Communication methods and communication devices

Abstract

This application provides a communication method and a communication device capable of supporting the effective selection of multi-hop relay paths. The method is applied to a first user equipment (UE), where the first UE is a candidate relay UE for a second UE, and the second UE is a remote UE. The method includes: sending first information to the second UE, the first information including a first measurement result between two adjacent UEs on a first relay path, the first relay path being the relay path where the first UE is located, and the first information being used to select a target path for the second UE, the target path being a multi-hop relay path.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of communications, and more particularly to a communication method and a communication device. Background Technology

[0002] Some communication systems have introduced relay technology, which allows remote UEs to establish connections with network devices through relay UEs. If the current link quality is poor, the remote UE can switch to another path. The path after the remote UE switches may be a multi-hop relay path; however, the current handover mechanism is insufficient to support the effective selection of multi-hop relay paths, resulting in the problem of selecting inappropriate multi-hop relay paths. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This application provides a communication method and a communication device that can support the effective selection of multi-hop relay paths.

[0004] In a first aspect, a communication method is provided, the method being applied to a first user equipment (UE), the first UE being a candidate relay UE for a second UE, the second UE being a remote UE, the method comprising: sending first information to the second UE, the first information including a first measurement result between two adjacent UEs on a first relay path, the first relay path being the relay path where the first UE is located, the first information being used to select a target path for the second UE, the target path being a multi-hop relay path.

[0005] In this embodiment, the candidate relay UE can send the measurement results between any two adjacent UEs on the first relay path to the remote UE. The remote UE or network device can understand the link quality of each hop on the first relay path based on the measurement results, thereby being able to select a target path with good link quality for each hop for the remote UE, that is, to select a more suitable multi-hop relay path for the remote UE.

[0006] In some implementations, sending the first information to the second UE includes: periodically broadcasting the first information, wherein the broadcast period of the first information is related to one or more of the following: the number of UEs around the first UE, and whether a response message from a remote UE has been received.

[0007] By dynamically adjusting the broadcast period based on factors such as the number of UEs around the first UE and whether a response message from a remote UE is received, the broadcast period can be flexibly set as needed, which helps reduce the power consumption of the first UE.

[0008] In some implementations, if the number of UEs around the first UE is greater than a first number, then the broadcast period of the first information is a first period; if the number of UEs around the first UE is less than a second number, then the broadcast period of the first information is a second period, the first period is greater than the second period, and the first number is greater than or equal to the second number.

[0009] In this application embodiment, when there are many UEs around the first UE, a larger broadcast period can be set to reduce the power consumption of the first UE; while when there are few UEs around the first UE, a smaller broadcast period can be set to provide sufficient information for path switching of remote UEs.

[0010] In some implementations, the method further includes: if no response message is received from the remote UE within multiple periods, increasing the transmission period of the first information or stopping the broadcast of the first information to reduce the power consumption of the first UE.

[0011] In some implementations, the method further includes: periodically broadcasting second information, the broadcast period of the second information being shorter than the broadcast period of the first information; wherein the first information includes one or more of the following: hop count information of the first relay path, transmission delay of each hop link on the first relay path, quality parameters of each hop link on the first relay path, and Radio Resource Control (RRC) status of each UE on the first relay path; the second information includes quality parameters of each hop link on the first relay path.

[0012] In some implementations, the method further includes: sending a first request message to a network device, the first request message being used to request a first measurement configuration, the first measurement configuration being used to determine the first measurement result. By sending the first request message to the network device, the network device can configure itself for the current measurement, thereby improving the measurement mechanism.

[0013] In some implementations, before sending the first request message to the network device, the method further includes: receiving a first discovery message sent by a second UE, the first discovery message being used to discover a candidate relay UE; sending the first request message to the network device includes: in response to the first discovery message, sending the first request message to the network device. By triggering the first request message by the first discovery message, the timing of the first UE sending the first request message is thus determined.

[0014] In some implementations, sending the first request message to the network device includes: sending the first request message to the network device in response to a first timer timeout, wherein the duration of the first timer is related to the broadcast period of the first information. By triggering the first request message by the first timer, the timing for the first UE to send the first request message is determined.

[0015] In some implementations, the first request message includes one or more of the following information: measurement purpose, identifier of the remote UE, and parameters to be measured. By including the above information in the first request message, the network device can process the first request message in a targeted manner and configure appropriate measurement settings for the first UE.

[0016] In some implementations, the parameters to be measured include one or more of the following: signal-to-noise ratio, transmission delay, path loss, and UE's RRC status.

[0017] In some implementations, the first information includes one or more of the following: hop count information of the first relay path, transmission delay of each hop link on the first relay path, quality parameters of each hop link on the first relay path, and RRC status of each UE on the first relay path.

[0018] In addition to link quality parameters, the first information in this application embodiment may also include link transmission delay, UE RRC status, hop count information, etc., thereby providing more information for target path selection and facilitating remote UE switching to a suitable target path.

[0019] In a second aspect, a communication method is provided, the method being applied to a second user equipment (UE), the second UE being a remote UE, the method comprising: receiving first information from a first UE, the first UE being a candidate relay UE of the second UE, the first information including a first measurement result between two adjacent UEs on a first relay path, the first relay path being the relay path where the first UE is located; and sending the first information to a network device, the first information being used to select a target path for the second UE, the target path being a multi-hop relay path.

[0020] In some implementations, the first UE sends the first information by periodic broadcasting, and the broadcast period of the first information is related to one or more of the following: the number of UEs around the first UE, and whether a response message is received from a remote UE.

[0021] In some implementations, if the number of UEs around the first UE is greater than a first number, then the broadcast period of the first information is a first period; if the number of UEs around the first UE is less than a second number, then the broadcast period of the first information is a second period, the first period is greater than the second period, and the first number is greater than or equal to the second number.

[0022] In some implementations, the method further includes: sending a first discovery message to the first UE, the first discovery message being used to discover a candidate relay UE, the first discovery message being used to trigger the first UE to send a first request message to the network device, the first request message being used to request to obtain a first measurement configuration, the first measurement configuration being used to determine the first measurement result.

[0023] In some implementations, the first request message includes one or more of the following information: measurement purpose, identifier of the remote UE, and parameters to be measured.

[0024] In some implementations, the parameters to be measured include one or more of the following: signal-to-noise ratio, transmission delay, path loss, and the UE's Radio Resource Control (RRC) status.

[0025] In some implementations, the first information includes one or more of the following: hop count information of the first relay path, transmission delay of each hop link on the first relay path, quality parameters of each hop link on the first relay path, and RRC status of each UE on the first relay path.

[0026] Thirdly, a communication method is provided, the method being applied to a network device, the method comprising: receiving first information from a second user equipment (UE), the first information being sent from a first UE to the second UE, the second UE being a remote UE, the first UE being a candidate relay UE for the second UE, the first information including a first measurement result between two adjacent UEs on a first relay path, the first relay path being the relay path where the first UE is located, the first information being used to select a target path for the second UE, the target path being a multi-hop relay path.

[0027] In some implementations, the first UE sends the first information by periodic broadcasting, and the broadcast period of the first information is related to one or more of the following: the number of UEs around the first UE, and whether a response message is received from a remote UE.

[0028] In some implementations, if the number of UEs around the first UE is greater than a first number, then the broadcast period of the first information is a first period; if the number of UEs around the first UE is less than a second number, then the broadcast period of the first information is a second period, the first period is greater than the second period, and the first number is greater than or equal to the second number.

[0029] In some implementations, the method further includes: receiving a first request message from the first UE, the first request message being used to request obtaining a first measurement configuration, the first measurement configuration being used to determine the first measurement result.

[0030] In some implementations, the first request message is triggered by a first discovery message, which is sent from the second UE to the first UE, and the first discovery message is used to discover candidate relay UEs.

[0031] In some implementations, the first request message is triggered by a first timer, the duration of which is related to the broadcast period of the first message.

[0032] In some implementations, the first request message includes one or more of the following information: measurement purpose, identifier of the remote UE, and parameters to be measured.

[0033] In some implementations, the parameters to be measured include one or more of the following: signal-to-noise ratio, transmission delay, path loss, and the UE's Radio Resource Control (RRC) status.

[0034] In some implementations, the first information includes one or more of the following: hop count information of the first relay path, transmission delay of each hop link on the first relay path, quality parameters of each hop link on the first relay path, and RRC status of each UE on the first relay path.

[0035] Fourthly, a communication device is provided, comprising a unit (or module) composed of software and / or hardware, the unit being used to perform any one of the methods described in the first aspect.

[0036] Fifthly, a communication device is provided, comprising a unit (or module) composed of software and / or hardware, the unit being used to perform any one of the methods described in the second aspect.

[0037] In a sixth aspect, a communication device is provided, comprising a unit (or module) composed of software and / or hardware, the unit being used to perform any one of the methods described in the third aspect.

[0038] In a seventh aspect, a chip is provided, including a processor; the processor is configured to read and execute a computer program stored in a memory to perform any of the methods described in the first aspect.

[0039] Optionally, the chip further includes a memory, which is connected to the processor via a circuit or wire.

[0040] Optionally, the chip also includes a communication interface.

[0041] Eighthly, a chip is provided, including a processor; the processor is configured to read and execute a computer program stored in a memory to perform any of the methods described in the second aspect.

[0042] Optionally, the chip further includes a memory, which is connected to the processor via a circuit or wire.

[0043] Optionally, the chip also includes a communication interface.

[0044] In a ninth aspect, a chip is provided, including a processor; the processor is configured to read and execute a computer program stored in a memory to perform any of the methods described in the third aspect.

[0045] Optionally, the chip further includes a memory, which is connected to the processor via a circuit or wire.

[0046] Optionally, the chip also includes a communication interface.

[0047] In a tenth aspect, a terminal device is provided, the terminal device comprising: a processor, a memory, and an interface; the processor, the memory, and the interface cooperate with each other to enable the terminal device to execute any one of the technical solutions described in the first aspect; or to include any one of the chips described in the seventh aspect.

[0048] Eleventhly, a terminal device is provided, the terminal device comprising: a processor, a memory, and an interface; the processor, memory, and interface cooperate with each other to enable the terminal device to execute any one of the technical solutions described in the second aspect; or to include any one of the chips described in the eighth aspect.

[0049] In a twelfth aspect, a network device is provided, the network device comprising: a processor, a memory, and an interface; the processor, memory, and interface cooperate with each other to enable the network device to perform any one of the methods described in the third aspect; or to include any one of the chips described in the ninth aspect.

[0050] In a thirteenth aspect, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, wherein a computer program is stored therein, and when the computer program is executed by a processor, the processor performs any one of the methods described in the first, second, or third aspect.

[0051] In a fourteenth aspect, a computer program product is provided, the computer program product comprising: computer program code, which, when executed on a communication device, causes the communication device to perform any one of the technical solutions described in the first, second, or third aspects. Attached Figure Description

[0052] Figure 1 This is a system architecture diagram of a wireless communication system to which embodiments of this application can be applied;

[0053] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a single-hop relay path provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0054] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a multi-hop relay path provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0055] Figure 4 A schematic flowchart illustrating a communication method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0056] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating the transmission of measurement results in active mode according to an embodiment of this application;

[0057] Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating the transmission of measurement results in passive mode, as provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0058] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the path switching process provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0059] Figure 8 A schematic block diagram of a terminal device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0060] Figure 9 A schematic block diagram of another terminal device provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0061] Figure 10 A schematic block diagram of a network device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0062] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0063] Figure 1This is a schematic diagram of the architecture of the communication system 10 used in an embodiment of this application. Figure 1 As shown, the communication system includes a radio access network (RAN) 100, wherein the RAN 100 includes at least one RAN node (e.g., Figure 1 110a and 110b, collectively referred to as 110, may also include at least one terminal device (such as...). Figure 1 RAN100, denoted as RAN120a-120j, is collectively referred to as RAN120. RAN100 may also include other RAN nodes, such as wireless relay equipment and / or wireless backhaul equipment. Figure 1 (Not shown in the image). Terminal device 120 is wirelessly connected to RAN node 110. Terminal devices and RAN nodes can be interconnected via wired or wireless means. Communication system 10 may also include core network 200. RAN node 110 is connected to core network 200 via wireless or wired means. The core network equipment in core network 200 and RAN node 110 in RAN 100 can be independent physical devices, or they can be the same physical device integrating the logical functions of core network equipment and RAN node. Communication system 10 may also include Internet 300.

[0064] RAN 100 can be an evolved universal terrestrial radioaccess (E-UTRA) system, a new radio (NR) system, or a future radio access system as defined in the 3rd generation partnership project (3GPP). RAN 100 can also be an open RAN (O-RAN or ORAN), a cloud radio access network (CRAN), or a wireless fidelity (WiFi) system. RAN 100 can also include two or more of the above-mentioned different radio access systems.

[0065] RAN nodes, also known as radio access network equipment, RAN entities, or access nodes, are used to help terminal devices access communication systems wirelessly. In one application scenario, an RAN node can be a base station, an evolved NodeB (eNodeB), a transmission reception point (TRP), a next-generation NodeB (gNB) in 5G mobile communication systems, a next-generation base station in 6G mobile communication systems, or a base station in future mobile communication systems. RAN nodes can also be macro base stations (such as...) Figure 1 (e.g., 110a), or it can be a micro base station or an indoor station (such as...) Figure 1 (110b in the original text) can also be a relay node or a donor node.

[0066] In another application scenario, multiple RAN nodes can collaborate to help terminal devices achieve wireless access, with different RAN nodes implementing different functions of the base station. For example, a RAN node can be a central unit (CU), a distributed unit (DU), or a radio unit (RU). Here, the CU performs the functions of the base station's Radio Resource Control (RRC) and Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP), and can also perform the functions of the Service Data Adaptation Protocol (SDAP). The DU performs the functions of the base station's Radio Link Control (RANC) and Medium Access Control (MAC) layers, and can also perform some or all of the physical layer functions. For specific descriptions of these protocol layers, refer to the relevant 3GPP technical specifications. The RU can be used to implement radio frequency signal transmission and reception. The CU and DU can be two independent RAN nodes, or they can be integrated into the same RAN node, such as within a baseband unit (BBU). RUs can be included in radio frequency equipment, such as remote radio units (RRUs) or active antenna units (AAUs). CUs can be further divided into two types of RAN nodes: CU-control plane and CU-user plane.

[0067] In different systems, RAN nodes may have different names. For example, in an O-RAN system, a CU can be called an open CU (O-CU), a DU can be called an open DU (O-DU), and an RU can be called an open RU (O-RU). The RAN nodes in the embodiments of this application can be implemented through software modules, hardware modules, or a combination of software and hardware modules. For example, a RAN node can be a server loaded with the corresponding software modules. The embodiments of this application do not limit the specific technology or device form used in the RAN nodes. For ease of description, a base station is used as an example of a RAN node in the following description.

[0068] A terminal device is a device with wireless transceiver capabilities, capable of sending signals to or receiving signals from a base station. Terminal devices can also be referred to as terminals, user equipment (UE), mobile stations, mobile terminals, etc. They can be widely used in various scenarios, such as device-to-device (D2D), vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication, machine-type communication (MTC), the Internet of Things (IoT), virtual reality, augmented reality, industrial control, autonomous driving, telemedicine, smart grids, smart furniture, smart offices, smart wearables, smart transportation, and smart cities. Terminal devices can be mobile phones, tablets, computers with wireless transceiver capabilities, wearable devices, vehicles, airplanes, ships, robots, robotic arms, smart home devices, etc. The embodiments of this application do not limit the specific technologies or device forms used in the terminal devices.

[0069] Base stations and terminal equipment can be fixed or mobile. They can be deployed on land, including indoors or outdoors, handheld or vehicle-mounted; they can also be deployed on water; and they can be deployed on aircraft, balloons, and satellites. The embodiments of this application do not limit the application scenarios of the base stations and terminal equipment.

[0070] The roles of base stations and terminal devices can be relative, for example, Figure 1The helicopter or drone 120i can be configured as a mobile base station. For terminal devices 120j accessing the wireless access network 100 via 120i, 120i is a base station; however, for base station 110a, 120i is a terminal device, meaning that 110a and 120i communicate via a wireless air interface protocol. Of course, 110a and 120i can also communicate via a base station-to-base station interface protocol; in this case, 120i is also a base station relative to 110a. Therefore, both base stations and terminal devices can be collectively referred to as communication devices. Figure 1 The 110a and 110b in the text can be referred to as communication devices with base station functions. Figure 1 The 120a-120j in the text can be referred to as communication devices with terminal functions.

[0071] Communication between base stations and terminal devices, between base stations, and between terminal devices can be conducted using licensed spectrum, unlicensed spectrum, or both simultaneously. Communication can be conducted using spectrum below 6 gigahertz (GHz), spectrum above 6 GHz, or both simultaneously. The embodiments of this application do not limit the spectrum resources used for wireless communication.

[0072] In the embodiments of this application, the functions of the base station can be executed by modules (such as chips) within the base station, or by a control subsystem that includes base station functions. This control subsystem, including base station functions, can be a control center in the aforementioned application scenarios such as smart grids, industrial control, intelligent transportation, and smart cities. Similarly, the functions of the terminal device can be executed by modules (such as chips or modems) within the terminal device, or by a device that includes terminal device functions.

[0073] The following description uses the UE as an example of the terminal device. UEs can communicate with each other through the sidelink (SL). Sidelink communication can also be called proximity services (ProSe) communication, one-way communication, sidelink communication, or device-to-device (D2D) communication.

[0074] Some communication systems (such as NR systems) have introduced UE-NW relay technology. This technology allows remote UEs to establish connections with the network (or network devices) through relay UEs. The remote UE can be a UE located outside the coverage area of ​​the network device (hereinafter referred to as network coverage area). Therefore, UE-NW relay technology can extend network coverage. The relay UE can also be called a relay node.

[0075] by Figure 2 For example, some UEs (such as Figure 2 UE 220a) is located within the coverage area of ​​network device 210, while some UEs (such as...) Figure 2 UE 220b is located outside the network coverage area. UE 220b located outside the network coverage area can be called a remote UE, and UE 220a located within the network coverage area can act as a relay UE (or relay node) for remote UE 220b, thereby establishing a connection between remote UE 220b and network device 210.

[0076] Figure 2 The illustration shows a scenario where a remote UE connects to a network device through a relay UE. However, this application is not limited to this scenario; a remote UE can also establish a connection with the network device through multiple relay UEs. Figure 3 As shown, UE 220c can establish a connection with network device 210 through UE 220b and UE 220c.

[0077] In this application embodiment, the path through which the UE connects to the network device via a relay is referred to as a relay path (or relay link, or non-direct link, or non-direct path), while the path through which the UE directly connects to the network device is referred to as a direct path (or direct link). Relay paths can include single-hop relay paths and multi-hop relay paths. Figure 2 The path shown for UE 220b is a single-hop relay path. Figure 3 The path where UE 220c is located is a multi-hop relay path.

[0078] During communication, the UE may switch paths. For example, when the link quality of the current serving relay node is poor due to high-speed movement, dense obstacles, or dynamic changes in network load, the service continuity assurance process will be triggered, and the remote UE will switch paths.

[0079] The path handover scenarios for UEs include the following four types: Scenario A: Handover from a multi-hop trunk path to a direct path; Scenario B: Handover from a multi-hop trunk path to a single-hop trunk path; Scenario C: Handover from a direct path to a multi-hop trunk path; Scenario D: Handover from a single-hop trunk path to a multi-hop trunk path.

[0080] UE path switching can be triggered by events. Some triggering events are described below.

[0081] Event Y1: The measurement result of the serving cell is lower than threshold 1, and the measurement result of the candidate relay UE is higher than threshold 2. If the UE meets Event Y1, the UE can switch from the direct path to the relay path.

[0082] Event Y2: The measurement result of the candidate relay UE is higher than the preset threshold. If the UE meets the requirements of event Y2, the UE can switch from the current path to the relay path.

[0083] Event Z1: The measurement result of the serving relay UE is lower than threshold 1, and the measurement result of the candidate relay UE is higher than threshold 2. If the UE meets Event Z1, the UE can switch from the current relay path to another relay path.

[0084] The target path after UE handover can be determined based on the measurement results of the candidate relay UE. The candidate relay UE is also called a candidate UE. Currently, the candidate relay UE can send measurement information to the remote UE, including channel measurement results between the candidate relay UE and the remote UE. For example, this measurement information may include channel quality parameters between the candidate relay UE and the remote UE, as well as the candidate relay UE's topology information (such as hop count). The remote UE can send the measurement information sent by the candidate UE, along with its own channel measurement information, to the network device. The network device can determine the target path (or select the target relay UE) based on the information sent by the remote UE. The network device can achieve seamless handover of the service link through dynamic signaling scheduling, ensuring the session continuity of the remote UE.

[0085] Under conditions satisfying one or more of events Y1, Y2, and Z1, the UE may switch to a multi-hop relay path. If the target path is a multi-hop relay path, using the above method to select the target path may result in an unsuitable path being selected. The main reason is that measurement information between adjacent relay UEs is not considered when selecting the target path. This issue will be analyzed in detail below.

[0086] by Figure 3For example, assuming UE 220c is a remote UE and UE 220b is a candidate relay UE, UE 220b sends the measurement results between UE 220b and UE 220c to UE 220c. These measurement results are used to select a target path for UE 220c. When selecting a target path for UE 220c, only the measurement results between UE 220b and UE 220c are considered; the measurement results between UE 220a and UE 220b are not considered. There is a situation where the measurement results between UE 220b and UE 220c are good, but the measurement results between UE 220a and UE 220b are poor. If this path is selected as the target path, it will result in poor communication quality for UE 220c, failing to meet UE 220c's communication requirements, and may even lead to frequent path switching by UE 220c.

[0087] Based on this, embodiments of this application provide a wireless communication method and communication device. When a candidate relay UE sends measurement information to a remote UE, it can also send the measurement results between adjacent relay UEs on the path where the candidate relay UE is located to the remote UE, thereby providing more information for the selection of the target path and making it easier to select a more suitable target path.

[0088] The following is combined Figure 4 The wireless communication method provided in the embodiments of this application will be described in detail.

[0089] Figure 4 The method illustrated is described from the perspective of device interaction. The specific forms and numbers of the devices shown are merely examples and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation of the method provided in this application. The communication method of the embodiments of this application will be described in detail below, taking network devices and terminal devices (such as remote UEs and relay UEs) as the implementing entities.

[0090] It should be understood that the terminal device in the embodiments of this application can be the terminal device itself, or a chip, chip system, or processor that supports the terminal device in implementing communication methods, or a logic module or software that can implement all or part of the terminal device. The network device in the embodiments of this application can be the network device itself, or a chip, chip system, or processor that supports the network device in implementing communication methods, or a logic module or software that can implement all or part of the network device.

[0091] See Figure 4 In step S410, the first UE sends first information to the second UE. The first information can be carried in a discovery message, that is, the first UE can send the first information to the second UE through a discovery message.

[0092] The second UE is a remote UE, and the first UE is a candidate relay UE. The second UE can correspond to multiple candidate relay UEs, and the first UE is one of these multiple candidate relay UEs. The second UE can perform path handover when the current path quality is poor.

[0093] In some implementations, the first UE is a relay UE that can communicate directly with the second UE. The first UE can be called the last-hop relay UE, or a UE-to-network (U2N) relay UE.

[0094] The path where the first UE is located is the first relay path, which can also be called a candidate relay path. The first relay path can be a single-hop relay path or a multi-hop relay path. The second UE establishes a connection with the network device through the relay UE. The first relay path can be the path established by the first UE for communication with the network device.

[0095] by Figure 2 and Figure 3 For example, assuming UE 220b is the first UE, the path UE 220b-UE 220a-base station is the first relay path, and UE 220b establishes a connection with the base station through UE 220a. Here, UE 220a is the first-hop relay UE, and UE 220b is the second-hop relay UE. Figure 3 For example, assuming UE 220c is the first UE, the path UE 220c-UE 220b-UE 220a-base station is the first relay path. UE 220c establishes a connection with the base station through UE 220b and UE 220a. Among them, UE 220a is the first-hop relay UE, UE 220b is the second-hop relay UE, and UE 220c is the third-hop relay UE.

[0096] In some implementations, the first information includes a first measurement result between two adjacent UEs on the first relay path. If the first path includes multiple UEs, then the first information includes the measurement result between any two adjacent UEs on the first path. Figure 3 For example, if the first UE is UE 220b, then the first information includes the measurement results between UE 220b and UE 220a; if the first UE is UE 220c, then the first information includes the measurement results between UE 220b and UE 220a, as well as the measurement results between UE 220c and UE 220b.

[0097] In some implementations, the first measurement result may include one or more of the following: quality parameters and transmission delay. Quality parameters include one or more of the following: signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), reference signal receiving power (RSRP), reference signal receiving quality (RSRQ), and path loss. The SNR can be the signal-to-interference plus noise ratio (SINR).

[0098] In some implementations, the first information may further include a second measurement result between the second UE and the first UE, which can be obtained by the first UE. For example, the first UE can measure the signal transmitted by the second UE to obtain the second measurement result. The first UE can send both the first and second measurement results to the second UE.

[0099] In step S420, the second UE sends first information to the network device. This first information is used to select a target path for the second UE, that is, the network device can select a target path for the second UE based on the first information.

[0100] The target path is a multi-hop relay path. In other words, if the second UE switches to the target path, the second UE establishes a connection with the network device through multiple relay UEs.

[0101] In this embodiment, the candidate relay UE can send the measurement results between any two adjacent UEs on the first relay path to the remote UE. The remote UE or network device can understand the link quality of each hop on the first relay path based on the measurement results, thereby being able to select a target path with good link quality for each hop for the remote UE, that is, to select a more suitable multi-hop relay path for the remote UE.

[0102] In some implementations, the first information includes one or more of the following: hop count information of the first relay path, transmission delay of each hop link on the first relay path, quality parameters of each hop link on the first relay path, and radio resource control (RRC) status of each UE on the first relay path. By carrying more information in the first information, additional information can be provided for the selection of the target path, which is beneficial for remote UEs to switch to a suitable target path.

[0103] The hop count of the first relay path can reflect its transmission latency to some extent. Generally, the higher the hop count of the first relay path, the greater the transmission latency. The hop count of the first relay path can provide additional information for target path selection, enabling the selection of a more suitable target path for the second UE.

[0104] by Figure 2 For example, if the first UE is UE 220b, then the hop count of the first relay path is 2; Figure 3 For example, if the first UE is UE 220c, then the hop count of the first relay path is 3.

[0105] In some implementations, the hop count of the first relay path can be indicated by the UE identifier on the first relay path. Figure 2 For example, if the first UE is UE 220b, then the hop count information of the first relay path includes the identifier of UE 220b and the identifier of UE 220a. Figure 3 For example, if the first UE is UE 220c, then the hop count information of the first relay path includes the identifiers of UE 220c, UE 220b, and UE 220a. The second UE or network device can determine the hop count of the first relay path based on the number of UE identifiers carried in the first information.

[0106] The transmission delay of each hop on the first relay path can refer to the transmission delay between any two adjacent UEs on the first relay path. Figure 2 For example, if the first UE is UE 220b, the first information may include the transmission delay between UE 220b and UE 220a. This transmission delay can be measured by UE 220b. For instance, UE 220b can receive a signal sent by UE 220a and record the reception time of the signal. UE 220a can also send the transmission time of the signal to UE 220b. UE 220b can determine the transmission delay between UE 220b and UE 220a based on the reception and transmission times of the signal.

[0107] by Figure 3 For example, if the first UE is UE 220c, the first information may include the transmission delay between UE 220b and UE 220a, and the transmission delay between UE 220c and UE 220b. The transmission delay between UE 220b and UE 220a can be measured by UE 220b, and the transmission delay between UE 220c and UE 220b can be measured by UE 220c. For specific measurement procedures, please refer to [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 2 For the sake of brevity, the description will not be repeated here.

[0108] The transmission delay of each hop link can provide additional information for the selection of the target path, so as to select a more suitable target path for the second UE.

[0109] The quality parameters of each hop on the first relay path may include one or more of the following: signal-to-noise ratio, RSRP, RSRQ, and path loss. These quality parameters directly reflect the quality of the first relay path and can provide a reference for selecting the target path.

[0110] The RRC state of a UE can include RRC connected (RRC_CONNECTED), RRC idle (RRC_IDLE), and RRC inactive (RRC_INACTIVE) states. If a UE on the target path is in an RRC idle or RRC inactive state, the network device needs to page the UE first to put it in an RRC connected state before performing the subsequent path handover procedure. In this embodiment, the RRC state of the relay UE can be considered when determining the target path, so that the network device can select a more suitable target path for the second UE based on this information.

[0111] When selecting a target path, network devices can choose the path according to the priority of the RRC state. The priority of the RRC state from high to low is: RRC connected state, RRC inactive state, and RRC idle state.

[0112] For example, when selecting a target path, network devices can prioritize UEs in RRC connected state, meaning all UEs on the target path are in RRC connected state. This avoids paging UEs, reducing handover latency and power consumption. If the link quality of a UE in RRC connected state is poor, then UEs in RRC inactive state are selected, meaning the target path includes UEs in RRC inactive state. This reduces the number of times UEs are paging UEs, further reducing handover latency and power consumption. If the link quality of a UE in RRC inactive state is poor, then UEs in RRC idle state are selected, meaning the target path includes UEs in RRC idle state.

[0113] For example, regarding path 1 and path 2, if all UEs on path 1 are in RRC connected state, and at least one UE on path 2 is in RRC inactive state, and the link quality of path 1 and path 2 is similar, then the network device can preferentially select path 1 as the target path. If the RRC states of the UEs on path 1 include RRC inactive state but not RRC idle state, and at least one UE on path 2 is in RRC idle state, and the link quality of path 1 and path 2 is similar, then the network device can preferentially select path 1 as the target path.

[0114] There are several ways for the first UE to send the first information. As an example, the first UE can send the first information to the second UE after receiving a request message from the second UE. This sending mode is also called the active mode, where the second UE actively discovers the candidate relay UE. As another example, the first UE can periodically broadcast the first information; this sending mode is also called the passive mode, where the second UE passively receives the first information. These two modes will be described below.

[0115] In active mode, the second UE can send a first discovery message to the first UE, which is used to discover candidate relay UEs. For example, the second UE can send a discovery request message to the first UE.

[0116] In some implementations, the first discovery message may include the reason for the switch.

[0117] In some implementations, the second UE can send a first discovery message to the first UE in an active mode after disconnecting from the current serving link.

[0118] In passive mode, the first UE can periodically send first information, and the second UE passively receives the first information. If the second UE needs to use the first information, it can send a response message to the first UE; if the second UE does not need to use the first information, it can choose not to send a response message. For example, if the second UE receives the first information and needs to perform a path switch, it can send a response message to the first UE; if the second UE does not currently need to perform a path switch, it can choose not to send a response message.

[0119] In some implementations, the second UE can detect the first information broadcast by the first UE even when the current link quality is poor. Poor current link quality may include a declining trend in the current link quality.

[0120] In passive mode, the broadcast period of the first message is related to one or more of the following: the number of UEs around the first UE, and whether a response message from a remote UE has been received. By dynamically adjusting the broadcast period based on factors such as the number of UEs around the first UE and whether a response message from a remote UE has been received, the broadcast period can be flexibly set as needed, which helps reduce the power consumption of the first UE. These two scenarios are described below.

[0121] The first UE can determine the number of UEs around it by detecting information broadcast by other UEs. The more UEs around the first UE, the longer the broadcast period of the first information is, in order to reduce the power consumption of the first UE; the fewer UEs around the first UE, the shorter the broadcast period of the first information is, in order to provide sufficient information for path switching of remote UEs.

[0122] In some implementations, if the number of UEs around the first UE is greater than a first number, then the broadcast period of the first information is the first period; if the number of UEs around the first UE is less than a second number, then the broadcast period of the first information is the second period, wherein the first period is greater than the second period, and the first number is greater than or equal to the second number.

[0123] The first quantity and the second quantity are two preset thresholds. The first quantity can be understood as a high-density threshold, and the second quantity can be understood as a low-density threshold. The first UE can initially broadcast the first information at a default period. If the number of UEs around the first UE is greater than the first quantity, the first UE can increase the broadcast period to broadcast the first information at the first period. If the number of UEs around the first UE is less than the second quantity, the first UE can decrease the broadcast period to broadcast the first information at the second period.

[0124] The broadcast period of the first message can be expressed by the following formula:

[0125]

[0126]

[0127]

[0128] in, Indicates the broadcast period of the first message. Indicates the default cycle. This indicates the number of UEs surrounding the first UE. Indicates the first quantity. This indicates the second quantity, where K and k are two coefficients.

[0129] Referring to the formula above, the first UE can first use... The first message is broadcast periodically. If the number of UEs around the first UE is detected to be greater than [a certain number], [then the message is broadcast periodically]. Then increase the broadcast cycle, in order to The first message is broadcast periodically; if the number of UEs around the first UE is less than [a certain number], [the message will be broadcast periodically]. Then reduce the broadcast cycle, so as to The first message is broadcast periodically.

[0130] In some implementations, the broadcast period of the first information is related to whether a response message from the remote UE is received. If the first UE does not receive a response message from the remote UE within several periods, it indicates that no remote UE currently needs to perform a path handover. The first UE can increase the broadcast period or stop broadcasting the first information to reduce power consumption. If the first UE receives a response message from the remote UE, it indicates that a remote UE currently needs to perform a path handover. The first UE can maintain the current broadcast period or decrease the broadcast period to support the path handover of the remote UE.

[0131] In some implementations, if the first UE does not receive a response message from the remote UE within multiple cycles, it can enter a low-power sleep state. For example, the first UE can gradually extend the broadcast period of the first information, i.e., the broadcast period of the first information gradually becomes longer. Alternatively, the first UE can stop broadcasting the first information and only maintain the second information, i.e., periodically broadcast the second information to reduce the power consumption of the first UE. The second information includes a third measurement result between two adjacent UEs on the first relay path. The third measurement result includes the quality parameters of each hop link on the first relay path. The third measurement result does not include parameters such as the transmission delay of each hop link, the UE's RRC status, or the hop count information of the first relay path. The second information can be understood as the basic version of the measurement information, and the first information can be understood as the enhanced version of the measurement information.

[0132] In some implementations, the first UE may broadcast the second information at a third period. The broadcast period of the first information may be an integer multiple of the third period. This multiple may be related to network quality, or it may be related to one or more of the following: the number of UEs around the first UE, and whether a response message from a remote UE has been received.

[0133] In some implementations, the first UE can broadcast the second information in a third cycle, regardless of whether the first UE sends the first information. For example, the first UE can broadcast the second information in a third cycle and broadcast the first information in integer multiples of the third cycle.

[0134] In some implementations, the first UE can send a first request message to the network device to request a first measurement configuration. This first measurement configuration can be, for example, a channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) configuration. In response to the first request message, the network device can send the first measurement configuration to the first UE. The first request message can be carried in the SidelinkUEInformationNR signaling. By sending the first request message to the network device, the network device can configure itself for this measurement, thereby improving the measurement mechanism.

[0135] The timing of sending the first request message is related to the mode in which the second UE acquires the first information. As an example, in active mode, the second UE can send a first discovery message to the first UE. This first discovery message is used to discover candidate relay UEs. In response to the first discovery message, the first UE can send a first request message to the network device. In other words, the first request message is triggered by the first discovery message. By having the first request message triggered by the first discovery message, the timing of the first UE sending the first request message is thus clarified.

[0136] As another example, in passive mode, the first UE can maintain a first timer. Upon timeout of the first timer, the first UE sends a first request message to the network device; in other words, the first request message is triggered by the first timer. The duration of the first timer is related to the broadcast period of the first information, ensuring that the time when the first UE obtains the measurement configuration matches the time when the first UE sends the first information. For example, the longer the broadcast period of the first information, the longer the duration of the first timer; the shorter the broadcast period of the first information, the shorter the duration of the first timer. By triggering the first request message by the first timer, the timing of the first UE sending the first request message is clearly defined.

[0137] In some implementations, the first request message may include one or more of the following information: measurement purpose, identifier of the remote UE, and parameters to be measured. Measurement purposes may include relay selection and topology optimization, and the network device can configure a first measurement configuration for the second UE based on the measurement purpose. In active mode, the first UE can obtain the identifier of the remote UE through a first discovery message. Parameters to be measured include one or more of the following: signal-to-noise ratio, transmission delay, path loss, and the UE's RRC status.

[0138] By including the aforementioned information in the first request message, the network device can process the first request message in a targeted manner and configure appropriate measurement configurations for the first UE. For example, the network device can determine the priority of processing the first request message based on the measurement target. Alternatively, the network device can configure matching measurement configurations for the first UE based on the parameters that need to be measured. Furthermore, by including the identifier of the remote UE in the first request message, the network device can clearly identify which remote UEs currently require path handover.

[0139] In some implementations, each UE on the first relay path forwards the first measurement configuration sequentially. Figure 3 For example, assuming the first UE is UE 220c, the network device can first send the first measurement configuration to UE 220a, then UE 220a forwards the first measurement configuration to UE 220b, and then UE 220b forwards the first measurement configuration to UE 220c.

[0140] In some implementations, each UE on the first relay path can receive a reference signal according to a first measurement configuration, measure the reference signal, and obtain a first measurement result. Each UE on the first relay path forwards the reference signal in sequence, records the local measurement value, and sends the local measurement value to the relay UE of the next hop. The reference signal can be, for example, CSI-RS, demodulation reference signal (DMRS), positioning reference signal (PRS), etc.

[0141] For example, with Figure 3 For example, assuming the first UE is UE 220c, UE 220a can receive reference signals sent by the network device. UE 220a can forward this reference signal to UE 220b, and UE 220b can forward the reference signal to UE 220c. Additionally, UE 220a can measure the reference signal, obtaining measurement result 1, which is the measurement result between UE 220a and the network device. UE 220a can send measurement result 1 to UE 220b. UE 220b measures the reference signal, obtaining measurement result 2, which is the measurement result between UE 220a and UE 220b. UE 220b sends both measurement result 1 and measurement result 2 to UE 220c. UE 220c measures the reference signal, obtaining measurement result 3, which is the measurement result between UE 220b and UE 220c. UE 220c can send measurement result 1, measurement result 2 and measurement result 3 to the second UE.

[0142] In some implementations, UE 220a can also send the RRC status of UE 220a to UE 220b, UE 220b can send the RRC status of UE 220a and UE 220b to UE 220c, and UE 220c can send the RRC status of UE 220a, UE 220b and UE 220c to a second UE.

[0143] As mentioned above, the first information may include the hop count information of the first relay path, and this hop count information may include the identifier of the relay UE. Figure 3For example, UE 220a can send the identifier of UE 220a to UE 220b, UE 220b can send the identifier of UE 220b and the identifier of UE 220a to UE 220c, and UE 220c can send the identifier of UE 220c, the identifier of UE 220b and the identifier of UE 220a to the second UE.

[0144] As mentioned above, the first information may include the transmission delay of each hop on the first relay path, which can be measured by each UE on the first relay path. The transmission delay can be determined, for example, based on the transmission time and reception time of the reference signal. Figure 3 For example, UE 220a can measure the transmission delay between UE 220a and the network device, denoted as delay 1. UE 220a can send delay 1 to UE 220b. UE 220b can measure the transmission delay between UE 220b and UE 220a, denoted as delay 2. UE 220b can send delay 2 and delay 1 to UE 220c. UE 220c can measure the transmission delay between UE 220c and UE 220b, denoted as delay 3. UE 220c can send delay 3, delay 2, and delay 1 to the second UE.

[0145] In some implementations, the second UE can receive first information sent by multiple candidate relay UEs. The second UE can filter the first information and send the filtered first information to the network device, thereby reducing not only transmission overhead but also the computational load on the network device and reducing handover decision latency.

[0146] In some implementations, the second UE can filter the first information based on the order in which it is received. For example, the second UE can send one or more pieces of first information received earlier to the network device. In some implementations, the second UE can remove some first information with significantly poor measurement results and send the filtered first information to the network device.

[0147] The following is combined with Figure 5 and Figure 6 The process of sending measurement results in active and passive modes will be described separately.

[0148] Figure 5 This shows the process of sending measurement results in active mode.

[0149] See Figure 5 In step S510, the second UE sends a first discovery message to the first UE through the PC5 interface.

[0150] In step S520, in response to the first discovery message, the first UE sends a first request message to the network device through the Uu interface.

[0151] In step S530, in response to the first request message, the network device sends CSI-RS to the first UE.

[0152] In step S540, the first UE can receive the CSI-RS and perform measurements on the CSI-RS to obtain measurement results. Additionally, the first UE can also receive measurement results sent by other UEs on the first relay path.

[0153] In step S550, the first UE can aggregate the measurement results of each UE on the first relay path and send the aggregated measurement results to the second UE. The measurement results are carried in the discovery response message.

[0154] Figure 6 This shows the process of sending measurement results in passive mode.

[0155] See Figure 6 In step S610, in response to the expiration of the first timer, the first UE sends a first request message to the network device through the Uu interface.

[0156] In step S620, in response to the first request message, the network device sends CSI-RS to the first UE.

[0157] In step S630, the first UE can receive the CSI-RS and perform measurements on the CSI-RS to obtain measurement results. Additionally, the first UE can also receive measurement results sent by other UEs on the first relay path.

[0158] In step S640, the first UE can aggregate the measurement results of each UE on the first relay path and send the aggregated measurement results via a broadcast message. This broadcast message can be sent periodically. The second UE can detect the measurement results broadcast by the first UE.

[0159] Network devices can determine a target path based on multiple evaluation metrics. These metrics may include, for example, one or more of the following: the quality of each hop link, the number of hops in the path, and the RRC status of the relay UE. In some implementations, the multiple evaluation metrics may also include the cell ID of the candidate UE.

[0160] Based on the first information reported by the second UE, the network device selects a target path for the second UE. After determining the target path, the network device can send RRC reconfiguration messages to each relay UE on the target path.

[0161] by Figure 7For example, in step S710, the second UE sends the first information to the network device.

[0162] In step S720, the network device determines the target path and the target relay UE based on the first information.

[0163] exist Figure 7 In the scheme shown, the target relay UEs include relay UE1, relay UE2 and relay UE3.

[0164] In step S730, the network device sends an RRC reconfiguration message for the second UE to relay UE3. Relay UE3 modifies the RRC connection based on this RRC reconfiguration message.

[0165] In step S740, the network device sends an RRC reconfiguration message for the second UE to relay UE2. Relay UE2 modifies the RRC connection based on this RRC reconfiguration message.

[0166] In step S750, the network device sends an RRC reconfiguration message for the second UE to relay UE1. Relay UE1 modifies the RRC connection based on this RRC reconfiguration message.

[0167] In step S760, the network device sends an RRC reconfiguration message to the second UE.

[0168] The RRC reconfiguration message includes the identifier of relay UE1, the identifier of the second UE, and RLC channel configuration information. The second UE can establish a PC5 connection with relay UE1 based on the RLC channel configuration information and the identifier of relay UE1.

[0169] After receiving the RRC reconfiguration message, the second UE can stop user plane transmission and control plane transmission on the current path.

[0170] In step S770, in response to the RRC reconfiguration message, the second UE establishes a PC5 connection with the relay UE1.

[0171] In step S780, after establishing the PC5 connection with relay UE1, the second UE sends an RRC reconfiguration complete message to the network device, thereby completing the path handover. At this point, the second UE has switched to the target path and can communicate with the network device through the target path.

[0172] If a UE on the target path is in an RRC disconnected state (such as RRC idle or RRC active), the network device can first page the UE and then send an RRC reconfiguration message to it. Figure 7For example, if relay UE3 is in an RRC inactive state, the network device sends a paging message to relay UE3. In response to this paging message, relay UE3 sends an RRC recovery request (RRCResumeRequest) to restore the RRC connection. After relay UE3 restores the RRC connection, the network device sends an RRC reconfiguration message to relay UE3.

[0173] The application scenario in this application embodiment can also be a vehicle communication scenario, that is, the first UE or the second UE mentioned above can be a vehicle. As a mobile relay node, the vehicle can provide multi-hop relay services to other vehicles or roadside equipment in environments with high-speed movement and rapid changes in network topology.

[0174] The above text combined Figures 1-7 The method embodiments of this application are described in detail below, in conjunction with... Figures 8-11 This section describes the apparatus embodiments of this application. It should be understood that the descriptions of the method embodiments correspond to the descriptions of the apparatus embodiments; therefore, any parts not described in detail can be found in the foregoing method embodiments.

[0175] Figure 8 This is a schematic block diagram of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 8 As shown, the communication device 800 includes a transmitting module 810.

[0176] In one possible implementation, the device 800 can be used to perform the steps described above by the first UE. The first UE is a candidate relay UE for the second UE, and the second UE is a remote UE.

[0177] The sending module 810 is configured to: send first information to the second UE, the first information including a first measurement result between two adjacent UEs on a first relay path, the first relay path being the relay path where the first UE is located, the first information being used to select a target path for the second UE, the target path being a multi-hop relay path.

[0178] In some implementations, the sending module 810 is configured to: periodically broadcast the first information, wherein the broadcast period of the first information is related to one or more of the following: the number of UEs around the first UE, and whether a response message from a remote UE has been received.

[0179] In some implementations, if the number of UEs around the first UE is greater than a first number, then the broadcast period of the first information is a first period; if the number of UEs around the first UE is less than a second number, then the broadcast period of the first information is a second period, the first period is greater than the second period, and the first number is greater than or equal to the second number.

[0180] In some implementations, the device 800 further includes a processing module for: increasing the transmission period of the first information or stopping the broadcast of the first information if no response message is received from the remote UE within multiple periods.

[0181] In some implementations, the sending module 810 is further configured to: periodically broadcast second information, the broadcast period of the second information being less than the broadcast period of the first information; wherein the first information includes one or more of the following: hop count information of the first relay path, transmission delay of each hop link on the first relay path, quality parameters of each hop link on the first relay path, and Radio Resource Control (RRC) status of each UE on the first relay path; the second information includes quality parameters of each hop link on the first relay path.

[0182] In some implementations, the sending module 810 is further configured to: send a first request message to the network device, the first request message being used to request to obtain a first measurement configuration, the first measurement configuration being used to determine the first measurement result.

[0183] In some implementations, the apparatus 800 further includes a receiving module, configured to: receive a first discovery message sent by a second UE before sending the first request message to the network device, the first discovery message being used to discover a candidate relay UE; the sending module 810 is configured to: send the first request message to the network device in response to the first discovery message.

[0184] In some implementations, the sending module 810 is configured to: send the first request message to the network device in response to a first timer timeout, wherein the duration of the first timer is related to the broadcast period of the first information.

[0185] In some implementations, the first request message includes one or more of the following information: measurement purpose, identifier of the remote UE, and parameters to be measured.

[0186] In some implementations, the parameters to be measured include one or more of the following: signal-to-noise ratio, transmission delay, path loss, and UE's RRC status.

[0187] In some implementations, the first information includes one or more of the following: hop count information of the first relay path, transmission delay of each hop link on the first relay path, quality parameters of each hop link on the first relay path, and RRC status of each UE on the first relay path.

[0188] Figure 9This is a schematic block diagram of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 9 As shown, the communication device 900 includes a receiving module 910 and a transmitting module 920.

[0189] In one possible implementation, the device 900 can be used to perform the steps described above by the second UE, wherein the second UE is a remote UE.

[0190] The receiving module 910 is configured to: receive first information from a first UE, wherein the first UE is a candidate relay UE of the second UE, and the first information includes a first measurement result between two adjacent UEs on a first relay path, wherein the first relay path is the relay path where the first UE is located.

[0191] The sending module 920 is used to: send the first information to the network device, wherein the first information is used to select a target path for the second UE, and the target path is a multi-hop relay path.

[0192] In some implementations, the first UE sends the first information by periodic broadcasting, and the broadcast period of the first information is related to one or more of the following: the number of UEs around the first UE, and whether a response message is received from a remote UE.

[0193] In some implementations, if the number of UEs around the first UE is greater than a first number, then the broadcast period of the first information is a first period; if the number of UEs around the first UE is less than a second number, then the broadcast period of the first information is a second period, the first period is greater than the second period, and the first number is greater than or equal to the second number.

[0194] In some implementations, the sending module 920 is further configured to: send a first discovery message to the first UE, the first discovery message being used to discover a candidate relay UE, the first discovery message being used to trigger the first UE to send a first request message to the network device, the first request message being used to request to obtain a first measurement configuration, the first measurement configuration being used to determine the first measurement result.

[0195] In some implementations, the first request message includes one or more of the following information: measurement purpose, identifier of the remote UE, and parameters to be measured.

[0196] In some implementations, the parameters to be measured include one or more of the following: signal-to-noise ratio, transmission delay, path loss, and the UE's Radio Resource Control (RRC) status.

[0197] In some implementations, the first information includes one or more of the following: hop count information of the first relay path, transmission delay of each hop link on the first relay path, quality parameters of each hop link on the first relay path, and RRC status of each UE on the first relay path.

[0198] Figure 10 This is a schematic block diagram of a communication device provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 10 As shown, the communication device 1000 includes a receiving module 1010.

[0199] In one possible implementation, the device 1000 can be used to perform the steps described above by the network device.

[0200] The receiving module 1010 is configured to: receive first information from a second user equipment (UE), the first information being sent from a first UE to the second UE, the second UE being a remote UE, the first UE being a candidate relay UE for the second UE, the first information including a first measurement result between two adjacent UEs on a first relay path, the first relay path being the relay path where the first UE is located, and the first information being used to select a target path for the second UE, the target path being a multi-hop relay path.

[0201] In some implementations, the first UE sends the first information by periodic broadcasting, and the broadcast period of the first information is related to one or more of the following: the number of UEs around the first UE, and whether a response message is received from a remote UE.

[0202] In some implementations, if the number of UEs around the first UE is greater than a first number, then the broadcast period of the first information is a first period; if the number of UEs around the first UE is less than a second number, then the broadcast period of the first information is a second period, the first period is greater than the second period, and the first number is greater than or equal to the second number.

[0203] In some implementations, the method further includes: receiving a first request message from the first UE, the first request message being used to request obtaining a first measurement configuration, the first measurement configuration being used to determine the first measurement result.

[0204] In some implementations, the first request message is triggered by a first discovery message, which is sent from the second UE to the first UE, and the first discovery message is used to discover candidate relay UEs.

[0205] In some implementations, the first request message is triggered by a first timer, the duration of which is related to the broadcast period of the first message.

[0206] In some implementations, the first request message includes one or more of the following information: measurement purpose, identifier of the remote UE, and parameters to be measured.

[0207] In some implementations, the parameters to be measured include one or more of the following: signal-to-noise ratio, transmission delay, path loss, and the UE's Radio Resource Control (RRC) status.

[0208] In some implementations, the first information includes one or more of the following: hop count information of the first relay path, transmission delay of each hop link on the first relay path, quality parameters of each hop link on the first relay path, and RRC status of each UE on the first relay path.

[0209] It should be understood that devices 800-1000 here are embodied in the form of functional modules. The term "module" here can refer to application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), electronic circuits, processors (e.g., shared processors, proprietary processors, or group processors, etc.) and memories for executing one or more software or firmware programs, integrated logic circuits, and / or other suitable components supporting the described functions. In an alternative example, those skilled in the art will understand that device 800 may specifically be the first UE in the above embodiments, and device 800 may be used to execute the various processes and / or steps corresponding to the first UE in the above method embodiments. Device 900 may specifically be the second UE in the above embodiments, and device 900 may be used to execute the various processes and / or steps corresponding to the second UE in the above method embodiments. Device 1000 may specifically be the network device in the above embodiments, and device 1000 may be used to execute the various processes and / or steps corresponding to the network device in the above method embodiments. To avoid repetition, further details are omitted here.

[0210] The aforementioned device 800 has the function of implementing the corresponding steps performed by the first UE in the aforementioned method, the device 900 has the function of implementing the corresponding steps performed by the second UE in the aforementioned method, and the device 1000 has the function of implementing the corresponding steps performed by the network device in the aforementioned method. These functions can be implemented in hardware or by hardware executing corresponding software. The hardware or software includes one or more modules corresponding to the aforementioned functions.

[0211] In embodiments of this application, devices 800-1000 can also be chips, such as system-on-chip (SOC) or modems. Correspondingly, the receiving module and the transmitting module can be the transceiver circuits of the chip, and are not limited herein.

[0212] Figure 11 This is a schematic structural diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of this application. Figure 11 The dashed lines indicate that the unit or module is optional. The device 1100 can be used to implement the methods described in the above method embodiments. The device 1100 can be a chip, a first UE, a second UE, or a network device.

[0213] Apparatus 1100 may include one or more processors 1110. The processor 1110 may support apparatus 1100 in implementing the methods described in the preceding method embodiments. The processor 1110 may be a general-purpose processor or a special-purpose processor. For example, the processor may be a central processing unit (CPU). Alternatively, the processor may be other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), ASICs, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, etc. The general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor or any conventional processor.

[0214] The apparatus 1100 may further include one or more memories 1120. The memories 1120 store a program that can be executed by the processor 1110, causing the processor 1110 to perform the methods described in the preceding method embodiments. The memories 1120 may be independent of the processor 1110 or integrated within the processor 1110.

[0215] The device 1100 may also include a transceiver 1130. The processor 1110 can communicate with other devices or chips via the transceiver 1130. For example, the processor 1110 can send and receive data with other devices or chips via the transceiver 1130.

[0216] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium for storing a program. This computer-readable storage medium can be applied to a terminal device or network device provided in this application, and the program causes a computer to execute the methods performed by the terminal device or network device in various embodiments of this application. The terminal device can be a first UE or a second UE.

[0217] This application also provides a computer program product. The computer program product includes a program. This computer program product can be applied to a terminal device or network device provided in the embodiments of this application, and the program causes a computer to execute the methods performed by the terminal device or network device in the various embodiments of this application. The terminal device can be a first UE or a second UE.

[0218] This application also provides a computer program. This computer program can be applied to a terminal device or network device provided in this application, and the computer program causes a computer to execute the methods performed by the terminal device or network device in various embodiments of this application. The terminal device can be a first UE or a second UE.

[0219] It should be understood that in the embodiments of this application, "B corresponding to A" means that B is associated with A, and B can be determined based on A. However, it should also be understood that determining B based on A does not mean that B is determined solely based on A; B can also be determined based on A and / or other information.

[0220] It should be understood that the term "and / or" in this article is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, or B existing alone. Additionally, the character " / " in this article generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0221] It should be understood that in the various embodiments of this application, the order of the above-mentioned processes does not imply the order of execution. The execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of this application.

[0222] In this application, entity A sends information to entity B, either directly or indirectly through other entities. Similarly, entity B receives information from entity A, either directly or indirectly through other entities. Entities A and B can be RAN nodes or terminals, or modules within RAN nodes or terminals. Information transmission and reception can be between RAN nodes and terminals, such as between a base station and a terminal; between two RAN nodes, such as between a CU and a DU; or between different modules within a single device, such as between a terminal chip and other modules of the terminal, or between a base station chip and other modules of the base station.

[0223] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, apparatuses, and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the division of units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection between apparatuses or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0224] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0225] In addition, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit.

[0226] In the above embodiments, implementation can be achieved entirely or partially through software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented using software, it can be implemented entirely or partially in the form of a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer instructions. When the computer program instructions are loaded and executed on a computer, all or part of the processes or functions described in the embodiments of this application are generated. The computer can be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, or other programmable device. The computer instructions can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transmitted from one computer-readable storage medium to another. For example, the computer instructions can be transmitted from one website, computer, server, or data center to another website, computer, server, or data center via wired (e.g., coaxial cable, fiber optic, digital subscriber line (DSL)) or wireless (e.g., infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.) means. The computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium that a computer can read or a data storage device such as a server or data center that integrates one or more available media. The available media may be magnetic media (e.g., floppy disks, hard disks, magnetic tapes), optical media (e.g., digital video discs (DVDs)), or semiconductor media (e.g., solid-state disks (SSDs)).

[0227] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that, The method is applied to a first user equipment, which is a candidate relay user equipment for a second user equipment, and the second user equipment is a remote user equipment. The method includes: Send first information to the second user equipment, the first information including a first measurement result between two adjacent user equipments on a first relay path, the first relay path being the relay path where the first user equipment is located, the first information being used to select a target path for the second user equipment, the target path being a multi-hop relay path; Sending the first information to the second user equipment includes: The first information is broadcast periodically, and the broadcast period of the first information is related to one or more of the following: the number of user equipments around the first user equipment, whether a response message is received from a remote user equipment, wherein the response message is sent when the remote user equipment needs to perform a path switch; wherein, the more user equipments around the first user equipment, the shorter the broadcast period of the first information; the fewer user equipments around the first user equipment, the longer the broadcast period of the first information. The method further includes: If no response message is received from the remote user equipment within multiple cycles, the broadcast period of the first information is increased or the broadcast of the first information is stopped.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, If the number of user devices around the first user device is greater than a first number, then the broadcast period of the first information is a first period; if the number of user devices around the first user device is less than a second number, then the broadcast period of the first information is a second period, the first period is greater than the second period, and the first number is greater than or equal to the second number.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The method further includes: A second message is broadcast periodically, and the broadcast period of the second message is shorter than the broadcast period of the first message. The first information includes one or more of the following: hop count information of the first relay path, transmission delay of each hop link on the first relay path, quality parameters of each hop link on the first relay path, and Radio Resource Control (RRC) status of each user equipment on the first relay path; the second information includes quality parameters of each hop link on the first relay path.

4. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The method further includes: A first request message is sent to the network device. The first request message is used to request to obtain a first measurement configuration, and the first measurement configuration is used to determine the first measurement result.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that, Before sending the first request message to the network device, the method further includes: Receive a first discovery message sent by a second user equipment, the first discovery message being used to discover candidate relay user equipment; Sending the first request message to the network device includes: In response to the first discovery message, the first request message is sent to the network device.

6. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that, Sending the first request message to the network device includes: In response to the expiration of the first timer, the first request message is sent to the network device, the duration of the first timer being related to the broadcast period of the first message.

7. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first request message includes one or more of the following information: measurement purpose, identifier of remote user equipment, and parameters to be measured.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The parameters to be measured include one or more of the following: signal-to-noise ratio, transmission delay, path loss, and RRC status of user equipment.

9. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The first information includes one or more of the following: hop count information of the first relay path, transmission delay of each hop link on the first relay path, quality parameters of each hop link on the first relay path, and RRC status of each user equipment on the first relay path.

10. A communication method, characterized in that, The method is applied to a second user equipment, which is a remote user equipment, and the method includes: First information is received from a first user equipment, where the first user equipment is a candidate relay user equipment for the second user equipment. The first information includes a first measurement result between two adjacent user equipments on a first relay path, where the first relay path is the relay path where the first user equipment is located. Send the first information to the network device, the first information being used to select a target path for the second user equipment, the target path being a multi-hop relay path; The first user equipment sends the first information by periodic broadcasting. The broadcast period of the first information is related to one or more of the following: the number of user equipments around the first user equipment, and whether a response message is received from a remote user equipment, wherein the response message is sent when the remote user equipment needs to perform a path switch. The more user equipments around the first user equipment, the shorter the broadcast period of the first information; the fewer user equipments around the first user equipment, the longer the broadcast period of the first information. If the first user equipment does not receive a response message from the remote user equipment within multiple periods, the broadcast period of the first information is increased or the broadcast of the first information is stopped.

11. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that, If the number of user devices around the first user device is greater than a first number, then the broadcast period of the first information is a first period; if the number of user devices around the first user device is less than a second number, then the broadcast period of the first information is a second period, the first period is greater than the second period, and the first number is greater than or equal to the second number.

12. The method according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that, The method further includes: A first discovery message is sent to the first user equipment. The first discovery message is used to discover candidate relay user equipment. The first discovery message is used to trigger the first user equipment to send a first request message to the network device. The first request message is used to request to obtain a first measurement configuration. The first measurement configuration is used to determine the first measurement result.

13. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that, The first request message includes one or more of the following information: measurement purpose, identifier of remote user equipment, and parameters to be measured.

14. The method according to claim 13, characterized in that, The parameters to be measured include one or more of the following: signal-to-noise ratio, transmission delay, path loss, and Radio Resource Control (RRC) status of the user equipment.

15. The method according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that, The first information includes one or more of the following: hop count information of the first relay path, transmission delay of each hop link on the first relay path, quality parameters of each hop link on the first relay path, and RRC status of each user equipment on the first relay path.

16. A communication method, characterized in that, The method is applied to a network device, and the method includes: The first information is received from the second user equipment, which is sent from the first user equipment to the second user equipment. The second user equipment is a remote user equipment, and the first user equipment is a candidate relay user equipment for the second user equipment. The first information includes a first measurement result between two adjacent user equipments on a first relay path. The first relay path is the relay path where the first user equipment is located. The first information is used to select a target path for the second user equipment, and the target path is a multi-hop relay path. The first user equipment sends the first information by periodic broadcasting. The broadcast period of the first information is related to one or more of the following: the number of user equipments around the first user equipment, and whether a response message is received from a remote user equipment, wherein the response message is sent when the remote user equipment needs to perform a path switch. The more user equipments around the first user equipment, the shorter the broadcast period of the first information; the fewer user equipments around the first user equipment, the longer the broadcast period of the first information. If the first user equipment does not receive a response message from the remote user equipment within multiple periods, the broadcast period of the first information is increased or the broadcast of the first information is stopped.

17. A communication device, characterized in that, include: A processor coupled to a memory for storing a computer program, which, when invoked by the processor, causes the communication device to perform the method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, or the method as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 15, or the method as claimed in claim 16.

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