Communication method and communication device

Abstract

The invention provides a communication method and a communication device. Configuration data used for opening a first device can be obtained from network management equipment through first information used for indicating the installation state of the first device of access network equipment. In other words, the network management equipment can issue the configuration data by taking the communication equipment forming the access network equipment as the granularity, so that station opening of the granularity of the communication equipment is realized. In this way, the flexibility of station opening can be improved.

Description

Communication method and communication device Technical Field

[0001] The embodiments of the present application relate to the field of communications, and more specifically, to a communication method and a communication device. Background Art

[0002] The commissioning of access network equipment typically involves two phases: installation and commissioning. During the installation phase, site maintenance personnel complete the installation by connecting the hardware according to the access network equipment's installation drawings. During the commissioning phase, site maintenance personnel pass the site name and the access network equipment's electronic serial number (ESN) to back-end network management personnel. The network management personnel associate the commissioning data with the ESN based on the site name and ESN, then notify the site maintenance personnel that the commissioning data configuration is complete. The site maintenance personnel then powers on the access network equipment. After the access network equipment is powered on, the personnel retrieve the commissioning data corresponding to the ESN from the network management equipment, commissioning the access network equipment.

[0003] Currently, the deployment of access network equipment is based on the granularity of the entire access network equipment, which is not flexible enough.

[0004] Summary of the Invention

[0005] The embodiments of the present application provide a communication method and a communication device to improve the flexibility of site deployment.

[0006] In a first aspect, a communication method is provided, which can be performed by a radio frequency unit of an access network device, a baseband unit of an access network device, or a collection device independent of the access network device (hereinafter referred to as the collection device), or by a module or unit in the radio frequency unit of the access network device, the baseband unit of the access network device, or the collection device.

[0007] The method includes: obtaining first information, the first information is used to indicate the installation status of a first device of an access network device, and the first information is used to obtain configuration data of the first device, the configuration data is used to activate the first device; and sending the first information.

[0008] The first device of the access network device is a part of the access network device and can be an independent communication device, such as a baseband unit or radio frequency unit of the access network device. The baseband unit can be a BBU (baseband unit), and the radio frequency unit can be a remote radio unit (RRU), a radio frequency unit (RFU), an active antenna unit (AAU), or a remote radio head (RRH).

[0009] In the above method, configuration data for activating the first device can be obtained using the first information indicating the installation status of the first device. In other words, configuration data can be distributed at the granularity of the communication devices that make up the access network, enabling site deployment at the communication device granularity. This helps increase site deployment flexibility.

[0010] In combination with the first aspect, in a possible implementation manner, the first information includes at least one of the following information: position information, azimuth information, or altitude information.

[0011] Because the installation status (e.g., installation location, azimuth, altitude, etc.) of the communication devices that comprise the access network equipment is strongly correlated with their configuration data, the installation status can be used to accurately distinguish the communication devices that comprise the access network equipment. Therefore, in the above method, the configuration data of the first device can be accurately obtained using at least one of the location information, azimuth information, or altitude information indicating the first device.

[0012] In combination with the first aspect or any implementation thereof, in another possible implementation, the sending of the first information includes: sending the first information to a network management device; the method also includes: receiving the configuration data from the network management device, the configuration data being associated with the first information.

[0013] For example, if the radio frequency unit, baseband unit or collection device of the access network device can access the network management device, after obtaining the first information, it can directly communicate with the network management device and obtain the configuration data associated with the first information through the first information.

[0014] In combination with the first aspect or any implementation manner thereof, in another possible implementation manner, the method further includes: sending the configuration data to the first device.

[0015] For example, when the method is executed by the baseband unit or collection device of the access network device, and the first device is the radio frequency unit of the access network management device, the baseband unit or collection device of the access network device can further send configuration data to the radio frequency unit after obtaining the configuration data so as to activate the radio frequency unit.

[0016] In combination with the first aspect or any implementation manner thereof, in another possible implementation manner, obtaining the first information includes: collecting the first information, or receiving the first information.

[0017] For example, when the first device is a radio frequency unit of an access network device, and the method is executed by a collection device or the radio frequency unit, the first information can be obtained through collection.

[0018] For another example, when the first device is a radio frequency unit of an access network device and the method is executed by the radio frequency unit, the radio frequency unit may receive the first information from the collection unit.

[0019] For another example, when the first device is a radio frequency unit of an access network device, and the method is executed by a baseband unit of the access network device, the baseband unit may receive the first information from the radio frequency unit.

[0020] In combination with the first aspect or any implementation manner thereof, in another possible implementation manner, sending the first information includes: sending the first information to the first device.

[0021] For example, when the first device is a radio frequency unit of an access network device, the method is performed by a collection device, and the collection device cannot access the network management device, the collection device can send first information to the radio frequency unit, so that the radio frequency unit sends the first information to the network management device. That is, the collection device collects and provides the first information to the radio frequency unit, and the radio frequency unit then uses the first information to obtain its configuration data from the network management device.

[0022] In combination with the first aspect or any implementation thereof, in another possible implementation, the method used to communicate with the first device includes at least one of the following methods: end-to-end, side link, near-field-based service, Bluetooth, wireless high-fidelity, wireless high-fidelity direct connection, ZigBee, radio frequency identification, infrared data transmission, ultra-wideband, near-field communication, Ethernet or serial communication.

[0023] In combination with the first aspect or any implementation thereof, in another possible implementation, the sending of the first information includes: sending the first information to the baseband unit of the access network device; the method also includes: receiving configuration data from the baseband unit, the configuration data being associated with the first information, and the configuration data being obtained by the baseband unit from a network management device.

[0024] For example, when the first device is a radio frequency unit of an access network device, the method is executed by the radio frequency unit, and the radio frequency unit cannot access the network management device, the radio frequency unit can communicate with the network management device through the baseband unit, including sending first information or receiving configuration data.

[0025] In combination with the first aspect or any implementation manner thereof, in another possible implementation manner, obtaining the first information includes: collecting the first information or receiving the first information.

[0026] For example, when the first device is a radio frequency unit of an access network device and the method is executed by the radio frequency unit, the first information can be obtained through collection, or the first information can be received from a collection device.

[0027] In a second aspect, a communication method is provided. The communication method can be executed by a network management device, or by a module or unit in the network management device.

[0028] The method includes: receiving first information, the first information is used to indicate the installation status of a first device of an access network device; obtaining configuration data associated with the first information, the configuration data is configuration data of the first device, and the configuration data is used to activate the first device; and sending the configuration data.

[0029] The first device of the access network device is a part of the access network device and can be an independent communication device, such as a baseband unit or radio frequency unit of the access network device. The baseband unit can be a BBU, and the radio frequency unit can be an RRU, RFU, AAU, or RRH.

[0030] In the above method, configuration data for activating the first device can be obtained using the first information indicating the installation status of the first device. In other words, configuration data can be distributed at the granularity of the communication devices that make up the access network, enabling site deployment at the communication device granularity. This helps increase site deployment flexibility.

[0031] In combination with the second aspect, in a possible implementation manner, the first information includes at least one of the following information: position information, azimuth information, or altitude information.

[0032] Because the installation status (e.g., installation location, altitude, azimuth, etc.) of the communication devices that comprise the access network equipment is strongly correlated with their configuration data, the installation status can be used to accurately distinguish the communication devices that comprise the access network equipment. Therefore, in the above method, the configuration data of the first device can be accurately obtained using at least one of the location information, azimuth information, or altitude information indicating the first device.

[0033] In combination with the second aspect or any implementation thereof, in another possible implementation, the receiving of the first information includes: receiving the first information from the first device or the second device, the first device and the second device are different, and the first device includes a radio frequency unit and / or a baseband unit.

[0034] In other words, the first device or a second device other than the first device may provide the network management device with the installation status of the first device. For example, when the first device is a radio frequency unit, the second device may be a baseband unit or a data acquisition device.

[0035] In combination with the second aspect or any implementation thereof, in another possible implementation, sending the configuration data includes: sending the configuration data to the first device or the second device, the first device and the second device are different, and the first device includes a radio frequency unit and / or a baseband unit.

[0036] In other words, the network management device can provide the configuration data of the first device to the first device or a second device other than the first device. For example, when the first device is a radio frequency unit, the second device can be a baseband unit or a data acquisition device.

[0037] In a third aspect, a communication device is provided, which is configured to execute the method provided by any of the above aspects or implementations thereof. Specifically, the device may include units and / or modules, such as a processing unit and / or a communication unit, configured to execute the method provided by any of the above aspects or implementations thereof.

[0038] In one implementation, the apparatus is a radio frequency unit (RFU) of an access network device, a baseband unit (BBU) of an access network device, a data acquisition device, or a network management device. When the apparatus is a RFU, a BBU, a data acquisition device, or a network management device of an access network device, the communication unit may be a transceiver, an input / output interface, or a communication interface; and the processing unit may be at least one processor. Optionally, the transceiver is a transceiver circuit. Optionally, the input / output interface is an input / output circuit.

[0039] In another implementation, the device is a chip, chip system, or circuit in a radio frequency unit, baseband unit, data acquisition device, or network management device for an access network device. When the device is a chip, chip system, or circuit in a radio frequency unit, baseband unit, data acquisition device, or network management device for an access network device, the communication unit may be an input / output interface, interface circuit, output circuit, input circuit, pin, or related circuit on the chip, chip system, or circuit; and the processing unit may be at least one processor, processing circuit, or logic circuit.

[0040] In a fourth aspect, a communication device is provided, comprising: a memory for storing programs; and at least one processor for executing computer programs or instructions stored in the memory to perform the method provided by any one of the above aspects or its implementation.

[0041] In one implementation, the device is a radio frequency unit of an access network device, a baseband unit of an access network device, a collection device, or a network management device.

[0042] In another implementation, the device is a chip, a chip system, or a circuit used in a radio frequency unit of an access network device, a baseband unit of an access network device, a collection device, or a network management device.

[0043] In a fifth aspect, a communication device is provided, comprising: at least one processor and a communication interface, wherein the at least one processor is configured to retrieve a computer program or instruction stored in a memory through the communication interface to execute the method provided by any of the above aspects or implementations thereof. The communication interface may be implemented in hardware or software.

[0044] In one implementation, the device further includes the memory.

[0045] In a sixth aspect, a processor is provided for executing the methods provided in the above aspects.

[0046] For the operations such as sending and acquiring / receiving involved in the processor, unless otherwise specified, or if they do not conflict with their actual functions or internal logic in the relevant descriptions, they can be understood as operations such as processor output, reception, and input, or as sending and receiving operations performed by the radio frequency circuit and antenna. This application does not limit this.

[0047] In a seventh aspect, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, which stores a program code for execution by a device, wherein the program code includes a method for executing any one of the above aspects or its implementation.

[0048] In an eighth aspect, a computer program product comprising instructions is provided, which, when run on a computer, enables the computer to execute the method provided by any one of the above aspects or its implementation.

[0049] In a ninth aspect, a chip is provided, comprising a processor and a communication interface, wherein the processor reads instructions stored in a memory through the communication interface and executes the method provided by any one of the above aspects or implementations thereof. The communication interface may be implemented in hardware or software.

[0050] Optionally, as an implementation method, the chip also includes a memory, in which a computer program or instruction is stored, and the processor is used to execute the computer program or instruction stored in the memory. When the computer program or instruction is executed, the processor is used to execute the method provided by any of the above aspects or its implementation methods.

[0051] When the method provided in this application is executed by a chip, this application does not limit the number of chips that implement the method. For example, the method can be executed by one chip or by two or more chips. Furthermore, when the number of chips implementing the method of this application is two or more, the chip manufacturers are not limited and can be the same manufacturer or different manufacturers.

[0052] In a tenth aspect, a computer program is provided, which, when executed on a computer, enables the method provided by any one of the above aspects or its implementation to be executed.

[0053] In an eleventh aspect, a communication system is provided, comprising a communication device and a network management device for executing the method described in the first aspect or its implementation method. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0054] FIG1 is a system architecture suitable for the method provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0055] FIG2 is a schematic flowchart of a communication method 200 provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0056] FIG3 is a schematic flowchart of a communication method 300 provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0057] FIG4 is an example of a communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0058] FIG5 is a schematic structural diagram of a device provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0059] FIG6 is another schematic diagram of the structure of the device provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0060] FIG7 is another schematic diagram of the structure of the device provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0061] To facilitate understanding of the embodiments of the present application, the following points are explained before introducing the embodiments of the present application.

[0062] In this application, "used to indicate" or "indicate" can include direct indication and indirect indication, or "used to indicate" or "indicate" can indicate explicitly and / or implicitly. For example, when describing that a certain information is used to indicate information I, it can include that the information directly indicates I or indirectly indicates I, but it does not mean that the information necessarily carries I. For another example, implicit indication can be based on the location and / or resources used for transmission; explicit indication can be based on one or more parameters, and / or one or more indexes, and / or one or more bit patterns represented by it.

[0063] In the embodiments shown below, the first, second, third, fourth and various numbers are only used for the convenience of description and are not intended to limit the scope of the embodiments of the present application. For example, they are used to distinguish different devices, different information, etc.

[0064] This application will present various aspects, embodiments, or features around systems including multiple devices, components, modules, etc. It should be understood and appreciated that each system may include additional devices, components, modules, etc., and / or may not include all of the devices, components, modules, etc. discussed in conjunction with the figures. Furthermore, combinations of these aspects may also be used.

[0065] In the embodiments of this application, words such as "exemplary," "for example," "illustratively," and "as another example" are used to indicate examples, illustrations, or descriptions. Any embodiment or design described as an "exemplary" in this application should not be construed as being preferred or advantageous over other embodiments or designs. Rather, the use of the word "exemplary" is intended to present concepts in a concrete manner.

[0066] The terms "include", "comprising", "having" and variations thereof mean "including but not limited to", unless specifically emphasized otherwise.

[0067] "At least one" means one or more, and "more" means two or more. "And / or" describes the association relationship of associated objects, indicating that three relationships may exist. For example, A and / or B can mean: A exists alone, A and B exist at the same time, and B exists alone, where A and B can be singular or plural. The character " / " generally indicates that the previous and next associated objects are in an "or" relationship. "At least one of the following items" or similar expressions refers to any combination of these items, including any combination of single items or plural items. For example, at least one of a, b and c can mean: a, or b, or c, or a and b, or a and c, or b and c, or a, b and c. Where a, b and c can be single or multiple, respectively.

[0068] "Sending information to ...X" can be understood as meaning that the destination of the information is X. This can include sending information directly or indirectly to X. "Receiving information from ...X" can be understood as meaning that the source of the information is X, which can include receiving information directly or indirectly from X. Information may undergo necessary processing between the source and destination, such as formatting changes, but the destination can still understand the valid information from the source. Similar expressions in this application should be understood similarly and will not be elaborated on below.

[0069] In addition, the network architecture and business scenarios described in the embodiments of the present application are intended to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, and do not constitute a limitation on the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of the present application. Ordinary technicians in this field can know that with the evolution of network architecture and the emergence of new business scenarios, the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of the present application are also applicable to similar technical problems.

[0070] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0071] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application can be applied to various communication systems, such as long term evolution (LTE) systems, frequency division duplex (FDD) systems, time division duplex (TDD) systems, world-wide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX) communication systems, fifth generation (5G) systems or new radio (NR), sixth generation (6G) systems or future communication systems. The 5G communication system described in this application includes a non-standalone (NSA) 5G mobile communication system or a standalone (SA) 5G mobile communication system. The communication system may also be a public land mobile network (PLMN), a device-to-device (D2D) communication system, a machine-to-machine (M2M) communication system, an Internet of Things (IoT) communication system, a vehicle to everything (V2X) communication system, an uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) communication system, or other communication systems.

[0072] For example, Figure 1 illustrates a system architecture applicable to the methods provided in embodiments of the present application. As shown in Figure 1 , the system includes at least one radio access network (RAN) node (only one RAN node is shown in Figure 1 ) and a network management device. The RAN node can communicate with the network management system. For example, when a RAN node is deployed, the RAN node can obtain its configuration data from the network management device.

[0073] Network management equipment can also be referred to as a network management system, backend network management system, network element management system, network element management equipment, network management system, or network management equipment. For convenience, this term is collectively referred to as network management equipment below. RAN node configuration data is used to commission RAN nodes. This configuration data can also be referred to as site deployment data, site deployment configuration data, or configuration information. Similarly, for convenience, this term is collectively referred to as configuration data below.

[0074] The radio access network composed of RAN nodes can be a cellular system related to the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), for example, a 4th generation (4G), 5G mobile communication system, or a future evolution system (for example, a 6G mobile communication system). The radio access network can also be an open access network (open RAN, O-RAN or ORAN) or a cloud radio access network (CRAN). The radio access network can also be a communication system that integrates two or more of the above systems.

[0075] RAN nodes, sometimes also referred to as access network equipment, RAN entities, or access nodes, form part of a communications system, facilitating wireless access for terminals. RAN node functions include managing radio resources, user data flows, selecting a mobility management entity (MME) when a user device attaches, routing user plane data, organizing and sending paging messages, organizing and sending broadcast messages, and configuring measurements and measurement reports for mobility or scheduling purposes. The multiple RAN nodes in the system can be of the same or different types.

[0076] In one possible scenario, a RAN node may be a base station, an evolved NodeB (eNodeB), an access point (AP), a transmission reception point (TRP), a next-generation NodeB (gNB), a next-generation base station in a 6G mobile communication system, or a base station in a future mobile communication system. A RAN node may be a macro base station, a micro base station, an indoor station, a relay node, a donor node, or a wireless controller in a CRAN scenario. Optionally, a RAN node may also be a server, a wearable device, a vehicle, or an onboard device. For example, a RAN node in V2X technology may be a roadside unit (RSU).

[0077] In another possible scenario, multiple RAN nodes collaborate to assist terminals in achieving wireless access, with different RAN nodes implementing portions of the base station's functionality. For example, a RAN node can be a centralized unit (CU), a distributed unit (DU), or a radio unit (RU). The CU and DU can be separate or included in the same network element, such as a BBU. The RU can be included in a radio frequency device or radio unit, such as an RRU, RFU, AAU, or RRH.

[0078] In different systems, CU, DU or RU may have different names, but those skilled in the art can understand their meanings. For example, in the ORAN system, CU may also be called open CU (open-CU, O-CU), DU may also be called open DU (open-DU, O-DU), and RU may also be called open RU (open-RU, O-RU). For the convenience of description, this application uses CU, DU and RU as examples for description. Any of the CU, DU and RU in this application can be implemented by a software module, a hardware module, or a combination of a software module and a hardware module.

[0079] The embodiments of the present application can be applied to the site provisioning process of an access network device.

[0080] Currently, the commissioning of access network equipment usually includes two stages, namely the installation stage and the commissioning stage.

[0081] During the installation phase, site maintenance personnel complete the installation of the access network equipment by making hardware connections according to the installation drawings of the access network equipment. For the commissioning and debugging phase, in one method, the site maintenance personnel pass the site name and the ESN of the access network equipment to the back-end network management personnel; the network management personnel complete the association of the configuration data with the ESN based on the site name and ESN, and then notify the site maintenance personnel that the configuration data is complete; the site maintenance personnel power on the access network equipment; after powering on, the access network equipment obtains the configuration data corresponding to the ESN by reporting the ESN of the access network equipment to the network management equipment, thereby completing the commissioning of the access network equipment. In another method, after powering on, the access network equipment obtains the configuration data by reporting the location information of the access network equipment to the network management equipment, which can achieve automatic acquisition of configuration data, thereby completing the commissioning of the access network equipment.

[0082] The configuration data in the above method is the configuration data of the access network device, such as the RU and DU parts. That is, the configuration data is based on the granularity of the access network device, that is, the site deployment is based on the granularity of the access network device, which is not flexible enough.

[0083] In response to the above problems, the present application provides a communication method to improve the flexibility of site deployment.

[0084] Specifically, taking the provisioning of a first device of an access network device as an example, in this communication method, first information indicating the installation status of the first device can be obtained, and configuration data for provisioning the first device can be obtained from a network management device based on the first information, thereby achieving the provisioning of the first device. The first device is part of the access network device and can be an independent communication device, such as a DU or RU of a distributed base station. The DU can be a BBU, etc., and the RU can be an RRU, RFU, AAU, or RRH, etc.

[0085] In the first scenario, the first information can be collected by a collection device, which can be a device other than an access network device, such as a terminal device. In the second scenario, the first information can be collected by a first device, that is, the first device can collect its own installation status to obtain the configuration data of the first device. For example, if the first device is a RU, the RU can be enhanced so that the RU can collect its own installation status.

[0086] For ease of understanding, the following description will be made using the example where the first device is an RU.

[0087] The technical solution for the first scenario is described below with reference to FIG2 .

[0088] Figure 2 is a schematic flow chart of a communication method 200 provided in an embodiment of the present application. Method 200 can be performed by a data acquisition device, RU, DU, and network management device, or by modules or units (such as circuits or system-on-chips (SOCs)) within the data acquisition device, RU, DU, and network management device. The following collective description refers to the data acquisition device, RU, DU, and network management device.

[0089] Step 201: The collection device collects first information.

[0090] The first information is used to indicate the installation status of the RU of the access network device.

[0091] Exemplarily, the first information includes at least one of the following information: location information of the RU, azimuth information of the RU, or altitude information of the RU. The location information of the RU may be, for example, the longitude and latitude of the RU. The azimuth information of the RU may be, for example, the geomagnetic azimuth of the RU.

[0092] For example, assuming that the first information includes location information and azimuth information. When the collection device is located near an RU, the location information of the collection device itself can be considered as the location information of the RU. Therefore, the collection device can collect its own location information, which can indicate the location of the RU. When the azimuth of the collection device is the same as or approximately the same as the azimuth of the RU, the azimuth information of the collection device itself can be considered as the azimuth information of the RU. Therefore, the collection device can collect its own azimuth information, which can indicate the azimuth of the RU.

[0093] In the first scenario, there are many ways to obtain the configuration data of the RU through the first information, for example, the following ways may be included.

[0094] Method 1: as shown in steps 202 to 205.

[0095] In step 202 , the collection device sends the collected first information to the network management device, or in other words, the network management device receives the first information from the collection device.

[0096] Step 203: The network management device obtains configuration data associated with the first information.

[0097] The configuration data is configuration data of the first device, and the configuration data is used to activate the first device.

[0098] In one implementation, the network management device is pre-configured with an association relationship between the first information and the configuration data. When the network management device receives the first information, the network management device can obtain the configuration data associated with the first information based on the first information and the association relationship between the first information and the configuration data.

[0099] The embodiments of this application do not limit the implementation method of the association between the pre-configured first information and the configuration data. As an example, first, according to the network planning and layout requirements, the deployment location, type, and direction of each communication device under the access network device, including the RU, are planned based on the map location information; then, on the network management device, the configuration data of each communication device is pre-configured based on the site deployment information of each communication device. The site deployment information may include at least one of location information, azimuth information, or altitude information.

[0100] In step 204 , the network management device sends the acquired configuration data to the collection device, or in other words, the collection device receives the configuration data from the network management device.

[0101] In step 205 , the collection device sends the received configuration data to the RU, or in other words, the RU receives the configuration data from the collection device.

[0102] The embodiments of the present application do not limit the communication method adopted by the collection device and the RU, and can be through a wired or wireless communication method. Exemplarily, the communication method may include at least one of the following methods: D2D, sidelink, proximity-based services (ProSe), Bluetooth, wireless fidelity (WiFi), WiFi direct connection, Zigbee, radio frequency identification (RFI D), infrared data association (IrDA), ultra-wideband (UWB), near-field communication (NFC), Ethernet or serial communication. Among them, serial communication may include recommended standard 485 (RS485) interface communication and / or recommended standard 232 (RS232) interface communication, etc.

[0103] In mode 1, the collection device can be connected to the network management device, so the collection device can directly provide the first information to the network management device to obtain the configuration data of the RU, and further transmit the obtained configuration data to the RU.

[0104] Method 2: as shown in steps 206 to 209.

[0105] In step 206 , the collection device sends the acquired first information to the RU, or in other words, the RU receives the first information from the collection device.

[0106] Among them, the communication method adopted by the collection device and the RU can refer to the description of step 205 and will not be repeated here.

[0107] In step 207 , the RU sends the received first information to the network management device, or in other words, the network management device receives the first information from the RU.

[0108] In step 208, the network management device obtains configuration data associated with the first information. The implementation of step 208 can refer to step 203 and will not be repeated here.

[0109] In step 209 , the network management device sends the acquired configuration data to the RU, or in other words, the RU receives the configuration data from the network management device.

[0110] It should be noted that, in mode 2, the network management device can realize the RU's station opening after sending the configuration data associated with the first information to the RU, so the RU does not need to send the configuration data to the collection device.

[0111] In mode 2, the collection device is responsible for collecting and providing the first information to the RU, and then the RU directly obtains the RU configuration data from the network management device based on the first information. In this mode 2, the RU can be understood as an independently operated RU, that is, the RU can exchange information with the network management device.

[0112] Method 3: as shown in steps 210 to 215.

[0113] In step 210 , the collection device sends the acquired first information to the RU, or in other words, the RU receives the first information from the collection device.

[0114] Among them, the communication method adopted by the collection device and the RU can refer to the description of step 205 and will not be repeated here.

[0115] In step 211, the RU sends the received first information to the DU, or in other words, the DU receives the first information from the RU.

[0116] In step 212, the DU sends the received first information to the network management device, or in other words, the network management device receives the first information from the DU.

[0117] In step 213, the network management device obtains configuration data associated with the first information. The implementation of step 213 can refer to step 203 and will not be repeated here.

[0118] In step 214, the network management device sends the acquired configuration data to the DU, or in other words, the DU receives the configuration data from the network management device.

[0119] In step 215, the DU sends the received configuration data to the RU, or in other words, the RU receives the configuration data from the DU.

[0120] Similarly, in mode 3, the RU can start the station after obtaining the configuration data, so the RU does not need to send the configuration data to the collection device.

[0121] In mode 3, the collection device is responsible for collecting and providing the first information to the RU, and then the RU uses the first information to obtain the configuration data of the RU from the network management device through the DU.

[0122] It should be noted that the above-mentioned methods 1 to 3 are merely examples, and the solutions of this application are not limited thereto. The implementation methods formed by appropriately combining some of the steps in the above-mentioned methods 1 to 3 are also within the scope of protection of this application, such as the combination of steps 202, 203, and 209, the combination of steps 202, 203, 214, and 215, and the combination of steps 206, 207, 208, 214, and 215.

[0123] The technical solution for the second scenario is described below with reference to FIG3 .

[0124] Figure 3 is a schematic flow chart of a communication method 300 provided in an embodiment of the present application. Method 300 can be performed by a RU, DU, and network management device, or by modules or units (such as circuits or SOCs) within the RU, DU, and network management device. Hereinafter, these are collectively referred to as RUs, DUs, and network management devices.

[0125] Step 301: The RU collects first information.

[0126] The first information is used to indicate the installation status of the RU of the access network device.

[0127] Exemplarily, the first information includes at least one of the following information: location information of the RU, azimuth information of the RU, or altitude information of the RU. The location information of the RU may be, for example, the longitude and latitude of the RU. The azimuth information of the RU may be, for example, the geomagnetic azimuth of the RU.

[0128] In one implementation, the performance of the RU may be enhanced so that the RU can collect its own installation status.

[0129] In the second scenario, there are many ways to obtain the configuration data of the RU through the first information, and the following ways are used as examples for description.

[0130] Method 4: as shown in steps 302 to 304.

[0131] In step 302, the RU sends the collected first information to the network management device, or the network management device receives the first information from the RU.

[0132] Step 303: The network management device obtains configuration data associated with the first information.

[0133] The implementation of step 303 may refer to step 203 and will not be described in detail here.

[0134] In step 304, the network management device sends the acquired configuration data to the RU, or in other words, the RU receives the configuration data from the network management device.

[0135] In mode 4, the RU collects the first information and obtains the configuration data of the RU directly from the network management device according to the first information.

[0136] Method 5: as shown in steps 305 to 309.

[0137] In step 305 , the RU sends the collected first information to the DU, or in other words, the DU receives the first information from the RU.

[0138] In step 306, the DU sends the received first information to the network management device, or in other words, the network management device receives the first information from the DU.

[0139] In step 307, the network management device obtains configuration data associated with the first information. The implementation of step 307 can refer to step 203 and will not be repeated here.

[0140] In step 308, the network management device sends the acquired configuration data to the DU, or in other words, the DU receives the configuration data from the network management device.

[0141] In step 309, the DU sends the received configuration data to the RU, or in other words, the RU receives the configuration data from the DU.

[0142] In mode 5, the RU collects the first information and uses the first information to obtain the configuration data of the RU from the network management device through the DU.

[0143] It should be noted that the above-mentioned methods 4 and 5 are merely examples, and the solutions of this application are not limited thereto. The implementation methods formed by appropriately combining some of the steps in the above-mentioned methods 4 and 5 are also within the scope of protection of this application, such as the combination of steps 302, 303, 308, and 309.

[0144] Thus, in the communication method provided herein, configuration data for activating the first device can be obtained from the network management device based on the first information indicating the installation status of the first device. In other words, the network management device can distribute configuration data at the granularity of the communication devices that constitute the access network (hereinafter referred to as communication devices), thereby enabling site deployment at the granularity of the communication devices. This helps to increase the flexibility of site deployment.

[0145] In addition, because the installation status of a communication device (such as the installation location, altitude, azimuth, etc.) is strongly correlated with the configuration data of the communication device, the installation status of the communication device can be used to accurately distinguish the various communication devices that make up the access network device. Therefore, in the communication method provided in this application, the network management device associates the installation status and configuration data, and the configuration data of the first device can be accurately obtained through the first information indicating the installation status of the first device. Moreover, compared to the method of obtaining configuration data through the ESN, the communication method provided in this application can reduce manual intervention and simplify the site deployment process.

[0146] The communication method of the present application is described below with reference to specific examples.

[0147] FIG4 is an example of a communication method provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0148] This example further describes the above method 3. The description of each step in Figure 4 can be cross-referenced with the description of each step in method 3. In this example, the first information is used as the site opening information, the base station is used as the access network device, and the RRU is used as a part of the base station.

[0149] The network management device is pre-configured with an association between configuration data and site deployment information. In one approach, the network management device can plan RRU configuration data based on the location of the communication device and the sector direction. Specifically, according to network planning and layout requirements, the deployment location, type, and direction of each RRU under the base station are planned based on map location information. Then, the network management device pre-configures the configuration data of each RRU based on the site deployment information of each RRU (including deployment location and sector direction, etc.).

[0150] Table 1 shows an example of configuration data in a network management device.

[0151] Table 1

[0152] Longitude, Latitude, Geomagnetic Azimuth Configuration Data Longitude 1 Latitude 1 Geomagnetic Azimuth 1 RRU1 Configuration Data 1 Longitude 2 Latitude 2 Geomagnetic Azimuth 2 RRU2 Configuration Data 2 ...

[0153] In this way, configuration data can be distributed step by step based on a single RRU in the future, realizing dynamic station startup of communication equipment under the base station.

[0154] Step 401: The collection device collects the opening information of the RRU.

[0155] Specifically, after the equipment is installed according to the network plan, the RRU's site opening information is collected through a collection device (such as a mobile phone).

[0156] The site opening information includes the longitude and latitude information and geomagnetic azimuth information of the RRU.

[0157] Step 402: The collection device uploads the collected site opening information to the RRU.

[0158] For example, after the RRU is powered on, the collected site opening information is uploaded to the RRU via WiFi communication.

[0159] Step 403: The RRU uploads the site opening information to the BBU of the base station.

[0160] Step 404: The BBU of the base station sends the RRU's site opening information to the network management device.

[0161] Step 405: The network management device obtains configuration data according to the received site opening information.

[0162] Specifically, the network management device may search for configuration data corresponding to the site opening information from the association relationship between pre-configured configuration data and the site opening information according to the site opening information.

[0163] For example, in conjunction with Table 1, when the site deployment information includes longitude 1, latitude 1, and geomagnetic azimuth 1, the network management device can obtain configuration data 1 of RRU1.

[0164] Step 406: The network management device sends the acquired configuration data to the BBU of the base station.

[0165] Specifically, the network management device automatically downloads the acquired configuration data to the BBU of the base station.

[0166] Taking step 405 as an example, in this step, the network management device sends the configuration data 1 to the BBU of the base station.

[0167] Step 407: The BBU of the base station takes effect configuration data.

[0168] Specifically, the BBU of the base station sends and activates the configuration data of the RRU to complete the RRU deployment.

[0169] It should be noted that if the above-described method 1 is adopted, then after step 401, the collection device can directly upload the collected site opening information to the network management device. The network management device obtains the configuration data associated with the site opening information based on the received site opening information and the association between the pre-configured configuration data and the site opening information, and sends it to the collection device. The collection device then transmits and activates the RRU configuration data, completing the RRU site opening. If the above-described method 2 is adopted, then after step 402, the RRU can directly upload the received site opening information to the network management device. The network management device obtains the configuration data associated with the site opening information based on the received site opening information and the association between the pre-configured configuration data and the site opening information, and sends and activates the RRU configuration data, completing the RRU site opening. If the above-described method 4 is adopted, step 401 is not executed. Instead, the RRU collects the RRU site deployment information and directly uploads the site deployment information to the network management device. The network management device obtains the configuration data associated with the site deployment information based on the received site deployment information and the association between the pre-configured configuration data and the site deployment information, and then issues and activates the RRU configuration data, completing the RRU site deployment. If the above-described method 5 is adopted, step 401 is not executed. Instead, the RRU collects the RRU site deployment information. The subsequent steps can refer to steps 403 to 407.

[0170] The method provided by the present application is described in detail above with reference to FIG. 2 to FIG. 4 . The device embodiment of the present application will be described in detail below with reference to FIG. 5 to FIG. 7 .

[0171] It is understood that, in order to implement the functions in the above embodiments, the devices in Figures 5 to 7 include hardware structures and / or software modules that perform the corresponding functions. These devices can be used to implement the functions of the acquisition device, RU, DU, or network management device in the above method embodiments, thereby also achieving the beneficial effects of the above method embodiments. Those skilled in the art should readily appreciate that, in combination with the various exemplary units and method steps described in the embodiments disclosed in this application, the present application can be implemented in the form of hardware or a combination of hardware and computer software.

[0172] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a device provided in an embodiment of the present application. The device shown in Figure 5 can realize the functions of the acquisition device described above.

[0173] As shown in Figure 5, the collection device includes a collection unit, a data receiving and sending unit, a processing unit, and a storage unit. The collection unit is used to collect first information indicating the installation status of the first device. The data receiving and sending unit is used to send the collected first information to the first device when the network management device cannot be accessed; when the network management device can be accessed, the data receiving and sending unit is used to send the first information directly to the network management device. At this time, the data receiving and sending unit is also used to receive configuration data associated with the first information issued by the network management device and send the received configuration data to the first device. The processing unit is used to control the data collection logic, the reception and transmission of data, and the activation of the first device according to the configuration data. The storage unit is used to store the collected first information and the received configuration data.

[0174] Optionally, the storage unit may store first information and configuration data corresponding to a plurality of communication devices respectively.

[0175] In addition, the collection device further includes a communication interface for supporting communication between the collection device and the first device, and optionally for supporting communication between the collection device and the network management device. For example, the communication interface may be an interface supporting D2D communication, an interface supporting sidelink communication, an interface supporting ProSe communication, an interface supporting Bluetooth communication, an interface supporting WiFi communication, an interface supporting WiFi direct communication, an interface supporting Zigbee communication, an interface supporting RFID communication, an interface supporting NFC communication, a serial communication interface, or an ETH communication interface.

[0176] FIG6 is another schematic diagram of the structure of the device provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0177] As shown in FIG6 , the device 10 includes a transceiver unit 11 and an acquisition unit 12 .

[0178] When the device 10 is used to implement the functions of the collection device, RU or DU in the above method embodiment, the acquisition unit 12 is used to: obtain first information, where the first information is used to indicate the installation status of the first device of the access network device, and the first information is used to obtain configuration data of the first device, and the configuration data is used to activate the first device; the transceiver unit 11 is used to: send the first information.

[0179] Optionally, the first information includes at least one of the following information: position information, azimuth information or altitude information.

[0180] Optionally, the transceiver unit 11 is specifically configured to: send the first information to a network management device. The transceiver unit 11 is further configured to: receive the configuration data from the network management device, where the configuration data is associated with the first information.

[0181] Optionally, when the device 10 is a collection device or a DU, the transceiver unit 11 is further configured to: send the configuration data to the first device.

[0182] Optionally, when the device 10 is a RU or a DU, the acquiring unit 12 is specifically configured to: acquire the first information, or receive the first information. When the device 10 is a collection device, the acquiring unit 12 is specifically configured to: acquire the first information.

[0183] Optionally, when the device 10 is a collection device, the transceiver unit 11 is specifically configured to send the first information to the first device.

[0184] Optionally, the method used to communicate with the first device includes at least one of the following methods: end-to-end, side link, near-field-based service, Bluetooth, wireless high-fidelity, wireless high-fidelity direct connection, ZigBee, radio frequency identification, infrared data transmission, ultra-wideband, near-field communication, Ethernet or serial communication.

[0185] Optionally, when the device 10 is a RU, the transceiver unit 11 is specifically configured to: send the first information to the DU of the access network device. The transceiver unit 11 is further configured to: receive configuration data from the DU, where the configuration data is associated with the first information and is obtained by the DU from a network management device.

[0186] Optionally, the first device includes RU and / or DU.

[0187] When the device 10 is used to implement the function of the network management device in the above method embodiment, the transceiver unit 11 is used to: receive first information, where the first information is used to indicate the installation status of the first device of the access network device; the acquisition unit 12 is used to: obtain configuration data associated with the first information, where the configuration data is the configuration data of the first device, and the configuration data is used to activate the first device; the transceiver unit 11 is also used to: send the configuration data.

[0188] Optionally, the transceiver unit 11 is specifically configured to: receive the first information from the first device or the second device, the first device and the second device are different, and the first device includes a RU and / or a DU.

[0189] Optionally, the transceiver unit 11 is specifically used to: send the configuration data to the first device or the second device, the first device and the second device are different, and the first device includes a RU and / or a DU.

[0190] Optionally, the first information includes at least one of the following information: position information, azimuth information or altitude information.

[0191] For a more detailed description of the transceiver unit 11 and the acquisition unit 12 , please refer to the relevant description in the above method embodiment, which will not be described again here.

[0192] FIG7 is another schematic diagram of the structure of the device provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0193] As shown in FIG7 , the apparatus 20 includes a processor 21. The processor 21 is coupled to a memory 23, which is used to store instructions. When the apparatus 20 is used to implement the method described above, the processor 21 is used to execute the instructions in the memory 23 to implement the functions of the acquisition unit 12 described above.

[0194] Optionally, the device 20 further includes a memory 23 .

[0195] Optionally, the apparatus 20 further includes an interface circuit 22. The processor 21 and the interface circuit 22 are coupled to each other. It is understood that the interface circuit 22 may be a transceiver or an input / output interface. When the apparatus 20 is used to implement the method described above, the processor 21 is configured to execute instructions to implement the functions of the acquisition unit 12, and the interface circuit 22 is configured to implement the functions of the transceiver unit 11.

[0196] Exemplarily, when device 20 is a chip implemented in a data collection device, RU, DU, or network management device, the chip implements the functions of the data collection device, RU, DU, or network management device in the above-described method embodiments. The chip receives information from other modules within the data collection device, RU, DU, or network management device, where the information is sent to the data collection device, RU, DU, or network management device by other modules; or the chip sends information to other modules within the data collection device, RU, DU, or network management device, where the information is sent to other modules by the data collection device, RU, DU, or network management device.

[0197] In addition, the present application also provides an apparatus comprising a processor coupled to a memory, the memory being configured to store computer programs or instructions and / or data, the processor being configured to execute the computer programs or instructions stored in the memory, or to read data stored in the memory, to perform the methods described in the above method embodiments. Optionally, there are one or more processors. Optionally, the apparatus comprises a memory. Optionally, there are one or more memories. Optionally, the memory is integrated with the processor or provided separately.

[0198] The present application also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing computer instructions for implementing the methods executed by the acquisition device, RU, DU or network management equipment in the above-mentioned method embodiments.

[0199] The present application also provides a computer program product comprising instructions, which, when executed by a computer, implement the methods performed by the collection device, RU, DU or network management equipment in the above-mentioned method embodiments.

[0200] The present application also provides a communication system, which includes the collection device, RU, DU or network management equipment in the above embodiments.

[0201] The explanation of the relevant contents and beneficial effects of any of the above-mentioned devices can be referred to the corresponding method embodiments provided above, which will not be repeated here.

[0202] It is understood that the processor in the embodiments of the present application may be a central processing unit (CPU), or may be other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSP), application-specific integrated circuits (ASIC), field programmable gate arrays (FPGA), or other programmable logic devices, transistor logic devices, hardware components, or any combination thereof. The general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor or any conventional processor.

[0203] The method steps in the embodiments of the present application can be implemented by hardware or by a processor executing software instructions. The software instructions can be composed of corresponding software modules, which can be stored in random access memory, flash memory, read-only memory, programmable read-only memory, erasable programmable read-only memory, electrically erasable programmable read-only memory, registers, hard disk, mobile hard disk, compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) or any other form of storage medium well known in the art. An exemplary storage medium is coupled to the processor so that the processor can read information from the storage medium and write information to the storage medium. Of course, the storage medium can also be an integral part of the processor. The processor and storage medium can be located in an ASIC. In addition, the ASIC can be located in an acquisition device, RU, DU or network management device. Of course, the processor and storage medium can also exist as discrete components in an acquisition device, RU, DU or network management device.

[0204] In the above embodiments, all or part of the embodiments may be implemented using software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented using software, all or part of the embodiments may be implemented in the form of a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer programs or instructions. When the computer program or instructions are loaded and executed on a computer, the processes or functions described in the embodiments of the present application are performed in whole or in part. The computer may be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, a network device, a user device, or other programmable device. The computer program or instructions may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transferred from one computer-readable storage medium to another. For example, the computer program or instructions may be transferred from one website, computer, server, or data center to another website, computer, server, or data center via wired or wireless means. The computer-readable storage medium may be any available medium that can be accessed by a computer or a data storage device such as a server or data center that integrates one or more available media. The available medium may be a magnetic medium, such as a floppy disk, hard disk, or magnetic tape; an optical medium, such as a digital video disk; or a semiconductor medium, such as a solid-state drive.

[0205] In the various embodiments of the present application, unless otherwise specified or there is a logical conflict, the terms and / or descriptions between different embodiments are consistent and can be referenced by each other. The technical features in different embodiments can be combined to form new embodiments according to their inherent logical relationships.

[0206] It is understood that the various numbers used in the embodiments of this application are merely for ease of description and are not intended to limit the scope of the embodiments of this application. The order of the sequence numbers of the above-mentioned processes does not necessarily imply a specific order of execution; the order of execution of the processes should be determined by their functions and inherent logic.

[0207] Unless otherwise indicated, all technical and scientific terms used in the embodiments of the present application have the same meaning as those generally understood by those skilled in the art of the technical field of the application. The terms used in this application are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the scope of the application. It should be understood that the above are for illustration, and the examples above are only for helping those skilled in the art to understand the embodiments of the present application, rather than limiting the application embodiments to the specific numerical values ​​or specific scenarios illustrated. Those skilled in the art can obviously carry out various equivalent modifications or changes based on the examples given above, and such modifications and changes also fall within the scope of the embodiments of the present application.

[0208] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present application, but the scope of protection of the present application is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that can be easily conceived by a person skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included in the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be based on the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims

1. A communication method, characterized in that: The method comprises: Acquire first information, where the first information is used to indicate an installation status of a first device of an access network device, and the first information is used to acquire configuration data of the first device, where the configuration data is used to activate the first device; The first information is sent.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The first information includes at least one of the following information: position information, azimuth information or altitude information.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that The sending of the first information includes: sending the first information to a network management device; The method further includes: receiving the configuration data from the network management device, where the configuration data is associated with the first information.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that The method further includes sending the configuration data to the first device.

5. The method according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that The acquiring of the first information includes: collecting the first information, or receiving the first information.

6. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that The sending the first information includes: sending the first information to the first device.

7. The method according to any one of claims 3 to 6, characterized in that The communication method with the first device includes at least one of the following methods: Peer-to-peer, sidelink, near-field-based services, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, ZigBee, RFID, infrared data transmission, ultra-wideband, near-field communication, Ethernet or serial communication.

8. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that The sending of the first information includes: sending the first information to a baseband unit of the access network device; The method further includes: receiving configuration data from the baseband unit, where the configuration data is associated with the first information and the configuration data is obtained by the baseband unit from a network management device.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that The acquiring of the first information includes: collecting the first information or receiving the first information.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that The first device includes a radio frequency unit and / or a baseband unit.

11. A communication method, characterized in that: The method comprises: receiving first information, where the first information is used to indicate an installation status of a first device of an access network device; Acquire configuration data associated with the first information, where the configuration data is configuration data of the first device and is used to activate the first device; The configuration data is sent.

12. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that The first information includes at least one of the following information: position information, azimuth information or altitude information.

13. The method according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that The receiving the first information includes: receiving the first information from the first device or the second device, the first device and the second device are different, and the first device includes a radio frequency unit and / or a baseband unit.

14. The method according to any one of claims 11 to 13, characterized in that The sending the configuration data includes: sending the configuration data to the first device or the second device, the first device and the second device are different, and the first device includes a radio frequency unit and / or a baseband unit.

15. A communication device, characterized in that: The method comprises modules or units for executing the method according to any one of claims 1 to 14.

16. A communication device, characterized in that: include: A processor, configured to execute a computer program stored in a memory, so that the apparatus performs the method according to any one of claims 1 to 14.

17. The device according to claim 16, characterized in that The apparatus further comprises the memory.

18. The device according to claim 16 or 17, characterized in that The device is a chip.

19. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that The computer-readable storage medium stores a computer program, and when the computer program is run on a computer, the computer is caused to execute the method according to any one of claims 1 to 14.

20. A computer program product, characterized in that The computer program product comprises instructions for performing the method of any one of claims 1 to 14.

21. A communication system, characterized in that: include: A communication device for performing the method according to any one of claims 1 to 10; A network management device for executing the method according to any one of claims 11 to 14.

22. The system according to claim 21, wherein: The communication device includes at least one of the following devices: a radio frequency unit of an access network device, a baseband unit of the access network device, or a collection device, wherein the collection device is used to collect first information, and the first information is used to indicate the installation status of the first device of the access network device.

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