corresponding components for sending and receiving signals (e.g., as described above with respect to the devices 504 to 508). In some embodiments, one or more of the devices 604 to 608 may be the first device 504 or the second device 506. One or more of the first device 504, the second device 506, and the third device 508 may be sensing devices (e.g., may include one or more sensors).

[0177] There are corresponding channels between the devices 604 to 608 and the network device 602 : a first channel between the discovery device 604 and the network device 602 , a second channel between the first response device 606 and the network device 602 , and a third channel between the second response device 606 and the network device 602 .

[0178] The method 600 may begin with the discovery device 604 sending a discovery message 610 (e.g., a discovery signal 610). For example, the discovery device 604 may broadcast the discovery message 610. The discovery device 604 may send the discovery message 610 using multiple beams (e.g., by performing beam scanning). For example, the discovery message 610 may include an identification of the discovery device 604. The discovery message may be sent on a sidelink (SL) channel or a device-to-device (D2D) channel.

[0179] The discovery message 610 is received by the first response device 606 and the second response device 608 (collectively, response devices 606 and 608). Each of the response devices 606, 608 sends a respective confirmation message (e.g., acknowledgement message) 612a, 612b to the discovery device 604. The confirmation messages 612a, 612b may be sent in response to the discovery message 610.

[0180] In some embodiments, the confirmation messages 612a, 612b may be sent in response to determining at the respective response devices 606, 608 that the respective channels between the response devices 606, 608 and the network device 602 are expected to correlate with the channel between the discovery device 604 and the network device 602. Thus, for example, the first response device 606 may send the confirmation message 612a in response to determining that the channel between the first response device 606 and the network device 602 is expected to correlate with the channel between the discovery device 604 and the network device 602.

[0181] Each responding device 606, 608 may use any of the operations described above in method 500 with respect to determining that the first channel and the second channel are expected to be correlated by the network device 502 to determine that its channel (e.g., the second channel or the third channel) is expected to be correlated with the first channel (of the discovery device 604). Therefore, each responding device 606, 608 may determine that the corresponding channel is expected to be correlated based on one or more of the following: channel correlation estimates of the corresponding channels, differences between measured values ​​of the corresponding channels, the respective locations of the discovery device 604 and the respective responding device 606, 608, and measured values ​​of the channels between the discovery device 604 and the respective responding device 606, 608, or any other suitable factors. For ease of understanding, the following describes potential adaptations of the operations in method 500 for determining that the channels are expected to be correlated by the responding devices 606, 608 with reference to the first responding device 606 and the determination that its corresponding channel (the second channel) is expected to be correlated with the first channel. However, it will be understood that the same operations may also be implemented by the second responding device 608 to determine that the third channel (for the second responding device 606) is expected to be correlated with the first channel (for the discovery device 604).

[0182] In some embodiments, the first responding device 606 may determine that the second channel is expected to be associated with the first channel based on information received from the discovery device 604. For example, the information may be received in the discovery message 610. The received information may include, for example, the location of the discovery device 604 and / or an estimate of the first channel (between the discovery device 604 and the network device 602).

[0183] In one example, the first responding device 606 can determine that the discovery device 604 and the first responding device 606 have the same or similar location based on a comparison of its own location with the received location of the discovery device 604, thereby determining that the second channel and the first channel are expected to be related. For example, the responding device 606 can use any method described above with respect to the network device 502 to determine that the discovery device 604 and the first responding device 606 have the same or similar location.

[0184] In another example, the first responding device 606 can perform one or more measurements of the second channel (e.g., by measuring one or more reference signals received from the network device 602) and compare the estimate of the second channel with the estimate of the first channel received from the discovery device 602 (e.g., determining a channel correlation estimate and / or a difference between the two channels) to determine that the second channel and the first channel are expected to be correlated.

[0185] In some embodiments, the first responding device 606 performs measurements (e.g., at least one measurement) on one or more signals received from the discovery device 604 and determines an estimate of a channel between the first responding device 606 and the discovery device 604 based on the measurements, thereby determining that the second channel is expected to be related to the first channel. The measurements may be performed on the discovery message 610 (e.g., performed on one or more reference signals, such as a CSI-RS in a SL in the discovery message 610), or may simply be performed on a SL reference signal, such as a SL CSI-RS sent by the discovery device 604, which may not be part of the discovery message.

[0186] In some embodiments, first response device 606 may perform sensing to determine the respective locations of discovery device 604 and first response device 606. For example, first response device 606 may determine the separation (e.g., distance or signal propagation time) between first response device 606 and discovery device 604 by sending one or more sensing signals (e.g., wireless signals) and receiving a reflection of at least one of the one or more sensing signals reflected by discovery device 604.

[0187] Thus, in some embodiments, each responding device 606, 608 may determine that the respective channel between the respective responding device 606, 608 and the network device 602 is expected to be related to the channel between the discovery device 604 and the network device 602. As described above, confirmation messages 612a, 612b may be sent in response to this determination. Thus, in some embodiments, the sending of confirmation messages 612a, 612b may indicate to the discovery device 604 that the respective channels between the responding devices 606, 608 and the network device 602 are expected to be related to the channel between the discovery device 604 and the network device 602. Thus, the discovery device 604 may determine that the devices 604 to 608 are related devices (e.g., are within a UE) based on the reception of the confirmation messages 612a, 612b.

[0188] In some embodiments, one of the first response device 606 and the second response device 608 may determine that their respective channels are expected to be correlated with respective channels of the first response device and the second response device 606. For example, the first response device 606 may determine that the second channel and the third channel are expected to be correlated. The first response device 606 may determine that the second channel is expected to be correlated with the third channel based on information received from the second response device 608. The received information may include, for example, one or more of the following: the location of the second response device 606, an estimate of the second channel (between the response device 606 and the network device 602), and a measurement (or estimate) of the channel between the first response device 606 and the second response device 608, and one or more sensing results obtained by the second response device 608. The second response device 608 may obtain the one or more sensing results by sending one or more sensing signals (e.g., wireless signals) and receiving a reflection of at least one of the one or more sensing signals (e.g., reflected by the first response device 606). The second response device 608 may send information directly to the first response device 606 (e.g., in a one-to-one transmission). Alternatively, second response device 608 may broadcast information (eg, in a one-to-many transmission), and the broadcasted information may be received by first response device 606 .

[0189] In other embodiments, a determination that a channel is expected to be relevant may be made at the discovery device 604. The discovery device 604 may make a determination using any of the methods described above with respect to determinations made at the response devices 606, 608. For example, the discovery device 604 may make a determination based on one or more measurements performed by the discovery device 604 (e.g., determining a channel estimate) and / or information received from the response devices 606, 608 (e.g., a location and / or channel measurement received from the response devices 606, 608). The response devices 606, 608 may send the information in a confirmation message 612, 612b or in other messages. In some examples, the response devices 606, 608 may broadcast the information (e.g., may broadcast one or more measurements and / or sensing results), and the broadcasted information is received by the discovery device 604.

[0190] The discovery device 604 may indicate to the responding devices 606 and 608 that the channels are expected to be related. Thus, the discovery device 604 may indicate to the responding devices 606-608 that they are, for example, related or intra-UE. For example, the discovery device 604 may indicate this information in a device-specific configuration or a common configuration discussed below.

[0191] The discovery device 604 may indicate (e.g., send) corresponding device-specific configurations 614a, 614b to the responding devices 606 and 608. Each device-specific configuration 614a, 614b is assigned to a specific responding device (e.g., not shared by the devices 606 and 608 or the responding devices 606 and 608). The device-specific configurations 614a, 614b may be the same as the device-specific configurations described above with respect to the method 500. The discovery device 604 may indicate (e.g., send) the device-specific configurations 614a, 614b using sidelink (SL) signaling (e.g., using PC5-RRC or using sidelink control information (SCI)).

[0192] In some embodiments, the discovery device 604 may not indicate the corresponding device-specific configuration 614a, 614b to the responding devices 606-608. For example, the responding devices 606 and 608 may be pre-configured with the device-specific configuration. In another example, the responding devices 606 and 608 may determine their corresponding device-specific configuration. Some or all of the device-specific configuration parameters may be randomly selected by the corresponding responding device 506, 508 (e.g., by selecting a random codebook from a pool) and / or derived from a predefined relationship with a configured (e.g., known) or measured parameter (e.g., a codebook derived from an identification (e.g., UE ID) of the responding device).

[0193] The discovery device 604 may also determine its own device-specific configuration. For example, the discovery device 604 may assign itself a device-specific identifier.

[0194] The discovery device 604 may optionally send a request 616 for a common configuration for the devices 604 to 608 to the network device 602. Additionally, the discovery device 604 may include information in the device-specific configuration of the device 606 in the request 616. For example, the request 616 may include device-specific identifiers of the devices 604 to 608. The request 616 may also include additional information about the devices 604 to 608. The additional information may include, for example, the number of devices 604 to 608 (e.g., three in this example) and / or traffic information of the devices 604 to 608 (e.g., which may have been reported to the discovery device 602 from the responding devices 606, 608). The request 616 may be sent as part of one or more of the following: an initial access procedure, an RRC connection establishment procedure, a scheduling request, any other uplink transmission procedure, or a separate configuration request message.

[0195] Discovery device 604 may receive an indication 618 of a common configuration for devices 604-608 from network device 602. The indication may be sent by network device 602 in response to request 616.

[0196] The public configuration is different from the device-specific configuration. The public configuration may be the same as the public configuration described above with respect to method 500. For example, the public configuration may include one or more of the following: the public DMRS, public identification, and / or authorization-free configuration described above with respect to method 500.

[0197] As discussed above with respect to method 500, the public identification of devices 604 to 608 may indicate that devices 604 to 608 belong to a single logical node identified by the public identification. Therefore, from the perspective of network device 602, devices 604 to 608 may logically constitute an entity. The logical node or entity may be represented at network device 602 by discovery device 604. Therefore, network device 602 may send information (e.g., a common configuration) for all devices in the logical node / entity to discovery device 604. Discovery device 604 may then send the information to response devices 606 and 608.

[0198] The discovery device 604 indicates the common configuration 620a, 620b to the response devices 606 and 608. The discovery device 604 may also implement the common configuration itself (e.g., may send the common DMRS included in the common configuration). The discovery device 604 may directly send an indication of the common configuration 620a, 620b to the response devices 606 and 608 (e.g., in a corresponding one-to-one communication). Alternatively, the discovery device 604 may broadcast / multicast an indication of the common configuration 620a (e.g., via group common PC5-RCC signaling), and the broadcast indication may be received by the response devices 606, 608. Thus, for example, the broadcast indication may be received by all devices belonging to the same logical entity as the response devices 606, 608. The discovery device 604 may indicate (eg, send) the common configuration 620a, 620b using sidelink (SL) signaling (eg, using PC5-RRC, group common PC5-RRC, or using sidelink control information (SCI)).

[0199] Each of the devices 604 to 608 may also send a corresponding message 622a, 622b, 622c (collectively referred to as 622) to the network device 602 according to the common configuration. Therefore, in some embodiments, the devices 604 to 608 may send the same DMRS (as indicated by the common configuration) to the network device 602 in the message 622. The message 622 may be in the same manner as described above with respect to Figure 5 The same DMRS 516a, 516b are sent in the same manner as described.

[0200] The messages 622 may also be sent according to a device-specific configuration for the respective devices 604 to 608. For example, one or more of the messages 622 may include a device-specific identification of the respective device 604 to 608 (eg, the device sending the message 622).

[0201] In the above description of method 600, the discovery device 604 sends the device-specific configuration 614a, 614b before the public configuration 620a, 620b. In other embodiments, the public configuration can be sent first (for example, the public configuration can be requested from the network device 602 before the device-specific configuration is sent). In some embodiments, the public configuration and the device-specific configuration for the specific response devices 606 and 608 can be sent together (for example, in the same message). In one example, the discovery device 604 can request the public configuration and the device-specific configuration from the network device 602 (for example, in the request 616), and send the public configuration and the device-specific configuration to the specific response devices 606, 608 in a single message.

[0202] Method 600 may be performed during an initial access procedure (e.g., for providing access to a network including network device 602 to one or more of devices 604 to 608). In some examples, the above-mentioned signaling in method 600 is performed using RRC signaling (e.g., during configuration of a connected state or an inactive state by RRC signaling). In one example, request 616 may include an RRC connection request message, and response 618 may include an RRC connection establishment message. In some examples, request 616 and / or response 618 may include a random access message. For example, request 616 may include a random access preamble (e.g., a message sometimes referred to as "msg1"), and response 618 may include a random access response (e.g., a message sometimes referred to as "msg2").

[0203] Multiple Access

[0204] Multiple devices (e.g., sensing devices, such as sensors) connected to a network device may have different packet arrival times. Therefore, different devices may be active (e.g., transmitting to the network device) at different times, and the number of devices seeking access to the channel may vary (e.g., based on a shared unlicensed configuration).

[0205] According to aspects of the present disclosure, a first multiple access scheme may be used by two or more first devices to communicate with a network device, wherein channels between the network device and the two or more first devices are expected to be correlated (e.g., in the same manner as the first channel of the first device 504 and the second channel of the second device 506 are expected to be correlated as described above). A second multiple access scheme different from the first multiple access scheme may be used by a second device to communicate with the network device. The channel between the second device and the network device may be expected to be uncorrelated (or less correlated) than the channel between the network device and the two or more first devices. The second multiple access scheme is discussed in more detail below.

[0206] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that there are various multiple access schemes that can be used for the first multiple access scheme.

[0207] Multiple access: Code domain multiple access

[0208] In some embodiments, the first multiple access scheme may include a code domain multiple access scheme. Therefore, the two or more first devices may use the same codebook (e.g., a codebook of the code domain multiple access scheme). The codebook may include multiple codewords (e.g., codes). The two or more first devices may select corresponding codewords from the codebook for encoding the transmission to the network device.

[0209] The codebook may include an orthogonal codebook. Therefore, the codebook may include multiple orthogonal codewords. Since the codewords are orthogonal, even if the two or more first devices are sent to the network device at the same time, and the network device receives a combined transmission (for example, the two or more first transmissions are first added in the air and multiplexed together), the network device can also use the corresponding codeword to decode the received transmission and separate the transmission from the two or more first devices. Therefore, the use of orthogonal codewords can enable the network device to distinguish the transmission from the two or more first devices. The correlation between the channels of the two or more first devices means that the orthogonality of the codeword should be maintained. On the contrary, if the channels of the two or more first devices are unrelated, the two or more first devices may experience different independent fading channels, which may prevent the orthogonality of the codeword from being maintained. Therefore, the use of orthogonal codebooks for devices with correlated channels enables the network device to efficiently support multiple devices (even a large number of devices).

[0210] In a specific example, the codewords in the codebook can be generated from a parity check matrix of a Bose-Chaudhuri-Hocquenghem (BCH) code. In a specific example, the two or more first devices can encode the transmission using a cascaded BCH-forward error correction (FEC) encoding, wherein a code based on the BCH parity check matrix is ​​used as an outer code and the FEC code is used as an inner code. The codewords of the outer BCH code can be generated from columns of a parity check matrix of a binary BCH code.

[0211] An exemplary implementation of BCH-FEC coding can be referred to Figure 7 , which shows a network device 702, a first electronic device 704, and a second electronic device 706 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. A first channel between the network device 704 and the first electronic device 704 is expected to be associated with a second channel between the network device 702 and the second electronic device 706. Although this example is described with reference to the first electronic device 704 and the second electronic device 706, those skilled in the art will appreciate that this example can be generalized to the two or more first devices expected to have associated channels.

[0212] The network device 702 may be the network device 502 or the network device 602. The first electronic device 704 and the second electronic device 706 may be the first device 504 and the second device 506, or any two devices of the discovery device 604, the first response device 606 and the second response device 608.

[0213] Each electronic device in the first electronic device 704 and the second electronic device 706 includes a corresponding orthogonal encoder 708a, 708b and a corresponding error correction encoder 710a, 710b. The encoding process includes a cascade of corresponding orthogonal encoders 708a, 708b (e.g., outer code) and corresponding error correction encoders 710a, 710b (e.g., inner code). The orthogonal encoder 708a in the first electronic device 704 encodes the first message sent by the first electronic device 704 using the first BCH codeword to obtain the encoded first message. The orthogonal encoder 708b in the second electronic device 706 encodes the second message sent by the second electronic device 706 using the second BCH codeword. The first BCH codeword and the second BCH codeword can be different columns of the BCH parity check matrix. The BCH parity check matrix can be generated according to its error correction capability. Examples of BCH codes and generation of their parity check matrices can be found in: Shu Lin, DJ Costello, Error Control Coding, 2nd edition, Pearson Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, 2004.

[0214] An exemplary BCH parity check matrix that may be used may be expressed as:

[0215]

[0216] Where α is the Galois field GF(2 k ), k is the primitive element satisfying n=2 k -1, n is the block length of the BCH code, and t is the maximum number of errors that the BCH code can correct.

[0217] Due to the properties of BCH codes (e.g., as described in Error Control Coding referenced above), no 2t or fewer columns of H sum to zero, which can guarantee the distance of the BCH code. The sums of at most t different columns of H are different. Therefore, this means that the columns of H can be used as codewords, and the modulo-2 sums of any set of at most t different codewords will be different. Therefore, the decoder can distinguish which t different codewords were sent based on their modulo-2 sums.

[0218] The error correction encoder 710a in the first electronic device 704 encodes the encoded first message using the FEC code. Similarly, the error correction encoder 710b in the second electronic device 706 encodes the encoded second message using the FEC code. Both error correction encoders 710a and 710b use the same FEC code. Any suitable FEC code can be used. In a specific example, a linear code that performs well in a binary memoryless channel, such as an LDPC code, a Turbo code, or a Polar code, can be used. The FEC code (e.g., an inner code) can be a system binary linear code.

[0219] The twice-encoded first message and the twice-encoded second message are modulated by the first electronic device 704 and the second electronic device 706 and sent to the network device 702. Since the first channel between the network device 704 and the first electronic device 704 is expected to be correlated with the second channel between the network device 702 and the second electronic device 706, the twice-encoded first message and the second message are effectively transmitted on the same channel. The network device 702 receives a combined signal including the twice-encoded first message and the second message.

[0220] The error correction decoder 712 in the network device decodes the combined signal to output a single codeword. The single codeword can be used to correct any errors in the received combined signal.

[0221] about Figure 8An example of encoding and decoding an inner code for BCH-FEC encoding (e.g., encoding and decoding an FEC code) is described. The example is for an embodiment in which L=4 electronic devices are expected to have related channels and transmit to a network device. In the example shown, the signals transmitted by the four devices are encoded using BCH-FEC encoding (e.g., according to the operation of the orthogonal encoders 708a, 708b and the error correction encoders 710a, 710b described above) to produce corresponding coded bits:

[0222] c1=[0 1 1 1]

[0223] c2=[0 0 1 1]

[0224] c3=[0 0 0 1]

[0225] c4=[0 0 0 0]

[0226] At each electronic device, binary phase-shift keying (BPSK) modulation is used to modulate the corresponding coded bit c i Therefore, (+1, –1) is the normalized amplitude of the two constellations after BPSK modulation. In this way, the transmitted signal of each electronic device after modulation in different time slots can be expressed as

[0227] x i =2c i -1

[0228] So that, for example:

[0229] x1=[-1+1+1+1]

[0230] x2=[-1-1+1+1]

[0231] x3=[-1-1-1+1]

[0232] x4=[-1-1-1-1]

[0233] The electronic device sends the modulated coded bits to the network device. The network device receives the combined signal y, which can be expressed as

[0234]

[0235] This is the signal x sent by each device iThe sum of additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) n is added to simulate an AWGN channel. For simplicity, it is assumed that the transmit power and gain are normalized to 1, but those skilled in the art will understand that the expression can be generalized to consider electronic devices with different transmit powers and / or gains.

[0236] The network device can add y / 2+L / 2 to the received signal y, remove the noise, and perform a modulo-2 summation on the removed signal ( Figure 8 The combined received signal y is decoded using the "Modulation 2" in the decoder. This is because

[0237]

[0238] This allows recovery of the coded bits in the binary domain For this example, if we substitute x in the combined signal y i (i=1,2,3,4) values, we get

[0239]

[0240] Since L = 4 in this example, we have

[0241]

[0242] This recovers the modulo 2 sum of the coded bits in the binary domain

[0243]

[0244] The result can be sent to a decoder for decoding the channel code in the binary domain. Figure 8 The example described is for four electronic devices, not the previous one about Figure 7 The two electronic devices 704, 708 discussed above are described, but those skilled in the art will appreciate that this example is generally applicable to the two or more first devices expected to have related channels. For example, the operations discussed above with respect to L=4 devices may be performed by the first electronic device 704 and the second electronic device 706. The operations discussed with respect to the network device may be performed by the network device 702.

[0245] The orthogonal decoder 714 in the network device decodes the (corrected) combined signal using the first BCH codeword and the second BCH codeword to obtain the first message and the second message. The orthogonal decoder 714 may demultiplex (eg, separate) the first message and the second message in the binary domain.

[0246] Coding based on the BCH parity check matrix is ​​an example of a nonlinear orthogonal code. BCH, and in particular BCH-FEC, may be particularly advantageous because it provides a low-cost and low-complexity method for multiplexing and demultiplexing payloads from a large number of devices (e.g., from a large number of sensors). In addition, BCH-FEC may be difficult to use for devices that do not have correlated channels because it may be difficult to convert analog combinations of modulated codewords scaled with different fading coefficients into equivalent binary combinations in the FEC domain. More details on BCH-FEC encoding and decoding can be found in: O. Ordentlich and Y. Polyanskiy, "Low complexity schemes for the random access Gaussian channel", 2017 IEEE International Symposium on Information Theory (ISIT), 2017, pp. 2528-2532, doi: 10.1109 / ISIT.2017.8006985. Therefore, according to aspects of the present disclosure, encoding based on a BCH parity check matrix, such as the scheme described in the aforementioned references, may be used for the two or more first devices that are expected to have correlated channels.

[0247] In other examples, other nonlinear orthogonal codes may be used. Thus, the two or more first devices may generally use the same nonlinear orthogonal codebook. In this context, the codebook being nonlinear may mean that orthogonal codewords cannot be combined to produce another codeword. In a specific example, the codebook may be orthogonal in the binary domain so that a unique set of t distance codewords can be distinguished based on the modulo-2 sum of these codebooks.

[0248] In other examples, the codebook may be a linear orthogonal codebook. In a specific example, the codebook may be a linear orthogonal codebook and the first multiple access scheme may be a passive multiple access scheme. In these examples, the linear orthogonal codebook may be a random linear orthogonal codebook. In general, any linear orthogonal codebook that gives the best performance may be used.

[0249] refer to Fig. 9 and Fig.10 An example of a passive multiple access scheme using a linear orthogonal codebook that can be implemented for the two or more first devices is described.

[0250] Fig. 9 900 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The system 900 includes two or more first devices 902, a subset of which K aIs active. In this context, the device is active when sending or about to send to the network device 904. The two or more first devices 902 form a device pool, which can be active, for example, can send to the network device 904. However, at any time, only some of the two or more first devices 902 are active. The number of active devices is generally much smaller than the total number of devices that may send, such that K a <<K, where K is the number (e.g., quantity) of the two or more first devices 902.

[0251] Fig.10 Shows a flowchart of a method for implementing passive multiple access of the two or more first devices 902 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In this method, the two or more first devices 902 share the same linear orthogonal codebook 1002. The codebook 1002 includes M codewords, where M >> K a . Each active device selects a corresponding codeword from the codebook 1002. The codeword for the corresponding active device can be randomly selected from the codebook 1002. Each active device encodes its corresponding signal (e.g., message or transmission) according to its selected codeword and sends the encoded signal to the network device 904.

[0252] The network device 904 receives a combined signal, which is the sum of all the encoded signals c i (where i = 1,..., K a ) from the corresponding active devices plus any noise Z introduced by the channel. Therefore, the network device 904 can receive the combined signal Y according to the following formula:

[0253] Y = c1 +... + c Ka + Z

[0254] The network device 902 can determine the most likely existing codeword among the M codewords from the codebook based on the combined signal, thereby decoding the combined signal. For example, the network device 902 can use maximum likelihood decoding (e.g., using exhaustive search). For example, the network device 902 can decode the combined signal to obtain the transmitted signal by solving the following formula:

[0255]

[0256] where S is a subset of K a codewords in the codebook containing M codewords. is the decoder output. Among all possible subsets of K a codewords in the codebook, the decoder output in the codebook has K aA subset of the codewords are valid. Passive here means that the decoder does not identify which device is transmitting before decoding, but determines the message based on which codewords are valid. After decoding the message, the receiver can determine which device sent the message based on the message itself or using other information.

[0257] refer to Fig. 9 and Fig.10 The described example is only an exemplary implementation of a passive multiple access scheme for two or more first devices expected to have related channels. For more information about passive multiple access schemes, see: Y. Polyanskiy, "A perspective on massive random-access", 2017 IEEE International Symposium on Information Theory (ISIT), 2017, pp. 2523-2527, doi: 10.1109 / ISIT.2017.8006984. According to various aspects of the present disclosure, passive multiple access schemes, such as the passive multiple access schemes disclosed in the aforementioned references, can be used for two or more first devices expected to have related channels. In general, passive multiple access schemes may be particularly advantageous when two or more first devices are to send small messages (e.g., the number of bits k to be sent by each device to the network device 502 is small).

[0258] Therefore, in some embodiments, the first multiple access scheme used by the two or more first devices may include a code domain multiple access scheme.

[0259] Multiple access: power domain multiplexing

[0260] In some embodiments, the first multiple access scheme may include power domain multiplexing. In power domain multiplexing, different transmitters (e.g., two or more first devices) may be assigned different transmission powers (e.g., different power levels) so that a receiver (e.g., a network device) can distinguish the transmissions of these transmitters. This may be referred to as superposition modulation or virtual superposition coding. Note that the virtual superposition coding here is different from traditional or conventional superposition coding. Conventionally, superposition coding is used in multicast scenarios, in which a transmitter sends a message to multiple receivers and superimposes messages for different receivers before sending.

[0261] In contrast, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, each of the two or more first devices sends its own message or signal at its own transmission power (eg, its own power level). Therefore, power domain multiplexing can be applied to many-to-one transmission.

[0262] The signals sent by two or more first devices are superimposed in the air, and the superimposed (or combined) signal is received at the network device. Due to the different transmission powers and channel correlations of the two or more first devices, the constellation generated at the network device looks similar to the constellation that would be generated by traditional superposition coding for multicast transmission. Therefore, it is called virtual superposition coding or superposition modulation. This can be an example of a non-orthogonal multiple access scheme that can be used as a first multiple access scheme.

[0263] This can refer to Fig.11 and Fig.12 Further explanation. Fig.11 The power domain multiplexing scheme according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown, and corresponding constellation diagrams 1102, 1104 and 1106 of the first electronic device, the second electronic device and the third electronic device sending signals to the network device. The corresponding channels between the three electronic devices and the network device are expected to be related. The first electronic device has the highest transmission power, the third electronic device has the smallest (lowest) transmission power, and the second electronic device has a transmission power between the transmission powers of the first electronic device and the third electronic device. If the distances from the corresponding constellation points of the first electronic device, the second electronic device and the third electronic device to the x or y axis are represented as d1, d2 and d3 respectively, where d1>d2>d3, then the power levels of these electronic devices are related to d1. 2 , d2 2 and d3 2 Proportional.

[0264] Fig.12 The constellation diagram at the network device generated by transmissions performed by three electronic devices according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. This example assumes that the channels of the three electronic devices are similar and the three electronic devices use quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK) modulation. As described above, d1, d2, and d3 (where d1>d2>d3) are the distances from the corresponding constellation points of the first electronic device, the second electronic device, and the third electronic device to their corresponding x or y axes, respectively, where the power levels of these electronic devices are related to d1 2 , d2 2 and d3 2 The asterisks show Fig.11The constellation of the first electronic device with the highest power level is shown in . The crosses show a potential constellation of a combined signal from a first electronic device and a second electronic device, where the second electronic device has a smaller power level than the first electronic device but shares a similar channel with the first electronic device. The dots show an overall potential constellation of a received signal combining signals sent by the first electronic device, the second electronic device, and a third electronic device, where the third electronic device has the smallest power level and all three electronic devices have similar channels (e.g., similar channel conditions).

[0265] like Fig.12 As shown, the constellation generated at the network device is similar to the constellation that would be achieved using a hierarchical modulation scheme. Therefore, the network device can separate the transmissions from the three electronic devices (e.g., using successive interference cancellation (SIC)). For example, the network device can demodulate all signals received from the three electronic devices using the same or similar method used to demodulate hierarchical modulation. The network device can first demodulate the signal received from the first electronic device by treating the signals from other electronic devices as noise (e.g., when the first device transmits at the highest power). The network device can then remove the signal sent by the first electronic device from the combined signal (e.g., using a successive interference cancellation scheme) and use the remaining signal to demodulate the signal sent by the second electronic device. This process can continue until the signals sent by all electronic devices are decoded.

[0266] although Fig.11 and Fig.12 A constellation of signals transmitted by three electronic devices that are expected to have correlated channels is shown, but those skilled in the art will appreciate that these principles can be applied to two or more first devices, since, as described above, the two or more first devices are expected to have correlated channels.

[0267] Thus, in some embodiments, as part of a power domain multiplexing scheme, a respective transmission power may be assigned to each of the two or more first devices. As part of a power domain multiplexing scheme, a respective phase adjustment may also be assigned to each of the two or more first devices. The respective transmission power and / or phase adjustment may be unique to each of the two or more first devices (e.g., each of the two or more first devices may be assigned a different transmission power and / or phase adjustment).

[0268] The corresponding transmission power can be determined based on one or more of the following: priority (e.g., priority of the corresponding device), importance of the signal or message to be sent by the corresponding device (e.g., importance of a particular type of data to be sent), and quality of service (QoS) criteria (e.g., reliability requirements). For example, the importance of a first message to be sent by one of the two or more first devices may be higher than a second message to be sent by another of the two or more first devices. For example, the first message may require higher reliability. The device that will send the first message can be assigned a higher transmission power (e.g., a higher power level) than the device that will send the second message.

[0269] In some embodiments, the corresponding transmission power may be a corresponding power scaling factor (e.g., may include an amount by which the transmission power of the device will be scaled or adjusted, rather than an absolute value of the transmission power). Fig.11 and Fig.12 In the example described in , the first electronic device may be assigned a power scaling factor of 5, the second electronic device may be assigned a power scaling factor of 3, and the third electronic device may be assigned a power scaling factor of 1. The power scaling factor for a particular device may be derived from the index assigned to the device. Fig.11 and Fig.12 In the example of three electronic devices described, the first electronic device, the second electronic device, and the third electronic device may be assigned indexes 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Corresponding power scaling factors 5, 3, and 1 may be derived from these indexes (eg, according to a lookup table or a predefined relationship).

[0270] The corresponding phase adjustment can be determined based on the measured values ​​of the corresponding channels between the two or more first devices and the network device. The corresponding phase adjustment can be used to compensate for the phase difference between the channels between the two or more first devices and the network device. This can improve the error rate performance. This can be achieved by considering Fig.12 If the synthesized phases of the first electronic device, the second electronic device, and the third electronic device are different, then Fig.12 The constellation diagrams in can be rotated relative to each other, and the overall superposition constellation can have lower error rate performance. Alternatively, one of the electronic devices (e.g., the first electronic device) can be used as a reference for phase adjustment, and the phases of the other electronic devices can be adjusted so that transmissions from all three electronic devices are phase synchronized. Therefore, if the measurement shows that the second electronic device and the third electronic device have corresponding channel phases rotated A degrees and B degrees clockwise relative to the first electronic device, the phases of the second electronic device and the third electronic device can be adjusted A degrees and B degrees counterclockwise before transmission so that the transmission signals from all three electronic devices are phase synchronized.

[0271] Each of the two or more first devices may transmit to the network device according to a corresponding transmission power and / or phase adjustment. In addition to any conventional power control scheme and / or configuration, the two or more first devices may also use their corresponding transmission power and phase adjustment to transmit to the network device (e.g., perform an uplink transmission). The network device receives transmissions sent according to corresponding transmission powers from the two or more first devices. The network device may use the demodulation method described above to distinguish between different devices using superposition modulation, for example, using a method that can be used to demodulate layered modulation in other ways or using a SIC decoding method.

[0272] Power domain multiplexing may be particularly advantageous because it can improve spectral efficiency. In addition, the transmission power allocated to each device can be configured to provide a specific level of error protection for the corresponding device. Therefore, for example, the transmission power can be determined according to a quality of service criterion (e.g., reliability requirement). For example, the quality of service standard of two or more first devices may indicate that the transmission performed by a specific device in the two or more first devices will be more reliable than the transmission performed by another first device in the two or more first devices. According to these quality of service criteria, the network device 502 can allocate a first transmission power for a specific device and a second transmission power for other devices. For example, the network device 502 can allocate a higher transmission power for a specific device that requires higher reliability. In general, achieving a higher transmission power (e.g., at an equal code rate) increases decoding reliability because the signal with the highest transmission power is decoded first, and the signal with a lower transmission power is decoded only after the signal with the highest transmission power is correctly demodulated.

[0273] In some examples, a specific FEC code rate can be assigned to one or more first devices of two or more first devices based on a target block error rate (BLER) of the corresponding device. The FEC code rate can work with power domain multiplexing (e.g., with superposition modulation) to achieve a desired target BLER. For example, if the target BLER of the two or more first devices is 0.1, and a specific device of the two or more devices uses a higher transmission power (higher power level), this will result in a lower BLER for the same code rate. Therefore, a higher code rate can be assigned to a specific device than other devices of the two or more first devices (e.g., compared to other devices with lower transmission power), so that all two or more first devices achieve a similar target BLER of 0.1.

[0274] Multiple access: Spread spectrum codes

[0275] In some embodiments, the first multiple access scheme may involve a spreading code to be used by two or more first devices. Spreading codes are familiar to those skilled in the art and are therefore not discussed in detail herein. In short, a spreading code may be a code sequence that a transmitter applies to a signal to be transmitted (e.g., multiplying the signal with it or using it on a transmitted signal) so that when the signal is transmitted, it is spread over a plurality of different time-frequency resources. There are a variety of multiple access schemes based on spreading codes, including multiple access schemes based on orthogonal spreading codes and multiple access schemes based on non-orthogonal spreading codes. An example of a multiple access scheme based on orthogonal spreading codes is third generation (3G) code division multiple access (CDMA). Examples of multiple access schemes based on non-orthogonal spreading codes include multiple user shared access (MUSA), non-orthogonal coded access (NOCA), non-orthogonal coded multiple access (NCMA), low code rate spreading (LCRS), and group orthogonal coded access (GOCA). Therefore, in some embodiments, two or more first devices may use the same multiple access scheme based on spreading codes, such as any of the above examples. For example, a pool of spreading codes (e.g., multiple spreading codes) may be allocated to two or more first devices, and each of the two or more first devices may be allocated or select a corresponding spreading code from the pool for transmission to the network device.

[0276] Multiple access: frequency hopping sequence

[0277] In some embodiments, the first multiple access scheme may involve a frequency hopping sequence to be used by two or more first devices. Those skilled in the art are familiar with frequency hopping sequences, so they are not discussed in detail here. In short, in a multiple access scheme based on a frequency hopping sequence, a transmitter (e.g., one of two or more first devices) sends signals over time on different frequency resources according to an assigned frequency hopping sequence. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, two or more first devices may use the same multiple access scheme based on a hopping sequence. For example, a frequency hopping sequence pool (e.g., multiple frequency hopping sequences) may be allocated to two or more first devices, and the two or more first devices may be allocated or select corresponding frequency hopping sequences from the pool for transmission to a network device.

[0278] Multiple Access: Signatures

[0279] In some embodiments, the first multiple access scheme may involve a signature to be used by two or more first devices. In general, a signature may be any sequence for a specific device to transmit as part of a multiple access scheme. Therefore, the signature of a specific device may include one or more of the following: a spreading code (e.g., a spreading sequence), a code sequence, a frequency hopping sequence, an interleaving sequence, a scrambling sequence, or any other sequence to be used for multiple access transmission by a specific device. Therefore, the above-mentioned multiple access based on spreading codes and multiple access based on frequency hopping sequences may be examples of multiple access using signatures. Multiple access based on scrambling sequences may include resource spread multiple access (RSMA), low code rate and signature based shared access (LSSA). Multiple access based on interleaving sequences may include interleave-grid multiple access (IGMA), repetition division multiple access (RDMA), and interleave division multiple access (IDMA). Code sequence-based multiple access may include pattern defined multiple access (PDMA), low density signature (LDS), sparse coded multiple access (SCMA), and the like.

[0280] Different signatures (eg, any of the sequences described above) may be used for multiplexed signals (eg, transmissions for different devices). Specific signatures may also be used to identify specific devices.

[0281] In some embodiments, a signature pool (e.g., multiple signatures) may be assigned to two or more first devices, and each corresponding first device may select a signature from the pool for transmission to the network device. The signature pool may be signatures of the same type (e.g., spreading codes, code sequences, frequency hopping sequences, interleaving sequences, scrambling sequences). Thus, for example, a pool of interleaving sequences may be assigned to two or more first devices, and the two or more first devices may be assigned or select corresponding interleaving sequences from the pool for transmission to the network device.

[0282] Code domain multiple access, power domain multiplexing (also known as power division multiple access), spreading codes, signatures, and frequency hopping sequences are examples of multiple access schemes that can be used for the first multiple access scheme. In general, any multiple access scheme can be used as long as two or more first devices use the same multiple access scheme to transmit to the network device.

[0283] Signaling of the first multiple access scheme

[0284] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the network device may indicate corresponding first parameters of the first multiple access scheme to two or more first apparatuses.

[0285] In some embodiments, the corresponding first parameters indicated to the two or more first devices may be the same. For example, the network device may indicate a parameter pool to the two or more first devices, and each of the two or more first devices may select a corresponding parameter (e.g., random) from the pool for transmission to the network device. For example, the network device may indicate a codebook (e.g., one of the codebooks discussed above) to the two or more first devices. The two or more first devices may select a corresponding code from the received codebook for transmission to the network device. In other examples, the network device may indicate a plurality of spreading codes to the two or more first devices, and the two or more first devices may select a corresponding spreading code from the plurality of spreading codes for transmission to the network device. In another example, the network device may indicate a plurality of hopping sequences to the two or more first devices, and the two or more first devices may select a corresponding hopping sequence from the plurality of hopping sequences for transmission to the network device. In another example, the network device may indicate a plurality of signatures to the two or more first devices, and the two or more first devices may select a corresponding signature from the plurality of hopping sequences for transmission to the network device.

[0286] In other embodiments, the respective first parameters may be different.For example, the network device may indicate a respective transmission power (eg, determined as described above) to each of the two or more first devices.

[0287] In response to determining that the channels between the network device and the two or more first devices are expected to be related, the network device may indicate the corresponding first parameters of the first multiple access scheme to the two or more first devices. Figure 5The discussed network device 502 can, in response to determining that the first channel and the second channel are expected to be correlated, indicate respective parameters of the first multiple access scheme to the first device 504 and the second device 506. The network device 502 can use any suitable signaling to indicate the respective first parameters. For example, the network device 502 can indicate the respective parameters in the above-mentioned common configuration (e.g., if the respective parameters are the same) or in a device-specific configuration (e.g., if the respective parameters are different).

[0288] Alternatively, the network device may indicate the respective first parameters to the two or more first devices even if the network device is not aware that the two or more first devices are expected to have related channels. In some examples, the network device may receive a request to configure a multiple access scheme used by the two or more first devices. For example, Figure 6 The described discovery device 604 may request the network device 602 to configure the same multiple access scheme for use by the discovery device 604, the first response device 606, and the second response device 608. The network device 502 may send corresponding first parameters of the first multiple access scheme to the discovery device 604, the first response device 606, and the second response device 608 in response to receiving the request.

[0289] The network device 502 may determine the corresponding first parameter of the first multiple access scheme using any of the above methods (eg, the above methods may be used to determine the corresponding transmission powers of the first device 504 and the second device 506).

[0290] In other embodiments, a device other than a network device may indicate the corresponding first parameter of the first multiple access scheme to at least one of the two or more first devices. In some embodiments, one of the two or more first devices may send the indication. For example, the discovery device 604 may indicate the corresponding first parameter of the first multiple access scheme to the first response device 606 and the second response device 608. The discovery device 604 may indicate the corresponding first parameter to the first response device 606 and the second response device 608 using any suitable signaling. For example, the discovery device 604 may indicate the corresponding first parameter in the above-mentioned common configuration (e.g., if the corresponding first parameters are the same) or in a device-specific configuration (e.g., if the corresponding first parameters are different).

[0291] The discovery device 604 may also implement the first multiple access scheme according to its corresponding first parameter. For example, the discovery device 604 selects a code from the codebook indicated to the first response device 606 and the second response device 608 and uses the code when performing transmission to the network device 602.

[0292] The discovery device 604 may determine the corresponding first parameter (eg, according to any of the methods described above), or the discovery device 604 may receive the corresponding first parameter (eg, from the network device 602 , such as upon a request from the network device 602 ).

[0293] Therefore, some or all of the two or more first devices may receive an indication of a corresponding first parameter of the first access scheme. The indication may include the corresponding parameter itself or a factor (eg, amount) that may determine the first parameter.

[0294] In one example, some or all of the two or more first devices may receive a corresponding device index (e.g., a device or UE index) and determine a corresponding transmission power based on the corresponding device index. For example, a device index that is unique among two or more first devices having related channels (e.g., sharing the same logical entity) may be assigned by a network device or a discovery device (e.g., for a device-specific configuration). The corresponding transmission powers of the two or more first devices may be based on their corresponding device indexes (e.g., in a logical entity having related channels). For example, device index 1 may be assigned or simply derived by itself as a power scaling factor of 5, device index 2 may be assigned / determined to have a power scaling factor of 3, and device index 3 may be assigned / determined to have a power scaling factor of 1. As another example, device index 1 may have a power scaling factor of 1, and device index j may have a power scaling factor of 1 / j.

[0295] In some embodiments, some or all of the two or more first devices may determine corresponding parameters of their own first multiple access schemes. For example, each of the two or more first devices may determine its own transmission power and / or phase adjustment. The two or more first devices may make this determination in response to receiving (e.g., from a network device) an indication of the type of multiple access scheme to be used. For example, the two or more first devices may receive an indication that power domain multiplexing is to be used. In other examples, each of the two or more first devices may determine their own corresponding parameters in response to determining that their corresponding channels with the network device are expected to be correlated with the corresponding channels between the network device and another of the two or more first devices. The foregoing description of Figure 6 An exemplary implementation of this is described, in which responding devices 606, 608 can determine that their channels are expected to be related to the channel between the discovery device 604 and the network device 602. Thus, for example, each of the devices 604-608 can determine transmission power (e.g., power scaling) and / or phase adjustment during the above-described discovery phase in method 600.

[0296] In some examples, the device may be identified using a corresponding parameter of a first multiple access scheme used by the corresponding device. For example, a receiver (e.g., a network device) may detect a codeword used for a transmission and identify that the transmission was sent by a specific device based on the codeword. This may be particularly suitable when the receiver (e.g., a network device) configures the corresponding device with the corresponding parameter.

[0297] The second multiple access scheme of the second device

[0298] A second multiple access scheme different from the first multiple access scheme can be used by the second device to communicate with the network device. The network device can also indicate the corresponding second parameters of the second multiple access scheme to the second device. For example, the network device 502 can indicate (e.g., send) the corresponding second parameters of the second multiple access scheme to the third device 506.

[0299] The first multiple access scheme and the second multiple access scheme may be the same type of multiple access schemes (e.g., both may be code domain multiple access schemes) or they may be different types of multiple access schemes (e.g., the first multiple access scheme may include power division multiplexing, while the second multiple access scheme may use spatial domain multiplexing).

[0300] The second multiple access scheme may be any suitable type of multiple access scheme. The second multiple access scheme may include one or more of the following: spatial domain multiplexing (e.g., using different beams and / or multi-user multiple input multiple output), code domain multiple access (CDMA, such as orthogonal CDMA), time division multiple access (TDMA), and frequency division multiple access (FDMA, such as orthogonal CDMA).

[0301] In a specific example, the first multiple access scheme may be a non-orthogonal multiple access scheme and the second multiple access scheme may be an orthogonal multiple access scheme.

[0302] In certain examples, the second multiple access scheme may not be in the code domain. For example, the second multiple access scheme may include space division multiplexing (e.g., using different beams), time division multiplexing, and / or frequency division multiplexing (e.g., orthogonal frequency division multiplexing). In other examples, the second multiple access scheme may include a code domain multiple access scheme. For example, the second device may encode the message using a traditional channel coding scheme such as a polarization code, and then apply an orthogonal spreading code (e.g., from a traditional codebook) to the encoded message for transmission to the network device.

[0303] Although the above description of the second multiple access scheme only involves one second device, those skilled in the art will understand that, in general, there may be one or more second devices. Therefore, it is expected that one or more second devices without associated channels may use a second multiple access scheme that is different from the first multiple access scheme used by two or more first devices with associated channels.

[0304] Related device groups

[0305] According to various aspects of the above disclosure, two or more devices (e.g., a first device 504 and a second device 506, devices 604 to 608, or two or more first devices described above) may communicate with a network device using the same DMRS, a common configuration, and / or a first multiple access scheme, wherein channels between the network device and the two or more first devices are expected to be related.

[0306] In other aspects of the present disclosure, multiple devices connected to a network device may be divided into two or more groups of devices that are expected to have related channels. In other words, these groups may be determined so that channels between the network device and the devices in the corresponding groups may be expected to be related. For example, each group may be referred to as a group of UEs. Figure 5 and Figure 6 As described above, a group of UEs (or devices having related channels) may be considered as a single logical node or entity (eg, a shared logical node).

[0307] A common configuration may be assigned to each group of devices. For example, the common configuration may include one or more of the following: a common identifier (as described above with respect to Figure 5 defined), public DMRS (as defined above Figure 5 and Figure 6 described), a multiple access scheme (eg, the first multiple access scheme described above), or any other parameters described above with respect to the public configuration.

[0308] The public configuration of the group can be sent to one of the devices to be sent to the other devices in the group (e.g., as described above, the discovery device 604 receives the public configuration and sends it to the first device 606 and the response device 608). Alternatively, the network device can send (e.g., broadcast) the public configuration of the group to all devices in the group.

[0309] In some embodiments, method 500 may be performed for each group of devices in the plurality of devices. In some embodiments, method 600 may be performed for each group of devices in the plurality of devices.

[0310] Additional methods

[0311] Fig.13 FIG. 1 is a flow chart of a method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The method is executed by a network device. The network device may be a base station or a TRP, such as the one described above. Figures 1 to 4 The network device may be located in a wireless access network (e.g., Figures 1 to 4 In some examples, the network device may be the network device 502. The network device may be the network device 602. The network device may be the network device 702.

[0312] In step 1302, the network device receives a DMRS transmitted by one or more first devices of two or more devices expected to have related channels. Each of the related channels is between a corresponding device of the two or more devices and the network device.

[0313] The two or more devices may include, for example, a first device 502 and a second device 504. Therefore, the channel may include the aforementioned Figure 5 The two or more devices may include, for example, two or more response devices among the discovery device 604, the first response device 606 and the second response device 608. Therefore, the channel may include the first channel and the second channel described above. Figure 6 The two or more devices may be electronic devices, such as those described above. Figures 1 to 4 Any electronic device 130 described.

[0314] The channels may be expected to be related based on any of the factors described above in the description of method 500. For example, two or more devices may be co-located. A network device may determine that the channels are expected to be related. Alternatively, the determination may be made elsewhere (e.g., at one of the two or more devices).

[0315] In some examples, the same group identifier (e.g., the public identifier discussed above) may be assigned to each of the two or more devices. The DMRS may be associated with the group identifier (e.g., may be derived from the group identifier). Each of the two or more devices may be assigned a corresponding identifier specific to the device (e.g., the device-specific identifier described above). For example, a group of two or more devices may be identified by a group identifier, and a specific device may be identified within the group by a device-specific identifier.

[0316] In step 1304, the network device receives a signal sent by a second device among the two or more devices. The signal may include data, for example. The one or more first devices include at least one device different from the second device.

[0317] In step 1306 , the network device demodulates the signal according to the DMRS received in step 1302 .

[0318] In some examples, the DMRS received in step 1302 is the same DMRS received from each of the two or more apparatuses. Thus, step 1306 may include demodulating the signal according to the same DMRS (eg, the signal from each apparatus combined).

[0319] In other examples, the DMRS received in step 1302 is a DMRS transmitted by a subset of the two or more apparatuses. Thus, step 1306 may include demodulating a signal received from another apparatus using the DMRS received from one apparatus.

[0320] Although the method is described for DMRS, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the method is generally applicable to other reference signals, in particular to other uplink reference signals. In a specific example, the method is applicable to a reference signal to be used for demodulation (e.g., which may or may not be a DMRS).

[0321] In another aspect, an apparatus (e.g., an entity) for performing the method is also provided. The apparatus may include a processor and a memory (e.g., a non-transitory processor-readable medium). The memory stores instructions (e.g., processor-readable instructions) that, when executed by a processor of the apparatus, cause the apparatus to perform the method. In another aspect, a memory may be provided (e.g., separate from the apparatus).

[0322] Fig.14 A flow chart of a method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0323] In step 1402 , the method includes obtaining an indication of two or more first devices, each of the two or more first devices having a respective first channel between the respective first device and a network device.

[0324] The two or more first devices may include, for example, a first device 502 and a second device 504. Therefore, the first channel may include the Figure 5 The two or more first devices may include, for example, two or more response devices among the discovery device 604, the first response device 606, and the second response device 608. Therefore, the first channel may include the first channel described above. Figure 6 The two or more first devices may be electronic devices, such as those described above. Figures 1 to 4 Any electronic device 110 described.

[0325] The network device can be a base station or a TRP, such as the Figures 1 to 4 The network device may be located in a wireless access network (e.g., Figures 1 to 4 In some examples, the network device may be the network device 502. The network device may be the network device 602. The network device may be the network device 702.

[0326] Obtaining the indication may include receiving a message, such as a configuration request or a confirmation message, from the two or more first devices. For example, step 1402 may include receiving the above-mentioned Figure 5 In another example, step 1402 may include receiving the configuration request 510a, 510b described above. Figure 6 Response messages 612a, 612b are described.

[0327] In step 1404, the method includes indicating that the two or more first devices will send the same DMRS to the network device based on determining that the first channels are expected to be related. The method may also include determining that the first channels are expected to be related. Any of the techniques described above with respect to method 500 may be used to make the determination.

[0328] Indicating that the two or more first devices will send the same DMRS may include instructing the two or more first devices to send the same DMRS. Thus, for example, step 1404 may include sending the same DMRS to the two or more first devices, or sending an identifier of the same DMRS to the two or more first devices (e.g., the public identifier described in the above method 500). In other examples, step 1404 may include indicating to one of the two or more first devices (e.g., a discovery device, such as the discovery device 604) that the two or more first devices will use the same DMRS. Thus, the same DMRS and / or identifier may be sent to one of the two or more first devices.

[0329] The method may be performed by the network device. Alternatively, the method may be performed by a second device (e.g., discovery device 604). The method may also include sending the same DMRS to the network device based on determining that a second channel between the second device and the network device is expected to be related to at least one of the first channels.

[0330] Although the method is described for DMRS, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the method is generally applicable to other reference signals, in particular to other uplink reference signals. In a specific example, the method is applicable to a reference signal to be used for demodulation (e.g., which may or may not be a DMRS).

[0331] In another aspect, an apparatus (e.g., an entity) for performing the method is also provided. The apparatus may include a processor and a memory (e.g., a non-transitory processor-readable medium). The memory stores instructions (e.g., processor-readable instructions) that, when executed by a processor of the apparatus, cause the apparatus to perform the method. In another aspect, a memory may be provided (e.g., separate from the apparatus).

[0332] Fig.15 A flow chart of method 1500 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0333] The method 1500 includes indicating, in step 1502, first parameters of a first multiple access scheme to the first device. The first multiple access scheme may be any suitable multiple access scheme, such as any of the multiple access schemes described above. For example, the first multiple access scheme may include one or more of the following: a code domain multiple access scheme, a power domain multiplexing scheme (also known as power division multiple access), a multiple access scheme based on a spread spectrum code, a multiple access scheme based on a signature, and a multiple access scheme based on a frequency hopping sequence. The first multiple access scheme is used for transmission from the first device and the second device to the network device.

[0334] The network device can be a base station or a TRP, such as the Figures 1 to 4 The network device may be located in a wireless access network (e.g., Figures 1 to 4 In some examples, the network device may be the network device 502. The network device may be the network device 602. The network device may be the network device 702.

[0335] The first device and the second device may be electronic devices, such as Figures 1 to 4 Any electronic device 150 described above. The first device and the second device may be Figure 7 The first electronic device 704 and the second electronic device 706 are described. The first device and the second device may be the first device 502 and the second device 504. The first device and the second device may be two devices in the discovery device 604, the first response device 606 and the second response device 608, for example.

[0336] A first channel between a first device and a network device is expected to be correlated with a second channel between a second device and a network device. The first channel and the second channel may be expected to be correlated based on any of the factors described above in the description of method 500. For example, the first device and the second device may be co-located. Method 1500 may also include determining that the channels are expected to be correlated.

[0337] Therefore, the first channel and the second channel can be the aforementioned Figure 5 The first channel and the second channel described above can be Figure 6 Any two channels among the described first channel, second channel and third channel.

[0338] The method 1500 also includes indicating to the third device, at step 1504, a second parameter of a second multiple access scheme for transmission from the third device to the network device. The third device may be the Figure 5 The third device 508 is described. The channel between the third device and the network device may not be related to one or both of the first channel and the second channel.

[0339] The method 1500 may be performed by a network device. Alternatively, the method may be performed by a second device. The method 1500 may further include sending a signal to the network device according to a second multiple access scheme.

[0340] In another aspect, an apparatus (e.g., an entity) for performing the method 1500 is also provided. The apparatus may include a processor and a memory (e.g., a non-transitory processor-readable medium). The memory stores instructions (e.g., processor-readable instructions) that, when executed by a processor of the apparatus, cause the apparatus to perform the method 1500. In another aspect, a memory may be provided (e.g., separate from the apparatus).

[0341] Therefore, the present disclosure provides a method in which devices expected to have related channels may be assigned one or more of the following: the same DMRS, the same multiple access scheme, a public identifier, and a public configuration (for example, which may include the same DMRS, a public identifier, and / or the same multiple access scheme). These devices are also referred to as being within the UE. Generally, a device referred to herein as having a related channel may be any device having or expected to have a similar channel. Therefore, the channels between the corresponding devices and the network equipment may be within a threshold difference or variation range of each other. Generally, those skilled in the art will understand that there are many ways to identify devices with similar channels (for example, based on channel correlation, location, channel distance, etc.). Therefore, in general, two or more devices may be determined to be within the UE based on one or more of these factors. Other devices may have or are expected to have sufficiently different channels and therefore may not be determined to be within the UE.

[0342] End paragraph

[0343] It should be understood that one or more steps of the embodiment method provided herein can be performed by corresponding units or modules. For example, a signal can be sent by a sending unit or a sending module. A signal can be received by a receiving unit or a receiving module. A signal can be processed by a processing unit or a processing module. The corresponding unit / module can be hardware, software, or a combination thereof. For example, one or more units / modules can be integrated circuits, such as field programmable gate arrays (FPGA) or application-specific integrated circuits (ASIC). It should be understood that if these modules are software, these modules can be retrieved in whole or in part by a processor as needed, retrieved individually or collectively for processing, retrieved in one or more instances as needed, and these modules themselves can include instructions for further deployment and instantiation.

[0344] Although combinations of features are shown in the illustrated embodiments, not all features need to be combined to achieve the advantages of the various embodiments of the present disclosure. In other words, a system or method designed according to an embodiment of the present disclosure does not necessarily include all features shown in any of the figures or all parts schematically shown in the figures. In addition, selected features of an exemplary embodiment may be combined with selected features of other exemplary embodiments.

[0345] Although the present disclosure has been described with reference to illustrative embodiments, this specification is not to be interpreted in a limiting sense. According to the above guidance, the present disclosure may have many modifications and variations. Therefore, it is to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the present disclosure may be implemented using methods other than those specifically described herein.

Claims

1. A method performed by a network device, wherein: The method comprises: receiving a demodulation reference signal transmitted by one or more first devices among a plurality of devices, the plurality of devices having associated channels, each of the associated channels being between a corresponding device among the plurality of devices and the network device; receiving a signal sent by a second device among the plurality of devices; The signal is demodulated according to the demodulation reference signal, wherein the one or more first devices include at least one device different from the second device.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The plurality of devices are determined to have related channels based on one or more of the following: the respective positions of the plurality of devices; a channel correlation estimation value between a first channel among the related channels and a second channel among the related channels; a measurement of a channel between one of the plurality of devices and another of the plurality of devices; The difference between the measurement value of the first channel and the measurement value of the second channel.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein: The plurality of devices are determined to have correlated channels based on a comparison of the channel correlation estimate value with a threshold.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: Receiving the demodulation reference signal sent by the one or more first devices of the plurality of devices includes receiving the same demodulation reference signal from each of the plurality of devices.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: Receiving the demodulation reference signal sent by the one or more first devices among the plurality of devices includes receiving the demodulation reference signal sent by a subset of devices among the plurality of devices on behalf of the plurality of devices.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein: Each of the plurality of apparatuses is assigned a same group identifier, and the demodulation reference signal is associated with the same group identifier.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising, for each of the plurality of devices: receiving a transmission from the corresponding device; A corresponding identification specific to the corresponding device is determined based on one or more of the following: the corresponding transmitted codeword, a modulation scheme to be used for said respective transmission, The corresponding transmitted power.

8. A method comprising: obtaining an indication of a plurality of first devices, each of the plurality of first devices having a corresponding first channel between the corresponding first device and a network device; Based on determining that the first channels are correlated, the plurality of first devices are instructed to send a same demodulation reference signal to the network device.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising determining that the first channel is relevant based on one or more of: the respective positions of the plurality of first devices; a channel correlation estimate of the first channel; a measurement value of a channel between one of the plurality of first devices and another first device of the plurality of first devices; The difference in the measured values ​​of the first channel.

10. The method according to claim 8 or 9, wherein: The method is performed by a second device, and further includes: the second device sending the same demodulation reference signal to the network device based on determining that a second channel between the second device and the network device is related to at least one of the first channels.

11. The method according to claim 8 or 9, wherein: The method is executed by the network device.

12. A method comprising: indicating to a first device a first parameter of a first multiple access scheme for transmissions from the first device and a second device to a network device, wherein a first channel between the first device and the network device is associated with a second channel between the second device and the network device; A second parameter of a second multiple access scheme for transmissions from the third apparatus to the network device is indicated to a third apparatus.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein: The first channel and the second channel are determined to be related based on one or more of the following: the relative positions of the first device and the second device; a channel correlation estimation value between the first channel and the second channel; a measurement value of a third channel between the first device and the second device; The difference between the measurement value of the first channel and the measurement value of the second channel.

14. The method according to claim 12 or 13, wherein: Indicating the first parameter of the first multiple access scheme to the first device includes indicating a first codebook to the first device, and indicating the second parameter of the second multiple access scheme to the third device includes indicating a second codebook to the third device.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein: The second device is assigned the first codebook.

16. The method according to any one of claims 12 to 15, wherein: Indicating the first parameter of the first multiple access scheme to the first apparatus includes indicating a first transmission power to the first apparatus.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising indicating a second transmission power to the second device, the second transmission power being a second parameter of the first multiple access scheme.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein: The method is performed by the second device, and the method further includes: A signal is sent to the network device at a second transmission power, where the second transmission power is a second parameter of the first multiple access scheme.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising: A first identifier of the first device and a second identifier of the second device are obtained, wherein: Indicating the first transmission power to the first device includes sending the first identifier to the first device, Sending the signal to the network device includes sending the signal to the network device at the second transmission power determined according to the second identifier.

20. A method performed by a first device, wherein: The method comprises: A demodulation reference signal is sent to a network device, wherein the demodulation reference signal is used to demodulate a signal sent by a second device to the network device, wherein the first device and the second device have related channels, each of the related channels is between the corresponding first device or the second device and the network device.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein: The first device and the second device are determined to have related channels according to one or more of the following: the relative positions of the first device and the second device; a channel correlation estimation value between a first channel among the related channels and a second channel among the related channels; a measurement value of a channel between the first device and the second device; The difference between the measurement value of the first channel and the measurement value of the second channel.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein: The first device and the second device are expected to have correlated channels based on a comparison of the channel correlation estimate with a threshold.

23. The method according to any one of claims 20 to 22, wherein: The demodulation reference signal sent by the first device is the same as the demodulation reference signal sent by the second device.

24. The method according to any one of claims 20 to 22, wherein: The demodulation reference signal sent by the first device is sent on behalf of the second device.

25. The method according to any one of claims 20 to 24, wherein: Each of the first device and the second device is assigned the same group identifier, and the demodulation reference signal is associated with the same group identifier.

26. A method performed by a first device, wherein: The method comprises: sending information indicating a channel between the first apparatus and a network device; An instruction to send a demodulation reference signal to the network device is received, where the demodulation reference signal is the same as the demodulation reference signal sent by the second device to the network device.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein: The first device and the second device are determined to have related channels according to one or more of the following: the relative positions of the first device and the second device; a channel correlation estimation value between a first channel among the related channels and a second channel among the related channels; a measurement value of a channel between the first device and the second device; The difference between the measurement value of the first channel and the measurement value of the second channel.

28. The method according to claim 26 or 27, further comprising: The demodulation reference signal is sent to the network device.

29. A method performed by a first device, wherein: The method comprises: receiving an indication of a first parameter of a first multiple access scheme for transmissions from the first apparatus and the second apparatus to a network device, wherein a first channel between the first apparatus and the network device is associated with a second channel between the second apparatus and the network device, The first parameter of the first multiple access scheme is different from a second parameter of a second multiple access scheme indicated to a third device, and the second multiple access scheme is used for transmission from the third device to the network device.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein: The first channel and the second channel are determined to be related based on one or more of the following: the relative positions of the first device and the second device; a channel correlation estimation value between the first channel and the second channel; a measurement value of a third channel between the first device and the second device; The difference between the measurement value of the first channel and the measurement value of the second channel.

31. The method according to claim 29 or 30, wherein: The first parameter of the first multiple access scheme is a first codebook, and the second parameter of the second multiple access scheme is a second codebook.

32. The method according to claim 31, wherein: The second device is assigned the first codebook.

33. The method according to any one of claims 29 to 32, wherein: The first parameter of the first multiple access scheme is a first transmission power.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein: The first transmission power is different from a second transmission power indicated to the second device, the second transmission power being a second parameter of the first multiple access scheme.

35. An apparatus comprising a processor, the processor being configured to cause the apparatus to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 34.

36. A computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 34.

37. A computer program product comprising instructions which, when said program is executed by a computer, cause said computer to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 34.

38. A processor of a device, wherein: The processor is configured to cause the apparatus to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 34.

39. A system comprising: A network device for indicating to a plurality of apparatuses that a channel is corrected, each of the plurality of apparatuses having a respective channel between the respective apparatus and the network device; A first device among the multiple devices, the first device communicating with the network device, and the first device being configured to send a demodulation reference signal to the network device; A second device among the multiple devices, the second device communicates with the network device, and the second device is used to send the same demodulation reference signal to the network device.

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