User equipment, base station and communication method executed by user equipment and base station

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a 5G communication system or a 6G communication system for supporting higher data rates beyond 4G communication systems such as Long Term Evolution (LTE). The invention provides user equipment, a base station and a communication method executed by the user equipment, and the communication method executed by the user equipment comprises the following steps: receiving configuration information of downlink data, the configuration information of the downlink data comprises information associated with at least one time unit and information associated with a plurality of sub-bands corresponding to the at least one time unit; and receiving the downlink data according to a demodulation reference signal DRMS on at least one of the plurality of sub-bands.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of communications, and in particular to a user equipment, a base station, a communication method executed by the user equipment, a communication method executed by the base station, and a computer-readable storage medium. Background Art

[0002] As wireless communications have evolved over generations, these technologies have primarily been developed for human-targeted services such as voice calls, multimedia services, and data services. With the commercialization of fifth-generation (5G) communication systems, the number of connected devices is expected to grow exponentially. These will increasingly be connected to communication networks. Examples of the Internet of Things (IoT) include vehicles, robots, drones, home appliances, displays, smart sensors connected to various infrastructures, construction machinery, and factory equipment. Mobile devices are expected to develop in various forms, such as augmented reality glasses, virtual reality headsets, and holographic devices. Efforts are underway to develop improved 6G communication systems to provide a variety of services by connecting hundreds of billions of devices and things in the sixth-generation (6G) era. For these reasons, 6G communication systems are referred to as beyond-5G systems.

[0003] The 6G communication system, which is expected to be commercialized around 2030, will have a peak data rate of tera (1,000 gigabits) per second and a radio latency of less than 100 μsec, thus being 50 times the data rate of the 5G communication system and having 1 / 10 of its radio latency.

[0004] In order to achieve such high data rates and ultra-low latency, the implementation of 6G communication systems in the terahertz band (e.g., the 95 GHz to 3 THz band) has been considered. It is expected that since the path loss and atmospheric absorption in the terahertz band are more severe than those in the millimeter wave (mmWave) band introduced in 5G, technologies that can ensure the signal transmission distance (i.e., coverage) will become more critical. As the main technology to ensure coverage, it is necessary to develop radio frequency (RF) elements, antennas, new waveforms with better coverage than orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM), beamforming and massive multiple input multiple output (MIMO), full dimensional multiple input multiple output (FD-MIMO), array antennas, and multi-antenna transmission technologies such as massive antennas. In addition, new technologies to improve signal coverage in the terahertz band have been discussed, such as metamaterial-based lenses and antennas, orbital angular momentum (OAM), and reconfigurable intelligence surface (RIS).

[0005] In addition, in order to improve spectrum efficiency and overall network performance, the following technologies have been developed for 6G communication systems: full-duplex technology for enabling uplink and downlink transmissions to use the same frequency resources simultaneously; network technology that utilizes satellites, high-altitude platform stations (HAPS), etc. in an integrated manner; improved network structure to support mobile base stations, etc., and enable network operation optimization and automation, etc.; dynamic spectrum sharing technology with conflict avoidance based on spectrum usage prediction: using artificial intelligence (AI) in wireless communications to improve overall network operations by utilizing AI from the design stage of developing 6G and internalizing end-to-end AI support functions; and next-generation distributed computing technology that overcomes the computing power limitations of user equipment (UE) through ultra-high performance communication and computing resources achievable on the network (such as mobile edge computing (MEC), cloud, etc.). In addition, attempts are continuing to strengthen connectivity between devices, optimize networks, promote the softwareization of network entities, and increase the openness of wireless communications by designing new protocols to be used in 6G communication systems, developing mechanisms for achieving a hardware-based secure environment and secure use of data, and developing technologies for maintaining privacy.

[0006] Research and development of 6G communication systems, including hyperconnectivity between people and machines (P2M) and machines and machines (M2M), are expected to bring about the next hyperconnected experience. Specifically, services such as truly immersive extended reality (XR), high-fidelity mobile holograms, and digital replicas are expected to be provided through 6G communication systems. Furthermore, services such as remote surgery for enhanced safety and reliability, industrial automation, and emergency response will be provided through 6G communication systems, enabling the technology to be applied in various fields such as industry, healthcare, automobiles, and home appliances. Summary of the Invention

[0007] According to a first aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure, a communication method performed by a user equipment is provided, comprising: receiving configuration information of downlink data, wherein the configuration information of the downlink data includes information associated with at least one time unit and information associated with multiple subbands corresponding to the at least one time unit; and receiving the downlink data based on a demodulation reference signal DRMS ​​on at least one subband among the multiple subbands.

[0008] Optionally, the receiving of configuration information of downlink data includes: receiving downlink control information, wherein the downlink control information includes the configuration information of the downlink data; or receiving high-layer signaling, wherein the high-layer signaling includes the configuration information of the downlink data.

[0009] Optionally, the configuration information of the downlink data includes at least one of the following: index information for indicating a predefined subband configuration; at least one of the following items corresponding to the predefined subband configuration: physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) mapping type, the number of first additional DMRS, and the position of the first additional DMRS; the starting time unit index information and subband index information of each subband corresponding to the at least one time unit; information related to the subband segmentation method and subband index information on at least one subband segment; the number of subbands and the total bandwidth size of all subbands; index information for indicating the subband bandwidth configuration; subband bandwidth size information; and the subband index assigned to the user equipment.

[0010] Optionally, the configuration information of the downlink data further includes index information of a time unit requiring a second additional DMRS; or, the predefined subband configuration includes position information of a time unit requiring a second additional DMRS.

[0011] Optionally, the configuration information of the downlink data further includes: invalid index related information, which is used to configure the user equipment to be unable to use one or more subbands.

[0012] Optionally, the configuration information of the downlink data also includes at least one of the following items: indication information for indicating whether the subband configuration has changed; index information of the scheduling unit where the subband configuration has changed, wherein the scheduling unit includes multiple time units; the number of subbands and subband indexes allocated to the user equipment after the subband configuration has changed; information related to the duration of the subband configuration change; and indication information for restoring the subband configuration.

[0013] Optionally, the predefined subband configuration includes: a first number of time units in the time units used for data channels in the scheduling unit corresponds to N subbands, and a second number of time units in the time units used for data channels corresponds to M subbands, where N and M are both positive integers greater than 1, and N and M are the same or different.

[0014] Optionally, the receiving of the downlink data based on the demodulation reference signal DRMS ​​on at least one subband among the multiple subbands includes: determining the subband allocated to the user equipment on each time unit in the at least one time unit according to the configuration information, and performing channel estimation for each subband based on the DMRS on each subband allocated to the user equipment to receive the downlink data.

[0015] According to a second aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure, a communication method performed by a base station is provided, comprising: sending configuration information of downlink data to a user equipment, wherein the configuration information of the downlink data includes information associated with at least one time unit and information associated with multiple subbands corresponding to the at least one time unit; sending downlink data to the user equipment, wherein the downlink data is received by the user equipment based on a demodulation reference signal DRMS ​​on at least one subband of the multiple subbands.

[0016] Optionally, sending the configuration information of the downlink data to the user equipment includes: sending downlink control information to the user equipment, wherein the downlink control information includes the configuration information of the downlink data; or sending high-layer signaling to the user equipment, wherein the high-layer signaling includes the configuration information of the downlink data.

[0017] Optionally, the configuration information of the downlink data includes at least one of the following: index information for indicating a predefined subband configuration; at least one of the following items corresponding to the predefined subband configuration: a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) mapping type, a first additional demodulation reference signal (DMRS) number, and a first additional DMRS position; the starting time unit index information and subband index information of each subband corresponding to the at least one time unit; information related to the subband segmentation method and subband index information on at least one subband segment; the number of subbands and the total bandwidth size of all subbands; index information for indicating the subband bandwidth configuration; subband bandwidth size information; and a subband index assigned to the user equipment.

[0018] Optionally, the configuration information of the downlink data further includes index information of a time unit requiring a second additional DMRS; or, the predefined subband configuration includes position information of a time unit requiring a second additional DMRS.

[0019] Optionally, the configuration information of the downlink data further includes: invalid index related information, which is used to configure the user equipment to be unable to use one or more subbands.

[0020] Optionally, the configuration information of the downlink data also includes at least one of the following items: indication information for indicating whether the subband configuration has changed; index information of the scheduling unit where the subband configuration has changed, wherein the scheduling unit includes multiple time units; the number of subbands and subband indexes allocated to the user equipment after the subband configuration has changed; information related to the duration of the subband configuration change; and indication information for restoring the subband configuration.

[0021] Optionally, the predefined subband configuration includes: a first number of time units in the time units used for data channels in the scheduling unit corresponds to N subbands, and a second number of time units in the time units used for data channels corresponds to M subbands, where N and M are both positive integers greater than 1, and N and M are the same or different.

[0022] According to a third aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure, a user equipment is provided, including: a transceiver, and a processor coupled to the transceiver and configured to execute the communication method performed by the user equipment as described above.

[0023] According to a fourth aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure, a base station is provided, comprising: a transceiver, and a processor coupled to the transceiver and configured to execute the communication method performed by the base station as described above.

[0024] According to a fifth aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure, a computer-readable storage medium storing instructions is provided, which, when executed by at least one processor, prompts the at least one processor to execute any one of the communication methods described above.

[0025] According to the technical solution provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure, the scheduling flexibility of downlink data can be improved, and resource allocation can be adjusted in a timely manner according to the service requirements of user equipment, thereby improving the overall network performance.

[0026] It is to be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] The accompanying drawings herein are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate exemplary embodiments consistent with the present disclosure, and together with the description, are used to explain the principles of the present disclosure, and do not constitute an undue limitation of the present disclosure.

[0028] Figure 1 An example wireless network according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0029] Figure 2 An example base station according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0030] Figure 3 An example user device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0031] Figure 4 is a flowchart illustrating a communication method performed by a user equipment according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0032] Figures 5 to 8 is an example of a subband configuration according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0033] Figure 9 FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating subband configuration adjustment and restoration according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0034] Figure 10 is a flowchart of a communication method performed by a base station according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0035] Figure 11 is a block diagram illustrating a user equipment according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0036] Figure 12 is a block diagram illustrating a base station according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] Before proceeding to the following specific embodiments, it may be advantageous to set forth the definitions of certain words and phrases used throughout the patent document. The term "connect" and its derivatives refer to any direct or indirect communication between two or more elements, regardless of whether those elements are in physical contact with each other. The terms "send," "receive," and "communicate," and their derivatives encompass both direct and indirect communication. The terms "include," "comprise," and "includes," and their derivatives, mean to include without limitation. The term "or" is inclusive, meaning and / or. The phrase "associated with," and its derivatives, means to include, be included within, be interconnected with, include, be included within, be connected to or connected with, be coupled to or coupled with, communicate with, collaborate with, be interwoven, juxtaposed, be close to, be bound to or bound with, have, have an attribute of, have a relationship to ... or have a relationship to ... etc. The term "controller" means any device, system, or part thereof that controls at least one operation. Such a controller can be implemented in hardware or in a combination of hardware and software and / or firmware. The functionality associated with any particular controller, whether local or remote, can be centralized or distributed. The phrase "at least one of" when used with a list of items means that different combinations of one or more of the listed items can be used, and only one item in the list may be required. For example, "at least one of A, B, and C" includes any of the following combinations: A, B, C, A and B, A and C, B and C, and only A, only B, and only C. Similarly, the term "set" means one or more. Thus, a set of items can be a single item or a set of two or more items.

[0038] Moreover, the various functions described below can be implemented or supported by one or more computer programs, each of which is formed by a computer-readable program code and embodied in a computer-readable medium. The terms "application" and "program" refer to one or more computer programs, software components, instruction sets, processes, functions, objects, classes, instances, related data, or a portion thereof that are suitable for implementation in a suitable computer-readable program code. The phrase "computer-readable program code" includes any type of computer code, including source code, object code, and executable code. The phrase "computer-readable medium" includes any type of medium that can be accessed by a computer, such as read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), hard drive, compact disc (CD), digital video disc (DVD), or any other type of memory. "Non-transitory" computer-readable media excludes wired, wireless, optical, or other communication links that transmit instantaneous electrical or other signals. Non-transitory computer-readable media include media in which data can be permanently stored and media in which data can be stored and later rewritten, such as rewritable optical discs or erasable memory devices.

[0039] Definitions for certain other words and phrases are provided throughout this patent document. Those skilled in the art should understand that in many, if not most instances, such definitions apply to prior, as well as future uses of such defined words and phrases.

[0040] The figures and various embodiments used to describe the principles of the present disclosure are included herein for illustration only and should not be construed in any way as limiting the scope of the present disclosure. In addition, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the principles of the present disclosure can be implemented in any appropriately arranged wireless communication system.

[0041] The following Figures 1 to 3 Various embodiments of the present disclosure are described as being implemented in a wireless communication system. Figures 1 to 3 The description is not meant to imply physical or architectural limitations to the manner in which different embodiments may be implemented. Different embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented in any suitably arranged communications system.

[0042] Figure 1 An example wireless network according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 1 The embodiment of the wireless network shown in FIGURE 1 is for illustration only. Other embodiments of the wireless network 100 may be used without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0043] like Figure 1As shown, the wireless network includes base stations (next generation nodeB, gNB or gNodeB) 101, gNB 102, and gNB 103. gNB 101 communicates with gNB 102 and gNB 103. gNB 101 also communicates with at least one network 130, such as the Internet, a proprietary Internet Protocol (IP) network, or other data network.

[0044] gNB 102 provides wireless broadband access to network 130 for a plurality of first user equipment (UEs) within gNB 102's coverage area 120. The plurality of first UEs include UE 111, which may be located at a small business (SB); UE 112, which may be located at an enterprise (E); UE 113, which may be located at a WiFi hotspot (HS); UE 114, which may be located at a first residence (R1); UE 115, which may be located at a second residence (R2); and UE 116, which may be a mobile device (M) such as a cellular phone, a wireless laptop, a wireless personal digital assistant (PDA), etc. gNB 103 provides wireless broadband access to network 130 for a plurality of second UEs within gNB 103's coverage area 125. The plurality of second UEs include UE 115 and UE 116, as well as subscriber stations (SS, e.g., UEs) 117, 118, and 119. In some embodiments, one or more of gNBs 101-103 may communicate with each other and UEs 111-116 using existing wireless communication technologies, and one or more of UEs 111-119 may communicate directly with each other (e.g., UEs 117-119) using other existing or proposed wireless communication technologies.

[0045] Depending on the type of network, the term "base station" or "BS" may refer to any component (or collection of components) configured to provide wireless access to a network, such as a transmit point (TP), a transmit-receive point (TRP), an enhanced (or "evolved") base station (eNodeB or eNB), a 5G base station (gNB), a macro cell, a femto cell, a wireless fidelity (WiFi) access point (AP), or other wireless-capable device. A base station may provide wireless access according to one or more wireless communication protocols, such as 3GPP 5G New Radio (NR), Long Term Evolution (LTE), LTE-Advanced (LTE-A), High Speed ​​Packet Access (HSPA), Wi-Fi 802.11a / b / g / n / ac, etc. For convenience, various names of base station-type devices and functions are used interchangeably in this patent document to refer to network infrastructure components that provide wireless access to remote terminals. Furthermore, depending on the network type, the term "user equipment" (UE) may refer to any component such as a mobile station (MS), a subscriber station (SS), a remote terminal, a wireless terminal, a reception point, or a user device, etc. For convenience, various names of user equipment type devices and functions are used interchangeably in this patent document to refer to a remote wireless device that wirelessly accesses a BS, regardless of whether the UE is a mobile device (such as a mobile phone or smartphone) or a device that is generally considered to be a fixed device (such as a desktop computer or a vending machine).

[0046] Dashed lines illustrate the approximate extents of coverage areas 120 and 125, which are shown as generally circular for purposes of illustration and explanation only. It should be clearly understood that coverage areas associated with a gNB, such as coverage areas 120 and 125, may have other shapes, including irregular shapes, depending on the configuration of the gNB and variations in the wireless environment associated with natural and man-made obstacles.

[0047] As described in more detail below, one or more of UEs 111-119 include circuitry, programming, or a combination thereof. In certain embodiments, one or more of gNBs 101-103 include circuitry, programming, or a combination thereof.

[0048] although Figure 1 An example of a wireless network is shown, but Figure 1Various changes may be made. For example, wireless network 100 may include any number of gNBs and any number of UEs in any suitable arrangement. Moreover, gNB 101 may communicate directly with any number of UEs and provide those UEs with wireless broadband access to network 130. Similarly, each gNB 102-103 may communicate directly with network 130 and provide the UEs with direct wireless broadband access to network 130. In addition, gNBs 101, 102, and / or 103 may provide access to other or additional external networks, such as an external telephone network or other types of data networks.

[0049] Figure 2 An example base station according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 2 The embodiment of the gNB 102 shown in FIGURE 1 is for illustration only, and Figure 1 gNBs 101 and 103 may have the same or similar configurations. However, gNBs appear in a variety of configurations, and Figure 2 The scope of this disclosure is not limited to any particular implementation of a gNB.

[0050] like Figure 2 As shown in FIG, gNB 102 includes multiple antennas 200 a - 200 n, multiple radio frequency (RF) transceivers 201 a - 201 n, transmit (TX) processing circuitry 203, and receive (RX) processing circuitry 204. gNB 102 also includes a controller / processor 205, memory 206, and a backhaul or network interface (IF) 207.

[0051] RF transceivers 201a-201n receive incoming RF signals from antennas 200a-200n, such as signals transmitted by UEs in network 100. RF transceivers 201a-201n downconvert the incoming RF signals to generate intermediate frequency (IF) or baseband signals. The IF or baseband signals are sent to RX processing circuitry 204, which generates processed baseband signals by filtering, decoding, and / or digitizing the baseband or IF signals. RX processing circuitry 204 sends the processed baseband signals to controller / processor 205 for further processing.

[0052] The TX processing circuitry 203 receives analog or digital data (such as voice data, web data, email, or interactive video game data) from the controller / processor 205. The TX processing circuitry 203 encodes, multiplexes, and / or digitizes the outgoing baseband data to generate processed baseband or IF signals. The RF transceivers 201a-201n receive the outgoing processed baseband or IF signals from the TX processing circuitry 203 and up-convert the baseband or IF signals into RF signals that are transmitted via the antennas 201a-201n.

[0053] The controller / processor 205 may include one or more processors or other processing devices that control the overall operation of the gNB 102. For example, the controller / processor 205 may control the reception of forward channel signals and the transmission of reverse channel signals by the RF transceivers 201a-201n, the RX processing circuitry 204, and the TX processing circuitry 203 in accordance with well-known principles. The controller / processor 205 may also support additional functionality, such as more advanced wireless communication functionality.

[0054] For example, the controller / processor 205 may support beamforming or directional routing operations, in which outgoing signals from the multiple antennas 200a-200n are weighted differently to effectively steer the outgoing signals in a desired direction. Any of a variety of other functions may be supported in the gNB 102 by the controller / processor 205.

[0055] The controller / processor 205 is also capable of executing programs and other processes, such as an operating system (OS), located in the memory 206. The controller / processor 205 can move data into or out of the memory 206 as needed to execute the processes.

[0056] The controller / processor 205 is also connected to a backhaul or network interface 207. The backhaul or network interface 207 allows the gNB 102 to communicate with other devices or systems over a backhaul connection or over a network. The interface 207 can support communication over any suitable wired or wireless connection(s). For example, when the gNB 102 is implemented as part of a cellular communication system (such as one that supports 5G, LTE, or LTE-A), the interface 207 can allow the gNB 102 to communicate with other gNBs over a wired or wireless backhaul connection. When the gNB 102 is implemented as an access point, the interface 207 can allow the gNB 102 to communicate over a wired or wireless local area network or over a wired or wireless connection to a larger network (such as the Internet). The interface 207 includes any suitable structure that supports communication over a wired or wireless connection, such as Ethernet or an RF transceiver.

[0057] Memory 206 is connected to controller / processor 205. A portion of memory 206 may include random access memory (RAM), and another portion of memory 206 may include flash memory or other read-only memory (ROM).

[0058] although Figure 2 An example of gNB 102 is shown, but the Figure 2 For example, gNB 102 may include any number of Figure 2 As a specific example, the access point may include multiple interfaces 207, and the controller / processor 205 may support routing functionality to route data between different network addresses. As another specific example, although shown as including a single instance of the TX processing circuitry 203 and a single instance of the RX processing circuitry 204, the gNB 102 may include multiple instances of each (such as one for each RF transceiver). For example, Figure 2 The various components in may be combined, further subdivided, or omitted, and additional components may be added according to specific needs.

[0059] Figure 3 An example user device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 3 The embodiment of UE 116 shown in FIGURE 1 is for illustration only, and Figure 1 UEs 111-115 and 117-119 may have the same or similar configurations. However, UEs may appear in a variety of configurations, and Figure 3 The scope of this disclosure is not limited to any particular implementation of the UE.

[0060] like Figure 3 As shown in FIG, UE 116 includes an antenna 301, a radio frequency (RF) transceiver 302, a TX processing circuit 303, a microphone 304, and a receive (RX) processing circuit 305. UE 116 also includes a speaker 306, a controller or processor 307, an input / output (I / O) interface (IF) 308, an input device 309, a touch screen display 310, and a memory 311. The memory 311 includes an OS 312 and one or more applications 313.

[0061] RF transceiver 302 receives incoming RF signals from antenna 301, transmitted by a gNB of network 100. RF transceiver 302 downconverts the incoming RF signals to generate an IF or baseband signal. The IF or baseband signal is sent to RX processing circuitry 305, which generates a processed baseband signal by filtering, decoding, and / or digitizing the baseband or IF signal. RX processing circuitry 305 sends the processed baseband signal to speaker 306 (such as for voice data) or processor 307 for further processing (such as for web browsing data).

[0062] The TX processing circuit 303 receives analog or digital voice data from the microphone 304 or other outgoing baseband data (such as web data, email, or interactive video game data) from the processor 307. The TX processing circuit 303 encodes, multiplexes, and / or digitizes the outgoing baseband data to generate a processed baseband or IF signal. The RF transceiver 302 receives the outgoing processed baseband or IF signal from the TX processing circuit 303 and up-converts the baseband or IF signal into an RF signal that is transmitted via the antenna 301.

[0063] The processor 307 may include one or more processors or other processing devices and executes the OS 312 stored in the memory 311 to control the overall operation of the UE 116. For example, the processor 307 may control the reception of forward channel signals and the transmission of reverse channel signals by the RF transceiver 302, the RX processing circuit 305, and the TX processing circuit 303 according to well-known principles. In some embodiments, the processor 307 includes at least one microprocessor or microcontroller.

[0064] Processor 307 is also capable of executing other processes and programs located in memory 311, such as processes for reporting CSI (Channel State Information) on uplink channels. Processor 307 can move data into or out of memory 311 as needed for the executed processes. In some embodiments, processor 307 is configured to execute application 313 based on OS 312 or in response to signals received from the gNB or operator. Processor 307 is also coupled to I / O interface 308, which provides UE 116 with the ability to connect to other devices such as laptops and portable computers. I / O interface 308 is the communication path between these accessories and processor 307.

[0065] Processor 307 is also connected to touch screen display 310. A user of UE 116 may use touch screen display 310 to enter data into UE 116. Touch screen display 310 may be a liquid crystal display, a light emitting diode display, or other display capable of rendering text and / or at least limited graphics, such as from a website.

[0066] The memory 311 is connected to the processor 307. A portion of the memory 311 may include RAM, and another portion of the memory 311 may include flash memory or other ROM.

[0067] although Figure 3 An example of a UE 116 is shown, but the Figure 3 Make various changes. For example, Figure 3 The various components in the embodiment may be combined, further subdivided, or omitted, and additional components may be added as needed. As a specific example, processor 307 may be divided into multiple processors, such as one or more central processing units (CPUs) and one or more graphics processing units (GPUs). Furthermore, although Figure 3 The UE 116 is shown configured as a mobile phone or smartphone, but the UE may be configured to operate as other types of mobile or stationary devices.

[0068] Fifth-generation communication technology, primarily characterized by millimeter wave (mmWave) technology, has significantly increased network throughput and improved user experience, gradually becoming the mainstream wireless communication technology worldwide. Due to the significant path loss of wireless transmission in the mmWave band, large-scale antenna technology using analog beamforming has been introduced to ensure transmission performance. This technology improves coverage by increasing the number of antenna elements within the array and adding phase shifters to each element. By adjusting the phase of each antenna element, narrower transmit and receive beams can be formed. Narrow beams focus the transmitted signal energy more closely in the desired direction of wireless transmission, thereby improving coverage. However, achieving this goal requires that the base station and user equipment (UE) can achieve beam pairing. For example, when a base station communicates downlink with a UE, the base station must use a transmit beam spatially aligned with the UE to transmit the downlink signal, and the UE must use a receive beam spatially aligned with the base station to receive the downlink signal. It is worth noting that for communications in the mmWave band, the optimal beam pairing for communication between the base station and UE is unique.

[0069] Because beams are generated in the analog domain by adjusting the phase shifters of each antenna element, the generated beams are time-domain beams. This means that the same antenna panel can only generate one beam at a time. In this case, the base station can only serve user devices with different beam directions in a time-division manner. Therefore, it is difficult to ensure that the same transmit or receive beam is used over a continuous period of time, especially when there are many user devices and they are widely dispersed. The lack of continuous time resources for repeated transmission of physical signals / channels using the same transmit and / or receive beams is a bottleneck that hinders further improvements in millimeter-wave frequency coverage. A new antenna technology, called Joint Phased and Timed Array (JPTA), may improve this issue in millimeter-wave communications. Its basic principle is to add a delay element in addition to the phase shifter of each antenna element. By adjusting the phase and / or delay of each antenna element, multiple beams can be transmitted or received simultaneously. These transmit or receive beams are allocated to different and non-overlapping frequency subbands. JPTA supports the simultaneous generation of multiple transmit or receive beams without adding antenna panels to communications equipment. This technology ensures that continuous time resources are allocated to the same beam without disrupting uplink and / or downlink communications for user devices with different beam directions, thereby improving uplink and / or downlink coverage. Given the increased cost and hardware size of adding delay elements, the Joint Phase Delay Array (JPTA) is more suitable for base stations.

[0070] Because JPTA can simultaneously generate multiple frequency-divided beams, this technology provides greater flexibility for millimeter-wave downlink scheduling. This flexibility can reduce user latency and thereby improve user perceived throughput (UPT). However, current downlink resource allocation methods are still only adapted for millimeter-wave communications that can only generate beams covering the entire frequency band in one direction at a time, and are not adapted for downlink resource allocation methods similar to JPTA. In order to fully utilize the scheduling flexibility provided by JPTA, the present disclosure proposes a downlink resource allocation and resource configuration method that enables the scheduling flexibility provided by technologies such as JPTA or similar technologies to be fully utilized. Specifically, in the present disclosure, at least one time unit corresponds to multiple subbands. By including information associated with at least one time unit and information associated with multiple subbands corresponding to the at least one time unit in the configuration information of the downlink data, the user equipment can receive the downlink data based on the demodulation reference signal (DRMS) on at least one subband in the multiple subbands after receiving the configuration information, thereby making it possible to give full play to the advantages of JPTA technology or similar technologies that can emit multiple frequency-divided beams at the same time, thereby improving the continuity of the time domain resources for users to receive downlink data, reducing user delay, and thereby improving user UPT.

[0071] Specifically, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a communication method performed by a user equipment and a communication method performed by a base station are provided.

[0072] Figure 4 is a flowchart illustrating a communication method performed by a user equipment according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0073] Reference Figure 4 In step S410, configuration information for downlink data is received. According to an embodiment, the configuration information for downlink data may include information associated with at least one time unit and information associated with multiple subbands corresponding to the at least one time unit. According to an embodiment, the at least one time unit may be a time unit included in a scheduling unit. As an example, the scheduling unit may be a time slot, a mini-time slot, etc., but is not limited thereto. According to an embodiment, the time unit may be a time domain symbol, for example, a symbol included in a time slot, such as an OFDM symbol.

[0074] According to an embodiment, step S410 may include: receiving downlink control information, wherein the downlink control information includes downlink data configuration information; or receiving higher-layer signaling, wherein the higher-layer signaling includes downlink data configuration information. That is, the downlink configuration information may be in the downlink control information or in the higher-layer signaling, depending on whether the downlink resources are allocated dynamically. If the downlink resources are allocated dynamically, the downlink configuration information may be received in the downlink control information. If the downlink resources are allocated statically or semi-statically, the downlink configuration information may be received in the higher-layer signaling.

[0075] According to an embodiment, the configuration information of the downlink data may include at least one of the following items: index information for indicating a predefined subband configuration; at least one of the following items corresponding to the predefined subband configuration: a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) mapping type, a first additional DMRS number, and a first additional DMRS position; the starting time unit index information and subband index information of each subband corresponding to the at least one time unit; information related to the subband segmentation method and subband index information on at least one subband segment; the number of subbands and the total bandwidth size of all subbands; index information for indicating the subband bandwidth configuration; subband bandwidth size information; and a subband index assigned to the user equipment, but not limited to this.

[0076] According to an embodiment, a subband configuration ("subband configuration" may also be referred to as "subband allocation," "subband configuration method," "subband allocation method," "subband allocation situation," "subband configuration situation," etc.) may be predefined. For example, the subband configuration of at least one time unit in a scheduling unit may be defined in a predefined manner.

[0077] According to an embodiment, a predefined subband configuration may include at least one of the following: starting time unit index information and subband index information for each subband corresponding to at least one time unit; information related to the subband segmentation method and subband index information for at least one subband segment; the number of subbands and the total bandwidth of all subbands; index information indicating the subband bandwidth configuration; subband bandwidth size information; and a subband index assigned to a user equipment, but is not limited thereto. Optionally, for example, the predefined subband configuration may also include information associated with a DMRS on at least one subband.

[0078] According to an embodiment, a DMRS on at least one subband may be used to receive downlink data. The DMRS-associated information may be predefined. For example, as described above, the DMRS-associated information on at least one subband may be defined in a predefined subband configuration. Optionally, the DMRS-associated information on at least one subband may also be configured using other configuration information (e.g., time domain configuration information). For example, a user equipment may receive time domain configuration information, which may include, but is not limited to, DMRS type information. For example, information associated with the DMRS on at least one subband, such as the position of the DMRS on the subband, may be obtained based on the DMRS type information.

[0079] According to an embodiment, the predefined subband configuration may optionally include: a first number of time units in the time units used for data channels in the scheduling unit corresponds to N subbands, and a second number of time units in the time units used for data channels corresponds to M subbands, where N and M are both positive integers greater than 1 and may be the same or different. For example, if the downlink resource allocation is dynamic, N and M may be different, for example, N may be 2 and M may be 4. For another example, if the downlink resource allocation is static or semi-static, N and M may be the same. According to an embodiment, the first number and the second number may also be the same or different. Optionally, in addition to time units for data channels, the scheduling unit may also include time units for control channels. For example, the time units for control channels may precede, but are not limited to, time units for data channels and may also be located within or after, the data channels. For example, if the number of time units used for control channels is 2, the first number and the second number may be 6. For another example, if the number of time units used for control channels is 3, the first number may be 6 and the second number may be 5.

[0080] According to an embodiment, the predefined subband configuration may be predefined in the form of a subband configuration pattern, or may be predefined in other forms. For example, information that can be used to determine the subband configuration may be predefined. For example, as mentioned above, the predefined subband configuration may include at least one of the following items: starting time unit index information and subband index information of each subband corresponding to at least one time unit; information related to the subband segmentation method and subband index information on at least one subband segment; the number of subbands and the total bandwidth size of all subbands; index information for indicating the subband bandwidth configuration; subband bandwidth size information; and a subband index assigned to a user device, but is not limited thereto.

[0081] For example, in the case where downlink resources are allocated dynamically, an example of a predefined subband configuration may be: Figure 5 、 Figure 6 and Figure 7The sub-band configuration pattern is shown.

[0082] like Figure 5 As shown, the scheduling unit may be a time slot, and the time unit may be a symbol. For a time slot structure in which the first two symbols are used for control channels and the remaining symbols are used for data channels, the predefined subband configuration may include: the first half of the symbols used for the data channel (hereinafter, the symbols used for the data channel may also be referred to as "data symbols") are allocated using 4 subbands, while the second half of the data symbols may be allocated using 2 subbands. That is, each data symbol in the first half corresponds to 4 subbands, and each data symbol in the second half corresponds to 2 subbands.

[0083] like Figure 6 As shown, for a time slot structure in which the first two symbols are used for control channels and the remaining symbols are data symbols, the predefined subband configuration may include: the first half of the data symbols are allocated using two subbands, while the second half of the data symbols are allocated using four subbands. That is, each data symbol in the first half of the data symbols corresponds to two subbands, and each data symbol in the second half of the data symbols corresponds to four subbands.

[0084] like Figure 7 As shown in FIG, for a time slot structure in which the first three symbols are used for control channels and the remaining symbols are data symbols, the predefined subband configuration may include: the first six data symbols are allocated using two subbands, while the remaining data symbols are allocated using four subbands. That is, each of the first six data symbols corresponds to two subbands, and each of the remaining data symbols corresponds to four subbands.

[0085] Optionally, in addition to including information about which data symbols use how many subbands, the predefined subband configuration may also include bandwidth-related information of the subband corresponding to each data symbol, etc., as mentioned in the description of the predefined subband configuration above.

[0086] It should be noted that Figures 5 to 7 The subband configuration shown is only an example. The subband configuration according to the present disclosure is not limited to the above example, but can be any form of subband configuration defined according to communication needs.

[0087] In the case of a predefined subband configuration, the configuration information of the downlink data may include: index information for indicating the predefined subband configuration. The index information may correspond to the various information included in the predefined subband configuration mentioned above, and the predefined subband configuration to be used may be determined based on the index information. As an example, the index information for indicating the predefined subband configuration may be index information of the predefined subband configuration pattern, but is not limited thereto. For example, Figure 5 、 Figure 6 or Figure 7The information related to the subband configuration pattern shown can be configured in the downlink control information or high-layer signaling in the form of an index. For example, Figure 5 、 Figure 6 or Figure 7 The subband configuration patterns shown may be respectively assigned indexes 0, 1, and 2. In this case, when the user equipment obtains the index information indicating the predefined subband configuration in the downlink control information in step S410, it may determine which predefined subband configuration to use according to the index information.

[0088] Optionally, in the case where the subband configuration is predefined, the configuration information of the downlink data may include: at least one of the following items corresponding to the predefined subband configuration: a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) mapping type, a first additional DMRS number, and an additional DMRS position. For example, in the case where the subband configuration is predefined, the correspondence between the predefined subband configuration and at least one of the PDSCH mapping type, the first additional DMRS number, and the first additional DMRS position may be further predefined. For example, the correspondence between the subband configuration pattern and at least one of the PDSCH mapping type, the first additional DMRS number, and the first additional DMRS position may be predefined. For example, the correspondence between the subband configuration pattern index and at least one of the DSCH mapping type, the first additional DMRS number, and the first additional DMRS position may be predefined. This correspondence may be defined in the form of a table, for example, as shown in Table 1 below.

[0089]

[0090] Table 1

[0091] In the case where a subband configuration and a correspondence between the predefined subband configuration and at least one of the PDSCH mapping type, the first additional DMRS number, and the first additional DMRS position are predefined, if the user equipment obtains configuration information including at least one of the PDSCH mapping type, the first additional DMRS number, and the first additional DMRS position in step S410, then based on the correspondence between the predefined subband configuration and at least one of the PDSCH mapping type, the additional DMRS number, and the additional DMRS position, it is possible to determine which predefined subband configuration to use. For example, the subband configuration pattern index can be determined by looking up Table 1, and then the predefined subband configuration corresponding to the subband configuration pattern index can be determined. This predefined subband configuration method is conducive to ensuring that there is a DMRS on each subband. For example, if the number of first additional DMRSs is sufficient or the first additional DMRS position is reasonable, it can be ensured that there is a DMRS on each subband, so that channel estimation can be performed for each subband based on the DMRS on it. Optionally, the predefined subband configuration may also include at least one of a PDSCH mapping type, a first additional DMRS number, and a first additional DMRS position. That is, the at least one of the above items may also be configured as part of the predefined subband configuration.

[0092] Optionally, the subband configuration may not be predefined, for example, the subband configuration pattern may not be predefined. In the case where the subband configuration is not predefined, for example, the configuration information of the downlink data may include: the starting time unit index information of each subband corresponding to at least one time unit and the subband index information. For example, the base station may directly perform subband configuration by including the starting symbol index and subband index of each subband in the downlink control information. For example, the configuration information of the downlink data included in the downlink control information may include an array consisting of the subband starting symbol index, the number of subbands, and the subband index as array elements, such as {{l0,N0,i0},…,{l M-1 ,N M-1 ,i M-1}}, where l k ,k=0,…,M-1 represents the starting symbol index of the kth subband; N k ,k=0,…,M-1 represents the number of subbands on the kth subband; i k, k = 0, ..., M-1 represents the subband index used by the user equipment on the kth subband; M is the number of subband segments. As an example, M can be notified via downlink control information, or statically or semi-statically according to higher-layer signaling. According to an embodiment, when the user equipment obtains the starting time unit index information and subband index information corresponding to at least one time unit of each subband included in the downlink data configuration information in step S410, it can confirm the subband configuration corresponding to at least one symbol and then receive downlink data on at least one subband.

[0093] Optionally, when the subband configuration is not predefined, for example, the configuration information of the downlink data may include: information related to the subband segmentation mode and subband index information on at least one subband segment.

[0094] For example, possible sub-band segmentation modes may be specified in a pre-defined manner. For example, possible sub-band segmentation modes may be pre-defined as shown in Table 2, and the index of each sub-band segmentation mode indicates a different sub-band segmentation mode.

[0095]

[0096] Table 2

[0097] The meanings of M, l and N in Table 2 are the same as those mentioned above and are not repeated here.

[0098] According to an embodiment, the information related to the subband segmentation mode may include an index of the subband segmentation mode. In this case, the user equipment may determine the subband segmentation mode based on the index of the subband segmentation mode included in the downlink data configuration information acquired in step S410, and determine the subband configuration corresponding to the at least one time unit based on the determined subband segmentation mode and the subband index information of the at least one subband segment included in the downlink data configuration information.

[0099] Alternatively, the subband segmentation mode may not be predefined, but may be directly configured by the base station in the downlink control information. In this case, information related to the subband segmentation mode may include the number of subband segments, the segment start time unit index, and the number of segmented subbands. The user equipment may determine the subband segmentation mode based on the number of subband segments, the segment start time unit index, and the number of segmented subbands included in the downlink data configuration information obtained in step S410, and determine the subband configuration corresponding to at least one time unit based on the determined subband segmentation mode and the subband index information of at least one subband segment included in the downlink data configuration information.

[0100] Optionally, the downlink data configuration information may include information associated with the subband bandwidth configuration. For example, the downlink data configuration information may include at least one of the following: the number of subbands and the total bandwidth of all subbands; index information indicating the subband bandwidth configuration; or subband bandwidth information.

[0101] For example, regardless of the subband configuration method mentioned above (e.g., a predefined subband configuration method or a direct subband configuration method), subband bandwidth configuration can be further performed. Therefore, the downlink data configuration information can optionally further include information associated with the subband bandwidth configuration. For example, the information associated with the subband bandwidth configuration can include at least one of the following items: the number of subbands and the total bandwidth of all subbands; index information for indicating the subband bandwidth configuration; and subband bandwidth size information, but is not limited thereto.

[0102] Depending on the embodiment, the subband bandwidths may be the same or different. When the subband bandwidths are the same, the information associated with the subband bandwidth configuration may include, but is not limited to, the number of subbands and the total bandwidth of all subbands. For example, the user terminal may calculate the bandwidth of each subband based on the configured number of subbands and total bandwidth. Alternatively, the relationship between the total bandwidth, number of subbands, and subband bandwidth may be predefined, such as shown in Table 3 above. In this case, the user terminal may obtain the subband bandwidth by looking up Table 3 based on the number of subbands and total bandwidth included in the downlink data configuration information.

[0103]

[0104] Table 3

[0105] According to the embodiment, the bandwidth may be an absolute bandwidth, or may be configured in units of physical resource blocks.

[0106] In the case of different subband bandwidths, the information associated with the subband bandwidth configuration may include, but is not limited to, index information indicating the subband bandwidth configuration. For example, subband bandwidth configurations for different total bandwidths may be predefined, as shown in Table 4 below. The base station may include the index indicating the subband bandwidth configuration in downlink control information and notify the user equipment, for example, by notifying the user equipment of the index in Table 4. The user equipment may determine the corresponding subband bandwidth configuration based on the index.

[0107] index Total bandwidth Subband bandwidth configuration 0 W1 {N1,N2,N3} 1 W1 {N4,N5} 2 W2 {N6,N7} 3 W2 {N8, N9, N10} … … …

[0108] Table 4

[0109] Alternatively, the subband bandwidth can be directly configured, regardless of whether the subband bandwidths are the same or different. In this case, the downlink data configuration information can include subband bandwidth size information. For example, if the subband bandwidth is an absolute bandwidth, the subband bandwidth size can be directly configured. If the subband bandwidth is configured in units of physical resource blocks, information such as the starting physical resource block index can be configured.

[0110] Optionally, the configuration information of the downlink data may include a subband index assigned to the user equipment. For example, as mentioned above, if the downlink resources are allocated in a static or semi-static manner, a high-layer signaling may be received in step S410, and the high-layer signaling may include the configuration information of the downlink data. According to an embodiment, the configuration information of the downlink data in the high-layer signaling may include a subband index assigned to the user equipment, but is not limited thereto. For example, in the case where the downlink resources are allocated in a static or semi-static manner, the subband configuration may also be predefined, for example, a subband configuration pattern or information for defining a subband configuration pattern may be predefined. As an example, the predefined subband configuration may be as follows: Figure 8 The sub-band configuration pattern shown is, but not limited to, this. Figure 8 Different colors represent different sub-bands. Figure 8 Only the subband configuration of the time unit for the data channel in the scheduling unit is shown. Figure 8 In the subband configuration example, the scheduling unit may also include a time unit for a control channel, or may not include a time unit for a control channel and only include a time unit for a data signal. Figure 8 In the subband configuration example, all time units used for data channels correspond to the same subband configuration. When the subband configuration is predefined, the downlink data configuration information included in the higher-layer signaling may only include the subband index assigned to the user equipment, and the user equipment may receive downlink data on the corresponding subband based on the subband index. Optionally, if the subband configuration is not predefined, the downlink data configuration information included in the higher-layer signaling may include, in addition to the subband index assigned to the user equipment, information related to the predefined subband configuration, such as the number of subbands. The information related to the predefined subband configuration has been described above and will not be repeated here.

[0111] According to an embodiment, regardless of which subband configuration method mentioned above, it is possible that it is not possible to ensure that there is a DMRS on each subband. However, in order to better receive downlink data, it is necessary to ensure that there is a DMRS on each subband to ensure that independent channel estimation can be performed on each subband. To this end, optionally, the configuration information of the downlink data mentioned above may also include index information of the time unit requiring the second additional DMRS. For example, if the predefined subband configuration does not define information related to the first additional DMRS (for example, the number of first additional DMRSs and / or the position of the first additional DMRS), or even if the information related to the first additional DMRS is defined, it is still not possible to ensure that there is a DMRS on each subband, then the configuration information of the downlink data may also include index information of the time unit requiring the second additional DMRS. Optionally, the predefined subband configuration may also include position information of the time unit requiring the second additional DMRS, that is, the position information of the time unit requiring the second additional DMRS may be configured as part of the subband configuration in a predefined manner.

[0112] In addition, regardless of which subband configuration method mentioned above, the configuration information of the downlink data may optionally further include: invalid index related information, which is used to configure the user equipment to be unable to use one or more subbands. For example, the invalid index related information may directly be the index of one or more subbands that the user equipment cannot use. Alternatively, the invalid index related information may also be a threshold value of the subband index that the user equipment cannot use. For example, if the subband index does not meet the threshold requirement, for example, if the subband index is less than 0 or is greater than / equal to the maximum number of subbands in the current subband segment, then the subband index is an invalid index, and the user equipment cannot use the subband corresponding to the subband index for downlink data reception. In other words, the user equipment can determine whether the subband index assigned to it is valid based on the invalid index related information, and the user equipment can only use the subband corresponding to the valid index for downlink data reception.

[0113] During communications, due to special events, such as sudden high-priority downlink events or changes in service data volume, the current subband configuration may no longer be usable. The base station needs to notify the user equipment (UE) through configuration to adjust the current subband configuration. In this case, the downlink data configuration information may also include at least one of the following: indication information indicating whether the subband configuration has changed; index information of the scheduling unit in which the subband configuration has changed, where the scheduling unit includes multiple time units; and the number and subband index of subbands allocated to the UE after the subband configuration has changed. For example, the base station may notify the UE of the indication information indicating whether the subband configuration has changed in the downlink control information, along with the index of the scheduling unit in which the subband configuration has changed, the changed number of subbands, and the subband index allocated to the UE.

[0114] For example, the indication information for indicating whether the subband configuration has changed may be a 1-bit indication in the downlink control information, through which it can be determined whether the subband configuration has changed.

[0115] For example, the index information of the scheduling unit in which the subband configuration is changed may be the timeslot index in which the subband configuration is changed. The timeslot index may be an absolute timeslot index or a relative timeslot index. The relative timeslot index may be the index difference between the timeslot in which the subband configuration of the user equipment is changed and the timeslot in which the downlink control information is currently being received.

[0116] According to an embodiment, by configuring the number of subbands and subband indexes assigned to a user equipment after a subband configuration change, the user equipment can determine whether subsequent subbands are valid. In one possible example, if the subband index previously assigned to the user equipment is not less than 0 and less than the configured number of subbands, the subsequent subband is valid, and the terminal continues to receive downlink data based on the configured number of subbands and subband index. If the subband index previously assigned to the user equipment is not less than the configured number of subbands or less than 0, the subsequent subband is invalid, and the terminal does not receive downlink data on the subsequent subband.

[0117] As mentioned above, the bandwidth of each subband can be the same or different, and subband bandwidth configuration can also be performed during subband configuration adjustment. For example, information related to subband bandwidth configuration can be included in the downlink configuration information. Subband bandwidth configuration has been described above and will not be repeated here.

[0118] Optionally, after the subband configuration is adjusted, due to the completion or disappearance of a special event, it may be necessary to configure the user equipment to use the subband configuration before the adjustment for downlink data reception. For example, possible configuration methods may be:

[0119] 1. Reconfigure the subbands. The specific configuration method can adopt the subband configuration method described above, which will not be repeated here.

[0120] 2. Indication information for restoring the subband configuration (also referred to as "subband configuration restoration adjustment information") is included in the downlink data configuration information to notify the user equipment to use the pre-adjusted subband configuration for downlink data reception. For example, the base station may insert indication information for restoring the subband configuration into the downlink control information. If the user equipment receives this indication information, it will perform downlink data reception based on the pre-adjusted subband configuration. According to an embodiment, the indication information for restoring the subband configuration may be a single-bit indication, for example, using bit 0 to indicate that the current subband configuration is maintained, and using bit 1 to indicate that the original subband configuration is restored. Alternatively, the indication information for restoring the subband configuration may be indicated by whether the single-bit indication information in the downlink control information is flipped. For example, if the single-bit indication information is the same as the previously received indication information (both bits are 0 or both bits are 1), the current subband configuration is maintained. If the single-bit indication information is flipped compared to the previously received indication information (bit 0 previously and bit 1 currently, or bit 1 previously and bit 0 currently), the original subband configuration is restored.

[0121] 3. Include information related to the duration of the subband configuration change in the downlink data configuration information. The information related to the duration of the subband configuration change may be the number of scheduling units (e.g., the number of slots or mini-slots) or the number of time units (e.g., the number of symbols). The user equipment may receive data using the adjusted subband configuration and count the number of scheduling units or time units until the count reaches the configured subband configuration duration, at which point the user equipment restores the subband configuration before the adjustment.

[0122] Figure 9 FIG is a schematic diagram illustrating the adjustment and restoration of subband configuration according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 9 As shown, when the user terminal obtains the subband configuration adjustment information, it can adjust the subband configuration according to the subband configuration adjustment information. Subsequently, if it receives the restoration subband configuration adjustment information, the user terminal can restore the previous subband configuration.

[0123] Return to reference Figure 4In step S420, downlink data is received based on the DMRS on at least one subband among the multiple subbands. According to an embodiment, step S420 may include: determining the subband allocated to the user equipment in each time unit of at least one time unit based on the configuration information of the downlink data mentioned above, and performing channel estimation for each subband based on the DMRS on each subband allocated to the user equipment to receive the downlink data. As mentioned above, the downlink data may be downlink data sent by the base station using JPTA. For example, the downlink data may be dynamically allocated to the terminal, or the downlink data may be statically or semi-statically allocated to the terminal. For example, the user equipment may determine the subband allocated to the user equipment in each symbol of at least one symbol in the scheduling unit based on the configuration information of the downlink data, and perform channel estimation based on the DMRS on each subband, thereby achieving downlink data reception.

[0124] The above has been referenced Figure 4 Combined with Figures 5 to 9 A communication method performed by a user equipment (UE) is described. According to the communication method, since at least one time unit corresponds to multiple subbands, and the downlink data configuration information includes information associated with the at least one time unit and information associated with the multiple subbands corresponding to the at least one time unit, the UE, after receiving the configuration information, can receive downlink data based on the DRMS ​​on at least one of the multiple subbands. This enables the full utilization of the advantages of JPTA technology or similar technologies that simultaneously deploy multiple frequency-divided beams, thereby improving the continuity of time domain resources for users to receive downlink data, reducing user latency, and thereby improving user UPT.

[0125] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a communication method performed by a base station is also provided. Figure 10 is a flowchart illustrating a communication method performed by a base station according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0126] refer to Figure 10 In step S1010, downlink data configuration information may be sent to the user equipment. As described above, the downlink data configuration information includes information associated with at least one time unit and information associated with multiple subbands corresponding to the at least one time unit. According to an embodiment, in step S1010, downlink control information may be sent to the user equipment, where the downlink control information includes the downlink data configuration information, or higher-layer signaling may be sent to the user equipment, where the higher-layer signaling includes the downlink data configuration information. The relevant content of the downlink data configuration information has been introduced above, and the relevant details can be found in the above description and will not be repeated here.

[0127] In step S1020, downlink data may be sent to the user equipment. For example, the downlink data may be sent using JPTA or similar techniques. According to an embodiment, the downlink data is received by the user equipment based on a demodulation reference signal (DRMS) on at least one of the multiple subbands.

[0128] According to the above-mentioned various communication methods provided by the present disclosure, the scheduling flexibility of downlink data can be improved (for example, the scheduling flexibility of sending downlink data using JPTA or similar technologies can be improved), and resource allocation can be adjusted in a timely manner according to the business needs of user equipment, thereby improving the overall network performance.

[0129] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a user equipment and a base station are also provided.

[0130] Figure 11 is a block diagram illustrating a user equipment according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 11 The user equipment 1100 may include a transceiver 1110 and a processor 1120, wherein the processor 1120 is coupled to the transceiver 1110 and configured to execute the communication method performed by the user equipment described above.

[0131] As an example, the user device may be a PC, a tablet device, a personal digital assistant, a smart phone, or other device capable of executing the above-mentioned instruction set. In addition, the user device does not have to be a single user device, but may also be any collection of devices or circuits capable of executing instructions (or instruction sets) individually or in combination. The user device may also be part of an integrated control system or system manager, or may be any portable electronic device.

[0132] In a user device, the processor 1120 may include a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a programmable logic device, a dedicated processor system, a microcontroller, or a microprocessor, etc. By way of example and not limitation, the processor may also include an analog processor, a digital processor, a microprocessor, a multi-core processor, a processor array, etc.

[0133] Figure 12 is a block diagram illustrating a base station according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 12 The base station 1200 may include a transceiver 1210 and a processor 1220, wherein the processor 1220 is coupled to the transceiver 1210 and configured to execute the communication method performed by the base station described above.

[0134] In addition, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a computer-readable storage medium storing instructions may also be provided, wherein when the instructions are executed by at least one processor, the at least one processor is prompted to perform any one of the communication methods mentioned above. Examples of computer-readable storage media include: read-only memory (ROM), random access programmable read-only memory (PROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), random access memory (RAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), static random access memory (SRAM), flash memory, non-volatile memory, CD-ROM, CD-R, CD+R, CD-RW, CD+RW, DVD-ROM, DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, DVD-RAM, BD-ROM, BD-R, BD-RLTH , BD-RE, Blu-ray or optical disc storage, hard disk drive (HDD), solid state drive (SSD), card storage (such as, multimedia card, secure digital (SD) card or ultra-fast digital (XD) card), magnetic tape, floppy disk, magneto-optical data storage device, optical data storage device, hard disk, solid state disk and any other device, any other device configured to store the computer program and any associated data, data files and data structures in a non-transitory manner and provide the computer program and any associated data, data files and data structures to a processor or computer so that the processor or computer can execute the computer program. The instructions or computer program in the above-mentioned computer-readable storage medium can be executed in an environment deployed in a computer device such as a client, a host, an agent device, a server, etc. In addition, in one example, the computer program and any associated data, data files and data structures are distributed on a networked computer system so that the computer program and any associated data, data files and data structures are stored, accessed and executed in a distributed manner by one or more processors or computers.

[0135] Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate other embodiments of the present disclosure after considering the specification and practicing the invention disclosed herein. This application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the present disclosure that follow the general principles of the present disclosure and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not disclosed herein. The description and examples are to be considered as exemplary only, and the true scope and spirit of the present disclosure are to be defined by the claims.

Claims

1. A communication method performed by a user equipment, comprising: receiving configuration information of downlink data, wherein the configuration information of the downlink data includes information associated with at least one time unit and information associated with multiple subbands corresponding to the at least one time unit; The downlink data is received according to a demodulation reference signal DRMS ​​on at least one sub-band among the multiple sub-bands.

2. The communication method according to claim 1, wherein: The configuration information for receiving downlink data includes: receiving downlink control information, wherein the downlink control information includes configuration information of the downlink data; or Receive high-layer signaling, where the high-layer signaling includes configuration information of the downlink data.

3. The communication method according to claim 2, wherein: The configuration information of the downlink data includes at least one of the following: Index information used to indicate a predefined subband configuration; At least one of the following items corresponding to the predefined subband configuration: a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) mapping type, a first additional DMRS number, and a first additional DMRS position; start time unit index information and subband index information of each subband corresponding to the at least one time unit; Information related to the subband segmentation mode and subband index information on at least one subband segment; The number of subbands and the total bandwidth of all subbands; Index information used to indicate subband bandwidth configuration; Subband bandwidth size information; A subband index allocated to the user equipment. The communication method according to claim 3 , wherein: The configuration information of the downlink data further includes index information of a time unit requiring a second additional DMRS; or, The predefined subband configuration includes location information of a time unit where a second additional DMRS is required.

5. The communication method according to claim 3 or 4, wherein: The configuration information of the downlink data also includes: Invalid index related information is used to configure the user equipment to be unable to use one or more subbands. The communication method according to claim 3 , wherein: The configuration information of the downlink data further includes at least one of the following items: Indication information used to indicate whether the subband configuration has changed; Index information of a scheduling unit in which the subband configuration is changed, wherein the scheduling unit includes multiple time units; the number of subbands and subband indexes allocated to the user equipment after the subband configuration is changed; Information about the duration of the subband configuration change; Instructions for restoring subband configuration.

7. The communication method according to claim 3, wherein: The predefined subband configuration includes: A first number of time units in the time units for data channels in the scheduling unit corresponds to N subbands, and a second number of time units in the time units for data channels corresponds to M subbands, where N and M are both positive integers greater than 1, and N and M are the same or different. The communication method according to claim 1 , wherein: The receiving the downlink data according to a demodulation reference signal DRMS ​​on at least one sub-band among the multiple sub-bands includes: Determine, according to the configuration information, a subband allocated to the user equipment in each time unit of the at least one time unit, and perform channel estimation for each subband based on the DMRS allocated to each subband of the user equipment to receive the downlink data.

9. A communication method performed by a base station, comprising: Sending configuration information of downlink data to a user equipment, wherein the configuration information of the downlink data includes information associated with at least one time unit and information associated with multiple subbands corresponding to the at least one time unit; Downlink data is sent to a user equipment, wherein the downlink data is received by the user equipment according to a demodulation reference signal DRMS ​​on at least one subband of the multiple subbands.

10. The communication method according to claim 9, wherein: The sending the configuration information of the downlink data to the user equipment includes: Sending downlink control information to the user equipment, wherein the downlink control information includes configuration information of the downlink data; or Sending a higher layer signaling to the user equipment, wherein the higher layer signaling includes the configuration information of the downlink data. The communication method according to claim 10 , wherein: The configuration information of the downlink data includes at least one of the following: Index information used to indicate a predefined subband configuration; At least one of the following items corresponding to the predefined subband configuration: a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) mapping type, a first additional demodulation reference signal (DMRS) number, and a first additional DMRS position; start time unit index information and subband index information of each subband corresponding to the at least one time unit; Information related to the subband segmentation mode and subband index information on at least one subband segment; The number of subbands and the total bandwidth of all subbands; Index information used to indicate subband bandwidth configuration; Subband bandwidth size information; A subband index allocated to the user equipment.

12. The communication method according to claim 11, wherein: The configuration information of the downlink data further includes index information of a time unit requiring a second additional DMRS; or, The predefined subband configuration includes location information of a time unit where a second additional DMRS is required.

13. The communication method according to claim 11 or 12, wherein: The configuration information of the downlink data also includes: Invalid index related information is used to configure the user equipment to be unable to use one or more subbands.

14. The communication method according to claim 11, wherein: The configuration information of the downlink data further includes at least one of the following items: Indication information used to indicate whether the subband configuration has changed; Index information of a scheduling unit in which the subband configuration is changed, wherein the scheduling unit includes multiple time units; the number of subbands and subband indexes allocated to the user equipment after the subband configuration is changed; Information about the duration of the subband configuration change; Instructions for restoring subband configuration.

15. The communication method according to claim 11, wherein: The predefined subband configuration includes: A first number of time units in the time units for data channels in the scheduling unit corresponds to N subbands, and a second number of time units in the time units for data channels corresponds to M subbands, where N and M are both positive integers greater than 1, and N and M are the same or different.

16. A user equipment comprising: transceiver, A processor is coupled to the transceiver and configured to execute the communication method according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

17. A base station, comprising: transceiver, A processor is coupled to the transceiver and configured to execute the communication method according to any one of claims 9 to 15.

18. A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions, which, when executed by at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to perform the communication method according to any one of claims 1 to 15.

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