Communication method and device and storage medium

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention discloses a communication method and device and a storage medium, relates to the technical field of communication, and can execute LBT on an SL positioning reference signal. The method comprises: acquiring a channel access priority level corresponding to a first positioning reference signal, and performing a listen before talk (LBT) process on a first channel for transmitting the first positioning reference signal based on the channel access priority level, the first positioning reference signal being used for determining position information of a first terminal device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present application relate to the field of communication technologies, and in particular, to communication methods, devices, and storage media. Background Art

[0002] Currently, terminal devices can perform sidelink (SL) communication through unlicensed frequency bands. Before a terminal device sends a message on a channel corresponding to a certain unlicensed frequency band, it needs to perform listen before talk (LBT) on the channel corresponding to the unlicensed frequency band to detect whether the channel is occupied. However, the prior art does not support terminal devices to transmit SL positioning reference signals in unlicensed frequency bands, which in turn causes terminal devices to be unable to perform SL positioning through unlicensed frequency bands. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Embodiments of the present application provide a communication method, device, and storage medium that can perform LBT on SL positioning reference signals.

[0004] To achieve the above object, the embodiments of the present application provide the following technical solutions:

[0005] In a first aspect, a communication method is provided. This method can be executed by a first device, or by a component of the first device, such as a processor, chip, or chip system of the first device, or can also be implemented by a logic module or software that can implement all or part of the first device. Hereinafter, the case where this method is executed by the first device will be used as an example for description. The communication method includes: obtaining a channel access priority level corresponding to a first positioning reference signal, and based on the channel access priority level, performing a listen before talk (LBT) process on a first channel for transmitting the first positioning reference signal, where the first positioning reference signal is used to determine the location information of a first terminal device.

[0006] In the embodiments of the present application, the first device obtains the channel access priority level corresponding to the first positioning reference signal, and based on the channel access priority level corresponding to the first positioning reference signal, performs an LBT process on the first channel for transmitting the first positioning reference signal. In this way, the first device can complete the LBT process on the first channel for transmitting the first positioning reference signal, and further facilitate subsequent SL positioning through unlicensed frequency bands.

[0007] In combination with the above first aspect, in a possible implementation manner, obtaining the channel access priority level corresponding to the first positioning reference signal includes: obtaining the positioning service information or layer 1 priority of the first positioning reference signal, and based on the positioning service information or layer 1 priority, determining the channel access priority level, where the layer 1 priority is used to characterize the priority of the positioning service.

[0008] That is to say, since the transmission of the first positioning reference signal is generally triggered by the positioning requirements of a specific service, the positioning service information and the layer 1 priority can more accurately reflect the quality of service level or the positioning service level required by the positioning service. And the signal access priority level has a strong correlation with the quality of service level and the positioning service level. Therefore, the first device can determine the channel access priority level based on the positioning service information or the layer 1 priority, so that the subsequent first device can perform the LBT process on the first channel based on this channel access priority level.

[0009] Combined with the first aspect above, in a possible implementation, the positioning service information includes positioning quality of service information, and the positioning quality of service information includes at least one of the following: the type of quality of service, accuracy requirements, response time, range, or quality of service serial number; the quality of service serial number is used to represent the level of quality of service.

[0010] That is to say, the first device can determine the channel access priority level based on at least one of the type of quality of service, accuracy requirements, response time, range, or quality of service serial number. In this way, the channel access priority level can be determined based on multiple dimensions, further improving the rationality of the channel access priority level.

[0011] Combined with the first aspect above, in a possible implementation, obtaining the channel access priority level corresponding to the first positioning reference signal includes: receiving first indication information, where the first indication information is used to indicate the channel access priority level.

[0012] That is to say, the first device can receive the first indication information from other devices. In some scenarios, the first device cannot obtain the positioning quality of service information or the layer 1 priority information. That is to say, the first device cannot determine the channel access priority level by itself. At this time, it is necessary to receive the first indication information from other devices, so that the first positioning reference signal can be transmitted based on the unlicensed spectrum subsequently.

[0013] Combined with the first aspect above, in a possible implementation, receiving the first indication information includes: receiving the first indication information from a second terminal device, where the second terminal device is a terminal device participating in the positioning process.

[0014] Specifically, the first device can obtain the first indication information from the second terminal device side. That is to say, in the embodiments of the present application, the first device can obtain the first indication information from the side of other terminal devices other than the first terminal device.

[0015] Combined with the first aspect above, in a possible implementation, receiving the first indication information includes: receiving the first indication information from a positioning management function network element.

[0016] Specifically, the first device may also obtain first indication information from the positioning management function network element. That is to say, in the embodiments of the present application, the first device may obtain the first indication information from the core network element.

[0017] Combined with the first aspect above, in a possible implementation manner, obtaining the positioning service information or layer 1 priority of the first positioning reference signal includes: receiving the positioning service information or layer 1 priority.

[0018] That is to say, the first device may receive the positioning service information or layer 1 priority from other devices, so that the first device may subsequently determine the channel access priority level based on the positioning service information or layer 1 priority.

[0019] Combined with the first aspect above, in a possible implementation manner, receiving the positioning service information or layer 1 priority includes: receiving the positioning service information or layer 1 priority from the second terminal device.

[0020] That is to say, the first device may receive the positioning service information or layer 1 priority from the second terminal device, so that the first device may subsequently determine the channel access priority level based on the positioning service information or layer 1 priority.

[0021] Combined with the first aspect above, in a possible implementation manner, receiving the positioning service information or layer 1 priority includes: receiving the positioning service information or layer 1 priority from the positioning management function network element.

[0022] That is to say, the first device may receive the positioning service information or layer 1 priority from the positioning management function network element, so that the first device may subsequently determine the channel access priority level based on the positioning service information or layer 1 priority.

[0023] Combined with the first aspect above, in a possible implementation manner, the method provided by the embodiments of the present application further includes: when the first channel is in an idle state within a preset time period, sending a first positioning reference signal based on the first channel.

[0024] In this implementation manner, when the first channel is in an idle state within a preset time period, the first device may send a first positioning reference signal based on the first channel, so that the first device may subsequently determine the location information of the first terminal device.

[0025] In a second aspect, a communication method is provided. This method can be executed by a second device, or by components of the second device, such as a processor, a chip, or a chip system of the second device, etc., and can also be implemented by a logic module or software that can implement all or part of the second device. Hereinafter, an example in which this method is executed by the second device will be described. The communication method includes: obtaining first indication information and sending the first indication information, where the first indication information is used to indicate the channel access priority level corresponding to a first positioning reference signal, and the first positioning reference signal is used to determine the location information of a first terminal device.

[0026] In an embodiment of the present application, the second device obtains the first indication information used to indicate the channel access priority level corresponding to the first positioning reference signal and sends the first indication information, so that the first device can learn the channel access priority level corresponding to the first positioning reference signal through the first indication information. In this way, the first device can perform the LBT process on a first channel for transmitting the first positioning reference signal based on the channel access priority level corresponding to the first positioning reference signal, so as to complete the LBT process performed on the first channel for transmitting the first positioning reference signal, and further facilitate subsequent SL positioning through the unlicensed frequency band.

[0027] Combined with the above second aspect, in a possible implementation manner, obtaining the first indication information includes: obtaining the positioning service information or layer 1 priority of the first positioning reference signal, and determining the channel access priority level based on the positioning service information or layer 1 priority, and determining the first indication information based on the channel access priority level, where the layer 1 priority is used to characterize the priority of the positioning service.

[0028] Combined with the above second aspect, in a possible implementation manner, the positioning service information includes positioning quality of service information, and the positioning quality of service information includes at least one of the following: type of quality of service, accuracy requirement, response time, range, or quality of service serial number; the quality of service serial number is used to characterize the level of the quality of service.

[0029] Combined with the above second aspect, in a possible implementation manner, obtaining the first indication information includes: receiving the first indication information.

[0030] Combined with the above second aspect, in a possible implementation manner, receiving the first indication information includes: receiving the first indication information from a second terminal device, where the second terminal device is a terminal device participating in the positioning process.

[0031] Combined with the above second aspect, in a possible implementation manner, receiving the first indication information includes: receiving the first indication information from a positioning management function network element.

[0032] Combined with the above second aspect, in a possible implementation, obtaining the positioning service information or layer 1 priority of the first positioning reference signal includes: receiving the positioning service information or layer 1 priority.

[0033] Combined with the above second aspect, in a possible implementation, receiving the positioning service information or layer 1 priority includes: receiving the positioning service information or layer 1 priority from a second terminal device.

[0034] Combined with the above second aspect, in a possible implementation, receiving the positioning service information or layer 1 priority includes: receiving the positioning service information or layer 1 priority from a positioning management function network element.

[0035] Combined with the above second aspect, in a possible implementation, the method provided by the embodiments of the present application further includes: sending the positioning service information or layer 1 priority of the first positioning reference signal.

[0036] Combined with the above second aspect, in a possible implementation, the method provided by the embodiments of the present application further includes: receiving a first positioning reference signal based on a first channel; wherein, the first channel is a channel for transmitting the first positioning reference signal, and the first channel is a channel for transmitting the first positioning reference signal.

[0037] Wherein, for the technical effects brought by any implementation manner in the second aspect, reference may be made to the technical effects brought by the corresponding implementation manner in the first aspect, which will not be elaborated herein.

[0038] In a third aspect, a communication device is provided for implementing the above various methods. The communication device may be the first device in the above first aspect, or any implementation manner in the first aspect, or a device including the above first device, or a device included in the above first device, such as a chip; or, the communication device may be the second device in the above second aspect, or any implementation manner in the second aspect, or a device including the above second device, or a device included in the above second device, such as a chip. The communication device includes corresponding modules, units, or means for implementing the above methods, and the modules, units, or means may be implemented by hardware, software, or by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software includes one or more modules or units corresponding to the above functions.

[0039] In some possible designs, the communication device may include a processing module and a transceiver module. The transceiver module, which may also be referred to as a transceiver unit, is used to implement the sending and / or receiving functions in any of the above aspects and any possible implementation manners thereof. The transceiver module may be composed of a transceiver circuit, a transceiver, a transceiver, or a communication interface. The processing module may be used to implement the processing functions in any of the above aspects and any possible implementation manners thereof.

[0040] In some possible designs, the transceiver module includes a sending module and a receiving module, which are respectively used to implement the sending and receiving functions in any of the above aspects and any possible implementation manners thereof.

[0041] In a fourth aspect, a communication device is provided, including: a processor and a memory; the memory is used to store computer instructions, and when the processor executes the instructions, the communication device is enabled to execute the method in any of the above aspects. The communication device may be the first device in the first aspect above, or any implementation manner in the first aspect, or a device including the first device above, or a device included in the first device above, such as a chip; or, the communication device may be the second device in the second aspect above, or any implementation manner in the second aspect, or a device including the second device above, or a device included in the second device above, such as a chip.

[0042] In a fifth aspect, a communication device is provided, including: a processor and a communication interface; the communication interface is used to communicate with a module outside the communication device; the processor is used to execute a computer program or instruction, so that the communication device executes the method in any of the above aspects. The communication device may be the first device in the first aspect above, or any implementation manner in the first aspect, or a device including the first device above, or a device included in the first device above, such as a chip; or, the communication device may be the second device in the second aspect above, or any implementation manner in the second aspect, or a device including the second device above, or a device included in the second device above, such as a chip.

[0043] In a sixth aspect, a communication device is provided, including: at least one processor; the processor is used to execute a computer program or instruction stored in the memory, so that the communication device executes the method in any of the above aspects. The memory may be coupled to the processor, or may be independent of the processor. The communication device may be the first device in the first aspect above, or any implementation manner in the first aspect, or a device including the first device above, or a device included in the first device above, such as a chip; or, the communication device may be the second device in the second aspect above, or any implementation manner in the second aspect, or a device including the second device above, or a device included in the second device above, such as a chip.

[0044] In a seventh aspect, a computer-readable storage medium is provided. The computer-readable storage medium stores a computer program or instructions, which, when running on a communication device, enable the communication device to execute the method according to any of the above aspects or any of its implementation manners.

[0045] In an eighth aspect, a computer program product including instructions is provided. When the computer program product runs on a communication device, the communication device can execute the method according to any of the above aspects or any of its implementation manners.

[0046] In a ninth aspect, a communication device (for example, the communication device may be a chip or a chip system) is provided. The communication device includes a processor for implementing the functions involved in any of the above aspects or any of its implementation manners.

[0047] In some possible designs, the communication device includes a memory for storing necessary program instructions and data.

[0048] In some possible designs, when the device is a chip system, it may be composed of chips or may include chips and other discrete devices.

[0049] It can be understood that when the communication device provided in any of the third aspect to the sixth aspect is a chip, the above-mentioned sending action / function can be understood as output, and the above-mentioned receiving action / function can be understood as input.

[0050] In a tenth aspect, a communication method is provided. The communication method includes the method according to the first aspect or any of its implementation manners, and the method according to the second aspect or any of its implementation manners.

[0051] In an eleventh aspect, a communication system is provided. The communication system includes a first device and a second device according to the above aspects.

[0052] It should be noted that for the technical effects brought by any implementation manner in the third aspect to the eleventh aspect, reference may be made to the technical effects brought by the corresponding implementation manner of the first aspect, which will not be elaborated here.

[0053] It should be noted that for various possible implementation manners of any of the above aspects, they can be combined on the premise that the solutions do not conflict. Description of the Drawings

[0054] Figure 1 is a schematic flowchart of an SL positioning process provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0055] Figure 2 is a schematic flowchart of another SL positioning process provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0056] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of a composition for extending the duration provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0057] Figure 4 It is a schematic structural diagram of a communication system provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0058] Figure 5 It is a schematic structural diagram of another communication system provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0059] Figure 6 It is a schematic structural diagram of a communication device provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0060] Figure 7 It is a schematic flowchart of a communication method provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0061] Figure 8 It is a schematic flowchart of another communication method provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0062] Figure 9 It is a schematic flowchart of another communication method provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0063] Figure 10 It is a schematic flowchart of another communication method provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0064] Figure 11 It is a schematic flowchart of another communication method provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0065] Figure 12 It is a schematic structural diagram of a communication device provided by an embodiment of the present application. Detailed implementation manners

[0066] To facilitate the understanding of the technical solutions provided by the embodiments of the present application, a brief introduction to the related technologies of the present application is first given. The brief introduction is as follows:

[0067] 1. SL positioning technology

[0068] SL positioning technology: It refers to a technology that measures the SL-positioning reference signal (PRS) through communication between user equipment (UE) and UE to solve information such as the position of the UE or the relative position and speed between UEs. Currently, terminal devices can be divided into an SL positioning process participated by the network side and an SL positioning process participated only by the UE (UE-only) according to whether there is a location management function (LMF) involved in the SL positioning process. Whether it is an SL positioning process participated by the network side or an SL positioning process of UE-only, the UE can send SL-PRS in the authorized spectrum to achieve SL positioning.

[0069] Some technical terms involved in SL positioning are described below:

[0070] The target UE is the UE for which information such as position or direction is to be determined by the SL positioning technology.

[0071] The anchor UE, or reference UE, is the UE used to support the positioning of the target UE, which can send and / or receive reference signals for positioning based on SL, and / or provide positioning-related information.

[0072] The located UE is the reference UE whose position is known or can be known.

[0073] The server UE, or SL positioning server UE, is the UE that provides functions such as positioning methods, sending positioning assistance data, or performing position calculations. Among them, the target UE or reference UE can be used as the server UE or SL positioning server UE.

[0074] The client UE, which can also be called the third-party UE, is used to initiate an SL positioning service request.

[0075] In the embodiments of this application, the SL positioning technology can also be called ranging or SL positioning (ranging / SL positioning). Among them, the results obtained by ranging are mainly the distance (or relative distance) and / or angle (or relative angle) between two targets (for example, UEs).

[0076] Taking the fifth-generation mobile communication technology (5G) network as an example, such asFigure 1 As shown, in various embodiments of the present application, the UE-only SL positioning process may include the following steps:

[0077] S101. UE1 obtains a ranging or SL positioning service request. Among them, UE1 may serve as the target UE.

[0078] In a possible implementation manner, as shown in S101-a, the ranging or SL positioning service request may come from the client UE. That is to say, the client UE may send a ranging or SL positioning service request to UE1. Correspondingly, UE1 receives the ranging or SL positioning service request from the client UE.

[0079] In another possible implementation manner, as shown in S101-b, the ranging or SL positioning service request may come from the application layer of UE1. That is to say, UE1 may obtain the ranging or SL positioning service request from the application layer.

[0080] S102. Optionally, UE1 discovers UE2 / UE3 / … / UEn, where n is a positive integer greater than 3.

[0081] S103. UE1 determines to execute the UE-only SL positioning process.

[0082] It should be understood that if UE2 / UE3 / … / UEn are all not within the coverage of the network device providing network services for UE1, or if the network system where UE1 is located does not support executing the SL positioning process, then UE1 may determine to execute the UE-only SL positioning process. That is to say, UE1 may execute S103 to S108.

[0083] S104. Optionally, UE1 exchanges capabilities with UE2 / UE3 / … / UEn.

[0084] S105. Optionally, the UE discovers and / or selects a serving UE.

[0085] Among them, the serving UE may be one of UE2 / UE3 / … / UEn, or may be another UE (i.e., a third-party UE).

[0086] S106. Optionally, UE1 / UE2 / … / UEn and the serving UE may interact with auxiliary data (or referred to as auxiliary information).

[0087] Among them, the auxiliary data may be used to assist the UE in obtaining measurement data of SL-PRS, or to determine the ranging or SL positioning result (i.e., the location of UE1).

[0088] S107. Measurements based on SL-PRS can be performed among UE1 / UE2 / … / UEn.

[0089] S108. Data interaction is carried out among UE1 / UE2 / … / UEn and the serving UE, and the measurement data of SL-PRS, or ranging or SL positioning results are determined.

[0090] In a possible implementation, the measurement based on SL-PRS can be performed by UE1, so that UE1 can determine the measurement data of SL-PRS, or ranging or SL positioning results. In addition, UE1 can send the measurement data of SL-PRS, or ranging or SL positioning results to other UEs.

[0091] In another possible implementation, the measurement based on SL-PRS can be performed by other UEs (for example, UE2 / UE3 / … / UEn, or a third-party UE), and provide the measurement data of SL-PRS, or ranging or SL positioning results to UE1.

[0092] S109. UE1 feeds back the ranging or SL positioning results.

[0093] In a possible implementation, as shown in S109-a, UE1 can send the ranging or SL positioning results to the client UE. Correspondingly, the client UE receives the ranging or SL positioning results from UE1.

[0094] In another possible implementation, as shown in S109-b, UE1 can feed back the ranging or SL positioning results to its own application layer.

[0095] Taking the 5G network as an example, as Figure 2 shown, in each embodiment of this application, the SL positioning process participated by the LMF may include the following steps:

[0096] S201. Interaction is carried out among multiple devices to issue or obtain ranging / SL positioning service authorization and policy / parameter.

[0097] In a possible implementation, the multiple devices described in S201 above may include: one or more of UE1, access and mobility management function (AMF), LMF, or policy control function (PCF). Of course, the above is only an exemplary description of the multiple devices described in S201 above. The multiple devices described in S201 above may also include other devices, and this application places no restrictions thereon.

[0098] It should be understood that the steps described in S201 above may be optional steps in the SL positioning process in which the LMF participates.

[0099] S202. UE1 performs UE discovery based on service requirements.

[0100] It should be understood that S202 may be implemented with reference to S102. Therefore, UE1 may discover UE2 / UE3 / … / UEn (i.e., the anchor UE) through the discovery process.

[0101] In a possible implementation, when UE1 is the target UE, UE1 may perform UE discovery based on service requirements, that is, UE1 discovers UE2 / UE3 / … / UEn.

[0102] In another possible implementation, when UE1 is not the target UE, such as a located UE, the target UE may perform UE discovery based on service requirements, that is, the target UE discovers UE1.

[0103] S203. Establish secure links between UE1 / UE2 / … / UEn.

[0104] S204. Notify and Verify Ranging / SL positioning between UE1 / UE2 / … / UEn.

[0105] S205. Capability Exchange between UE1 / UE2 / … / UEn.

[0106] It should be understood that the steps described in S204 and S205 above may both be optional steps in the SL positioning process in which the LMF participates.

[0107] S206. The target UE determines to initiate a sidelink mobile-originated location request (SL-MO-LR).

[0108] S207. UE1 sends the SL-MO-LR to the AMF. Correspondingly, the AMF receives the SL-MO-LR from UE1.

[0109] In a possible implementation, the SL-MO-LR can be carried in uplink non-access stratum transport (UL NAS transport) information.

[0110] S208. The AMF sends an Nlmf_Location Determine Request to the LMF. Correspondingly, the LMF receives the Nlmf_Location Determine Request from the AMF.

[0111] S209. The LMF requests the capability information of UE1 / UE2 / UE3 / … / UEn from UE1. Correspondingly, UE1 receives the request for the capability information of UE1 / UE2 / UE3 / … / UEn from the LMF.

[0112] S210. UE1 sends the capability information of UE1 / UE2 / UE3 / … / UEn to the LMF. Correspondingly, the LMF receives the capability information of UE1 / UE2 / UE3 / … / UEn from UE1.

[0113] It should be understood that the steps described in S209 and S210 above can both be optional steps in the SL positioning process in which the LMF participates. That is, if the SL-MO-LR request described in S207 above already carries the capability information of UE1 / UE2 / UE3 / … / UEn, then S209 and S210 above can be omitted.

[0114] S211. UE1 / UE2 / … / UEn, the AMF, and the LMF exchange auxiliary data.

[0115] Among them, the auxiliary data can be used to assist the UE in obtaining the measurement data of the SL-PRS.

[0116] S212. The LMF sends a request location information to UE1. Correspondingly, UE1 receives the request location information from the LMF.

[0117] In a possible implementation, the above request location information may include an indication of the UE's self-determined ranging or SL positioning result (e.g., UE-based positioning), and / or a list of candidate located UEs. Among them, if the absolute position of the target UE is requested in the SL-MO-LR request described in S208 above, the request location information includes a list of candidate located UEs. Of course, the above is only an exemplary description of the above request location information, and the above request location information may also include other information, and this application does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0118] S213. SL positioning / ranging procedures are initiated between UE1 / UE2 / … / UEn, and measurement data of SL-PRS or ranging or SL positioning results are determined.

[0119] S214. UE1 sends the measurement data of SL-PRS to the LMF. Correspondingly, the LMF receives the measurement data of SL-PRS from UE1.

[0120] S215. The LMF sends the ranging or SL positioning result to UE1. Correspondingly, UE1 receives the ranging or SL positioning result from the LMF.

[0121] In a possible implementation, UE1 may send the location information and measurement data of the located UE to the LMF together, so that the LMF can obtain the location information of the located UE and the measurement data of SL-PRS.

[0122] It should be noted that the above process is an example of the LMF participating in positioning, and there may also be other implementation methods. For example, in the SL positioning process in which the LMF participates actively initiated by the network side, in this implementation method, the positioning service request may also be actively initiated by the network side. That is to say, the positioning service request is not sent from UE1 to the LMF, but from the LMF to UE1. In this case, the above positioning service request may be a sidelink mobile terminated location request (SL-MT-LR). The SL positioning process in which the LMF participates after UE1 receives the SL-MT-LR request can be understood with reference to the description at the corresponding position above, and will not be elaborated here.

[0123] 2. Radio spectrum

[0124] Generally, the radio spectrum can be divided into licensed spectrum, unlicensed spectrum (which can also be called license-free spectrum), and shared spectrum according to the spectrum acquisition method and / or usage method.

[0125] Among them, the licensed spectrum refers to the frequency bands licensed for use by operators. If an operator wants to use the licensed spectrum, the operator needs to pay a usage fee for the licensed spectrum.

[0126] The unlicensed spectrum refers to the frequency bands not licensed for use by operators. Any user equipment can use the unlicensed spectrum for free as long as it meets the relevant requirements (for example, meets the requirements of occupied bandwidth, transmit power limit, etc.). In this way, when the user equipment wants to use the unlicensed spectrum, it does not need to apply to the regulatory agency. For example, the frequency band used by WiFi is the unlicensed spectrum. Generally, the unlicensed spectrum can include the 2.4 GHz frequency band and the 5 GHz frequency band.

[0127] The shared spectrum refers to the frequency bands supported by the devices of two or more systems for common use.

[0128] As described above regarding the relevant introductions of the "unlicensed spectrum" and the "shared spectrum", since any user equipment can use the unlicensed spectrum for free as long as it meets the relevant requirements (for example, meets the requirements of occupied bandwidth, transmit power limit, etc.), the unlicensed spectrum supports being used by the user equipment of two or more systems, so that the unlicensed spectrum can be a shared spectrum. When the user equipment uses the unlicensed spectrum, it cannot control the interference, which easily leads to interference between the various user equipment using the unlicensed spectrum.

[0129] To facilitate the shared use of the unlicensed spectrum by the user equipment of different systems and at the same time control the interference between the user equipment at an acceptable level, the relevant agencies have formulated corresponding regulations and protocols for the use of the unlicensed spectrum, so that the user equipment can use the spectrum resources relatively fairly and efficiently. The corresponding regulations and protocols restrict aspects such as frequency points / channel bandwidths, maximum transmit power, maximum channel occupancy time, deployment environment, and channel access methods. Exemplarily, according to the regulatory requirements for the use of the unlicensed frequency band in a region, taking the 5 GHz frequency band as an example, if a terminal device wants to access a 20 MHz channel, the terminal device needs to meet at least the requirement of the minimum occupied channel bandwidth (OCB) before it can occupy the channel. Generally, the minimum OCB is 80% of the normal bandwidth. Combining the above example, the terminal device needs to occupy at least 16 MHz of bandwidth before it can preempt the 20 MHz channel.

[0130] In a Long-Term Evolution (LTE) network or a 4th Generation Mobile Communication Technology (4G) network, a user equipment can utilize unlicensed spectrum (e.g., the 2.4 GHz band or the 5 GHz band) to assist in enhancing data throughput. The user equipment can also use LTE network technology in the unlicensed band through Licensed-Assisted Access (LAA). However, the unlicensed spectrum can only assist the licensed spectrum through carrier aggregation technology. That is to say, the user equipment needs to use the unlicensed spectrum in combination with the currently used licensed spectrum. In this case, only the cell corresponding to the licensed spectrum is supported as the primary cell, while the cell corresponding to the unlicensed spectrum is used as the secondary cell.

[0131] In a New Radio (NR) network or a 5G network, the unlicensed spectrum mainly consists of the 5 GHz (5150 - 5925 MHz) band and the 6 GHz (5925 - 7125 MHz) band.

[0132] 3. LBT

[0133] The LBT mechanism is essentially a channel access rule based on random back-off. For access to the unlicensed band, the terminal device needs to execute the LBT process. Before accessing the channel and starting to send data, the terminal device needs to sense whether the channel is idle. If the channel has been idle for a certain period of time, the terminal device can occupy the channel; if the channel is not idle, the terminal device needs to wait until the channel becomes idle again before it can occupy the channel. After the terminal device accesses the channel through LBT, the terminal device can determine the time-frequency resources for sending data through resource selection and send data based on the determined time-frequency resources. Since there are relevant requirements (such as regulations or protocols, etc.) for the use of unlicensed bands in different regions of the world, terminal devices operating in different regions can only use the unlicensed band if they meet the corresponding requirements. And the LBT mechanism can ensure that the terminal device meets the corresponding requirements before using the unlicensed band. Therefore, the LBT mechanism will become an essential feature of the unlicensed band.

[0134] As can be seen from the aforementioned introduction to "LBT", the LBT mechanism can be divided into the following two LBT mechanisms according to the detection basis: the LBT mechanism based on energy detection and the LBT mechanism based on signal type detection. Generally, NR-U adopts the LBT mechanism based on energy detection. The LBT mechanism based on energy detection needs to set a detection threshold (energy detection threshold). When the detected energy exceeds the detection threshold, it is determined that the channel is busy and the terminal device is not allowed to access the channel. When the detected energy is lower than the detection threshold and the duration exceeds the time threshold, it is determined that the channel is idle and the terminal device is allowed to access the channel. In practical applications, the detected energy can be the reference signal received power (RSRP). Correspondingly, the detection threshold can be the RSRP threshold. The LBT mechanism based on signal type detection needs to set a preset signal type. When the detected signal type is not the preset signal type, it is determined that the channel is busy and the terminal device is not allowed to access the channel. When the detected signal type is the preset signal type, it is determined that the channel is idle and the terminal device is allowed to access the channel.

[0135] However, the LBT mechanism can also be divided into the following two LBT mechanisms according to the detection time: type 1 LBT (type1LBT) mechanism and type 2 LBT (type 2LBT) mechanism. The type 1 LBT mechanism refers to the LBT mechanism set based on random time. The type 2 LBT mechanism refers to the LBT mechanism set based on preset time. If the terminal device or network device executes the type 1 LBT mechanism, the terminal device or network device needs to perform random backoff before accessing the channel and sending data. If the terminal device or network device executes the type 2 LBT mechanism, the terminal device or network device can access the channel and send data after sensing that the channel is idle for a preset period of time.

[0136] Specifically, if the terminal device or network device executes the type 1 LBT mechanism, the terminal device or network device can initiate transmission after first sensing that the channel is idle during a sensing slot duration of an extended duration (defer sensing, denoted as T d ) and after the counter N is zero (i.e., the case where N = 0 in step 2). Specifically, according to the following steps, the counter N is adjusted by sensing the channel to obtain an additional sensing slot duration:

[0137] Step 1: The terminal device or network device sets N = N init , where N init is uniformly distributed between 0 and CW pA random number between

[0138] Step 2: The terminal device or network device determines whether N is greater than 0. If N = 0, the terminal device or network device executes Step 3. If N > 0, the terminal device or network device executes Steps 4 to 6.

[0139] Step 3: The terminal device or network device ends the process.

[0140] Step 4: The terminal device or network device selects a decrement counter, that is, sets N = N - 1.

[0141] Step 5: The terminal device or network device senses the channel to obtain an additional sensing time slot period, and if the channel in the additional sensing time slot period is idle, it executes Step 3; if the channel in the additional sensing time slot period is not idle, it executes Step 6.

[0142] Step 6: The terminal device or network device senses the channel until it senses that the channel is busy within another T d or senses that all sensing time slots within another T d are detected as idle. If all sensing time slots within another T d are detected as idle, it executes Step 3; if the sensing time slots within another T d are not detected as idle, it repeats Step 6.

[0143] Exemplarily, as Figure 3 shown, T d may include a duration T f = 16 microseconds (μs), and m p consecutive sensing time slot periods (denoted as T sl ), where T f includes an idle sensing time slot period T sl at its start.

[0144] It should be noted that N init is related to the contention window value (CW p ), and CW p is related to the channel access priority classes (CAPC), so N init is related to CAPC. Exemplarily, as shown in Table 1 below, the values of CAPC can be numbers from the integer 1 - 4. Different CAPCs correspond to different CW min,p and CW max,p , and CW min,p ≤ CW p ≤ CWmax,p , so the corresponding CW value can be obtained by looking up a table between CW min,p and CW max,p . Optionally, the terminal device or the network device can select CW p before step 1 of the above procedure min,p and CW max,p . In addition, as shown in Table 1, the channel occupancy time of the terminal device or the network device transmitting on the channel does not exceed T mcot,p , and different CAPCs correspond to different Ts mcot,p , so that the channel access process is executed based on the channel access priority level p. m p is used to affect the duration of the terminal device or the network device listening to the channel, and different CAPCs can correspond to different ms p .

[0145] Table 1

[0146]

[0147] The terminal device or the network device can also CW p , and adjust the value of CW through the following steps 7 to 8 before step 1 p :

[0148] Step 7, for each channel access priority level p ∈ {1, 2, 3, 4}, set CW p = CW min,p .

[0149] Step 8, the terminal device or the network device obtains the feedback hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) corresponding to the data sent in the reference subframe k, and when the number of characters determined to be non-acknowledgement (NACK) characters in the HARQ exceeds 80% of the total number of characters in the HARQ, or the number of characters determined to be acknowledgement (ACK) characters in the HARQ is less than 20% of the total number of characters in the HARQ, for each priority class p ∈ {1, 2, 3, 4}, the corresponding CW pThe value is increased to the next higher permitted value and this value is used in step 2; step 1 is executed when the number of characters determined to be non-acknowledgement (NACK) characters in the HARQ is less than 80% of the total number of characters in the HARQ, or when the number of characters determined to be acknowledgement (ACK) characters in the HARQ exceeds 20% of the total number of characters in the HARQ. Herein, the reference subframe k is the starting subframe of the most recent transmission by the terminal device or the network device on the channel.

[0150] In this application, the terminal device can adopt the above type of LBT mechanism for accessing channels in the unlicensed band; however, this application does not limit the use of other channel access methods permitted by the laws and regulations of other regions for accessing channels in the unlicensed band.

[0151] 4. QoS

[0152] QoS refers to the quality requirements that different types of services in a communication network need to meet. To meet these requirements, the communication network needs to allocate different resources to different types of services and provide corresponding service quality guarantees. QoS is usually described as a QoS template, which defines the QoS levels required for different types of services and the corresponding QoS parameters. Since QoS parameters can include important parameters related to service quality such as transmission delay, transmission rate, or signal-to-noise ratio, QoS parameters can determine the quality of different types of services in the communication network.

[0153] A QoS profile is a set of parameters defined in the QoS template, which is used to define the QoS level and the corresponding QoS parameters for a specific type of service. The QoS profile is usually set according to the requirements of the specific service to ensure that the service can obtain good transmission quality and performance in the network. Different QoS profiles are applicable to different types of services. For example, video services require higher transmission rates and lower transmission delays, while audio services require lower transmission delays and higher transmission rates.

[0154] An example, SL QoS refers to the QoS of services transmitted based on SL. The SL QoS profile may include the following information: SL PC5 5G QoS indicator (PC5 5G QoS identifier, PQI), standardized PQI, and non-standardized PQI. The PQI may be associated with at least one of the following QoS parameters: resource type, priority level, packet delay budget, packet error rate, averaging window, and max data burst volume. Additionally, the SL QoS profile may further include at least one of the following: guaranteed flow bit rate (SL GFBR), maximum flow bit rate (SL MFBR), or range.

[0155] Currently, SL communication can be performed between terminal devices through unlicensed frequency bands. Before a terminal device sends a message on a channel corresponding to a certain unlicensed frequency band, it needs to perform LBT on the channel corresponding to the unlicensed frequency band to detect whether the channel is occupied. As can be seen from the aforementioned introduction about "LBT", if the terminal device executes the type 1 LBT mechanism, CAPC is required during the process of the terminal device executing the type 1 LBT mechanism. However, in the SL scenario, CAPC is determined by the PQI. As can be seen from the aforementioned introduction about "QoS", the PQI is a parameter in the SL QoS profile. That is to say, the PQI is mainly used to reflect the transmission information of data between terminal devices. The sidelink positioning design of the unlicensed frequency band transmits SL-PRS, and SL-PRS is a physical layer signal without a corresponding PQI, so CAPC cannot be determined either. As a result, the terminal device cannot perform LBT on the SL positioning reference signal, and further, SL positioning cannot be performed between terminal devices through the unlicensed frequency band.

[0156] Next, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present application.

[0157] To facilitate the understanding of the embodiments of the present application, the following points are explained before introducing the embodiments of the present application.

[0158] 1. In the embodiments of the present application, for the convenience of description, when referring to numbers, consecutive numbering can start from 1, or from 0, or from any parameter. It should be understood that the above settings are all for the convenience of describing the technical solutions provided by the embodiments of the present application, rather than for limiting the scope of the embodiments of the present application.

[0159] 2. In the embodiments of the present application, "indication" can include direct indication and indirect indication, and can also include explicit indication and implicit indication. If the information indicated by a certain piece of information (such as the first indication information below) is called the information to be indicated, then in the specific implementation process, there are many ways to indicate the information to be indicated. For example, but not limited to, the information to be indicated can be directly indicated, such as the information to be indicated itself or the index of the information to be indicated, etc. It is also possible to indirectly indicate the information to be indicated by indicating other information, where there is an association relationship between the other information and the information to be indicated. It is also possible to only indicate a part of the information to be indicated, while the other parts of the information to be indicated are known or pre-agreed. For example, it is also possible to use the arrangement order of each piece of information pre-agreed (such as stipulated in the protocol) to achieve the indication of specific information, thereby reducing the indication overhead to a certain extent. At the same time, it is also possible to identify the common part of each piece of information and uniformly indicate it to reduce the indication overhead caused by separately indicating the same information.

[0160] In addition, the specific indication method can also be various existing indication methods, for example, but not limited to, the above indication methods and their various combinations, etc. The specific details of various indication methods can refer to the prior art and will not be elaborated herein. As can be seen from the above, for example, when it is necessary to indicate multiple pieces of information of the same type, there may be a situation where the indication methods of different pieces of information are different. In the specific implementation process, the required indication method can be selected according to specific needs. The embodiments of the present application do not limit the selected indication method. In this way, the indication methods involved in the embodiments of the present application should be understood to cover various methods that can enable the party to be indicated to obtain the information to be indicated.

[0161] It should be understood that the information to be indicated can be sent as a whole or divided into multiple sub - information and sent separately. Moreover, the transmission periods and / or transmission timings of these sub - information can be the same or different. The specific transmission method is not limited in the embodiments of the present application. Among them, the transmission periods and / or transmission timings of these sub - information can be predefined, for example, predefined according to a protocol, or can be configured by the transmitting device by sending configuration information to the receiving device. Among them, the configuration information can include, for example but not limited to, radio resource control signaling, such as radio resource control (RRC) signaling, multiple access channel (MAC) layer signaling, physical layer signaling, or a combination of one or at least two of downlink control information (DCI).

[0162] 3. "Pre - definition" or "pre - configuration" can be implemented by pre - storing corresponding codes, tables or other ways that can be used to indicate relevant information in a device (for example, the first device or the second device). The embodiments of the present application do not limit its specific implementation method. Among them, "storage" can mean storing in one or more memories. One or more memories can be set separately, or can be integrated in an encoder or decoder, a processor, or a communication device. One or more memories can also be partially set separately and partially integrated in a decoder, a processor, or a communication device. The type of memory can be any form of storage medium, and the embodiments of the present application do not limit this.

[0163] 4. The "protocol" involved in the embodiments of the present application can refer to standard protocols in the communication field, for example, it can include LTE protocol, NR protocol, and relevant protocols applied to future communication systems. The embodiments of the present application do not limit this.

[0164] 5. In the embodiments of the present application, descriptions such as "when...", "in the case of...", "if", and "when" all refer to the fact that in a certain objective situation, a device (for example, the first device or the second device) will perform corresponding processing. It does not limit time, and it does not require the device (for example, the first device or the second device) to have a judgment action during implementation, nor does it mean there are other limitations.

[0165] 6. In the description of this application, unless otherwise specified, " / " means that the objects associated before and after are in an "or" relationship. For example, A / B can represent A or B; the "and / or" in the embodiments of this application is merely a description of the association relationship of the associated objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, and B exists alone. Here, A and B can be singular or plural. Also, in the description of the embodiments of this application, unless otherwise specified, "a plurality of" means two or more than two. "At least one (item)" or its similar expression refers to any combination of these items, including any combination of single item (s) or plural item (s). For example, at least one (item) of a, b, or c can represent: a, b, c, a - b, a - c, b - c, or a - b - c, where a, b, and c can be single or multiple. Additionally, for the convenience of clearly describing the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, in the embodiments of this application, terms such as "first" and "second" are used to distinguish the same items or similar items with basically the same functions and roles. Those skilled in the art can understand that terms such as "first" and "second" do not limit the quantity and execution order, and terms such as "first" and "second" do not necessarily mean different. At the same time, in the embodiments of this application, words such as "exemplary" or "for example" are used to represent examples, illustrations, or explanations. Any embodiment or design solution described as "exemplary" or "for example" in the embodiments of this application should not be construed as being more preferred or having more advantages than other embodiments or design solutions. Rather, using words such as "exemplary" or "for example" is intended to present relevant concepts in a specific way for easy understanding.

[0166] The embodiments of this application can be applied to an LTE system or an NR system (which can also be called a 5G system), a vehicle - to - everything (V2X) system, a system with hybrid networking of LTE and NR, or a device - to - device (D2D) system, a machine - to - machine (M2M) communication system, an Internet of Things (IoT) system (such as a narrow - band Internet of Things (NB - IoT) system), and other next - generation communication systems, etc. Alternatively, this communication system can also be a non - 3GPP communication system, without limitation.

[0167] In addition, the communication architecture and service scenarios described in the embodiments of this application are for more clearly explaining the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and do not constitute a limitation on the technical solutions provided by the embodiments of this application. Those of ordinary skill in the art can understand that with the evolution of the communication architecture and the emergence of new service scenarios, the technical solutions provided by the embodiments of this application are equally applicable to similar technical problems.

[0168] As Figure 4 shown, it is a schematic structural diagram of a communication system provided by an embodiment of this application. The communication system 400 includes a first device 401 and a second device 402. Among them, the first device 401 and the second device 402 can be connected wirelessly.

[0169] In a possible implementation manner, the first device 401 obtains the channel access priority level corresponding to the first positioning reference signal, and based on the channel access priority level, performs the LBT process on the first channel used to transmit the first positioning reference signal. The first positioning reference signal is used to determine the location information of the first terminal device. For the specific implementation and related technical effects of this solution, reference can be made to the subsequent method embodiments, which will not be elaborated here.

[0170] In a possible implementation manner, the second device 402 obtains the first indication information and sends the first indication information. The first indication information is used to indicate the channel access priority level corresponding to the first positioning reference signal, and the first positioning reference signal is used to determine the location information of the first terminal device. For the specific implementation and related technical effects of this solution, reference can be made to the subsequent method embodiments, which will not be elaborated here.

[0171] In some possible implementation manners, the first device 401 may be a terminal device. The second device 401 may be a terminal device or a core network device. In view of this, taking the 5G network as an example, Figure 5 shows a network architecture of a communication system applicable to the embodiments of this application. The communication system includes a core network device, a next-generation radio access network (NG-RAN) device, and multiple terminal devices (such as UEA, UEB, UEC, UED). The core network device may include, for example, an LMF and an AMF. Optionally, the core network device may further include a positioning platform (SUPL location platform, SLP) and an enhanced serving mobile location centre (E-SMLC). The NG RAN includes a gNB and an ng-eNB.

[0172] Figure 5Taking the example that the communication system includes 4 terminal devices for illustration, different terminal devices communicate with each other through the PC5 interface, and the terminal device communicates with the NG-RAN through the NR-Uu interface or the LTE-Uu interface. Of course, the number of terminal devices can be arbitrary, and the embodiments of the present application do not specifically limit the number of terminal devices in the communication system.

[0173] In the embodiments of the present application, the AMF refers to a device deployed in the radio core network that meets the 5G standard and can provide access and mobility management functions for terminal devices. As Figure 5 shown, the terminal device can communicate with the AMF through the NG-RAN, where the NG-RAN and the AMF can communicate through the NG-C interface. The AMF is mainly used to perform registration, connection, reachability, and mobility management, provide a session management message transmission channel for the terminal device and the SMF, and provide authentication and authorization functions for the access of the terminal device. In view of this, the AMF can be used as the access point of the terminal and the core network control plane.

[0174] In the embodiments of the present application, the LMF refers to a device deployed in the core network that provides positioning functions for terminal devices. As Figure 5 shown, the terminal device can communicate with the LMF through the NG-RAN and the AMF, where the LMF and the AMF can communicate through the NLs interface.

[0175] In the embodiments of the present application, the SLP and the E-SMLC are mainly used to assist the LMF in providing positioning functions for terminal devices.

[0176] In a possible implementation, the terminal device in the embodiments of the present application may be, for example, a user equipment (UE), an access terminal, a terminal unit, a terminal station, a mobile station, a mobile device, a remote station, a remote terminal, a mobile device, a wireless communication device, a terminal agent, or a terminal device in a 5G network or a future evolved public land mobile network (PLMN). The access terminal may be a cellular phone, a cordless phone, a session initiation protocol (SIP) phone, a wireless local loop (WLL) station, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a handheld device with wireless communication function, a computing device, or other processing devices connected to a wireless modem, an in-vehicle device, or a wearable device, a virtual reality (VR) terminal device, an augmented reality (AR) terminal device, a wireless terminal in industrial control, a wireless terminal in self-driving, a wireless terminal in remote medical, a wireless terminal in smart grid, a wireless terminal in transportation safety, a wireless terminal in smart city, a wireless terminal in smart home, etc. In a possible implementation, the terminal device may be mobile or fixed.

[0177] In a possible implementation, the first device and the second device in the embodiments of the present application may also be referred to as communication devices, which may be a general device or a dedicated device, and the embodiments of the present application do not make specific limitations thereto.

[0178] In a possible implementation, the related functions of the first device or the second device in the embodiments of the present application may be implemented by one device, or jointly implemented by multiple devices, or may be implemented by one or more functional modules in one device, and the embodiments of the present application do not make specific limitations thereto. It can be understood that the above functions may be network elements in hardware devices, software functions running on dedicated hardware, or a combination of hardware and software, or virtualized functions instantiated on a platform (such as a cloud platform).

[0179] For example, the related functions of the first device or the second device in the embodiments of the present application may be implemented through Figure 6 the communication device 600 therein.Figure 6 The following is a schematic structural diagram of a communication device 600 provided by an embodiment of the present application. The communication device 600 includes one or more processors 601, a communication line 602, and at least one communication interface ( Figure 6 merely exemplified by including a communication interface 604 and one processor 601 for illustration), and may further include a memory 603.

[0180] The processor 601 may be a general-purpose central processing unit (CPU), a microprocessor, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or one or more integrated circuits for controlling the execution of the program of the present application solution.

[0181] The communication line 602 may include a path for connecting different components.

[0182] The communication interface 604 may be a transceiver module for communicating with other devices or communication networks, such as Ethernet, RAN, wireless local area networks (WLAN), etc. For example, the transceiver module may be a device such as a transceiver or a transceiver unit. In a possible implementation manner, the communication interface 604 may also be a transceiver circuit located within the processor 601 for implementing signal input and signal output of the processor.

[0183] The memory 603 may be a device with a storage function. For example, it may be a read-only memory (ROM) or other types of static storage devices that can store static information and instructions, a random access memory (RAM) or other types of dynamic storage devices that can store information and instructions, or it may also be an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) or other optical disc storage, optical disc storage (including compact discs, laser discs, optical discs, digital versatile discs, Blu-ray discs, etc.), magnetic disk storage media or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to carry or store desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and can be accessed by a computer, but is not limited thereto. The memory may exist independently and be connected to the processor through the communication line 602. The memory may also be integrated with the processor.

[0184] Among them, the memory 603 is used to store computer-executable instructions for executing the solution of this application, and is controlled by the processor 601 for execution. The processor 601 is used to execute the computer-executable instructions stored in the memory 603, so as to implement the communication method provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0185] Alternatively, in the embodiments of this application, it may also be that the processor 601 executes functions related to the processing of the communication method provided in the following embodiments of this application, and the communication interface 604 is responsible for communicating with other devices or communication networks. The embodiments of this application do not make specific limitations in this regard.

[0186] In a possible implementation manner, the memory 603 in the embodiments of this application may also be used to store information or parameters described in the following embodiments, such as the first indication information.

[0187] The computer-executable instructions in the embodiments of this application may also be referred to as application code, and the embodiments of this application do not make specific limitations in this regard.

[0188] In a specific implementation, as an embodiment, the processor 601 may include one or more CPUs, such as Figure 6 CPU0 and CPU1 in

[0189] In a specific implementation, as an embodiment, the communication device 600 may include multiple processors, such as Figure 6 the processor 601 and the processor 607 in

[0190] In a specific implementation, as an embodiment, the communication device 600 may further include an output device 605 and an input device 606. The output device 605 communicates with the processor 601 and can display information in various ways.

[0191] The above-mentioned communication device 600 may be a general-purpose device or a special-purpose device. For example, the communication device 600 may be a desktop computer, a portable computer, a network server, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a wireless terminal device, an embedded device, or a device with a Figure 6 similar structure in

[0192] Next, the communication method provided in the embodiments of this application will be described in detail in conjunction with Figure 7 to expand the description.

[0193] It should be noted that in the following embodiments of the present application, the message names between network elements, the names of various parameters, or the names of various information are only examples, and in other embodiments, they may also be other names. The method provided by the embodiments of the present application does not make specific limitations on this.

[0194] It can be understood that in the embodiments of the present application, each network element may execute some or all of the steps in the embodiments of the present application. These steps or operations are only examples, and the embodiments of the present application may also execute other operations or various deformations of the operations. In addition, each step may be executed in a different order presented in the embodiments of the present application, and it is possible not to execute all the operations in the embodiments of the present application.

[0195] Figure 7 This is an example of the communication method provided by the embodiments of the present application. This method is described with the first device as the execution subject. Of course, the entity that executes the actions of the first device in this method may also be a device / module in the first device, such as a chip, a processor, a processing unit, etc. in the first device. The embodiments of the present application do not make specific limitations on this. Exemplarily, as Figure 7 shown, the communication method includes the following steps:

[0196] S701. The first device obtains the channel access priority level corresponding to the first positioning reference signal.

[0197] Among them, the first positioning reference signal is used to determine the location information of the first terminal device.

[0198] S702. The first device performs the LBT process on the first channel used to transmit the first positioning reference signal based on the channel access priority level.

[0199] Optionally, as can be seen from the foregoing related introduction about "LBT", since the channel access priority level is related to N init , the first device may determine N based on the channel access priority level init , and perform the type 1 LBT process on the first channel used to transmit the first positioning reference signal based on N init . For the type 1 LBT process, reference can be made to the description at the corresponding position above for understanding, and details are not described here again.

[0200] The present application provides a communication method. The first device obtains the channel access priority level corresponding to the first positioning reference signal, and performs the LBT process on the first channel used to transmit the first positioning reference signal based on the channel access priority level corresponding to the first positioning reference signal. In this way, the first device can complete the LBT process performed on the first channel used to transmit the first positioning reference signal, and further facilitate subsequent SL positioning through the unlicensed frequency band.

[0201] In some possible implementations, the first device can obtain the channel access priority level corresponding to the first positioning reference signal in the following two ways: Way 1 is that the first device determines the channel access priority level corresponding to the first positioning reference signal by itself; Way 2 is to receive the information of the channel access priority level corresponding to the first positioning reference signal from other devices. The following describes the above two implementation methods separately.

[0202] In Way 1, as Figure 8 shown, the above S701 can be replaced by S703 and S704, that is to say, the first device can obtain the channel access priority level corresponding to the first positioning reference signal through the following S703 and S704.

[0203] S703. The first device obtains the positioning service information or layer 1 priority of the first positioning reference signal.

[0204] In a possible implementation, S703 can be specifically: The second device sends the positioning service information or layer 1 priority of the first positioning reference signal to the first device. Correspondingly, the first device receives the positioning service information or layer 1 priority of the first positioning reference signal from the second device.

[0205] Further, optionally, the above second device can be a second terminal device. In this case, S703 can be replaced by: The second terminal device sends the positioning service information or layer 1 priority of the first positioning reference signal to the first device. Correspondingly, the first device receives the positioning service information or layer 1 priority of the first positioning reference signal from the second terminal device.

[0206] Optionally, the above second device can be a positioning management function network element. In this case, S703 can be replaced by: The positioning management function network element sends the positioning service information or layer 1 priority of the first positioning reference signal to the first device. Correspondingly, the first device receives the positioning service information or layer 1 priority of the first positioning reference signal from the positioning management function network element.

[0207] In another possible implementation, S703 can also be specifically: The first device obtains the positioning service information or layer 1 priority of the first positioning reference signal from the application layer of the first device.

[0208] Of course, the above is only an exemplary description of the implementation method for the first device to obtain the positioning service information or layer 1 priority of the first positioning reference signal. The first device can also obtain the positioning service information or layer 1 priority of the first positioning reference signal through other methods, and this application does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0209] Optionally, the Layer 1 priority may be the SL-PRS priority, which is used to characterize the priority of the corresponding positioning service. For example, the above SL-PRS priority may be used to characterize the priority of SL-PRS resource selection and transmission.

[0210] In some examples, the positioning service information includes location service (LCS) quality information (LCS QoS), and the location service quality information includes at least one of the following: for example, LCS QoS type (LCS QoS class), accuracy, response time, range, or quality of service serial number. Among them, the quality of service serial number is used to characterize the level of quality of service. Optionally, a quality of service serial number may correspond to a group of LCS QoS, and the present application does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0211] Among them, the LCS QoS type may also be referred to as the LCS QoS level, and the above LCS QoS type may include the following three types: best effort, multiple QoS class, and assured class. Of course, the above is only an exemplary description of the LCS QoS type, and the LCS QoS type may also include other types, and the embodiments of the present application do not impose any restrictions on this.

[0212] Accuracy may also be referred to as accuracy requirement, and the above accuracy may include horizontal accuracy requirement and / or vertical accuracy requirement. The horizontal accuracy requirement may be the positioning accuracy requirement for the horizontal direction, and the vertical accuracy requirement may be the positioning accuracy requirement for the vertical direction. For example, for services such as positioning, route guidance, and navigation, the horizontal accuracy requirement may be required to be within the range of 10 meters to 50 meters, while the vertical accuracy requirement may be required to be within the range of about 3 meters (for example, within the first floor of a building) to hundreds of meters.

[0213] In addition, the accuracy requirement may also include horizontal relative accuracy and / or vertical relative accuracy. Among them, the horizontal relative accuracy may be used to represent the accuracy of the relative distance and / or relative angle in the horizontal direction. The vertical relative accuracy may be used to represent the accuracy of the relative distance and / or relative angle in the vertical direction.

[0214] Of course, the above is only an exemplary description of the accuracy, and the accuracy may also include other accuracies, and the embodiments of the present application do not impose any restrictions on this.

[0215] The reply time can also be referred to as the response time. The above-mentioned reply time can include no delay, low delay, and delay tolerance. The reply time can be understood as the delay requirement for the sidelink positioning service and can also be understood as being related to the delay requirement. Of course, the above is only an exemplary description of the reply time, and the reply time can also include other time requirements, and the embodiments of the present application do not impose any restrictions thereon.

[0216] The scope refers to the scope to which the quality of service information applies.

[0217] Of course, the above is only an exemplary description of the positioning service information, and the positioning service information can also include other information, such as including at least one of the following: delay information, location information, time information, bandwidth requirements, and the embodiments of the present application do not impose any restrictions thereon.

[0218] It can be understood that the first device can determine the channel access priority level based on the above positioning service quality information, so that the channel access priority level can be determined based on multiple dimensions, and further improve the rationality of the channel access priority level.

[0219] In the sidelink positioning process, the terminal device can request resources from the network device. The method of obtaining resources can be denoted as method (scheme or mode) 1, or it can determine the resources by itself. The method of obtaining resources can be denoted as scheme2. In the method of scheme 2, the terminal device needs to select resources on the resource pool based on the priority, and the above-mentioned priority for resource selection is the same as the layer 1 priority described in the embodiments of the present application.

[0220] Generally, the layer 1 priority for the sidelink positioning reference signal (i.e., SL-PRS) can include 8 levels, for example, level 1, level 2, level 3, level 4, level 5, level 6, level 7, and level 8.

[0221] Among them, the layer 1 priority can also be included in the LCS QoS. Or rather, the positioning service information also includes the layer 1 priority.

[0222] S704. The first device determines the channel access priority level based on the positioning service information or the layer 1 priority.

[0223] In a possible implementation, taking the example that the first device determines the channel access priority level based on the positioning service information, and the positioning service information includes the reply time or delay information, the implementation process of S704 can be as follows: The first device can divide the positioning service into positioning services with different delay levels based on the reply time or delay information. For example, lowdelay positioning service, no delay positioning service, and delay tolerant positioning service, and determine the channel access priority level of the first positioning reference signal based on the channel access priority levels corresponding to the positioning services with different delay levels. For example, the access priority level corresponding to the low delay positioning service takes the value of 1, the access priority level corresponding to the no delay positioning service takes the value of 2, and the access priority level of the delay tolerant positioning service takes the value of 3. The smaller the value, the higher the channel access priority. Of course, the above values of the access priority levels corresponding to the positioning services are only for illustrative purposes, and the values of the access priority levels corresponding to the positioning services can also be other values, and this application does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0224] In another possible implementation, taking the example that the first device determines the channel access priority level based on the positioning service information, and the positioning service information includes the LCS QoS type, the implementation process of S704 can be as follows: The first device can divide the positioning service into positioning services with different levels based on the LCS QoS type. For example, best effort positioning service, multiple QoS class positioning service, and assured class positioning service, and determine the channel access priority level of the first positioning reference signal based on the channel access priority levels corresponding to the positioning services with different levels. For example, the access priority level corresponding to the besteffort positioning service takes the value of 3, the access priority level corresponding to the multiple QoS class positioning service takes the value of 2, and the access priority level of the assured class positioning service takes the value of 1. The smaller the value, the higher the channel access priority. Of course, the above values of the access priority levels corresponding to the positioning services are only for illustrative purposes, and the values of the access priority levels corresponding to the positioning services can also be other values, and this application does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0225] In another possible implementation, taking the example that the first device determines the channel access priority level based on the positioning service information, and the positioning service information includes time information. For example, the time information can be the latest time to send the first reference signal. The implementation process of S704 can be as follows: The first device can determine the channel access priority level of the first positioning reference signal based on the time information. For example, the stricter the time requirement, the higher the corresponding channel access priority.

[0226] In another possible implementation, taking the example that the first device determines the channel access priority level based on the positioning service information and the positioning service information includes accuracy, the implementation process of S704 can be as follows: The first device can determine the channel access priority of the first positioning reference signal based on the accuracy of the positioning service. For example, the higher the accuracy of the positioning service, the higher the corresponding channel access priority. That is to say, the smaller the value of the channel access priority corresponding to the positioning service.

[0227] In another possible implementation, taking the example that the first device determines the channel access priority level based on the positioning service information and the positioning service information includes the quality of service serial number, the quality of service serial number identifier represents a label for a positioning service quality. The implementation process of S704 can be as follows: The first device can determine the channel access priority level of the first positioning reference signal based on the mapping relationship existing between the quality of service serial number and the channel access priority level. For example, if the quality of service serial number is 1, then this quality of service serial number corresponds to the first channel access priority level; if the quality of service serial number is 2, then this quality of service serial number corresponds to the second channel access priority level; if the quality of service serial number is 3, then the positioning service corresponding to this quality of service serial number corresponds to the third channel access priority level.

[0228] Exemplarily, Table 2 shows the mapping relationship between the quality of service serial number and the channel access priority level. As shown in Table 2 below, there is a mapping relationship between the values of the quality of service serial number and the channel access priority level. In addition, the mapping relationship between the quality of service serial number and the channel access priority level can be specified by a protocol or determined by the first device based on the actual situation. This application does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0229] Table 2

[0230]

[0231] The channel access priority level corresponding to the quality of service serial number can also be located in the LCS QoS. This embodiment of the present application does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0232] In another possible implementation, taking the example that the first device determines the channel access priority level based on the layer 1 priority, the implementation process of S704 can be as follows: The first device can determine the channel access priority level of the first positioning reference signal based on the channel access priority level corresponding to the layer 1 priority. For example, if the layer 1 priority is level 1 or 2, then this layer 1 priority corresponds to the first channel access priority level; if the layer 1 priority is level 3 or 4, then this layer 1 priority corresponds to the second channel access priority level; if the layer 1 priority is level 5 or 6, then this layer 1 priority corresponds to the third channel access priority level; if the layer 1 priority is level 7 or 8, then this layer 1 priority corresponds to the fourth channel access priority level.

[0233] It can be understood that since the positioning service information and layer 1 priority of the first positioning reference signal can more accurately reflect the quality of service level or positioning service level required by the positioning service, and the channel access priority level has a strong correlation with the quality of service level and positioning service level, the first device can determine the channel access priority level based on the positioning service information or layer 1 priority, and then the first device can perform the LBT process on the first channel based on the channel access priority level to send the SL-PRS.

[0234] In Mode 2, as Figure 8 shown, the above S701 can be replaced by S705, that is to say, the first device can obtain the channel access priority level corresponding to the first positioning reference signal through the following S705.

[0235] S705. The first device receives first indication information.

[0236] Wherein, the first indication information is used to indicate the channel access priority level.

[0237] In a possible implementation manner, S705 can be specifically: the second device sends the first indication information to the first device. Correspondingly, the first device receives the first indication information from the second device. Wherein, the second device may include a second terminal device and a positioning management function network element. The second terminal device is.

[0238] It can be understood that the first device can receive the first indication information from other devices. In some scenarios, the first device cannot obtain the positioning quality of service information or layer 1 priority information, that is to say, the first device cannot determine the channel access priority level by itself. At this time, it is necessary to receive the first indication information from other devices, so that the first positioning reference signal can be sent based on the unlicensed spectrum subsequently.

[0239] As described above, the first indication information can be sent by the second device (for example, the second terminal device or the positioning management function network element) to the first device, that is to say, as Figure 9 shown, the above S705 can be replaced by S705A.

[0240] S705A. The second terminal device sends the first indication information to the first device. Correspondingly, the first device receives the first indication information from the second terminal device.

[0241] As can be seen from the foregoing introduction to the "second terminal device", the second terminal device is a terminal device participating in the positioning process, and the target UE, the anchor UE, and the third-party UE can all be used as terminal devices participating in the positioning process. Therefore, the second terminal device may include at least one of the following: the target UE, the anchor UE, or the third-party UE. For example, the third-party UE may be a server UE. For example, when the second device is the target UE, the first device is the anchor UE or the third-party UE; or, when the second device is the anchor UE, the first device is the target UE or the third-party UE; or, when the second device is the third-party UE, the first device is the target UE or the anchor UE. It should be understood that the second terminal device may include one or more UEs, and the embodiments of the present application do not impose any restrictions on the number of second terminal devices.

[0242] Optionally, the second terminal device may send positioning service information and / or layer 1 priority to the first device. The positioning service information and layer 1 priority can be understood with reference to the descriptions at the corresponding positions above, and will not be elaborated here.

[0243] Furthermore, when the second terminal device is the target UE and the first device is the anchor UE, the second terminal device (e.g., the target UE) needs to pre-determine the first device (e.g., the anchor UE). Therefore, as Figure 9 shown, the communication method provided by the embodiments of the present application may further include S706.

[0244] S706. The second terminal device discovers the anchor UE.

[0245] Optionally, when the second terminal device is the target UE and the first device is the anchor UE, the first indication information recorded in S705A may be sent by the second terminal device (e.g., the target UE).

[0246] In addition, optionally, when the second terminal device is the target UE and the first device is the anchor UE, the above-mentioned positioning service information or layer 1 priority may also be sent by the second terminal device (e.g., the target UE).

[0247] It can be understood that the discovery of the anchor UE by the first device can be understood with reference to the descriptions at the corresponding positions above, and will not be elaborated here.

[0248] It should be noted that if the second terminal device is an anchor UE, it indicates that the anchor UE has computing capabilities. If the second terminal device is a target UE, it indicates that the target UE has computing capabilities. However, in the case where neither the target UE nor the anchor UE has computing capabilities, the second terminal device can be a third-party UE with computing capabilities, so that the second terminal device can calculate the channel access priority level corresponding to the first positioning reference signal, or calculate the location information of the first terminal device, etc. In the case where the second terminal device is a third-party UE, the target UE or the anchor UE needs to determine the third-party UE in advance. Therefore, as Figure 9 shown, the communication method provided in the embodiments of the present application may further include S707.

[0249] S707: The target UE or the anchor UE discovers and selects a third-party UE. For the target UE or the anchor UE to discover the third-party UE, reference can be made to the description at the corresponding position above for understanding, and details are not elaborated here.

[0250] Optionally, in the presence of a third-party UE, the first indication information recorded in S705A may be sent by the second terminal device (for example, the target UE or the third-party UE). Additionally, in the case where the first indication information can be sent by the target UE, the third-party UE needs to send the first indication information to the target UE. Correspondingly, the target UE receives the first indication information from the third-party UE.

[0251] Additionally, optionally, in the presence of a third-party UE, the above positioning service information or layer 1 priority may also be sent by the second terminal device (for example, the target UE or the third-party UE). Additionally, in the case where the above positioning service information or layer 1 priority can be sent by the target UE, the third-party UE needs to send the above positioning service information or layer 1 priority to the target UE. Correspondingly, the target UE receives the positioning service information or layer 1 priority from the third-party UE.

[0252] It can be understood that the above Figure 9 shown information transmission method is described by taking the first device as the anchor UE and the second terminal device as the target UE or the third-party UE as an example. For the information transmission method where the first device is the target UE and the second terminal device is the anchor UE or the third-party UE, or the information transmission method where the first device is the third-party UE and the second terminal device is the target UE or the anchor UE, reference can be made to the description at the corresponding position above for understanding, and details are not elaborated here.

[0253] It can be understood that if the first device obtains the first indication information from the second terminal device, it can indicate that the subsequent SL positioning process performed by the first device is a UE-only SL positioning process. The UE-only SL positioning process can be understood with reference to the description at the corresponding position above, and will not be elaborated here.

[0254] As Figure 10 shown, the above S705 can also be replaced by S705B.

[0255] S705B. The positioning management function network element sends the first indication information to the first device. Correspondingly, the first device receives the first indication information from the positioning management function network element.

[0256] Specifically, the first device can also obtain the first indication information from the positioning management function network element side. That is to say, S704B provides another implementation manner for receiving the first indication information, so that the communication method described in this application can be applied to the scenario where the core network element device participates.

[0257] In a possible implementation manner, the first indication information is directly sent from the positioning management function network element to the first device; it can also be sent from the positioning management function network element to the first device through the second terminal device. That is to say, the positioning management function network element sends the first indication information to the second terminal device, and after the second terminal device receives the first indication information, the second terminal device sends the first indication information to the first device; it can also be sent from the second terminal device to the first device.

[0258] Further, optionally, when the first indication information is sent from the second terminal device to the first device, the positioning management function network element needs to send positioning service information or layer 1 priority to the second terminal device. In addition, the positioning management function network element can also directly send positioning service information or layer 1 priority to the first device, so that the first device can determine the channel access priority level by itself. The positioning service information and layer 1 priority can be understood with reference to the description at the corresponding position above, and will not be elaborated here.

[0259] Optionally, the positioning management function network element can also send the first indication information to the second terminal device, or can also send the second indication information to the second terminal device, where the second indication information is used to instruct the second terminal device to send SL-PRS.

[0260] It can be understood that taking the 5G network as an example, the positioning management function network element can be the LMF. Of course, the above is only an example of the positioning management function network element, and in other embodiments, it can also be other names. The method provided by the embodiments of this application does not make specific limitations on this.

[0261] In a possible implementation, as Figure 10 shown, before S705B, the positioning management function network element needs to execute S708 so that the positioning management function network element can determine the first indication information for subsequent sending of the first indication information.

[0262] S708. The positioning management function network element determines the channel access priority level corresponding to the first positioning reference signal and generates the first indication information based on the channel access priority level corresponding to the first positioning reference signal.

[0263] It can be understood that if the first device obtains the first indication information from the positioning management function network element, it can indicate that the SL positioning process performed by the first device is an SL positioning process participated by the network side. However, in the SL positioning process participated by the network side, as Figure 10 shown, before S708, the terminal device also needs to perform the following steps to trigger the SL positioning process participated by the network side:

[0264] S709. The positioning management function network element sends SL-MT-LR to the second terminal device. Correspondingly, the second terminal device receives the SL-MT-LR from the positioning management function network element.

[0265] S710. The second terminal device discovers the anchor UE.

[0266] S711. The second terminal device sends an SL-MT-LR response to the positioning management function network element. Correspondingly, the second terminal device receives the SL-MT-LR response from the positioning management function network element.

[0267] Optionally, the above SL-MT-LR response may include an SL-U indication (SL-U-indication), and the above SL-U-indication is used to indicate to the positioning management function network element to perform positioning based on SL-U.

[0268] It can be understood that S709 - S711 exemplarily provide a possible way to trigger a positioning process, that is, S709 - S711 are optional steps.

[0269] Regarding S709 to S711, reference can be made to the descriptions at the corresponding positions above for understanding, and details are not elaborated here.

[0270] It can be understood that the above Figure 10The information transmission method shown is described by taking the first device as the anchor UE and the second terminal device as the target UE as an example. Regarding the information transmission method where the first device is the anchor UE and the second terminal device is the third-party UE, the information transmission method where the first device is the target UE and the second terminal device is the anchor UE or the third-party UE, or the information transmission method where the first device is the third-party UE and the second terminal device is the target UE or the anchor UE, reference can be made to the descriptions at the corresponding positions above for understanding, and details will not be elaborated here.

[0271] In some possible implementation manners, the first device performs the LBT process so that when the first channel is in an idle state within a preset time period, the first device can send a first positioning reference signal based on the first channel, facilitating the subsequent determination of the location information of the first terminal device by the first device. In view of this, as Figure 9 or Figure 10 shown, the communication method provided by the embodiments of this application may further include S712.

[0272] S712: When the first channel is in an idle state within a preset time period, the first device sends a first positioning reference signal based on the first channel.

[0273] Specifically, when the first channel is in an idle state within a preset time period, the first device may send a first positioning reference signal based on the first channel to other terminal devices (for example, the target UE, or the anchor UE, or the third-party UE).

[0274] In one possible implementation manner, after the first device sends the first positioning reference signal based on the first channel, the first device may further perform a subsequent SL positioning process to determine the location information of the first terminal device. If the SL positioning process is a UE-only SL positioning process, then in combination with Figure 9 , after the first device sends the first positioning reference signal based on the first channel, at least one of the target UE, the anchor UE, or the third-party UE can determine the location information of the first terminal device. The implementation process of at least one of the target UE, the anchor UE, or the third-party UE being able to determine the location information of the first terminal device can be understood by referring to the description of the UE-only SL positioning process above, and details will not be elaborated here.

[0275] However, if the SL positioning process is a UE-only SL positioning process, then in combination with Figure 10, after the first device sends the first positioning reference signal based on the first channel, at least one of the target UE, the anchor UE, or the positioning management function network element can determine the location information of the first terminal device. The implementation process of at least one of the target UE, the anchor UE, or the positioning management function network element determining the location information of the first terminal device can be understood with reference to the description of the SL positioning process participated by the network side above, and will not be elaborated here.

[0276] Figure 11 This is another example of the communication method provided by the embodiments of the present application. This method is described by taking the interaction between the first device and the second device as an example. Of course, the entity executing the actions of the first device in this method can also be a device / module in the first device, such as a chip, a processor, a processing unit, etc. in the first device, and the entity executing the actions of the second device in this method can also be a device / module in the second device, such as a chip, a processor, a processing unit, etc. in the second device. The embodiments of the present application do not make specific limitations on this. Exemplarily, as Figure 11 shown, this communication method includes:

[0277] S1101. The second device obtains first indication information.

[0278] In some possible implementation manners, the second device can obtain the first indication information in the following two ways: Way 3 is that the second device determines the channel access priority level corresponding to the first positioning reference signal by itself and determines the first indication information based on the channel access priority level corresponding to the first positioning reference signal; Way 4 is that the second device receives the first indication information from other devices. The understanding of Way 3 and Way 4 can refer to Way 1 and Way 2 above, and will not be elaborated here.

[0279] In one example, the second device may include a second terminal device and / or a positioning management function network element, where the second terminal device includes a target UE, an anchor UE, or a third-party UE. Since the first device can be a target UE or an anchor UE, and the second device is different from the first device, therefore, when the second device is a target UE, the first device is an anchor UE; or, when the second device is an anchor UE, the first device is a target UE; or, when the second terminal device is a third-party UE, the first device is a target UE or an anchor UE.

[0280] S1102. The second device sends the first indication information to the first device. Correspondingly, the first device receives the first indication information from the second device.

[0281] In the embodiments of the present application, the relevant description of S1102 can refer to step S705 above and will not be elaborated here.

[0282] S1103. The first device performs a LBT process on a first channel for transmitting a first positioning reference signal based on the channel access priority level.

[0283] In the embodiments of the present application, the related description of S1103 can refer to the above step S702 and will not be elaborated here.

[0284] The embodiments of the present application provide a communication method. The second device obtains first indication information for indicating the channel access priority level corresponding to the first positioning reference signal and sends the first indication information, so that the first device can know the channel access priority level corresponding to the first positioning reference signal through the first indication information. In this way, the first device can perform a LBT process on the first channel for transmitting the first positioning reference signal based on the channel access priority level corresponding to the first positioning reference signal, so as to complete the LBT process performed on the first channel for transmitting the first positioning reference signal, and further facilitate subsequent SL positioning through the unlicensed band.

[0285] Further, after the first device performs the LBT process, the description of the first device sending the first positioning reference signal or performing the SL positioning process can specifically refer to the description of the above embodiments and will not be elaborated here.

[0286] The above mainly introduces the solution provided by the embodiments of the present application from the perspective of the interaction between each network element. Correspondingly, the embodiments of the present application also provide a communication device, which is used to implement the above various methods. The communication device can be the network device in the above method embodiments, or a device including the above network device, or a component applicable to the network device; or, the communication device can be the terminal device in the above method embodiments, or a device including the above terminal device, or a component applicable to the terminal device. It can be understood that, in order to implement the above functions, the communication device includes the corresponding hardware structure and / or software module for performing each function. Those skilled in the art should easily realize that, combining the units and algorithm steps of each example described in the embodiments disclosed herein, the present application can be implemented in the form of hardware or a combination of hardware and computer software. Whether a certain function is executed in the way of hardware or computer software driving the hardware depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Professional technicians can use different methods to implement the described function for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered to exceed the scope of the present application.

[0287] Embodiments of the present application can divide functional modules of a communication device according to the method embodiments above. For example, each functional module can be divided corresponding to each function, or two or more functions can be integrated into one processing module. The above integrated module can be implemented in the form of hardware or in the form of a software functional module. It should be understood that the division of modules in the embodiments of the present application is illustrative, only a logical function division, and there can be other division methods in actual implementation.

[0288] For example, taking the communication device as the terminal device in the above method embodiments as an example, Figure 12 FIG. shows a schematic structural diagram of a communication device 120. The communication device 120 includes a processing module 1201 and a transceiver module 1202. The transceiver module 1202, which can also be referred to as a transceiver unit, is used to implement the transceiver function. For example, it can be a transceiver circuit, a transceiver, a transceiver, or a communication interface.

[0289] When Figure 12 the shown communication device 120 is the first device in the above embodiments:

[0290] In a possible implementation:

[0291] The transceiver module 1202 is used to obtain the channel access priority level corresponding to the first positioning reference signal; the processing module 1201 is used to perform a listen-before-talk (LBT) process on a first channel for transmitting the first positioning reference signal based on the channel access priority level, where the first positioning reference signal is used to determine the location information of the first terminal device.

[0292] In some embodiments, the transceiver module 1202 is further used to obtain the positioning service information or layer 1 priority of the first positioning reference signal; the processing module 1201 is further used to determine the channel access priority level based on the positioning service information or layer 1 priority, where the layer 1 priority is used to represent the priority of the positioning service;

[0293] In some embodiments, the positioning service information includes positioning quality of service information, and the positioning quality of service information includes at least one of the following: type of quality of service, accuracy requirement, response time, range, or quality of service serial number; the quality of service serial number is used to represent the level of quality of service.

[0294] In some embodiments, the transceiver module 1202 is further used to receive a first indication information, and the first indication information is used to indicate the channel access priority level.

[0295] In some embodiments, the transceiver module 1202 is further used to receive the first indication information from a second terminal device, and the second terminal device is a terminal device participating in the positioning process.

[0296] In some embodiments, the transceiver module 1202 is further configured to receive first indication information from a positioning management function network element.

[0297] In some embodiments, the transceiver module 1202 is further configured to receive positioning service information or layer 1 priority.

[0298] In some embodiments, the transceiver module 1202 is further configured to receive positioning service information or layer 1 priority from a second terminal device.

[0299] In some embodiments, the transceiver module 1202 is further configured to receive positioning service information or layer 1 priority from a positioning management function network element.

[0300] In some embodiments, when the first channel is in an idle state within a preset time period, the processing module 1201 is further configured to send a first positioning reference signal based on the first channel. All relevant content of each step involved in the above method embodiments can be cited in the function descriptions of the corresponding functional modules and will not be elaborated here.

[0301] In the embodiments of the present application, the first device is presented in a form of dividing each functional module in an integrated manner. Here, the "module" may refer to a specific ASIC, circuit, a processor and a memory that execute one or more software or firmware programs, an integrated logic circuit, and / or other devices that can provide the above functions. In a simple embodiment, those skilled in the art can conceive that the first device can adopt Figure 6 the form of the communication device 600 shown.

[0302] For example, Figure 6 the processor 601 in the communication device 600 shown can call computer-executable instructions stored in the memory 603, so that the communication device 600 executes the communication method in the above method embodiments.

[0303] Specifically, Figure 12 the functions / implementation processes of the transceiver module 1202 and the processing module 1201 in Figure 6 can be implemented by the processor 601 in the communication device 600 shown calling computer-executable instructions stored in the memory 603. Or, Figure 12 the function / implementation process of the processing module 1201 in Figure 6 can be implemented by the processor 601 in the communication device 600 shown calling computer-executable instructions stored in the memory 603, Figure 12 the function / implementation process of the transceiver module 1202 in Figure 6 can be implemented by the communication interface 604 in the communication device 600 shown.

[0304] Since the first device 120 provided in the embodiments of the present application can execute the above communication method, the technical effects it can obtain can refer to the above method embodiments and will not be elaborated here.

[0305] When Figure 12 the communication device 120 shown is the second device in the above embodiments:

[0306] In a possible implementation manner:

[0307] The processing module 1201 is configured to instruct the transceiver module 1202 to obtain first indication information and send the first indication information, where the first indication information is used to indicate the channel access priority level corresponding to the first positioning reference signal, and the first positioning reference signal is used to determine the location information of the first terminal device.

[0308] In some embodiments, the processing module 1201 is further configured to instruct the transceiver module 1202 to obtain the positioning service information or the layer 1 priority of the first positioning reference signal. The processing module 1201 is further configured to determine the channel access priority level based on the positioning service information or the layer 1 priority, and determine the first indication information based on the channel access priority level. The layer 1 priority is used to characterize the priority of the positioning service.

[0309] In some embodiments, the positioning service information includes positioning quality of service information, and the positioning quality of service information includes at least one of the following: type of quality of service, accuracy requirement, response time, range, or quality of service serial number; the quality of service serial number is used to characterize the level of the quality of service.

[0310] In some embodiments, the processing module 1201 is further configured to instruct the transceiver module 1202 to receive the first indication information.

[0311] In some embodiments, the processing module 1201 is further configured to instruct the transceiver module 1202 to receive the first indication information from a second terminal device, where the second terminal device is a terminal device participating in the positioning process.

[0312] In some embodiments, the processing module 1201 is further configured to instruct the transceiver module 1202 to receive the first indication information from a positioning management function network element.

[0313] In some embodiments, the processing module 1201 is further configured to instruct the transceiver module 1202 to receive the positioning service information or the layer 1 priority.

[0314] In some embodiments, the processing module 1201 is further configured to instruct the transceiver module 1202 to receive the positioning service information or the layer 1 priority from a second terminal device.

[0315] In some embodiments, the processing module 1201 is further configured to instruct the transceiver module 1202 to receive positioning service information or layer 1 priority from a positioning management function network element.

[0316] In some embodiments, the processing module 1201 is further configured to instruct the transceiver module 1202 to send positioning service information or layer 1 priority of a first positioning reference signal.

[0317] In some embodiments, the processing module 1201 is further configured to receive a first positioning reference signal based on a first channel; wherein the first channel is a channel for transmitting the first positioning reference signal, and the first channel is a channel for transmitting the first positioning reference signal.

[0318] All relevant content of each step involved in the above method embodiments can be cited in the function descriptions of the corresponding functional modules, and will not be elaborated here.

[0319] In the embodiments of the present application, the second device is presented in a form of dividing each functional module in an integrated manner. Here, the "module" may refer to a specific ASIC, circuit, processor and memory that executes one or more software or firmware programs, integrated logic circuit, and / or other devices that can provide the above functions. In a simple embodiment, those skilled in the art can think that the second device can adopt Figure 6 the form of the communication device 600 shown.

[0320] For example, Figure 6 the processor 601 in the communication device 600 shown can call computer-executable instructions stored in the memory 603, so that the communication device 600 executes the communication method in the above method embodiments.

[0321] Specifically, Figure 12 the functions / implementation processes of the transceiver module 1202 and the processing module 1201 in Figure 6 can be implemented by the processor 601 in the communication device 600 shown calling computer-executable instructions stored in the memory 603. Or, Figure 12 the function / implementation process of the processing module 1201 in Figure 6 can be implemented by the processor 601 in the communication device 600 shown calling computer-executable instructions stored in the memory 603, Figure 12 the function / implementation process of the transceiver module 1202 in Figure 6 can be implemented by the communication interface 604 in the communication device 600 shown.

[0322] Since the second device 120 provided in this embodiment can execute the above communication method, the technical effects it can obtain can refer to the above method embodiments and will not be elaborated here.

[0323] It should be understood that one or more of the above modules or units can be implemented in software, hardware, or a combination of both. When any of the above modules or units is implemented in software, the software exists in the form of computer program instructions and is stored in a memory. The processor can be used to execute the program instructions and implement the above method flow. The processor can be built into a SoC (System on Chip) or ASIC, or it can be an independent semiconductor chip. In addition to the cores in the processor for executing software instructions for operations or processing, it can further include necessary hardware accelerators, such as a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a programmable logic device (PLD), or a logic circuit for implementing dedicated logical operations.

[0324] When the above modules or units are implemented in hardware, the hardware can be any one or any combination of a CPU, a microprocessor, a digital signal processing (DSP) chip, a microcontroller unit (MCU), an artificial intelligence processor, an ASIC, a SoC, an FPGA, a PLD, a dedicated digital circuit, a hardware accelerator, or a non-integrated discrete device, which can run the necessary software or execute the above method flow without relying on software.

[0325] In a possible implementation manner, an embodiment of the present application further provides a communication device (for example, the communication device can be a chip or a chip system). The communication device includes a processor for implementing the method in any of the above method embodiments. In a possible design, the communication device further includes a memory. The memory is used to store necessary program instructions and data. The processor can call the program code stored in the memory to instruct the communication device to execute the method in any of the above method embodiments. Of course, the memory may not be in the communication device. When the communication device is a chip system, it can be composed of chips or can include chips and other discrete devices. The embodiments of the present application do not make specific limitations on this.

[0326] In a possible implementation manner, an embodiment of the present application further provides a computer-readable storage medium. The computer-readable storage medium stores a computer program or instructions. When it runs on a communication device, it enables the communication device to execute the method in any of the above method embodiments or any of its implementation manners.

[0327] In a possible implementation manner, an embodiment of the present application further provides a communication method. The communication method includes the method in any of the above method embodiments or any of its implementation manners.

[0328] In a possible implementation manner, an embodiment of the present application further provides a communication system, which includes the terminal device in the method embodiment and the network device in the method embodiment described above.

[0329] In the above embodiment, it can be implemented in whole or in part by software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented using a software program, it can be implemented in whole or in part in the form of a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer instructions. When the computer instructions are loaded and executed on a computer, the processes or functions according to the embodiments of the present application are generated in whole or in part. The computer can be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, or other programmable devices. The computer instructions can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, or transmitted from one computer-readable storage medium to another. For example, the computer instructions can be transmitted from one website, computer, server, or data center to another website, computer, server, or data center by wire (such as coaxial cable, optical fiber, digital subscriber line (DSL)) or wireless (such as infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.). The computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium that can be accessed by a computer, or a data storage device such as a server or data center that contains one or more media integrated therein. The available medium can be a magnetic medium (such as a floppy disk, hard disk, magnetic tape), an optical medium (such as a DVD), or a semiconductor medium (such as a solid state disk (SSD)), etc.

[0330] Although the present application has been described in conjunction with various embodiments herein, however, in the process of implementing the claimed present application, those skilled in the art can understand and implement other variations of the disclosed embodiments by viewing the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims. In the claims, the word "comprising" does not exclude other components or steps, and "a" or "an" does not exclude a plurality. A single processor or other unit can implement several functions recited in the claims. Certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims, but this does not mean that these measures cannot be combined to produce good results.

[0331] Although the present application has been described in connection with specific features and their embodiments, it will be apparent that various modifications and combinations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present application. Accordingly, the specification and drawings are merely exemplary illustrations of the present application as defined by the appended claims and are considered to cover any and all modifications, variations, combinations, or equivalents within the scope of the present application. Obviously, those skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications to the present application without departing from the spirit and scope of the present application. Thus, if these modifications and variations of the present application fall within the scope of the claims of the present application and their equivalent technologies, the present application is also intended to include these changes and modifications.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that, the method includes: obtaining a channel access priority level corresponding to a first positioning reference signal, where the first positioning reference signal is used to determine the location information of a first terminal device; performing a listen-before-talk (LBT) process on a first channel used to transmit the first positioning reference signal based on the channel access priority level.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, the obtaining of the channel access priority level corresponding to the first positioning reference signal includes: obtaining positioning service information or a layer 1 priority of the first positioning reference signal, where the layer 1 priority is used to characterize the priority of the positioning service; determining the channel access priority level based on the positioning service information or the layer 1 priority.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, the positioning service information includes positioning quality of service information, and the positioning quality of service information includes at least one of the following: type of quality of service, accuracy requirement, response time, range, or quality of service serial number; the quality of service serial number is used to characterize the level of the quality of service.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, the obtaining of the channel access priority level corresponding to the first positioning reference signal includes: receiving first indication information, where the first indication information is used to indicate the channel access priority level.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that, the receiving of the first indication information includes: receiving the first indication information from a second terminal device, where the second terminal device is a terminal device participating in the positioning process.

6. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that, the receiving of the first indication information includes: receiving the first indication information from a positioning management function network element.

7. The method according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, the obtaining of the positioning service information or the layer 1 priority of the first positioning reference signal includes: receiving the positioning service information or the layer 1 priority.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, the receiving of the positioning service information or the layer 1 priority includes: receiving the positioning service information or the layer 1 priority from a second terminal device.

9. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, the receiving of the positioning service information or the layer 1 priority includes: receiving the positioning service information or the layer 1 priority from a positioning management function network element.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, the method further includes: when the first channel is in an idle state within a preset time period, transmitting the first positioning reference signal based on the first channel.

11. A communication method, characterized in that, the method includes: obtaining first indication information, where the first indication information is used to indicate a channel access priority level corresponding to a first positioning reference signal, and the first positioning reference signal is used to determine the location information of a first terminal device; transmitting the first indication information.

12. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that, The obtaining of the first indication information includes: Obtaining positioning service information of a first positioning reference signal or a layer 1 priority, where the layer 1 priority is used to characterize the priority of the positioning service; Based on the positioning service information or the layer 1 priority, determining the channel access priority level, and determining the first indication information based on the channel access priority level.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein, The positioning service information includes positioning quality of service information, and the positioning quality of service information includes at least one of the following: type of quality of service, accuracy requirement, response time, range, or quality of service serial number; the quality of service serial number is used to characterize the level of the quality of service.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein, The obtaining of the first indication information includes: Receiving the first indication information.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein, The receiving of the first indication information includes: Receiving the first indication information from a second terminal device, where the second terminal device is a terminal device participating in the positioning process.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein, The receiving of the first indication information includes: Receiving the first indication information from a positioning management function network element.

17. The method according to claim 12 or 13, wherein, The obtaining of the positioning service information of the first positioning reference signal or the layer 1 priority includes: Receiving the positioning service information or the layer 1 priority.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein, The receiving of the positioning service information or the layer 1 priority includes: Receiving the positioning service information or the layer 1 priority from a second terminal device.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein, The receiving of the positioning service information or the layer 1 priority includes: Receiving the positioning service information or the layer 1 priority from a positioning management function network element.

20. The method according to claim 12 or 13, wherein, The method further includes: Sending the positioning service information of the first positioning reference signal or the layer 1 priority.

21. The method according to any one of claims 11-20, wherein, The method further includes: Receiving the first positioning reference signal based on a first channel; wherein, the first channel is a channel for transmitting the first positioning reference signal, and the first channel is a channel for transmitting the first positioning reference signal.

22. A communication device, wherein, includes: Function units for performing the method according to any one of claims 1-10; wherein, the actions performed by the function units are implemented by hardware or by hardware executing corresponding software.

23. A communication device, wherein, includes: Function units for performing the method according to any one of claims 11-21; wherein, the actions performed by the function units are implemented by hardware or by hardware executing corresponding software.

24. A communication device, wherein, The communication device includes a processor; the processor is configured to run a computer program or instruction, or to implement the method according to any one of claims 1-10 or cause the communication device to execute the method according to any one of claims 11-21 through logic circuits.

25. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that the computer-readable storage medium stores computer instructions or programs, and when the computer instructions or programs are run on a computer, the communication device is caused to implement the method according to any one of claims 1-10 or to execute the method according to any one of claims 11-21.

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