Method and device for triggering inter-cell mobility process

Abstract

Provided in an embodiment of the present application are a method and device for triggering an inter-cell mobility procedure, the method comprising: a first network device receiving measurement-related information, the measurement-related information comprising one of the following: a frequency of a pilot frequency candidate target cell or an L1 measurement result obtained by performing L1 measurement on the pilot frequency candidate target cell by a terminal device; the second network device indicates an L3 measurement result obtained by performing L3 measurement on the frequency of the pilot frequency candidate target cell or the pilot frequency candidate target cell based on the terminal device; or an L1 measurement result associated with the candidate target cell; the first network device triggers an inter-cell mobility procedure based on L1 or L2 from a serving cell to a target cell based on the measurement-related information. According to the embodiments of the present application, it can be ensured that an inter-cell mobility mechanism based on L1 or L2 can support a pilot frequency scene, thereby ensuring that a network uses a cell with the best quality to provide services for a terminal, thereby ensuring the service quality of the terminal and improving the network throughput.

Description

Method and device for triggering inter-cell mobility process Technical Field

[0001] The embodiments of the present application relate to the field of communication technologies. Background Art

[0002] Network-controlled mobility applies to connected terminals and can be divided into two types of mobility: cell-level mobility and beam-level mobility.

[0003] The cell-level mobility requirement is triggered by explicit RRC (Radio Resource Control) signaling, that is, handover is triggered by RRC signaling.

[0004] The RRC-triggered handover mechanism requires the UE (User Equipment) to at least reset the MAC (Media Access Control) entity and re-establish the RLC (Radio Link Control), and supports RRC-managed handover with and without re-establishment of the PDCP (Packet Data Convergence Protocol) entity.

[0005] For DRBs (Data Radio Bearers) using RLC AM (Achnowledged Mode), PDCP can re-establish with a security key update or initiate a data recovery procedure "without a key update". For DRBs using RLC UM (Unachnowledged Mode), PDCP can re-establish with a security key update or remain unchanged "without a key update". For SRBs (Signalling Radio Bearers), PDCP can remain unchanged "without a key update", discard stored PDCP PDUs (Packet Data Unit) / SDUs (Service Data Unit), or re-establish with a security key update.

[0006] On the other hand, when a terminal moves from the coverage area of ​​one cell to the coverage area of ​​another, at some point a serving cell change needs to be performed. Currently, serving cell changes are triggered by L3 (Layer 3) measurements and done by RRC signaling, with the addition of a synchronous reconfiguration (Reconfiguration with Synchronisation) triggered for PCell (Primary Cell) and PSCell (Primary Secondary Cell) changes, and the release of SCells (Secondary Cell), where applicable. All cases involve a complete L2 (and L1) reset, resulting in longer latency, greater overhead and longer interruption time than beam switching mobility. The goal of L1 / L2 mobility enhancements is to ensure that serving cell changes via L1 / L2 signaling reduce latency, overhead and interruption time.

[0007] To reduce mobility delay, the L1 / L2-based inter-cell mobility mechanisms and processes include the following:

[0008] Configuration and maintenance of multiple candidate cells to allow rapid application of candidate cell configurations;

[0009] For potentially applicable scenarios, a dynamic handover mechanism between candidate serving cells (including special cells and secondary cells) based on L1 / L2 signaling;

[0010] L1 enhancements for inter-cell beam management, including L1 measurement and reporting, and beam indication;

[0011] Timed advance management; and

[0012] CU-DU (Centralized Unit-Distributed Unit) interface signaling to support L1 / L2 mobility.

[0013] It should be noted that the above introduction to the technical background is merely intended to provide a clear and complete description of the technical solutions of this application and facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art. Simply because these solutions are described in the background technology section of this application, it should not be assumed that the above technical solutions are well known to those skilled in the art.

[0014] Summary of the Invention

[0015] The inventors discovered that for neighboring cells with different frequencies from the current serving cell, the terminal cannot perform L1 measurement and reporting. This means that even if the quality of this neighboring cell is better than that of other neighboring cells with the same frequency, the network cannot switch the terminal to this different-frequency neighboring cell, causing the terminal to work in a non-optimal cell, thereby reducing network capacity.

[0016] In response to at least one of the above problems or other similar problems, embodiments of the present application provide a method and apparatus for triggering an inter-cell mobility process to ensure the service quality of a terminal and improve network throughput.

[0017] According to one aspect of an embodiment of the present application, a triggering device for an inter-cell mobility process is configured on a network device, the device including:

[0018] a receiving unit configured to receive measurement-related information, the measurement-related information including one of the following: an L1 measurement result obtained by the terminal device performing an L1 measurement on the frequency where the inter-frequency candidate target cell is located or the inter-frequency candidate target cell, an indication of an L3 measurement result obtained by the second network device performing an L3 measurement on the frequency where the inter-frequency candidate target cell is located or the inter-frequency candidate target cell based on the terminal device, or an L1 measurement result associated with the candidate target cell;

[0019] A triggering unit is configured to trigger an L1 or L2-based inter-cell mobility process from a serving cell to a target cell based on the measurement-related information.

[0020] According to another aspect of an embodiment of the present application, a device for triggering an inter-cell mobility process is provided, configured in a terminal device, the device comprising:

[0021] a measurement unit, configured to perform L1 measurement on the frequency of the inter-frequency candidate target cell or the inter-frequency candidate target cell;

[0022] A sending unit reports an L1 measurement result to a network device, where the L1 measurement result is used by the network device to trigger an L1 or L2-based inter-cell mobility process of the terminal device from a serving cell to a target cell.

[0023] According to another aspect of an embodiment of the present application, a device for triggering an inter-cell mobility process is provided, configured in a terminal device, the device comprising:

[0024] A sending unit reports an L3 measurement result of an inter-frequency candidate target cell to a second network device, where the L3 measurement result is used by the second network device to instruct the first network device to trigger an L1 or L2-based inter-cell mobility process from a serving cell to a target cell, where the second network device is a central unit (CU) in a communication system.

[0025] According to another aspect of an embodiment of the present application, a device for triggering an inter-cell mobility process is provided, configured in a terminal device, the device comprising:

[0026] A sending unit reports an L1 measurement result to a network device, wherein the L1 measurement result is associated with an inter-frequency candidate target cell, and is used by the network device to trigger an L1 or L2-based inter-cell mobility process from a serving cell to a target cell.

[0027] One of the beneficial effects of the embodiments of the present application is that: according to the embodiments of the present application, it can ensure that the mobility mechanism between cells based on L1 or L2 can support heterogeneous frequency scenarios, so that the network can use the cell with the best quality to provide services to the terminal, thereby ensuring the service quality of the terminal and improving network throughput.

[0028] With reference to the following description and accompanying drawings, specific embodiments of the present application are disclosed in detail, indicating the manner in which the principles of the present application can be employed. It should be understood that the embodiments of the present application are not limited in scope. Within the spirit and scope of the appended claims, the embodiments of the present application include many variations, modifications and equivalents.

[0029] Features described and / or illustrated with respect to one embodiment may be used in the same or similar manner in one or more other embodiments, combined with features in other embodiments, or substituted for features in other embodiments.

[0030] It should be emphasized that the term "include / comprising" when used herein refers to the presence of features, integers, steps or components, but does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps or components. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] The elements and features described in one figure or one embodiment of the present application can be combined with the elements and features shown in one or more other figures or embodiments. In addition, in the accompanying drawings, similar reference numerals represent corresponding parts in several figures and can be used to indicate corresponding parts used in more than one embodiment.

[0032] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of the inter-gNB-DU mobility process within a gNB-CU of intra-NR;

[0033] FIG2 is a schematic diagram of the handover process between gNBs;

[0034] FIG3 is a schematic diagram of the handover process within the AMF / UPF;

[0035] FIG4 is a schematic diagram of inter-cell mobility based on L1 / L2;

[0036] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of an NG-RAN deployment scenario according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0037] FIG6 is a schematic diagram of an IAB deployment scenario according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0038] FIG7 is a schematic diagram of a method for triggering an inter-cell mobility process according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0039] FIG8 is another schematic diagram of a method for triggering an inter-cell mobility process according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0040] FIG9 is another schematic diagram of a method for triggering an inter-cell mobility process according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0041] FIG10 is another schematic diagram of a method for triggering an inter-cell mobility process according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0042] FIG11 is a schematic diagram of a triggering device for an inter-cell mobility process according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0043] FIG12 is another schematic diagram of a triggering device for an inter-cell mobility process according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0044] FIG13 is another schematic diagram of a triggering device for an inter-cell mobility process according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0045] FIG14 is another schematic diagram of a triggering device for an inter-cell mobility process according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0046] FIG15 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a network device according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0047] FIG16 is a schematic diagram of a terminal device according to an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0048] The above and other features of the present application will become apparent through the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the description and the accompanying drawings, specific embodiments of the present application are disclosed in detail, which illustrate some embodiments in which the principles of the present application can be adopted. It should be understood that the present application is not limited to the described embodiments. On the contrary, the present application includes all modifications, variations and equivalents that fall within the scope of the appended claims.

[0049] In the embodiments of the present application, the terms "first", "second", etc. are used to distinguish different elements from the name, but do not indicate the spatial arrangement or temporal order of these elements, and these elements should not be limited by these terms. The term "and / or" includes any one and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed terms. The terms "comprising", "including", "having", etc. refer to the presence of the stated features, elements, components or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, elements, components or components.

[0050] In the embodiments of this application, the singular forms "a," "the," etc. include plural forms and should be broadly understood to mean "a" or "a type" rather than being limited to "one." Furthermore, the term "said" should be understood to include both singular and plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Furthermore, the term "according to" should be understood to mean "at least in part based on...", and the term "based on" should be understood to mean "at least in part based on...", unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0051] In the embodiments of the present application, the term "communication network" or "wireless communication network" may refer to a network that complies with any of the following communication standards, such as Long Term Evolution (LTE), enhanced Long Term Evolution (LTE-A, LTE-Advanced), Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), High-Speed ​​Packet Access (HSPA), etc.

[0052] Furthermore, communication between devices in the communication system may be carried out according to communication protocols of any stage, for example, including but not limited to the following communication protocols: 1G (generation), 2G, 2.5G, 2.75G, 3G, 4G, 4.5G and 5G, New Radio (NR), etc., and / or other communication protocols currently known or to be developed in the future.

[0053] In the embodiments of the present application, the term "network device" refers to, for example, a device in a communication system that connects a terminal device to the communication network and provides services to the terminal device. Network devices may include, but are not limited to, the following devices: base station (BS), access point (AP), transmission reception point (TRP), broadcast transmitter, mobile management entity (MME), gateway, server, radio network controller (RNC), base station controller (BSC), etc.

[0054] Base stations may include, but are not limited to, NodeBs (NBs), evolved NodeBs (eNodeBs or eNBs), and 5G base stations (gNBs), among others. They may also include remote radio heads (RRHs), remote radio units (RRUs), relays or low-power nodes (e.g., femeto, pico, etc.), IAB (Integrated Access and Backhaul) nodes, IAB-DUs, or IAB-donors. The term "base station" may include some or all of these functions, and each base station may provide communication coverage for a specific geographic area. The term "cell" may refer to a base station and / or its coverage area, depending on the context in which the term is used. The terms "cell" and "base station" are interchangeable to avoid confusion.

[0055] In the embodiments of the present application, the term "user equipment" (UE) or "terminal equipment" (TE) refers to, for example, a device that accesses a communication network through a network device and receives network services. A terminal device can be fixed or mobile and may also be referred to as a mobile station (MS), a terminal, a subscriber station (SS), an access terminal (AT), an IAB-MT (Mobile Terminal), a station, and so on.

[0056] Terminal devices may include, but are not limited to, the following devices: cellular phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), wireless modems, wireless communication devices, handheld devices, machine-type communication devices, laptop computers, cordless phones, smartphones, smart watches, digital cameras, etc.

[0057] For another example, in scenarios such as the Internet of Things (IoT), the terminal device can also be a machine or device for monitoring or measurement, including but not limited to: machine type communication (MTC) terminal, vehicle-mounted communication terminal, device-to-device (D2D) terminal, machine-to-machine (M2M) terminal, and so on.

[0058] In addition, the term "network side" or "network device side" refers to one side of the network, which can be a base station or one or more network devices as described above. The term "user side" or "terminal side" or "terminal device side" refers to the user or terminal side, which can be a UE or one or more terminal devices as described above. Unless otherwise specified herein, "device" can refer to either network equipment or terminal equipment.

[0059] Currently, the intra-gNB-DU mobility procedure is used when a UE moves from one cell to another within the same gNB-DU, or when performing an intra-cell handover. This procedure is supported by the UE Context Modification procedure, which can be initiated by the gNB-CU.

[0060] When performing an intra-gNB-DU handover (inter-cell or intra-cell), the gNB-CU provides the gNB-DU with a new UL GTP TEID (Uplink GPRS Tunneling Protocol Tunnel End Point identifier), and the gNB-DU provides the gNB-CU with a new DL GTP TEID (Uplink GTP TEID). Until RLC is re-established, the gNB-DU continues to send UL PDCP PDUs to the gNB-CU using the previous UL GTP TEID, after which it begins using the new UL GTP TEID. Until PDCP re-establishment or PDCP data recovery occurs, the gNB-CU continues to send DL PDCP PDUs to the gNB-DU using the previous DL GTP TEID, after which it begins using the new DL GTP TEID.

[0061] In addition, the inter-gNB-DU mobility procedure is used when the terminal moves from one gNB-DU to another gNB-DU within the same gNB-CU. Figure 1 illustrates the intra-NR inter-gNB-DU mobility procedure. As shown in Figure 1, the procedure includes the following steps:

[0062] 1. The UE sends a MeasurementReport message to the source gNB-DU.

[0063] 2. The source gNB-DU sends an UL RRC MESSAGE TRANSFER message to the gNB-CU to convey the received MeasurementReport message.

[0064] 2a. The gNB-CU may send a UE CONTEXT MODIFICATION REQUEST message to the source gNB-DU to query the latest configuration.

[0065] 2b. The source gNB-DU responds with a UE CONTEXT MODIFATION RESPONSE message containing the complete configuration information.

[0066] 3. The gNB-CU sends a UE CONTEXT SETUP REQUEST message to the target gNB-DU to create a UE context and set up one or more data bearers. The UE CONTEXT SETUP REQUEST message includes Handover Preparation Information. In the case of NG-RAN (NG Radio Access Network / 5G Radio Access Network) sharing, the gNB-CU includes the serving PLMN (Public Land Mobile Network) ID (for Stand-alone Non-Public Network (SNPN) the serving SNPN ID).

[0067] 4. The target gNB-DU responds with a UE CONTEXT SETUP RESPONSE message to the gNB-CU.

[0068] 5. The gNB-CU sends a UE CONTEXT MODIFICATION REQUEST message to the source gNB-DU, including the generated RRCReconfiguration message and instructing it to stop data transmission for the UE. The source gNB-DU also sends a Downlink Data Delivery Status frame to inform the gNB-CU about downlink data that was not successfully transmitted to the UE.

[0069] 6. The source gNB-DU forwards the received RRCReconfiguration message to the UE.

[0070] 7. The source gNB-DU responds with a UE CONTEXT MODIFATION RESPONSE message to the gNB-CU.

[0071] 8. The UE performs a random access procedure on the target gNB-DU. The target gNB-DU sends a Downlink Data Delivery Status frame to notify the gNB-CU. Downlink data packets (possibly included in PDCP PDUs that were not successfully transmitted on the source gNB-DU) are sent from the gNB-CU to the target gNB-DU.

[0072] NOTE: Whether to start sending downlink user data to the gNB-DU before or after receiving the downlink data delivery status depends on the gNB-CU implementation.

[0073] 9. The UE responds with an RRCReconfigurationComplete message to the target gNB-DU.

[0074] 10. The target gNB-DU sends an UL RRC MESSAGE TRANSFER message to the gNB-CU to convey the received RRCReconfigurationComplete message. Downlink data packets are sent to the UE. In addition, uplink data packets sent from the UE are forwarded to the gNB-CU via the target gNB-DU.

[0075] 11. The gNB-CU sends a UE CONTEXT RELEASE COMMAND message to the source gNB-DU.

[0076] 12. The source gNB-DU releases the UE context and responds with a UE CONTEXT RELEASE COMPLETE message to the gNB-CU.

[0077] In addition, the inter-gNB-CU mobility procedure is used for inter-gNB handovers. Figure 2 illustrates an inter-gNB handover procedure. As shown in Figure 2, the procedure includes the following steps:

[0078] 1. The source gNB initiates a handover and sends a HANDOER REQUEST over the Xn interface.

[0079] 2. The target gNB performs admission control and provides the new RRC configuration as part of the HANDOVER REQUEST ACKNOWLEDGE.

[0080] 3. The source gNB provides the RRC configuration to the UE by forwarding the RRCReconfiguration message received in the HANDOVER REQUEST ACKNOWLEDGE message. The RRCReconfiguration message includes at least the cell ID and all information required to access the target cell, so that the UE can access the target cell without reading system information. In some cases, information required for contention-based and non-contention-based random access may be included in the RRCReconfiguration message. The access information for the target cell may include beam-specific information, if available.

[0081] 4. The UE moves the RRC connection to the target gNB and responds with RRCReconfigurationComplete.

[0082] FIG3 is a schematic diagram of a handover process within an AMF (Access and Mobility Management Function) / UPF (User Plane Function). As shown in FIG3 , the process includes the following steps:

[0083] 0. The UE context in the source gNB contains information about roaming and access restrictions, which was provided when the connection was established or at the last TA (Timing Advance) update.

[0084] 1. The source gNB configures the UE measurement procedure and UE reporting according to the measurement configuration.

[0085] 2. The source gNB decides to handover the UE based on the MeasurementReport and RRM (Radio Resource Management) information.

[0086] 3. The source gNB sends a Handover Request message to the target gNB, passing a transparent RRC container containing the information required to prepare the handover on the target side. This information includes at least the target cell ID, KgNB*, the UE's C-RNTI (Cell Radio Network Temporary Identifier) ​​in the source gNB, RRM configuration (including UE inactivity time), basic AS (Access Stratum) configuration (including antenna information and DL carrier frequency), the mapping rule of the current QoS (Quality of Service) flow to DRB applied to the UE, SIB1 from the source gNB, UE capabilities for different RATs (Radio Access Technology), PDU session related information, and may include UE-reported measurement information, including beam related information (if available). PDU session related information includes slice information and QoS profile(s) at the QoS flow level. The source gNB may also request a DAPS (Dual Active Protocol Stack) handover for one or more DRBs.

[0087] NOTE 1: After issuing a handover request, the source gNB should not reconfigure the UE, including performing Reflective QoS flow to DRB mapping.

[0088] 4. Admission control may be performed by the target gNB. If slice information is sent to the target gNB, slice-aware admission control shall be performed. If a PDU Session is associated with an unsupported slice, the target gNB shall reject such PDU Session.

[0089] 5. The target gNB prepares for L1 / L2 handover and sends a HANDOVER REQUEST ACKNOWLEDGE to the source gNB, which includes a transparent container and is sent as an RRC message to the UE to perform the handover. The target gNB also indicates whether it accepts DAPS handover.

[0090] NOTE 2: Data forwarding can be started as soon as the source gNB receives the HANDOVER REQUEST ACKNOWLEDGE or as soon as the handover command transmission is initiated in the downlink.

[0091] 6. The source gNB triggers Uu handover by sending an RRCReconfiguration message to the UE. This message contains the information required to access the target cell: at least the target cell ID, the new C-RNTI, and the target gNB security algorithm identifier for the selected security algorithm. It may also include a set of dedicated RACH (Random Access Channel) resources, the association between RACH resources and SSB (Synchronization Signal Block), the association between RACH resources and UE-specific CSI-RS (Channel State Information-Reference Signal) configuration, common RACH resources, and system information of the target cell.

[0092] 7. For DRBs not configured with DAPS, the source gNB sends an SN STATUS TRANSFER message to the target gNB to convey the uplink PDCP SN (Sequence Number) receiver status and downlink PDCP SN transmitter status (i.e., RLC AM) for the DRBs for which PDCP status preservation is applicable. The uplink PDCP SN receiver status includes at least the PDCP SN of the first lost UL PDCP SDU and may include a bitmap of the reception status of out-of-sequence UL PDCP SDUs that the UE needs to retransmit in the target cell (if any). The downlink PDCP SN transmitter status indicates the next PDCP SN that the target gNB should assign to new PDCP SDUs, but does not yet have a PDCP SN.

[0093] 8. The UE synchronizes to the target cell and completes the RRC handover procedure by sending an RRCReconfigurationComplete message to the target gNB. In the case of DAPS handover, the UE does not detach from the source cell upon receiving the RRCReconfiguration message. Upon receiving an explicit release from the target node, the UE releases the source resources and configuration and ceases DL / UL reception / transmission with the source.

[0094] 8a / b. In the case of DAPS handover, the target gNB sends a HANDOVER SUCCESS message to the source gNB, notifying the UE that it has successfully accessed the target cell. In response, the source gNB sends an SN STATUS TRANSFER message for the DRB configured with DAPS, as described in step 7. For normal data forwarding, refer to the relevant technology.

[0095] NOTE 7: If DAPS is configured, the uplink PDCP SN receiver status and downlink PDCP SN transmitter status are also transmitted in the SN STATUS TRANSFER message in step 8b for DRBs with RLC-UM.

[0096] 9. The target gNB sends a PATH SWITCH REQUEST message to the AMF, triggering the 5GC (5G Core) to switch the DL data path to the target gNB and establish an NG-C interface (NG control plane interface) instance towards the target gNB.

[0097] 10.5 The GC switches the DL data path to the target gNB. The UPF sends one or more "end marker" packets to the source gNB on the old path, based on the PDU session / tunnel. It can then release any U-plane (user plane) / TNL (Transport Network Layer) resources to the source gNB.

[0098] 11.AMF acknowledges the PATH SWITCH REQUST message with a PATH SWITCH REQUEST ACKNOWLEDGE message.

[0099] 12. Upon receiving the PATH SWITCH REQUEST ACKNOWLEDGE message from the AMF, the target gNB sends a UE CONTEXT RELEASE message to notify the source gNB of the successful handover. The source gNB may then release the radio and C-plane (control plane) resources associated with the UE context. Any ongoing data forwarding may continue.

[0100] The inventors discovered that for L1 / L2-based inter-cell mobility, assuming L1 measurements are used to trigger L1 / L2 mobility, handover preparation measurements can be based on L3 measurements. The L1 / L2-based inter-cell mobility process is applicable to both intra-frequency and inter-frequency scenarios. However, because current L1 measurements do not support measurements of inter-frequency non-serving cells / neighboring cells, inter-frequency L1 / L2 mobility may not be triggered by L1 measurements.

[0101] Figure 4 illustrates L1 / L2-based inter-cell mobility. As shown in Figure 4, for neighboring cells on three carriers, one of which is co-frequency with the current PCell and one with the current SCell, the terminal can perform L1 measurements on these two cells. However, the remaining cells are not co-frequency with the current serving cell, so the terminal cannot perform L1 measurements or report on them. Consequently, even if the quality of this cell is better than the other two neighboring cells, the network cannot handover the terminal to it. Consequently, the terminal may operate in a suboptimal cell, reducing network capacity.

[0102] This application is proposed to address at least one of the above problems. The embodiments of this application are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific implementation methods.

[0103] In an embodiment of the present application, scenarios supported by inter-cell mobility based on L1 / L2 include but are not limited to: Inter-DU scenarios, intra-DU scenarios, switching scenarios, and DC (Dual Connectivity) scenarios (optional). Among them, the switching scenario, i.e., mobility / change of PCell, involves non-CA (carrier aggregation) scenarios (i.e., only PCell) and CA scenarios (i.e., PCell and SCell(s)), including: scenarios where the target PCell / target SCell(s) is not the current serving cell, i.e., CA→CA scenarios with PCell changes; scenarios where the target PCell is a current SCell (optional); scenarios where the target SCell is the current PCell (optional). In addition, DC scenarios include scenarios where PSCell changes.

[0104] In the embodiment of the present application, the source cell and the target cell may be synchronous or asynchronous, may be co-frequency or different-frequency, and may operate in FR1 (frequency range 1) and FR2 (frequency range 2).

[0105] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of an NG-RAN deployment scenario according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in Figure 5 , the NG-RAN includes a group of gNBs connected to the 5GC via the NG interface. gNBs can be interconnected via the Xn interface. A gNB can include a gNB-CU and one or more gNB-DUs. A gNB-CU and a gNB-DU are connected via the F1 interface, and a gNB-DU can only be connected to one gNB-CU.

[0106] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of an IAB deployment scenario according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in Figure 6, the NG-RAN supports IAB through an IAB-node wirelessly connected to a gNB capable of serving IAB-nodes, known as an IAB-donor. The IAB-donor includes an IAB-donor-CU and one or more IAB-donor-DU(s).

[0107] In the embodiments of this application, unless otherwise specified, all functions defined for gNB-DU are also applicable to IAB-DU and IAB-donor-DU, all functions defined for gNB-CU are also applicable to IAB-donor-CU, and all functions defined for UE are also applicable to IAB-MT.

[0108] Embodiments of the first aspect

[0109] An embodiment of the present application provides a method for triggering an inter-cell mobility process, which is described from the perspective of a network device.

[0110] FIG7 is a schematic diagram of a method for triggering an inter-cell mobility process according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG7 , the method includes:

[0111] 701. A first network device receives measurement-related information, where the measurement-related information includes one of the following: an L1 measurement result obtained by a terminal device performing an L1 measurement on the frequency where the inter-frequency candidate target cell is located or the inter-frequency candidate target cell; an indication of an L3 measurement result obtained by a second network device based on the terminal device performing an L3 measurement on the frequency where the inter-frequency candidate target cell is located or the inter-frequency candidate target cell; or an L1 measurement result associated with the candidate target cell;

[0112] 702: The first network device triggers an L1 or L2-based inter-cell mobility process from a serving cell to a target cell based on the measurement-related information.

[0113] It is worth noting that FIG7 above only schematically illustrates an embodiment of the present application, and the present application is not limited thereto. For example, the execution order of the various operations may be appropriately adjusted, and other operations may be added or some operations may be reduced. Those skilled in the art may make appropriate modifications based on the above content, and are not limited to the description of FIG7 above.

[0114] In the above embodiment, the network device triggers the L1 or L2-based inter-cell mobility process from the serving cell to the target cell based on the L1 measurement result obtained by the terminal device through L1 measurement of the frequency where the inter-frequency candidate target cell is located or the inter-frequency candidate target cell, or based on L3 measurement and measurement report, or based on the L1 measurement result of the cell associated with the candidate target cell (that is, the L1 measurement result associated with the candidate target cell). Thus, it can be ensured that the L1 or L2-based inter-cell mobility mechanism can support inter-frequency scenarios, thereby ensuring that the network uses the cell with the best quality to provide services to the terminal, thereby ensuring the service quality of the terminal and improving network throughput.

[0115] In some embodiments, the first network device sends first instruction information to the terminal device, instructing the terminal device to perform L1 measurement on the frequency of the inter-frequency candidate target cell or the inter-frequency candidate target cell. The behavior of the terminal device will be described in the following embodiments.

[0116] In some embodiments, the first network device sends second instruction information to the terminal device, instructing the terminal device to perform L1 measurement using the autonomous interval through the second instruction information. The terminal device can perform L1 measurement on the frequency of the inter-frequency candidate target cell or the inter-frequency candidate target cell using the autonomous interval according to the instruction of the first network device.

[0117] For example, when the terminal device receives the second indication information, it uses the autonomous interval to perform L1 measurement of the inter-frequency neighboring area; for another example, when the terminal device receives the second indication information and the second indication information allows the terminal device to use the autonomous interval to perform L1 measurement of the inter-frequency neighboring area, the terminal device uses the autonomous interval to perform L1 measurement of the inter-frequency neighboring area; for another example, when the network device does not configure the measurement interval for the terminal device, the terminal device uses the autonomous interval to perform L1 measurement of the inter-frequency neighboring area based on the second indication information.

[0118] In the above embodiment, the autonomous interval refers to the time when the terminal device is not scheduled by the network, that is, the terminal device can, according to the instruction of the first network device, perform L1 measurement on the frequency of the inter-frequency candidate target cell or the inter-frequency candidate target cell in the time (subframe and / or time slot) not scheduled by the network. The present application is not limited to this. The autonomous interval can also be a time when no data transmission is performed, or a time that can be used for inter-frequency measurement, etc.

[0119] In some embodiments, the first network device configures a measurement interval for the terminal device. This application does not limit the configuration method. Thus, the terminal device can also use the measurement interval configured by the network device to perform L1 measurement on the frequency of the inter-frequency candidate target cell or the inter-frequency candidate target cell. The behavior of the terminal device will be described in the following embodiments.

[0120] For example, if the terminal device cannot use the autonomous interval to perform L1 measurement of the inter-frequency neighboring cell, the network device (forcibly or always) configures the measurement interval for the terminal device.

[0121] For another example, if the network device configures a measurement interval for the terminal device, the terminal device can also use the measurement interval to perform L1 measurement on the inter-frequency neighboring cell; for another example, if the terminal device cannot use the autonomous interval and the network device configures a measurement interval for the terminal device, the terminal device can also use the measurement interval to perform L1 measurement on the inter-frequency neighboring cell.

[0122] In the above example, the terminal device cannot utilize the autonomous interval, for example, the terminal device does not have this capability, or the network device does not support it, for example, the network device is not configured with the second indication information, or the configured second indication information does not allow the use of the autonomous interval.

[0123] In the above embodiment, the measurement interval refers to the time (subframe and / or time slot) configured by the network device for the terminal device for inter-frequency measurement. For example, the first network device configures the period T and duration x, as well as an optional offset (offset). The terminal device performs inter-frequency measurement of x time length after the offset every period T (that is, performs L1 measurement on the frequency of the inter-frequency candidate target cell or the inter-frequency candidate target cell).

[0124] In the aforementioned embodiments, during the autonomous interval or the measurement interval, the terminal device does not send or receive UL data, DL data, signaling, reference signal, and / or channel with the network device.

[0125] In some embodiments, the first network device further receives third indication information sent by the second network device, where the third indication information indicates whether to trigger an L1 or L2-based inter-cell mobility procedure from the serving cell to the target cell. Here, the first network device is a distributed unit in the communication system, such as a gNB-DU in an NG-RAN deployment scenario or an IAB-donor-DU or IAB-node-DU in an IAB deployment scenario; and the second network device is a central unit in the communication system, such as a gNB-CU in an NG-RAN deployment scenario or an IAB-donor-CU in an IAB deployment scenario, etc.

[0126] In the above embodiment, the terminal device may send an L3 measurement report including measurement results of a cell and / or beam of an inter-frequency candidate target cell to the CU, and the CU may send an indication to the DU to indicate whether to perform L1 or L2-based mobility (cell change) from the serving cell to the target cell. Thus, the DU may decide whether to trigger an L1 or L2-based inter-cell mobility process from the serving cell to the target cell based on the indication from the CU.

[0127] In some embodiments, the first network device further configures a candidate target cell or a candidate target cell group for the terminal device based on the L3 measurement result from the terminal device, wherein the candidate target cell or the candidate target cell in the candidate target cell group may be co-frequency or off-frequency with the current serving cell.

[0128] In the above embodiments, different frequencies refer to frequencies that are different from the frequency of the serving cell. Here, different frequencies include: different center frequencies or different subcarrier spacings, or both different center frequencies and different subcarrier spacings. The present application is not limited thereto.

[0129] In each of the above embodiments, the L1 measurement result may be an L1 measurement result of a beam and / or reference signal of an inter-frequency candidate target cell or a cell associated with the inter-frequency candidate target cell. Here, the reference signal may be an SSB and / or a CSI-RS, but the present application is not limited thereto. In addition, the cell associated with the inter-frequency candidate target cell may be a co-frequency candidate target cell or a serving cell, that is, the above L1 measurement result may also be an L1 measurement result of a co-frequency candidate target cell or a serving cell associated with the inter-frequency candidate target cell.

[0130] In an embodiment of the present application, triggering an L1 or L2-based inter-cell mobility process from a serving cell to a target cell may include: sending an L1 indication to a terminal device via the serving cell and / or sending an L2 indication to the terminal device via the serving cell.

[0131] In the above embodiment, the L1 indication includes at least target cell information and / or target cell group information; similarly, the L2 indication also includes at least target cell information and / or target cell group information. Based on the L1 indication and / or L2 indication, the terminal device completes movement or handover from the serving cell to the target cell.

[0132] The above embodiments are merely exemplary descriptions of the methods of the present application from the network side, but the present application is not limited thereto. Appropriate modifications can be made based on the above embodiments. For example, the above embodiments can be used individually, or one or more of the above embodiments can be combined.

[0133] According to the method of the embodiment of the present application, it is possible to ensure that the mobility mechanism between cells based on L1 or L2 can support heterogeneous frequency scenarios, thereby ensuring that the network uses the cell with the best quality to provide services to the terminal, thereby ensuring the service quality of the terminal and improving network throughput.

[0134] Embodiments of the second aspect

[0135] The embodiment of the present application provides a method for triggering an inter-cell mobility process, which is described from the perspective of a terminal device, and the contents that are the same as those in the embodiment of the first aspect are not repeated.

[0136] FIG8 is a schematic diagram of a method for triggering an inter-cell mobility process according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG8 , the method includes:

[0137] 801, the terminal device performs L1 measurement on the frequency of the inter-frequency candidate target cell or the inter-frequency candidate target cell;

[0138] 802. The terminal device reports an L1 measurement result to a network device, where the L1 measurement result is used by the network device to trigger an L1 or L2-based inter-cell mobility process of the terminal device from a serving cell to a target cell.

[0139] It is worth noting that FIG8 above only schematically illustrates an embodiment of the present application, and the present application is not limited thereto. For example, the execution order of the various operations may be appropriately adjusted, and other operations may be added or some operations may be reduced. Those skilled in the art may make appropriate modifications based on the above content, and are not limited to the description of FIG8 above.

[0140] In the above embodiment, the terminal device performs L1 measurement on the frequency of the hetero-frequency candidate target cell or the hetero-frequency candidate target cell and reports the measurement result to the network device. As a result, the network device triggers the L1 or L2-based inter-cell mobility process from the serving cell to the target cell based on the measurement result. Therefore, it can ensure that the L1 or L2-based inter-cell mobility mechanism can support hetero-frequency scenarios, thereby ensuring that the network uses the cell with the best quality to provide services to the terminal, thereby ensuring the service quality of the terminal and improving network throughput.

[0141] In the embodiment of the present application, different frequency refers to a frequency that is different from the frequency of the current serving cell. Here, the different frequency may be a different center frequency, a different subcarrier spacing, or both a different center frequency and a different subcarrier spacing.

[0142] In the above embodiment, the serving cell may be a special cell (SPCell, including PCell, PSCell, etc.) or a secondary cell (SCell). The special cell and the secondary cell may be in the same cell group or in the same or different cell groups.

[0143] In some embodiments, the terminal device performs the above-mentioned L1 measurement, which may be that the terminal device performs the above-mentioned L1 measurement using an autonomous interval according to the instruction of the network device.

[0144] For example, the terminal device receives indication information (called second indication information) sent by the network device, and the second indication information instructs the terminal device to perform L1 measurement according to the autonomous interval. The terminal device can perform the above-mentioned L1 measurement using the autonomous interval according to the instruction of the second indication information.

[0145] The autonomous interval refers to a time (subframe and / or time slot) not scheduled by the network. The L1 measurement is performed during the autonomous interval, that is, the L1 measurement is performed during the time not scheduled by the network. The present application is not limited thereto. The autonomous interval may also be a time when no data is transmitted, a time used for performing inter-frequency measurement, and so on.

[0146] In some other embodiments, the terminal device performs the above-mentioned L1 measurement, and the terminal device may perform the above-mentioned L1 measurement using a measurement interval configured by the network device.

[0147] For example, the network device configures a measurement interval for the terminal device, and the terminal device uses the measurement interval to perform the above-mentioned L1 measurement.

[0148] Among them, the measurement interval refers to the time (subframe and / or time slot) configured by the network device for the terminal device for inter-frequency measurement. For example, the network device configures the period T and duration x, as well as an optional offset (offset). The terminal device performs inter-frequency measurement of x time length after the offset every period T (that is, performs L1 measurement on the frequency of the inter-frequency candidate target cell or the inter-frequency candidate target cell).

[0149] In some embodiments, the terminal device reports the L1 measurement result to the network device, which may be that the terminal device reports the L1 measurement result to the network device when a first condition is satisfied. Here, the first condition includes, but is not limited to, at least one of the following: the candidate target cell is better than the serving cell by an offset; the beam of the candidate target cell is better than the beam of the serving cell by an offset; the serving cell is poor; or the beam of the serving cell is poor.

[0150] That is, if the candidate target cell (its beam) is better (an offset) than the serving cell (its beam), or if the serving cell (its beam) is worse, the terminal device starts (periodically) reporting.

[0151] In the above embodiment, "good" and "bad" can be determined based on the measurement results. For example, if the measurement result of the candidate target cell (beam) is better than the measurement result of the serving cell (beam) (an offset), the terminal device performs the above report. For another example, if the measurement result of the serving cell (beam) is lower than a preset threshold, the terminal device performs the above report, and so on.

[0152] In the above embodiment, when the terminal device receives a switching command, or when the above first condition cannot be met, or when the number of times the terminal device reports the L1 measurement result reaches a preset maximum value, the terminal device stops reporting.

[0153] The above-mentioned handover command is, for example, L1 signaling, L2 signaling, RRC signaling, etc., but the present application is not limited thereto.

[0154] In some embodiments, the terminal device reports the L1 measurement results to the network device, which can be that the terminal device reports the L1 measurement results of the candidate target cells that meet the conditions, that is, the terminal device reports according to each candidate target cell; or, the terminal device reports the L1 measurement results of the candidate target cells that meet the conditions and the candidate target cells in the cell group where the candidate target cell is located, that is, the terminal device reports according to each candidate target cell group.

[0155] In the above embodiment, the L1 measurement result of the candidate target cell may be the L1 measurement result of the beam and / or reference signal of the candidate target cell. Here, the reference signal may be SSB and / or CSI-RS, but the present application is not limited thereto.

[0156] In some embodiments, the terminal device may perform the above-mentioned L1 measurement according to the instruction of the network device.

[0157] For example, the terminal device receives first indication information sent by the network device, and according to the first indication information, the terminal device starts to perform L1 measurement on the frequency where the hetero-frequency candidate target cell is located or the hetero-frequency candidate target cell.

[0158] In some embodiments, the terminal device may decide whether to perform the above-mentioned L1 measurement based on the measurement result of the serving cell.

[0159] For example, the terminal device compares the measurement result of the serving cell with a pre-configured threshold (called the first threshold). When the measurement result of the serving cell is worse than the first threshold, the terminal device performs L1 measurement on the frequency of the hetero-frequency candidate target cell or the hetero-frequency candidate target cell.

[0160] For another example, the terminal device compares the measurement result of the serving cell with a pre-configured threshold (called the second threshold). When the measurement result of the serving cell is better than the second threshold, the terminal device stops or does not perform L1 measurement on the frequency where the hetero-frequency candidate target cell is located or the hetero-frequency candidate target cell.

[0161] In the above example, the measurement result of the serving cell may be a measurement result of the beam and / or reference signal of the serving cell. Here, the reference signal may be an SSB and / or a CSI-RS, but the present application is not limited thereto.

[0162] The above embodiments are merely exemplary descriptions of the methods of the present application from the perspective of the terminal device. However, the present application is not limited thereto, and appropriate modifications may be made based on the above embodiments. For example, the above embodiments may be used individually, or one or more of the above embodiments may be combined.

[0163] According to the method of the embodiment of the present application, the terminal device can measure the frequency of the inter-frequency candidate target cell or the inter-frequency candidate target cell and report the measurement results to the network. In this way, the network can perform an L1 / L2-based inter-frequency cell change based on the reported measurement results. This ensures that the inter-cell mobility mechanism based on L1 or L2 can support inter-frequency scenarios, thereby ensuring that the network uses the cell with the best quality to provide services to the terminal, thereby ensuring the service quality of the terminal and improving network throughput.

[0164] Embodiments of the third aspect

[0165] The embodiment of the present application provides a method for triggering an inter-cell mobility process, which is described from the perspective of a terminal device, and the contents that are the same as those in the embodiment of the first aspect are not repeated.

[0166] FIG9 is a schematic diagram of a method for triggering an inter-cell mobility process according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG9 , the method includes:

[0167] 901. The terminal device reports an L1 measurement result to the network device. The L1 measurement result is associated with an inter-frequency candidate target cell, and is used by the network device to trigger an L1 or L2-based inter-cell mobility process from the serving cell to the target cell.

[0168] It is worth noting that FIG9 above only schematically illustrates an embodiment of the present application, and the present application is not limited thereto. For example, other operations may be added or some operations may be reduced. Those skilled in the art may make appropriate modifications based on the above content, and are not limited to the description of FIG9 above.

[0169] In the above embodiment, the terminal device reports the L1 measurement result associated with the hetero-frequency candidate target cell to the network side. As a result, the network device triggers the L1 or L2-based inter-cell mobility process from the serving cell to the target cell based on the L1 measurement result associated with the hetero-frequency candidate target cell. Therefore, it can ensure that the L1 or L2-based inter-cell mobility mechanism can support hetero-frequency scenarios, thereby ensuring that the network uses the cell with the best quality to provide services to the terminal, thereby ensuring the service quality of the terminal and improving network throughput.

[0170] In the embodiment of the present application, the L1 measurement result is an L1 measurement result of a cell associated with the inter-frequency candidate target cell.

[0171] In some embodiments, if the network device configures a candidate target cell for the terminal device, and the candidate target cell is an inter-frequency cell, the cell associated with the inter-frequency candidate target cell may be a same-frequency cell associated with the inter-frequency cell.

[0172] For example, the network device configures a set of SpCellConfig IEs and a set of SCellConfig IEs for the terminal device, and the configuration of each candidate target cell is included in one of the above-mentioned SpCellConfig IEs or one of the above-mentioned SCellConfig IEs. If the candidate target cell is an inter-frequency cell, the inter-frequency candidate target cell is associated with a same-frequency candidate target cell. For example, the SpCellConfig IE or SCellConfig IE of this inter-frequency cell includes a cell information (index or cell ID), and the cell is a same-frequency candidate target cell. The above is just an example. The cell associated with the inter-frequency candidate target cell can also be a service cell. In this case, the SpCellConfig IE or SCellConfig IE of this inter-frequency cell includes the information of the service cell (service cell index or cell ID of this cell).

[0173] In other embodiments, if the network device configures a candidate target cell group for the terminal device, and the above-mentioned candidate target cells include heterofrequency cells, then the cell associated with the heterofrequency candidate target cell is a co-frequency cell in the candidate target cell, or a co-frequency cell in a cell outside the candidate target cell group.

[0174] For example, the network device configures a set of CellGroupConfig IEs or a set of RRCReconfiguration messages including the CellGroupConfig IE for the terminal device, and the configuration of each candidate target cell is included in one of the above CellGroupConfig IEs or one of the above RRCReconfiguration messages. If the candidate target cell is an inter-frequency cell, the inter-frequency candidate target cell is associated with a same-frequency candidate target cell. For example, the SpCellConfig IE or SCellConfig IE of this inter-frequency cell includes a cell information (index or cell ID). If there is a same-frequency candidate target cell in the same cell group, the cell associated with the candidate target cell is a same-frequency candidate target cell in the same cell group; otherwise, the cell associated with the candidate target cell is a same-frequency candidate target cell in a different cell group. The above is just an example. The cell associated with the inter-frequency candidate target cell can also be a serving cell. In this case, the information of the serving cell (serving cell index or cell ID of this cell) is included in the SpCellConfig IE or SCellConfig IE of this inter-frequency cell.

[0175] FIG10 is another schematic diagram of a method for triggering an inter-cell mobility process according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG10 , the method includes:

[0176] 1001. The terminal device reports the L3 measurement result of the heterofrequency candidate target cell to the second network device, and the L3 measurement result is used by the second network device to instruct the first network device to trigger the L1 or L2-based inter-cell mobility process from the serving cell to the target cell.

[0177] In some embodiments, when the L1 measurement result associated with the above-mentioned hetero-frequency candidate target cell is reported, the terminal device sends the L3 measurement result of the hetero-frequency candidate target cell to the second network device, and the second network device instructs the first network device to trigger an L1 or L2-based mobility process from the serving cell to the target cell based on the L3 measurement result.

[0178] In other embodiments, when the L1 measurement result associated with the above-mentioned hetero-frequency candidate target cell meets the second condition, the terminal device sends the L3 measurement result of the hetero-frequency candidate target cell to the second network device, and the second network device instructs the first network device to trigger an L1 or L2-based mobility process from the serving cell to the target cell based on the L3 measurement result.

[0179] In the above embodiment, the second condition includes but is not limited to at least one of the following: the L1 measurement result of the cell associated with the candidate target cell is one offset better than that of the serving cell; the L1 measurement result of the beam of the cell associated with the candidate target cell is one offset better than that of the serving cell; the L1 measurement result of the serving cell is poor; the L1 measurement result of the beam of the serving cell is poor.

[0180] In the above embodiment, "good" and "bad" can be determined based on the measurement results. For example, if the measurement result of the candidate target cell (or its beam / reference signal) is better than the measurement result of the serving cell (or its beam / reference signal) (an offset), the terminal device performs the above-mentioned reporting. For another example, if the measurement result of the serving cell (or its beam / reference signal) is lower than a preset threshold, the terminal device performs the above-mentioned reporting, and so on.

[0181] In some further embodiments, when the L3 measurement result based on the beam or reference signal of the above-mentioned hetero-frequency candidate target cell meets the third condition, the terminal device sends the L3 measurement result of the hetero-frequency candidate target cell to the second network device, and the second network device instructs the first network device to trigger an L1 or L2-based mobility process from the serving cell to the target cell based on the L3 measurement result.

[0182] In the above embodiment, the third condition may be that the L3 measurement result of the beam and / or reference signal of the candidate target cell is better than the L3 measurement result of the beam and / or reference signal of the special cell or secondary cell by an offset. Here, the L3 measurement result of the beam and / or reference signal of the special cell or secondary cell may be the best L3 measurement result of the beam or reference signal of the special cell or secondary cell, and the present application is not limited to this; or, the third condition may be: the L3 measurement result of the beam and / or reference signal of the candidate target cell is better than a pre-configured threshold (referred to as the third threshold). Here, optionally, at the same time, the L3 measurement result of the beam and / or reference signal of the special cell is worse than a pre-set threshold (referred to as the fourth threshold). Here, the L3 measurement result of the beam and / or reference signal of the special cell may be the best L3 measurement result of the beam or reference signal of the special cell, and the present application is not limited to this.

[0183] In the aforementioned embodiment, "the L1 measurement result associated with the heterofrequency candidate target cell is reported", "the L1 measurement result associated with the heterofrequency candidate target cell satisfies the second condition", and "the L3 measurement result based on the beam or reference signal of the heterofrequency candidate target cell satisfies the third condition" is used as a trigger condition for reporting the L3 measurement result. The present application is not limited to this. The L3 measurement result reporting may also have other trigger conditions (trigger(s)), as long as it can trigger the measurement reporting faster than the trigger conditions of the existing measurement reporting and reduce the delay of the measurement reporting.

[0184] In the above embodiment, when the terminal device receives a switching command, or when the above second condition is not met, or when the above third condition is not met, or when the number of times the terminal device reports the L3 measurement results reaches a preset maximum value, the terminal device stops reporting.

[0185] The above-mentioned handover command is, for example, L1 signaling, L2 signaling, RRC signaling, etc., but the present application is not limited thereto.

[0186] In the aforementioned embodiments, the first network device is a distributed unit in the communication system, such as a gNB-DU in an NG-RAN deployment scenario or an IAB-donor-DU or IAB-node-DU in an IAB deployment scenario; the second network device is a central unit in the communication system, such as a gNB-CU in an NG-RAN deployment scenario or an IAB-donor-CU in an IAB deployment scenario, and so on.

[0187] For example, when the L1 measurement result associated with the candidate target cell is reported, and / or the L1 measurement result associated with the candidate target cell meets a specific condition (second condition), and / or the L3 measurement result of the candidate target cell meets a specific condition (third condition), the terminal device sends a measurement report (L3 measurement report) including the measurement result (cell and / or beam) of the candidate target cell to the second network device, and then the second network device sends an indication to the first network device, indicating whether to perform L1 or L2-based mobility or cell change from the serving cell to the target cell.

[0188] The above embodiments are merely exemplary descriptions of the methods of the present application from the perspective of the terminal device. However, the present application is not limited thereto, and appropriate modifications may be made based on the above embodiments. For example, the above embodiments may be used individually, or one or more of the above embodiments may be combined.

[0189] According to the method of the embodiment of the present application, the terminal device reports the L1 measurement result associated with the candidate target cell to the first network device, or the terminal device sends the L3 measurement result associated with the candidate target cell to the second network device. As a result, the first network device can trigger the L1 or L2-based inter-cell mobility process from the serving cell to the target cell based on the L3 measurement and measurement report or based on the L1 measurement result associated with the candidate target cell. In this way, it can be ensured that the L1 or L2-based inter-cell mobility mechanism can support inter-frequency scenarios, thereby ensuring that the network uses the cell with the best quality to provide services to the terminal, thereby ensuring the service quality of the terminal and improving network throughput.

[0190] Embodiments of the fourth aspect

[0191] An embodiment of the present application provides a triggering device for an inter-cell mobility process. The device may be, for example, a network device, or one or more components or assemblies configured on the network device. The device of the embodiment of the present application corresponds to the method of the embodiment of the first aspect, and the contents identical to those of the embodiment of the first aspect are not repeated here.

[0192] FIG11 is a schematic diagram of a triggering device for an inter-cell mobility process according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG11 , the triggering device 1100 for an inter-cell mobility process according to an embodiment of the present application includes:

[0193] a receiving unit 1101, which receives measurement-related information, where the measurement-related information includes one of the following: an L1 measurement result obtained by a terminal device performing an L1 measurement on the frequency where the inter-frequency candidate target cell is located or the inter-frequency candidate target cell, an indication of an L3 measurement result obtained by a second network device based on the terminal device performing an L3 measurement on the frequency where the inter-frequency candidate target cell is located or the inter-frequency candidate target cell, or an L1 measurement result associated with the candidate target cell;

[0194] The triggering unit 1102 is configured to trigger an L1 or L2-based inter-cell mobility process from a serving cell to a target cell based on the measurement-related information.

[0195] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG11 , the apparatus 1100 further includes:

[0196] The first sending unit 1103 sends first indication information to the terminal device, where the first indication information instructs the terminal device to perform L1 measurement on the frequency where the inter-frequency candidate target cell is located or the inter-frequency candidate target cell.

[0197] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG11 , the apparatus 1100 further includes:

[0198] The second sending unit 1104 sends second indication information to the terminal device, where the second indication information instructs the terminal device to perform L1 measurement using the autonomous interval.

[0199] The autonomous interval is, for example, the time when the terminal device is not scheduled by the network.

[0200] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG11 , the apparatus 1100 further includes:

[0201] The first configuration unit 1105 is configured to configure a measurement interval for the terminal device, where the measurement interval is used by the terminal device to perform the above-mentioned L1 measurement.

[0202] In some embodiments, the receiving unit 1101 further receives third indication information sent by the second network device, where the third indication information indicates whether to trigger an L1 or L2-based inter-cell mobility process from the serving cell to the target cell. In the above embodiment, the first network device is a distributed unit (DU) in the communication system, and the second network device is a central unit (CU) in the communication system.

[0203] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG11 , the apparatus 1100 further includes:

[0204] The second configuration unit 1106 configures a candidate target cell or a candidate target cell group for the terminal device based on the L3 measurement result from the terminal device, where the candidate target cell or the candidate target cells in the candidate target cell group are co-frequency or different-frequency with the serving cell.

[0205] In some embodiments, the triggering unit 1102 sends an L1 indication to the terminal device via the serving cell; and / or sends an L2 indication to the terminal device via the serving cell to trigger L1 or L2-based inter-cell mobility from the serving cell to the target cell.

[0206] In the above embodiment, the L1 indication includes at least information of the target cell and / or information of the target cell group.

[0207] In the above embodiment, the L2 indication includes at least information of the target cell and / or information of the target cell group.

[0208] In the aforementioned embodiments, different frequency refers to a frequency that is different from the frequency of the serving cell, and different frequency refers to different center frequencies or different subcarriers.

[0209] In the aforementioned embodiments, the L1 measurement result may be an L1 measurement result of a beam and / or a reference signal of the candidate target cell or a cell associated with the candidate target cell. Here, the reference signal may be an SSB and / or a CSI-RS.

[0210] The present application also provides a device for triggering an inter-cell mobility process. The device may be, for example, a terminal device, or one or more components or assemblies configured on the terminal device. The device of the present application corresponds to the method of the second aspect of the embodiment, and the contents that are identical to those of the second aspect of the embodiment are not repeated here.

[0211] FIG12 is a schematic diagram of a triggering device for an inter-cell mobility process according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG12 , the triggering device 1200 for an inter-cell mobility process according to an embodiment of the present application includes:

[0212] A measurement unit 1201, which performs L1 measurement on the frequency of the inter-frequency candidate target cell or the inter-frequency candidate target cell;

[0213] The sending unit 1202 reports the L1 measurement result to the network device, where the L1 measurement result is used by the network device to trigger an L1 or L2-based inter-cell mobility process of the terminal device from a serving cell to a target cell.

[0214] In the above embodiment, different frequency refers to a frequency that is different from the frequency of the serving cell; different frequencies include: different center frequencies or different subcarrier spacings.

[0215] In some embodiments, the serving cell includes a special cell and a secondary cell, and the special cell and the secondary cell are in the same cell group or in the same or different cell groups.

[0216] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG12 , the apparatus 1200 further includes:

[0217] The first receiving unit 1203 receives second indication information sent by the network device, where the second indication information instructs the terminal device to perform L1 measurement according to the autonomous interval; the measuring unit 1201 performs the L1 measurement using the autonomous interval.

[0218] In the above embodiment, the autonomous interval may be a time when the terminal device is not scheduled by the network.

[0219] In some embodiments, the measuring unit 1201 performs the L1 measurement using a measurement interval configured by the network device.

[0220] In some embodiments, when a first condition is met, the sending unit 1202 reports the L1 measurement result to the network device; the first condition includes at least one of the following: the candidate target cell is one offset better than the serving cell; the beam of the candidate target cell is one offset better than the beam of the serving cell; the serving cell is poor; the beam of the serving cell is poor.

[0221] In some embodiments, when the terminal device receives a handover command, or when the first condition cannot be met, or when the number of times the terminal device reports the L1 measurement result reaches a preset maximum value, the sending unit 1202 stops reporting the L1 measurement result.

[0222] In some embodiments, the sending unit 1202 reports the L1 measurement results of the candidate target cells that meet the conditions; or, the sending unit 1202 reports the L1 measurement results of the candidate target cells that meet the conditions and the candidate target cells in the cell group where the candidate target cells are located.

[0223] In the above embodiment, the L1 measurement result of the candidate target cell is the L1 measurement result of the beam and / or reference signal of the candidate target cell. The reference signal is, for example, an SSB and / or a CSI-RS.

[0224] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG12 , the apparatus 1200 further includes:

[0225] A second receiving unit 1204 receives first indication information sent by the network device;

[0226] The measuring unit 1201 performs L1 measurement on the frequency where the inter-frequency candidate target cell is located or the inter-frequency candidate target cell according to the first indication information.

[0227] In some embodiments, the measurement unit 12201 compares the measurement result of the serving cell with a preconfigured first threshold; when the measurement result of the serving cell is worse than the first threshold, the measurement unit 1201 performs L1 measurement on the frequency of the inter-frequency candidate target cell or the inter-frequency candidate target cell.

[0228] In the above embodiment, the measurement result of the serving cell may be a measurement result of the beam and / or reference signal of the serving cell. The reference signal may be, for example, an SSB and / or a CSI-RS.

[0229] The present application also provides an apparatus for triggering an inter-cell mobility process. The apparatus may be, for example, a terminal device, or one or more components or assemblies configured on the terminal device. The apparatus of the present application corresponds to the method shown in FIG. 9 of the third aspect of the embodiment, and the contents identical to those of the third aspect of the embodiment are not repeated here.

[0230] FIG13 is a schematic diagram of a triggering device for an inter-cell mobility process according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG13 , the triggering device 1300 for an inter-cell mobility process according to an embodiment of the present application includes:

[0231] The sending unit 1301 reports an L1 measurement result to a network device, where the L1 measurement result is associated with an inter-frequency candidate target cell, and is used by the network device to trigger an L1 or L2-based inter-cell mobility process from a serving cell to a target cell.

[0232] In the above embodiment, the L1 measurement result is the L1 measurement result of the cell associated with the above inter-frequency candidate target cell.

[0233] In some embodiments, if the first network device configures a candidate target cell for the terminal device, and the candidate target cell is an inter-frequency cell, the cell associated with the inter-frequency candidate target cell is a same-frequency cell associated with the inter-frequency cell.

[0234] In some embodiments, if the first network device configures a candidate target cell group for the terminal device, and the above-mentioned candidate target cell group includes heterofrequency cells, then the cell associated with the heterofrequency candidate target cell is a co-frequency cell in the above-mentioned candidate target cell group, or a co-frequency cell in a cell group outside the above-mentioned candidate target cell group.

[0235] The present application also provides an apparatus for triggering an inter-cell mobility process. The apparatus may be, for example, a terminal device, or one or more components or assemblies configured on the terminal device. The apparatus of the present application corresponds to the method shown in FIG. 10 of the third aspect of the embodiment, and the same contents as those in the third aspect of the embodiment are not repeated here.

[0236] FIG14 is a schematic diagram of a triggering device for an inter-cell mobility process according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG14 , the triggering device 1400 for an inter-cell mobility process according to an embodiment of the present application includes:

[0237] A sending unit 1401 reports an L3 measurement result of an inter-frequency candidate target cell to a second network device, where the L3 measurement result is used by the second network device to instruct the first network device to trigger an L1 or L2-based inter-cell mobility process from a serving cell to a target cell. The second network device is a central unit (CU) in a communication system.

[0238] In some embodiments, when the L1 measurement result associated with the heterofrequency candidate target cell is reported or meets the second condition or when the L3 measurement result of the heterofrequency candidate target cell meets the third condition, the sending unit 1401 sends the L3 measurement result to the second network device, and the L3 measurement result is used by the second network device to instruct the first network device to trigger an L1 or L2-based mobility process from the serving cell to the candidate target cell. The first network device is a distributed unit (DU) in the communication system, and the second network device is a central unit (CU) in the communication system.

[0239] In the above embodiment, the second condition may include at least one of the following: the L1 measurement result of the cell associated with the inter-frequency candidate target cell is better than that of the serving cell by an offset; the L1 measurement result of the beam of the cell associated with the inter-frequency candidate target cell is better than that of the serving cell by an offset; the L1 measurement result of the serving cell is poor; the L1 measurement result of the beam of the serving cell is poor.

[0240] In the above embodiment, the third condition may include at least one of the following: the L3 measurement result of the beam and / or reference signal of the heterofrequency candidate target cell is better than that of the special cell and / or secondary cell by an offset; and / or the L3 measurement result of the beam and / or reference signal of the heterofrequency candidate target cell is better than the third threshold, and the L3 measurement result of the beam and / or reference signal of the special cell is worse than the fourth threshold.

[0241] In the above embodiment, in some implementations, when the terminal device receives a switching command, or when the second condition is not met, or when the third condition is not met, or when the number of times the terminal device reports the L3 measurement results reaches a preset maximum value, the sending unit 1401 stops reporting the above L3 measurement results.

[0242] The above embodiments of the present application are illustrative, but the present application is not limited thereto, and appropriate modifications can be made based on the above embodiments. For example, the above embodiments can be used alone, or one or more of the above embodiments can be combined.

[0243] It is worth noting that the above description only describes the components or modules relevant to this application, but this application is not limited thereto. The beam failure detection reference signal configuration devices 1100-1400 may also include other components or modules. For details about these components or modules, please refer to the relevant art. Furthermore, each of the above components or modules may be implemented using hardware facilities such as processors, memories, transmitters, and receivers; this is not a limitation of this implementation.

[0244] According to the device of the embodiment of the present application, it is possible to ensure that the mobility mechanism between cells based on L1 or L2 can support heterogeneous frequency scenarios, thereby ensuring that the network uses the cell with the best quality to provide services to the terminal, thereby ensuring the service quality of the terminal and improving network throughput.

[0245] Embodiments of the fifth aspect

[0246] An embodiment of the present application also provides a communication system, including a network device and a terminal device.

[0247] In some embodiments, the network device includes the apparatus 1100 described in the embodiment of the fourth aspect, configured to perform the method described in the embodiment of the first aspect. Since the method has been described in detail in the embodiment of the first aspect, its content is incorporated herein and will not be repeated.

[0248] In some embodiments, the terminal device includes the apparatus 1200, 1300, or 1400 described in the embodiment of the fourth aspect, and is configured to perform the method described in the embodiment of the second aspect or the third aspect. Since the method has been described in detail in the embodiments of the second and third aspects, the content thereof is incorporated herein and is not repeated.

[0249] An embodiment of the present application further provides a network device, which may be, for example, a base station, but the present application is not limited thereto and may also be other network devices.

[0250] Figure 15 is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of a network device according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in Figure 15 , network device 1500 may include a processor 1501 and a memory 1502 ; the memory 1502 is coupled to the processor 1501 . The memory 1502 may store various data and information processing programs, which are executed under the control of the processor 1501 .

[0251] In some embodiments, the functions of the device 1100 of the embodiment of the fourth aspect can be integrated into the processor 1501, wherein the processor 1501 can be configured to execute a program to implement the method described in the embodiment of the first aspect, the content of which is incorporated herein and will not be repeated here.

[0252] In other embodiments, the apparatus 1100 of the embodiment of the fourth aspect may be configured separately from the processor 1501. For example, the apparatus 1100 of the embodiment of the fourth aspect may be configured as a chip connected to the processor 1501, and the functions of the apparatus 1100 of the embodiment of the fourth aspect may be implemented through the control of the processor 1501.

[0253] Furthermore, as shown in FIG15 , network device 1500 may further include transceivers 1503 and 1504. The functions of these components are similar to those in the prior art and are not further described here. It is worth noting that network device 1500 does not necessarily include all of the components shown in FIG15 ; furthermore, network device 1500 may also include components not shown in FIG15 , for which reference may be made to the prior art.

[0254] An embodiment of the present application further provides a terminal device, which may be, for example, a UE, but the present application is not limited thereto and may also be other terminal devices.

[0255] Figure 16 is a schematic diagram of a terminal device according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in Figure 16 , terminal device 1600 may include a processor 1601 and a memory 1602. Memory 1602 stores data and programs and is coupled to processor 1601. It should be noted that this diagram is exemplary; other types of structures may be used to supplement or replace this structure to implement telecommunication or other functions.

[0256] In some embodiments, the functions of the device 1200 or 1300 or 1400 of the embodiment of the fourth aspect can be integrated into the processor 1601, wherein the processor 1601 can be configured to execute a program to implement the method described in the embodiment of the second aspect or the third aspect, the contents of which are incorporated herein and will not be repeated here.

[0257] In other embodiments, the apparatus 1200 or 1300 or 1400 of the embodiment of the fourth aspect may be configured separately from the processor 1601. For example, the apparatus 1200 or 1300 or 1400 of the embodiment of the fourth aspect may be configured as a chip connected to the processor 1601, and the functions of the apparatus 1200 or 1300 or 1400 of the embodiment of the fourth aspect may be implemented through the control of the processor 1601.

[0258] As shown in Figure 16 , the terminal device 1600 may further include: a communication module 1603, an input unit 1604, a display 1605, and a power supply 1606. The functions of these components are similar to those in the prior art and are not described in detail here. It is worth noting that the terminal device 1600 does not necessarily include all of the components shown in Figure 16 , and the above components are not essential. Furthermore, the terminal device 1600 may also include components not shown in Figure 16 , for which reference may be made to the relevant art.

[0259] An embodiment of the present application further provides a computer program, wherein when the program is executed in a network device, the program causes the network device to execute the method described in the embodiment of the first aspect.

[0260] An embodiment of the present application further provides a storage medium storing a computer program, wherein the computer program enables a network device to execute the method described in the embodiment of the first aspect.

[0261] An embodiment of the present application further provides a computer program, wherein when the program is executed in a terminal device, the program causes the terminal device to execute the method described in the embodiment of the second aspect or the third aspect.

[0262] An embodiment of the present application further provides a storage medium storing a computer program, wherein the computer program enables a terminal device to execute the method described in the embodiment of the second aspect or the third aspect.

[0263] The above devices and methods of the present application can be implemented by hardware or by a combination of hardware and software. The present application relates to such a computer-readable program that, when executed by a logic component, enables the logic component to implement the devices or components described above, or enables the logic component to implement the various methods or steps described above. The present application also relates to a storage medium for storing the above program, such as a hard disk, a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a DVD, a flash memory, etc.

[0264] The method / device described in conjunction with the embodiments of the present application can be directly embodied as hardware, a software module executed by a processor, or a combination of the two. For example, one or more of the functional block diagrams shown in the figure and / or one or more combinations of functional block diagrams can correspond to various software modules of the computer program flow or to various hardware modules. These software modules can respectively correspond to the various steps shown in the figure. These hardware modules can be implemented by solidifying these software modules, for example, using a field programmable gate array (FPGA).

[0265] The software module may be located in RAM memory, flash memory, ROM memory, EPROM memory, EEPROM memory, registers, a hard disk, a removable disk, a CD-ROM, or any other form of storage medium known in the art. A storage medium may be coupled to a processor so that the processor can read information from the storage medium and write information to the storage medium; or the storage medium may be an integral part of the processor. The processor and the storage medium may be located in an ASIC. The software module may be stored in the memory of the mobile terminal or in a memory card that can be inserted into the mobile terminal. For example, if the device (such as a mobile terminal) uses a large-capacity MEGA-SIM card or a large-capacity flash memory device, the software module may be stored in the MEGA-SIM card or the large-capacity flash memory device.

[0266] One or more of the functional blocks and / or one or more combinations of functional blocks described in the accompanying drawings may be implemented as a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, a discrete gate or transistor logic device, a discrete hardware component, or any appropriate combination thereof for performing the functions described in this application. One or more of the functional blocks and / or one or more combinations of functional blocks described in the accompanying drawings may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, such as a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, multiple microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in communication with a DSP, or any other such configuration.

[0267] The present application has been described above in conjunction with specific embodiments. However, those skilled in the art should understand that these descriptions are merely illustrative and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present application. Those skilled in the art may make various modifications and variations to the present application based on the spirit and principles of the present application, and such modifications and variations are also within the scope of the present application.

[0268] Regarding the implementation methods including the above embodiments, the following additional notes are also disclosed:

[0269] 1. A method for triggering an inter-cell mobility process, comprising:

[0270] The first network device receives measurement related information, where the measurement related information includes one of the following: an L1 measurement result obtained by the terminal device performing an L1 measurement on the frequency where the inter-frequency candidate target cell is located or the inter-frequency candidate target cell, an indication of an L3 measurement result obtained by the second network device performing an L3 measurement on the frequency where the inter-frequency candidate target cell is located or the inter-frequency candidate target cell based on the terminal device, or an L1 measurement result associated with the candidate target cell;

[0271] The first network device triggers an L1 or L2-based inter-cell mobility procedure from a serving cell to a target cell based on the measurement-related information.

[0272] 2. The method according to Supplement 1, wherein the method further comprises:

[0273] The first network device sends first indication information to the terminal device, where the first indication information instructs the terminal device to perform L1 measurement on the frequency where the inter-frequency candidate target cell is located or the inter-frequency candidate target cell.

[0274] 3. The method according to Note 1 or 2, wherein the method further comprises:

[0275] The first network device sends second indication information to the terminal device, where the second indication information instructs the terminal device to perform L1 measurement using an autonomous interval.

[0276] 4. The method according to Supplement 3, wherein:

[0277] The autonomous interval refers to the time when the terminal device is not scheduled by the network.

[0278] 5. The method according to Note 1 or 2, wherein the method further comprises:

[0279] The first network device configures a measurement interval for the terminal device, where the measurement interval is used by the terminal device to perform the L1 measurement.

[0280] 6. The method according to Supplementary Note 1, wherein the method further comprises:

[0281] The first network device receives third indication information sent by the second network device, where the third indication information indicates whether to trigger an inter-cell mobility process based on L1 or L2 from a serving cell to a target cell.

[0282] The second network device is a Central Unit (CU) in a communication system.

[0283] 6a. The method according to any one of Notes 1-6, wherein the first network device is a distributed unit (DU) in a communication system.

[0284] 7. The method according to any of the preceding notes, wherein the method further comprises:

[0285] The first network device configures a candidate target cell or a candidate target cell group for the terminal device based on an L3 measurement result from the terminal device,

[0286] The candidate target cell or the candidate target cell in the candidate target cell group and the serving cell are of the same frequency or different frequency.

[0287] 8. The method according to Supplementary Note 1, wherein the triggering of L1 or L2-based inter-cell mobility from a serving cell to a target cell comprises:

[0288] sending an L1 indication to the terminal device via the serving cell; and / or

[0289] An L2 indication is sent to the terminal device via the serving cell.

[0290] 9. The method according to Supplementary Note 8, wherein the L1 indication includes at least one of the following:

[0291] Information of the target cell;

[0292] Information of the target cell group.

[0293] 10. The method according to Supplementary Note 8, wherein the L2 indication includes at least one of the following:

[0294] Information of the target cell;

[0295] Information of the target cell group.

[0296] 11. The method according to Supplement 1, wherein:

[0297] The different frequency refers to a frequency different from the frequency of the serving cell;

[0298] Different frequencies include: different center frequencies or different subcarrier spacings.

[0299] 12. The method according to Supplement 1, wherein:

[0300] The L1 measurement result is an L1 measurement result of a beam and / or a reference signal of a candidate target cell or a cell associated with the candidate target cell.

[0301] 13. The method according to Supplement 12, wherein:

[0302] The reference signal is SSB and / or CSI-RS.

[0303] 14. A method for triggering an inter-cell mobility process, comprising:

[0304] The terminal device performs L1 measurement on the frequency of the inter-frequency candidate target cell or the inter-frequency candidate target cell;

[0305] The terminal device reports the L1 measurement result to the network device, and the L1 measurement result is used by the network device to trigger an L1 or L2-based inter-cell mobility process of the terminal device from a serving cell to a target cell.

[0306] 15. The method according to Supplement 14, wherein:

[0307] The serving cell includes a special cell and a secondary cell, and the special cell and the secondary cell are in the same cell group or in the same or different cell groups.

[0308] 16. The method according to Supplement 14, wherein:

[0309] The different frequency refers to a frequency different from the frequency of the serving cell;

[0310] Different frequencies include: different center frequencies or different subcarrier spacings.

[0311] 17. The method according to supplementary note 14, wherein the terminal device performs the L1 measurement, comprising:

[0312] The terminal device receives second indication information sent by the network device, where the second indication information instructs the terminal device to perform L1 measurement according to the autonomous interval;

[0313] The terminal device performs the L1 measurement using an autonomous interval.

[0314] 18. The method according to Supplement 17, wherein:

[0315] The autonomous interval refers to the time when the terminal device is not scheduled by the network.

[0316] 19. The method according to supplementary note 14, wherein the terminal device performs the L1 measurement, comprising:

[0317] The terminal device performs the L1 measurement using the measurement interval configured by the network device.

[0318] 20. The method according to note 14, wherein the terminal device reports the L1 measurement result to the network device, comprising:

[0319] When the first condition is met, the terminal device reports the L1 measurement result to the network device;

[0320] The first condition includes at least one of the following:

[0321] The candidate target cell is better than the serving cell by an offset;

[0322] The beam of the candidate target cell is better than the beam of the serving cell by an offset;

[0323] Poor service area;

[0324] Beam difference of serving cell.

[0325] 21. The method according to Supplementary Note 20, further comprising:

[0326] When the terminal device receives a switching command, or when the first condition cannot be met, or when the number of times the terminal device reports the L1 measurement result reaches a preset maximum value, the terminal device stops reporting the L1 measurement result.

[0327] 22. The method according to note 14, wherein the terminal device reports the L1 measurement result to the network device, comprising:

[0328] The terminal device reports the L1 measurement result of the candidate target cell that meets the conditions; or

[0329] The terminal device reports L1 measurement results of candidate target cells that meet the conditions and candidate target cells of the cell group where the candidate target cells are located.

[0330] 23. The method according to Supplementary Note 22, wherein:

[0331] The L1 measurement result of the candidate target cell is an L1 measurement result of the beam and / or reference signal of the candidate target cell.

[0332] 24. The method according to Note 23, wherein:

[0333] The reference signal is SSB and / or CSI-RS.

[0334] 25. The method according to Supplement 14, further comprising:

[0335] The terminal device receives first indication information sent by the network device;

[0336] The terminal device performs L1 measurement on the frequency where the hetero-frequency candidate target cell is located or the hetero-frequency candidate target cell according to the first indication information.

[0337] 26. The method according to Supplement 14, wherein the method further comprises:

[0338] The terminal device compares the measurement result of the serving cell with a pre-configured first threshold;

[0339] When the measurement result of the serving cell is worse than the first threshold, L1 measurement is performed on the frequency where the inter-frequency candidate target cell is located or the inter-frequency candidate target cell.

[0340] 27. The method according to Supplementary Note 26, wherein:

[0341] The measurement result of the serving cell is a measurement result of the beam and / or reference signal of the serving cell.

[0342] 28. The method according to Supplementary Note 27, wherein:

[0343] The reference signal is SSB and / or CSI-RS.

[0344] 29. A method for triggering an inter-cell mobility process, comprising:

[0345] The terminal device reports the L3 measurement result of the heterofrequency candidate target cell to the second network device, and the L3 measurement result is used by the second network device to instruct the first network device to trigger an L1 or L2-based inter-cell mobility process from the serving cell to the target cell. The second network device is a central unit (CU) in the communication system.

[0346] 30. The method according to Supplement 29, wherein:

[0347] When the L1 measurement result associated with the heterofrequency candidate target cell is reported or meets the second condition or the L3 measurement result of the beam and / or reference signal of the heterofrequency candidate target cell meets the third condition, the terminal device reports the L3 measurement result to the second network device.

[0348] 31. The method according to Note 29 or 30, wherein:

[0349] The first network device is a distributed unit (DU) in a communication system.

[0350] 32. The method according to Supplementary Note 30, wherein the second condition includes at least one of the following:

[0351] The L1 measurement result of the cell associated with the inter-frequency candidate target cell is better than that of the serving cell by an offset;

[0352] The L1 measurement result of the beam of the cell associated with the inter-frequency candidate target cell is better than that of the beam of the serving cell by an offset;

[0353] The L1 measurement result of the serving cell is poor;

[0354] The L1 measurement result of the serving cell's beam is poor.

[0355] 33. The method according to Supplementary Note 30, wherein the third condition includes at least one of the following:

[0356] The L3 measurement result of the beam and / or reference signal of the inter-frequency candidate target cell is better than that of the special cell and / or secondary cell by an offset; and / or

[0357] The L3 measurement result of the beam and / or reference signal of the inter-frequency candidate target cell is better than a third threshold, and the L3 measurement result of the beam and / or reference signal of the special cell is worse than a fourth threshold.

[0358] 34. The method according to Supplementary Note 30, further comprising:

[0359] When the terminal device receives a switching command, or when the second condition is not met, or when the third condition is not met, or when the number of times the terminal device reports the L3 measurement results reaches a preset maximum value, the terminal device stops reporting the L3 measurement results.

[0360] 35. A method for triggering an inter-cell mobility process, comprising:

[0361] The terminal device reports the L1 measurement result to the network device, where the L1 measurement result is associated with the hetero-frequency candidate target cell, and is used by the network device to trigger an L1 or L2-based inter-cell mobility process from the serving cell to the target cell.

[0362] 36. The method according to Note 35, wherein:

[0363] The L1 measurement result is an L1 measurement result of a cell associated with the inter-frequency candidate target cell.

[0364] 37. The method according to Supplement 36, wherein:

[0365] If the first network device configures a candidate target cell for the terminal device, and the candidate target cell is an inter-frequency cell, the cell associated with the inter-frequency candidate target cell is an intra-frequency cell associated with the inter-frequency cell;

[0366] If the first network device configures a candidate target cell group for the terminal device, and the candidate target cell group includes heterofrequency cells, then the cell associated with the heterofrequency candidate target cell is a co-frequency cell in the candidate target cell group, or a co-frequency cell in a cell group outside the candidate target cell group.

[0367] 38. A network device comprising a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a computer program, and the processor is configured to execute the computer program to implement the method as described in any one of Notes 1 to 13.

[0368] 39. A terminal device comprising a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a computer program, and the processor is configured to execute the computer program to implement the method as described in any one of Notes 14 to 37.

[0369] 40. A communication system comprising the network device described in Note 38 and the terminal device described in Note 39.

Claims

1. A triggering device for an inter-cell mobility process, wherein: The apparatus shown comprises: a receiving unit configured to receive measurement-related information, the measurement-related information including one of the following: a layer 1 measurement result obtained by a terminal device performing layer 1 measurement on the frequency where the inter-frequency candidate target cell is located or the inter-frequency candidate target cell, an indication of a layer 3 measurement result obtained by a second network device performing layer 3 measurement on the frequency where the inter-frequency candidate target cell is located or the inter-frequency candidate target cell based on the terminal device, or a layer 1 measurement result associated with the candidate target cell; A triggering unit is configured to trigger a layer 1 or layer 2 based inter-cell mobility procedure from a serving cell to a target cell based on the measurement related information.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein The device further comprises: A first sending unit sends first indication information to the terminal device, where the first indication information instructs the terminal device to perform layer 1 measurement on the frequency where the inter-frequency candidate target cell is located or the inter-frequency candidate target cell.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein The device further comprises: A second sending unit is configured to send second indication information to the terminal device, where the second indication information instructs the terminal device to perform layer 1 measurement using an autonomous interval.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein The autonomous interval refers to the time when the terminal device is not scheduled by the network.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein The device further comprises: A first configuration unit is configured to configure a measurement interval for the terminal device, where the measurement interval is used for the terminal device to perform the layer 1 measurement.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein The receiving unit further receives third indication information sent by the second network device, where the third indication information indicates whether to trigger an inter-cell mobility process based on layer 1 or layer 2 from the serving cell to the target cell. The second network device is a central unit in a communication system.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein The first network device is a distributed unit in a communication system.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein The device further comprises: A second configuration unit configures a candidate target cell or a candidate target cell group for the terminal device based on a layer 3 measurement result from the terminal device, wherein the candidate target cell or the candidate target cells in the candidate target cell group are co-frequency or hetero-frequency with the serving cell.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein The triggering of inter-cell mobility based on layer 1 or layer 2 from a serving cell to a target cell includes: sending a layer 1 indication to the terminal device via the serving cell; and / or A layer 2 indication is sent to the terminal device via the serving cell.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein The different frequency refers to a frequency different from the frequency of the serving cell; Different frequencies include: different center frequencies or different subcarrier spacings.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein The layer 1 measurement result is a layer 1 measurement result of a beam and / or a reference signal of a candidate target cell or a cell associated with the candidate target cell.

12. A triggering device for an inter-cell mobility process, wherein: The apparatus shown comprises: A sending unit reports a layer 3 measurement result of an inter-frequency candidate target cell to a second network device, wherein the layer 3 measurement result is used by the second network device to instruct the first network device to trigger a layer 1 or layer 2-based inter-cell mobility process from a serving cell to a target cell, wherein the second network device is a central unit in a communication system.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein When the layer 1 measurement result associated with the inter-frequency candidate target cell is reported or meets the second condition or the layer 3 measurement result of the beam and / or reference signal of the inter-frequency candidate target cell meets the third condition, the sending unit reports the layer 3 measurement result to the second network device.

14. The device according to claim 12, wherein The first network device is a distributed unit in a communication system.

15. The device according to claim 13, wherein The second condition includes at least one of the following: The layer 1 measurement result of the cell associated with the inter-frequency candidate target cell is better than that of the serving cell by an offset; The layer 1 measurement result of the beam of the cell associated with the inter-frequency candidate target cell is better than that of the beam of the serving cell by an offset; The layer 1 measurement result of the serving cell is poor; The layer 1 measurement result of the beam of the serving cell is poor.

16. The device according to claim 13, wherein The third condition includes at least one of the following: The layer 3 measurement result of the beam and / or reference signal of the inter-frequency candidate target cell is better than that of the special cell and / or secondary cell by an offset; and / or The layer 3 measurement result of the beam and / or reference signal of the inter-frequency candidate target cell is better than a third threshold, and the layer 3 measurement result of the beam and / or reference signal of the special cell is worse than a fourth threshold.

17. The device according to claim 13, wherein When the terminal device receives a switching command, or when the second condition is not met, or when the third condition is not met, or when the number of times the terminal device reports the layer 3 measurement result reaches a preset maximum value, the sending unit stops reporting the layer 3 measurement result.

18. A triggering device for an inter-cell mobility process, wherein: The device comprises: A sending unit reports a layer 1 measurement result to a network device, wherein the layer 1 measurement result is associated with an inter-frequency candidate target cell, and is used by the network device to trigger a layer 1 or layer 2 based inter-cell mobility process from a serving cell to a target cell.

19. The device according to claim 18, wherein The layer 1 measurement result is a layer 1 measurement result of a cell associated with the inter-frequency candidate target cell.

20. The device according to claim 19, wherein If the first network device configures a candidate target cell for the terminal device, and the candidate target cell is an inter-frequency cell, the cell associated with the inter-frequency candidate target cell is an intra-frequency cell associated with the inter-frequency cell; If the first network device configures a candidate target cell group for the terminal device, and the candidate target cell group includes heterofrequency cells, then the cell associated with the heterofrequency candidate target cell is a co-frequency cell in the candidate target cell group, or a co-frequency cell in a cell group outside the candidate target cell group.

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